This book brings together a variety of short stories from different genres. Each story is concise, yet powerfully crafted to delve into the complexities of human feelings.
Spanning across different eras, from ancient times to the modern day, these...
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The evening sun cast long shadows across the bustling streets of Connaught Place as Nandana Nair stood at the edge of the Central Park, watching Delhi's heartbeat pulse through its veins of concrete and chaos.
2 years had passed like a dream, and, she would soon board a train back to Kerala, back to the embrace of coconut palms and familiar faces.
This girl had become Nandana's closest friend at the IAS coaching institute, breaking down the barriers of language and culture with her infectious laughter and unwavering support.
Nandana smiled, her eyes fixed on the setting sun. "Remember how terrified I was on my first day?"
"Oh God, yes!" Payal laughed. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost when that auto driver tried to charge you double the meter rate."
The memory brought a chuckle to Nandana's lips.
That first day in Delhi seemed like a lifetime ago, yet she could recall every detail with startling clarity.
She had arrived at New Delhi Railway Station on a crisp January morning, her heart thundering in her chest as she stepped onto the platform with two oversized suitcases and a head full of dreams. Clutching her phone like a lifeline, she navigated through the sea of humanity.
Her PG accommodation in Mukherjee Nagar had been a culture shock. The tiny room she shared with Payal, a cheerful girl from Gujarat, was a far cry from her spacious bedroom back home in Palakkad.
But Payal greeted her with a warm smile and an offering of homemade Dokhla. "Trust me." She had said, "In few months, you'll love this chaos more than you can imagine."
Nandana hadn't believed her then.
How could she? Delhi was everything Kerala wasn't - loud, brash, unapologetic.
Her daily commute to the coaching institute had tested her patience in ways she never thought possible. The institute's schedule was rigorous.
Classes began at 7 AM and often stretched until 6 PM, followed by hours of self-study. The subjects seemed endless - Political Science, Economy, History, Geography, Current Affairs, and more.
But Nandana found herself thriving in this challenging environment.
One evening, as she and Payal were walking back from class, they passed the magnificent Qutub Minar, its sandstone walls glowing in the setting sun.
