Extraordinary drama rarely announces itself in everyday life — yet it is often hidden in ordinary moments.
These short stories explore the lives of everyday people navigating love, loss, restlessness, humour, and unexpected change. Each piece offers a brief window into a moment that reveals something deeper about the human experience.
Browse the stories below and discover these everyday epics.
Travel broadens the mind, some wise man said. I went on a road trip in 2021 with my dear friend Hemant of Rustik Travel. I joined him in Gujarat in October and the North Eastern part of India in December. After spending a year at home due to the pandemic, we ventured on this trip … Read more
After two decades as a teacher, Professor Amar knew that the first class after lunch was always a problem. Students never attended it. But of late, he had seen attendance dwindling even for his 10.30 AM class. He reached the logical conclusion that the timing was not the only problem. He sometimes wondered – was … Read more
On most days, for him, a happy start to a good day depended on a nice, relaxed breakfast. “Does my room include breakfast?” he asked the person at the other end of room service. “Yes, Sir, it is on the first floor,” the person said. He loitered around for a while in his room. He … Read more
I sometimes wonder if people are crazy or from some other planet. But I am not complaining. Why should I? Not at all. After all, what more would a simple man like me want? All that I do nowadays is to sit in my farm, cook my food and eat it with my near and … Read more
The new flight attendant smiled at each passenger. She said good morning to every one of them as they entered the plane, one by one. It was a laboured smile, but no one noticed. Some neglected it, some smiled back. Everyone passed her by and walked toward their seat. Their eyes searched for it watching … Read more
At the open house of Vidya Niketan School, all students sat in uncomfortable silence. Most of them were with their mothers. Some of them were with their fathers. They waited for the class teacher to call them. They dreaded the impending discussion about their performance. Most of them wondered why this day existed. Some of … Read more
The jeep passed his hutment. Malik and his wife were standing in front of it chatting with a couple of friends. Even from a distance, he could sense that the tourists sitting inside the jeep turned their necks. Some of them were discreet. But everyone wanted to catch a glance of the oddity in front … Read more
“Liberation is what we call it, Sir. They had the cheek to called it invasion!” Manoj Kumar, the guide said. He broke into his characteristic loud guffaw that reverberated in the empty surroundings. I watched him shake his head in disbelief as if he had lived the history. “A small request for help turned out … Read more
At the red signal, with 76 seconds left for green, he felt someone touch his feet inside the autorickshaw. He turned to look at his left. A girl in tattered rags, an overflowing nose and dishevelled hair stood there with a small board in her hand. It surprised him that she spoke in English. He … Read more