A Cold Day….
A Cold Day… It has started raining again. And it is bitterly cold. Looks like Delhi is heading towards a severe cold wave, with the night temperature plummeting to near…[...]
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A STORY OF LOVE AND DESTINY
“I have always believed in the power of destiny, Radhika! I sincerely hoped that one day I would call you my own. But I now realized that we are not…[...]
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Corner Art
For as long as she could remember, tendrils, peacocks, and rangolis ran amok in Suchi’s head. And leaped out at her notebooks. The public school she went to, close to…[...]
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A Tense Dinner
“So how was the ride here?” “Good.” “That’s good.” Shit! That’s all I had. I turned my attention towards the kitchen behind us, they were lining up the buffet trays.…[...]
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Bani’s Tree
Code 278.43A. That’s where ‘Lady Grace’ was, right behind the stunted tree that hit the ceiling and hid an owl in its hollow. In a ladylike fashion, Bani hopped on…[...]
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The Crazy Psychologist
Disclaimer: The following contains graphic scene involving snakes as well as abuse and strong language. Reader discretion advised.Varun Sharma had life long fear of snakes. Black mambas, anacondas, rattle snakes,…[...]
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Visit to the British Museum
(Note: Contains Mild Language)My grandfather had two outfits. One was a kurta-pajama, a traditional Indian outfit that he wore at home, and the other, for outdoors, was formal attire consisting…[...]
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Party Time
On the day of her flight, Sarlaben set out on the same morning walk to the Radha Krishna temple she’d taken for the past 43 years. Her driver, Santosh, could…[...]
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The Temple of Ancient Whispers
The middle-aged lady hurriedly walked along the crowded market streets, passing through the strong scent of turmeric and chilies. The seven-year-old child, whom she had been dragging along, slowed down…[...]
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Destined Sparks
Location: Hotel Radisson Parking Lot, ChennaiTwo buddies, Mudit and Sanleen, are hanging out in the parking lot of Hotel Radisson. They're here for their college alumni meet, and while reminiscing…[...]
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Breaking the cycle
There are always two sides to an argument. Sometimes three. sometimes four. If you ask me, they are messy little things. They are often too complex to understand since people lie…[...]
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Dream away, my child.
"Freshly cut mangoes, dosas, people, kids cycling, the breeze of fresh air, scooter, colony friends, grandmother, love, laughter, and a mountain of memories."Raji types this, looks away from her laptop,…[...]
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Nine Steps to Jeeves
When my gait freezes, I gently kick the trash can. What wouldn’t I give to trash all these dementors hovering around my foggy brain. But now, that is not important.…[...]
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1861 – A Reunion in Calcutta
CW: Racism, Religious fervor Is that the perfume gifted by your captors who snatched you away from your kingdom that’s wafting in the air, my darling boy? It stinks and…[...]
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The Retold Story of the Teenaged Girl
Momina was known throughout the school as the girl with no portable device, no social media, and had never made eye contact with a boy. The neighbourhood filled with mostly…[...]
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Sila-pattikaram – (“The story of the anklet”)
Sila-pattikaram ("The story of the anklet") I recently read an English translation of the above Tamil epic purported to be written in 1 CE . This epic relates the revenge…[...]
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Such a Nice Girl
Sitting there in the packed living room with its faux leather black and white sofas and improbably- bad green, leopard print rug, all of it shipped from China like slow-release…[...]
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Myth and Miasma
Lost, his eyes try to pierce through the fog. The unearthly, all-enveloping mist that had settled around him and brought with it a bone-chilling cold. The kind of cold that…[...]
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Tycho Brahe’s Labyrinth
This story can also be read as the continuation of my previous submission Metamorphosis************Unlike most of the helipads which are built for show but never used, the pads on Tycho…[...]
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Evolving Draft
I remember the foggy morning I had clothed you in a cyan co-ord set, handed you over to the conductor of the preschool bus, and waved goodbye as you struggled…[...]
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Lemons, Ginger and Garlic
"Does the presence of something outweigh its absence? Or is it the other way around?" I said to no one in specific, communally munching on Garlic Naan and Haleem with…[...]
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Legacy, broken
Charu came from a family of skilled cooks. Her sister was the owner of Calimiri, the cloud kitchen which was slowly turning into a franchise. Her cousin, the writer of…[...]
