- A few steps away from me…There are good days as a parent, and there are not so good days. Today was a not so good day, but not in a way that you may think. It’s ironical that we spend a good part of a child’s formative years trying to make them independent – to stand on their feet, to …
- And so it began…मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां- त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।यत्क्रौंचम- िथुनादेकम्- अवधीः काममोहितम् || “mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṁ tvamagamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ yat krauñcamithunādekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam” “You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity For you killed an unsuspecting bird in love” It is said that all Sanskrit literature originated in its form as sahitya from the time of Sage Valmiki himself. …
- What’s that you dipped in your soup?The team lunch at Barbecue Nation was a delight. And no, it wasn’t because of the food (which was nice, but not wow) – it was because of the small conversations that we had. And a generous sprinkling of laughter to top it up. Sample weird pronunciations – the pieces of bread that one dips …
- Fall down seven…Fall down seven and get up eight, that my friend, is the way to be. For life throws more than just a punch or two and maybe one more than you can dodge, It may hit you square in the jaw, and before you know it, you are floored. Lying there, rubbing your chin, head …
- A rose by any other name may NOT smell as sweet…Some of you came back to me after yesterday’s blog. How do we know if a name is authentic? And anyways, why so much fuss over a name? A kid will eventually get used to it, they said. True. So does a kid named Tom, Dick or Harry. I guess it boils down to culture. In …
A rose by any other name may NOT smell as sweet… Read More »
- A Shanaya by any other name…ॐ दिवं च रोह पृथिवीं च रोह राष्ट्रं च रोह द्रविणं च रोह।प्रजां च रोहामृतं च रोह रोहितेन तन्वं सं स्पृशस्व ॥ dívaṃ ca róha pr̥tʰivī́ṃ ca roha rāṣṭráṃ ca róha dráviṇaṃ ca roha /prajā́ṃ ca róhāmŕ̥taṃ ca roha róhitena tanvà1ṃ sáṃ spr̥śasva // Raise the standards of all the aspects of your life, raise the …
- On small businesses…A small business is anything but small. What it lacks in size, it makes up in impact. If you think of it, prior to the Industrial Revolution, a majority of the businesses, if not all, were small businesses. Traders, livestock, armorers, home smiths, potters…that sort of thing. Guilds were the next stage of evolution, where …
- Elementary, my dear Watson…Today was the weekly book-run day, where Keshav and me visit a second hand book store to browse, choose and purchase a truckload of books. We usually oscillate between the House of Prose at Times Square and Book Hero at Oasis Mall (around 3 minutes from the former). It was Book Hero’s chance today so …
- Of a bit of Hari and Prasad…Those who know me well, also know that I usually begin my Sundays at Hariprasad. Here is what I wrote way back in 2023 – glad to see that the tradition has continued well into 2026! As I began my day today at Hariprasad, my favorite neighborhood (nearly) Kannadiga food joint here, I wondered about …
- To stay, or not to cation…It’s a while since I wrote about taking a staycation, and err…haven’t yet got down to it! It’s surprising sometimes, how time passes you by, as you keep making plans and do little to action them. And from the past few days, I’ve realized that it has become essential to re-look at my strategy for …
- On Zen Koans…Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind.One said, “The flag moves.”The other said, “The wind moves.”They argued back and forth but could not agree.Hui-neng, the sixth patriarch, said: “Gentlemen! It is not the flag that moves. It is not the wind that moves. It is your mind that moves.”The two …
- What kind of doll are you?The great emperor Kṛṣṇadevarāya (Krishnadevaraya) had a lot of wise ministers in his court. The wisest of them was Tenali Ramakrishna. One day, a merchant came to the king’s court from a foreign kingdom. He saluted the king and then said, “Your Majesty, I have heard from many people that you have very wise ministers in your …
- On recycling trash and other matters:)I chanced upon a very elaborate arrangement for recycling in our community earlier this week. Long instructions written on separation of what constitutes plastic and what doesn’t – to be sorted into three relatively tiny boxes that seemed more to tick a box (pun intended) rather than to actually provide a mechanism for true recycling. …
- The power of continuous learning…“I constantly see people rise in life who are not the smartest, sometimes not even the most diligent, but they are learning machines. They go to bed every night a little wiser than they were when they got up. And boy does that help, particularly when you have a long run ahead of you. Worldly …
