The television news says that the Amarnath temple has reopened. The ritual worship of the snow Shiva idol was performed with great aplomb. Suddenly, the devotional music stops. Another accident has occurred. A bus rolled down into a ravine…. I hear the sound of my husband’s recital on our honeymoon, “If there is Heaven on … Continue reading Sounds of Memory
Ensemble is an upmarket boutique for designer threads, and cars with international number plates parked outside, are not a rarity. Unusual was the figure that stepped out of it. There was Julia, the poor cousin, who had grown up on hand-me-downs from me, and whom I had not met for long . The initial exchange … Continue reading Unanticipated
Have I landed in Ayn Rand’s Atlantis, like Dagny Taggart? I did not aspire to meet the love of my life, not with my age and appearance. The mirror in the hallway belied my assumptions. I looked young and ahem … pretty, just like that painting on the wall. Whhaaaat? My picture in this place … Continue reading Black Hole
“All stunts are performed by trained professionals. Do not try them at home”. But I could try them outside, after being trained. I have to prove the naysayers wrong. The world watches with awe, the determination of a jilted lover. My well-built muscles show intense training. I lost my beau to an athlete. I don’t … Continue reading The Challenge
Why did John have to place the jar with those shiny junk pieces on her desk? The beautiful painting on the left, and the greenery outside inspired her to weave poetry. The unseasonal showers had lent a dewy look to the garden, and the sun was now peeping through a rainbow. She wished he had … Continue reading Shiny Objects
For how long has the lighthouse been there, in the middle of the sea? The ships have moved, using information relayed by it, and escaped hazardous shoals and reefs. Have they, or have they not? Maybe, they own better technology – the electronic beacons and navigational systems. I am forever on the move – mentally … Continue reading Self-Doubt
The statistics are perhaps right, that almost two-thirds of the country’s population is obese. I am not lecherous, but my eyes skimmed the midriff of every person I came across. My restless mind gets further mired in confusion. I have been trained to look for crisis, even when people around me are enjoying themselves in … Continue reading Who?
The young birds had flown off the nest. A few memories in the shape of scattered stationery and toys remained. A few months later, Joan could boast of seeing half a decade of life, and spending more than half of it, in cleaning up. Her job in the Fraud Prevention Cell of a bank, did … Continue reading Holding Together
The award ceremony was an annual mega-event, which all businessmen looked forward to. All nursed secret hopes of earning their fifteen minutes of fame, with an award. It was a gargantuan effort to work through the panel of esteemed judges, build lobbies of influence and make it all appear so effortless. “I just focus on … Continue reading The Trophy
Being everything to some people, and something to everyone takes its toll. Susan had struggled to retain her own identity. Yet, she felt like being several parts that did not add up to a whole. She moved to get up, but the tassels of her scarf were entangled in the drawer. Her stylist was right, … Continue reading Nerves
Creative Experiments and More 