A long time ago, in a village in Kerala, lived two neighbors – Ramu and Govind. While Govind lived in prosperity, Ramu led a life of abject poverty. Ramu’s children looked starved, whereas Govind’s children looked plump. Sometimes, Ramu would seek financial help from Govind, but the latter never entertained such requests. In fact, the Read more…

Hey, everyone! It’s Sreesiva here and this is the story of my evolution and journey as a reader. It’s actually hard for me to pinpoint a moment when I fell in love with books. I had always been fond of reading. My parents would gift me books on every occasion, my birthdays included. Growing up, Read more…

As part of the armed forces, my father was always posted in different parts of the country. Our vacations involved going sightseeing at the place he was stationed. However, I still (fondly) remember the vacation that made me a reader. It happened when I was thirteen. My dad had taken us to his family home, Read more…

I had never been the quiet kid around. I went out, played, and got into fights and a lot of trouble. In short, I had a great childhood – maybe even a memorable one. I watched a lot of TV. The absurd soaps and movies I watched meant that I always craved for drama in my Read more…

There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place. Joanne Kathleen Rowling, aka J. K. Rowling, the household name among fantasy writers, has exemplified her dictum by constantly transporting the readers to a realm of illusion, imagination, fancy and fiction. Growing up, I too have heard umpteen stories that fashioned the Read more…

“Wait a minute, Solomon. I’ve got something for you,” these were the words of Dwarka ammachi, or grandma. She was the eldest and the most pious person in our local church. The eighth grader me surmised that it was some wonderful present or a savory delicacy, or that she was perhaps in need of some Read more…

A long time ago, there lived a rich man in a village in God’s Own State. His house was full of utensils of different shapes and sizes. He had every utensil one could expect to come across in an house as splendid as his. Whenever there was a ceremony in the village, the villagers would Read more…

Long time ago, there lived a couple in the village of Yelavathi. Their names were Amravathi and Thiruvillai. They were very poor and had to beg every day for alms. Each night, Thiruvillai would wish to have dosas but it remained nothing more than a luxury for the destitute couple. One day, when Amravathi had Read more…

Synopsis: There are places where the past lingers, making shapes in the moonlight and blowing in the curtains even as the air goes suddenly still. K. Hari Kumar, bestselling author of spine-chilling horror fiction, brings you the terrifying tales of some of India’s most haunted places – including Bhangarh Fort, Malabar Hill’s Tower of Silence Read more…

Call me old-fashioned, but I’m the type of person who’d choose reading over any other form or method of learning. I have no one else but my mother to thank for that. Having been brought up at a time when education was highly discouraged by her family, she made sure that three of her children Read more…