“Okay. And you, Ma’am? What was your plan?” “I didn’t have any plan. I too just wanted to help Jasbir uncle.” “So all three of you are happy that your target met with the fate that you all wanted to give him?” “Yes! Of course!” Jasbir was the first one to reply. “No. I am shocked actually.” Rashi maintained. “Yes. I too actually didn’t want to kill him. I realized it now.” Johnny remarked. “Chill out guys. It was just a question and answer session. Not a serious interrogation.” Balbir got up to go. “Okay. It’s time for me to go. Patil died in the noon itself.” Balbir took a glance at his watch. “The preliminary autopsy report must have been ready. I have to go and see Dr. Sabharwal. Guess he’s going to give a report that would say it’s a “brain haemorrhage”.” Both Balbir and Jasbir laughed out loud while Rashi and Johnny shared uncomfortable sniggers. “Nice one, son. At last all our prayers got answered.” Jasbir said to Balbir. “There are many more people who wanted to see Patil dead. I’ll go and have a chat with them too. But one thing I must say...” He looked at all the three and said, “If you plan anything like this in the future, then please do take my advice. Don’t go for filmy stuffs like failing a brake in 10 minutes or applying poison on the pages that the likely victim may lick. Because they would never work in reality. Go for simple ones.” By now Rashi and Johnny had totally lost the understanding capacity. None of the words that the detective spoke made any sense to them. They simply nodded understanding nothing. “Sometimes a simple sprinkle of a stimulant on a drink can trigger whatever ailment you want that person to suffer from.” With that, Balbir moved away. Without wasting any time, both Rashi and Johnny too hurried out of the park. “It’s all like a nightmare.” Johnny exclaimed. Rashi searched in her handbag for her mobile. “Thankfully I didn’t fall in this...” She suddenly stopped speaking seeing a paper that she had unmindfully put in her handbag. It was the Electricity meter transfer form of Jasbir. “Hey... Johnny! One second.” “What happened?” Johnny asked. She thought for a second. Something struck her. But she didn’t want to come out openly with it. She shook her head. “No. Nothing.” Johnny smiled and bid goodbye to her. As he was making way towards his house, he kept on thinking about everything that happened in the park. Death of Patil, Jasbir meeting up with Balbir and then Balbir questioning them. All the incidents were quirkily weird. Johnny closed his eyes and tried to shake off the thoughts when suddenly, he was hit with an epiphany. “Sometimes a simple sprinkle of a stimulant on a drink can trigger whatever ailment you want that person to suffer from.” These words of Balbir suddenly took him back to the morning episode when Balbir was offering to hand over a glass of special juice himself to calm down a Hot Patil. “Oh my Goodness!” Johnny gasped, understanding the innuendo that he had missed at the park itself. ***** A few kilometres away from Johnny, Rashi was returning home reading the names on the Electricity meter transfer form of Jasbir again and again. The bold letters at the top left hand corner were marked with the names Jasbir Bhalla and Balbir Bhalla. Was it the same detective Balbir she knew? Could they be related? Jasbir even called Balbir, son. Were they father and son or Jasbir randomly called everyone, son? But did he call Johnny too, son? Rashi shook her head unable to think anything clearly. She didn’t want to think anymore about this whole episode. Whatever it was, she was glad that she wasn’t a part of murdering anyone that night. THE END #shortstory #crimethriller #murdermystery #Story #lastpart #Epilogue

