Short Stories of Life's Moments

Contents
Second Issue.................................................................................. 3
Forbidden Love ............................................................................ 4
A Log of Wood ........................................................................... 13
Excreta etc. .................................................................................. 21
Character Sketches ..................................................................... 26
Just Like That .............................................................................. 29
A Friend Lost .............................................................................. 33
The long road home................................................................... 36
Matrimonially, perfect............................................................... 47
Light of the day .......................................................................... 54
Terrorism: A few vignettes ....................................................... 62
The last shot ................................................................................ 65
Fake .............................................................................................. 67
Love Stunts ................................................................................. 67
Madness ...................................................................................... 69
Mathematics of Life ................................................................... 70
There are People ......................................................................... 71
Blues- Prayer............................................................................... 73
Like Never Before ...................................................................... 74
Announcements ......................................................................... 74

increasingly mobile
population. 'Excreta etc.'
From the Publisher’s
and 'Just Like That' are the
Desk stories of ordinary
moments, ordinary things,
Second Issue
ordinary people, which
by Pothi.com Team
manage to impact us in
Dear Readers, strangely powerful ways.
We liked 'The Long Road
We are back with the
Home' for its interesting
second issue of Pothiz! We
style of writing and
are really happy with the
'Matrimonially, perfect' for
overwhelming response
its simplicity of concept.
we continue to get from
'Light of the Day' is about
the readers & writers of all
the eternal confusion of
sorts. We hope we
young people about
continue to improve with
marriage! In this edition
every coming issue and
we also have a story
become a staple in
translated from Oriya
everybody's reading list.
called 'A Log of Wood'.
The original story is by
Basanta Kumar Satpathy
who is a well known
Oriya writer. The story
draws a vivid picture of
rural Oriya society with all
The Featured Entry its inequalities and
'Forbidden Love' is an exploitation.
interesting, even if slightly
tragic, story of our

We received many good Story (Featured Entry)
poems this time and
selecting from them was Forbidden Love
really difficult. We have by Anonymous
picked up seven of them
He turned again while
here and we hope the
lying on his bed. His
poetry lovers amongst you
mobile was on silent mode
enjoy them.
but there was no way of
As usual, do give your avoiding the SMS’s that
feedback to us as well as were pouring in.
to the writers through the Sometimes angry,
comments. sometime pleading,

Given the number of sometimes plain scared!
entries, it is becoming "What has happened?
difficult for our editorial
Why aren't you replying?
team to process the entries
What did they say?"
in short span of 10-15
days. So, we have decided "Are you alright? Please
to bring out Pothiz once in baby, this is torture. Send
two months. This should me just one msg saying u r
also give the writers more fine."
time to write their entries.
The next issue will come What would be more
out in October and you difficult for her? Him
have the time till disappearing from her life
September 15, 2010 to without telling her the
submit your entries. So, reason; or him facing her
start writing right away. and telling her the truth.
How did it matter? Was
Pothi.com Team
disappearing even an

option? Where would he was no way he could have
hide? He could change the known, why was he
mobile number, but what feeling guilty? And yet,
about e-mail, facebook, there was nothing else he
mutual friends. Damn this could feel. This is what
ever connected world. If she would also end up
only he was born in an age feeling. For no fault of
when Mumbai to Delhi anyone. Are these the
was still too far for people situations for which we
to find each other. When have invented God?
there was no way to Somebody has to be at
contact someone without fault and He comes handy.
knowing their addresses.
Three more messages
came in. He could imagine
her crying now. He should
be there to comfort her.
But will he ever be able to
do that again? Hug her
tight and comfort her
when she was distressed.
Then he could have
No, he would deliver the
disappeared. She would
most distressful news of
have cried over her lost
her life and would leave.
love and moved on. She
Just like that.
could at least be spared
the torture he was going He picked up the phone
through. What was he and went through the
feeling? Frustration? messages. He decided to
Guilt? But why guilt? write a short reply.
What was his fault? There

"I am fine. Don't worry. I he realized what was
will see you in the going on.
morning."
Mother was equally
But that's not right. That'd distressed initially. "Hey
be far too comforting. She bhagwan! What are we to
wouldn't be prepared for do?"
what is to come. But how
But by now she had
does he tell her what is to
realized that nothing
come?
untoward had happened
He did not send the
and situation was still
message. Instead, he
controllable. They would
switched off the phone.
not have to face any social
There was no question of
embarrassment.
sleeping. The events of the
evening replayed in his "Calm down. What is his
mind. fault? How could he have
known?"
--
"Why are they in such a
"Kids these days. What all
hurry? Can't we find a
do we have to see because
suitable girl for him? For
of them?" His father was
all we know, everything
shouting.
has already happened. Do
Father's outbursts could they care about dharma,
have hardly helped him in maryada, anything these
the tragically, bizarre days?"
situation he was in, he had
"Keep quiet now. Is this
rushed into his room once
the way to talk to your
children? If you are going

to talk like this, what to everything about that
expect from outsiders? He evening was unusual.
is a nice, cultured boy. But
It was only a week back,
let me talk to him."
wasn't it? He was at her
Mother had stepped into place on a Saturday
the room. evening.

"Nothing has happened, --
right? You know how
"My boss wants me to go
wrong it will be, don't
to Delhi, as the new
you?"
Region Head. It’s kind of a
He was frustrated beyond promotion."
his tolerance, but he could
She had hesitated, and
not trivialize her concern.
then probably realized
That was the only relief
that not congratulating
for him too.
will be too mean.
"No Ma! Nothing has
"Really? Wow!
happened. But please
Congratulations." She
leave me alone. This is not
added after a pause, "You
easy for me."
are going to Delhi?"
--
"Don't know. It depends."
She left then. Later when
she came to call him for "Depends on?"
dinner, he pretended to be
asleep and did not answer. "You."
She did not wake him up.
"What do you mean?"
That was unusual but

He dramatically got down decided to call him up at
on his knees. 5.00 in the morning. She
guessed he'd be at the
"I don't have the ring, but I
airport by now. She could
need to know right now.
safely call him up without
Will you marry me?"
disturbing the entire
She was taken aback by household and without
the gesture, but soon burst causing him any
out laughing. "Of course, I embarrassment. To her
will. Mr. Dramebaaz!" dismay she found that his
phone was switched off.
--
She thought of all the
The alarm went off at 4.00 things that was wrong
am. He had a 5.30 flight to between them and
catch. Ma also got up. She wondered if their
fussed over his coffee and relationship had a future
forced some breakfast at all. But something must
down his throat in her have gone wrong. He
usual way. As if nothing knows her well enough by
had happened. As if his now to not pull a
world had not changed nightlong prank on her.
forever.
What could have gone
-- wrong? He had been
confident before he left to
After sending God knows
meet his parents, "I will be
how many messages the
honest. My parents
entire night and after
wouldn't be too
making umpteen entries
comfortable with the idea
tearfully in her diary, she

of love marriage you whatever’s happened to
know. But we are him. The doorbell rang
fortunate sweetie, same again and she ran across
caste, different gotras. the hall to open the door.
They have no solid It was him, after a night of
grounds to oppose. I can torture, he was finally
play a little drama to there.
emotionally blackmail
She wanted to be angry,
them. You just get me a
but right now knowing
nice photo of yours in a
the reason for his
salwar kameez and no
behaviour was more
make-up."
important. She let him in
She had decided on the silently.
same approach for her
He looked at her─ but she
parents too. But they will
could see that his thoughts
be brought into picture
were elsewhere.
later. One hurdle at a time.
"Surabhi, your Nana's
Between crying and
cousin lives in Bangalore?"
wondering, she drifted off
to sleep at around six in "My Nana's cousin? Lal
the morning. Nana - yeah. He lives
somewhere in the south. I
She heard the doorbell
haven't met them in years.
and woke up startled;
But why are you asking?
when she looked at the
Does your family know
clock she was horrified to
him?"
find that it was almost
eight. Damn. She would "His sons? Do you know
be late for office. But them?"

