Deep Ties

Dreamstime.com I was walking along the corridor in school, the edge of my sari sweeping the floor, as the children on the ground wished me with a smile. It was the lunch break, and the usual hustle and bustle was taking place. Luckily, it was a cloudy day, and the sun seemed to have concealed itself behind a particularly fluffy cloud, its silver lining sparkling like the edge of a silver hem. Young basketballers screamed as the ball evaded their grasp, and a group of girls sat on the adjoining parapet, giggling and whispering. As I reached the end of the corridor, my gaze suddenly fell on a young girl who was sitting alone, hunched over, her eyes on the basketball game. There was an air of isolation that cloaked her, and maybe it was that which attracted my attention. On an impulse, I stopped by her side. She rose timidly, and wished me. “Good afternoon, Ma’am!” iStock Photo “Good afternoon, my dear! Why are you sitting here all alone?” My query was instinctive. I expected her to rep...

                                                                                                      Prayables Yesterday, February 1 st , was our prayer meeting in school. A special prayer meeting for our tenth and twelfth Board children who will be facing their ICSE/ISC examinations in a fortnight! As the children, parents and teachers walked into the auditorium, there was a feeling of serenity that surrounded them. The double row of lit lamps behind which the children sat cross-legged on the floor, reflected on their faces, exuding a glow that momentarily screened the trepidation in their minds. On stage, there were three models of a church, a temple and a mosque all illuminated with tiny lights. In front of the temple were myria...