Story for Republic Day

STORY FOR REPUBLIC DAY

26 JANUARY 2013

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Link to my Original Post on my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/01/26-january-2013.html

26 JANUARY 2013

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

26 January 2013.

Republic Day of India.

6:30 AM.

A cold morning.

A woman sits on a bench on the solitary platform of Girinagar Railway Station.

She looks at her watch.

Then she looks towards the Railway Track.

She has a worried expression on her face.

The Station Master comes out of his office holding two flags, one green and one red.

He sees the woman and smiles at her.

The woman gets up from the bench and asks the station master, “Is the shuttle late?”

“Yes, the shuttle has been delayed. The express train is being stopped here. The shuttle has been detained at the outer signal and will arrive here after the express train goes away.”

“Oh, My God…!!!”

“What happened?” asks the station master.

“I don’t want to be late for the Republic Day function in our school.”

“What time is the function?”

“7:30. The normal school time.”

“Oh.”

“I hope I will reach in time,” the woman says anxiously.

“I don’t think so. Normally the shuttle leaves here at 6:25 and reaches the Junction at 7. It’s 35 minutes running time. Today the express is expected to arrive at 6:45 and will be detained here for at least 5 minutes. By the time the shuttle arrives and leaves it will easily be past 7. Even if it makes up time and reaches the junction by 7:30 you still have a 10 minute walk to school. I don’t think you’ll be able to make it on time.”

“Oh, My God. I will be in trouble if I am late for the Republic Day function. It will be so humiliating,” the woman says in an anxious voice with nervousness written all over her face.

“You’ve got a first class pass, haven’t you?” the station master asks.

“Yes,” the woman says.

“Then don’t worry. You can travel by the express in the air-conditioned coach. I will tell the TTE to permit you. The express will take less than 15 minutes to reach the junction and you will be there latest by 7:10 and you can easily reach your school well before 7:30.”

“Thank you so much.”

“What ‘Thank You’? You are like my daughter. This is the least I can do for you.”

“Why is the express stopping here?” the woman asks.

“The express train is being stopped here for Colonel Ashok,” the station master says.

Suddenly the telephone rings and the station master rushes inside his office.

“The express train is being stopped here for Colonel Ashok” – those words slice through the woman’s heart like a knife slices through butter.

“So Ashok is a Colonel now. A big shot. Big enough to get the express stopped for him at Girinagar where even the fast passenger does not halt,” the woman says to herself.

Then the woman is filled with hate and regret and she says to herself bitterly: “Had it not been for the scheming bitch Menaka who mesmerized Ashok with her enticing charms and stole him away from me, today I would been Mrs. Ashok – a Colonel’s Wife, a Memsahib.”

Suddenly, the shrill whistle of the diesel engine of the express train disturbs her train of thoughts and the express train arrives on the platform.

The air-conditioned coach stops right in front of her. In the door stands Menaka, Ashok’s wife.

Menaka sees the woman and smiles at her but the woman does not return the smile.

The woman turns her face away but looks at the door of the air-conditioned coach with the corner of her eyes trying to catch a glimpse of Ashok.

The big show-off that he is, she is sure Ashok will be in his resplendent uniform strutting like a peacock.

But there is no sign of Colonel Ashok.

Instead she sees a young officer in uniform getting down from the train with Menaka and the both of them start walking towards the end of the train.

“Come on, get in fast,” the station master motions her towards the door of the air-conditioned coach. He says something to the TTE and the TTE tells her to go inside and sit on Seat No. 30.

She sits on Seat No. 30.

A family – a man, a woman and a small boy sit on the seats around her.

There is a jerk, the tug of the engine, and the train starts moving and picks up speed.

The woman looks at her watch.

6:50.

She heaves a sigh of relief.

She will be well on time for the Republic Day function.

The TTE arrives to check her pass.

Curious, the woman asks the TTE: “Why did the train stop here?”

“To detach the refrigerated van at the end of the train,” the TTE says, “the van was carrying the body of an army officer who died in action and sacrificed his life for the nation. His widowed wife was sitting right here on Seat No. 30 – the same seat where you are now sitting.”

