Home Blog Page 35

Featured short story

Priya Gole
-
0
Featured short story

This was features in the special edition: International Symposium on Women and Literature At Kolkatta.

Thank You Literoma!

The wind beneath his sails…

The auditorium roared in a thunderous roar as the emcee announced the name of the Aamte puraskaar winner for the year. Saurabh Krishna made his way from the backstage where he had been waiting for the introduction formalities to be completed as they called him to receive the esteemed honor in the field of social work. The special award initiated by the Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment was being conferred upon him. He was thrilled thinking about the avenues the award would open, for his work in the remote villages of Maharashtra. Especially since the award was to be handed over to him by the chief guest for the evening who was none other than the Marathi film industry’s evergreen heartthrob Sunil Achrekar. The auditorium was packed beyond capacity filled with fans from far and wide who had come for a glimpse of their favorite on-screen hero who was also known to be a philanthropist in real life. What they probably didn’t know was Sunil was Saurabh’s friend from college and had been in touch with him for last few years even after attaining stardom. This award was Saurabh’s biggest accolade in recognition for his work in the upliftment of tribal women and children and inculcating employment opportunities within their own domains in the far-flung corners of the districts.

The little cultural program had reached its crescendo with the wonderful performance by Saurabh’s NGO kids on Achrekar’s block buster numbers. The entire audience was gyrating to the feet tapping numbers to the finely choreographed moves by the organizers. The program ended with the talented children receiving a standing ovation by the guests as well as the excited audience. The dais was then transformed for the award event and after a little speech by the chief guest the host announced. “…we now call upon Sri. Saurabh Krishna…. A huge round of applause for the man who has changed the way the tribal live…”

As he hesitatingly trod on the dais, amidst the cacophony of loud cheers, the sparks off the flashing light bulbs clicking away to glory as people chanted his name, his eyes roamed around trying to find the all-important person. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. As Sunil Achrekar and the guest of honor, a local MLA, waited with the plaque and the customary shawl in the center of the floral decorations and spotlights, Saurabh stood still, scanning the shadowed silhouettes in the dimly lit audience…. And finally, his eyes landed on the shining almonds of his wife who stood in the right corner near the fire extinguisher as she had promised. Clad in a simple cotton saree with the palloo draped around her shoulders, Jaya was an epitome of humility and a perfect life partner…his soulmate. He was now in his element as he confidently strode ahead and accepted the adulations coming in from all corners.

The guests settled in their seats and as he took over the podium for giving his talk, he opened the folded paper from his pocket and saw Jaya’s meticulous writing blurring before him as he teared up. He looked at her…tears streaming down her smiling cheeks even as she rampantly wiped them away. She gave him a thumbs up as she walked closer to the dais eagerness dancing on her beautiful face. He knew what she had penned down. It was a set of their future plans for the tribal belts neatly numbered with predicted durations and outcomes which he had calculated and a gentle demand for funds for their NGO. As the roving spotlight edge sprinkled its shower on her, he could see her hair had fallen out of her neatly made bun and her fair face sans makeup glowed in its wake…. even after a decade of marriage and knowing each other for twice the duration, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever known. The woman with a golden heart and an iron spirit. She stood skinny and tall, but he knew how strong she was….

He folded the paper back… and looked up at the overflowing sea of people gathered to shower their love upon him. Quite a few of them his friends and acquaintances gathered over a period of time, eager to felicitate their unsung hero. “Dear friends….” He addressed the gathered crowd and they roared watching Sunil cheer up his friend… it took a while for the organizers to quieten them. It was humbling for Saurabh to be at the receiving end of such an undisguised honor. He continued. “…thank you, MLA sir, Sunil for gracing this occasion and thank you everyone for the greetings and acknowledgements…it means a lot… As you all know our NGO ‘Astitva’ has been striving for the last five years to empower tribal belts of Maharashtra and recently we have ventured further towards Gujarat. I thank all of you who have contributed on very possible manner towards the cause. I… I however…would use this esteemed platform today to thank the special person without whom I wouldn’t be here before you… I would probably be rotting away in some unknown prison corner…”

The entire auditorium was now an oxymoron as the shocked whispers quietened. The dignitaries seated on the dais too looked at each other wondering what was to surface next. Saurabh looked apologetically at Sunil… the guy didn’t know about his past except that he was an orphan who had it hard. Saurabh then looked at a startled Jaya who now sheepishly turned her face away.  For all her bravado she shied away from the limelight.

“…dear friends… as some of you know I was born in this city of dreams Mumbai….in the leather belt and Asia’s largest slum…Dharavi. My parents, who were a part of a migrant community from a poor village near Coimbatore… were rag pickers who could barely arrange to feed me, their only child… let alone anything else. I was only four years old when they succumbed to the famous monsoon floods of Mumbai. I was saved in the nick of time and then on began my crusade towards survival…. I was shuffled from one relative to the other for the next few years… I had to do odd jobs at those homes to earn my keep… and in the process I lost my childhood somewhere in those shanties. But… the only thing that kept me going was my school. The local municipal school…I longed to be there. I was transported to a different world altogether… But that came to an end after the tenth standard exams were done and I was no longer on freeship… By then I had to also move to a shelter house and though I wanted to study further… my dreams were almost squashed….”

The auditorium was in pin drop silence as they waited with bated breath along with Sunil who was surprised himself, for Saurabh to reveal more about his life.

