Kolam

“How long will it take for you to draw a simple kolam*? Come soon. There is a lot of work to be done!”
Ranganayaki could hear her mother scream from inside the kitchen.
It was the month of Margazhi, a tamil month in which South Indian women exhibited their artistic and creative talent in the entrance or threshold of their houses. It was more like a “Kolam” competition. If one was a habituated walker in a by-lane or a street at dawn, one can observe the colourful designs of butterflies, swans, flowers and what-not.
Ranganayaki was good at drawing those dotted kolams. She got up early in the morning much before sunrise. She brought some cow dung and mixed it with water and made a paste. Then she swept the threshold of the house with broom and smeared the cow dung paste on the ground.
Her hand and her creative mind were doing all the work. At the same time her eyes were on the young man who was singing along with her father in the hall of her house. Sundaresan came at this time daily to learn music from her father.
Sundaresan was handsome and had all the qualities a woman would ask for. As he started singing, the whole house vibrated with his wonderful voice. By nature, Ranganayaki loved music and so she was smitten by his voice.
With the rice-flour in her hand, she stopped drawing the kolam and stood stupefied hearing him sing. Then with a sudden jerk, she came back to this world and continued to draw the kolam. She took the rice flour in her left hand, bent down and placed the dots casually and fast. She concentrated on connecting the dots and making a design out of it. The dots had to be joined in a sophisticated way to make a wonderful design. Deep concentration was essential because even if she did a single mistake, she had to wipe out that part and redraw again. Since it was all done on the wet soil, she was careful not to make a mess out of it.
At the same time, while she drew the kolam, she set a side glance at Sundaresan who was singing in the hall. She knew that he was setting his eyes on her too, while singing.
She joined the dots with the rice flour, looked at her kolam lovingly and felt immensely satisfied. Would Sunda look at her kolam today? She was eagerly waiting for him to come out.
Every day, while putting on his chappals and going out of the house, Sunda would look at it first and then look at her smiling with a slight nod of appreciation and walk away.
Was it love? Or was it a sign of only appreciation? She could not fathom. But those were the few seconds in her life which she enjoyed everyday.
The day rolled by and it was almost sunset.
She heard her parents talking.
“Sunda sent a message through his brother. He has got a new job. He won’t be coming from tomorrow...”
Ranganayaki was standing near the entrance. Her gaze slowly turned towards the kolam. Afte being tread upon the whole day, the rice flour mixed with the soil and her work of art which she had carefully done in the morning was not there.
“Ranganayaki, wake up..it is almost sunrise..”
Ranganayki woke up, took the rice flour and started drawing a new kolam..
Another day has started, but without Sundaresan to appreciate her kolam. There was no music that day. She bent down silently to place the dots with a ray of hope that he might turn up one day. The dots connected perfectly that day, rekindling her hopes and giving a feeling of joyful anticipation.
* kolam = rangoli

Who is in?

The interview was over.
The Managing Director Mr. Girinath invited the two selected candidates for a cup of coffee at his house the next morning.
That was the final round.Girinath was to select one out of the two as his Manager.
Arun or Vinay.
Arun was certain he would get the job. He felt that he had answered very well during the interview.
Next morning, both Arun and Vinay arrived at the right time.
They waited in the drawing room.
Girinath came in, wished them and asked them to be seated...
They were all served biscuits and coffee.
It was an informal meet and Girinath started talking while he sipped the coffee now and then.
Vinay took his biscuits and started drinking the coffee, and was nodding his head.
Arun , out of respect, kept on holding the cup and was watching Girinath talking while giving comments now and then.
Now it was time for Girinath to tell them who was selected. Arun’s coffee was becoming cold. He wondered whether he should gulp it or keep it back on the tray.
Time was up and he could not decide about the coffee.“Vinay, you are selected as my Manager. Congrats!” Girinath shook his hands and turned towards Arun.
“Arun, you could not give me company even for a cup of coffee! Should you not have finished your coffee by now, while we talked? How would you support me in my endeavors? I am sorry!”

Fear of the unknown - short story

"I didn't dare look over my shoulder. I knew if I did, it would all be over."
“I love life and I want to live!” John was muttering to himself repeatedly.
John was narrating to his friend Sheetal what happened the day before. John still looked dazed and was in shock.
It was a pleasant Sunday morning. Nancy loved that place on the cliff top. John and Nancy went on a picnic that day because John felt it was the right spot to express his love to Nancy. It was a place which she loved most.
Nancy and John worked in the same office. They had been dating for three months and it was Nancy who first declared that she loved John.
John was in cloud nine when he heard Nancy say that she loved him.
He decided to take her out on Sunday because he felt that it was time to accept her love and propose to her. He did not want to make her wait and give her a suspense.
John and Nancy reached the hill top and rested for a while. After a light snack and hot tea, Nancy took out her camera and started taking pictures of the scenic beauty around her.
John was fully enjoying nature. He walked slowly towards the edge of the cliff.

He was almost at the end of the cliff. He looked down. A gush of wind brushed his face and he raised his hand and felt the force of the wind.?

He suddenly felt a deep hatred to this place. People jumped. Why? Because they were stupid.
“Johnnnn!”
When Nancy called him, there seemed to be an echo. No one else was around.
“Turn back, and stay still, John! I want to take a snap of you. But be careful. Ok?”
John turned around and looked at Nancy.
He placed his steps carefully.
He loved the challenge, but there was some kind of fear.
What if he fell down? Would he die in a second? Or would he have the chance to look at a new world which the scientists have yet to discover? It made him feel that people are so small but yet they think big.
He closed his eyes for a moment thinking of what was over his shoulders.
Should he turn back, he would dive into the unknown world, deep down, and become a skeleton.
“Come on, say cheeeese! “ Nancy told him.
“Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!” He said while his jaws shook. He was scared stiff. But
he did not show out his jitters.
It looked as though time froze for a second.He felt a chill running through his spine. He was amazed and at the same time afraid. Is this what is called “fear of the unknown?”

“Come on, say cheeeese! “ Nancy told him.
“Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!” He said while his jaws shook. He was scared stiff.
“Come on, say cheeeese! “ Nancy told him.
“John, come on, open your eyes, and say cheese!” Nancy almost screamed. The echo was loud and clear.
“Click!”
He made a few, hasty steps forward. It was a great sense of relief.
He wanted to live. Life is valuable. He wanted to love, have a family, be more and more happy, enjoy every moment of his life till he lived.

He had learnt a lesson of life that day.
He started laughing loudly as he raced towards her, hugged her and planted a kiss on her forehead.
With a happy jolt , thanking God that he is alive,, John came back to this world again. He shrugged his shoulders as if he wanted to forget the unknown world for the time being and looked at Sheetal.
“Well, Sheetal, aint life worth living?”


A repost of the short story posted in Sulekha.com on 30th July. The starting line was given by Sulekha.com to form a story.