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

ANAM CARA

The waves are soft and frothy. Laced with gossamer frills tenderly kissing the tips of my toes covered with the grainy sand of the rugged seashore where I'm sitting, wistful. A gust of briny breeze tousles my hair as I gaze as far as my eyes can see. A flock of terns wheel overhead, their sharp, shrill cries punctuating the air as they dive and swoop over the surfs. A lone frigate bird, its crimson belly dazzling like a jewel skims majestically above, its long, slender wings outstretched as it rides the thermals high above the ocean. I absorb the sights and sounds of the late afternoon while absentmindedly scooping seashells beside me. As the afternoon phases, the furthest rim of the ocean is fringed in a gilded hem and the sleepy sun yawns, its dipping glow streaking the sky in a mellow tangerine and warm cherry. As I continue sitting there, the ships and yachts appear --specks of light from the portholes glimmering in the distance, reminding me of the phrase “That ship has saile...

A-Z Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal

Hey everyone! April is almost upon us and it reminds me of my childhood summer vacations, visiting my cousins in different cities, playing with them and watching movies late into the nights, brunches, more outdoor skips and hops and when the boiling sun drove us indoors, how the tangy, icy lemonade pitchers awaited us. April is also about April showers, new beginnings and of late —the month of blogging! I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in the A-Z April Blogger Challenge, starting on April 1st! This challenge is all about pushing myself to create new content, connect with fellow bloggers, and have immense fun while doing it. Throughout the month, I'll be posting daily(except on Sundays) on a variety of topics, ranging from personal reflections to mixed random bags of thoughts especially bordering on memoirs and non fiction. That's something I excel in apart from writing fantasy and the paranormal. 2025 will see my blog Sanguine Allegory bustling with ...

BOKETTO

In my quiet moments, I pause the world from its frantic pace. In that stillness, I wistfully gaze into the distance and just let things unfurl as they please. I let my thoughts flow, absorbing nothing. Internalizing nothing. And just like that, the strands of tightly woven twine untangle and the knots come loose. Today, as usual, I found myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily grind. I was rushing to get things done, stressing about deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks on my to-do list. But then, I took a deliberate pause. With a deep breath, I stretched, stepped away from my desk, and walked out onto my balcony. Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the familiar lanes of my neighborhood, twirling around the corners behind the blocks of apartments. The park and playground stood deserted at noon amid the cluster of flowering trees and surrounded by the hedges lining the curbs. I gazed at the sky, feeling the warm sun on my face and ...

GROWN, FLOWN AND HOME ALONE!

GROWN, FLOWN AND HOME ALONE! The scent of sweet spring is here! Buds and blooms add dashes of color as the grayscale backdrop bids farewell. While the hush of icy twilights were a sweet lullaby and hazy halos of the winter moon sparkled away, our tender snuggles under the downy, weighted quilts were cozy and warm spaces. Dreams floated in and out—whispering their nostalgia and wistfulness. They hummed a timeless tune of a sacred and cherished bonding of a mother and her cub. The sunlight shone a pale peach behind my closed eyelids before they fluttered open to a bright eve of a spring dawn. The rush of warm breeze rustling the pendulous Silver Anne pothos, heady fragrances wafting from rosemary sprigs and the calming lavender stalks roused the lethargic bear in me from my hibernation. A well deserved wintering later, life is once again a delectable stew bubbling away. Of a different flavor this time. **** My den these days is a no sound zone. All day. Un...

CHẠ̀WKHRĀW (Chxw̒kh rxw̒)

As usual, at the dot of 8 pm, the Guzheng plays its stirring chords, the haunting notes beginning a slow sweep, rising to a powerful crescendo and alternating with a tranquil ebbing of melody surfing me along the waves of soul-stirring, yet a serene stretch of an hour every day. I make it a point to sit right beside my dining room window to bask in this lulling sound therapy as my neighbor downstairs diligently plays on this zither, oblivious to my admiration. What a luxury it is to have a live orchestra while I savour the last meal of the day. It's a welcome distraction to the otherwise jarring squabbling of the playful neighbourhood children. The Chạ̀wkhrāw of this– that the musical household might move one day is a foreboding thought. Foreshadowing this, deeply ingrained in me is the shattering news I had received upon returning to Singapore after an 8 month absence here. The Ramadan festive season was fast approaching at the end of March but the apartm...

Sangeetha Kamath

Search This Blog