“…It was in the shelter that I came against this group of guys who ‘transferred’ parcels for money. I was tall and could run fast so I got the ‘job’. I made a little money in a year so I could enroll in a junior college… I wanted to study commerce… But it was still a constant struggle…. between learning to live and living to learn…I had to strive to be accepted a member of this so-called society…” He paused getting his bearings together. “…College in the morning and then the ‘job’ in the evening till late nights…I barely got time to study. I soon had to give up the job… I ran errands for some local watchmen and laundry men in the afternoons which helped me sail through… But when I got into the twelfth grade, I had to join a local coaching center and had no money for the same… without that I couldn’t have passed that year. I… I then… got a new job… I just had to perform once a week… and I could get the time to study as well… it was… well… chain snatching…”

The auditorium rattled with murmurs and whispers and Saurabh continued. He just couldn’t stop now though the silenced embers of embarrassment within were threatening to ignite. “…I hated myself for even considering it… I had promised myself to do it just this one time… I didn’t have a choice… I had to deposit the money for the classes within a day… so here I was a novice all set to perform my first crime… intentionally…with my heart in my mouth…Physical fights with the big guys was one this but this… this was something at a different level…and I knew the repercussions of getting a juvenile record. I remember that day in June clearly… the early showers of monsoon brought about a fresh zeal of greenery everywhere and I was allotted a bus stop where I had to do the deed in the afternoon when there were very few people… So… I had pulled over a cap to hide my face and had worn the borrowed black jacket as I stood waiting for my …prey… and I saw one… Even today I can visualise the middle-aged woman dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attire, with a nath adorning her pretty face and a thick gold chain dangling around her slender neck…” He paused again and took in a deep breath before continuing. “…I… I was all set to pull the chain form the unsuspecting woman who was walking towards me… and run before she could even recover from the shock… just like I had been taught…but then…right then I heard someone call out to me… and I …I froze…”

The auditorium now gasped, and the whispers commenced again. “…I turned around and saw my classmate and best friend of two years, Jaya, run towards me…. Jaya knew everything about me… my past… my tryst with petty unintended crime… everything…and… and she was the only person who didn’t judge me… I had mentioned to her in passing that I was getting the money next day for the classes but hadn’t told her the means… but then…she knew me better and there she was … all soaked in the rain as she came up to me and handed me a polythene wrapped bundle…. It was the money… for the classes….”

The whispers increased and people and the guests were now looking towards his wife who stood glued to the ground tears streaming unhindered down her cheeks. Saurabh looked into her unwavering eyes fixed on his and continued. “…I wondered from where she had arranged the money… She wasn’t from a well-off family…and it was then I saw… her thin gold chain and earrings were missing…she was never without them… I knew what she had done… but still, I asked her about them…I knew her strict father would have her hide for it…. But then she just smiled her radiance and said that she would handle it… So, friends…” He looked around at the now hushed up audience. “…I was saved from committing a crime from where there would have been a point of no return… I finished my twelfth and joined a night college for further studies. Since I had completed eighteen years of age by then, I got a job as a watchman for a local library… Jaya studied regular hours and often helped me with notes and stationery and even homemade food… it didn’t take us long to know we were in love with each other and finally a few years after I got a job in a bank post my graduation, we tied the knot…” The hall erupted with a loud cheers and claps.

Saurabh smiled at Jaya who continued to blink back tears. “…but dear friends, our journey didn’t stop there… I realized, that afternoon Jaya had saved me not just by giving me the money but also by being there for me in the important years of my development so… in a way it kept me from going astray. The world threw metaphorical stones and bricks at me… an orphan from the wrong side of the tracks…but Jaya…she used the very same scattered materials to build a successful foundation on which I could build a life… So… I wanted to do something for others like me. Hence Astitva came into existence…. We adopted few shelter homes near Dharavi and offered counselling to those boys helping them financially if they wanted to study… I was offered donations by a few local goons I had been acquainted with in my shelter days but I had sworn off that path years ago. Here…Jaya sold all her meagre jewelry to fund the initial phase of our crusade…. I think our honesty and decision to tread on the path of righteousness paid off and we got Astitva on steady grounds within a couple of years. We managed to keep most of those boys out of trouble and got the local public support. We then decided to expand to the tribal belts where they don’t have access to even basic necessities… like sanitization facilities… so that’s where we have been living in the last eight years. Though the idea stemmed from my heart, it was Jaya who nurtured it and poured her heart and soul into it… she has given up everything and has stood by me working relentlessly…. I am sure she was scared at the prospects of throwing away a set life in the city…but then her passion and her belief in me burned brighter and she didn’t hold herself back. Even our little son Naveen has been with us in this endeavor and I am sure he will turn out to be a great human being because Jaya is his mother. So friends… here I am… receiving this award… But honestly, if anyone truly deserves this ovation, it is Jaya… So, I call upon my soulmate Jaya Krishna to come here and share the spotlight with me…”

A stunned Jaya wanted to walk away but the volunteers would have none of it as they ushered her to the dais. With a shy smile she walked up to Saurabh and held the plaque to the huge round of claps and hoots from the crowd. Saurabh took the microphone again and spoke. “…This is to my backbone, my spirit, my lifeline, my soulmate, the woman who had been behind my success… the woman who gave wings to my dream…”

Soon Sunil joined them on the dais and took over the reins. “Friends…” he spoke after the roar died down. “…You all worship us heroes on screen…but here are our very own real-life protagonists… give them a big hand guys…”

There was no stopping the audience this time…

-Priya Nayak-Gole

© All rights reserved with the Author and no part of this can be copied or published anywhere without the author’s consent

the jester’s cap…

Priya Gole
-
0

All of us may have seen the circus at some point in our lives. What did we enjoy the most… the animals, the acrobat artists, gymnasts…well i enjoyed looking at the jokers. they make us laugh. but have we ever given a thought where does their emotion spill from…? Its usually the sorrow in their lives that cause the stemming of humour to entertain and brighten up our lives. My favourite dialogue is “ they laugh at me because i am different… i laugh at them because they are all the same….”Looking forward to hear from you all… as you follow Soumya and Anand’s little journey. So welcome to this short story series based in the holy cities of Tamil Nadu.

    end of the road…?

