A chital herd was grazing in a plain in the woods one summer afternoon. A jeep appeared on the horizon and started to move across the plain, toward the herd. The chitals stopped grazing and looked intently at this noisy intruder. They were familiar with this strange, two-legged creature and knew it to be harmless Read more…

Anyone who entered the sprawling lawn of the bungalow always stopped before the tall and majestic Gulmohar tree. The tree had a mystical aura about it when it was in full bloom with its scarlet flowers, which exuded charm and radiance. ‘What a beautiful tree,’ they said admiringly and marveled at it. The tree felt Read more…

Shamnath, the popular film star, looked pretty glum. He went about with a long face, hardly talking to anyone. Even during the shooting of a film, he shunned company as he went off to sit alone between shots. His friends had no idea as to why Shamnath was being so sulky. When they tried to Read more…

Meghana was excited. She was going on a picnic with her cousins the following day. Ten-year-old Meghana was obsessed with everything foreign. Lately, she had become pretty conceited as well. She had little regard for Indian culture. Her mother had often tried to knock some sense into her but to no avail. ♦♦♦ The next Read more…

‘Just imagine!’ Ayesha exclaimed. ‘We’ll be seeing him in person in a few hours!’ ‘Ooh! What a wonderful day!’ remarked Ruth. ‘Keep your autograph books handy,’ said Vaidehi. ‘And pens, too.’ ‘Yes, there will be a huge crowd,’ said Balwinder. ‘I hope we can get close to where he’d be.’ ‘…and perhaps shake hands with Read more…

Getting drenched in the rain is definitely not my way of enjoying it. Standing by the window with a hot cup of coffee and watching the rain splashing down is. Yet, I couldn’t help getting drenched that day. It began as a small drizzle, and it picked up the moment I walked into Chandu’s cycle Read more…

‘It’s going to be a very dull life in a village, after living in Goa,’ said Rakesh. His younger brother, Ravi, and their visiting cousin, Prashant, nodded in agreement. Rakesh and Ravi’s mother had contracted measles, so she had decided to send the three boys away to her vacant old house in a small village. Read more…

The postman loudly announced the arrival of fresh mail. Shreya was on her feet immediately. She brought the letter to her mother and asked her to read it. Once she did, Shreya and her mother found the news rather disconcerting. Shreya’s aunt was coming over with her husband and twins. She lived in Mumbai and Read more…

We had just moved to our new house. Owl hoots and fox howls were a regular feature of the surroundings. The place was eerie, but in the world of satellites and computers, I knew there was no room for such superstitions. Mr. Nayak and his family dropped by for a chat in the afternoon. Mr. Read more…

Raju’s mother was a simple woman. She slaved away in a factory all day so she could send her son to a good school. Her husband had died when their boy was just two years old. As a result, she was always struggling to make ends meet. The poor lady hoped that her son would Read more…