- Let’s break the ice on a wild goose chase…The current flavour of Attalika Keshav Nivas is Lego. And not just the kid, the wife too has taken to the bricks like a fish to water. Keshav spends many an hour assisting the build, and then more time playing with (breaking) the apparatus thus assembled. He also reinforces his interest by watching Lego Dinosaurs …
- Let’s bring them back?My son loves dinosaurs. Until they appear on TV that is. We tried to show him the OG Jurassic Park today, and well, let’s just say that it didn’t go as intended. Anyways, I never thought that children his age would love Dinos of all things. I mean cute cuddly animals yes, but prehistoric lizards …
- Do you truly believe?Is your dream too big? Or too small? Or do you have one at all? Do they say its not going to happen, this dream of yours Do they make fun of you? Do they tell you to aim lower, to be less reckless To think of a stable future, rather than an unknown one? …
- Who are you, and who am I?ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Isha Upanishad The essence of this opening verse from the Isha Upanishad is – Whatever exists in this world, originates from one source. And so, do not covet, for whose is wealth? …
- Of parenting choices…पितृदेवातिथीपिता विद्याप्रदानेन पण्डिताग्रेसरं सुतम् ।यदि कुर्यात्सुतस्यैतत् महत् साह्यमुदीर्यते ॥ The best thing parents can do for their children is to prepare them stand foremost in the assembly of the learned. किंवा तप: कृतं पित्रा प्राप्तुमेतादृरां सुतम् ।इति लोकै: स्तुत्: पुत्र: पितु: स्यादुपकारक: The son’s duty to his father is to make world ask, ‘By what …
- Of mortgages and trigonometry…I read a piece by Richard Branson where he spoke of applied maths, the mathematics that you need in real life. I have also been thinking on these lines from quite a while. This has been accelerated by the thought of Rohāmrta starting school in a few years from now. I studied math upto the …
- Vijay (the winner) actually wins!The election results are out – and so are Mamta didi and Stalin the wig. The biggest upset of course, is by the Whistle. That’s the party symbol of TVK, the two year old party started by Joseph Vijay, and now on course to form the government, with the Thalapathy as the Chief Minister. Wouldn’t …
- Of apples falling and better marketing…संयोगाभावे गुरुत्वात् पतनम् ॥५।१।७॥ Saṃyogābhāve gurutvāt patanam (5.1.7)In the absence of action, the object falls by gravity. कार्य्यविरोधि कर्म ॥१।१।१४॥ Kāryyavirodhi karma (1.1.14).Action is opposed by reaction. These are extracts from the Vaiśeṣika Sūtra and are attributed to Kaṇāda. Sound familiar? Also, have you ever heard of कणाद (Kaṇāda)? He was an ancient Indian Rishi and philosopher who founded …
- The certainty of uncertainty…The reason every wisdom tradition, from Taoism to modern neuroscience, identifies uncertainty tolerance as the fundamental skill is that uncertainty is the essential nature of existence itself—it’s the gap between cause and effect where all possibility lives. When the Buddha spoke of impermanence as the source of suffering, when quantum physics revealed the probabilistic nature …
- The two sides…I chanced upon a little something that I had wrote a couple of years back, and thought I should share it again. Here it is:) The two sides of life. Witnessed on my way back home today. Stuck in a traffic jam, we realized that the cause was an accident just ahead. Two ambulances, many …
- Our technosignature…I read an interesting article a few months back. It had a central thought – what if we aren’t the first advanced civilization on Earth? Before you go about dismissing these claims based on “lack of evidence”, here is what the article had to say… The oldest expansive patch of surface is the Negev Desert in southern …
- On mundane and exciting times…I was watching a series earlier this month…its a story set in 2005. What comes to your mind when you think of 2005? Surely does not seem 21 years back at first glance does it? In fact, we are closer to 2035 than we are to 2005 – but our minds somehow think it the …
- The 50 shades of Paneer…This came up because I just had a questionable plate of paneer:)) It’s not enough being vegetarian. No sir. In some parts of the world, you have to specify – no meat, no fish. No chicken even. Yes, vegetables. Yes mushroom. No no, I can eat diary – I am not vegan. Confusing. Restaurant menus …
- Many paths…I had written this a while back, and revisited it today. There are many paths to where you want to go, I’m on my way there too, so that you know… I walk the thorny bushes, you chose the flowery avenue Only cacti on my path, yours is filled with morning dew… I can’t stop, …
- On leisurely strolls and leisurely scrolls…An eventful Sunday. Visit House of Prose twice, first time to select books to purchase, and the second time because they wanted cash instead of a card, and I didn’t have any on me. Needless to say, I went on to purchase more the second time around, and walked away satisfied with a good haul. …
