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A Collection of Short StoriesbySavitha Srinivas

INSIDEP A G E 2i. Introduction 3ii. STORYChandravara 4iii. About The Author 16iv. Published Works of Author 17SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

P A G E 3IntroductionAbout the collectionThe short stories collection, ‘Rainbow Seekers’ consists of 15selected short stories penned during the past one decade. Most ofthe stories revolve around the young middle class women, herstate, circumstances she may come across and her aspirations witha feministic touch. Some of the stories are on romantic line withthe themes ranging from social to fantasy. The stories take aninteresting twist with a few ending in a thought-provoking manner.The women portrayed in these stories are from various professionalfields (Art Critic, Executive in an Ad Agency, Scientist, Social Worker,etc.) representing the modern women exposed to the outer world.Also most of the stories are woven in the back drop of certainprofession. However, the collection also includes stories with a manas central character.SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

P A G E 41.Chandravara“Lady ... You have beenwaiting long enough.Aren’t your legs aching? Imay be of some help inwhisking the pearl dropsformed in your Lotusbody,”Once upon a day she had stepped from playful childhood toyouthful endearment...The day she had opened her eyes zealouslylike the creeper, which had stretched its flora to view the outerworld... A red-letter day that welcomed the arrival of the Cuckoo’scall of the spring. The effulgence imbued with the enticing beautyof nature, which danced to the tune of the zephyr song. Coupledwith it was the passionate flow of her heart that gushed out as ariver, breaking all barriers...As she got out of the placid water, drenched in the madembellishment of vernal enthusiasm, spreading the fragrance of herbody, she appeared to be carried away. The face of the horizon thatwashed itself in the dark after adorning vermilion had appeared toevoke a naughty thought and giggled at the instance when the birdschirped heart and soul.The young lady had watched expectantly southwards andlater sighed as the setting Sun hastened its steps. That seemed tomerge in the nature and whispered like the wind.“Lady ... You have been waiting long enough. Aren’t yourlegs aching? I may be of some help in whisking the pearl dropsformed in your Lotus body,” so saying it had gently touched hercloths with concern and ‘zoo ... om,’ it flew away. The young ladyhad exclaimed at the sudden chillness gripping her and withsurprise kept her index finger on her lips. The trees and plants hadfluttered ‘ho’ and laughed by the way the sand particles were rousedSAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 6place beside her and stood attached to it. Also, it carried a priceless object.As she looked intently at the sky, the black clouds carried away by the wind were slowlyspreading hither and thither in the sky. Seeing it capturing the golden rays, which fell in its net,not letting it down, the leaves of the trees shook its head as if in regret.“Hey girl... Coming with me?”The young lady gave a stern look at the stranger who had rudely invited her in acommanding voice. Who may not get wild at the manner he asked? The she-bird queried itspartner, “Who is he?”“A black sheep...A passerby.”“That cheekiness...Why is the girl silent? Shouldn’t she have a fling at that guy and send himreeling. They will become puissant on seeing people tight lipped.”But the lady had merely turned her face and tried to ignore him. At that moment somethingstrange had occurred leaving the birds in astonishment. When the rogue tried to attain closeproximity, he was suddenly taken aback and screamed as if on touching a lightning. The birdsviewed the guy in amusement when he took to his heels, bidding her goodbye. They inferredSAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 7The lady waited in despair, unaware of what was running in the bird’s mind. Theluggage beside her was too heavy to carry and fearing that she may collapse at its weight, shehad given a place beside her and stood attached to it. Also, it carried a priceless object.As she looked intently at the sky, the black clouds carried away by the wind were slowlyspreading hither and thither in the sky. Seeing it capturing the golden rays, which fell in itsnet, not letting it down, the leaves of the trees shook its head as if in regret.“Hey girl... Coming with me?”The young lady gave a stern look at the stranger who had rudely invited her in acommanding voice. Who may not get wild at the manner he asked? The she-bird queried itspartner, “Who is he?”“A black sheep...A passerby.”