The microphone had been waiting longer than anyone in the room. It stood upright in the centre of the studio, silver ribs catching the soft amber light, its wire coiled like a patient serpent at its feet. The tanpura strings had already been tuned, the tabla skin tightened, the harmonium tested with a cautious breath. Through the thick glass panel, the sound engineer adjusted his headphones and peered into the quiet, expectant chamber. Outside, the city pressed its ear against the night, unaware that history was about to be exhaled into tape.
To read the full story and 19 other short stories in this series click on the links below:
This story is part of the book Unknown Companions, my second printed collection of short stories, bringing together twenty quiet encounters between well-known Indians and the animals who moved through their lives.
These stories do not revisit achievement. They turn toward the smaller presences history rarely records: a dog waiting at a doorway, a bird crossing a garden, a stray who appears at an unexpected hour. In such moments, reputation falls silent and a different kind of companionship becomes visible.
Rooted in real lives and shaped by the quiet crossings between humans and animals, this collection gathers the unnoticed companions who stood briefly beside lives that history remembers for other reasons.
If you have found something here that stayed with you, some of my other books (collection of short stories, novels, and more) are now available in print and digital editions. They gather many unique journeys, quieter questions, and stories that continue beyond this page.
Weekend Stories by Trishikh 
I have your three books on Kindle. Will read them from next week.
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Thank you Lakshmi. I am so happy that you have found literary joy through my stories. There can be no greater reward for a writer.
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🙏👍
Aum Shanti
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Thank you.
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Is this another historical figure about to debut in your stories brother?
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Dear MM, always a pleasure to see your curiosity at work.
This time, it is not a new figure, but one of the most iconic voices India has ever known. Lata Mangeshkar lent her voice to thousands of songs across decades, shaping the emotional memory of a nation. Honoured with the Bharat Ratna, she remains the timeless sound of Indian cinema and devotion.
With this story, I only tried to step away from the grand stage and listen to the quieter notes she carried home.
Sometimes, even the most celebrated voices have their most beautiful songs unheard.
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That is true wisdom. We never really know anyone after all. I’m glad you wrote this
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I love the sound of tablas, such heart connected instruments.
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Dear Katelon, that is so beautifully said.
The tabla does not just keep rhythm, it seems to keep a pulse, almost like a second heartbeat beside the melody. There is something deeply human in its sound, as if it understands both joy and ache without needing words.
Perhaps that is why it feels so at home in stories like these, quietly carrying the emotion forward, one gentle beat at a time.
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