“Yes. Let’s just all forget about the crazy morning talks.” Rashi and Johnny patiently waited 300 seconds before finally Jasbir came to them with the news he had gathered from the policeman. “Looks like our job is done. Patil is dead!” Both Rashi and Johnny were shocked to hear that. “What?” “Yes. He died of brain damage. So would Dr. Sabharwal say.” Jasbir snickered. Both Rashi and Johnny suddenly started feeling that something was wrong with Jasbir. “I thought he was stable.” Johnny whispered to Rashi. “Me too. Just let’s get out of here first.” “Uncle, I have to go home now...” Johnny started. “Yes. I too have to go. My kid must be missing me.” Rashi joined in. “What’s the hurry? Wait till the detective investigates you both.” Jasbir motioned at Balbir who already had eyes only on the trio. Scared to death, both Johnny and Rashi exchanged glances. “Uncle, why investigate us? We didn’t do anything.” Johnny cried. “I have given my statement. I told him there were two more people who wanted to kill Patil so badly.” “What the hell? You dragged us into this!” Rashi lost her cool. “I am going away.” She started moving away. She hadn’t even taken a few steps ahead when she saw the tall detective approach her. “Excuse me, Ma’am. I need to ask you some questions.” He then looked behind her and saw the young Johnny trembling uncontrollably. “And to you also young man.” “What has this crazy man told you?” Johnny asked. “Nothing that many should know.” Balbir snapped. “Then what’s this inquiry all about?” Rashi asked. Balbir sighed. “Just take a seat.” Both Johnny and Rashi took a seat on a bench which was straight opposite to Balbir and Jasbir’s bench. After a few heavy seconds of awkward silence and fearful stares, Johnny burst out. “This Patil... How did he die?” Balbir arched his brows with that question. “How you wish he had died?” “What?” Johnny was clueless. “I mean how did you want him to die? What was your plan of killing him?” Johnny immediately sat upright. “Sir! I seriously have nothing to do with Patil’s death. This crazy man...” He pointed at Jasbir. “He only wanted to kill him so badly. I just wanted to help him out. That’s all.” “Help him out?” Balbir’s eyes widened. “Let’s hear how you wanted to help him.” Johnny was taken aback. He looked at Jasbir who was laughing uncontrollably. Tears started rolling down Johnny’s eyes with the realization that he was being played around by the old man. “He said we fail the brake of Patil’s car.” Balbir looked at Jasbir and gave an appreciative look. “Okay.” “On Monday evening, when Patil’s shift would get over, we planned to fail the brake so he meets up with an accident. We had to do it in 10 minutes since the car waited outside the EB office only for 10 or so minutes.” “Wow! Exciting! So you all came here to do a rehearsal now?” Balbir asked. “No. I mean I just wanted to know which car model he used. I am not much of a car mechanic. So to pull up a task...” Johnny wasn’t able to say anything more as he faltered. How did Patil die? And what was going to be Rashi's alibi? Stay tuned for the last chapter... #crimethriller #crime #murdermystery #shortstory #story

It was Saturday night. For a youngster like Johnny, a partying day, for a housewife like Rashi, just another day to look after her menacing kid and for an elderly retired Jasbir, one more day to mull over the past. But this Saturday was different. All the three had gathered at a public park. They wanted to have a look at the car that Patil had. Johnny was not much adept when it came to trying out his hand at car mechanism. He wanted to check Patil’s car to know if he could pull off the decided plan of failing the brake of the car within 10 minutes. All the three kept on looking at the third floor flat of a posh housing society which was straight in front of the park. “His flat’s light is on. Usually he won’t be at home during the weekend. He would go to his farmhouse in Lonavla right after the Saturday shift.” Jasbir was perplexed. “Maybe his wife or kids are at home.” Rashi remarked. “No! That slicker is a bachelor. He doesn’t have anyone by his side. He lives alone here.” Jasbir’s eyes moved down to the ambulance van that suddenly entered the building. “Something is not right.” He mumbled. “Wait till I get back here.” Jasbir slowly made way out of the park and directly headed to the apartments. “Gosh! There are police too.” Rashi gasped seeing a few uniformed men coming out of the colony. A few anxious moments later both Johnny and Rashi saw Jasbir talking to the tall and muscular detective who they had seen earlier at the Electric board office. “Isn’t he Balbir, the detective who was supervising people who were giving free drinks in the EB office in the morning?” Rashi asked. “Yes.” Johnny said nothing more as he watched the old man retracing his steps. “I think it’s a wakeup call to not get into risky business.” Rashi whispered. “We were just frustrated in the morning and so ended up planning a murder. But seriously, you never kill people just because they are rude or corrupted, right?” “I too was thinking the same. Maybe we should ask the oldie to calm down a bit.” Johnny remarked. What were the police doing in the apartments? And what was the old man upto? Was this indeed a wakeup call for both Rashi and Johnny? To be continued... #shortstory #crimestory #crimethriller #murdermystery

