A tapestry of human emotions and timeless tales

Elizabeth Engstrom, the American fiction writer, said, “I have come to believe that there are no new photos and new stories, only unusual re-combinations of things that have been told before. But what is new, and fresh and original, is the author’s lens through which these situations are viewed. We are each unique in the universe and, therefore, so are the stories we tell.”

Yes, the author of ‘Once Upon a Time’ is a unique writer, and so are his stories. Dilip Mohapatra, a decorated Navy veteran, has been contributing to the world of literature since the seventies, and his literary works regularly appear in multiple journals and anthologies around the English-speaking world. He has seven published poetry books, one short story book, and two professional non-fiction books to his credit. This is his second storybook, which he has lovingly dedicated to his life partner, ‘Tara’.

The twenty stories in this collection are based on themes such as mythology, satire, and the paranormal, while simultaneously exploring human emotions and relationships. They are entertaining and enlightening, playing with myriad settings and concepts. They center on human life in a way that is refreshing, exploring many interesting motifs. Some stories seem to collide with contemporary ideas, exploits, and wonders.

Occasionally quoting from religious texts and hymns, Dilip Mohapatra demonstrates his knowledge and erudition, but he doesn’t sound esoteric or incomprehensible for the common reader, as he expresses everything in a lucid style— a delight to read.

When the poet in him overtakes, his prose becomes eloquent and flows like poetry, using creative elements in a collage. His mind soars into the surreal atmosphere of imagination, and his writing goes beyond the regular or mundane. The stories are engaging, creatively moving forward and backward, kindling an interest to know what happens next, what happened before, or what might happen. There is no predictability, which is a key strength for any story.

‘The Urn’ is a poignant and powerful tale of love, loss, and resilience. Lieutenant Abhijit Sohoni, a naval officer, embarks on a perilous Search and Rescue mission amidst a raging cyclone in the Arabian Sea. He chooses to forego his leave to answer the call of duty, while his mother was seriously ill and hospitalised. Upon his return, he faces a devastating personal loss—the death of his mother due to COVID. As he navigates the bureaucratic and emotional challenges of collecting her ashes, Abhijit’s story becomes a heart-wrenching exploration of grief, memory, and the human spirit.

‘Silent Scars’ is a gripping tale of mystery and vandalism in an upscale housing society. When Jayant Joshi’s car is severely scratched, it sparks a chain of similar incidents, leaving the residents baffled and outraged. As the society struggles to identify the culprits, a group of teenagers, known as the Fearsome Four, secretly orchestrates the mayhem. But when their latest target hits uncomfortably close to home, the table is turned, and the leader of the gang gets a taste of his own medicine. The story expertly weaves together themes of adolescent rebellion, peer pressure, and the blurred lines between right and wrong among juvenile delinquents.

‘The Boarding Party’ is a gripping maritime tale of war, guilt, and redemption. Captain Dhillon, a Navy veteran, is on a freighter mission when he encounters a distressed Pakistani ship, Shaikh Anwar. As he sends a boarding party to investigate, he’s confronted with a haunting flashback to a traumatic event 20 years prior, when he was a young lieutenant, part of a Navy operation that resulted in the massacre of Shaikh Anwar’s crew. As the past and present collide, Captain Dhillon is forced to confront the latent guilt that has been haunting him silently all these years and make a shocking discovery that challenges his perception of reality. The bizarre twist at the end leaves the reader wondering if the Captain was hallucinating or experiencing a paranormal event.

‘Desires’ is a thought-provoking tale of self-discovery and spiritual growth. On the auspicious day of Mahalaya Amavasya, Tapas Babu discovers an ancient, mysterious palm-leaf manuscript hidden in his family’s puja room. The manuscript, adorned with celestial symbols like Kamadhenu and Kalpataru, promises to fulfill wishes, but with certain conditions. As Tapas Babu experiments with the manuscript, he learns valuable lessons about the nature of desires, nature’s balance, and the consequences of unrestrained fantasies. Through his journey, he comes to realize the importance of liberating oneself from the cycle of desires, ultimately finding inner peace and divinity. ‘Once Upon a Time’ is a tome with compelling stories, weaving a rich tapestry of varied characters and voices.