Deep Root

The Questions We Carry Somewhere between knowing and belonging The man stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his collar for what must have been the tenth time. “Stay calm,” he told his reflection. He straightened his shirt. “Speak clearly. Don't rush. Look at the interviewer. Smile when necessary.” He paused. “You're ready.” For a moment, he believed himself. The interview room was quieter than he had expected. He sat outside with several other candidates, his resume folded neatly inside a thin folder resting on his lap. Every few seconds, he glanced at the door. Then the receptionist looked up. “Johnny?” He stood immediately. “You're next.” Johnny nodded and walked into the room. The interviewer smiled and gestured toward the chair. “Please, sit.” Johnny sat. The interviewer picked up his resume and glanced through it. “Before we begin,” he said, “I don't really care how you look. I don't care whether you're nervous, confident, introverted, extroverted, or wh...

  Amongst the Living A Tale of Men, Beasts and Time 1. The Stranger of Sengaaravan Deep within the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, hidden beneath a vast stretch of dense forest, lay a small tribal village known as Sengaaravan. The village stood far from the noise of towns and cities, surrounded on all sides by towering trees, thick undergrowth, rocky slopes, and winding forest paths that disappeared into the wilderness. Mist often settled between the trees during the early hours of the morning, while the sounds of birds, insects, and distant animals formed the natural rhythm of life. The people of Sengaaravan had lived peacefully within the forest for generations. Their lives were closely tied to the land around them. They gathered firewood, collected forest produce, and travelled through familiar paths beneath the trees to carry out their daily work. The forest was not merely the place where they lived; it was a part of their lives, and they knew its paths, sounds, and dangers better...