It was 4:45 p.m. He told me to wait here. Forty-six minutes passed by after the scheduled time. Bhagavantam was not here yet. Would he come today? Would he come any day at all? I lit up a cigarette, Virginia brand. It was turning black as it burned. A bus far off was sighted. It…… Continue reading Waiting for Bhagavantham by Tripura
Category: Telugu Stories in English
SATIETY by Vasundhara
Food that is cooked in the best of tradition, doesn’t taste palatable unless one is hungry. The sweet water in the river too feels refreshing only when one is thirsty. A dire physical need when satisfied gives an immense pleasure and relief to the individual. In fact the deeper the need, the more intense is…… Continue reading SATIETY by Vasundhara
STEPPING TO THE FAR-AWAY MUSIC by R. Vasundhara Devi
It was recognized all-round that Kalindi’s husband Vijayarama Rao was not a practical man, but nobody said it in so many words. Everyone seemed to respect him. When he spoke about worldly affairs, they listened attentively. But Kalindi felt a vague unease. It took some time for her to understand that there was a problem.…… Continue reading STEPPING TO THE FAR-AWAY MUSIC by R. Vasundhara Devi
kasiratnam Vine By Nidadavolu Malathi
“Babu! Pour me some coffee, please,” the old man said, standing on my front yard. I just returned from work and was about to sit down on the front porch with my usual cup of coffee. I was taken by his request. I stared at him and wondered—a new breed of beggars? I might say…… Continue reading kasiratnam Vine By Nidadavolu Malathi
FEAR OF DEATH by K. Meerabai
“Sir, a paisa, please! help a lonely man, sir, please, be kind…” The words sounded like a wake up call for Veerasamy. He was a little beside himself. The beggar was hoping and praying that somebody would be kind to him today. He was rolling in the dust like a worm. The scene was ugly…… Continue reading FEAR OF DEATH by K. Meerabai
THE PROMISE OF A COWARD By P. Sarala Devi
Prabhakaram was in a huge dilemma. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to marry her. But, how could he word it? For one thing, he had been struggling for over an hour now; which form of address to use? Should he say mimmalni or ninnu.[1] Up until now, he was using meeru. How…… Continue reading THE PROMISE OF A COWARD By P. Sarala Devi
CORRECTIONS ON THE LAST PAGE by Vedula Sakuntala
Venkatachalam garu goes for a walk every evening. He’s gotten into this habit after his retirement as a matter of necessity. While he was working, his limitless duties, umpteen activities, and responsibilities that went beyond his means, left him with not a moment to breathe. Like a contestant in a running race, he ran without…… Continue reading CORRECTIONS ON THE LAST PAGE by Vedula Sakuntala
CASTE IS ACTING HUMAN by Tamirisa Janaki
“Gopi, come here,” Suseelamma shouted angrily. “What’s it, amma?” Gopi came into the kitchen. “Why’re you taking him into every room? Let him sit outside. Why’d you make friends with him, anyways? Walk around with arms around each other’s shoulders, what’s it with you?” “Amma, Ramu is my classmate.” “So what? You may not know…… Continue reading CASTE IS ACTING HUMAN by Tamirisa Janaki
A WARBLER by Addepally Vivekananda Devi
Our schools were closed for the summer. I couldn’t stay home and so went to visit my uncle in our village. He lived in a small village. There are several things that pulled me in that direction—our walk along the stream, lying down under the coconut trees in the moonlight, the beautiful aroma from the…… Continue reading A WARBLER by Addepally Vivekananda Devi
HER PERSONALITY By Tripuraneni Gopichand
“How did you know that she’d be arriving by this train?” I asked Sastri. It must be about six., the time for the train from Bombay to arrive. Sastri and I were on the platform chatting. “I got a telegram today,” replied Sastri. Telling me that she was a friend, Sastri brought me along to…… Continue reading HER PERSONALITY By Tripuraneni Gopichand