“That cheekiness...Why is the girl silent? Shouldn’t she have a fling at that guy and send himreeling. They will become puissant on seeing people tight lipped.”But the lady had merely turned her face and tried to ignore him. At that momentsomething strange had occurred leaving the birds in astonishment. When the rogue tried toattain close proximity, he was suddenly taken aback and screamed as if on touching alightning. The birds viewed the guy in amusement when he took to his heels, bidding hergoodbye. They inferred her virtue had protected her as ‘Lakshman Rekha’* and felt relievedthat she would not be harrowed by any more misadventures. This seemed to be a mirage whenagain and again few more problems surfaced to gain her attention from a distance, driving herinto a corner. Their lascivious evocations were trying to defile and made her to be on pins andneedles.“Oh girl. You may not attain any peace in this life.”“Being born as a female, your feminity itself has become your adversary,” they wailed.Fear may grip the souls that witnessed their devilish attempts. One had stretched itsSAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 8elongated tongue, trying to lure her by emitting red flash of light from its eyeballs. She hasclosed her eyes in order to save herself from its evil influence that would have cost her life.“Come ...Come...” She stayed deaf to the alluring call instead of answering point blank. Threemonkeys on the tree had watched her perplexed state and imitated her by their own gestures.Her qualms seemed to be suppressed within. She was confused of not knowing how tounburden her sorrow to ease her heart. Her face was immersed in the redness of the evening Sundescending in the west. No one would have noticed the two drops of tears that rolled down hercheeks. The plants, birds and trees had wronged the notion that she was a witness to herself.Their inability to communicate in the language known to her was a mere reason to isolate them.Instead they had conveyed the message in their own gestures ‘dumbly.’ Her act of holding thefield won the appreciation of the birds which hoped for palmy days. On trying all possibilitiesto distract her mind, the evil forces later accepted defeat.“Anyway, the girl should have shown resistance. She should not give up her self-esteem. Howlong can she rely on Lakshman Rekha.”“Why dear, wouldn’t it provoke the evil forces if she had opposed? It would still endanger hersecurity.”“How long can the life of Lakshman Rekha be, sweet heart? Time is running out. Before thenight-fall, she has to leave the spot or else time may come when she will have to protect herself.”The she-bird shook its head in disagreement.“Don’t try to underestimate the Lakshman Rekha. It is like a boon to a woman to protect her.”Poor little thing! You haven’t still understood the drawbacks of Lakshman Rekha. Whosaid that she has chosen to have it? It is a line drawn by her elders. She cannot frazzle her lifetangled in it. It is a hindrance to her progress. She has to go to the very end of the road. OnlySAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 9possible if she crosses the Lakshman Rekha, my dear.” As if agreeing to his explanation andcoaxing, the she-bird had kissed its neb.“But...when will she cross over; rainy days have called the shots. It will be our good fortune toview if she crosses before the rain showers.”“Why so long. If she doesn’t cross now, she may lose a chance of arriving to a stage. The Sunwill set. Before darkness pervades, she has to walk,” it chirped as if envisaging the future.“Hey...Who is that person coming leaps and bounds from far away?” the she-bird uttered onseeing a silver chariot raising dust and hurriedly coming towards their way.They couldn’t recollect having seen before the radiant personality, a past master inhandling the chariot. The trees and plants had whispered in curiosity, ‘Who is it...?’ as thepounding sound of the chariot sent vibrations underneath.The wind so far playing with the plants and trees had dropped the curtain by ringing thewarning bells to the evil forces. Except for the emotions seen on her face, the lady was unmoved,bearing up at any rate and stood standstill.“How come she has achieved such mental firmness?” He was coming...closer and closer.of the ups and downs, he had crossed the seven seas and mountains and was still exuberantlySAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 10going strong. Locked under his experienced hands, the silver chariot, which appeared as a smallshiny dot grew in size as it came closer. The seven seas had ruptured knowing the arrival of theman, and the waves scaled high and fell to view the scintillating light. As the chilling breezemoved in the mountain valley range, dispersing the message, even the goddess of nature hadnodded and alerted herself to welcome him. The mother Earth had paved the way to the braveyoung man who was rapidly advancing. The help rendered by elements of nature was a proof ofthe divine support he had.Meanwhile, the lady unable to take recourse to some help was slowly rooted to theground. The she-bird on seeing the roots transfixed near her feet had shrieked in dismay. Followingthe scene viewed by its partner, the he-bird too was at sixes and sevens. The birds flutteredits wings and clamoured.