“Does he know the magnitude of the opportunity he has missed with his temper tantrum?” was the common refrain after he threw the laptop on his manager’s face. The fire was not just anger; it was history erupting, and when the eruption passed, he stood among the ruins, knowing the mountain inside him would never … Continue reading The Weak Human
She did not attend his rallies to boo him — that would have kept him at the center of her days. She did not write furious letters. She testified for eleven minutes, plainly, without theater. Then she drove home and did not look up the verdict. She simply closed the page.
Welcome back! PROMPT #445 The theme for this week's creative endeavours is FICTION The format need not necessarily be fiction, though there is no bar on using the form. What constitutes fiction in the post-truth era? How thin or distinct are the lines between fact and fiction? Do the disclaimers that all characters are fictional … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #445
Who would have decided her place in the world and what she was supposed to do with her life – geography, lineage, personal values, philosophy of life, political leanings, relationship status, money? Each contributes in a small way, but only she knew how to put it all together to make sense of her existence. She … Continue reading Action without Expression
Welcome back to another week of inspired writing! PROMPT #444 We have two images below to serve as inspiration. You may choose one or both. The image by Nellie Adamyan is borrowed from Unsplash. It shows a sculpture of a woman mounted on a wooden block, with her head out and body inside a triangular … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #444
The scion’s arrest was a major scandal in the township. Joan Gilt’s son was running a drug business inside the hotel his mother built after so much struggle in life. He pleaded innocence with tears in his eyes and his mother’s name on his lips as a shield. The police officer interrogating him said, “You … Continue reading Reputation
The cobwebs start susurrating before I put the bag down and open the grilled doors to a neglected past. Everything that once adorned the house has been taken away – the linen, the crockery, the cushions and carpets - leaving behind ruins of the original owner’s expectations. The locker and almirahs were found to be … Continue reading Ruins
Welcome to yet another week of a weekly routine! PROMPT #443 This week, I would like you to focus on the MUNDANE and make it sound as boring or as interesting or as value-adding as you want. Would you give it up if you can? Is it the baseline for your existence? Do you see … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #443
Discover the fable of an Indian CEO in a multinational corporation whose ivory tower was made of wax—an allegory for leadership illusions.
Tiny slivers of historical evidence cannot withstand the scrutiny of critics and the superimposition of meaning by those in power. Books are written, rewritten, translated, interpreted and destroyed till approved textbook versions take their place. Children memorise those not out of curiosity, but to pass exams. They have been programmed anyway, unwittingly and unconsciously. The … Continue reading Out of Order
