Stories

New Education

Sukru stays in an orphanage run by an NGO which is meant exclusively for Madiya Gond children who are orphans. There are fifty such children in it. Sukru is twelve or thirteen years old. You should listen to Sukru’s story in his own words. His eyes blaze with anger whenever he tells his story. So, let’s hear what he has to say.                                                                                                 ***** Our lives prior to the
Stories

She is My Daughter

“My daughter…that’s my daughter…Oh God, that’s my daughter…Sukki…” From among the women looking at the dead bodies, Bhime fell on top of one of the bodies and started weeping. She would be about 50 years old. Everyone looked at her amazed. Then Adime came up and sat down beside her and said, “It’s not sukki, it’s kosi”. Adime was Bhime’s neighbour, of approximately the same age. “No, no, it’s my
Stories

Marriage

“There are five unmarried women in our district committee area. We can ask any of them except Urmila if they have any intention of getting married” said Balaram in the Squad Area Committee (SAC) members’ meeting. Balaram is one of the members of the District committee. He said this during a discussion on the issue of Sampath’s marriage that came up in the meeting. If any of the squad members
Stories

Teachers

‘It looks like our comrades who have gone to the village have returned’. As soon as they heard these words, some of the guerillas walked towards the make-shift kitchen holding mugs in their hands. The place they call kitchen has not yet taken the shape befitting the name. A make-shift stove was made by placing three stones in a triangular shape. Fire was lit by gathering firewood and placing it
Stories

Gift

My darling boy!! How are you? I am conversing with you in this fashion after a long time …… Unfortunately, we cannot meet. So, you must be thinking that you are entitled to at least a letter from me. But, what can I do? There is too much of work pressure! I decided to write a letter to you today as it is your birthday. You must have celebrated your
Stories

Priceless

The Division Committee (DVC) meeting was over and everybody was making preparations to go back to their areas. As every other DVC member, Pusu was terribly busy too. Pusu was planning appointments (‘APT’s) with the couriers. He checked if things to be taken and given had been exchanged properly or if something went missing. He wrote some important letters that had to be written, in the last minute. He tried
Stories

The Sword & The Shield

The encirclement of the CRPF forces by the PLGA was almost complete. A part of the enemy force that entered in their hundreds has been separated from the main contingent with ruse by the guerillas and a siege was laid. The CRPF commandant who had earlier had a taste of a PLGA attack had his doubts when the guerillas started retreating on one side. He felt it may be a
Stories

Oral Historians

The students of ‘Comrades Devaraj - Ajita Political School’ got up for their lunch and filed out of the class tent. As soon as ‘MoPos’ guruji Chaitey came out of the tent, Swaroopa who was sitting on a stone nearby got up with the shout ‘Lal Salaaam didee (red salute comrade)’,  shook her hands with her and hugged her. Smiling happily in return, Chaitey asked, “When did you arrive? You
Stories

Little Red Guards

The winter sun is sleeping warmly cuddled up inside his quilt and throwing tantrums to get up. Just like the ashram children who were sleeping in two distinct rows of girls and boys, he tossed and turned and by the time he slowly and finally left his quilt it was already six a.m. Twelve year old Maini hurriedly folded the bed sheets she had used to spread on the jilli
Stories

Fish & Water

It was getting to be evening.  The villagers were bringing back the cattle and goats they had taken for grazing. The entire village was abuzz with the sounds made by goats, cattle and hens, and the cries of infants.  Comrades Bhagat and Rakesh of the dalam managed to come to the village after many days as they were busy with other work.  Bhagat was the area’s LGS (Local Guerrilla Squad)