Author: Narinder Jarial
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Saraswati
Vāk The River Before the River On the banks of the Sarasvatī. Before memory. Before time had learned to count itself. — ★ — I. Ka The Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ, Pūṣan, Vivasvat, Savitṛ, Indra, Viṣṇu, Dhātṛ, Aṃśa, Anumati, Dhiṣaṇā, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Sūrya, Svasti, Uṣas, Āyu, Sarasvatī. Thirty-three in…
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Debt and Memory
In “A Tale of Three Encounters,” Narinder Jarial explores themes of sacrifice, kindness, and the cycle of life through Bopa’s experiences with a beggar, his marriage, and the impact of an elderly woman, Dadi. Each encounter reveals deeper truths about debts and the unseen connections among people, culminating in reflections on compassion and personal growth.
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The Other Door
In Medical College, Gwalior, a registrar faces a patient in a deep coma, GCS 3-4, for three days. During intubation, the patient unexpectedly awakens, leading to a silent realization of the fumble’s significance—a miraculous recovery. The young doctor contemplates his identity and the nature of existence amid a bustling backdrop as life continues.
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Gauri
In Dalhousie during winter, a soldier reflects on two types of snow encountered: the harsh, abrasive snow of Siachen and the gentle, flake-like snow in Dalhousie. His relationship with Captain Gauri Khan, marked by warmth amidst military constraints, flourishes until tragedy strikes with her illness and passing, leaving a profound impact on his life.
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Somnath
The story of Somnath in 1026 CE highlights its significance as a thriving port city, home to diverse cultures and an important temple dedicated to Shiva. As Mahmud of Ghazni approaches, fear grips the town, yet its people remain hopeful. Bopa Rai, a young man, receives a sacred fragment from a priest, symbolizing resilience amid…
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A Man Was Lost to the Glacier
At 18,600 feet on the Siachen Glacier, a doctor wakes a man from cardiac arrest and is elevated, briefly, to the status of miracle-worker. Then the glacier takes someone else — and no rope, no soldier, no team from the High Altitude Warfare School can bring him back. A story about Siala, and about Major…
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Shadows of the Householder
A single moment—a slap at a dinner table—fractures a family and echoes across years of love, addiction, exile, and unexpected redemption. Shadows of the Householder explores how ordinary lives unravel and reassemble, where desire, discipline, and memory collide in ways no one fully understands.