The Indian Dream

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This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 3; the third edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.


This is my first participation in a Blog-a-ton and the topic is head-scratching-chin stroking-nonstop-pacing-with-no-luck diffcult.However I came up with a way I could suitably express myself and thus you have three very short stories explaining my dream-the dream of an Indian.

The Return

Arun remembered the day he was orphaned,and how much he had contributed to it.It all came back to him with startling clarity,enveloping him in a blanket of remorse as he choked back a sob.How arrogant he had been,how over the years he had forgotten to genuflect at the altar of love so selflessly given by two souls who asked for nothing but for him to love them back.

The Old Age home was in shambles and there he stood in front of the building where he himself had driven the half dead corpses of his parents-up those very stairs at the very place where they now stood-a ruin of the former people they used to be-but you wouldnot say so you looked at their eyes.His mother in a cotton saree-straining to see him while his father wore a leathery smile which warmed his heart like no other.
Even at this distance,when no words were spoken all anger,bitter words were washed away by the rain which suddenly started pouring in icy blankets.Arun looked up to see the angry clouds,the darkening sky,but instead he focused on three specks that were moving across the horizon.The evening birds were returning home.
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A,B,C,D

Bhola got up early that day and came out of his mud hut.Monsoon was approaching and the straw that formed their roof was decaying.
He sniffed the morning air.It was a little damp,but everything felt special-the sun more brighter,the trees greener.It was after all a special day.
Bhola was a marginal farmer in the Minapore district of WestBengal.He had no sons,but twin daughters who just turned four.
He could hear his wife stirring inside their hut and smiled.His stomach growled with hunger.He and his wife had had nothing to eat last night,the handful of rice that was left-he had insisted be fed to their daughters.The rains were late this year,the unhusked rice in the granary dwindling.He did not have more than a few rupees on him,had no idea when he would be able to replace his daughters’ tattered frock,but he was happy that day.That day,was after all very special.It was the day his daughters would go to school for the first time.

In many parts of India a daughter is still considered to be a burden,especially in rural areas where a daughter means one more mouth to feed but no extra hands on the field.Many are killed in the womb while others who make it into the world are subjected to a life of misery.This is one social evil I wish to see vanished and banished without any traces that it existed.
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This is home

The reflection that stared back at Harish was not flattering.At 28 his hair was thinning,his paunch showing through his shirt.But his less than appealing appearance was made up by his brain-which was its weight in gold.Sometimes he wondered why The Big Guy singled him out to be brainy but never worth a second glance.Couldn’t he be moderately handsome,still brainy and yet an IITian with a dream job in California?
Speaking of California,he turned to look at his ticket which lay on top of his suitcase.He walked towards it,picked it up and cradled it,cooed to it.It was not just a plane ticket,it was his ticket to his golden future-a life of luxury in the Land of Opportunites.
His bags were packed and his mind was made up.He looked at the glossy ticket again,and then tore it up.
“This is home”,he called out to noone in particular.His father was pruning his plants,his mother was probably busy in the kitchen. “This is home”,he called out again,and sauntered out the door to rejoin his job in the city.

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.



30 comments:

Anonymous said...

3 different stories..ah they are painful..the second being my favorite..because the girl child issue is my favorite...I couldnt follow much of the first one..i am sorry...but the 3..last one is awesome..this is home..yes this is!


a nice way of expression..and a unique take on thetopic..INDIAN DREAM

ps:ia m ur first comment..yay..

Miss_Nobody said...

Wow,thanks...lol I didnot mean them to be so cryptic...the first one is about how we often tend to abandon the very beings who toil their whole lives to nurture us,make us what we are-our parents.
Thanks for visiting!!

Anonymous said...

sure i reread it and it is simpler now...:)

very true..by taking example of parents you spoke about ppl leaving our country to chase other dreams...very intelligent and smart of you :)

poetically smart :)

no they arent cryptic...i am foolish :P

JennyMac said...

very well written and thought provoking..the idea that people abandon or dont realize how much other people invest in your life as a youngster is unfortunate but compelling...

Raji U said...

Something different!! Something happening.. good one. my fav was the second one. I know how girls are treated and it worst in the rural areas. All the best

Miss_Nobody said...

@frozenwell:Good :) You had me worried lol.Foolish?Someone who writes that good poetry?You must be bananas!

@Jenny:It is sad yes how we often take people who care about us so much for granted.And thank you :)

@Rajlakshmi:Thank you!*grins*I read yours and loved it too :)
Thank you for visitng,everyone!

Anonymous said...