"Actually no. Only the together and not feel
youngest, Biku Mama─ guilty. "
he’s quite a legend in the
"Stop it Nishant! You have
family. I think he’s only a
tortured me the entire
few years elder to me. He
night. I have absolutely no
was probably the first
patience left for your
engineer in the extended
riddles. Tell me now what
family on my mom's side.
has happened."
We’ve heard stories about
how dedicated and hard "I am your Biku Mama."
working he is. How he
managed to make it Probably his voice had
despite Lal Nana's poor dropped too low - or
financial situation. But I probably she did not want
have never met him, why to believe what she heard.
are you asking this
"Come again?"
anyway? Do you know the
family? Have they said "I am your Biku Mama,
anything about me?" Surabhi. And I don't know
a better way to put it to
"Sit down please,
you. All that was there
Surabhi."
between us is totally
He pulled a chair and sat inappropriate. It just
down facing her. shouldn't have happened
and it cannot happen in
"Now listen to me future. Can you
carefully. What I am going understand what I’m
to tell you is shocking. But saying?"
you have to promise me
that you will pull yourself

A thousand expressions only to inflict a bigger
came and went on her face pain in the morning. I am
in a matter of seconds. sorry. I am really sorry.
Surprise, shock, loathing, But please let us help each
hurt, disgust, horror, other get through it. It
complaint ─ what not. wasn't our fault. It was
nobody's fault. What is the
"Go away from here," was
point in being angry with
all she could say before
each other baby?"
she crouched and buried
her face behind her knees. Damn, that last word was
Why should something so inappropriate, but she
like this happen to her? did not seem to have
What had she done so noticed it. Habits don’t die
wrong to deserve this? overnight, irrespective of
Incest, she had been in the reality. How difficult it
danger of getting into an is right now not to hold
incestuous relationship. her and kiss her madly
until she forgets her pain.
"Surabhi, I am sure you
But if he did that the pain
will trust me when I say
would be worse, oh God!
this. I know what you are
going through. Last "I never thought it will
evening, the same thing come to this. But really,
happened to me. I was lost you being here doesn't
Surabhi. I was totally lost. help me. Go away for
I didn't know how to reply now. We will meet later.
to your messages. I am Please."
sorry I caused you so He was conscious that he
much pain the entire night no longer had the right to

force his way with her. "I will. You don't worry
"Okay. I’m leaving, but about me Nishant. Take
can I trust you not to do care of yourself. And..."
something foolish.
"And?"
Remember, nothing
irredeemable has "If we happen to meet at
happened." some family function, we
have never seen each
"Yes."
other."
--
"Right."
"The Delhi offer is still
As they took leave and
open. I have accepted it."
turned away from each
"Cool. Congratulations." other, their brave faces
crumpled and tears filled
"Surabhi. I don't know
their eyes.
how you are going to
cope; I don't even know Image Attribution:
how I am going to do it. http://www.flickr.com/ph
But both of us have to otos/h-k-
move on. Somehow. The d/3838158206/sizes/s/in/ph
only thing I know is that otostream/
I...," he hesitated, but
decided to continue, "I
loved a mature and
courageous girl, that’s my
consolation. You’ll
manage, right?"

Translated Story wood was good. So I
preferred the dried one.
A Log of Wood Though it was a bit
by Dr Bishnupriya Hota expensive, it won’t let the
(Original Odiya: Basanta kitchen become sooty and
Kumar Satpathy) smoky. The log lay
unattended for almost one
After much deliberation, it
week. The santals (tribals)
was decided that it would
weren’t available since it
be cheaper to buy wooden
was the makara festival.
logs and then get it split.
There was no question of
Accordingly, I brought
their coming out for work
two quintals of wood from
and finishing my job
Bharat Depot and
before they had their share
transported them on a
of rice beer and cock fight.
pushcart to my backyard.
Not even a single piece of
The owner of the depot wood was left in my
had said, ‚This piece of house. It was a Sunday.
log is two years old. It is Being a winter morning,
completely dry and when the wind was cold. I sat on
cut into small pieces it will the verandah with a
burn like gunpowder. It’ll newspaper in my hand
cost Rs. 12 per quintal, if assessing what we had
you want cheaper, then done for the tribals in the
there is sal wood; a bit raw last thirty years.
and with barks, it will
Suddenly Moti, our pet
produce smoke.‛
dog barked. Startled, I saw
Being from the forest an old woodcutter
region, I knew which approaching with an axe

on his shoulder. He came man took Rs. 24, now you
to me and asked in his will take Rs. 4 – Rs. 28 in
faulty, ungrammatical all. A gas stove would
way, ‚Need cut wood have been much cheaper.
sir?‛ meaning whether I If you so like, do it for
wanted the logs of wood three and a half, otherwise
to be cut. leave.‛

I pondered, we have been
spending millions to bring
them to our level, but they
were still stuck in the
place where they were
twenty years ago, couldn’t
even learn the language. He softened his voice and
No sense of verb and said in his own way which
subject. meant like this, ‚How
I mimicked,‛ Yes, I need shall we poor survive if
to get the wood cut. How you are so heartless babu?
much will you charge?‛ You are quite well off and
still fighting with us for 50
He examined the log and paisa? God has made you
said, ‚It about two rich. Why do you set your
quintals. In the depot, get eyes on our share? The
Rs. 2 for a quintal. Also depot is closed today, so I
give the same.‛ came, otherwise… ‛

‚What? Rs. 4? It will be My young and educated
too much. I will give you son (who hasn’t yet
Rs. 3.50 only. The depot earned a paisa in his life)

heard me arguing with the entered two inches deep
woodcutter and said, ‚OK, into the wood. It took him
you will take 25 paisa great effort to pull it out.
more, now don’t argue.‛
I asked him, ‚How is the
I glared at him and said, wood? Will it burn well?
‚Has money become
He said, ‘The wood is
cheaper these days? He
good but you are at a
would have done it for
profit and I am in loss. It
three and a half if you
won’t split easily, rather
hadn’t interfered.‛ Then I
will bend the axe. This
instructed the woodcutter
kind of wood was lying
to start the work without
there stockpiled in our
delay. He took out some
depot since last two years.
tobacco from his
Nobody took them, no one
waistband, rubbed it with
will be willing to split it. It
his palms and put it in his
will burn well but one
mouth. Then he began to
who would cut it will
cut.
develop boils on his
Looking at his face, I palm.‛
doubted his capability. I
He struck it again. It
thought though he had
struck in the right place.
agreed to do this for
He struck again; a splinter
money, it would take him
came out like a rocket and
two days to finish the
fell a little distance away.
work.
Impatiently I asked him
He laid the log on the not to make big pieces,
ground and delivered the ‚Our hearth is a bit small,
first stroke. The axe cut it thinner.‛

