None The Worse: Another writing challenge on Writer's Carnival. A ...

None The Worse: Another writing challenge on Writer's Carnival. A ...: Another writing challenge on Writer's Carnival. A winter-themed story in 200 words or less. The results aren't out yet, but here&#3...

Another writing challenge on Writer's Carnival. A winter-themed story in 200 words or less. The results aren't out yet, but here's my story:

He had moved north a few full moons ago. Winter here was harsher than he had expected. In the land of his ancestors, were coconut palms and rice fields ruled the landscape, winter was but a cooler summer. But here, the wind chilled him to his bones and stung his face. The mist enshrouded the landscape till noon, and left glittering dewdrops on every surface, like diamonds scattered carelessly. This winter, it had even snowed.

He had left home for a reason – to forget the memories of his wife who was unjustly killed by the villagers. She had been accused of witchcraft and had been beheaded and burnt by the frenzied mob. The last sound he heard was of her anklets, the little bells tinkling merrily.

Before the villagers could turn on him, he had fled, and after several months, had finally reached the last outpost of civilization before the snowcapped Himalayas. He had hoped a new beginning would help him forget the painful memories of his wife. He would have buried the memories of that night, if it weren’t for the merry tinkling of her anklets every night. 

None The Worse: Contest Winner!!I'm so excited! I had entered in ...

None The Worse: Contest Winner!!
I'm so excited! I had entered in ...: Contest Winner!! I'm so excited! I had entered in a blind poetry contest on Writer's Carnival. The theme was love poems. Conte...

Contest Winner!!

I'm so excited! I had entered in a blind poetry contest on Writer's Carnival. The theme was love poems. Contestants are supposed to write in a way that they normally wouldn't write in. I spent all of 15 minutes on mine, and didn't really think I had a chance at winning. But I did!! Tied for first place! :D

Link: http://www.writerscarnival.ca/poet-less-poetry-contest-winners/

My poem below:

When It Dawns

Polished boots in the corner

Bags packed and zipped shut

The cell phone charged and alarm set

You wish time would stop instead

For when it dawns, he will be gone

Slow conversations over dinner

Unhurried nibbles and unsavory sips

Glad for the present, sad for the future

But time marches on, though you wish otherwise

For when it dawns, he will be gone

Dishes done, counters wiped, lights turned out

Doors locked and nocturnal ablutions done

You’ve tarried all you can, get in bed

You snuggle with him under the covers and worry

For when it dawns, he will be gone

Whispered conversations during the night

Your breaths align and sync with time

You feel his warmth suffuse your soul

And smell his scent to commit it to memory

For when it dawns, he will be gone

Eventually the kisses cease, and the murmurs stop

He falls asleep with you wrapped in his arms

A deafening silence only you can hear

You count his heartbeats and hear your own

For when it dawns, he will be gone

Soon enough comes the dreaded dawn

Both of you sad about his departure

He picks up his stuff and you kiss one last time

Off he goes to fight wars under foreign skies

For it has dawned, and he is gone

None The Worse: TraveloguePart 1 - Pune to SrinagarIt occurred to...

None The Worse: TraveloguePart 1 - Pune to Srinagar
It occurred to...: Travelogue Part 1 - Pune to Srinagar It occurred to me that while I had one of the best vacations earlier this year in the gloriousl...

Travelogue

Part 1 - Pune to Srinagar

It occurred to me that while I had one of the best vacations earlier this year in the gloriously rugged terrains of Ladakh, I have never written about it. So I have decided to jot down my travels in a multi-part series imaginatively titled Travelogue. 

The original plan was hatched by my sister and brother-in-law (English really ought to come up with better kinship terms! Someone-in-law is such a mouthful.) which somehow evolved to include my mother and I. Dad, of course, had office and couldn't make it. So I applied for leave at my office and joined with full gusto in launching a reconnaissance of the region we were to visit. Planes were booked, hotels and home stays identified, places of interest marked and bags were packed. To my surprise, my leaves were granted by my boss (I was getting ready to grovel if needed). 

Planning the trip is often more fun than the actual trip. Your mind goes places, imagining the various sights to be beheld, the aromas of the local food, the sounds and smells of the locales amongst other experiences. Of course, there is the vague, niggling worry that the hotel room may only have a single 10 watt bulb to light the gloom and bed bugs that'll glut on your blood, that it'll rain orange-sized hailstones on the day you plan to see the beautiful, snow-covered peaks at Gulmarg, and that at any moment, protests would paralyse the transport industry which'll leave you stuck at the glorified bus terminus called Pune airport. So for several days before the trip, we diligently viewed hotel reviews online, checked the weather report for the region and followed the news regularly to put our minds at ease. 

I guess we spent most of the week before our departure in an orgy of buying stuff for the trip, while packing and unpacking items several times trying to decide if we'd need it during the trip. In any case, we departed for the airport with the entire winter wear section of Shopper's Stop and half a pharmacy's worth of medicines for every possible medical emergency we might face, from apoplexy and incontinence, to nausea and zits.

We took an early morning flight from Pune to Delhi, where we picked up my brother-in-law's parents. At the security check for our onward flight to Srinagar, I espied the team from AIB (if you haven't seen AIB's channel on YouTube yet, you should). 

The approach to Srinagar is splendid. The bird's eye view of the snow-capped mountains around the city, the verdant farms below, and spots of colour indicating houses was simply beautiful! It all looked very clean and fresh. We had a wobbly landing, but halted neatly at the terminal, which prompted a round of applause amongst the passengers.

We were greeted at the airport by our contact from the military, who picked up our bags from the conveyor belt and whisked us to the two military jeeps waiting for us outside. Most of our luggage and my bro-in-law were loaded in one of the vehicles, while the rest of us squeezed in the other. I had the unfortunate honour of being seated in the rear compartment of the vehicle, with the rest of our luggage. With military precision, they neatly folded me in the available 8 inches of space , and I spent the journey to our accommodation with my face pressed against the window, my breath fogging up the glass. 

But never mind, we had reached Srinagar! My holidays had begun.