He belts out old romantic songs on the karaoke. She giggles, embarrassed at how out of tune he is. An evening of ditzy dancing and misheard mispronounced lyrics of their favorite songs unravel. This is the music that keeps the world alive. #stories #Writing #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Sudha Balagopal Nina Miller Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit When it was Veena Mami’s turn to bless the newly-weds, she nudged the bride and wink-whispered, “Love, eh?” “Illai Mami, Lust.” The bride replied, letting the ‘t’ reverberate like fingers hitting the mridangam, watching Mami turn beetroot before she winked back. #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Sudha Balagopal Nina Miller Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit "This shameless girl says she is married to Krishna! How could a human get married to a deity?" The villagers shouted, but she couldn't hear anyhing. Even in the strumming of veena,she only heard "Krishna". Adorning herself as His beloved, she went to the stage. #9forNavaratri

She was the goddess on stage with her long black wavy hair and red bordered white sari perfectly draped. They said she was an avatar of the Devi. She lay desecrated by beasts, bloodied, on the asphalt street, where a puja pandal had been erected last week. #9forNavaratri

It wasn't a radioactive spider, but a string of expletives barked from ruby-soaked lips in paan & I transformed into a cat. Not just any cat, but a big cat. Not just any big cat but a royal Bengal tiger. And we all know how she can maul and guard her territory. #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Nina Miller Sudha Balagopal Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit She was, as per his brother's TV phrase, dressed like the goddess, in bejewelled finery, the ideal wife, disposing tea, snacks and nuggets of wisdom. He missed the fire of yore in her eyes. Where's your garland of skulls and skirt of hands? His query wrung tears. #9forNavaratri

After thirty years of devoted service, when he was forced to retire, he didn’t know what to do with his life. In moments of solitude, he would don his khaki uniform, reminiscing the fierce passion of his younger days. #9forNavaratri

As she looked out the window of the train, new husband by her side, she caught a flash of #khaki on the road parallel to the tracks. Her appa, on his old bicycle, to his 2nd shift at the factory, tiffin box in the carrier, back bent under loans for the wedding. #9forNavaratri

She has waited months for the man in khaki to stop at her gate and hand her the letter filled with words of love, longing and desire. Today, he stops and gives her a card. She flips it over. “Happy New Year,” it says. Beside the man of her dreams is someone else. #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Nina Miller Sudha Balagopal Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit The women laugh and jeer when she tells them her man gladly dusts and sweeps, cooks rotis, even. Brings flowers. They tell their own husbands who laugh too - what a fool! But everyone knows he is top pukka husband and only wish they had made such a love marriage #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Nina Miller Sudha Balagopal Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit ‘When I grow up, you will marry me na?’ ‘Pukka, will marry you only.’ Today she walks down the aisle,with the man who promised to honour her proposal. Today he gives her away to the love of her life. Both men mean the world to her. Both men look at her with pride. #9forNavaratri

“Let’s discuss this soon.” “Soon is arbitrary. Let’s say, Sunday the 5th?” “Sunday?” “Yes. Sunday the 5th at 6 pm at India Coffee House!” “Aa What?” “And we will talk about your project, goals and deadlines.” “You are a pukka taskmaster!” #Pukka #9forNavaratri

Pukka? He hi-fives the childhood friend he ran into. Will talk to the wife, have her organize it. That woman looked down her nose, snarls one missus. The other one scorns, they’re so boring. The men renew their plans at each party, knowing it’ll never happen. #9forNavaratri

Sumitra Singam (she/her/Baginda) Nina Miller Sudha Balagopal Srilatha Rajagopal Sudha Subramanian Viji Sridhar A. k.Talwar Swetha Amit Thank you for these awesome prompts! These 10 days have been nothing short of a creative rejuvenation! In the mornings when I saw them, some of them sparked ideas right away and some took till afternoon to manifest, but all of them have been near and dear to my heart 💖

I went back to my first love, #vss & wrote tweet length stories on the prompts for the #9forNavaratri challenge. The prompts were challenging, but I had such a good time that I didn't miss even one prompt. Thank you Sudha Subramanian for introducing this to me

My poem ‘Trine’ was recently published in Coffee and Conversation magazine! Thanks to the editor Shikha!

#article#audioboo#happiness#voice#echoesk#audible#spotify#kobo Nyra Publishers

Submissions are closed. Thanks to everyone who supported, we have received brilliant humour stories from 32 countries. I'll be sending out decisions by Aug end or early Sept. Bare Bones Publishing and I cannot wait to share with y'all literary humour in its many hues. In print. 📚

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