Contemptuously he don’t have a home then
looked at me and said, you should apply for it.‛
‚You please keep quiet,
‚You please help us in this
see whether I am able to
matter. What will you
do it or not .So many years
people do with the land? It
have I spent cutting wood
is our job to do the
and you think I still need
farming.‛
instructions!‛
When I asked about
Curious I asked, ‘How
family planning he said,
many years have you been
‚We aren’t used to having
here? Where were you
many children like you
before coming to this
people, just one or two
place?‛
each couple. Besides, your
My home is in wives and children don’t
Mayurbhanj, babu, near work. That is why you
Betanati, I came to depend on others. See you
Remuna during the war. depend on me to cut your
Two of my healthy sons wood.‛
and first wife died there in
Then he asked me, ‘Tell
Mayurbhanj, a place
me, babu, is there no more
infested by witches. My
of king’s rule after the
house, land and
King of Mayurbhanj, only
everything was grabbed
ministers are there, is it
by some businessmen like
so?
you.‛
I thought it is no good
‚Didn’t the government
conversing with this
provide you land? If you
obstinate fool. Rather my

work was getting slower. his axe in my hand. God, it
So I decided to watch his was so heavy. I asked,
way of wood cutting. He ‚What is its weight?‛
dismembered the log just
While sharpening the axe
as an experienced critic
on a huge stone, he said,
deconstructs a tough
‚I have made it in two
modern poetry. God has
kilos of iron and the stick
endowed him with such
is two and a half kilos.‛
divinity that he would
find bliss in cutting these ‚It is already noon. Will
giant trees all through his you be able to complete it
life. He completed half of in one day?‛
his task within one and
half hours. Last time ‚You are disturbing me by
another man had cut the talking too much; you
wood into big sizes. This please do your own work.
time I was sitting there to Haven’t you seen that
watch so that there your wood is not so easy
wouldn’t be any mistake. to split?‛

I came to him, took some I saw he had a flat belly. It
of the pieces apart and just slipped out of my
instructed him to make tongue, ‚Have you eaten
them thinner although something in the
they were of the proper morning?‛
size. The man was getting
‚Does a poor has anything
tired gradually. Every
to eat in the morning. I
time he attempted to strike
just drank a bowl of rice
a log he produced a
water. My wife and son
sound. Curiously I took
have also gone to their

work with a bowl of rice He chewed the dried
water each.‛ bread like a papad, drank
I went inside the kitchen the jugful of water and
to taste the roasted then washed the jug clean
mutton. My servant with ash. He then rubbed
Chaitanya said, ‚Sir, shall tobacco in his palm, put it
I give him some leftover in his mouth and began
bread?‛ the last phase of his work.

‚Give it to the dog. Why I ordered him, ‚Listen, I
do you prepare more than am going to take my
is needed? Do you know lunch, so you put on those
two breads cost 25 paisa? split wood in the
Two hours ago, that man backyard.‛ Actually, that
was arguing with me for was my task. But the
25 paisa.‛ woodcutter agreed
instantly and said, ‚I’ll cut
The bread was old, there
and you stockpile …no
were cockroaches on it
…no ... that’s not good.
and the dog also didn’t eat
You please tie that dog
it. I came out with a
and show me where to
mouthful of roasted spicy
stockpile the wood.‛
meat and asked, ‚Would
you like to eat bread?‛ After a luxurious bath, I
had a hearty meal, lit a
‚If it is extra then give me,
cigarette and went out to
I will have it.‛
see how far had he
Chaitanya brought him progressed. But the task
the bread and water in the was over and the wood
jug used in the lavatory. was very neatly arranged

in its place. Some splinters be with me. Next month
were scattered on the when I come again, cut
ground. I took out a basket from my dues.‛
and a broomstick and told
‚No, that is not possible,
him, ‚Collect all the
who knows whether you
splinters in the basket,
will come or not.‛
otherwise my dog will get
them in his foot, this is his Suddenly he glared at me;
playground.‛ his eyes were reddened as
if had drunk rice beer. He
Without any objection he
exploded, ‚What did you
did all he was said and
say? Don’t trust me, till
then, stood up with the
now buttered me up to get
axe on his shoulder for
your work done and now
payment. I gave him two
you don’t trust me? You
two-rupee notes and said,
people took everything,
give me back 25 paisa. He
my house, my land and
stared at me helplessly
now speaking of trust.
and said, ‚No change,
What do you think? Have
come from home empty
paid enough by giving me
handed?‛
two pieces of double
It wasn’t that I didn’t have bread? Aren’t we human
change, but who would beings? I understand well
give away the change of your tricks, take your
75 paisa? I said, ‚Get it money.‛ Saying this he
changed from the threw the money in my
market.‛ face and went past the
gatepost towards the road.
‚But babu, today Sunday,
the market is closed. Let it

Seeing his strong reaction, various colleges, he retired
I realized I had made a as the Head of the
great mistake by Department of English,
expressing my mistrust. If Fakir Mohan college. He
he realized that I had no has written a number
feelings for him, that it short stories, all of which
was all pretension to get exhibit his unique features
my work done, then he of writing. At once
might turn about and split hilarious and witty. He
my head like a log of was immensely influenced
wood with his axe. The by Fakir Mohan Senapati.
thought of such horrible His sympathies are with
consequences terrorized the marginalised and the
me. Instantly I sent oppressed. He was
Chaitanya with two two- awarded for his works by
rupee notes to give to him Odisha Sahitya Akademi
and closed the door in theYear 1978.
behind him. I was
Dr. Bishnupriya Hota
sweating.
works as a Reader in
About the Author English at G.M.College
(Autonomous),
Basanta Kumar Satpathy
Sambalpur, Odisha.
is a noted Odiya short
story writer (1913-1994). Image Attribution:
He was born in a remote http://www.flickr.com/ph
village of Mayurbhanj otos/nostri-
district of Odisha (Orissa). imago/3461973826/sizes/s/i
After a long career of n/photostream/
teaching English in

was outside, but we didn’t
Story care.