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    end of the road…?

    Chapter 3

    We entered the auditorium to an existing chaos with a cacophony of simultaneous loud talk, music blaring and making no sense through the low fidelity speakers and the announcer unsuccessfully trying to quieten the gathering. Anand shook his head and left my hand gesturing me to join the crowd. As I merged into my classmates some of my gang members looking at me with raised eyebrows, Anand walked on to the dais as if he owned it. He took over the microphone and spoke. “…Heeelllloooo friends…” there was a sudden pin drop silence. He held his hands on his hips and swayed in a funny way causing all of us to crack up. “…On behalf of the veterans gathering dust in this esteemed college I welcome the new rays of sunshine…” Once again, we all laughed. This man could light up every place…literally. He soon had the entire audience eating out of his hands as he launched witty one-liners and contrasted them with serious facial expressions.

    Annie came closer and held my arm. “…Hey… this guy is my Rishabh’s classmate… third year…SAPH they call him by his initials… pathetic with studies… big shot though… father bought his way to the college and now, the prodigal son struggles with studies… but who cares…?” I looked at Annie who gave Anand a scowl. Annie rarely disliked anyone. She shook her head and continued. “…I saw you walk-in with him… stay away darling… he is bad news…”

    “…Annie what are you saying…?” I couldn’t believe my ears.

    “…I mean it Sou… I know I encourage you to mix around but not this guy… do you know what he is called here…?” I only stared at her. “…He is called ‘the jester’…because he makes people laugh and gullible young gals fall for him and he mercilessly breaks their heart…just stay away…alright…?”

    I only nodded. I didn’t have any experience in the department of judging people and of course my priorities were different. I had to do well in studies to secure a good job… with a basic MBBS degree I could get some position in a government hospital anywhere in Tamil Nadu… it would come with some security and once I saved up, I could try for post graduate studies… It was a far-fetched dream but I had managed well so far to convert my dreams to reality. As we all exited the auditorium post the light dinner, I turned around for one last look at the man who had stirred up emotions I never thought existed and found him staring at me with his hands in the pocket and a strange expression on his face. Even from a distance, under the glow of the dais lights, he stood out, maintaining his handsome panache. Suddenly he made a face and laughed waving a bye and in spite of myself I blushed waving back as I exited.

    I didn’t see Anand in the next few days… probably because our timings didn’t clash and also because our tests were coming up. I was busy studying. Then one day, I stayed up late in the library while the gang had gone out for dinner. I had a regulated budget and had to give an account to my father at the end of the month. I couldn’t spend on anything frivolous… but I wasn’t used to such lifestyle so it was fine. As I walked from the campus in the dark with the glow of the streetlight the only luminating source, I quickened my pace. It suddenly seemed eerily quiet. Was the world already in bed… my crazy self wondered. I had to pass a small dark street before reaching my hostel and today it looked scary with just one functional streetlight.

    I heard some noise and the next moment I saw a drunkard walk in a zigzag manner and he wavered further before looking up at me…. Right under the lone streetlight. I was frozen in my tracks and scared out of my wits… I was too stunned to even run. He then looked over my head, widened his bloodshot eyes and turned around walking away. What just happened…? It was then I got that citrus scent… and turned around only to look at Anand sanding with hands on his hips and trying to control his laughter. “…You should see your face right now…Soumzie… I am sure you scared the inebriated guy out there…that mop you have around your head… I am sure he is going to have a nightmare for days…” he chuckled. I smiled as I shook my head. He took my free hand in his and continued. “…Are you alright…? You seem to be missing him… unhappy that I came here…? Had a date with the man over drinks… I can always go away…you see and you may call him back…” I chuckled and pulled my hand away. Trust him to lighten up the mood. He then treated me to a light dinner in the hostel cafeteria and we chatted… mostly he did the talking about trivial college matters and I laughed. I realized it was easy for me to talk to him without hesitation. And from then on began a kinship I never knew existed.

    I actually started seeing Anand in a new light. He indeed was the campus jester. He could make anyone laugh… there was a wave of energy as soon as he entered campus. Right form the security guards who adored him to the students whom he teased mercilessly to the teachers and even the support staff, everyone seemed to like the guy. He even stopped verbal duels causing them to crack up and forget what the argument was in the first place. I had a few opportunities in the hospital rounds to observe him and his batchmates. While his classmates in utmost seriousness treated patients with medical lines of treatments, he cracked up jokes and not only the patients but also their relatives would feel lighter. I was in awe of this man who was soon turning out to be my closest friend.

    I often found him wait for me outside the library and he walked me to the hostel. He teased me over being a bit too studious and advised me to enjoy life. Gradually I realized I had revealed my life to him and he had heard me patiently without interruptions. As I had cried at the end of my tirade, he had just held my hand and patted it…the next moment he had described my crying face mimicking me and I couldn’t help but laugh. That was Anand…Whenever I was upset after my once in a blue phone calls at home, his mere presence would prep me up. I was having a tough time with my gang which had started to disintegrate because of varied interests and Annie was upset with me for being in touch with Anand. But I didn’t care anymore. He was the one who helped me retain my sanity amidst the growing pressure of studies. I realized I looked forward to meet him. At least for a glimpse of him… his endearing crater like dimples on either of his cheeks… Usually, he would be surrounded by people and I could only hear them laugh, him being at the vortex.

