The harbinger

The term harbinger refers to something or someone that signals or announces the arrival of an event or a person, often indicating a significant change or upcoming occurrence. It originally referred to someone who arranged lodging, especially for royalty or a group, but it evolved to mean a forerunner or precursor. In a literary context, a harbinger often foreshadows or presages a meaningful or transformative event, like a shift in weather or a significant societal change.

After the tyranny of the covid, when people say the world has gone back to normal, they miss the point. No. It hasn't gone back to normal. On the contrary, the world has learned to live like parasites.

After issuing stern warnings, including threats of deportation, to anyone working in the Middle East for expressing solidarity or sharing social media comments about the Palestinian conflict, the once vocal Islamic solidarity among Malayalis and Asian Muslims fell into a deep silence.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of an international conference, OIC leaders reportedly told their European counterparts: "Once Israel resolves the Palestine issue, the Middle East will be free from Islamic fundamentalism. The remaining fundamentalists have already become your refugees—it's your problem now."

The sky brimmed with the sea, and the ground lay veiled in clouds. Fish floated aimlessly, while the steadfast rocks, having endured the trials of time and the tyranny of tides, chose to surrender to oblivion.

Harbinger, acrylic and pigments on canvas, 2020