“Friend, what are we going to do? How can we make her move from here?” The puzzled he-birdfinally implied, “I will go and give the message to that guy who appears to be a man of word. Idon’t know where he is heading. As a Good Samaritan he may not refuse on asking for help. Bythen keep her engaged by your talk, dear,” saying it had flown followed by the she bird’s concern.“Return back before the day wears out friend,” saying, it skipped downwards acknowledging theheavy burden placed on it and rested on the tender shoulders of the lady.“Young lady...Charming one...You prefer the southern regimeor the northern regime?”The lady on hearing the voice turned her headslightly and looked through the corner of her eyelids.Knowing the language of the bird, she shrugged, “Why areyou asking so? Not knowing the sovereign I disagree todecide. Anyway. What matters who he may be. Time isrunning away.”SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 11“Even then why aren’t you leaving young lady? These roots are the mental transformations thatyou have created.”“Not really. They have grown for themselves. They are the omens creating stumbling blocks toprevent me from moving.”“Lies... Lies. Search your inner self and tell me honestly young lady. Swear on the golden rays ofthe Sun! Swear on the Sun burnt bewitching Earth! Now tell me. Aren’t you cheating your innerconscious?” The lady’s heart ruptured on hearing the piercing quirks of the fist sized tiny bird.At the same moment, thunder roared along with flashes of lightning that would breakthe seven worlds. Hearing which the lady who stood stone fixed shuddered as a tender leaf.Bewildered, the bird shrivelled and moved closer to the lady’s ears and whispered, aware of theresponsibility laid on it.“Don’t lose heart young lady. It is mere thunder.”“That thunder itself is an omen little bird, trying to imprison me by anguish.”“Let your timidness be defeated. You will find a way out only after you cross that line.”“If I cross the line whose only job is to protect, won’t I be a puppet in the hands of variouswantonness of the world. How will I find my steps in the darkness after the Sun sets?”“Hey idiot. Did you think that the line itself is a Lakshman Rekha? Does a frog in the wellknow about the sweetness and slush of the outside world?” The success of the bird’s disparageopened the damsel’s doors of knowledge.“Your words are giving me boundless assurance, little bird. I don’t have the courage to opposeyou. I have sacrificed everything to this protective line and standing, unable to carry the burden.Why don’t I have the reasoning power which you have in your little head...?”She regretted helplessly. Though the bird felt a soft corner for her state, it spoke sternly.“Now don’t kill the time by stupid rigmarole young lady. Darkness will permeate. Yesterday andSAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 12the day before yesterday, there were indications of heavy showers. Look there... the fierce bouts ofthe mammoth demons. As the fight intensifies, the Rain God has to come down to extinguish it.Before that you have to move from this place. In one way what you said is right. Those are omens,but common obstacles of nature. What are those to lay quandary, you have to find your path fromthe bad hole young lady. Now proceed...Boldly cross that line.”The lady for the first time impulsively got over her inhibitions and pulled out her rootedfeet from the ground to cross over with difficulty.“Young lady...try...try.”The bird’s instigation, screaming merged with the heavy resounding thunder and lightningof the ghastly looking clouds, and in the process, the whole nature seemed equipped to encourageher. The lady’s attitude was changing along with her effort. Without a good turn of the bird, hereffort would have been in vain.She was indeed grateful for the bird’s repudiation which in other way encouraged her tostand up against odds.Why doesn’t the moment she placed her first step outside glow radiantly forever...SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 13Instead of waiting vainfully, she awoke before the time ripened and became an expert increating opportunities. A lightning struck at that auspicious moment. Lightning that relumed anew aspiration for her starry future. Confining herself to mere aspiration, she chilled downnoticing the Sun’s redness disappearing slowly behind the mountains, giving way to luridatmosphere. On the other side, even the moon had hidden behind the clouds! With theemerging of darkness, the lady was haunted by loneliness. Unable to neither transgress thebird’s word nor find her way in the misty path, she was caught in a dilemma. In a situationwhere disquietude gripped her that no one would give her a helping hand, there appearedsomewhere a dazzling light piercing the gloomy darkness. As she turned to look around totrace the silver streak, she became suddenly aware of its closeness and turned her body slightlyto view the