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Latest Release

A Jar of Pebbles

A collection of anecdotes celebrating the ordinary, the absurd, and the exceptional. A Jar of Pebbles takes you on an exhilarating journey through the highs and lows of life.

Life is beautiful, when we accept our very own ‘imperfect rotis’.
Krishna Mohan Tata
Author

About The Author

Krishna Mohan Tata

Krishna Mohan Tata was born into a middle-class family in the late 60s. Brought up in Bhubaneswar, he grew up like any other child of those times– climbing trees, flying kites and hanging out with friends. Alongside, he also dreamt, imagined and visualised. This passion of dreaming with eyes open led him to begin his entrepreneurial journey. 

KMT, as his friends fondly call him, has a knack of spotting beauty in the most peculiar of places. He believes life is the greatest art there is. His world of protagonists stem from the most common people. These thoughts coupled with a passion to write has ensured that this book sees the light of the day. A Jar of Pebbles brings nondescript characters to life, celebrates the ‘extra’ in the ‘ordinary’. 

When not working or writing, KMT can be found watching movies or sharing music playlists with his 15-year-old daughter.

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Book Release

It brings us immense joy to announce the book release of Krishna Mohan Tata’s ‘A Jar of Pebbles’ by His Excellency, The Governor of Odisha, Prof. Ganeshi Lal at Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar. We are glad to embark on this journey with all of you.

In bleak times like these, A Jar of Pebbles comes as a breath of fresh air. Indulge in a world of happiness and positivity that fills the pages of this book. Get your copy on Amazon.

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Explore The Book

A Jar of Pebbles celebrates the ordinary, the absurd, and the exceptional. In these days and times, when pandemic-induced lockdowns have forced social distancing, this collection talks of the warmth and learning of human connections.

Memories of growing up in a small town in the 80s and 90s predating the social media, and lessons from parents who never used a manual then, are tenderly captured for posterity. Simple snippets of human effort, and kindness are narrated with empathy and humour. The anecdotes speak to the generation that did not have the Internet as well as to the generation that cannot live without it.

The language is simple, straight from the heart, and not a claim to the grandiose. It is a soulful read in this busy world we live in today to inspire hope, share a laugh, and possibly pass on a bit of learning.

You can find an assortment of all aspects of life in this book served with a dash of humour.

Excerpts

Lessons of life from the most unexpected of people…
Lessons of life from the most unexpected of people…

I was getting my clothes ironed by Lakshmi. The radio was at full blast. Lakshmi sent her young son to get tea for us. I said, “Lakshmi, I hear that your husband forced you to move out?” She laughed and replied, “Can that drunkard even stand up? I was the one who kicked him and moved out. Both the kids and I were going mad with his antics. Now I stay with my mom and help her as my useless brother is always out of the house. I open this shop by 5 in the morning.” Her son brought two glasses of tea. She gave me one glass and took out two Marie biscuits from a jar. She gave me one biscuit. I asked her, “Lakshmi, what is this life?” She dunked her biscuit in the hot tea, took a bite and said, “Life is like this Marie biscuit. Sometimes you get to dunk it in hot tea and eat it. Sometimes when I am busy ironing, the tea goes cold and the biscuit tastes different. Sometimes I just eat the biscuit. Whatever it is, the biscuit gets over in no time.” She continued, “Life is like this biscuit too. Sometimes it’s hot, sometimes cold but it’s over in no time.” I just stared at Lakshmi. Here was a lady who made a living by ironing clothes and she gave me the best answer.

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Parental advice…served with love.
Parental advice…served with love.

As I brushed my teeth, there was a power cut. I yelped out in joy. Coz how can one study without the lights? Mom looked and gestured for me to come into the puja room. She lit a lamp near the puja stand and asked me to sit on the floor. I looked at her and said, “Arre how can I read in this light?” Mom smiled and replied, “Your dad didn’t have electricity in his village, today he is one of the biggest names in his subject. I didn’t have electricity in my village, I am also a graduate.” 

