Chataka Birds By Nidadavolu Malathi [A first generation Indian woman’s immigrant experience in America] Chataka Bird Cover page by Artist Arle Rambabu. Introduction. I moved to America in 1973 from Andhra Pradesh, India. It took me a decade to get…
Category: Stories
Festival of the Ancestors by Endapalli Bharathi
Translated by V.B. Sowmya 000 “Annampoddu festival is here. Every woman in the village should now get ready for a day of backbreaking work!” – I sighed, as I sat to rest after whitewashing the house, cleaning the floor and…
Mother Figure (Short story)
Sarada is waiting for the elevator. The man next to her pressed the button for a third time, staring at the number on the wall, 3. Looks like somebody stopped it on the third floor. A young man in plaid…
Past as Present by Mallipuram Jagadeesh
Translated by V.B. Sowmya (Author’s note: Destruction takes the same path anywhere, anytime. Every political decision in any country in the world first affects its indigenous peoples. All the development or change that happened in the world involves sacrifice from…
Dear Almighty! A Letter to God (sketch)
By Nidadavolu Malathi Highly regarded, most revered, Almighty and Omniscient Devudu garu, I, one of the tiny specks from your vast universe of zillions of creatures, am presenting this letter with utmost respect and humility for your kindest consideration, and…
Kalipatnam Rama Rao. The Yearning
By Kalipatnam Rama Rao That was the month the Sun enters the house of Sagittarius. It was early morning of the day before Bhogi. Nevertheless no house in the village received a coating of whitewash, except those of the rich. Between…
Heavenly Bliss by Poranki Dakshina Murthy
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, people started pouring into our town; not just a few small crowds, but a multitude of them. Our shelter was flooded with folks day in and day out. And there were who had no…
The Lakshmi Puja Day by Bhandaru Acchamamba
Around 7:00 in the evening on the day of dhana trayodasi, the entire city of Bombay was celebrating the occasion exuberantly. There were not as many lamps as on the deepavali day, yet each house was glowing with the little…
TWO GLASS BUBBLES by Nidadavolu Malathi
We are living in a glass bubble Constantly looking for germs Washing hands with lotion Brushing teeth Wearing socks and shoes Also, worrying about athlete’s foot Washing all the fruits and vegetables With special anti-bacterial waters Swallowing follow up pills. A…
Yalla Achuta Ramayya. Freedom in the Cage
(Translated by Sharada, Australia) “Parvati! You are hardly twenty years old. Your beauty is totally wasted, like the moonlight on a forest. Come with me. I will show you, what it is like to be alive. to be happy. I…