Both Rashi and Johnny were silent. They understood that his rumblings were rather too serious. It was not a spur-of-the-moment comment to kill Patil. It was his heartfelt wish. “I know you must be thinking I have gone mad...” “No uncle!” Johnny cut him. “I am totally in. I too believe that to clean up corruption, the main root has to be eradicated.” “You won’t believe but there is a doctor who too assured me that if ever I kill Patil, he will have it easy with the autopsy.” “What? Are you serious?” Johnny wasn’t able to believe his ears. “Yes. Doctor Sabharwal who works in the Deppari GH.” “Gosh! Government Hospital doctor too is in killing rage! I can’t imagine how cruel this Patil can be.” Johnny said. Rashi suddenly grew unsettled. “I think I should get going. I am getting late.” Rashi moved over to her son who was away chatting with kids of his age. Johnny ignored her and sat next to Jasbir. “Uncle, I am all in. I have seen enough crime dramas and shows to know how to pull off a murder without being caught.” He took out his mobile and exchanged his number with Jasbir. “I know many of his routines and habits.” Jasbir remarked excitedly. “He always licks his finger to flip pages. On the lower side of the right hand corner of papers. We can use something.” “But that won’t guarantee us a clean sweep.” Johnny remarked. “Okay. He always pretends to call a taxi to reach home. It’s actually his own car that he has been renting out as call taxi. How about failing its brake?” Jasbir keenly watched Johnny. “That actually sounds fine. But timing is very important here. Because we have to carry out our plan only after the taxi stops outside this Electricity board building.” “Then we have to be quick because within 10 minutes of the cab reaching this building’s premises, he will be out.” Jasbir paused and saw Rashi suddenly hurrying back to them. With bated breath, she came to a standstill in front of them and said, “When I come to this goddamned building again on Monday to pay the bill, I don’t want to see that Patil there.” Johnny smiled at her and moved away to give her space in the bench. Rashi too has joined in with Johnny and Jasbir. Will they be able to successfully execute their plan? #murder #crime #shortstory #crimefiction

