The Quest For A Star-lit Sky
As I stroll leisurely outside my flat, a power-cut plunges the surroundings into darkness. I immediately look at the sky, hoping to view the stars. Unsurprisingly, I can’t see a single star. My mind drifts to a dark and cozy evening, somewhere in the 90s, as a thirteen-year-old me and my best friends Meera and Chitra lie beside each other on the terrace of the apartment where we used to live. This used to be our favorite pastime – lying on the terrace and stargazing. We had newly learnt about constellations and zodiacs and were very excited to test our knowledge. Oh, I forgot to mention a key fact – we could see the stars then. Innumerable stars scattered all over the sky. Wherever you looked, the stars were there. The only constellation we could identify was the Great Bear. Most days, the fourth star in the constellation would be duller compared to the other six. On some rare days, all the seven stars would be visible, gladdening our hearts. There was also that set of th...