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The Lunchbox

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Ashwin looked at the clock hanging on the wall of his classroom. "Five more minutes to lunch" he thought even as Ranjan Sir who was wrapping up his class called out to him, "Ashwin, can you please do me a small favour? Can you please take these notebooks and keep them in the staff-room? You can then come and have your lunch. It will take you only five minutes." Ashwin readily agreed and collecting the notebooks from the desk proceeded towards the staff-room. Unlike other children, Ashwin didn't wait for the lunch break eagerly. He knew his lunch would be the staple combination of four pieces of plain bread with some sugar sprinkled over them. He didn't like eating the same and simple lunch everyday but he knew that this was the best his parents could manage. They were anyways going out of their way to get him educated in an English medium school. Ashwin was very well aware of their financial constraints. He never made a fuss or complained about this to hi

The Silent Oath

The night seems to have covered up all the follies of mankind. Officer Arun Singh's footsteps echoed through the deserted streets of downtown Delhi. The air was thick with silence, punctuated only by distant honks and the occasional bark of a stray dog. His eyes scanned the shadows, each step a reminder of the city's hidden dangers. Fatigue weighed heavily on him. "Just one quiet night," he murmured, longing for a reprieve from the relentless grind. "No incidents, no action. Is that too much to ask?" As he turned a corner, a dark shape on the pavement caught his attention. "Please, not tonight," he muttered, his heart sinking. Drawing closer, the lifeless body of a man came into view, face pale under the flickering streetlight. Arun's pulse quickened, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Why now? Why me?" he whispered, kneeling beside the body. The man had been stabbed, a dark pool spreading beneath him. Panic surged, but duty

Goal!

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Ravi looked very worried and anxious. As I watched him pace up and down the neighbourhood park, I couldn't help but ask "What's wrong Ravi? Why do you look so worried?" He looked up at me and replied "Nandu, you know na that the Neighbourhood Under 14 Football tournament is starting next week?" I shook my head to confirm I knew  it. Ravi continued, "We have a major issue. Govind and Irfan will not be playing for us this year." I froze for a couple of minutes on hearing this. The annual Under 14 Neighbourhood Football tournament was the most important event in the society calendar. Each year it was organised in the month of December during the school winter break. Around 16 teams from different societies in our neighbourhood participated in it. Slowly, it had gained in popularity and winning the tournament had become a matter of prestige for the participating societies. Our Society team had also been trying to win the tournament for last couple o

The Crowning Glory!

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Am flustered, am worried, 'coz am losing my hair And my wife is behaving as if she just doesn't care! Am yet to touch fifty, ain't yet not in my golden year But my hair is fast disappearing which I just can't bear! Wifey looks at me and smiles, says why am I in despair  So what if I am losing some strands of silky hair! She loves me for who I am and not for how I appear  And that's why she's behaving like she just doesn't care! I look at her and smile, I know that she would always be there It won't actually matter whether I do or don't have hair! Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow! ______________________________ P.S.: These lines were penned with inspiration from an actual conversation at home. Made this out as a fun element, but something which gives a very important message at the end. People who love you will always be there for you, irrespective of your physical attributes, social standing

Birthday Present

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Suman was very excited since morning. It was her tenth birthday and there was a grand party arranged by her parents that evening. They had moved to Delhi from Mumbai recently and she was looking forward to celebrating her birthday that evening with her new friends from school and her housing society. "Mummy, we are getting late. We have to go to the market to buy my birthday dress. What is taking you so long?" Suman called out to her mother anxiously. Sakshi was at the kitchen preparing lunch and replied back to her daughter, "Suman, don't worry. We have enough time with us. All arrangements for the evening party are complete and the only thing pending is your dress. I am just waiting for your Papa to send over the car after he reaches office. We can then leave for the market to get your dress. So, don't be impatient and just inform me when Ramdin uncle comes back." Ramdin was their driver. He had been working for them for last eight months since

Roasted Chicken Recipe

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Ingredients Pre-Marinade 1 whole chicken - Dressed Red Chilly Powder - 2 tsp Lemon Juice - 1&1/2 tbsp Salt to taste Marinade Hung Curd - 1/2 Cup Ginger-garlic paste  1& 1/2 tbsp Red Chilly paste -1/2 tbsp Kasuri Methi Powder - 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder - 1&1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbsp Lemon Juice - 1/2 tbsp Mustard Oil - 1&1/2 tbsp Salt to taste Preparation Method Take the dressed whole chicken and with a meat knife make incisions on the chicken to allow the marinade to seep in. Over the chicken sprinkle two teaspoon red chilly powder, one and a half table spoon lemon juice and salt to taste. Rub the chicken well with the above ingredients covering the whole chicken and set aside. In a large bowl add half a cup hung curd, one and a half table spoon ginger garlic paste, half table spoon red chilly paste, one tea spoon kasuri methi powder, one and a half tea spoon garam masala powder, two tablespoons red chilly powder