All of a sudden, the loud exchange of words abruptly transformed into a wave of murmur. Both Johnny and Rashi were clueless. They peeked ahead and seeing a man in white T-shirt and Khakhi trousers, they understood the sudden silence of the crowd. “What’s the problem here? Why there is such a huge commotion outside the building?” The new entrant, a tall, muscular, and thickly moustached man asked. Before anyone could say anything, Johnny took up the chance to complain against the said Patil sir, who was calmly peeking through the glassed window. “I see.” The man looked at the old man and then peered at the man standing at the counter. “What brings you here, detective?” Patil asked the man. “Why have you closed the counter? There is a huge line outside.” “Throw out those three people from here and then I will think about opening it.” Patil shot back. “This much of audacity...” Before the detective could proceed ahead, the old man said. “Leave it, son! I’ll come again tomorrow.” As Jasbir slowly walked out of the office, he saw two men carrying two big pails of orange juice. The detective motioned them to come inside. “Who are you guys?” Patil shouted from the counter. “Detective Balbir Bhalla here...” One of the men carrying the pail pointed at the officer and continued. “... has asked us to distribute this juice for everyone here.” “Yes.” The detective took it from them. “Do you guys realize how scorching the temperature is today? How many people are literally being roasted outside! I am distributing this drink on the grounds of mere humanity.” “It certainly is not a place to show your humanity, detective. Get going.” Patil was unfazed. “Oh! Old habits of seeking bribe die hard, eh Patil?” Balbir turned to the two men serving the juice and said. “Let me give the hot Patil sir a cold glass of juice myself.” He soon went down to fetch a special glass of juice for Patil. Meanwhile Jasbir slowly made way out of the building. Both Rashi and Johnny followed him. Johnny held Jasbir’s hand tightly as he helped the older man move through the crowd. Once out of the building Rashi kept her electric bill in her handbag and gave Jasbir his papers. “Tomorrow is Sunday. They won’t be open. Monday is the last date to pay the electric bill. It will be too tedious for me as my kid has got school.” Rashi was mumbling. “Yes. Who cares about our Monday morning blues? This Patil needs to be taught a lesson.” Johnny remarked. “My wife died here standing in the line for continuous 2 hours. She was asthmatic. At that time, this Patil had closed even the billing counter. Only one counter was available for both billing and grievances. That was two years ago.” Jasbir grew emotional. “It’s not like they don’t have enough staffs. They have just become too dependent on bribes that they don’t want to work ethically anymore.” “My God!” Both Rashi and Johnny were shocked. “You guys must have seen me only since the past few months. But I have been coming here ever since my wife died. The work for which my wife was standing in the line that day is still pending. That Patil isn’t going to help me get my work done. He is an evil man. I wish he died.” “Yes! I too feel the same.” Rashi joined in after making sure her kid was out of ear shot. “You both must be wondering why I am going to such an extreme level.” Jasbir sat on a public bench and caught his breath. Rashi quickly gave him a bottle of water that she was carrying. “This Patil has been here in Deppari since the past 10 years. He has learned to survive well. He doesn’t want any promotion or transfer because his life is well settled here. He bullies people, forces them to indulge in bribing and has also bought many vigilance officers to whom I had complained personally. So it’s indeed a time I put a full stop to his atrocities. I have lived my life well. I wouldn’t bother to go to jail now for killing him.” What is cooking in Jasbir's mind? Is he really serious about killing Patil? Find out in the next chapter... #shortstory #crimestory #murdermystery

The natural phenomenon of brown powdery cinders turning into thick sticky grime was occurring over the stacked up piles of register books and files. The air too surrounding the room was adding it to the wonderfully unkempt shabbiness as it emitted the suppressed clumsiness’ smell around. Only a glassed barricade kept the unclean office room from the crummy payment area where people had queued up. The third floor office was swarming with people that made a snake line till the ground floor of the building. Children, ladies, elderly people... everyone was patiently waiting for the queue to move ahead. This was not an abnormal scene at one of the electric board offices in Deppari, a small suburban town of Mumbai. This one office had an extremely bad reputation of treating the customers mainly because of the notorious head clerk who was popularly known only by his surname. Patil. Rashi held her 5 year old son’s hand tightly as the crowd grew thicker. The stagnant air in the congested room smelt heavily of sweat. It was getting extremely hard for her to control her son who was in no mood to stand in the queue anymore. “Stay quietly here, Monu. Our turn will come now.” “You’ve been telling this for the past half an hour. I will stand outside.” Monu protested. “No! Stay here. Otherwise I’ll drop you in the school.” “It’s Saturday. It’s a holiday for me.” Monu cried. “Stay quiet.” Rashi said as she keenly watched an extremely fragile man in the other line, sitting on the floor. He was complaining of severe knee pain. While some people were kind enough to let him go ahead of them in the queue, some decided to talk to the counter manager on behalf of him. “Why can’t you open the other two counters? Can’t you see people here are suffering? There is an elderly person here who can’t stand for too long. At least be considerate towards him.” Johnny, a college student spoke up. “We can’t be held responsible for his condition. Blame his family members for letting him come here.” Snapped the heavily built bald man, managing the grievances counter. “You can’t be this rude!” Rashi decided to speak up. She moved ahead and along with Johnny countered the man. “Every time I come here to pay the bill, I see this poor man standing in line. I even know his name and his reason for frequent visits. He is Jasbir uncle. He has been coming here for the past few months almost daily. I see him pass by my house daily morning. All he wants is to just transfer his electric meter to his son’s name.” “If you know that much, go and help him yourself.” The man shut the counter of grievances and moved away from his desk. Everyone standing in the grievances line started shouting. “Patil Sir is very strict. Why would you do that?” One lady condemned Rashi. Soon others too joined in blaming Rashi for the counter shut up. Rashi was exasperated with their behaviour. “My job was going to be done today. I too have been coming here daily for over two months. Patil sir assured me my job will be taken care of today...” Another man said. “Oh! Job would be taken care of? How much you paid him to do the job that he’s actually assigned to do?” Johnny stepped up for Rashi. “As if you guys haven’t paid “extra” for any government paperwork.” The man snapped. The commotion grew louder. That tiny room was on fire with people venting out their frustrations at both the trio and the rude Patil. “What the hell is your son doing? Why can’t he come here instead of sending you?” One man insensitively targeted the old Jasbir. “I apologise. I apologise. Please move away now. Let me get out of here.” Jasbir said trying to get up. Johnny clutched Jasbir’s hands as he helped the old man get up while Rashi took the papers that Jasbir was holding... What happens next? Would all the negativity building up inside the Electricity office give birth to any crime soon? Will the old Jasbir get his job done? Check out in the next part... #crimethriller #murdermystery #shortstory #story #crime

