Ramesh Tiwari

If you cast a cursory glance at the stories in Snippets of life Music, you are going to find them quite simple. But if you read them carefully, you will be amazed to get something exciting and interesting. The deeper you go, the more you will enjoy the different shades of meaning, connotations and subtexts. The book does not have conventional stories with some accounts of how something happened or descriptions of some invented events aimed at entertaining people. They are serious and of lasting value: likely to be numbered among the masterpieces of classical literature. So it is recommended that you read the book multiple times. You will understand a story at a much deeper level and catch more subtle and finer nuance of views and emotion, each time you read one.

Most of us are fathers and mothers of a daughter or the coming generation will also be parents to daughters. I wonder why they favour such traditions that make women more vulnerable. Triple Talaque cannot be considered as the humane treatment of women. Everyone should appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister Modi that he made to have this Bill finally passed. However, our society is not an absolute open society and there are not sufficient opportunities for young women. In this atmosphere, greater liberty for women is not good for them. The freer they are, the more likely it is that they will be misused by men.

Here is an excerpt from a story in ‘Snippets of Life Music’. You will certainly find that the book is really a very fine buy or it is what you have been looking for:  The oppressive afternoon heat was insufferable because the roof of the stopped bus was getting hotter and the wind was gusting in through the door like flames. People sat waiting impatiently for the door to be shut and the bus to start, but the insolent conductor did not budge. He stood, calling passengers and looking around as though he were the very owner of the bus together with its passengers. When the passengers became deeply irritated by the conductor’s behaviour, they started shouting at him. But he walked to and fro on the pavement, looking for more passengers. Slowly, the clamour rose high. ‘We’ll take another bus.’ ‘Friends, let’s leave this bus if he does not listen to us.’ ‘Leave him crying for passengers until late evening – he deserves it.’ It was only when a few of them came at the door with thei...

‘Snippets of Life Music’ is one of the best short story collections. Someone who reads a story will read all them because, on the one hand, they are exciting and stretch the imagination and, on the other, they pass on surprising facts. The following is an excerpt from a story:  “Are you a Brahmin?” inquired Azaz. “They say I’m,” said the driver drily. “What does the tilak on your forehead signify?” “The same as what your beard.” “I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow you,” said Azaz, looking rather perplexed. “I mean it’s simply a religious symbol and I can’t expect God to be happy with me just because I wear a tilak.” “You’re very upfront about religion.” “I think you’ll like one like me,” reposted the driver. “Do you have respect for a religion?” “I’ve great faith in God and firmly believe in the power of prayer, but I hate religion because it’s like the duckweed that grows on the surface of the society and stops the natural flow of it. Now I needn’t add that still water becomes dir...

A storyteller often describes weather conditions (wind, sun, rain or cold) in his account of some event that a story contains. Read an excerpt from Snippets of Life Music and see how the rain finally brings blessed relief from the heat :- "As the month of July drew near, Mitrasen was more excited about living with his brother in Lucknow. One afternoon, it looked as though the sultry weather would put a full stop at the end of every sentence of life. People stayed up late because the heat and humidity was insufferable. But late at night, an east wind came to inform people of a huge dance party. Dark clouds gathered; lightning flashed; thunder boomed; and a storm arose. The rain ultimately started beating against the walls. Nature behaved as if he was drunk. Trees danced rhythmically, swaying their heads to the peals of thunder and to the music played by the rain. Heaven flashed lights on them every now and again. All three members of the family lay wakeful all night because wat...

Here's an excerpt from the book: The angry in charge turned back to face him, frowned at him and asked, ‘Do you know what time it is?’ ‘Sir, I’m not too late – only 10 minutes,’ replied Mr Shukla very politely. ‘You think 10 minutes have no value, do you? Go and ask them who are standing in a queue at the counter - they will tell you the value of every second. Mr Shukla, it simply won’t do!’ ‘You can depend on me to deal with the situation. You’ll soon see these people going out cheerfully. Well, you know, I’d not have left you alone here if my wife hadn’t been ill.’ The boss calmed down a bit. He asked him to see to the arrangements, and then continued walking like before. It looked as though he had made up his mind to go on at all the late comers that day. A little while later Ashok Gupta arrived. ‘Mr Gupta, you’re the head of the accounts department, aren’t you?’ he asked, looking straight at him. ‘It’s obvious, Sir,’ came the brusque reply. ‘And to meet the requirements of ...

Here's an Excerpt from the book: ‘Where’re you going at this witching hour?’ growled Sheela as she got up. ‘You know Jagannath?’ whispered Rohit. ‘His wife is about to....’ ‘We purchased the car to do this sort of thing?’ she broke in. ‘Go and tell him the car has already broken down.’ ‘Do you know what’ll happen? She might die if I did not take her to hospital.’ ‘Let her. Suppose we don’t have the car – what will he do then?’ ‘God will send a chariot to take her back or to hospital. Mind you, one’s moral fibre is more valuable than one’s wealth; to be of service to others is the soul of humanity, but to lend a hand is to obey God without question.’ ‘Keep your moral lessons to yourself,’ she muttered, ‘and go back to bed. I am going to turn him down myself. You know, if you don’t slave your conscience, such things will happen every next day.’ ‘Housewives that are kept confined have very limited space in their minds and therefore are often selfish and snobs, have irritating habi...