To Hazirin Hua Yun

Ankit Chadha was the brightest star in the world of storytelling, whom time has cruelly taken away from us all. Ankit worked with me for six years, but in those six years, he covered a 20-year journey. He possessed immense self-confidence, immense charm, immense seriousness, and immense playfulness. Within a year of starting storytelling, he knew this was his calling, and he put aside his job and made his mark by creating his own take on Kabir, Dhai Akhar Ki Dastaan. He then continued to spread new experiences, new forms, new colors, and new laughter, one after another. The way he captivated children in Dastaan-e-Alice, was something only a truly genuine and rare individual could do. Such was his brilliance that anyone who saw him once became his captivator. He didnt just tell stories; he also touched peoples hearts. He still lives in the hearts of thousands who had the honor of hearing them. This book contains numerous stories he wrote and translated. Some are witty, some are witty, some are a burst of laughter, some are heart-wrenching. But in his works, theres beauty even in beauty, and love even in bitterness. Some are Kabir, some are Khusrau, some are Gandhi, some are ants, some are nomads. This book is a memorial to Ankit. Its a renaissance of his life. The charming, beautiful, charming, and playful Ankit is gone today, but these stories he left behind will always remind us of him. Long live Ankit, long live Paindabad. Mahmood Farooqui