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The Morsel that Counts
My mother has always said that the best way to make your place in someone’s heart is to feed them great food. Growing up this was something I heard far…[...]
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The Delicate Straw Hut
Dawn. Tara walks to the well outside the village, a pot in her hand. Two years into adulthood, her green bangles clink as the pot bounces against the side of…[...]
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Margaret Fraizer – A Memoir in Progress
Margaret Fraizer sat in the old weathered Adirondack chair on the beach in front of her cottage at the eastern end of Long Island. Bundled up against the frigid wind…[...]
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The fairy lights
Sumathi was a neighborhood tailor. The kind you would find virtually in every street corner in India. Not the fancy boutique variety, but someone who would stitch your sari falls,…[...]
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Draped in a Sari – for 31 days
This was a challenge many, many years in the making. I first thought of doing it, when I read A Sari for a Month for Newsweek by Shoba Narayan. I loved the…[...]
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Where’s the Can Opener
Where's the Can Opener? Time is ticking down. The end is near. Grandma rechecks her list for the umpteenth time. Candles with lighters and matches Radio / Ham radio Flashlights;…[...]
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Another Brick in the Wall
Another Brick in the Wall “Miss Chandler, Miss Chandler. The boys are at it again.” Third-grader Tali Grumble hurried over to her teacher at recess. “What are they doing now?”…[...]
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Sixties Teen
Sixties Teen My husband, star of my epic love life, “Hey, Hon. Let's get Sirius.” “Let's see. We have been married going on twenty-eight years. We've combined our retirement benefits.…[...]
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The Guy On The Nineteenth Floor
I was walking down the paved road, struggling to hold my umbrella in one hand and my files and handbag in the other. It was raining heavily accompanied by strong…[...]
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Woollen Suits and Face Cream
He was always there, in the sounds of his suggestions, in the unspoken glances when she acted out of turn, the cheeky winks he gave when he made a joke…[...]
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Picture Perfect
Although there had been a nice, cool breeze the whole day, the crumpled paper that smacked her in the face with that sudden gust of wind was totally unexpected. It…[...]
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Bittersweet
Warning: This story contains themes of childbirth.BittersweetBy Amanda StogsdillToday's the day! Scrambling out of bed, I rushed to the window. Not a cloud in sight! In my open kitchen with…[...]
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The Goat Bite
She was different today. It is astonishing to witness a new side of someone you have spent years knowing and living beside. You question whether you had ever known them…[...]
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A New Home
1. KalkiPeople come across many places they start calling home throughout their lives. Yet, one always tugs a bit stronger. For Kalki, it was her grandparents’ house where she spent…[...]
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Running Late
Abdul hit snooze, his alarm clock radio blaring Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” rolled over and pulled covers. It was fall and chilly. He sought to return to a…[...]
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Good luck, Adi!
Aditya Rastogi comes running into the court. A roar of cheers bursts from the crowd. He tangles his hands and starts stretching his forearms over his head. An arrogant smile…[...]
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The True Colour of Bookmanship
I opened the book as soon as I got a seat on the train. I was eager to resume Preeti Shenoy's beautiful novel 'A Hundred Little Flames.' The narration is…[...]
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A Few Minutes
She walked into the house calling out, “Hey Zach, I am home.” She was struggling to get into the small hallway with her two bags. The cab, still the easiest…[...]
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Pause, Play, Live
I pause play on life like teenage girls pause Taylor Swift songs—frequently but always with great reluctance—with heartbreak. Some might say that is a blessing, one more moment to appreciate what…[...]
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Me and My Uncle
The fortnight had come to its final day: The day to begin my journey back home, to life as it really is, had arrived. Though known and anticipated, it arrived abruptly.…[...]
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Pause, Play, Live
I pause play on life like teenage girls pause Taylor Swift songs—frequently but always with great reluctance—with heartbreak. Some might say that is a blessing, one more moment to appreciate what…[...]
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Me and My Uncle
The fortnight had come to its final day: The day to begin my journey back home, to life as it really is, had arrived. Though known and anticipated, it arrived abruptly.…[...]