    But the frequent evenings when he escorted me to the hostel gates, it was just the two of us and while we talked about everything under the sky, at times we would walk in total silence. It was as if we both knew each other’s need for solace. I cherished these moments and looked forwards for them. I was the only one who called him by his name and not initials… and he didn’t seem to mind a bit. Towards the end of my first year during one of these rendezvous’ he said he had two sisters and both of them were in Chennai. For the first time he had spoken about, his family members albeit in passing. He definitely missed his sisters but something told me there was no love lost between the siblings. Once in a while his phone would buzz and his facial expressions would change but the next moment, he would get back to his funny self. But before I could ask anything, he always changed the topic and the dark clouds passed.

    He had a lot of difficulty in studies mainly because he wasn’t very interested and very often, I helped him plan out a schedule… he did make fun of my overzealous perfection but I knew he followed them. For the first time in his life as a medical student he had cleared all his papers at a go. The entire college had been jubilant on the result day wishing him as he pranced around happily, as if he had conquered the mount Everest. I had topped the first year and was receiving wishes form all directions as well. But more than myself I was happy for him…at least people like Annie would stop disliking the guy. He treated me that evening to a fine dine dinner away from the prying eyes of our classmates and friends. We met outside and he drove me on his funny looking bike away from the campus. It was a fun filled night and I realized I was falling for him… NO… that was not supposed to happen.

    I couldn’t help the lingering feeling in my heart. He often held my hand… casually, and there were a few accidental touches now and then but he never made any moves on me. I was aghast to even think of something in that direction… I even saw him talking to other young gals in college and laugh with them and that surged my jealousy. And once when I didn’t see him for a few days I was so upset I couldn’t focus on my studies. The same evening my mom called and I got back to reality. I guess I needed that. I made a vow… Anand was a close friend and he would remain just that. I had a target to achieve and couldn’t mix up my feelings in them. Decision made, I slept quite well that night.

    The next year came up with its own set of roller coasters… but what stood steady against all odds was my friendship with Anand. He was always his usual funny self with everyone around us including during our walks post my library sessions but at times when we were alone, I found him lost to the world staring in space. I knew I wouldn’t get an answer and he valued his privacy only too much. But I was in a very happy zone being friends with him. I kept up my date with Goddess Meenakshi every fortnight and once in a while Anand would accompany me as well. But he would never come close to the temple sanctum and as always, he stayed outside. I often found him chatting with the local shopkeepers. He was totally a people’s person. The final year for him and his batchmates was way too taxing with hospital duties and studies but he always took time for our meets as often as possible. He was like this daily dose of vitamin I needed to sustain the pressure of the college and I wondered how it would be once he left the college for his internship. But to my surprise he got placed in the other government hospital in Madurai along with some of his batchmates and they made it a point to visit us more often than not. I was on the seventh heaven. His final internship months were in our own hospital and our rendezvous became more frequent… My third year was facing its end and very soon I would get busy with the fourth year. To my utmost surprise Anand gave me a lot of input about what was expected during the tedious hospital placement and it helped me tide over. It was pleasantly surprising to see him talk seriously about academic concerns but of course, true to his nature he always ended the conversation with some unheard joke. I knew he would be gone soon and I would miss this camaraderie I never had with anyone before.

    On the last day of that batch in the college i.e. the day they were given interim degree certificates, Anand took over the dais as usual and after about half an hour of cracking us up like a stand-up comedian, he exited the stage to a huge round of applause. Everyone screamed that they would miss him and the teachers announced the same as well. It was difficult for me to hide my tears. Just then I saw Annie and some of my classmates walk up to Anand and give him something gift wrapped. The smirk on Annie’s lips made me uncomfortable. What were they up to? They insisted he open it then and there and I was distraught as I saw the gift.

    It was a clown cap with multiple projections with a colored ball hanging from each of them. Annie and others giggled so did the gathered group of people around. Annie announced. “…Here is our parting gift to the official jester of this college…” I was shocked and angry too… how could she do that…? But Anand took it in his stride and wore it like a pro making his usual faces and walked out waving to all. Everyone roared but I knew in my heart… he was hurt. I rushed after him but it was late and he had disappeared. For someone who entertained everyone, made them smile at their darkest hours, no one knew where he lived. That evening I was walking out from the campus towards the hostel lost in thought when I saw him leaning against his bike outside the back gate. He tried to smile but his somber looks gave him away. I walked up to him.

    “…You… you should have thrown that so-called gift on her face…” I was still angry with what had transpired earlier that day.

    “…Chill Soumzie…” He smiled his endearing dimple making me fume all the more. He held my hand after ages. “…Come on… they were right, weren’t they? I am a jester around here… aren’t I…?” He chuckled and it boiled my blood.

    “…No…Anand… you are not… I hate it when someone calls you that… and now they have given you this atrocious cap… I know Anand, you laugh to hide what is troubling you… whether you chose to tell me or not… I know it… and I can feel that you were hurt today…. Just like the other times whenever someone spoke rudely to you…why Anand…? Why do you want to do this…?”

    “…Do what Soumya…?” he said my complete name which was extremely rare that meant he was upset.

    “…Make everyone laugh Anand. It’s not your responsibility… at least not to those who don’t deserve it…”

    He held my hand again and smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes and it broke my heart further. “…Soumzie… that’s the least I can do for anyone… make them laugh…it’s the greatest gift I can give them…”

    “…what about you Anand…? Who can make you feel good…?”

    “…I have my dear little friend right here to come back to… don’t I…? What else do I need…?”

    We stared at each other and as he looked at me with some sort of an intensity shining in the depths of his orbs, I wondered if he would realize my feelings for him were beyond friendship… at that moment the time had stopped and we were just the two of us lost together in oblivion. But that passed as quickly as it arrived and he cleared his throat letting my hand go.

