To love in 21st century

Mohabbat,

Where Sita’s name was put before Ram’s,

Where Krishna was known for his everlasting love,

Towards a woman he could only adore from afar,

Where shiv cursed priests who’s worship was considered

Incomplete without his consort,

Mahabharat fought over the disrespect of Draupadi,

Taj Mahal constructed as living proof of it,

Movies and books, that speak of it

On how sati burnt herself alive,

Just to cleanse herself from the disrespectful words,

On how savitri meditated for years,

Just to protect satyavan from Yamraj,

On how Parvati only survived on leaves and water,

Just to be Shiva’s consort

love stories written as if to end all love stories,

And now I wonder where all that went,

When it came to find love in 21st century

From promises of respect,

To being treated as nothing but an object

From the promises of everlasting love,

To texts on hookups and lies,

From two being treated as one,

To fifty percent of marriages ending in a divorce

From wars fought over love,

To fights with the one we love

Books and movies that speak of it

From Goddesses leading an example of love,

To modern actresses trampling it

From years of penance for our loved one,

To trading modern relationships-one for another

From songs, poems filled with simple thoughts

To Dms and social media for all the wrong reasons

Mohabbat,

Feels like an unknown word to a gen-z like me

Living in world where love is use and throw

Relationships made for the wrong reasons,

I wonder where loving for an eternity went,

When did it decide to become a pastime,

For people like me,

Living in the 21st century

-- Kho gaye hum kahan