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The Gravity of Being Upright
I think it had started to happen a long time back—bit by bit—but I only noticed it this morning. Gravity was dead. Like Queen Elizabeth. Both of them. Yesterday, it…[...]
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Umpire’s call -” Kalyug”
“Everyone I knew was glued to the TV, or their phonesThey had been waiting for this day for over three months. I was going to be on TV during on…[...]
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Resolution
Keerat pursed her lips and grimaced. She turned her head to the left and then quickly to the right, doing her absolute best to avoid making eye contact with the…[...]
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Boiling Point
He gazed absently at the black kettle, his reflection looking back at him like a stranger. Nice cup of tea. That’s what we need. A faint humming of a song…[...]
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Guess what? I’m related to Frankenstein
“Guess what? I’m related to Frankenstein” That was the last text message Amir sent me. I had so many questions like “Isn’t Frankenstein just a story?” and “How’d you find out?”.…[...]
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Friendship Matters
My name is Ria. I'm British Asian with Mauritian roots, the founder and CEO of HR Matters. People tell me I have everything, brains, beauty, love and wealth. But what people…[...]
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A Father’s Tale
A Father’s TaleTrigger warnings: Mental health, substance abuse, physical abuse, and harsh language. “Ashik, what is wrong with you? How can you be so stupid?” I exclaim. Ashik looks over at…[...]
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Zu and the star fox
When you said stepping out of the house was your biggest fear, no one laughed. And the sheer thought of it felt like a physical cut. To leave the house…[...]
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In the blink of a memory
Rain splashed against the windshield of my metallic green car, making it even harder to navigate the winding road ahead. The fog was already thick, obscuring my view, but I…[...]
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An Epiphany
An Epiphany'Sorry dear, I can't do it.'Pawan yanked the sticky note sheet from the bathroom mirror, and read the message again – ‘Sorry dear, I can't do it’. He could…[...]
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A PERFECT BOWL OF BIBIMBAP OR (K)SHIT(IJA’S) GUIDE TO HAPPINESS
According to Kshitija's note, one can find comfort in the most unexpected places or experience the best taste of a bowl of bibimbap when they need to escape reality. Escaping…[...]
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Building Bridges
Raised on Philadelphia’s Main Line, I came of age in prep schools and country clubs. The culmination of my prowess was to be demonstrated via matriculation to an Ivy, then…[...]
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The Call of the Past
It was a balmy March evening in Udaipur. The sun had set behind the Aravalli Hills, leaving a faint amber glow in the sky. In the corner of the drawing…[...]
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Playing With Destiny
Content warning: Injury, trauma, mental health strugglesStaring at my freshly bandaged fingers, I wished for only one thing. To go back in time and prevent the accident. Okay, maybe I…[...]
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Until Satyid Voices Wake Us
If my mother reaches Loki’s Star, I wonder. I wonder if she’ll remember us. Remember the day she left me on Earth, on the beach in Varkala. It was the…[...]
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A wicked cup of coffee
Raman’s Narration It was one of the big American brands that had set up shop at a prominent spot of the circular market that was the famous Connaught Place of…[...]
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Childhood long lost
“Maasi, you don’t have to look after me anymore,” Jagrut said.Hena caressed his arm over the blazer and said, “Those whom I have helped grow up mean a lot to…[...]
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Belle Nessa – A Gothic Story
How much did other journalists have to beg the editor to write a story? "I will come back with THE story, a wonderful one, an honest, personal account from the…[...]
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Rohan’s Birthday Wish
It was eight o’ clock. Papa was going to knock at the door any moment now. Rohan felt his heartbeat rising, and his feet start to twitch. But they were…[...]
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Diwali, 2026
When you’re young and world is still full of wonder and things to explore and places to be, and the prospect of a job has no relation to the drudgery…[...]
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What I Would Give
I’m about to enter Café Ira when the sign on the door makes me stop.Come in for an unforgettable time!My nostrils flare. It’s mocking me. I’m sure of it.Shaking the…[...]
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My Father Shares Fruit
My father shares fruits with the family. Every morning, he leaves me some on our kitchen counter. Sometimes it’s one slice from the fruit he was eating that day, or…[...]
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The Last Kiss
He looked at the creature for four minutes straight. It was writhing on the ground, ebony skinned with a boil ballooned up from its calf. It smiled with its mangled…[...]
