Thought Lantern

 We congratulate our winners -  1. Dr Romila Chitturi.  2. Sujata Maggoo.  3. Bhawana Sethi.  4. Meera PK.  and our most active participant, Poornima Sivaraman Ma'am.  We wish them and everyone a Merry Christmas.  Day 1 - Prompt  Christmas Tree.  By - Dr Romila Chitturi.  From winter’s breath and frozen ground, A scent of pine is gathered around. We welcome in the heavy bough, To honor winter's silent vow. The forest spirit, wild and true, Now stands inside to bloom anew. Upon the needles, dark and deep, The wires wake from summer sleep. A sudden spark, an amber glow, Defies the drifting, falling snow. Each tiny bulb, a beacon bright, To push away the longest night. Then come the boxes, dusty, old, With stories that the trinkets hold. A glass bird clipped with a rusted spring, A wooden angel on the wing. We hang the past with tender care, Suspended in the balsam air. The tinsel falls like silver rain, Reflected in the window pane. I...

  Can you guess who our Christmas detective is?  The air was heavy with heat in the Mumbai apartment, and the plastic Christmas tree was shaking under the ceiling fan. Inspector Sameer Dixit gazed at the dead body of Mr Khanna. The elderly man was leaning against his armchair, with a half-eaten plum cake beside him and a red ribbon tightly wrapped around his neck. “Check the security footage,” Sameer muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. "The cameras are off now, sir," Constable Tyagi answered.  "Power outage. Nothing new for this society." His eyes swept around the room. Three of them stood by the balcony, their masks of white illuminated by the flickering light of the fairy lights: Rohan, the rebellious son; Anjali, the young housekeeper; and Mr Gupta, their next-door neighbour, who had found the body. The Questioning : Sameer: Mr Khanna was a very methodical person. Who was the one to bring the cake? Anjali: "I did, Sahib. At 11 PM. He asked me to return...

Article 1 -   India: A World Within a Country. India is not just a country on the map; it is a world in itself. Its vastness is not measured only by land or population, but by the depth of its culture, the variety of its people, and the endless stories that live in every corner of the nation. From icy mountains to warm beaches, from silent deserts to singing rivers, India changes its face every few hundred kilometres, yet its soul remains one. One of the first things that surprises anyone visiting India is how many languages are spoken here. Each state has its own mother tongue, and often its own script too. A train journey across states can feel like moving through different countries as accents change, greetings sound different, and signboards appear in new alphabets. And yet, there is an unspoken understanding that binds everyone together. Festivals, food, music, and even emotions connect people beyond language. Speaking of food, Indian kitchens are as diverse as its landsc...

  We congratulate our 24-hour quote writing challenge winners -  1. Dr Romila Chitturi (Insta ID - thenovemberschild)  Quote:  "A snowman is winter's way of smiling, standing briefly in the cold to remind us that some joys are meant to melt."  2. Reubenna Dutta (Insta ID - memoviesmore)  Quote:  "My dad's old hat turns his crowning glory, a stolen cherry from my mom's kitchen basket becomes his nose, 2 black buttons from my grandma's sewing kit turn to his eyes - white as a swan, cute as a teddy, he stands there just to play with me, my muse, my snowman."  3. Dr Neha Tekwani (Insta ID - officialdr.author_neha)  Quote:  "Snowman, the man with an ice protruding belly and a small snicker pasted on his lips, sits outside in the frigid weather as Santa's messenger, that this holiday season come alive to feel the festive delight."  4. Poornima Sivaraman (Insta ID - sivaramanpoornima)  Quote:  "Looking at the snowman's chirpy smi...

  Each year we learn a lesson, and that is how we grow. Here are some valuable lessons that our writers have learnt this year. Reflections on Growth: Lessons Learned in 2025.  By : Bhawana Sethi.  2025 was the perfect mix of Creative Pursuits and Deep Reflection about who I am. For 20 years, I have primarily been an educator working with young adults, but 2025 has also been a critical point in time for me to reflect on and focus more on my other interests, as both a published Author and Home Chef. This year, my journey has resulted in the publication of my first book,  Tapestry of Soulful Stanzas:  A Collection of Poetry, and my second effort, the children’s fiction storybook , The Adventures of Dabba and Jalebi . As a result of this journey, I have established a strong set of values that I believe in. The Anchor of Gratitude and Faith.  Over the course of this year, one of my greatest lessons has been the power of gratitude and how it has sustained me. Thi...

  Our Founder, Palak Chauhan, conducted a small written interview with the author and the best writer, Shweta Gupta. Here is a little sneak peek. About her book, My Rainbow Thoughts.  Q1. What inspired you to choose the title My Rainbow Thoughts for your book? Ans - I always believe that my WRITE colors can brighten anyone's mood. The myriad emotions penned down reflect the hues of a rainbow. That is beautiful. Each and every poem in my book is a reflection of my thought. It does not have any fixed genre or fictional... Every poem is heartfelt and an experience that I have shared. Be it motherhood or woman-centric. What I felt is on the paper! Q2. The cover shows a girl in a flowing, colorful dress. What does this figure symbolize in your book? Ans - This is definitely me... I'm draped in my own feelings and am on my way to spreading the colors to my readers.  Q3. Your book is described as a collection of poems—what kind of emotions or experiences do you explore through t...

  My rating - 5/5  Ever heard of a book that keeps you hanging on the edge from start to end? It is a mix of beautiful endings, but a tragic past that resides in Meena's mind throughout her life. This book also has the magic of friendship and selfishness; the author has excellently blended everything together.  It is set in the 1970s in Eastern India, as a nine-year-old moves with her family to Khurda Road in Odisha.  Slowly and steadily, she finds peace in her friendship with Kasturi, a ten-year-old Odia girl. Although life was easy for them when they were together, they enjoyed each other's company, sang their favorite song together, and enjoyed every day as if it were a celebration.  The book cover itself is very captivating; it tells a story in itself that, although these two friends are living in different countries and environments, there is one common key that keeps them together, and that is faith and endless hope.  They sent letters to eachother bu...

  Life is Beautiful: A Synopsis and Review By - Reubenna Dutta. Being a movie list compiler and reviewer may sound like a glamorous passion, but it requires a significant amount of effort and extensive research to pursue. I have been writing about films for the past three years and have come to the conclusion that it can become quite burdensome if I start following trends or only write about popular films. Instead, I have chosen to take a path that resonates most with me—writing about topics related to films that inspire me or pique my interest at that moment. This unstructured method may seem chaotic, but it has worked for me, allowing me to express my love for cinema through my writing. This selection method is inspired, in part, by my favourite film, "Life Is Beautiful." Today, I am delighted to have the opportunity to write about it at last. Life Is Beautiful - The Inspiration "Life Is Beautiful" is an Italian film directed and co-written by Roberto Benigni in ...