Excreta etc.
by Bharatram Gaba

Three years ago, on a wet
afternoon, we moved the
last of our bags up to our
new house. The
atmosphere was dreary
and incredibly humid but Together we spent long
the hope in our hearts nights adjusting buckets
dispelled that. We were under the leaks and
moving from a spacious emptying the full ones,
three bedroom apartment even shifting the sleeping
in the affluent western kids around the place so
suburbs to a 300 sq. ft that they weren’t in the
cubbyhole in the heart of way of spreading puddles.
middle-class Dadar. No In the heat wave that
air-conditioner, no lift, no followed the rains, the
microwave, not even a house being directly under
shower, but the spring in an open terrace was little
our steps and the song on better than a 300 sq. ft
our lips shooed these oven. But, this was our
piffles away. We soon first HOME.
discovered that the roof
A year later, we installed
leaked incessantly during
an air-conditioner. For
the rains, it was wetter
this, a box-shaped grill
inside the house than it
had to be made around

the unit just outside the must have been so
window. That was when it painstakingly constructed
began – the attack of the the night before. It became
pigeons. such an integral part of
our daily ritual that like
Each morning, one corner
most other routines, we
of the grill sported a new,
ceased to think about it.
half-finished nest and a
Then, for our elder son’s
mosaic of patterns on the
holidays, we went back to
machine where the birds
my parents’ house.
had obviously performed
their ablutions. We tried We stayed there for nearly
everything. We piled junk two months – the duration
on the grill to starve them of the summer vacation.
of space. They found a When we got back and
way to nudge it aside, opened the windows, an
however heavy, and make overpowering stench hit
a new nest. Then we kept us. The air-conditioner
a scary looking doll, only could hardly be seen
to find the next day that under the carpet of excreta
our scarecrow had bird- and feathers. And in that
droppings all over it. . familiar place on the grill,
Finally, we resigned to it there was a large nest that
as a fact of life and looked complete in every
instructed the help to respect. Within the bowels
clean out the grill of the nest were three
everyday. He did this with small, yellow-white eggs.
religious fervour every
Fatigue from the heat gave
single morning,
way to rage as I armed
destroying the nest that

myself with a broom and me. The irritation was
violently cleaned out the because I was going to
machine. At that time, I do have to do the job. About
not know what stopped the relief, I hadn’t the
me from clearing out the faintest idea. That night I
nest itself, but I gave went to bed with an
vigorous instructions to uneasy feeling in the pit of
have it removed before I my stomach.
got back from work the
The following morning
next day.
saw me up at dawn,
I sure as hell don’t have a something I hadn’t done
good memory. But that since my wedding day.
next day, something about After the daily
the nest kept nagging my unmentionables, I made
mind all through. Try as myself a cup of tea and
much as I did, I just just sat back and gazed
couldn’t get any work goofily at my family. In
completed. I was the first light of the day,
surprised and a little the children looked like
frightened by this new little angels, sleeping the
feeling. I called home to sleep that only the
check whether the job had innocent could. That
been done. Nope, the help particular morning, my
hadn’t turned up that day wife’s face looked more
and wasn’t expected for at beautiful than I could ever
least a week. remember.

A strange mixture of relief My thoughts wandered to
and irritation swept over what we’d been through

together. The last thirteen corner of her eyes. I could
years had been one hell of even sense her trembles,
a roller-coaster ride and but she didn’t move from
she’d stuck by me every her place.
inch of the way. It was a
In the stillness of the
massive struggle to be
morning, a tiny cracking
able to make our own
sound reached my ears. It
home, but we ultimately
seemed to come from
did it. We had our own
under the female pigeon.
little place we called home
Then it hit me like a ton of
and it was worth all the
bricks. The eggs were
heartaches. All at once, the
hatching!
stench from the open
window hit me again and That was not a female
brought me back to the pigeon sitting on the eggs
real world. In a fit of - that was a mother
anger, I jerked myself up, nestling her babies. I could
picked up a stick and still make out the fear in
rushed to the window. her eyes, but she wouldn’t
budge and leave her
I looked out at the nest.
babies unprotected. I
The female pigeon was in
looked back over my
it, sitting on the eggs. That
shoulder at my children
day, she didn’t fly off
again and remembered the
scared as she generally did
times when my wife and I
when someone
had put our bodies
approached. I could
between them and the
clearly discern what
leaking roof. I
looked like naked fear as
remembered the times
she looked at me from the

when we’d stayed up slowly withdrew from the
nights taking turns window. Daily routine
fanning them with a pushed the incident out of
newspaper because the my mind and I left for
power had failed. The work.
times we’d used our
The first thing I did that
bodies to shade them from
evening was to go over to
the morning sunlight as it
the window and check on
streamed in through the
the birds. There was
curtain-less windows. I
nothing there. Stunned, I
remembered that last
was told that our help had
Diwali, when I’d held my
come in later that morning
shivering thirteen-month-
and had cleaned out the
old son tightly to my
nest. I couldn’t eat or sleep
bosom and sung to him to
that night. I was too
try and calm his frayed
scared to ask what had
nerves and protect him
become of the eggs.
from the noise.
The ritual of going over to
I kept the stick down and the window each morning
looked back out at the continued for quite some
nest. Fed on a steady diet time after that. It
of the manly thing to do, I gradually slowed down to
tried desperately, but checking once in a while
could not hold back the for any signs of branches
tears that began to form in or feathers. But I needn’t
my eyes. That was not a have bothered. The birds
nest─ that was their never came back.
Home. And we had been
destroying their Home. I

About the Author Experimental
Character Sketches
by Rajendra Nargundkar

Author's Note: This is
inspired by the Marathi
humourist P.L.
The Americans & the Deshpande, who wrote
Kiwis gave up trying to some immortal character
say my name and made sketches. Of course, these
me ‚Brat‛ – it stuck. I may be nowhere near his
married my teenage
in quality, but that doesn't
sweetheart and we have 2
boys. We live in Bombay. stop me from attempting
some.
I used to write because I
was too sad to talk. I was
first published on
Icleo.com (a women-
centric website) by a
friend. Then (and I
probably contributed to it)
Icleo went the way of
hundreds of other The Man Who Knows
websites – into the digital Too Much
void. I don’t consider
myself a writer in the This is the watchman at
truest sense of the word. any residential complex
Image Attribution: gate. He knows exactly
http://www.flickr.com/ph what is happening inside,
otos/foxypar4/563798423/s who is coming or going. In
izes/m/in/photostream/
case there is a murder in

the residential complex, sundry. Even tougher than
his testimony is crucial. answering the board exam
He monitors the parking questions. If he/she makes
of sundry vehicles and it to dream courses like
tries to fob off guests engineering or whatever,
trying to park inside. Also he/she is considered a
a useful chap when success by everybody. If
housewives have small not, God has to help her,
errands like calling the like Krishna came to the
dhobi, or the raddiwala, or aid of Draupadi. If he/she
the absconding maid who happens to have an
needs a stern reminder. At interest which is
other times, his sphinx- somewhat non-
like appearance belies his mainstream, then even
alert mind, at least in the God is of little help. You
daytime. He may be can admire a Sania (or a
occasionally found Saina), but you can't aspire
snoring at night, but he to be one, is the golden
never goofs off more than rule here.
the average office-goer.
A Girl over 21
The Indian Student in
"So, what are your
12th standard
marriage plans?" goes the
This is a person who has question for this one, on
to answer threetimes a the lines of the question
day, for one year, the same above. If you don't have
dreaded question- "So, any, you better be a
WHAT are you planning celebrity, or else...All the
to do?" from all and older relatives feel left out

of the 'family affairs 'if this bookies, who know
girl seems to be exactly which team will
independent minded as win the next T20 match.
far as marriage plans go. It
About the Author
is after all, everybody's
business what the girl
does─ for example, what
would the Khap
panchayats do if they can't
sponsor a few honour
killings now and then?

