Roti…the Meal & Mirror Written by Praveen Rahi

Roti…the Meal

Like each day, Kusum and Mayank came tonight as well, to keep some roti for the street dog Tony.
This was when a gentleman called out to them, came close and said “Please do not leave roti here
like you do each night because the little boy you leave this for has died. Last night when he took the
roti and went hopping across the road, a truck ran over him and he died on the spot”.
On hearing this, Kusum and Mayank stared at him in bewilderment. Mayank said ‘Sir we keep roti for
the dog Tony!’. To this the gentleman replied “But Tony also died ten days back in an accident”.
Kusum said astonished “But sir we keep this roti each night, call out for him and walk back home. He
responds to our call with a bark so we know he’s coming…”.
The gentleman replied thoughtfully “No big deal, what all does an empty stomach not make us do?
One can exhibit one’s skill out of passion or even out of desperation…and in this case…it’s an empty
stomach…it’s for roti.”
English translation of short story ‘Roti’
Authored by Praween Rahi

Mirror
It was a pleasant evening, a soft breeze filling the air in the garden. The chirping of the birds was
mesmerising. Amidst all this serenity, Arjun, along with his wife Anju, was blissfully sipping his tea.
Just then, Ojaswi their daughter came running in excitement. The exhilaration of winning the district
drawing competition could be seen on her bright face. Her artwork made the parents feel proud as
well as stunned at the same time, for it carried a deep essence, too deep for the amateur mind. The
drawing depicted goddess Laxmi, relaxing on the Sheshnaag, while massaging her feet, smiling and
looking very content, was Lord Vishnu.
“What is this?” Enquired Arjun in surprise.
“Papa” replied little Ojaswi, “Do you not insist on equal treatment of men and women, do you not
teach me not to differentiate?”.
English translation of short story ‘Aaina’
Authored by Praween Rahi
Translated by Ira Kher, Gurgaon