    “…I will be back Soumzie… very soon… so behave yourself girl!” and he winked at me before driving away into the dark.

    I released the breath I didn’t even know I had held. I was sad all these days thinking about not seeing him anymore but now I was ecstatic. Anand would be back. I only hoped my euphoric bubble didn’t burst.

    © All rights reserved with the Author and no part of this can be copied or published anywhere without the author’s consent

    the enigma…

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    the enigma…

    Chapter 2

    I remember the day I had stepped into the campus of Madurai Medical college. I was on cloud nine for two major reasons. One for escaping the patriarchal clutches albeit for a few years and two, following my career dream. As expected, I was all alone. I had arrived the earlier day to settle my guarded self into the girl’s hostel which was very close to the campus. We were barely few meters away from the government hospital which was attached to the medical college. I looked forward to my clinical placement and ward rounds and with starts in my eyes I had walked into the campus. My roommate was yet to arrive and I hadn’t made any friends as of now. Now…that was a problem with me always wanting to play it safe. I rarely made friends. I couldn’t get myself to trust anyone. Thatha had always ingrained into us that we were the superior clan of blue blooded Iyengar and while we could respect and be courteous to the other lesser mortals, we were no way allowed to fraternize with the lot. What the patriarch didn’t know was the times had changed and caste discrimination often ticked off people especially those who were at the receiving end. How could I just ask anyone what caste they belonged to?

    So here I was clutching the Lakshmi pendant as if it would help me sail through the life’s grind and cautiously looking around the huge campus. I was berating myself over and over again that I was away from home and I could be friends with whoever I chose to. Just then a group of guys walked over. It was a Monday morning and the campus was bustling with activity with students and staff running around to be on time and some in white coats rushing towards the hospital for their placement duties. I must have looked mortified to see the group, given the intimidation on their faces increasing as they neared. They were five of them and definitely seniors. I have always been awkward around boys… we had the unwritten rule at home which forbade us from even looking at them. Though I attended a co-education school, guys and many girls as well kept their distance. No one wanted to get embroiled in any unwanted controversy with Vishnu Narayan Iyengar’s granddaughter. My entire schooling till the 12th grade made me long for friendship and also made me hate the set of commandments back home. I was the eternal loner…

    The boys came closer now and stood forming an arc around me cutting off the visuals to the campus. I was a plain jane as far as looks were concerned and the literal black sheep in the family where I was slightly tanned compared to everyone else at home. I had an unruly curly mane which refused to abide by the boundaries set by my poor hair clip and escaped its confines. Thatha hated it at home especially on the days I had washed my long tresses and my mom had to struggle to keep me away from his line of vision. It was a sin to cut the hair short but I did it just before I left home.

    But it appeared my dare devil stunt at the salon was of no use as my mop refused to adhere to my commands. Even now as the boys chuckled my untamed locks flew all over. I knew I was going to get ragged. The guys began to ask me funny questions, all about why I wanted to be a doctor and why I had come to Madurai in spite of securing admission in the local college closer home and then why was I early to college and finally why was my hair so curly…? I mean… really…? One even pointed to my death grip around my locket, and asked if I was about to strangle myself. Anyone else with an ounce of normalcy would have probably had appropriate answers to their plethora of interrogations, but I couldn’t utter a word. I was severely pragmatically challenged at that moment. I didn’t know what got over me, I just turned around and took flight. I heard the sneering and laughter behind me which soon faded and I ran till I reached the hostel and locked myself in. Fortunately, our classes didn’t actually commence till a couple of days later and I was safe… for now.

    Later that afternoon my roommate arrived. Ananya ‘Annie’ Ravindran was my boisterously flamboyant oxymoron. Oh man… she was a looker with a dazzling smile that could brighten up the entire room. I could actually see the cobalt aura radiating from her exuberance as she waltzed in and out of the room getting her stuff which filled her storage area and spilled over to mine. But that wasn’t a problem since I had miniscule luggage in comparison. She was from Chennai and I thought she would be a snob but by the end of the day she turned out to be an awesome girl. I smiled for the first time in days!

    The next morning Annie and I got back to the campus and though the morning was uneventful as we explored, in the afternoon we were caught by a group of seniors. But this time Annie handled them like a pro and I couldn’t help but smile as my anxiety levels finally plummeted. By the end of the day Annie and I had become close friends. I rarely spoke about my home but that night as we lay in our room watching the creaky ceiling fan cast dancing shadows around it, I told Annie about my childhood and growing up years. She told me about her’s as well. Her father was originally from Madurai and was currently working in a Multi-National organization in Chennai. She didn’t have a mother and was brought up by a nanny who had stayed with them ever since her mom had passed at childbirth. An only daughter she was the apple of her father’s eye and he had only agreed to her studying away from home was because this was Madurai.

    Our classes commenced and soon in the upcoming month I got engrossed in college studies and ward rounds as observers and all remaining time was spent in either the library or with my classmates. I was a part of a little gang of girls and Annie was our leader and the official BBC as we called her. She knew everything around the campus. I loved it here and felt like a free bird. The only drawback was Annie began to drift away after a couple of weeks… no, don’t get me wrong. She was still my close friend but she now had a boyfriend, Rishabh. He was a senior and she spent a lot more time with him…

    It was time for the fresher’s party and I was apprehensive once again. It was with great difficulty that I had broken out of my shell and now Annie insisted I wear her gown. I could only visualize my thatha getting a heart attack followed by my appa (father) and chittapas (uncles). But then they weren’t here, were they? So, I strutted to the party in Annie’s gown which was way too long in spite of me wearing her heels. She had gone ahead with her guy and the rest of our gang stayed in a different wing and so they had gone ahead and as always, I was alone. Was it my ceaseless fate…I didn’t know…

    As I reached the Vishveshwariya hall in the campus where the party was being held, I almost got a panic attack at the prospect of running into seniors without Annie or the gang by my side. I turned around to run away and just then my clumsy self, tripped and I found myself falling. But right then a pair of strong hands held me and I was horrified. I would have preferred to fall… but this was way too embarrassing. My eyelids were tightly sealed…I was the proverbial cat who thought no one watched her as she drank milk shutting her eyes.