Every single step taken forth was accompanied by some weird noise. She felt as though some unseen entity was walking along with her. It was the night time and there was no electricity. The path to her bedroom was just around 100 feet from where she was. She could see her bedroom door ahead. She felt she wasn’t moving an inch closer to it even though she was moving forward. Soon she realized that the floor beneath her was moving her backwards. She stopped. So did the loud howl of wolves and the scratching noise from under the floors. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the main door. Soon the room started stinking of rotten flesh. “It’s just a dream.” She comforted herself. Just then she heard the knocks on door getting continuously louder. "It's a dream. It's a dream." She prayed under her breath. “Open the door to be assured.” The raspy voice said. #horror #horrorstory #shortstory

खोई हुई मासूमियत खुशीयों के आलिशान महल में दर्द भरे आभूषणों का घना बादल छाया है ख्वाब और सचाई के दूरियों को समेटने में मासूमियत कब खो जाए कोई जाने ना जिंदगी की कही अनकही पहुलुओं में से एक और पहलू कडवे सच का भी है जो खुद के नज़र में ना आए पर नसीब जरूर उस मोड पर ले जाए दर दर की ठोकरों से भी बत्तर सिर्फ सन्नाटों से घेरी दुनिया है जिस्की आहट हर कोई सुनता है पर लौटने का रास्ता किसीको पता नहीं चंद दीनों की बात है जब सपनों से सजी दुनिया शीशों की तरह टूट कर चूर हो जाए और परियों की वो शहज़ादी इस निरदय और निर्मोही दुनिया का एक और मजबूर मोहरा बनके रह जाए By Uma Chandrasekar Technically, this was my first ever written poem. Even before I could write poems in English or Tamil, I wrote one in Hindi for a documentary about street children suffering in poverty. The director of the documentary liked it but chose not influence his vision with my artistic thoughts.

