About the Book:
This collection of stories and poems has been put together over a period of time. Each story may or may not have a kernel of truth in it and brings out a facet of life that we encounter. Though the plot appears simple, there are nuances to the characters and the storylines that go beyond the story. They reflect the complexities and unpredictability in any human interaction. Since women generally live their lives with very little control - they adapt, accept or may be even rebel when pushed to the brink - with dire consequences. The ideas for the stories may be just a setting or a chance encounter with a person or a completely fictionalised version of an event. The characters either change or resign themselves to accept their situation.
In this book are presented A Handful of Stories garnered over the years. They deal with love, passion and hope which may have gone awry due to an external event or a conflict within the characters themselves. As the plots unfold, more often than not, the characters take a life of their own, pushing the stories to a final dénouement. The stories may end in extreme violence, leading to a tragic death or in a choice of the characters to rise above their circumstances and forge a new path. Whatever happens, it throws light on the diversity and complexity of the human mind.
The Very Short Stories are a poignant observation on the beauty of nature and the vagaries of the human soul.
On the other hand the Travel Stories are a realistic account of actual trips undertaken to break free from the humdrum routine of a metro life. The experience stays with us as a poignant memory, unfolding a unique journey into an ancient township or a remote village nestled atop a mountain ridge, or a trip deep into a wildlife forest reserve, away from the hustle-bustle of the city. They also bring a sense of peace and serenity to the reader after going through so much heartbreak and violence in the fictional world of the book.
The collection of poems, ‘Soul Poetry’ has a depth and beauty that belies the simplicity of the words. It captures the eternal beauty of nature, the mystery of the universe and the sheer joy of being one with it. It celebrates the feminine angst that searches for its identity in a predominantly male world-order. The romantic love that brings so much joy is celebrated in the poems. With the passage of time it gradually gives place to cynicism and a loss of hope.
The poems ‘कही / अनकही’ in my mother-tongue Hindi, depict the longing of the human soul to find love or mourn its loss in a time gone by.
But as one says, life has to go on. So the poems hold a promise to the readers of a better future and a belief in one’s self that there will always be hope and love if one just becomes aware of the endless possibilities offered every day or in the present moment.
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