- On growth and endless growth…I came across an interesting piece of information a few years back, and a conversation that I had with a client today brought that piece into mental focus. The 1972 book Limits to Growth, which predicted our civilisation would probably collapse some time this century, has been criticised as doomsday fantasy since it was published. …
- On friendships…And so Laghupatakana said “Dear Hiranyaka… सतां साप्तपदं मैत्रम् इत्य् आहुर् विबुधा जनाः ।तस्मात् त्वं मित्रतां प्राप्तो वचनं मम तच् छृणु ॥ ४८ ॥ satāṃ sāptapadaṃ maitram ity āhur vibudhā janāḥ |tasmāt tvaṃ mitratāṃ prāpto vacanaṃ mama tac chṛṇu || 48 || The wise say that a friendship is developed even if one walks seven steps with …
- There are artists…There are artists, and then there are artists. For today’s generation, it is hard, almost impossible, to imagine a world without the internet – without the screens that surround us, without the constant stream of information that begs for a scrolling. Why them, even for someone like me, who grew up in the 80s and …
- The first thing in the morning…Here is something to try in the morning. The first thing in the morning, after you wake up. Think of three things that you want accomplished during the day. Not just think, but visualise yourself completing these three tasks – and the reward that possibly follows. For example, lets say that the three tasks that …
- Times, tides, and men…Time and tide wait for no man. I can understand time, but why does tide appear in this phrase? Any ideas? Say say? Ok for those who don’t know it, tide WAS time back in the day (14th century) when this phrase was first coined by Chaucer. “Will see you at low tide” was probably …
- Oh, these titles…I remember a gentleman I met a few years back. He had two lines of qualification-related acronyms written next to his name on his business card. Not two, but two lines of them. How important is it to have your qualifications mentioned in your business card? If you are meeting someone for the first time, …
- Of Raju and Gopal and fingers in peril…Why did Raju make the omelette? To feed others apparently. And from the looks of it, he did a great job. And that’s why we trudged down to Raju Omlet – the only thing bad there is the spelling (American Omelet, British Omelette). Otherwise, it’s an egg connoisseur’s delight – a variety of eggs and …
- Are you stressed?Stress is not inborn nor is it inherited it does not even exist in nature except in your own mind… Yes that same monkey mind as they say that conjures up dreams and situations constructing an imaginary future that exists only in your mind… We get stressed about what may happen we stay stressed because …
- Another amateur poem…A few comments on my post from yesterday – a budding poet, they say! Far from it, I just write and I’ve written many many verses back in the day, all but lost in the freshness of youth. The ‘freshness’ bit denotes lack of experience really. In hindsight, I could have saved them and possibly …
- Don’t you?As he crawls slowly towards you, and then faster, Don’t you crawl towards him too? As he tries to stand, fumbles and reaches out to you to stop from falling… Don’t you reach out to him too? As he takes his first steps, and stumbles a little, Don’t you stumble a bit too? And as …
- On schools, yoga and happy days…Just one topic in Dubai today – will we have an extension of online schooling, or will the kids be able to go back to schools from Monday? Many a parent is praying fervently for a positive outcome – please please please send the kids back to schools! Others are refreshing their screens every minute …
- Rains, memories and petrichor…It’s been a wonderful rainy season in Dubai – don’t be astonished, we are quite pleasantly surprised as well! Overcast skies, the slight drizzle, the petrichor, pakoras and chai, the works. All that we needed before the harsh reality of summer hits us in a few days. Got the home gym installed today – no …
- Generations indebted to sisters two…Statistics say that you are in the top 17%. People who have basic security, regular income, and freedom from extreme poverty that is. Which means, you already started the race way ahead of most people. And if you were born in particular developed countries, to a certain racial demographic, you may be even further ahead, …
- Of books, beaches and masquerading patties…I was reading a few of my earlier blogposts, ones from 2022-23, and came across one that I had posted on the 1st of January 2023. Two resolutions – one was to quit sugar, and the second was to streamline X. Funnily enough, I quit sugar (again) last year:)) And X is nowhere close to …
- A few drops, a song, and a dream…I revisited this blogpost today. The weather in Dubai is great at the moment, light rains, drop in temperatures, and an overall good feeling. Not for some, but for me, its a collection of beautiful moments… Such days also make me think deep about life and where I am headed. Not that I am in …
- OF qasbaas and collabs…Went back to Al Qasba Sharjah today, after more than 10 years. Beautiful place, even without the Ferris wheel that once was the star attraction here. I wasn’t a fan of the ride though – was too slow and protected, for someone who has grown up taking thrill rides on the ‘Giant Wheel’ of yesteryears …