    The hands steadied me. “…Hey… pretty girl… you can open those lids…” A deep baritone full of humor spoke softly.

    I don’t know how or why but something stirred within me and I slowly opened my apprehensive eyes to look into the face of the most handsome guy I had ever laid my eyes on. Before I could get my bearings together, he grinned and widened his eyes, raising his eyebrows. What the…? He had attached something on his perfect teeth and my mortified self soon broke into a laugh. My anxiety was all gone as he straightened to his six feet stature as against my 5’3” and held up his hand. I only stared at his handsome poise and placed mine in his steadying myself …as we walked towards the auditorium. I actually felt I was participating in a Halloween party and was the proverbial witch…

    As we walked, he asked me. “…What’s your name pretty girl…?”

    I had plain looks and I was always sans make-up… one could mistake me for the village ghost too given my loose clothes and reckless hair. I had been christened umpteen times back in the village given my looks but no one had ever called me pretty before. I didn’t know what were those bubbles of excitement suddenly simmering in my naïve heart. “…hi… I am…Sou…Sou…Soumya…” I stuttered turning beet red.

    He stopped and pretended to think, tapping a slender index finger on his cheek his dimple further getting enhanced as he smiled. “…Sou -Sou-Soumya is a bit too taxing… so now on its Soumzie…” I looked on as he chuckled. “…And here is ‘happiness’ at your service…” He said wiggling his eyebrows. I couldn’t help and burst out laughing and looked at him with a questioning expression. He shook his head and said, “…Its Anand…” He held my hand again and I enjoyed his warmth as we walked towards the auditorium. I said a silent prayer to lord Vishnu… “Shantakaram Bhujagashayanam….. ,,……. Sarva lokaika natham…” I prayed to get rid of my fear.

    Something told me this guy was to play a significant role in my life here in the upcoming years… I was brimming with anticipation of this new feeling within me but at the same time I was scared… thatha’s annoyed face all draped up in his traditional attire, flashed before my eyes. Would he approve of my friendship with this enigma here? …No… definitely not… the old me wouldn’t either.  

    Nonetheless I was away from home and these four years were mine… just mine…

    © All rights reserved with the Author and no part of this can be copied or published anywhere without the author’s consent

    Who am I…?

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    Who am I…?

    Chapter 1

    I looked up at the tallest Gopuram of the Meenakshi temple, the splendid play of colours forever leaving me in awe of the magnificent craftsmanship of those times. To add to that the early morning sun brightening up everything around me brought a strange warmth seeping into my mundane life. This was my favorite momenta and I loved visiting this place. No… I am not at all religious. I love architectural geniuses especially those which have history beneath their veneers. And being born and brought up in the sleepy village… I mean… the holy village, Thirukoshtiyur I have witnessed the Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple in its radiant glory. Well not just that, I have been soaked into the rituals and hymns surrounding the Almighty who looks over the village and its people. While I respect the beliefs followed, I strongly detest the forceful affliction of certain rules and regulations conveniently bent to suit vested interests.

    And how would I know that…? Well, I have spent eighteen summers of my life in that village. Let me introduce myself. I am Soumya Sreedharan (Iyengar) a final year medical student in Madurai Medical college. As my name already suggests, I was named after the temple. Not that I am complaining. The temple in its historical glory boasts of superior architectural marvel, something I am always proud of regarding my village. I have spent hours near the temple tank breathing in the fresh breeze, trying to push away the turmoil I always felt at home. I must have made umpteen plans about running away from home and the same breeze gently warned me about making decisions too rash. I think Lord Vishnu whom I revere, must have played a role in the same. I would then look up at the ‘vimana’ of the temple paragon and as always try to figure out my life in the innumerable mythical stories depicted in the stucco images present. I was brought up with the notion of being chastised or face the direct wrath of Vishnu…in his fierce reincarnation… the Narsimha… The life size image of Lord Narasimha slaying the demon Hiranyakashyap always looked into my eyes in the centre shrine. However far from being scared I was an epitome of confidence whenever I was in the temple sanctums. I often wondered if these tales were meant to teach us life lessons…to follow the path of righteousness or to scare the wits out of us, if we happened to oppose the elders…a specific elder of the house.

