With Discrimination Towards None

One afternoon at 3.30 someone rang our door bell. We were resting. Mom opened the door and saw Dolly and her mother with a large bag. Mom asked, “Have both of you, mother and daughter come to live with us bag and baggage?” Dolly’s mother said, “I need some extra ...

One fine morning, the little girl, who usually came at 8.30, came with a cloth in her hand. She said, “Baiya roya (Elder brother cried).” Mom asked, “Kyon roya?” She replied, “Naayi aaya. Baal kata. Toh Baiya roya. Maja aaya. Lounda hai. Baal katna haina. Nahin toh larki ban jayega. ...

One fine morning, I was collecting my stuff and wanted to leave before Dolly came because something or the other would happen to delay me. I found everything but my lucky pen. We remembered that Dolly was at home when I had placed my pen on the bed the previous ...

May it be an event or a festival, there is always an aftereffect. Today morning Mom got a phone call. Her friend had called her. She said, “Our new neighbours belong to another religion. The young boy from the family compelled my daughter to tie a rakhi on his wrist. ...

Today is Raksha Bandhan. A thread can be so auspicious that it contains the blessings and prayers for the well-being of the person on whose wrist the rakhi is being tied. The celebrations of this festival have been going on since Satya Yuga. Initially, when kings would go out to ...

One morning, Dolly came limping. When Mom asked, “What happened?” She replied, “Khoon aga. (Blood is coming.)” Mom asked, “How?” She replied, “Jeene pe. (On the stairs.)” When Mom went to find out how she got hurt, just in case she would need tetanus injection, she saw that someone had ...

One day, as usual, Dolly came up to our home. Mom had arranged everything for her properly, including her doll, favourite stool and Mom’s purse. She took the doll and told Mom, “Lola hai (The doll is crying.)” Mom spoke to the doll asking if she had stomachache or did ...

Dolly would make me dance to the tune of the songs she liked. She would sing Akhiyonse boli mare… instead of Akhiyonse goli mare… Her favourite movies were Deewana Mattana (Deewana Mastana) and Aunty No. 1, all movies of Govinda. She and her brother were big fans of Govinda. I ...

Mom, when she was in Delhi as a child till marriage, would always travel in a car. We got ready to go to the hospital 3 hours before time because we had to go in a car. We always take Mom in a car or cab, while going to faraway ...

Dolly’s birthday was nearing. But Salma’s grandfather’s problem was increasing. We were in jeopardy where to go – for Dolly’s birthday or to the hospital. This is because the doctors in the hospital would speak between each other in English and would not reveal the real situation to the family. ...