KATHE KONTEST

Are you the kind of person who sees stories in every place you go and every person you meet? Then this space is just for you. Take off from novelist Esther David’s first few paragraphs and spin your own story based on Ahmedabad in not more than 1000 words. If your yarn measures up, then you could win a weekly prize and maybe even the grand prize.

The weekly prize is a gift hamper from The Times of India. The grand prize-winner’s entry will be published in The Times of India.


Click here to participate | Read what others have written


ABOUT THE JUDGE

Esther David is the author of The Walled City, Book Of Esther, By The Sabarmati, Book Of Rachel, My Father's Zoo and Shalom India Housing Society. She has edited an anthology of earthquake stories and co-authored a book on India's Jewish, Heritage, Ritual, Art And Life Cycle. Her work is translated in French and Gujarati and is part of the library of Modern Jewish Literature, Syracuse University Press, New York.


HOW TO PLAY

1. Read Esther’s opening lines of the story and complete it in less than 1000 words (including the paragraph given below). Give a suitable title.
2. The story can also be sent by email to: ahmedabadnext@timesgroup.com with “Short Story” in the subject line.
3. Entries sent by snail mail, fax, etc will not be considered.
4. Plagiarism of any kind will result in immediate disqualification.
The contest closes on November 30, 2007 (12 noon IST).


Here’s how the story begins…

She was feeling heady after a quiet dinner with him at their favourite terrace restaurant on Ashram road. They often went there to see the city at night. They could see Gandhi Bridge, the river and the walled city. Over dessert, he gave her a tiny statuette of the laughing god of China. She hesitated, as there was something eerie about it. But, he convinced her that it was a good luck charm. On the way back home, as they drove past Law Garden, towards Satellite, her mobile rang and as she looked for it in her hand bag, her hand touched the charm and she withdrew it, like one stung by a scorpion.

Terms and Conditions:

1. There is no entry fee or reading charge.
2. Telephone queries will not entertained; if you need any clarifications, send the query by email to: ahmedabadnext@timesgroup.com
3. The decision of the judge is final and binding on all participants.
4. The Times of India reserves its right to reject any entry deemed defamatory, obscene or inflammatory in nature. It also reserves the right to change the deadline for submission of entries
5. Employees of The Times Group are not eligible to participate in the contest.
6. Submission of entry implies that the participant has read the rules and agrees to abide by them.
7. Contest open only to residents of India.