DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

The clackity-clack of heels echoed on the cool marble floor as Avantika sashayed from her cabin to the conference hall. At 5’7” with waist length hair, the colour of a raven’s wing, her skin honey toned, she was the cynosure of all eyes today as she stood in front of corporate honchos to seal the deal of the merger and acquire multi million dollars worth in stocks and bonds.

With the initial round of heady cheers and toasting of champagne, she quietly made her way out and slumped into the welcoming recliner in her cabin and closed her eyes. Memories of the past flooded her and she suddenly felt warm hearted with gratitude.

Margaret…the blonde-haired missy who had visited her village three decades ago had taken upon herself to take a team of pre-teen girls under her wing and educate them. Avantika had taken a fancy to the kind lady who looked starkly different from the people she usually encountered around the hutments.

The lessons had begun with great fervor and excitement. Avantika sat wide eyed as the world unfolded in front of her, a world that she didn't know existed before this. Numbers, places, experiments, computers, literature…it was magical and Avantika was a fast learner.

Margaret had Avantika on her radar for a long time now and knew that she was a diamond in the rough. If polished right, she would dazzle everyone. This village was no place for a girl of her brilliance and ambition.

Seeking permission from her parents, Margaret had decided to take her along to the UK and take her in under her guardianship to sponsor her studies in the best school there was. Their joy knew no bounds! Avantika would be the first child from the village to go overseas to study.

Years rolled by and Avantika blended in so well after grooming sessions. There was no looking back once she decided on achieving something. After graduating from a top rated business school, she was all set to conquer the world.

She had come a long, long way from home and now it was time to pay it forward. She set about on a mission of her own, back to the same village to spot hidden talents and turn them into the gemstones that they were.

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

Pic Courtesy: Asian Literary Society

Comments

GOLDILOCKS: THE LOCKE MANSION

This is a reimagined version of the popular fairy tale ' Goldilocks and the Three Bears.' This retelling is a part of the Write A Page A Day event on Blogchatter starting Feb 1 thru 28th to reach a total word count of 10K by the month end. CHAPTER 1 LOCKE HAVEN ESTATE The sky bled bruises of plum and cherry over the rolling hills. A full moon hung low against the mauve, casting silver shards through the skeletal trees. The mansion made of cold greystone loomed large beyond the rusted iron gates. It grated on the gravel, rasped on the hinges and yawned open like a predator's jaw as Goldwynn booted it open with her foot. Her sneakers squished heavily on the mulch of dead leaves. Clutching her backpack, she looked up at the towering, grim structure forebodingly. "Are you sure you want to do this, Go...

GOLDILOCKS: THE BEWITCHED WOODS

This story is a reimagined version of the popular fairy tale 'Goldilocks And The Three Bears' and is a part of the event Write A Page A Day on Blogchatter for the month of February. CHAPTER 2 The trees pierced the sky like steeples, their gossamer branches blurred out high against the dusk. The luminescent creepers that entwined them pulsed like embers of bonfire in the dwindling light. Mists thick with musk and sun-bleached pine, swirled around their trunks and veiled the forest floor in pillowy waves. The earthy smell of decaying leaves and damp moss made Goldwynn’s senses reel. Disheveled, she scrambled to her feet, her heart racing like the devil. The Locke mansion was nowhere to be seen – The cavern had spat her out like a bitter aftertaste. Her ears strained to hear some sign of life. “ Where am I .. and where in the blimey is Locke Mansion...!" her...

OF DIFFERENT GALAXIES

# Prompt4 A Shout-out and Appreciation post to someone who helped me as a creator. The Universe doesn't at all work in mysterious ways. It works exactly as it was meant to roll out for me. The riptides of 2025 were all engulfing. But fighting a losing battle was never an option. I had to surface tearing through it all. SM had taken a laid-back seat with me lounging in the tangible priorities I had to tackle in the 3D world. Instagram had been a secondary preference even otherwise with FB taking the front row of all time whenever I was regular on social media. Insta was a tool--totally non existent for years to come except for a couple of times since creating it but in August I opened this long forgotten wardrobe and found some unexpected treasures in there. Here was a creator who delivered dynamically in her audience interaction. And sensibly with great clarity as well. A nonsense, a non-controversial and someone who didn't whine and howl in a perceived victim mode. J...

AI 'n' I (Part 2 to DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER)

Ok! So Babylou was so flustered after the hoodie fiasco when we arrived home, that for a couple of days she trailed behind her a chain reaction of an awfully mentally drained me–upon seeing her tireless emotional highs and lows, day in and day out. Clutching at the last straws of my already depleting sanity with the incessant grousing, I told her that I would ask AI to do a tarot card reading for the hoodie and its unfortunate pilfer ( to humor her, to close and seal this annoying chapter for good!) My ability to reason with her had explored all avenues and had horribly crashed to a naught. However, AI did a fab job ! It told me that the petty thief would soon get her karma ! How ? Pat came the 'bot'ic response. She will trip and fall face down in a puddle of muddy water... Harmless. Not a tit for tat but was enough to make me go into fits of uncontrollable laughter. My next obvious question--- How will I know when that happens? I won't be around to watch that ...

SILKEN CONFETTI

Theme: Meandering thru the Meadows SILKEN CONFETTI July sun brings with it a masterpiece of green and honeyed stalks Wildflowers in the meadows and satiny clover carpets our walks Summer is a ballroom which invites all the belles Like a true love's kiss, primroses bloom blushing tangerine at the tips Poppies stand in contrast against the green A brilliant hue which rivals the summer sun like a diva in velvety sheen Upon the knolls the daisies sway and waltz to the choir of the zephyr Rabbits scamper about my feet in all frolic and fervour Every bloom of aster is a riot of purples and magenta Petals of silk brush against me like exotic fabrics taffeta From the rain-drenched mud sprout golden clusters Buttery blooms of radiant yellows a muse for poets and songwriters Meadows are a happy song of spring orchestra Green waves splattered with polka dots of varicoloured plethora Meandering thro...

Sangeetha Kamath

Search This Blog