Rohit Sharma

It was a difficult day for Raghav. Twice is that he is asked about his caste. He refused to disclose both times. His answer was briskly clear. In the evening, he went on to see a flat for renting purpose. The house owner was concerned about the eating habits related to veg and nonveg food. She wanted to grasp it through her preconceived stereotypical mindset. Raghav denied it casually. He doesn't want to tell his caste. The house owner later remarked with a surprise that only Muslims hide their identity! "You are not a Muslim, right?!". Raghav had to explain his position. He told her about his background. That's like peeling off a wound. The times are always difficult, even though people seem to be more sensitive about imminent issues. But there is fluidity. Once on phone, his client assumed him belonging to the same community as his and asked for concession in prices. Raghav was stupefied. He works in a corporate office. He reiterated that his belonging ...

It was evening. I came back from outside. I entered my room and put down the stuffs that I was carrying. Not so soon, I saw a lizard hanging by the ceiling. I rebounded surprisingly. I didn't know how it entered my room. The windows were closed before the curtains. Oh, it must have entered through the bathroom's glasspane and later would have ventured into my room. She was looking at me. I didn't even have the guts to do the eye contacting thing. I was aware that I was not alone in my room. I had to do something. I took a minute to collect myself. I was obviously not comfortable with her presence. I could not have waited. Sliding my back through the wall, I reached the window & strung it open. The first task was done. There was a way-out. Does she know what was I having in my mind? What is she thinking at the moment? It's a one room & a kitchen apartment. Bathroom is attached. There is a rack above the bathroom where I could pack stuffs. I had a broo...

It's raining. The weather is blue and dark red. It's bleeding in poetry. My heart, this small kid, what does he dream about? The city is covered with shady clouds. Infrequently it would thunder, making the charged atoms in the sky do lightning wonders. A slightest perspective, when the earth & the sky meet and it results in chaos. It looks like a call of resistance. It's rare. It's lovely. The little kid looks at the sky, also wondering if his house is safe. She wonders at the nature's magnanimous mood. The house is surrounded by tropical evergreen forest. There is affluent greenery. A rainy jigger making a 'hush hush' sound falling over the things around. The sound would rise & fall with time as the volume of pour do. It paints the inner soul. There is a murmur in the air. The earth is breathing. The soil is fueled. Why is the birds fluttering in the woods? They look happy. They look refreshed. The little kid wish that the time stops ...

A bus has just arrived at the bus station and swirled everything into a swift action. Not even when the arriving passengers have gotten down from the bus, the departing ones have already clogged near the door. It seems like an emergency situation. In a minute, the storm of dust has settled down. There is excitement among the people. The standalone hawkers have become active and are selling different products like - mineral water, sweet peanuts, pulses, corn, roasted potatoes, gutkha, and so on. People are pushing each other to find a seat on the bus. Until the time they are settled down, there will be a competition for seats. After that, all will be friends for the rest of the journey. This is the public bus station. The red color buses are the non-AC buses. Their fare is lower than the AC buses. Also, these red machines would take more time to reach the destination as they are old and would stop at smaller stops in between. While sitting inside these buses, one would feel ...

Winter has surely departed. The sky was blue & loudly clear. Making our way through the sugarcane fields, walking the dusty thin roads, we entered into the yard of Mr. Sanju. This is a small village at a 60 km distance from the Pune city. Not more than 100 individuals reside here. They live far and scattered. Their livelihood depends on farming and cattle, hen & goat rearing. Mr. Sanju, wearing a white Maharashtrian cap, was working in the field. He was growing onion beside his house. His wife was accompanying him. They were digging the ground. We exchanged salutations and made our way in. "Kaku kuthe aahe?"... "Kaku jhopto hai..."... Few goats were tied by the rope and standing near the entrance lane. They were black and they watched us curiously while also singing "mehhhh..mhhhhhh", to which we did not answer! Kaku was lazying in his wooden bed laid outside in the courtyard. He is old. I am an alien. I came along with someone who is ...