Dear Anuradha Di,

Thank you for reading with such attentive, lantern-bright eyes; it delights me that Malati’s small rebellion—her insistence on being wholly herself in a world determined to shrink her name—found an echo in your thoughts.

In every home, after all, there are those soft carpets beneath which we exile our inconvenient truths, hoping they will stay obediently silent, but stories have a way of lifting corners and releasing what’s been whispering in the dark. That you recognized this little uprising of a girl, this dance of warmth against the cool tyranny of marble, feels like a blessing from a fellow traveler of tangled realities.

Dear Simi Chettri,
Thank you for taking the time to share this — it really means a lot.

I’m glad Kali Keti felt genuine to you. The goal was for the story to sit inside the girl’s thoughts rather than explain them from the outside, so hearing that it read that way is very encouraging.

Your point about the emotional perspective is especially appreciated. Writing from a viewpoint that isn’t my own meant slowing down and paying attention to the quiet, everyday moments that shape a person. I’m glad those details came through without needing to be pushed or dramatised.

Thanks again for reading so openly and generously. It’s wonderful to know the story connected with you.

After reading Fernlight – What the Drum Remembered and River People, it’s easy to see a similar steady honesty in Kali Keti. What stands out here is how naturally the story feels like it’s written from the inside out — as if the young girl’s thoughts are being shown directly, without filters or exaggeration.

It’s genuinely surprising to realise this perspective comes from a male writer, because the emotions, hesitations, and small daily truths feel so instinctive and real.

Nothing is over-explained or dramatised; the strength of the story is in its quiet accuracy. Kali Keti captures experiences that many people recognise but rarely talk about, and it does so with simple, calm confidence.

Thank you for your kind words on harsh realities 🙏!

Dear Anira Lopon,

Tokchi for your kind words!

I’ll certainly continue writing about such issues in the future, though I hope someday my words can wander toward the quieter, snow-softened beauties of our hills.

I only hope this story stirs something—however small—toward change.