Shackles: A short story by Tanmoy Kar

Few years back, in an ongoing jungle tour, I happened to stay in a cottage located at the core zone of the forest. The zone was surrounded with electric fence and the area was famous for being the hunting ground of tigers. The forest department hence, had to keep trained elephants around the cottages.

It was a breezy morning, and I came out of the cottage, with a small cup of coffee wishing to soak in the arresting exteriors. Elusive landscapes, drizzling sound of nearby waterfalls, and green meadows all around ; it was quite a place to be in. Not long after, did I get a glimpse of one of the elephants with his mahout, standing at some distance. And soon during the glance, something struck my mind.

I approached the mahout and asked him about the chain in his legs. The chain seemed really small compared to the size of the elephant. I was amazed as to how an animal which could uproot such tall, strong trees in minutes was restrained by that fragile looking chain!

The mahout said, "Sir, this elephant was born in this jungle. We have been training him from the time he was 2 months old. The chain was selected for that time. He tried to break the chain multiple times for many months but did not succeed. After a certain time span, he stopped trying. He can easily break it now, but he won't. It is very difficult for him to believe that this chain too can be broken. He has given his life to this chain."

I wished so dearly that he understood our conversation. He didn't. I hugged his trunk one last time in hope. His eyes blinked.

Won't you try one more time? Won't you let Spring come, one more time?

Bio:-

When I find no one to talk to, I pick up my pen. It helps me travel places, reaching people I have never met, and finding peace all at the same time. There's no better feeling than the feeling of expression. When I am not writing, I am probably coding, dreaming about becoming a teacher, going to the mountains or wasting my time.

Tanmoy's social media links:-

Instagram

Connect with us on social media:-

facebook

instagram

twitter

Comments

Accelerating Change to solve the water and Sanitation Crisis with Ancient Indian Technique - A write-up by Funlishian Tuhin Kanti Ghosh

It is a well known that our Earth, despite having ¾ of its surface covered by water doesn’t have enough water for humans. The reason, also known, is that 97 percent of it is saline water which is unusable. Of the 3 percent we do have, the expanding human population wasted and polluted much of it continuously to make way for water and sanitation crisis. In the recent years we have realized this and started to work to change it. But the change is not being able to keep up with the constant damage. Hence comes the need to accelerate it. While large projects like building dams help in accelerating change, small changes collectively make a much bigger impact. For example, fixing a leaking tap wasting 500 ml of water a day may not seem much but if all millions of citizens fix their taps, then in just a day millions of litres of water and rupees will be saved. There are numerous ways in the internet for saving water that you can do. Another way to accelerate change c...

Wonders of Water - A poem by Ishaan Biswas, Grade IX, Funlish Language School

To the transparent water; O’ you nature’s daughter, How are you so calm, so cold? How do you grab the world ahold? Why are you so kind, to show the way to the blind? How are you so noble? Why do you even care for the smallest cobble? O’ the guardian of life, You are why we are alive. Why do you still love us, when we create a fuss? Thus you are our precious mother, you forgive us albeit we inflict disasters one after another. Thus is our oath to your kindness, we shall always be righteous. Hence we shall conserve every loch, for our succeeding flock.

This isn't a Feminist Mark : A poem by Anushka Jana

However much we think, Or hate the colour pink, Can we be fearless like you? Or be as daring as you? Do you think we’ve purpose, Like delicate flowers, a simple rose? To exhibit when it’s fresh, And throw when reduced to flesh? Will it be a sin to do? Things that most of you do, Blaming, shaming and curbing us, We wonder how many of us you did curse! And why would you do so? Because we let our ambitions grow? Because we step out of veils And look fabulous in our esteem, Or because we love ourselves And try to look out of kitchen shelves? We dream to invent remedies, To sign important treaties, Pen down novels without pen names And excel in various games. Driving cars and repairing lights And guarding streets on dark nights And to speak, to debate, We want to do things and not wait. And we didn’t sink our hearts, Neither focus only on sewing skirts, Nor on only cooking for your bunch of kids, But we tried to help ...

Search This Blog