scenario.The scene spread-out was heartrending. The buzzy wind had shivered and submitted tothe grandeur of the sparkle. The chirping of the birds had come to a halt. The green woodsstood bare. Where did the bounty earth ablush with lovely beam of greenery drop off ? Thesoil was barren. The dried leaves lay destitute.But only for a few moments. His arrival revitalized the youth’s enthusiasm and bubbledvivaciously.Hushing away the touch of the Sun’s golden rays and experience of chilly weather, hehad made her savour his own serene lustre. Trying to break the ice, she riveted on him, battingher eyelids.Did the sparkling, yet piercing eyes stir up her inner tender passion... Even thoughwords got stuck, did he convey some message... Having seen him for merely few seconds, hislook kindled a relationship of having spent several lives together...Unexplainable of how he looked, she could only infer that he was out of the common.Like a known person, she yearned to ask ‘Why so late?’ But the words dissolved in his meltingR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 14gaze.“Can I help you,” he so softly asked that only she could hear and before she couldrespond, he had got down from the chariot and carried her bag and baggage and hopped in.With no other alternative, yet wholeheartedly the young lady climbed the chariot along withhim and gratefully recalled the help rendered by the birds during distress.The gentleman, who was a stranger a few moments ago, blessed the birds with a nest torest for having stood firm with the lady in the period of adversity. Suddenly, a silver streakconcomitant with thunder enveloped her in its tight fold. The lady in search of progress wascaught in the moonlit enticement and moved towards infinity along with the gentleman. Itlooked like the moon to the eyes watching down the mountains and the viewers enjoyed theglitter and gloss of the moonlit night.Even though rainy season had neared, the bird pair did not regret for having decided toleave the place a day late. Thinking that what happened was for good, they got ready to rest inthe secure nest provided by the stranger. But a question that haunted the birds remainedunanswered.SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

.. Chandravara ..P A G E 15Lakshman Rekha: According to the Hindu Epic ‘Ramayana,’ Lakshman, the younger brotherof Rama, drew a protective line for Sita, wife of Rama. This line drawn by Lakshman isknown as ‘Lakshman Rekha’ and is also in vogue as common usage.Chandravara: Boon bestowed by the moon. It also means a bridegroom with the bliss of themoon.* * * * ** * **R A I N B O W S E E K E R SSAVITHA SRINIVAS

P A G E 16About The AuthorSavitha Srinivas is a versatile writer who has been penning creative worksin Kannada / English for over past two decades. Born in a Sports familyin Bangalore, Karnataka, Savitha Srinivas has a flair for creative writingfrom her school days. In fact, her first short story ‘Balasanje’ was publishedin the annual college magazine in the year 1986. Later, she neverlooked back. During her college days, her short stories started to appearin Kannada’s leading newspaper under the pen name “Subhashini.” Herfirst novel “Madhumasa” was serialized in “Mangala” weekly and afterwhich her second novel “Himagiriya Hemalathe” written with a psychologicalangle and the plot woven with theatre as a backdrop was consideredmore of a mature work.She is a science graduate from Jyoti Nivas College, Bangalore withhigher Education in Journalism and Mass Communication fromIGNOU. She was working as a Freelance Journalist for more than a decade,writing on various themes ranging from women’s issue to social issueson many leading personalities, including current happeningsaround the city, etc.The author is at present serving as a Senior Police Officer in KarnatakaPolice Service.In recognition of her service and literary works, she has been conferredwith “Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Award (2010), “Triveni” literaryaward (2011), “Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Award (2012), etc.SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S

NovelsPublished Works Of AuthorP A G E 17Madhumasa (Social Novel 1993) Serialized in Mangala weekly during the year1990Himagiriya Hemalathe (Social Novel -1994, Reprinted in 2012)Short Stories CollectionsE Manada Akashagange (1993)Shathamanadanchina Minchu (2000)Kamanabilla Arasuvavaru (2005) – Selected Stories of the DecadeRainbow Seekers (Translation of the above as E- book)Panchaballiya Kathegalu (2008)Katthala Garbadalladagida Belaku (2012)Gupthagamini (Collection of Science Fiction Stories-2013)TravelogueGermaniya Odalalli (1998)Science Fiction (Edited)Kannada Vaignanika Kathegalu (Century’s Kannada Science Fiction Stories –2000)Naleya Kathegalu (An Anthology of SF Stories of Kannada Writers) publishedby Kendra Sahitya Academy (2008 and 2010)Children’s LiteratureHoo Guchcha (2001)OthersSangeetha Chikitse (2002)SAVITHA SRINIVASR A I N B O W S E E K E R S