Dasvidaniya

"Good day, Sir Edward," Lakshmi greeted warmly as Sir Edward arrived, having completed what seemed like a somewhat arduous journey. Glancing over to his secretary, Mr. Owen, who struggled amidst a heap of luggage and coats, attempting to shrug off his jackets in the oppressive Malabar heat, Sir Edward couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Owen, what on earth are you doing?" Balancing himself to prevent toppling over, Owen replied with a wry smile, 'Just trying to find a place to set these bags and files down, sir,' as Edward queried, looking at the chaotic scene." Sir Edward's journey to Malabar was tied to an unfamiliar yet intriguing connection with Lakshmi. It all began with her reaching out to Sir Austin Francis, a colleague of Edward's and then the appointed viceroy of Malabar, seeking support to establish a gurukul for local children. Sir Francis, aware of Edward's philanthropic inclin...

"What a captivating city it was! The utterance of 'Phew,' marking the close of the day, escaped my lips as I parked the car at 3 am. It was the 30th of January, approximately 10:30 PM when we bid adieu to the enchanting city of Hyderabad, making our way to attend a colleague's wedding. The anticipation for exploration outweighed our excitement for the impending nuptials. Despite the weariness from a pressure-filled month-end workday, eight of us embarked on this escapade with two designated drivers. The road ahead promised excitement, paralleling the journey itself. Our conversation with the driver—chosen from among us due to limited steering capabilities—persisted as we endeavored to stay awake until 4 am, reaching Vijayawada. Fatigue hit me hard; the impending responsibility of navigating urged me to seek a nap. Stealthily whispering a faint 'Good Morning,' I reclined, while my companions engaged in conversation until Rajahmundry. Their realization dawned, ...