    In my case it was my thatha (paternal grandfather). The eldest of ten siblings he was a devout Ramanujan…the same Ramanujan who revealed the sacred gospel of Vaishnavadatta philosophy to the world. Long story short, my thatha had his own version of the teachings and had laid down rules for the entire household which he ran with an iron fist. I always thought he was the oldest villager in Thirukoshtiyur, given the way he was respected by everyone around irrespective of the government or municipality positions they held. He was the most sought after to consult on important matters. From the outside everyone would wonder I was privileged to be a part of his clan but… that just ended at that. My thatha had laid down a set of guidelines which were extremely archaic and gender specific in the household and by default almost the entire village followed them to a great extent. Thatha was the self-nominated headman and believed in leading by example. I lived in a huge home, a palatial old school type of make such that it would easily qualify to be a heritage structure if the district authorities had their way. But thatha was dead against it. He prided on maintaining the secrecy at home. The quadrangle in the center boasted of the biggest tulsi plant in a dedicated four-sided stone structure. If our holy shrine at home was presided by Lord Vishnu then tulsi was considered his better half…Goddess Lakshmi. So, we worshipped the Tulsi as well. Thatha believed in the medicinal benefits of the holy herb and my aunt was entrusted the daily chore of plucking select leaves for the puja and select to be used in cooking. Every ritual was followed to the T from dawn to dusk… whether the Suprabhatam blaring into our ears in the morning or the hymns sung at twilight. All the men of the house including my older brother religiously performed the sandhyavandanam (a ritual followed by the brahmin boys after their thread ceremony) and were trained for participation in various temple pursuits. But what pained me the most was even though my brothers were highly educated they didn’t leave the little village in search of greener pastures though they had the opportunities.

    There was no religious ceremony or any function in the village which wasn’t presided over by thatha. My father was the oldest of four sons and all three of my uncles were staying together in the same house. We were nine of us siblings and cousins. Six of them boys… who were doctrined and trained from their babyhood to take the ritualistic bloodline ahead. The girls were expected to be well versed in the art of being the apt supporters for their future husbands and upholders of morality. Though no one objected to our education, not everyone was enthusiastic too. Especially when it was about the black sheep in the family…that is…well guessed. Me! I was born about 13 years after my older siblings and was the baby of the family.

    There was a time thatha doted on me…in spite of being tanned. But all that changed when I began to question traditions and revolted. I was a voracious reader and the ever inquisitive being in me refused to accept the rules of conduct hands down. Even more, I refused to accept the archaic views enforced upon my siblings especially when my older sister, Anjana was forced to marry a man whom she didn’t even know and much older to her, just because the horoscope match was one in a million. It was two years now and she lived a life of despair. Though living in the adjacent town, she wasn’t allowed to visit us and I missed her terribly. The other girl in the family my older cousin Srilatha, had run away from home with her college sweetheart and was untraceable… so it was obvious that all guarded eyes were now on me. Thatha in particular had been increasingly senile in his attitude towards me. Be it my dressing sense which suddenly became a thorn in his aged, cataract filled eyes or my choice of career as a doctor. I had topped the entrance examinations and the Municipal commissioner himself had presented an award to me so Thatha had relented to let me pursue medical studies. Also, because I apparently brought in the lost glory caused after Srilatha had eloped.

    I had an option to take up admission in the local government medical college but I wanted to escape the confines of the house which felt no less than a cage with walls of stereotypical brick and regulatory mortar. So here I am in Madurai… at least an hour away from home… I rarely visited home in these four years. I missed my mom and cousins who sadly were blended totally into the patriarchal grinder and were now unrecognizably stanch followers of age-old traditions. I also missed with increasingly graded intensity, the Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple… my mirage of a retreat, when the going got tough at home. I believed the Almighty had something in store for me.

    There was only one family in the entire village who didn’t pay obedience to thatha and that was the migrant family of the Hebbals. They were originally from Shimoga in karnatraka and had migrated here 3 generations ago but even today in spite of their wealth they were considered outsiders. Everyone in their family was highly educated and that they didn’t follow the norms set by the society was the perennial bone of contention between them and thatha. Their offsprings had already moved on to other cities and towns and there was a rumor that once the current patriarch passed, they would sell the house and vast agricultural land and move away. There were rumors about something terrible that had happened in the Hebbal family years ago but no one knew details and the Hebbals guarded their privacy very strictly. One of their daughters Kirti was in my class till 8th grade and though a good friend she never disclosed her family secrets. I liked her for that and also encvied the independence she had. She had moved to a boarding school after 8th grade. The last I had heard she had finished her architectural studies in Chennai.

    I couldn’t visit the temple in my village without visiting home so here I was in the world famous Meenakshi Temple, where tourists thronged yearlong for offering their prayers. As for me…I came here once in a fortnight… it was very close to my college. Today especially since it was my birthday… No one had called me from home like always and I knew they didn’t believe in frivolous greetings and celebrations. But as I looked at the beautiful sculptures of Goddess Meeakshi mostly of her valour, which I always looked in awe, I got teary. I had been brave enough to escape the clutches of my household to pursue my dreams. But it would end after a year of internship. I knew thatha who was now almost bedridden wouldn’t still allow my further studies and mom had let it known to me that they had fixed my alliance with someone in a neighboring town. If I had to continue to revolt then I had to earn a living to fund my studies. As I thought over it, my heart clenched and I stared at the beautiful Meenakshi tying the knot with Lord Shiva. Sudued memories began to resurface and sobs raked my body as I moved to a corner and hunched giving in to the tears. I had not cried in the last three and half years but now everything seemed blank…my future seemed bleak.

    Suddenly there was a tap on by back and given the scent I knew with out even looking who it was… Anand, whom I was seeing six goddamn months after he had gone AWOL. My best friend from Medical college and the official jester for our entire campus. If anyone could make us laugh it was him. Anand was my senior but that’s all I could tell about him. He had once said in passing, he had flunked his first year and because of his father’s influence he was granted unlimited time to finish his degree. That itself got us cracking up. Like always he showed his face right before my eyes, startling me. He had painted it funny and in spite of everything I smiled and he continued his funny antics till I actually chuckled.

    “…this was the day you were welcomed to the world of the Homo sapiens…Soumzie… Happy birthday my friend…” he bowed his tall lean frame making him look funnier forcing a laugh out of my crying self. I knew, irrespective of anyone else remembering my birthday or not, I would have an eventful day.

