A Bowlful of Butterflies - Ritu Lalit

The place: A sleepy town in North India called Majhi Nagar.

Time period: Contemporary.

A story of an average middle class family - father, mother, two sons, one daughter - the only daughter in 3 generations, a cousin, uncle and aunt.

Father: Very down to earth. Has his own small business and is content with his lot in life. Harbours no great ambitions. This contentment was not born out of a lack of aspiration; it was born out of experience. He knew that this was his place in the world and accepted it, simply.

Mother: The quintessential housewife - lives between her kitchen, TV and looking after her family. Has a special corner in her heart for the oldest son.

Uncle: Father's younger brother who looks up to his older brother.

Aunty: Has a water tap in her eyes, which is ever-ready for every occasion.

Uncle and Aunty are on the verge of a divorce.

Cousin: Jogi - their son - who has been sent to Majhi Nagar in the hope of keeping him away from the unpleasant situation in the house.

Vicky: Oldest son who is mamma's darling (much to the resentment of the other two siblings), wants to make a life out of his singing and is gay.

Vinni: Second son. Hates older brother, loves younger sister. Is shattered by the discovery that the older brother is gay.

Chandni: The only daughter in 3 generations who is loved dearly by all the members of the family. Referred to as Chutki by Vinni's friends and hates the sobriquet. Feels everything is always about Vicky and Vinny. She feels like a "footnote on the family page" and wants to do something about it. Believes if things continue the way they are, she will end up being a footnote on her own wedding card, which she fears will read something like this:

Dear Mrs and Mr
You are cordially invited to attend

The wedding of the beloved daughter
Of Subhash and Sarita Ratra
And sister of Vickramjeet Ratra
and
Vikrant Ratra
She is known as Chandni aka Chandu aka Chutki

Amrit: One of the three witches (Vinni's name for Chandu and her two school friends). A Panjaban who is always ready for a good fight and to stand up to defend her friends. A modern day Rani of Jhansi.

Soma: Comes from a Bengali family. Her mother aspires to see the daughter become a chartered accountant, but Soma has different plans for her life. She is deeply into philosophy and loves to write poetry in the class as an escape from the drudgery of having to listen to the droning of her teacher.

It's my mother. Tell me something, if she has to do the thinking for me, if she has to make my choices, then why should I have been born or given a brain? It is my damn life! Forget it, it doens't matter anymore. I don't even feel I need to listen to her anymore. I just sit there; blank, like in Mrs. Lamba's class. I care two hoots now.

The story revolves around "the three witches", their aspirations and the growing up pains of the younger generation.

The story makes for very gripping reading and is one everyone can identify with. It is your story, my story, the story of all normal people living in modern day India amidst changing realities, values and norms.

"And they lived happily ever after" at the end.