- Vikram and Betaal…This is an extract from the Vetāla series. I enjoyed compiling this and of course, reading the series again, this time the full version. You can read the whole series here. For now, a part of a story:) King Candrāvaloka beheld the boy who stood before him, his courageous demeanor, and the tej (glow) on his …
- Of fires and ceases…A ceasefire has been declared, and we have heaved a collective sigh of relief. For how long, no one knows, but at least some hope of a truce that possibly can last. The past 40 days have been tough on people, and a lot have come to realize the reality of war – up close …
- Twenty five years too soon?What goes around comes around. Today, one of my contacts sent me a CV – of a person who I had interviewed four years ago. Why I remember this person, you will come to know from the blogpost that I wrote that very day, and it’s posted below for your reference. It’s rare to find …
- Two Two zero nine…2209. That’s the number of days of continuous blogging since I first started in March 2020. Every single day, without fail. I believe this to be a small personal achievement. Why say this today of all days? Why didn’t I say this in the 1000th, or 2000th blog post? Well, coz it doesn’t matter. And …
- Of orange hair and fidgety kids…An eventful Sunday, or not, depending on how one views it. A colleague dropped by, and we had an engaging conversation on Bengaluru, food, work, Trump, the war and joint families, not necessarily in that order. The consensus seemed to be that a certain orange-haired man had gone berserk, and left us (and the rest …
- The Dubai ‘model’…A lot has been said about the UAE in the past month. A large section of the western media have sensationalized the issue at hand, and are busy writing obituaries on the Dubai business model, if you can call it that. I wish at least some of them would have taken the trouble to actually …
- The return of Starzplay…I recently subscribed to Starzplay again – oddly enough, it was for the T20 finals. And I decided to keep it for a while. Not because I am a huge cricket fan (used to be), but because it’s time now to introduce Keshav to sports and sportsmanship. The best way to do that is to …
- Of vimanas and sky-high expectations…The Ramayana teaser set the internet ablaze today. There have been mixed reactions, mine included, and here is why. Firstly, expectations are sky-high, and most of this is due to the producers claiming that they have a budget of 4,000 crore rupees allocated to the project (2 movies). And this has been repeated not once, …
- It’s all happened before…You must all be wondering what suddenly changed from 2020. One day we were all fine and cruising through life, and then COVID happened. Well, we overcame that, and then started cruising through life, and now Trump happened. Doesn’t seem logical, does it? Well… Around a couple of years back, I read this intriguing book …
- Braving missiles and teary skies…Our second attempt today, to get Keshav’s passport renewal process initiated. The last time we had an appointment, we ran into the biggest storm in a couple of years, so had to reschedule. Today, as we sat in the car, we heard a few massive interception bangs, and then it started raining again, for good …
- Too complicated, are we?We humans are complicated. I mean, things can be simple but we tend to make them complicated. We leave things unsaid, tasks undone and people incomplete. Our desires are not rational, our greed excessive and our satisfaction is elusive. We make things and situations harder than they actually are, and then search for solutions. We …
- Shakespeare, Premchand and me…“In breathing, as in everything in life, the numbers are staggering—indeed fantastical. Every time you breathe, you exhale some 25 sextillion (that’s 2.5 x 1022) molecules of oxygen—so many that with a day’s breathing you will in all likelihood inhale at least one molecule from the breaths of every person who has ever lived.” “And every …
- Well, can you do it?The issue is not that you are not capable of doing it…the issue is that I know you are capable but you don’t. A phrase (or a close derivative) that I have found myself repeating often – to karate’s who I taught, to employees, even to family. The starting point for most people is “I …
- How long is forever?The question of eternal life is as old as life itself. Humankind has made great strides in life expectancy, from an average of 30 years over most of our existence, to over 70 years today. In a short span of less than a century, this has gone up twice over. A lot of us do …
- On Ram Navami…द्विः शरं नाभिसन्धत्ते द्विः स्थापयति नाश्रितान् । द्विर्ददाति न चार्थिभ्यो, रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते ॥ Rāma doesn’t aim twice, he doesn’t give refuge twice, Rāma does not give twice to a seeker, he doesn’t speak the same thing twice. He does it perfectly the very first time. It is said that if our culture was only based …
