Wearing Purple
Judg’mental’
“But you speak such good English”, I would have accepted the compliment with as much humility (not much) as I can muster had the postscript not been, “for a Bihari”. The revelation that being a Bihari precluded certain skills annoyed me no end. I grew up within...
Love is a four-legged word!
I recently watched a show wherein the dog-loving mercenary decides not to kill the target because he witnesses the target (and his wife!) taking care of a stray dog. An older friend is inconsolable because her 10-year old dog left for his heavenly abode a week ago....
The woods are lovely, dark and deep…
Frost’s poem conjured images of a mysterious forest, of wild animals and dark knights, of possibilities! The first time I experienced a snowfall, I was mesmerized. Even today, the ground covered in pristine snow fills me with wonder. As an adolescent, I lived at home...
Keeping my rose-coloured glasses on
When my neighbour sent me a fabulous bottle of pickles, I was happy but I did wonder why would anyone name their creation as ‘Bad mama’? It was only when my daughter started laughing hysterically that I wore my glasses to find that the bad was ‘Badi’! In the past,...
Not all who wander are lost!
Waiting at the Delhi International airport in early February, my attention was drawn to a large group of Asian tourists. They stood out for many reasons - they were orderly, wearing identical jackets, and wearing masks without exception. They reminded me of the Jain...
Poor India Hungry India
My irreverent brother loves India - warts and all. He uses this phrase to bait unsuspecting people, especially those visitors from ‘developed’ nations who are voyeurs and consumers of India’s poverty and mishaps. The minute the unsuspecting victim agrees with the...
A summer of isolation
It has been the worst of times. After all, there is no other way to describe the impact of a pandemic. And yet, the sky today gave meaning to the term ‘sky-blue’, a rare sight in the capital city where I have lived for twenty-five plus years. It has been an...
NOMOPHOBIA
Driving down the road, I cross a motorbike: there are two young men on it, sans helmets but with cellphones glued to their ears. As I wonder at their dare-devilry, sorry stupidity, in risking their as well as others’ lives, I am reminded of my cousin who recently...
Till death do us part!
Multitasking as is usual, I apply a home-made hair pack while tackling the mammoth task of sorting and putting away the summer clothes. I am looking forward to the hot shower and reading in the sun on the terrace with a steaming cup of coffee. It is still early on a...
Ashtavakra
Ashtavakra, the Vedic Sage, was the son of Kahola and Sujata, both Vedic scholars. His parents lived in the ashram of his grandfather, Sage Aruni. As a result, even as a fetus, Ashtavakra was able to hear the chanting of the Vedas and learn much about it. It is said...