Mom looked into my eyes and said, “You won’t harm your eyes if you read for an hour with the help of this lamp.” As I made a sad face, mom held my chin up, smiled and said, “Krishna, you have to light the lamp within yourself, you have to ignite the spirit within yourself, you can study anywhere, anytime...only if you want to, you can do anything …only if you want to. Always be positive.” I still remember that moment. I still remember my mom’s smile and the light of the lamp on her face. It was a radiant moment.

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Snippets of growing up in an era without TV and internet…
Snippets of growing up in an era without TV and internet…

My father wasn’t one to take no for an answer. That vacation, we sat down every morning to the aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee. He used to read the papers or a Wodehouse or a Perry Mason, with the radio on. The sound waves of 31-meter band BBC World Series and 25-meter band Radio Ceylon fluctuated up and down. My task was to write ten pages of “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Sometimes the torture would extend till K.L.Saigal crooned Diajalao, diajalao. In the seventies and early eighties, Radio Ceylon played a song by the maestro K.L.Saigal every morning at 7.55 AM. 

The summer vacation got over in no time but my handwriting remained crooked. Years later there was an essay competition in college. The topic was ‘Science has changed our lives’. I managed to get a certificate of appreciation. I proudly showed the certificate to my dad, along with a rough copy of the essay. Dad read the essay and said, “Your handwriting is crooked. Your P looks like a Q, and your Q looks like a P.” And then he smiled, patted me on the back, and said, “Your essay reads well. It’s good.” The words of praise and the pat on the back had felt like heaven. 

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And the utter joy of being able to watch an Amitabh movie when it was seemingly impossible…..
And the utter joy of being able to watch an Amitabh movie when it was seemingly impossible…..

At 8.00 am, the print of Amitabh Bachchan’s Shahenshah arrived at the theatre to a loud cheer from the milling crowd. 

A pundit performed a puja before the box that had the film reels and the box was carried upstairs as the pundit recited mantras. The Box office opened at 9.00 am and within five minutes there was utter chaos and the counters were closed. 

I came back home depressed and dejected. I was lying down on the floor when Gopi the bare-chested milkman arrived to give milk. He looked at my grumpy face and asked, “What happened?” I told him. He stared at me for 10 seconds, took out two pink tickets from his pant pockets, waved them and said: “Want to come along?” A thousand temple bells rang, and my face lit up like a 100-watt bulb. I shouted, “Yes, what show?” “Noon” he replied. 

The noon show started at 12.00 pm, it was already 11.35 am and my brother had taken my cycle. Gopi looked at me and said, “You can come with me if you don’t mind.” My grandma was standing behind me, listening to our conversation. She looked at me and said, “Please, not with a milkman.” But nothing could come between me and Amitabh. It was God’s wish and I jumped onto Gopi’s cycle. 

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What Readers Say

Wonderful collection of short stories. The book makes one feel nice and easy. There lies profundity in its true simplicity.

Sushant Panda

‘A jar of Pebbles’ is a book where the writer has done a wonderful job of putting the emotions on paper, the daily incidents that sometimes go unnoticed, describing people around us who have become a major part of our lives. The stories are very realistic, where the real life incidents are articulately written that will impact your perspective on life. A must read, short and precise, away from boredom.

Aakriti

‘A Jar of Pebbles’..A wonderful read.. Took me on a nostalgic trip down memory lane..To the times when I used to wait anxiously to catch an episode of Malgudi days on National TV Doordarshan..Which prompted me actually to start reading books & novels..The writing style of author Krishna Mohan Tata has struck the same chord..And I couldn’t believe that this is his first work as a writer/storyteller…

Akhilesh P.

Beautifully crafted

His Excellency, Prof. Ganeshi Lal

Hon’ble Governor of Odisha
Get in Touch

Email: krishnamt67@gmail.com

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