Baptism by Fire: My Father – Part 1

Despite all the pressure, I had to wait for four years before I could bring myself to write something about my father.It was as difficult as to take a handful of water from an ocean. What to choose and what to leave out. What I leave behind seems to be of Tsunamic proportion. Still I bring to you this handful. My father, Kilimanoor Remakanthan, as I know.  It was a time when a boy with a spark of poetry could … Continue reading

Baptism by Fire: My Father – Part II

Part 2 of the story: Baptism by Fire The butcher shredded my father’s poetry book page by page, wrapped his blood-dripping ware in them and sold them. My father never complained. He had no complaints even when those well wishers visited us mourning about the way he was ignored.  It’s all about pulling the right strings, they advised him. He smiled. Some came with inside stories; they would tell him in whispers how his name was dropped at the last … Continue reading

Why I Let you go ‘Deer’…

A girl desperate to get back to her home tried to wave me down on a hartal day as I was roaming around my city giving away free lifts. One part in me wanted to stop for her, another wanted to speed off. This is an apology to that girl for whom I could not stop that day. I have also got a lot of women who found a meek opponent in me in pitched fights marching through my mind  when … Continue reading

For a Patina of White

Aswathy Rajani worked in the Times of India as a trainee reporter a year back. Had it not been for her dream of becoming a teacher, she could easily have become one of the star writers in mainstream media. Presently she is working hard to get to her destined job. As her reader I always admire the way she conjures up in her writing whole landscapes and those fine moods so elusive and difficult to pin down in words. The teacher often … Continue reading