Whispers and Words of M R Maiti

         “Hey there, feeling lonely? Don’t worry MOM is here.”     In a span of 300 days, wherein I moved about merely a thousand kilometers, MOM traversed an incredible distance of 650 million kilometers; India created history on Sept 24, 2014 when MOM entered Mars’ orbit. All fingers, previously crossed were relieved of the strain. MOM never disappoints.     It’s definitely a proud moment for our country and countrymen. With a budget less than that of a Hollywood film and tenth of the NASA’s Mars mission Maven, it remains the cheapest mission so far. In doing so, ISRO succeeded in joining the ranks of Soviet space agency, NASA and ESA.  Not only that, ISRO is the only one to achieve this feat in its maiden attempt.     Plus, for the Indian viewers, the remarkable event has brought a break in the humdrum squabble of the news channels about cricket, corruption, cinema and celebs etc. Not to...

Many a time, I find myself wondering about things of daily life, often put on air but barely comprehended by the common herd. I pause and ponder, and then I’m lost in my world. I glide from one thought to another, swiftly; most times, entangling myself by reaching back where I had started. When I no longer feel like arriving at a satisfying conclusion, I give up and leave the things to be. There’s this sort of cold war that has been going on between the countries India and Pakistan for decades. So many peace proposals, ceasefires and friendly games and yet the relationship between the countries remains far from satisfactory. My books say that the last war that was fought took place fifteen years ago. I feel differently, though. Every other day, newspapers and news channels bring forth reports of killings on the borders. The reaction of people varies. If the sacrificed one is one of our soldiers, the patriotic politicians, sitting in air-conditioned chambers, give away their feedback, m...

He laid in wait, planning the kill. His eyes gleamed like red fire emanating from purgatory. All of his senses were at full alert. His tongue hung out with drops of drool at its tip. Now and then he moved his tongue across his lips, anticipating the aftermath of the kill. A faint growl broke his trance. His ears perked up and eyes grew wider looking around for familiar signs: a rustle of leaves or crunching of twigs or a trace of the prey’s scent. He found none. The next time being prepared for it, the sound was more pronounced. Then it came to him. A glance at his belly confirmed his suspicion. The sound came from nowhere but from his insides. What else had he expected! He had not fed for days; lying there waiting for the ultimate big game. A few such days and he’d be no better than dead. The wait prolonged and his appetite intensified manifold; his belly howled in protest. Long waits bear sweet fruits (in this case: flesh), he repeatedly consoled himself. But deep down he knew that ...