Category Archives: Pictures Speak

Happy 70th! What ails my country?

I wish A Very Happy 70th Independence Day to all my fellow Indian brothers and sisters 🙂 On this momentous occasion I’d like to briefly discuss about what ails India and Indians in general. It is not meant as a criticism but as an opportunity to reflect.

Its inertia.

Yes that’s what it is. We are so used to a life of drudgery that we have no desire to get out of it. Its become a way of life for us. We are so used to corruption and handing out bribes for every little thing that we can’t envision a life without it. Like my father (rest his soul) used to say whenever he happened to visit a government office armed with a few thousand rupees and then proceed to dole them out incrementally starting from the peon to the officer in charge: “You have to or the job won’t get done.”

People are lackadaisical. They will stand around and stare at a dying man on the street and observe a helpless girl as she gets harassed by a bunch of goons but they won’t step in to help. Why? Because its a tamasha. A spectacle like that which unfolds in a movie theater. Why buy trouble?

And we have lost our voice that independence provided us. We feel empathy, shake our heads with regret but we don’t speak when we need to.

But all is not lost. Right now I feel a new India in my veins. We are waking up and perhaps realizing that the bonds that held us down for so long are old and rusty. They can be broken. Freedom is not a fairytale. It is a reality. Jai Hind!

Words

Jugaad–Innovation the Indian Way!

Necessity is the mother of invention. This is no more true in India where the lack of resources and the unquenchable aspirations of the common citizens prompts them to come up with ingenuous and often insane inventions. Here is a tiny sampling 🙂

No electricity required- ‘Mitti fridge’ (a refrigerator made all of clay)

Pretty Deadliness

Scene this morning on my way home from work

It doesn’t fail to repeat itself every year

Summer is still a long way away

The Beautiful Art of Kolam

Kolam is an age old tradition in Southern India. These are temporary geometric designs consisting of curved loops drawn around a grid of dots employing rice flour/chalk/chalk flour or oher types of white or colored powders. Female members of Hindu families draw Kolams in the front of their houses. These are also known as Rangolee in Maharastra, Hase in Karnataka, Muggulu in Andhra Pradesh and Golam in Kerala.

While living in Chennai, I have watched with fascination my mother along with several other women on our street, drawing a fresh new Kolam every morning. This would be done after cleaning the floor with a broom and then with water. They would draw what appeared to be very complex designs in a jiffy, sometimes without lifting their hands off the floor. During the day the Kolams would get eroded by people’s feet, and the wind. But not to worry. A new one replaced it the following morning.

As always these Kolums are not just decorative. They have a cultural sginificance. They are meant to bring prosperity to the house and are symbols of welcome as well. There are many other purposes, but the following is what I found particularly endearing and is probably also true. In days of yore rice flour Kolams were drawn so the ants did not have to travel too far for food. They also attracted small birds and likewise other small creatures, hence welcoming other forms of life into the home and everyday life symbolizing harmony and peaceful coexistance with nature.

Below are a few Kolam designs drawn by my cousin and her friends 🙂

Happy Republic Day!

On January 26th, 1950, India adopted its own constitution and officially became an independent republic. Today, when our most fundamental right of Freedom is being threatened, let us all get together, not just Indians but global citizens of the world, and celebrate this very important day and determine to fight against all those forces who wish to snatch away what we hold most precious from us.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY!

The preamble of The Constitution of India

First Republic Day Parade in 1950

The Indian Tricolor setting the skies ablaze.

‘A Tanga Ride’ and an Excerpt from ‘The Accidental Wife’

It has been more than fifteen years since I left my homeland and as expected the memories have begun to fade. Yet some persist stark and bright reinforced by odors, colors and textures and often bring a whimsical tear to my eye. If I go back now, I doubt my experiences will be similar as I’m older thereby more cynical though I like to think otherwise. Some of these reminisces are irreplaceable and as I don’t trust my brain enough I try to preserve them in my writings. Taking a tanga (horse drawn carriage) ride in Agra or through the streets of Old Delhi is one of them. The following scene in The Accidental Wife illustrates it—

Then turning to Naina, Rihaan asked, “What now wife?”