The Climatologist

He produces reports on Rajendra Nargundkar is
the next climate disaster Director, IMT Nagpur.
about to happen, such as Has been a marketing
professor in India and
floods, only to find that
abroad, including at two
there is a drought. This is IIMs. He is an avid reader,
somewhat like predicting traveller, movie buff and
a tornado that ends up in a writer. Has published an
tsunami. While the autobiography titled My
glacier-melting prophecies Experiments with Half-
truths at pothi.com. He
were being hotly debated,
can be contacted at
a volcano quietly put
rnargundkar@gmail.com.
everyone in their place.
Image Attribution:
Nevertheless, an
http://www.flickr.com/ph
interesting species, which
otos/angelic0devil6/538614
recognises the fallibility of 238/sizes/m/in/photostrea
man. Unlike the cricket m/

wanted the entire world to
Story know the fact. She would
keep blowing kisses and
Just Like That muttering (within
by Mona Bhageria Adurty everyone’s earshot) the
weirdest possible
He was standing near the
nicknames to a very
gate like he always did. I
embarrassed looking
think he liked the breeze
husband. He would keep
ruffling his curly hair,
looking at his watch until
although I daresay he
his wife got down at her
wouldn’t have admitted it
stop and we would look at
to anyone. With his
each other and smile.
favourite football jersey
paired with another one of
his blue jeans (might have
been the same one, very
difficult to tell the
difference) and coaching
class bag, he had the same
dreamy expression and
mischievous faint smile on
No, I didn’t know his
his face. At the next stop,
name; neither did I want
the couple got in. He
to know. All I could gather
looked at me and smiled,
was the name of his
and then looked away.
coaching class and the fact
It was our private joke. that he was a major
The couple who got in at football fan. And also that,
the last stop was recently we both found the couple
married, and the wife funny, everyday.

I was studying for my than coffee shops, and
graduation at my more importantly, it was
hometown, Indore those difficult for a girl to share
days and took bus no. 212 a glance or smile with a
from Rajwada to Geeta guy considering that most
Bhavan – from the palace of her family resided in
to the temple, from history the same city. That was all
to religion, everyday. And I wanted anyway, a little
somewhere in the middle, secret of my own.
I had an excuse to share a
Time went by, and before I
smile with him.
knew it, I was a graduate,
In the early 80’s, Indore ready to be married off
lived upto its name – into some traditional
inward looking, a little household who would
closed. It would take a few proudly claim to its
more years before it relatives that their
became an educational daughter-in-law is a
hub teeming with graduate. That was the
thousands of teenagers, as way it was done those
it is now. Those days, days and I had no
there were more of particular reason to expect
separate boys and girls otherwise. So when an
commerce and arts average looking guy (a
colleges than co-ed graduate, obviously) from
engineering institutions, a grain merchant’s family
there were more families came knocking at my
in a restaurant than door, my family happily
groups of friends, there obliged. The guy’s family
were more parks for kids was well-off, the guy was

educated and we could thought about anyway? I
meet their demands. There had left all my passions,
was no apparent reason to hobbies and opinions in
say no, hence I didn’t (or my parents’ house so I
rather my family didn’t). I could fit in my husband’s
wore my mom’s best saree life. I laughed in my
and sat down dutifully husband’s joys, cried at his
while my prospective misfortunes. I am not
mother–in-law asked me if complaining, that’s just
I knew how to cook. I did the way it was.
not, but my mother had
I had almost lost count of
already coached me
the passing years when
properly on this. There
one warm summer day,
would be enough time to
my husband asked me to
learn later. I think that
get ready for the evening.
they also did not find any
We had to attend a party
reason to say no. And
hosted by his business
thus, we got married, not
partner for celebrating his
because we were
son’s selection in some
particularly suited to each
university in the USA.
other, just because our
There was gaiety, cheer
families could not find any
and an appropriate
reason not to do it.
amount of jealousy in the
I came to my new house room as was suited for the
and settled in my new occasion. I went around
routine. Life became a with my husband while he
series of chores which did chatted with his
not leave me much time to acquaintances. I was
think. What would I have waiting for the party to get

over so that I could go About the Author
home and finish my
nightly chores of making
curd and preparing for the
next day’s breakfast.

Suddenly, I looked up and
my heart skipped a bit.
There he was – standing in
A typical run-o-the-mill
a dapper safari suit, with
engg-MBA combination,
his hair all set. I kept
with reading as my
staring until he felt the
passion and writing, a joy
force of my gaze and
I have recently discovered.
looked directly at me. We
looked at each other for a Image Attribution:
whole minute until his lips http://www.flickr.com/ph
twitched and before either otos/vm2827/3689161223/s
of us knew, we both burst izes/z/in/pool-
out laughing. I couldn’t 641997@N25/
stop even as my husband
asked alarmingly if I was
alright. I had tears
running down my eyes, I
laughed so hard, and after
so long.
I still don’t know his
name, but he is the only
one sharing my little
secret and thus, a little
part of ME.

the world had seemed too
Experimental small to contain her. Now
she is lying in a six feet
A Friend Lost long wooden box. Why I
by Jatin Pathak
am getting the feeling that
Please don’t bury her, or she still has some life left
bury me along with her, I in her and will rise up
am her best friend. This now and smile at me? Her
thought was foremost in smile was a text book
my mind during Jenisha’s definition of the ’million
cremation. What a sad end dollar smile’. We had
to such a beautiful life. I spent hours late at night
was with Jenisha during just looking into each
her last moments. It was other's eyes. She could
early morning. She was read my soul as I could
enjoying the greenery read hers. I can still feel
alongside the road and the warmth of her breath
trying to listen to the on my body, the touch of
music of birds. The boys her hairs raised shivers
jogging there were deep down my soul. We
definitely envious of me as had been inseparable.
she was holding me tight. Jenisha, do you remember
Suddenly a car came, and the tears you shed one
in one bang everything night? I captured them in
was over. There she was my heart like pearls.
lying next to me, lifeless Come, touch my heart, it is
like still air. Oh God! still warm because of that.
And this rose you crafted
Why her? She was so on my skin, huh! You
active and full of life that idiot, is this a place for a

tattoo. Come back and Why are these friends
remove it. touching me now? I do not
need their condolence. I,
in fact, need nothing but a
last glance at her face. Ah!
Please do not touch me. I
just cannot feel your
touch. Her touch bought
life in me and gave me a
reason to exist in this
world. She betrayed me
and left this world, et tu
Brutus.

God, why are you so Jenisha please, don’t leave
cruel? I always wanted to me like this. Stand up,
tell her how much I please. Stand up for the
adored her, how much she sake of all those journeys
meant to me. I also we enjoyed together. You
wanted to take a picture of remember our trip to
her when she used to lie in Shimla last February.
the bathtub as though she Wow! Those beautiful
was drunk. How funny mountains and that chill
she looked at that time. in the air, your one hand
Yeah, I had access to her was with me and with the
such personal moments other you were holding
too. I was a regular in her the cup and enjoying hot
friends circle and every tea. Ha ha, you almost
one of her male friends spilled that tea on me.
wanted to take my place. Please come back, we will

live those moments again. also, you looked beautiful
I know you are not in each and every
comfortable in this emotion. Please, come
wooden box. There is not back, come back to me.
even a pillow for you in
Oh no! She is not listening
there. Do you remember
to me. May be she really is
that scary night we spent
dead. I beg you all, be
together in that Manali
kind to her. At least do not
bus stop? All your friends
bury her, or bury me also
had left and we missed the
with her. I am her best
bus. I gave you comfort in
friend. After all, I am her
those moments. That night
favourite book.
I was your pillow,
remember? My world is Image Attribution:
completely thrashed now. http://www.flickr.com/ph
Why can’t we have otos/jelles/1232671079/size
another chance to be s/z/in/photostream/
together?