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there is no hiding inside the passage of time
The ache is bone deep. Nova’s eyes fixed on the page. Tapah, in Sanskrit, meant both “involuntary pain experienced by the senses” and “voluntary control of the senses.” An itch…[...]
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My first air travel
The very first time I flew by an airplane was when I was in my early twenties. I was in my first job and was asked to travel from New…[...]
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The colors of life
"Would you like to have another cup of chai?" Geetha asked her husband. It would be the sixth cup since morning if Bharath agreed. He needs a cup of tea…[...]
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story inspired by my favorite color
There is nothing like "perfect life" and you as a person own emotions vs habit. Living in a huge city is like exploring life closely and every day is an…[...]
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Five Letters
My dearest one,The story that you ask me to recount to you has been one you’ve desired since you were old enough to eavesdrop on my conversations with your mother.…[...]
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Everthing Except the Wedding
Today wasn’t important because of the holy matrimony of two people. The joining of a union and what have you. Today was important to the staff of the wedding venue…[...]
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I Just Wanted to Help
The garage door hissed open with a pneumatic sigh, and Rohan stepped inside with a box nearly as tall as him. “Alright, everyone—come here! You’re gonna want to see this.”Divya,…[...]
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A question of life and death
Tick-tock, tick-tock, went the clock, as slowly and disparagingly as it could. Ameer was listening the clock tick patiently from atop the roof. He hesitantly placed one foot over the…[...]
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Here, You Are Already Enough
When the letter arrived, Ali nearly tossed it into the recycling bin. It was tucked between credit card offers and a takeout menu, and it bore the familiar handwriting of…[...]
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Becoming Lily
Becoming LilyChapter 1: The Platform Lily stood on the cold, graffiti-covered subway platform, a large suitcase in one hand and a stiff coffee in the other. She checked and double-checked…[...]
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One-in-a-Gazillion Chance
One-in-a-Gazillion ChanceSharon sighed heavily as she looked out the window at the tourist signs, but didn’t say a word for a while. Finally, she exploded, “This has been a very…[...]
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Dear Diary, Reminder: Delete Mum
Chapter 1 Tuesday, 14th MarchSchool was… meh. Maths test. I think I failed. But then Riya said she guessed every answer and got 80%, so there’s hope for me. Mum…[...]
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Echoes of Dvaraka (Part 1)
The year was 12491 AD.Humanity’s descendants, part-organic, part-synthetic, no longer called Earth home. Their bloodlines flowered among the stars — from fragile colonies on ice moons to sprawling cities orbiting…[...]
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Under the Tiles
Sadiya walked up to the lime tree and set her suitcase down, staring at the dried up leaves resting atop the red clay tiles. They made an interlocking pattern spanning…[...]
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Lost on a jarred ear
Airbase in Assam - Rakesh and Maya (Evening)The fluorescent lights of the officers' common room cast long shadows as dusk settled over the Assam airbase. Rakesh sat on the edge…[...]
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Edison Lights
When you have a gendered take on your undergraduate thesis, you presume it will circle to the violence that women face at the hands of men, particularly intimate partners. You…[...]
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The Lost Love
July 2025, New York - “Breaking the News”Her eyes show the unconditional love he didn’t know he needed until he met Kathrine for the first time in a park. Siddharth’s…[...]
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The Earrings
FADE IN: EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT It’s raining hard, creating puddles along the corners of the sidewalks. People rush past, umbrellas bobbing, as some stores’ neon signs flicker on and…[...]
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If It’s Not Chocolate
At last, it was quiet — the kind of calm that settled over the ward once the trays had been cleared and the evening meds had made their rounds. The…[...]
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For the Noble Cause
They had nothing. One morning, Sara would look for work in the dhopa ghat, where she and her mother would wash clothes for the richer people in their village.Sara was…[...]
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Where the Silk Cotton Tree Grows
They say the old silk cotton tree in Crabwood Creek can swallow souls.That its roots drink more than water. That sometimes, late at night, you can hear drumming from its…[...]
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Portions of Love
As every Sunday went, Preeti stood barefoot on the warm hardwood floors of their kitchen, her toes sinking into the vivid runner she had carried back from Rajasthan - deep…[...]
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