She colored, appearing markedly disconcerted and made toward the autorickshaw stand.

He yanked her back. “No, that’s not what I had in mind.”

A few minutes later they were on their way.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Naina looked at Rihaan, concerned.

“I’m perfectly fine. Couldn’t have asked for anything better.” He let out a contented sigh, allowing his head to sink back into a pillow of fresh straw, and his worn out body to stretch along the length of the traditional tanga. With eyes closed, he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with a mixture of the sweet hay and horse dung. The jerking rhythm, the clip clop of horse’s hooves, punctuated by the shrill cries of the tangawallah as they made their way through the busy thoroughfare was strangely comforting.

——0—–

BUY LINKS

Monument of Peace

When you are in Colorado you are never far away from the mountains and when you are in the mountains you are never far away from God–mountians being closer to heaven, hence God. Or that’s how I’ve always believed and experienced.

So what better place to build a monument for peace and spirituality?

Shambhala mountain center located about 2 hours northwest of Denver is a Buddhist retreat located in a beautiful Colorado Rockies mountain valley where people from all faiths and walks of life gather year around to meditate, contemplate and gain knowledge to better themselves and the lives of those around them. It is also home of the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya upon entering which I encountered a perfect quiet disturbed only by the sound of my own breathing. Perhaps the next time around I can learn to quieten my mind.

Inconvenient Relations Book 2 #Teaser 4 #AmWriting

Teaser 3

4: Arguments

-0-

“Oh now I understand why… That little stunt you pulled at Sunshine’s…” Ruhi said.

“Stunt?”

“Yes stunt or dare, whatever you wish to call it. It was a very slick way of showcasing your machismo, your virility, the extent of your dominance over your wife. That you don’t need to woo her with gifts or flowers. All you need to do is touch her and she will submit willingly to any degree of humiliation. You kissed me just so you could impress Sunshine!” Ruhi said nearly spluttering with anger.

Jesus! How blind can this silly girl get? Shan thought and took a step forward; “No that wasn’t my intention at all. I kissed you because I wanted to. Sunshine had nothing to do with it.”

“Oh really?” She leaned closer, “Is that so?” She glanced around. They had begun to attract quite a few curious stares from the passers-by. Her attention turned back to him. She said, “Then I dare you. Do it right here, in public. Show me, convince me that it wasn’t just a cheap gimmick.”

She smirked when she saw his jaw tighten, “Why…what are you afraid of Shan? It’s a free country isn’t it….like you once said. And I’m your wife or you could even imagine me to be your girlfriend…or a…”

“Shut up Ruhi and let me do it properly, will you?”

And shut up she did…and moaned softly, clinging to him as he kissed her…deep, unbridled, hot, delicious...thrilling as his scraggly jaw pricked her delicate complexion, trembling with desire as his rugged frame crushed hers…closing her eyes as the world began to spin dangerously.

Her eyes were still shut and she was smiling, breathing hard when after several moments he withdrew, albeit reluctantly. He had to hold her up for she was dead weight in his arms. He winked at a couple of gaping onlookers, then whispered into her ear,

“You are the only girl in my life whom I’ve ever wished to impress…and for that I’m willing to do anything…even jump off the tallest cliff. You just have to ask me.”

Finally she opened her eyes and stared at him in awe.

“Now if my quixotic wife’s demands have been met ever so slightly, can we finish the rest of our argument at home or…,” he growled into her ear, “if you are game we could even start a scandal right here. I’m sure these folks won’t mind.”

“Nooooo!” She gasped flushing beet red and shoved him away. “Let’s go home!”

xxxx

Like it? Want more? Your wait will end soon!

Meanwhile to get familiar with our favorite couple Ruhi and Shan read Inconvenient Relations Book1. Get it here!