“His name was Colonel Ashok,” the man sitting in front says, “despite losing her husband the courageous lady was so poised and calm. It is because of the sacrifice of such brave people that we can celebrate Republic Day … ”

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this story?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
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Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

 

Awakening at Sunset

AWAKENING AT SUNSET

Fiction Short Story 

By 

VIKRAM KARVE 

From my Archives - here is a story I wrote a couple of years ago... 

"How was your day?" she asks.

"Terrible," he says.

 

"Terrible?" 

 

"Everything is rotten out here! This country is going to the dogs because of this bloody corruption! They must do something about it."

"They? What they? Who is this 'they'?"

"I don't know. And I don't care, because I am getting out of here once and for all."

"Sanjiv, come on, how can you be so sure things are better out there?  At least here, in our country, we are treated properly."

"Treated properly? My foot! Only the corrupt and powerful, the rich and wealthy, are having a ball. If you're honest, life is hell. They treat you like dirt. But one thing is sure. Once I'm an NRI, I'll be treated better. Look at way they pamper these NRI chaps ' the top jobs, the dough, the recognition, the honors ' it's pathetic, the way we put them on a pedestal - they enjoy best of both worlds and we even bestow them with all sorts of accolades and awards!"

"What rubbish! They must have done something for the country."

"Oh, yeah! Sure. But which country? All they've done is make money for the company they work for over there, earned glory for themselves. But what have they done for India?"

 

"Come on, don't be so bitter. Just forget all this Sanjiv and think positively; you've got a chance to stay here and do something, haven't you? Sanjiv. Don't go. Please!"

"Don't go? Please? Come on, Nalini. What's wrong with you? Why the hell should I stay here?"

 

"The IAS is the best thing in the world." 

"Oh yeah! Tell me. What's so great about rotting away in some back of the beyond town like Jhumri Talaiya, or Beed, or Marwar Mundwa, which you only hear about on Vividh Bharati?"

"Come off it, it's not all that bad."

"And the bloody groveling and kowtowing the powers that be all your life?"

"The pay, the perks. "

 

"Pay, Perks? What are you talking about? I've told you about the mind-boggling amount I'm going to get out there, haven't I?"

"So it's Seattle, not Mussoorie?"

"Yes. It's final. I've nothing left here now."

"Nothing?" tears start to well up in her eyes.

He puts his arms around her and says, "Please Nalini don't make it difficult for me."

"I'm thirsty. Come, let's have some chilled milk."

   

Hand in hand, the man and the woman cross Marine Drive, and amble to the Jai Jawan stall, and order some chilled milk.

 

Suddenly a cop arrives, bangs his lathi on the counter and shouts rudely at the old man inside the stall, "Abe Saale, Hafta kyon nahi deta?"

 

"I am a war veteran disabled soldier," the jawan says proudly stamping his crutch on the ground in anger.

 

"So what? Just pay up, you one-legged cripple, or I'll shove that crutch up your... "

Something suddenly snaps inside Sanjiv and he is filled with rage. He suddenly turns, catches the cop's collar, shoves him roughly, and shouts, "Just get out "

  

The stunned cop slowly recovers, talks on his cell phone, and within seconds a police jeep appears and they are all whisked away to the police station.

"Saale," the inspector says menacingly, "assaulting a policeman on duty... "

 

"Sir," a constable interrupts, "we found this in his pocket."

He hands a paper to the inspector.

 

The inspector reads it, looks at Sanjiv, and goes inside to his superior's office. They discuss and reach a conclusion: No point taking punga with IAS types, even if he is just going to be a probationer.

 

"You are going to be IAS. You shouldn't do these things," the inspector says politely to Sanjiv, undergoing a total metamorphosis in his demeanor and sends his jeep to drop them back at the Jai Jawan Stall on Marine Drive.

 

"Thank you, saab. We need young people like you to sort things out," the soldier at the Jai Jawan says gratefully, as they sip the deliciously soothing chilled milk.

"Hey, let's watch sunset," Nalini says.

They cross Marine Drive, run to the parapet and watch the breathtakingly beautiful spectacle as the tranquil blue sea begins to swallow the orange ball and the crimson rays dancing in the sky slowly dissolve into twilight.

 

"Your last sunset in India, isn't it?" she says, tears in her eyes.

 

He takes her in his arms, and they kiss, slow and prolonged, as if it were there first and last kiss.

