Prudence

But Why Did You Lie?

…because you made it impossible for me to speak the truth. You don’t have the guts to hear it. You are too weak and self-obsessed to to make space for another person. You are too terrified of what it will mean to you personally, how you may have to change the status quo, how you […]

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Word Meanings

Enough is enough. For the past week, I have been reminded repeatedly of the manner in which words acquire shades and nuances of meaning they were never meant to hold.  You are left feeling bewildered and not a little nettled because something that you thought meant A now means A-. The (-) minus being a […]

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Raising A Genius

You want your child to be a Genius. I know you said yes because it would have been grossly unpatriotic of you if you had said no. To want the mark of pure, unadulterated genius on the forehead of your progeny is a national characteristic. No, I didn’t say obsession, you just hear noises in […]

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Great Expectations

I live on the banks of the river Narbada. The river is lavish and generous to all her children. She lets you take as much water from her as you need. She’d never refuse you, on the contrary, she would love to give all you want. She cannot be called sparing or miserly if you […]

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Ten Minute People

Do you know people whose negative outlook can begin to poison your own sunny disposition in ten minutes? It takes them ten minutes to get off to a good canter, trotting their grievances out. Such people are ten minute people. There are important things to do when you trip over such people. Listen carefully, for […]

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Random Chance

Ravi hitched up his backpack and left. He had come to visit them ten days ago. They lived in a village fifty kilometers away from Nagpur. Dawn was just breaking in the east. The sky was flushed with promise. For no reason at all, Ravi felt braced. Today is the first day of the rest […]

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Betrayal (IV)

Continued from Betrayal (III) It had barely been a few hours since Chandni had written her last mail to Vasudha. She had a sense of waiting. Somehow, she was sure Vasudha would reply. She waited online, mucking around listlessly, unable to call it a night and go to bed. She left the machine running and […]

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