11 Fern Place

Avni heaved a sigh of relief as she got off from the crowded bus and stepped on to the pavement adjusting her off-white dupatta over her blue kurta. She checked her watch and smiled. There was time for a short visit to 11 Fern Place, her aunt Madhurie’s residence. She had made it a point to dress traditionally since her aunt, though the owner of very progressive thoughts had one weakness. She had a very conservative sense of dressing and disliked women strutting around in western attire. Therefore, unlike her…

A Walk in the Hills

Revathi walked down the cobbled path of the little hill station looking at the colourful shops lining the pavement. Trinkets, bags, curios and leather shoes were arranged enticingly on the shelves in the shop windows. School girls in their yellow check shirts and brown tunics stood sucking ice lollies in ice cream shops. Their little pigtails bobbing up and down as they nodded their heads in animated conversation with their friends. Lost in her thoughts, she jumped at a loud snort right behind her. She quickly made way for the…

The Awakening

Uma lay still on her bed staring into the darkness. She had the same dream once again. The medicines had stopped the nervous attacks but they could not stop the pain from jabbing at her heart every time.  She got out of bed, wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, and moved to the small balcony attached to her room. It was a small but cosy room with a mid-size bed, a small sitting area before a fireplace and an attached bathroom. She didn’t need anything more than this. Uma stood…

Aparna – The Lover

“Neela! Wait!” The little girl stopped in her tracks and swirled her navy-blue skirt as she turned around. She was around 6-years-old, with a small round face, bright mischievous eyes and a head of curly black hair that were tied into two tight little pigtails that hung behind her ears. Her impish face brightened as she pressed her hand over her mouth to hide her giggle. The object of her mirth was a little boy of around the same age as hers. He wore a pair of shorts of the…

Tales of Hunger in the Forest of Death

This jungle, Sheeba knew, had no laws. Neither for man nor for beast. In this land of uncertainties, both are equally vulnerable. Might, is the only way you can survive these harsh terrains. Without thinking Sheeba, dived into the water and swam towards the village. The lights grew larger as she inched towards land pushing forward with more force. If she returned alive with food, her cubs would eat or else they would perish. That made her push forward harder with stronger strokes. The current was incredibly strong, but Sheeba…

Durga – The warrior

Ananya loved jewelry. Not just for wearing but she loved tracing her fingers through the intricate loops and arches and observe the minute detailing of the carvings. She belonged to the famous Mittal family of Jewelers who were a well-known name in Jaipur. Her family had several stores all over the city and catered to a large and varied clientele list. Ever since she was a young girl Ananya loved visiting the dimly lit factories and sit for hours with the craftsmen watching them carve out intricate designs into the…

Kali – The invincible

Heer was born in a land where daughters were considered a curse. They were either throttled in the womb or stifled to death if they dared to be born. However, Heer’s ray of hope was her father, Mahender Singh. Belonging to the farming caste of Haryana, Mahender was a strapping tall Jat who was a lively and happy person. He believed that life was not to be wasted in mean thoughts and small acts of depravity. He had a large heart and a just mind. Unlike most men of his…

Annapurna – The Provider

Mohini sat stonily on the bench in the OPD section of the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur’s Medical Square area. She gingerly caressed her wrists that were tied in a sling with a dupatta. Mohit, her son, had done it for her. He was in the eighth grade and had recently participated in a Boy Scout camp where they had taught him how to do first aid. He wanted to be a doctor when he grew up and Mohini wanted to make sure he had the means to…

Parvati – The Mother

Minu’s story Minu stared blankly at the lifeless body of her son as he hung from the tall Mango tree. It was the same tree where she used to lay him down in a hammock when he was a baby and lull him to sleep swinging it gently, as she worked in the Mango orchard sorting the fruits for the season. The tall listless body of Biju was taken down slowly and laid out in front of her. Minu sat in a stony silence as her husband, Shiben, sat hunched…

A Ghostly Intervention – Part 2

“You have reached your destination” The crisp tones of Ankhi’s voice assistant informed her as she stood in front of the YamunaBai Mental Asylum. It was a tall unfriendly building that stood in a neglected part of the main town. Ankhi had located the area with the help of her GPS enabled phone. She moved cautiously and entered the reception area. “Excuse me” she said as she felt the hard edges of the reception desk.She didn’t receive a response. She assumed there must be a bell somewhere to intimate the…