And when it is finally over, he looks into her eyes and says, "Nalini, I am not going there. I have decided to stay here...where I belong...join the IAS and do something for my country and my people..."

 

"Really...? Why...? What happened...?" Nalini exults in incredulous delight.

 

Sanjiv does not answer. He looks into Nalini's eyes, then he tenderly puts his arm around her and together they watch the awesome metamorphosis at sunset.

   

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright @ Vikram Karve 2010

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

 

vikramkarve@sify.com

APPETITE FOR A STROLL Food for the Soul

If the aroma of good food brings a smile to your face and lightens up your mood,then Vikram Karve's Appetite for a Soul is your best bet. As the author travels through the streets of Mumbai, Pune and other cities in search of good food, he shares his invigorating experience of food hunting and learning new recipes

. His explorations lead him to some of the rarest cuisines and authentic rustic preparations.

Going by the mantra "there is no love greater than the love of eating", his writings could transform any lay man into a delightful food connoisseur. His experiments with recipes, reviews of some of the oldest restaurants and mouth-watering description of dishes would mark an everlasting image in the minds of the reader.

"Good food must be savoured delicately, slowly, attentively and respectfully, in a befitting manner, with finesse and technique, with relish and appreciation and you will experience true gustatory delight. That's essence of the Art of Eating." 

An excerpt from book Appetite for a Stroll by Vikram Karve 

Some may feel that it's a wrong idea to live for eating, but writer Vikram Karve has a different theory to offer. "Eating is not just making yourself not-hungry. It is about filling your appetite by having a soul-satisfying tasty food," feels Karve, who follows his appetite rather than following the clock for eating.

Given his taste for rich and spicy food, Karve is often asked about the health aspects of indulging his cravings. "Why neglect the soul while we do so much so for our bodies? I feel, while exercise is good for a healthy body, good and tasty food is neccesary for the soul. So we must strike a balance. I eat good food and I burn it out by walking and exercising. I don't believe in multi- tasking when it comes to food. That is, when I eat, I just think of the food and the taste, and when I m working out, I just think of my health." 

Speaking about the book that features food joints and eateries in Pune, Karve says that the city offers a lot to food lovers. "In the 1960s food was quite well defined in Pune. While city area like Peths offered typical Mahastrian fare, the Camp and nearby areas offered Chinese and Iranian food. But now, as Pune takes a turn towards becoming a metro, the boundaries have blended and disappeared. We get the same menu everywhere. However, a few old eateries still promise that same flavour which we relished in that era," recalls Karve.

A teacher by profession, Karve has penned many books and short stories. But the love for good food brought him to share his experience in an entertaining way and at the same time making it informative for people, who can enjoy good food. "The objective behind my writing is infotainment. So that I can not only help people locate the once-famous eateries but also help them realise the importance of good food." 

While Karve believes in having wholesome food, he at times, doesn't mind pampering his taste buds with a bite of junk food too. "Bhel is the specialty of Pune. It could be rightly called as the signature dish of the city. While the new populace of the city goes for big restaurants, they might give it a thought to try Pune's all time favourite bhels like - Kalpana Bhel at Saras Bagh, Canal Bhel near Prabhat Road or Kalyam Bhel," he says. 

As Karve savours every bite of food offered by eateries all over the city, he, like any other son, loves the menu from his mother's kitchen. "I just love the aaloochi bhaji and masale bhaat that my mother prepares. And my love for good food helps me relish every grain," says Karve. 

When asked, if he enjoys cooking as much as eating, he says, "When I got married, one could see more of me, than my wife, in kitchen. But over the years, I have successfully turned my wife into a foodie and we both enjoy food together, be it simple ghar ka khana or a regional delicacy. My wife is good at cooking vegetarian food, while I feel biryani is my forte." 

After a great response for Appetite for a Stroll, Karve plans to write more on food and then perhaps also try his hand at writing on other topics. Guess, variety is the spice of life, especially for such a devoted foodie. 

Appetite for a Stroll covers Vikram Karve's explorations, eating and foodwalking experiences coupled with vivid photographs and features that are sure to heighten the appetite of readers. His passion and love towards food takes a new dimension that will not only create a niche for himself but also pave way for his fellow foodies.

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm


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