Jenisha, wake up. I know
you are sleeping. You are
a big time actor, wake up
now. Love me, hate me or
show me your anger. You
know how much I fear
your anger. I always
thought some day in anger
you will throw me down
from the top floor. But I
cherish those moments

schoolbag and be at the
Story table, in his uniform,
except for his tie, she
The long road home always helped him with
by Shweta Ganesh Kumar
the tie. Suddenly, he
‚Wake up, Roy. Wake up! remembered that he had
You’ll be late for school.‛ forgotten to shine his
Sister’s persistent voice shoes. He scrambled off
rang through his dreams. the bed and ran to find the
With his eyes still shoe polish.
stubbornly shut, he turned
***
over from his side and lay
on his back. He knew that ‚Babe, where are my
he would have to wake up shoes?‛ Kabir yelled in the
in less than two minutes. direction of Remya’s
She would not stop study.
nagging him otherwise.
‚Which one sweetheart?‛
He lifted his left hand and
she replied as she walked
wiped away the drool on
out holding a bristle
the corner of his mouth
paintbrush. She was in the
with the back of it.
middle of an oil painting
‚Royyy.‛
that had been
‚I’m up, I’m up.‛ he commissioned to grace a
replied. He sat up with a film star’s new apartment.
jerky movement and
Kabir smiled at his wife’s
willed his eyes open.
paint-sloshed apron and
Breakfast was in thirty
her piled up hair fastened
minutes. He had to wash
up, take his bath, pack his

on top of her head with a sweetheart, just be back
crush clip. before breakfast.‛

‚Those new track shoes, I Kabir stopped mid-way
was just leaving to jog.‛ through tying his laces.
Kabir said rather quickly, ‚Oh breakfast, right! What
as if he did not want to is for breakfast?‛ he said
make a big deal of it. with a wide smile.
Remya who had started
***
looking for his shoes in the
shoe cabinet did a double ‚Scrambled eggs, two
take. pieces of toast and a glass
of milk. I want a clean
‚Jog? You are going to
plate and an empty glass,
jog? Since when did my
Roy.‛ He smiled up at her
husband become a fitness
with a wide smile.
freak?‛ she teased.
Scrambled eggs were his
He put his tongue out at favourite. He did not need
her and replied, ‚Well, to be told twice to eat up.
now that we’ll have In ten minutes, he had
someone looking up to us, happily wolfed down his
we need to cultivate a few breakfast. He washed his
good habits around here hands and ran back to
na?‛ Sister Rosalie.

Remya pulled his shoes ‚Thank you sister. That
out from the back and was the best. I’ll see you
faced him with a wide after school,‛ he happily
smile. ‚Whatever you say muttered into the folds of
her habit as he hugged her

tightly. She ran her old, winning Radio jockey at
speckled fingers through Radio Masala. He hosted a
his hair. As he picked up talk show about civic
his school bag and walked problems, but the debates
towards the gate to catch were very tongue in cheek
the school bus, she knew in style. He loved his job
that she would miss him. and had been living it for
Roy skipped towards the seven years now. He had
gate. The school bus had started as a number
arrived a minute ago and crunching analyst and had
the driver was honking left it after three years to
impatiently. He clambered pursue his dream of being
onto it. a radio jockey. All thanks
to Remya.
***
They had met at JNU
The radio was blaring
where he was mastering
some really bad songs
economics and she was
from the eighties. Worse it
getting her masters in
was not even his station.
creative arts. They had
Kabir reached over and
met at a college festival
changed the station. Not
debate on the left-brain
that the bad music was
versus the right brain
annoying him. Nothing
topic. The debate had
would faze him today. He
proven inconclusive but
was too excited about
Kabir had taken Remya to
tomorrow. He knew it
the canteen to continue the
would be hard to
discussion over coffee.
concentrate at work too.
After the first few
Kabir was an award
minutes, they forgot the

initial subject matter. Remya’s parents had
While Kabir claimed that never liked Kabir. But
it had been love at first then, they had problems
sight, Remya always with her wanting to be an
maintained that it had artist as well.
taken her quite a few
‚This girl, first she refuses
plates of samosas and
to become an engineer or a
cups of tea to fall in love.
doctor, and now she finds
They had been together
this boy with such a bad
since then though. They
background,‛ they said of
had moved to Mumbai
her when they discussed
where Remya worked as a
her. Her father, an
commercial artist for an
orthodox Hindu disowned
advertising agency and
her when she informed
Kabir joined a strategic
them about her wedding.
intelligence firm. Though
the profile was a great Remya and Kabir had
one, Kabir started his day flown down to Madurai to
reluctant to go to work meet them and make
and ended it frustrated at amends. But in true
the thought of going the cinema style, her father
next day. It was Remya refused to open the door
who had dragged him and banned the rest of the
along for the Radio Masala family from talking to her.
auditions. He proposed to After two years of trying
her the day he signed the to communicate, Remya
contract. And they had gave up. Kabir was her
gotten married in a small only family now. And she,
ceremony with just a few Kabir’s. This was literally
friends at a small temple.

true in Kabir’s case as he Roy’s head jerked upright.
had been abandoned in an He nodded quickly and
orphanage as a six-month tried to concentrate on the
old baby. Life had not sums. Annie came over to
always been fun and there his desk. She bent down
were times when he had and said in a much gentler
wondered about the point voice, ‚I know that
of it all. But Remya had tomorrow is a very
changed all of that. Now important day for you. But
tomorrow would be yet the half yearly exams will
another turning point in be up soon and you need
his life. to do well, right?‛
Roy looked up at Annie
***
Ma’am and smiled. He
‚My jeans pant and that liked her. She always took
blue T-shirt Sister gave me the time out to talk to
for Christmas. That’s what every child in the class
I’ll wear tomorrow,‛ Roy and to help them through
thought as Annie Ma’am the difficult problems. She
wrote sums on the had a wide smile and
blackboard. pretty brown eyes. Kind of
like Remya, but Remya’s
‚Roy, have you taken were prettier. They were
down all the sums? If yes, bigger and her eyes smiled
then why aren’t you doing when she smiled.
them yet?‛ Annie Ma’am’s
voice rang through the ***
classroom a tad sharply.
Remya’s eyes were tired.
She had been working for

six straight hours on the would bring yet another
commissioned oil testament to her faith in
painting. It was the fate. She splashed some
Queen’s Necklace by night cold water on her eyes.
and the actress wanted a She had till mid-week to
lot of minuscule details. finish the painting but she
Remya spared no effort wanted to keep her
and worked tirelessly. She weekend clear. She still
decided to take a break had to add finishing
when Kabir’s show came touches to the charcoal
on. But she ended up sketch she was making of
painting with Kabir’s Roy, she knew he would
cheerful voice in the love it.
background. Even though
the show was on the
potholes in the city, it still
made her smile. It was his
voice, his passion came
through and each time she
heard him conduct his
show, she remembered
him enthusiastically
debating the superiority of
the left-brain. She was
glad that she had gone
with the debate team as a
replacement for one of the ‚Wowww! This is so
members who had fallen beautiful,‛ he had
ill. Remya believed in exclaimed in a voice filled
destiny, and tomorrow with wonder. It was an oil

