Life, Lilies and Surf

Preface

This story is based on some element of truth and deals with happenings of second half of the last century. As was the century, it will be a little slow-moving with its own under current of emotions that were typical of those decades. I hope and pray for your indulgence to bear with that and bestow your kind views and responses to the chapters as they will be unfolding. 

The story is about a girl who started from humble beginnings in the city of Madras, prior to independence of India.  She had her own dreams and plans for future.  She could not afford to enter college and she had to take job at the lowest level of the governmental ladder.  How she with courage and steadfastness made to a coveted job in those times and how her personal life meandered through trials and tribulations is the story.  Her feelings and that of those around her are narrated. No doubt I have taken trouble to add my opinions and remarks on many aspects that are connected with the story and with the ambience of those times.  Some of them may not  be palatable but they are factual positions.  The malaise embedded in organisations and society and its practices described at many places of the story continue even now due to vested interests.  If a reader is not interested in them, those portions  may be skipped and reading the  the story can be continued.  But I should admit that one of the purposes of writing this novel is to air these matters, so that possibly some brave people appreciate these  aspects of personal and public life and become originators of change for better justice and equality at least now or in future times. 

Life is composed of beautiful things that give out fragrance and look nice and make every one happy when lived properly though for a short span like lilies.  The sorrowful overwhelming distressful events of life, like surf in a ocean surge forward and retract.  They may be repeated surfs but that does not affect the shore and mercifully human mind is ever hopeful of and yearns for better times that may come in life.  Such was the perspective of the heroine of the story.   

Actually, I did not know anything about a portal called 'wattpad'.  It is my granddaughter Meera who was hardly twelve years introduced me to wattpad and encouraged me to write some story.  The full credit for motivating me goes to her.  She also now and then gently used to remind me to finish it when I was lethargically indolent.  She painstakingly went through the story and corrected the typos and errors noticed by her.  

In view of the above, I have great happiness in dedicating this humble maiden attempt of mine in writing a novel to Meera my granddaughter. 

Completed: 25th April 2020

Vikram G Singh