The Gun

Jawahara, this was so evocative that I could see the General, his wife, the Nawab...I could see them in, for some reason, a room that had mahogany as the predominant `theme`.

I particularly liked the way you have brought in the mythological Savitri and transposed her with the `real` one and her growth. A strange growth where togetherness often means growing apart...

This is one of the best things I have read in a while.

Regards,
Farzana

Well written as usual Jawahara, bought to mind the saying ``Old soldiers never die they just fade away``. I was four months old when my father came back from the front. I was probably around two when he was back from the field area. Nowdays with the one-rank one pension things are a better for retired faujis - over twenty years ago it was quite bad and especially for a number of senior officers who had only the prestige but not the money.

Only one quibble though - ``Gun for sale by high-ranking, AVSM, PVSM, retired army officer`` - would the ad really have ``AVSM, PVSM``? Those are not gallantry awards but more for meritorious work.

Hey, that was really very well written.Thanks for a good read Jawahara!

Jawahara-

Very well written.

Two especially thought-provoking lines:
``Mrs. Harsh Vardhan sometimes forgets the name she was born with. Savitri``

and ``By the time he made it back home, his new son was already four months old, while three year old Ranjeet cried at the tall, thin stranger tried to pick him up. Savitri found it difficult to let go the hardened shell of self protection she had created for herself. As her eyes began to pierce through the wounded soldier to find her husband it was time for him to return to duty. ``

Great stuff, please keep it coming.

-Alchemy

i couldn`t help but think of that beatles` song ``happiness is a warm gun``. in this case, was happiness an old gun?!

this was an enjoyable read, jawahara.