Kartikey Sehgal
Everyday, around 10 people die on Mumbai local train tracks. But that is not ‘The Taj’. No foreign national comes and kills them. Their death is standard legitimate death. And not sufficient to make headlines.
If a man/woman falls from a train and dies, then the event is deserving of our apathy and disinterest. If a foreigner pushes a man out of the train, then it is an attack worth some media coverage.
Santa Singh
[Gunmen have carried out a series of co-ordinated attacks across the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing *** people and injuring *** more.] Source
God bless terrorists! Without them, the country is plunged into darkness. Maharashtra is fighting Bihar and Karnataka is fighting Tamil Nadu. Or somewhere in north-east India, separatists are killing tribals. In Orissa, Christians and Hindus are blaming each other for communal tension. When terrorists strike, all these factions become united for a short time. So God bless terrorists.
Kartikey Sehgal
Modern office cubicles are defined by strong walls, sound-proof glass doors and hushed conversations. Amidst the reigning modern discipline there are specimens of creative power in the form of the Laughing Buddha, cartoon sketches on walls and casual attires.
Starting from the collar, snake-like curvaceous patterns dominated his shirt-design. My interviewer announced.
“Seven percent”
Kartikey Sehgal
A scientist studies some fishes in the Amazon River. After noting their weight, size and food preference, she adjusts her oxygen mask and prepares herself for a few hours of observation. Outside the river, her team sits under a tree. Some reptiles and insects watch the men intently; watch them scratch their head and make some unidentifiable expressions. At once, the animal kingdom is superior to the men. They exhibit the qualities of patience and observation and are equals to the scientist under water.
Santa Singh
Outside a cinema hall, when the audience had finished braving another terrible Hindi movie, I walked towards a water cooler and found a young man, clad in a plain white shirt and faded jeans, reading some lines aloud.
These were not ordinary lines. They sounded like typical Hindi film dialogues. I wondered if this man would go on to become an actor and subject us to more atrocities. I felt like smashing his head then and there.
Kartikey Sehgal
Background.
[Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra and the financial capital of India. In the 21ST century, 50% (or more) of Mumbai's population lives on streets. Politics is very competitive. Currently, politicians are dividing people on linguistic lines for the sake of votes.
The hard-working Mumbai resident must do anything else but fall for political games, but he is frustrated with pathetic working conditions, filth, corruption and is ready to believe that his misery is the result of outsiders; people who come to live and work in Mumbai.
This story, however, concentrates on political games in Maharashtra.]
Santa Singh
Diwali is time for shy men to become brave hearts. My two friends decided to be generous and give a box of sweets to a girl.
About these two boys: They seldom talk to anybody. One of them is bespectacled and doesn’t tuck his shirt inside his trousers unless there is a formal function. He walks timidly, miles away from girls. The other one is a devotee of his friend. He is tall and lanky and very supportive of all forms of cowardice.
Kartikey Sehgal
[Anil Kumble, one of India's greatest Test cricketers and inarguably its most prolific match-winner, announced his retirement here at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Sunday.] Source
Anil Kumble remained true to the tradition of ‘beautiful’ bowling. The tradition speaks that the bowler must aim to put the ball in the right spot. The batsman must adjust himself to play the ball. It was also expected that the batsman would play a proper cricketing shot. Cricket was graceful and batsmen would mind if they got runs the ‘wrong way’.