Literati

Art by Navya Ismael I hate suits, I really really do. I would rather wear a saree, although I am not very good at it. My mother has tried innumerable times to teach me the art of draping, and even though most days I look fairly okay while wearing a saree, I have never been fully satisfied with how any 6 yards of fabric looks on me. No point in thinking about sarees today though, we don't get to wear them for most job interviews, so instead, I take a seat on the chair. The niceties are all done, and I am pulling at the invisible lint in my trousers- of course, they cannot see that. My ponytail is too tight, and my lipstick is just the right shade, and I am not ready for this, but to be honest I don’t think I will ever be ready. 'So, tell me about yourself?' I want to tell them that I know why this question is asked, I have answered this too many times, but I am not sure if what I say is who I am. I want to tell them about the first time my mother told me about death, and how...

Today after a series of long speeches, I have finally managed to wake up early. I can’t really guess whether it would be a good day for me, but I see the beaming faces of my parents and I know, I have already made theirs. It’s too early for me but I had promised my parents last night. So, I step outside with them to see the magic they always talk about. It is a beautiful spring morning. The Sun has just risen above the horizon. Oh, and the abstract painting it has made from its rays on the sky is beyond description. After a long walk, I sit down on the grass. Something glittery catches my eyes. ‘Has someone dropped their ring?’, I think to myself. I wipe my fogged eyeglasses and look carefully. Alas! It is just a dewdrop sitting peacefully on the tip of a grass strand. I wonder if precious things like dewdrops came with a price tag attached, would they be the king of all other stones? Diamonds and rubies can never beat the calmness of a shining dew. Just beside the dew, a tiny bug stru...

Dear Leader, I hope you are doing well in these times. I am not very sure if the people of North Korea know about Christmas, but I'd be happier if they didn't since I don't want the kids there to have any hope of getting presents or having a good time with their family and friends. Keeping expectations about simple human rights from a country like yours is a mistake that I wouldn't want anybody to commit.     Don't let anybody raise a single voice against your authoritarian government by publicly executing them or sending them to prison labour camps. Keep building up your nation's nuclear armour by neglecting even the most basic human needs like clean water and food.    The only connection that your citizens should have is with you and your politics. Never let them know the freedom that people outside your country enjoy by not allowing them to access real media or the internet. The only form of media they should see is your propaganda. It should be instill...