To the parents, With love I had written this poem long ago. Just felt like deciphering it a bit and make a story out of it:) My beautiful world as I remember when I toddled, That only pampered me and mollycoddled, Loved being carried in the warm loving arms, That always assured me that I was in safe hands, Never knew the worth of time they invested on me, In looking after my every single moves so silly, Didn’t have the slightest idea of what I might End up eating or when would fall asleep tight. Taught me to read, write, and talk, Made me run, jump and walk, Imparted their worldly knowledge to me, Made sure I was their world, one and only. Yes, I love being their apple of the eye, but how I wish they took me serious. I am a middle aged woman working from home. My relation with my parents has always been normal. Very normal. Extremely normal actually that it touches the borderline of being abnormal. Because every time there is a new guest in the house, the words they come up with to introduce me makes me think, why was I even alive that moment. “You should definitely see our teddy bear, the sweet potato of our house.” Then they would call me loudly, “Pinkuuu... come and say hi to uncle.” I know many people by the name Pinky. But what the hell was Pinku? And I am a grown up woman. Not a 15 year old to come and say hi to uncle and aunties. Completely embarrassed, I would go and still meet them. “Oh... you’re so big! I thought you were a school going child.” Once an uncle even said this. But my parents were nonchalant. The embarrassment doesn’t stop here, even when my friends come home to meet me, they would be like, “Don’t stay up late. Also don’t go to isolated places. I can come with you to that place since you haven’t been there...” “Dad, I am going out with four of my friends.” To this his reply would be even more savage. “All of you are kids. You guys surely need an elderly’s assistance.” Needless to say, my friends stopped coming over to my house soon after wards. I had lost the hope of being treated as a grown up. Since everything I did seemed like an immature job for them. For example, if I bought vegetables, my mother would grumble, “Since you’re a child, that vegetable vendor looted you.” “Oh yes! Looted me for 5 rupees. You are impossible, mom.” If converted some rewards points in my debit card and bought something fancy, my dad would say, “You’re still a child. Like I used to buy you toffees to make you agree to take bath, these people are forcing you to buy these useless things by showing you the glittering rewards points.” “Oh... hold on dad. Does this embarrassing bathing example even have a connection with the offer?” He would stare at me momentarily. “Yes, of course! Yesteryears toffees are your present days’ rewards points.” I felt like banging my head on the wall. This didn’t even stop even after I got married. Whenever I used to come home after marriage, they would call me Pinku and embarrass me by giving all the details about my childhood to my husband. “She was two months old when she pooped in her new silk dress that her grandfather had gifted her.” “Mom, stop it.” “That’s not all, she never liked being lifted. Would puke on her father’s shoulder ever time he lifted her and held her on his shoulders.” I tried my best to tell them that I am grown up. And things like these embarrass me. But I understood one very important thing. I’ll divulge that after the ending of this poem... A few years down the lane, They were still the same, But grown up and matured was me, Who disliked being the apple of the eye, Felt their protectiveness as a bind, Wanted to run away so they can never find, Their embarrassing shower of love, In front of my friends ignited the unease. I moved along trying and ignoring Through the age I got a family of my own. Soon felt the precious joy of being a parent, Loved to move in this phase of current, Where every single day felt like heaven, And every single night was of weariness’ haven. Life moved on as my head sported more whites Than greys, a mirroring glimpse of my traits, That resembled the forgotten people from yesteryear, Who had been there where I was now, earlier. The realization of them being just very caring, Struck me when I too found myself watching, Every single step of my offspring. So here’s to my parents, with all the love, Hope it’s just not too late to apologize, And regret. Please remember, I was a child then Who grew up only after 3 decades of being a vain. Yes. Parents are parents. You ask for water and they'll treat you with faluda:) I would understand it only after becoming a parent myself.

