Devoid

Tama's travelling by the bus had made him forget about the bike he got as a present from his uncle on his last birth anniversary. He enjoys the bus ride since he is accustomed to it. Knowing exactly at which stop most of the passengers would make a run for the exit. Tama gets a seat in no time and without any pause, he opens his school bag and starts reading the book he had issued from the library, last week. Into the last chapter already, a fast reader, paying no attention to the vacant seats or to someone who might acquire them as the bus moves along its path. Surprisingly he never misses his stop. The driver always makes sure that Tama gets down before he moves past Shinkyo(Tama's stop for school). Tama is so much familiar with the crowd that he even bows at them when departing and they return the gesture(Only when they're standing otherwise it's acknowledged with a slight nod and one wide smile). This mundane routine doesn't make Tama feel bored. He e...

CHAPTER 1 - "The things I saw beggar descriptions... The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty, and bestiality were so overpowering... I made the visit deliberately, In order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations to propaganda". These words are engraved on the Holocaust memorial museum in Washington DC. The demise WW2 brought on the jew community is unfathomable. Jews were in Europe for the past 2000 years, in every field, from noble prize winners to craftsmen and tradesmen. The "Stab-in-the-back" myth worked as a catalyst in the genocide which followed. Abraham's family were among the few who survived the Holocaust. He was born in the town of Dobiegniew, Poland where most of his people lived. His Father fought hard and ensured his mother, who was 8 months pregnant, along with his aunt escape the camps safely. Abraham's mot...

The outskirts of Sindh were quite populous with people of the Kutchi dialect. Time must not have consumed more than five or six years, since partition. That was a hostile era. The concept of nuclear families was virtually obscure. Rules were deployed by the head of the family and everyone adhered to them. One of those rules was not letting children go out once the sun started settling down. Shilpa had a contrasting outlook regarding this. She considered this as a mere guideline than an authoritative rule.  Her mother, Lata, feared that eventually, Shilpa's zeal will get the better of her as she was this 10-year-old rebellious girl, waiting to start a revolution. And one day her fear met reality. It was kind of a taboo to step out into the woods not only for children but for the so-called grown-ups. People have been warned by the patriarchs—about the stories associated with the woods—why nobody dares to even glimpse through the shrubs, let alone the dark trunks at night. Legends ha...

1. How to gel with a group of strangers. Recently somebody asked me what is your strong point and I was speechless not in the good old positive way but in a way which made me question myself. "Do I have any?"- I asked myself. 2. Then, I had an epiphany. I flipped through my customized memory, filled with positive feedback, and the point which stood out was "you are a pretty easy guy to talk with". So I answered, "my strong point would be, my communication skills." 3. Here, I'm gonna point out some techniques which I have refined over the years, sum it up in short, and serve it on a platter, because we all want easy, right!? 4. When you interact with a group of unknown people usually you have someone who would introduce you to that group. That person is the mutual friend of the group. The bridge between you and them. Use that person. 5. No matter how many times you have read this but people tend to accept you more if you greet them with a ...