You know what when you return from outside you'll feel 'This is home' :D ... though the 'hangover' of the 'foriegn' life will be there but still you'll feel 'U are @ Home' :D

Gomathy S said...

Stories to stream your thoughts.. a good approach.. & well written

Chetan Maheshwari said...

hey nice take on the topic
2 one was the best

Unknown said...

wow... very good stories... A,b,c,d one was really good... all the best to blog-a-ton...

you can visit my post too for blog-a-ton... if you have some time to afford...

my first time here..can i give you one suggestion... please make the comment form as a new pop-up window..so that we can read and comment at same time.... just a suggestion...
cheers..happy blogging..

Nανєєη said...

all three stories were heart touching ...a message well passed

For the 3rd one i dont blame people for going abroad , they add much to indian forex n i believe in the ubuntu saying "human knowledge belongs to the world"
- personal opinion u see :)

Miss_Nobody said...

dmanji:Somehow I'm more homebound than most,and I potrayed it how I would feel if I were in that situation.But yes you are right,though I have not been away from home for long,for work or studies,but everytime I return from a vacation I always look forward to the first glimpse of my city.

Daisy blue:thank you and thanks for visitng!

Chetan:Thanks for visitng!
Shankar:Thanks,I'll need the luck-so many good posts out there.About the comment thing?I'll do that.And thanks for visitng

Miss_Nobody said...

swami naveen:I don't blame people for going abroad either,as long as they spare a thought for the land which nurtured them...but yes it differs from people to people,I can't stop anyone from wishing to have a better lifestyle,but why not make better of what you have at hand so that your children can live a life you could only dream without sweat?

Shilpa Garg said...

3 tales and 1 interesting post!!
Liked the second story!!

Good one! :)

MADHU RAO | (INDImag.COM) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MADHU RAO | (INDImag.COM) said...

Touching stories. Loved the first one -- harsh, stark, introspective.

You write well Ms. Nobody :-)

pawan said...

Good one!
But I couldnt quite understand the last story.
The rest two were good!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

you relayed your thoughts and your thoughts....well they are respectable...
amazing post...
best of luck......

Anonymous said...

Your writing is very impressive. I particularly liked the first one, a bit of ambiguity which helps engage the reader and demands us to think about the topic. The second one was also very powerful and given the theme it was great the way you created a poitive story. The third too was great, you packed so much information and power into such short pieces. Your obviously a very talented writer,I look forward to reading more. That was a great post, I hope lots of people get to read it.

Miss_Nobody said...

Thank you everyone,and thanks for visitng! :)
shilpa:I loved your post on this.
MAdhu:It's real,what can I say?And thanks
pawan:The last one is about braindrain,I again feel that I have been too cryptic
RSV:Thank you!
Bookpusher:Your comment is really inspiring,thank you SO much.This really means a lot to me.

Pramathesh said...

I don't want to repeat what others said. I just want to ask why Miss Nobody?

Miss_Nobody said...

:) cos thats what I feel I am-in a world I am somebody but I decided to play humble :P

Shruti said...

Hi :)
My very first time here! Am also a fellow blog-a-tonic!!

""the topic is head-scratching-chin stroking-nonstop-pacing-with-no-luck diffcult.""
I too started writing this post with the same effect! But you wrote so well!! The Stories added the flavor and it became a enriched post!

Anonymous said...

Hey sweetie.. that was a very nice post.. liked all the three stories.. three different ideas in a single shot.. I just loved the second post a lot :) good one

Miss_Nobody said...

shruti:Welcome to my blog :)I know it so soooo difficult,and atlast I could come up with a different approach,cos I dunno how else my post would be different from otheres.Thank you!
Avk:Thank you!!!I loved your post!

Sojo Varughese said...

I dream of a day when every Indian Woman is treated with respect and they can have their dignity :)

Prashansa said...

I like all the three stories very much.In cities also girl child is treated differentely.we need to change that mentality totally.Old homes is also a big problems we are facing today.You raised three points really well.

Vipul Grover said...

Hey nice triplet there :)
gr8 analogy b/w the first nd the third..
Definitely, chose two impotant issues 2 put fwd ur Indian Dream. kudos.. keep adding new dimensions 2 blog-a-ton in future too :)

Miss_Nobody said...

Sojo:So do I:)
Pra:Yes,I wish the attitude would change.And about the Old Age homes,its sad really and not a muc hyped factor,but important nevertheless.
Vipul:Thank you :) It was pleasure to be a part of it!And thank you for visiting!

Sai Manohar said...

great narration