painting depicting a ‚Do you know who drew
mother with a child this Ma’am?‛ the boy
holding onto her hand asked her, briefly looking
sitting at Juhu beach. at her and then quickly
There was a male figure returning his gaze to the
that was advancing painting.
towards them balancing
‚I did,‛ Remya simply
three ice creams with a
replied.
wide smile across his face.
Though the three figures She had his full attention
formed a part of the now. ‚Really Ma’am? This
multitude on the beach is so beautiful! I don’t
they stood out as a even feel like looking at
cohesive unit, as a family. the other paintings.‛ His
It was one of Remya’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
favourites too and was
inspired by people she Remya sat down to talk to
had seen at the beach. She him eye to eye and said,
had observed the boy ‚Well, much as I love it
looked pensively at the that you love my painting,
portrait. The rest of his it would be quite a shame
classmates had moved on if you didn’t look at the
to complete their tour of other artists today.‛
the Jehangir Art Gallery.
He seemed unconvinced.
‚I’m glad you liked it,‛ Remya chuckled at the
she smiled down at the half stubborn look that
boy. passed across the young
boy’s face. She stood up
and said, ‚Let me make a

deal with you. I will come paintings pointed out to
with you and take you him by Remya. At the end,
through all the paintings he maintained that
exhibited here and you Remya’s painting was the
can come back and stay best amongst all in the
here till your teacher calls exhibition. As he rejoined
you, ok?‛ He took a long his batch, he held her
minute and then grinned hand and said, ‚Thank
and nodded. you Ma’am. I enjoyed it. ‛

He prattled on and filled ‚Me too,‛ she replied with
her with his details. His a smile. As he skipped
name was Roy, he was across the road to get into
eight years old and was in the school bus, his teacher
the fifth standard in Saint came to Remya and
Ignatius, Santa Cruz. This thanked her for giving
was his class’s first trip to him a special tour.
an art gallery. Last year,
‚My pleasure,‛ Remya
they had been taken to the
said, ‚we rarely get such
Gateway of India. Art was
young people with an eye
his favourite subject and
for art. What do his
English his second
parents do?"
favourite. He always came
third in class. Sister His teacher smiled rather
Rosalie wanted him to sadly, ‚He’s from the
come first, but he found Mother Alva Home for
mathematics difficult. He boys. He’s an orphan. But
loved the oil paintings and the head of the Home,
after the initial hurry took Sister Rosalie has always
his time to appreciate the taken special care of him.

He’s the oldest orphan in does that mean that you
the Home.‛ would not want him to be
adopted at all?‛
Remya nodded
Sister Rosalie cocked her
wordlessly. It was destiny.
head, her habit moved to
‚Fate, why else would Roy the side and wisps of grey
be the only boy who has hair escaped from the side.
not been adopted in the . She considered Remya’s
last seven years?‛ Sister question and asked
Rosalie said in a wheezy slowly, ‚What do you
voice to Remya and Kabir. mean my child?‛
They were sitting across
Remya took a deep breath.
the desk from her at the
‚My husband and I have
Home. ‚Sometimes they
only each other. We have
said he was too thin, then
no other family. My
that he had curly hair.
family… um… we had
Sometimes that he did not
problems. I conceived
look like them and
once seven years ago, just
sometimes no reason at
months after our marriage.
all. And then he grew up
I…I miscarried soon after
and the Home became his
and the doctor - several
home. Since he was five,
doctors advised us against
we started believing that
it. We’ve never looked
he was… maybe… meant
back, but after meeting
to be brought up by us.
Roy - I think that he was
Praise the Lord.‛
the reason why I was not
Remya looked at Kabir, he destined to have a baby. I
reached for her hand and …‛ She did not know
held it tightly. ‚Sister, what else to say or

whether her words up. Remya finished the
seemed logical at all. Her sketch. She would start a
eyes welled with tears and new one once Roy moves
she looked away. in. Roy, Kabir and she
Kabir squeezed his wife’s would head to the beach;
hand and spoke up, she would then make a
‚Sister, I’ve never had a painting of the men in her
family before Remya. life. .
We...‛
Kabir bought track shoes
Sister Rosalie held up her
in Roy’s size, so that he
hand. She took off her
can jog with him in the
thick black glasses and
mornings. He has also
wiped her eyes. She
been reading up on sixth
looked at the couple and
standard mathematics. He
smiled. ‚If that is the
has started to see why Roy
Lord’s will,‛ she said in a
had been having
voice that slightly shook
problems. They seemed
with emotion. ‚Roy will
almost as complex as his
now have a family.
graduate textbooks had
Eight months of been.
paperwork later, they
Roy packed his satchel
were ready. It is Roy’s last
with the knick-knacks he
day in the Home. Sister
had collected over the
Rosalie and the other nuns
years. He peered down the
got a cake baked. His
stairs. None of the sisters
things were packed and
were in sight. He slid
ready. They would have a
down the banister with a
tea party when Kabir and
Remya came to pick Roy

flourish. He hopped off it, ‘Chicken Soup for the
just before the last step. Indian Spiritual Soul’ and
‘CBW’s India’s Top 42
He heard a car honk as it
Weekend Getaways’. She
entered the grounds.
has written columns for
Roy’s face lit up. It was
publications like the One
time to go home.
Philippines and Your
About the Author Story. Her short fiction has
been published in literary
journals like Australian
Women online, Single
Solitary Thought, Pothiz
and the Asia Writes
project. She writes a
column for The NRI, an
online magazine and is
Shweta Ganesh Kumar is a also a guest blogger for
writer and a freelance Pratham Books, an Indian
travel journalist who is NGO that works to
based in the Philippines provide children with
with articles frequently affordable books. You can
appearing in the New read her blog on life as it
Indian Express. Prior to happens at
this she was a http://simplyspeaking.blo
Communications Officer gspot.com/
for Greenpeace India and
Image Attribution:
a correspondent with
CNN-IBN (CNN’s Indian
otos/rekkid/2989204069/siz
sister concern). She has
es/z/in/photostream/
contributed articles for

deep, red blouse and she
Story noticed with some
pleasure that it hid the
Matrimonially, extra bits on her pear-
perfect shaped body very well.
by Rati Ramadas
Until now, her flabby
There she stood, in front of body had never bothered
the mirror. Nothing her. Her parents were fat
extraordinary, definitely and she had inherited
not exceptionally those genes. She had never
beautiful. A woman with a thought about exercising
pear-shaped body and or getting into shape when
long, black hair stared she was around her
back at Rachna. She had friends. It had never come
seen the same person over up in conversation and
the years but today she was happy the way
something was different. she was.
Today Rachna had made
up her mind. She was sick
of all the procrastinating
and the moping.