Making someone’s day In this busy, fast paced life, we seldom think about others comfort, let alone think about their happiness. We are so engrossed in our own lives and problems that we don’t even feel like investing our precious time in making someone else’s day. We love to continue living our mechanical life day by day, complaining and carrying on, never thinking that in this routine way of life we can accommodate a few moments that could make others memories. Some people are born with the competency to neither be happy or satisfied with anything, nor let others be happy. They carry their disappointment with life on their face. A constant frown which adds to the overall stern feature of their standoffish personality, seldom get any takers in terms of building a long lasting relationship. On their quest to not portray themselves as approachable, they lose out on the wonderful satisfactory feeling of making others happy. They would complain that certain things just spoiled their day, never once thinking how many people’s day they have spoiled or are spoiling by their continuous grouches. A curt answer is fine, but a rude reply often turns the day bad for others. I know many sensitive people who have told me that a simple mindless word spoken at the spur of the moment by their colleagues or friends have hurt them badly. Some tend to take issues like this to their heart and spend the whole day mulling over it, in return spoiling others day too. It’s like a chain reaction. Spreading negativity as these upset people would turn their anger on others who in turn would end up doing the same with their acquaintances. So in short, one rotten apple could make the whole yard of apples rot. The chain reaction by the way, works the other way too. The nature balances the world well with many positive people too. Some have the bright, smiley face, looking at which one would instantly rejoice. Some would make others smile, cracking jokes at any given time. And some naturally tend to smile a lot seeing which others would naturally end up smiling in reciprocation. So the nature sends out around hundred optimistic people as a powerful vaccination to counter that one rotten apple to stop spreading the pessimistic virus. It just depends on us to take up the right side and respond with a positive approach. The astonishing truth is that we don’t have to put any extra effort to do that. We just have to put our best face forward. And we create our best face when we smile Just smile. Take up every single challenge with a smile. Counteract to a harsh reply with a smile. Say sorry with a smile. Say thanks with a smile. Say bye with a smile. A simple sweet smile is one small, but very effective tool to harness happiness and distribute alacrity. To be honest, I practice this thought that I am preaching every single day. I make sure I don’t hurt anyone’s sentiments. Yes, I strongly believe that if we can’t make one’s day, then we don’t have the right to spoil their day too. Thankfully, the very positive people surrounded with me taught me to balance things in life gracefully. Like if I get my mood spoiled by one person, I make sure not to carry the negative vibe to the other person because that other person is totally unrelated to the fuss. So why punish him/her? Let them just be happy or at least let them not make sad. So keep smiling😁 Spread happiness😆 #positivevibes #positivity #smile #happiness #spreadhappiness

Shiva Sati From the age of a tender five, I wanted to reach the mountain so high, Be with the man whose glories, I have heard growing up as stories. Ever since attained womanhood, This hermit in animal skin hood, Was all I needed to be with, If only it was so easy to convince him, If only renouncing luxuries pleased him, If only taking his name all day moved him, But he heard my hearty prayers, As always he does to his devotees, Came down all the way from Kailasa, To see me and grant me my wish. Yes, I got married to the unruly ascetic, Who my father described as unorthodox, Intoxicated, cremation ground frequenter. A forbidden love of mine that was, Destined to consume my life, I knew it and yet I embraced it, For me, Sati, Shiva was the reason, For me to take an earthly form. Ended up jumping in the yajna, Only to give my father the moksha, Yes. I do believe in true love, A form of Uma, reborn again, As Parvati, only to be with my Lord, Shiva- the creator of the whole universe. #poetry #shiva #shakti #sati

“Sorry sir! I can’t come.” Ritesh was shocked to get the call from his driver. He looked around and found himself all alone in complete darkness. Shivers ran down his spine when the driver’s words resonated in his ears. “I can’t come...” ***** Ritesh shovelled the mound in the darkness while Mukesh held the torch for him. Minutes later he hit the target. The dead body of his wife inexplicably stared at him with eyes wide open. The dirt of the earth was all filled in the hollow of the eye sockets while the green pupils seemed to move along with him. “Is she alive?” Ritesh asked. “Maybe.” Mukesh laughed suddenly. Just then Ritesh’s mobile rang. He looked at the displayed name. “Driver Mukesh calling.” #horrorstory #story #shortstory

Little Gudiya calmly watched a lady buying potatoes from a stall. As soon as she moved away, Gudiya followed her. “Aunty, that man cleans these potatoes with the gutter water.” “Sheesh!” The lady threw away the potatoes in the dustbin nearby and went back to the stall to fight with him. Gudiya, meanwhile emptied the dustbin and started collecting the potatoes. Soon the potatoes seller caught up with her. “Sorry uncle. I haven’t eaten anything for the past three days. I don’t have any money to buy.” The man caught her hand and made her throw the potatoes. “Actually, these potatoes aren’t even washed. You said these are washed in gutter water.” He laughed as he sent her off with a fresh supply of potatoes. #shortstory #tinytales #spreadhappiness

