THE VERVE OF A TENDER SHOOT by Nidadavolu Malathi

“Mommy…” Kinjalka came running, from school. “Ah! Don’t jump on my like that,” Sarada said, annoyed a little. Kinjalka’s face fell. Sarada noticed her mistake. “Come here,” she said, pulling her close. That’s all the little Kinjalka wanted. What does she know the havoc in mommy’s heart? Sarada can’t explain it either. Poor thing. A…… Continue reading THE VERVE OF A TENDER SHOOT by Nidadavolu Malathi

Endless Night by Aduri Venkata Sitaramamurthy

Simhachalam arrived at the temple by the time the sun rose one foot above from the horizon and was blazing fully on the world. Simhachalam is hardly ten. If his father were alive and put him in school, he would’ve been in the 6th grade by now. But Simhachalam was not that fortunate. He was…… Continue reading Endless Night by Aduri Venkata Sitaramamurthy

THIS SACRED LAND WHERE MILK OVERFLOWS by Mudiganti Sujatha Reddy

“Amma!” Ellamma’s older son stood next to her, wanted to ask her something. “What?” Ellamma yelled at the boy. The little boy in her lap was hungry and crying. She put her three-month old son in the cloth sling, and was trying to soothe him for an hour now. There was no end to his…… Continue reading THIS SACRED LAND WHERE MILK OVERFLOWS by Mudiganti Sujatha Reddy

BEFORE THE DAWN OF A RAINBOW by Maduranthakam Narendra

“The blessings of Goddess Lakshmi are lingering in your face,” Swami said in soft voice. Rajaratnam raised his head with a start and looked around. There was a person standing in the street in front of the threshold of the house. With a turban, which was as big as a basket on the top of…… Continue reading BEFORE THE DAWN OF A RAINBOW by Maduranthakam Narendra

Are Old Folks Spiders? by By Avasarala Ramakrishna Rao

The average age of Sarma, Sastry and Chalapati is seventy. They are not happy unless they gathered on the terrace every evening and had a chat. On that particular day, the events took an unusual turn after Sarma made a remark. This is what he said, “What’s the matter with him? Chalapati curled up in…… Continue reading Are Old Folks Spiders? by By Avasarala Ramakrishna Rao

LODESTAR by Pellakuru Jayaprada Somireddi

The colony looked like a socialist society; the location was filled with huts, middle-class homes and multi-level buildings. On that day, in front of one hut, a serious wrangling was going on between the hunger of a poor man and the fierce longing of a little child. “No, I will not go to work. I…… Continue reading LODESTAR by Pellakuru Jayaprada Somireddi