It was as though her
resolve was radiating
some inner glow which She bent down and
formed a halo around her. tugged at an errant thread
Rachna giggled to herself at the hem of the skirt.
at the imagery. She had Everything had to be
chosen to wear a long, perfect today. She stood
block print skirt with a up and reached for the

kohl pencil she kept on done. The fact that the
her dresser. She never past three months had
stepped out without gone by because she had
applying some kohl to her not bothered to make any
big, black eyes. She picked plans was a painful
up the pencil and noticed memory she forced out of
it was a little blunt. It her mind. Just three
needed sharpening.. Her months ago, after a grand
sharpener, specially kept wedding back home, she
for this purpose, was lying had followed a stranger to
nearby. As she sharpened a strange country to live
the pencil, she thought with him and start a new
about how much Avinash life together. Rachna and
liked her kohl-rimmed Avinash had talked a lot
eyes. He had told her on about what she would do
their wedding night that it when they moved to
made her the most Dubai. Rachna had
beautiful woman in the worked as a primary
world. That memory sent school teacher back home
a warm feeling through and wondered whether
her body and she was now she could continue doing
more eager than ever to that here. But Avinash had
set pencil to eye to get that found out that she would
perfect black underline have to do a course and
beneath her deep, dark pass a test to get a teachers
eyes. license.

Perfect she thought. So far She had set timelines for
everything that she had herself and wanted to get
planned for today was the license as soon as

possible. But living away the young man given to
from home and getting them intrigued Rachna.
used to her husband and Avinash was dressed in a
her new life had come in smart, blue checked shirt
the way of her plans. She tucked into jeans; he had a
never thought it would be toothy smile that reached
this hard. his eyes. He was standing
in front of some
Rachna had met Avinash
monument she did not
through a website.
recognize, with a camera
Actually Rachna's parents
around his neck and a
had met Avinash's parents
fanny pack around his
through a matrimonial
waist. That was the only
website. Fate and angels
picture she saw of him
above had somehow led
before the wedding.
the families to each other.
The families had liked And that’s how she
what they saw and that pictured him every night
meant they were satisfied when she talked to him
by each other’s standing in over phone for hours.
society, economic Avinash, standing with a
acquisitions and familial camera in front of a
duties. So the fathers had monument, smiling. They
decided to take things had trodden cautiously at
further and that meant it first and then the
was time for Rachna and conversation flowed. She
Avinash to speak, get to realised later that Avinash
know each other and had asked the questions,
reach a favourable all she had done was to
decision. The picture of answer him. It has been

easier than she thought it kids and how many do
would be. He had asked you see yourself having?''
her what she expected It caught her off guard
from marriage, what and she paused. Avinash
qualities she looked for in felt her awkwardness and
her life partner and where quickly moved on to
she saw herself five years something else. But later
down the line. It was like while in bed she thought
he was interviewing her about that question and
for a job. She had felt herself redden.
mentioned it in passing to
She liked him and soon
Avinash once, he had
realised he did too. After a
immediately stiffened up
few days both of them
on the other end of the
conveyed their assent to
line and the questions had
their parents and then
stopped for the night. She
everything happened with
realised that it had made
incredible speed. She
him uncomfortable and
applied for a visa. The
made a mental note never
wedding date was set
to bring it up again. After
according to when
a few days, his questions
Avinash could take a few
took a more personal turn.
days off. Mothers started
He started asking her
making lists and shopping
about her opinion on
for saris and gold.
children.
Invitations were printed
He asked, ‘‘If things and mailed. Soon it was
between us go well and D-day and Rachna found
we decide to get married, herself staring at a gaudy
how soon should we have floral arrangement which

proclaimed to the world was bored but refused to
'Rachna weds Avinash'. do anything about it. She
That was when it hit her. missed home and wanted
She was now Mrs Rachna to go back. Avinash was
Chandran. patient with her. Even
when she woke up night
Saying goodbye and
after night whimpering
moving to Dubai had been
into her pillow, he held
painful. She was terribly
her close and comforted
homesick. She missed silly
her, told her she could go
things - the irritating honk
home whenever she
of auto rickshaws, the
wanted. But he had also
shouts of slum children as
let it slip that the tickets
they begged for money
were expensive and a little
and food at street corners.
out of their budget. He set
She hated the long, never
up a webcam for her and
ending roads of Dubai
asked her parents to do
with its slick concrete and
the same so that she could
fast, plush cars. The sight
talk to them every day and
of tall buildings sickened
they could see each other
her and she longed for
as they spoke. That helped
tiny stores in crowded,
for a while.
narrow lanes.
Two months into their
She took out her anger on
marriage, Avinash
Avinash. She did not yell
brought up the topic of
or scream but rather
her teaching license and
sulked night after night.
the timelines she had set
Nothing seemed to
for herself. She
interest her anymore. She
nonchalantly glanced at

the website he showed her people jumped to
and went back to staring conclusions. But no one
at the television. Teaching knew why he had
would just have to wait. changed his mind. Her
Rachna woke up tired friend casually remarked
every morning. She hated about how lucky Rachna
her life. She made was to have found the
breakfast for Avinash and perfect man who had
after he left for work she taken her far away from
surfed the web for hours, irritating, nosy relatives.
eating chips or cookies out Away from all of them,
of a packet in her where she could make a
nightclothes. She chatted life of her own, where she
with her friends when could spend every
they came online and moment getting to know
hated herself even more the man she was married
when they told her all to, without anyone around
about their busy lives. to interrupt. She was in a
land where she could
It was during one of those
spend evenings talking,
conversations with an old
playing, cooking, laughing
friend that something
in the company of her
changed. She was at the
husband, without anyone
lowest point of her funk,
to poke their noses and
that’s when her friend told
make comments. Her
her that her wedding that
friend wistfully remarked
had been abruptly called
that it was almost like a
off after her fiancé had
never ending honeymoon.
changed his mind.
Questions were asked and

At that moment, Houston, Texas from
something clicked in Germany with the hope of
Rachna. She put away her exploring America while
packet of chips, put on she is there. She guest
some music and cleaned blogs at Pratham books
the house. She cooked an and also writes for
elaborate meal, showered Demand studios. She
and while she put on her blogs at
long, block print skirt and www.oddsandmi.blogspot
deep red blouse, she .com.
thought about her day
Image Attribution:
ahead and just how
perfect it was going to be.
otos/epsos/4327124010/siz
Her kohl rimmed eyes
es/m/in/photostream/
shone as she thought how
perfect her life was going
to be. If she wanted it to.

About the Author

Rati Ramadas is a
journalist who has now
turned to writing full time.
She loves writing short
stories and is obsessed
with the theme of
arranged marriage and the
Indian diaspora. Her other
passion is travelling and
she recently moved to

Chhoti Ma did what was
Story best for her under the
circumstances. What’s the
Light of the day use of staying in a
by Sree
marriage where there is no
love?‛ My timidity in
pronouncing the word
‘love’ stemmed out of my
expected response from
Maa.

‚Baah, what is love-shove?
‚That bitch. Better not talk All nonsense they show in
about her…she is a bad movies. Beta, for you I’ll
example of what a woman get a beautiful bahu and
ought to be. Of course, she that’s that. Don’t even
comes from a think of marrying a firang.
dysfunctional family…just I am telling you I’ll throw
look at your father…all shoes on you even if you
from the same family. ‛ as much as think about
She moved away to wipe marrying outside our
the dining table as she caste, creed and religion.
finished her outburst and I Look at Rano, your maasi,
thought it wise to keep she’d run away from
quiet for a while. home to marry that good-
for-nothing baniya and
Then I dared to ask, ‚But now all she has in her life
Ma, why do you blame is miseries. I am much
her if her first marriage better off than her, I’ve my
did not work out, after all

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