Thoughtfully written and thoughtlessly scribbled, Creatively painted and unimaginatively doodled, All over me until the target is achieved, Treasured by millions, but misused by trillions, Born out of killing the saviour of the ecosphere, The most bred commodity found everywhere, My incredible lifetime is like the seasonal leaves, But not entitled to a graceful fall like them, Often crumpled, torn, violated or thrown Into the trash or dumped anywhere around, Those are the lives of mine that could be rekindled, Like the spring, sometimes I am resuscitated, And my life goes on the same way as before. Stuck up as pads, journals, notes, Or laid straight up as sheets for dailies, I will be everywhere and generously flipped, Hope this purposive circle of my life, Is acknowledged by one and all, And inspire them to never accept defeat, For it’s always about bouncing back, Either in hardcover or in paperback. #NaPoWriMo #poem #poetry #paper #opentheme

She is my bestie, More than a soul sister, Closer than my own sibling. She laughs aloud when she is happy, She swears a lot when gets angry, She twirls around in her skirt, Proudly amidst the saree clad elders, She hangs around with friends, Returns home past midnight, Doesn’t care about the gossips, Surrounding her free willed ways, Doesn’t cry much often, As much as I do, From the reflection of my tears, I see her consoling me, “There are no rules to break, Living your life is your take, Release me from inside you, And I’ll show you what you missed all these days.” Yes, I require to adhere to the rules, Set by the conservative society fools, In the quest of being in their good books, Didn’t know when I lost my own identity. Until I met this enigmatic girl, Who unshackled me from all the bonds, Made me realize was answerable to only God, If simply living a life, As per one’s own wish, Not bending to anybody’s order, Was a high stake privilege, And the practitioner was called a Feminist, Then the intolerant world needs to open up, Their dirt filled clogged up mind, And stop setting boundaries, For the effervescent individual minds, That need no motivation to fly, No inspiration to shine. They are patient strugglers, Born conquerors! #Feminism #napowrimo #poetry #poems

I see a poor soul, All by himself, Curled up by the roadside, Maggots feasting on his body, Growling in pain. Minutes later, thrown a stone at him, To shoo him away, Was the roadside hawker. By the evening hour, I see a man completely inebriated, Struggling to walk, Unable to talk. Just when about to collapse, He’s caught by the mass, And made to sit by the same roadside. The vendor offers him soda, And offers to drop him at home. What I saw that day, Was an example of Humanity, Displayed everywhere in the world. Humans showcasing unity, Among their own clan, Has what became the Humanity. #Humanity #poetry #poems #Napowrimo

Summer The hellish season of the year, Don’t know if it was the sweat or the tear, Dripping water all over the body, As was forced to look after the two needy, One brat, who was hard to be found, Was always lurking nearby the barren ground, Playing 24/ 7 God knows what, Another one, a docile princess, Too tender for the harsh summer, Needed me always around. Was tired of these two months, Waited for the vacation to end. As they say, prayers do get fulfilled, Over the years, I was unburdened, With the responsibility of taking care, For they had grown up and were away far, Though suspended off all my duties, The scorching fall do remind me, Of my untameable naughty kids, Lighting up the house with their antics, Now all alone with my man, As I look out of the balcony, At the empty dried up lawn, I recall seeing scattered up dices and pawn, An aftermath of my children’s play, Grouched a lot then, Missing them a lot now, Guess there are some duties, That aren’t to be enjoyed while doing, But cherished later reminiscing, When one’s old and alone, And have nothing left by the side, Except sweet old memories. #NaPoWriMo #Summer #Poetry #poem