    © All rights reserved with the Author and no part of this can be copied or published anywhere without the author’s consent

    Book review: Drizzle on the Mountain

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    Book review: Drizzle on the Mountain

    Author: Radhika Srinath

    A simple love story set in the picturesque back drop of Darjeeling. The protagonist Nanditha is cynical when it comes down to tying the knot. She is an interior designer by profession and is on a visit to Darjeeling with her friend where she encounters the enigmatic Ajay. In the process of helping him design a Star hotel’s hall she falls for him. But back home she is faced with the dilemma of bowing down to her parents’ wishes of marrying a boy of their choice while she is still trepid about Ajay’s feelings for her….

    What attracted me to go for the book was the cover. Its one of the best book covers I have seen in recent times and suits the story in every manner. The USP of the book is the very simple use of language making it easy even for someone who is not proficient with English. The Author is from South India and the flavors are evident in her write-up.. The book leaves you with a smile!

    Available in both paperback and kindle editions.

    Book review: Combat skirts

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    Book review: Combat skirts

    Author: Sahana Ahmed

    If i have to summate the entire book in a couple or words it would be ‘Syntactical brilliance’. The author has a flair for an amazing play of words titillating your senses as you read and live through the book. To top it all… her amazing sense of humor leaves you with a smile for a long time even after you are done.

    This book is a must read for those who have grown up in the 90s… Personally it also hit home because I have lived n a hostel too. the story is about a ‘fauji’ kid Saba Minhas who gets enrolled in an Army hostel to study law. The author has intricately taken us through the myriad of emotions Saba faces as she is torn between her duty towards her parents, her loyalty towards her friends and her new found freedom. Saba represents the confusion every kid in the 90s encountered where we were caught between age-old social stereotypes and the progression towards the new millennium. Saba is further baffled when she has to make a choice between prospective suitors.

    The author has built the story in a lovely framework of hostel life. The play of emotions is also excellent with the right choice of synecdoche and other figures of speech. Overall its a simple story yet very deep…

    Available in both paperback and digital format (juggernaut app)

    Book review: A myna flies (I & II)

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    Book review: A myna flies (I & II)

    Author: Sidharth Kanattil

    This amazing historical takes you back by about 170 years. the author had diligently constructed plots in the opulent township of Shahajanabad, where the John company official Henry Haines schemes meticulously for the course of his future. An Indian spy for Mr. Haines, Amar Chaudhry makes a wrong decision which causes the snowballing of misfortunes for many of the characters in the story. As a result young Ratan is pushed into an alien world where he had to struggle for survival whereas the love of his life Radha has her heart broken ruthlessly and trampled upon. The story revolves around misplaced ambition and greed running deep into our morals which made the East India Company spread its roots deeper into our society.

    The second volume opens throws light on how slavery held prominence including subjecting the ‘coolies’ to worst possible barbarism while they craved for death to escape the realms of torture by the French, actually indirectly the British colonies which had spread their tentacles far and wide. they had destroyed countries for filling their own coffers and every head raised in protest was uprooted. Ratan now seasoned by what life taught him seeks retribution for betrayal and yearns to meet Radha someday. Some of those who have joined hands to raise up against the English atrocities have now a long and a tough journey to reclaim what was once theirs.

    The author takes us through a picturesque journey of the colonial times which are in tandem with what history has recorded. The research and linking of the plots to converge together and the parallel running of history is splendid. Highly recommended, especially if one likes to read a historical. I particularly loved the language lucidity and the flow which as a fast reader, didn’t result in any breaks for me. The language and dialectal variations have been aptly been played with to suit the times and the author has been careful not to over do it as it is usually seen in such genres.

    I am looking forward for a Volume III where the plots can be finally tied up. In short the author has made me want for more.

    Available on Amazon in both paperback and kindle formats.

    Book review: Chanakya’s Chant

    Priya Gole
    -
    0
    Book review: Chanakya’s Chant

    Author: Ashwin Sanghi

    Just one word for the book…. Masterpiece!

    I am in awe of this Author now. this is my second book of his and the best in this genre by an Indie writer.

    The author has brilliantly vacillated between two timelines which are about 2300 years apart. The first being 340BC the period of Chanakya and the second was todays times the protagonist now being a brahmin named Ganagasagar Mishra.

    Chanakya was known to be cold, calculated, cruel, ruthless and without any morals when it came down to political and economic strategizing manipulations. He had succeeded in uniting the entire Bharat against the invasion of the might Macedonian Alexander the great. Brilliant planning for years and magnificently sensational execution saw Chanakya’s protégé Chandragupta Mourya occupy the mighty throne of Magadha and the mighty Mouryan empire. He eventually retired to write the ‘Arthshastra‘ which is a beacon of financial strategies even centuries later.

    History repeats itself and in what way!! in a stark metaphorical reoccurrence, Ganagasar Mishra plays a vital role to propel the rise of his protégé, a certain slum-child. She plays by his books and sees a meteorical rise to become the most powerful woman in Indian politics.

    The author has brilliantly covered the unadulterated and palpable but eerie similarities in Indian politics between the two timelines. Be it caste system, hatred, corruption, greed, sexual deviance, venality, betrayal, or the divisive strategies these are the breeding grounds of the ambitious and precociously talented species like Chanakya or Gangasagar Mishra. The novel is gripping and fast paced with conspiracy theories firmly holding the intrigue in place. It promises to scatter the reader emotions all over the place but at the same time converges them to make you like the protagonist irrespective of all his flaws. A look indirectly into the bizarre Indian politics!!!

    Available in both Paperback and kindle format.

    100-word microtale

    Priya Gole
    -
    0

    title: Hide and seek

    1...343536...56Page 35 of 56