The world seems to be aflame. Every new devastation in the news cycle triggers you and traumatises you. In your personal life, you are possibly extremely generous and giving to a fault. To the extent that you often times neglect yourself. Possibly a compulsive giver and always ready to put your needs on hold for others. You attract a lot […]
A visit to Lunuganga, the famous home cum estate of Sri Lanka’s much lauded architect Geoffrey Bawa, is almost like a rite of passage for architects. Located in Bentota, a few hours out of Colombo, Lunuganga is a mesmerizing place, a carefully orchestrated landscape, all light and space and beauty. Geoffrey Bawa was born in […]
That viral video of Kangana Ranaut on a dummy horse without legs , issuing a blood curdling cry is emblematic of the kind of fake nationalism we are being asked to adhere to these days. It allows the lady in question to diss anyone she dislikes from Alia Bhatt to Shabana Azmi without watching her […]
When identities With sharp piercing contours Wound and injure The ‘odd-men-out’ When free-speech or free- will Is mother of all sins; Don’t look at my words They are either not words, or Not mine anymore. Words, thrown at you, Pushed in your mouth, For gains unknown to you To pacify one, hurt another Unnerve you. […]
So there’s a term for an unnamed ache. Ambiguous loss. Such a loss leaves behind sharp objects, doesn’t it? Memories. The ones that made us feel something for the first time like in forever. There’s something compelling about this grandiosity that makes us see ourselves with new eyes as we say; “I was a bright […]
Silence. Above all, silence. We are safe in this thicket, as long as we remain absolutely silent. But Kala’s baby won’t stop crying. It is weak and hungry. As is she – she has not made milk for three days now. There is a command unspoken in the leader’s eyes. Kala understands. The baby is […]
At a time when everything is politicised, be it birth, death, race, gender, sexuality, nationality, the notion of the home land and the reality of displacement, let us pause for moment to acknowledge the fact that Rami Malek, a child raised in America by Egyptian immigrant parents, and with one-eighth Greek heritage ended up playing […]
It’s the summer holidays and I am content on so many levels. I have a good job, I have a home which I love and above all a wonderful, supportive family. This year, we’ve had a glorious summer. We’ve had hot, lazy days, barbecues and picnics and the temperature has only just dropped after about […]
The urge to learn a new language breathes down my back the most when I realise how a treasure trove of heart-rending music remains beyond my reach. The Malayalam movie Mayaanadhi’s (2017) rendition of Bawra Mann (cue: Swanand Kirkire, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi) took me to Sachin Siby’s rendition of Kanmani Anbodhu, of which I understood […]
Anthony Bourdain. Wiry, sunburnt, weather-worn, bristling with life and one liners that travelled like streaks of lightening through your mind and illuminated for a moment, thoughts and perspectives you had not considered before. ** He was more than a vegetarianism baiter, a culinary provocateur and a man who berated some of the most famous […]
I dreamt of many young girls who looked exactly like each other. All wearing purple. All playing , holding hands and perhaps singing on the roof of a Sufi dargah. The sky had birds, pigeons if I recall correctly. My dreams bring me peace when life can’t. I can’t even meet her eyes in that picture […]
On my recent visit to Japan, I enjoyed the numerous cultural delights this wonderful country has on offer – from Okonomiyaki (a Japanese savory pancake) to Origami and everything in between. Every step was a reminder on how varied and beautiful our world is. One particular thing that took my fancy was the ancient tradition […]