- Scavenger? I don’t think so:)Was reading something unrelated, and came across this extract on crows. Found it quite interesting! Crows can recognize your face, hold a grudge for years, and warn other crows to avoid you. The thousands flying in cities right now are running a nightly operation that puts most logistics companies to shame. Every evening from fall …
- On Vikshepa Shakti…The mind has a tendency to be restless – to constantly keep thinking of hundreds of things at once. Even when you sit still, the mind is never still. It keeps making up stories, analyzing imaginary scenarios, depending into daydreaming….The whole process of yoga is aimed at calming this restless mind. Asanas serve no greater purpose …
- Much ado about rain…The echoes of an April that passed us a couple of years ago – when Dubai was under water after a deluge of epic proportions. Well, not so epic this time (thankfully), actually, nowhere near it, but we are back at Treppan nevertheless. For those who don’t know, Treppan is the Hotel Apartment provider where …
- On conflict…Conflicts starting across the world… People against each other – choosing sides… I am right and he is wrong..this is mine and that is not his… My country, my house, my family…rest be damned… Let’s watch this unfold on social media… Bombs falling, people slaughtered… All from the comfort of our couch… And don’t forget …
- On Mitāharā…The Vedāntā advocates mitāharā – mitā means moderate and āharā means food. It is one of the yamās of Yoga. Eat on time, when you are hungry, and the right kind of food. Ayurvedā also advocates regular fasting. लंघनं परम् औषधं Langhanam param aushadham – or fasting is the best medicine. Science has also conducted a lot of studies on the subject. Fasting …
- The real legacy that you leave behind…Legacy planning. That’s the solution that most lawyers and financial planners peddle to their rich customers. Often with gray-haired square jawed smiling white men in green meadows with a beautiful wife and a dog in tow. And yes, two kids as well. The complete family to ‘preserve your legacy’. Is that all you choose to …
- A new year begins…Today is Ugādi — the first day of Chaitrā māsā, or the beginning of the new year. Largely celebrated in South India (where I am from), Maharashtra (as Gudi Padwa), Sindh (as Cheti Chand), and Manipur (as Sajibu Nongma Pānba). It is also the start of Navaratri. Unlike New Year’s day as per the Gregorian calendar, the …
- On China and ballpoint pens…Why can’t China make a ballpoint pen? There is what’s regarded in China as a “classic” question of manufacturing. The manufacturing powerhouse of the world finds it difficult to make this, despite making 80% of the world’s pens. As it turns out, the ballpoint of the ballpoint pen—a tiny metal ball bearing that “mimics the …
- Of electric motorbikes and silly blokes…So I was chatting with the secretary of our owner’s association in the neighborhood, and talk turned to the menace of the electric mobikes that a few kids had been riding from a couple of months now. These bikes are fast and totally unsafe both for the rider and the public at large – they …
- IF…An eventful day, or not, depending on which part of the world you are in currently. The news continues to be dominated by the war next door, and (of course) on how people are fleeing the UAE and Dubai is getting empty. Then I set out in my car to find a suitable glass board …
- This is Zen…Zen stories. They bring back fond memories. Of times I spent with my master – sometimes in larger groups, other times just with the uchideshis – live-in students. Kancho – my master – used to conduct meditation discourses, and in between the philosophy, we used to wait eagerly for the Zen stories to make their …
- The lucky 6!Is human life the result of many coincidences and random chance? Or is it instead the fine-tuning of the laws that govern it which have led to our existence? And if this is the case, what is the origin of this fine-tuning? These very questions were addressed by Sir Martin J. Rees, Astronomer Royal and Royal …
- Mirupala Mukunda…Not many songs touch a chord the way this one does. Melody, classical touches and beautiful picturisation, an ode to my favorite Krishna, what else could I ask for? Muripaala Mukunda – from Bahubali – The Conclusion. Here are the lyrics for those who don’t understand the beautiful language of Telugu! Muripaala Mukundaa…Oh lovely mukunda …
- A message for all of you out there…from us…An update on the UAE. Thank you all – clients, well wishers, for messaging and calling and showing genuine concern on the happenings in the region. I sat down and voiced a few thoughts of mine, some that echo the sentiment in the country, others that are mine alone.Strategies, Business Continuity Plans, General Provisions aside, …
- Does time fly?Time flies past, doesn’t it? The hair that you struggled to control and style now you have to find a hundred ways to stop it from falling Food takes longer to go through you, most times it just becomes part of you and refuses to leave, never mind all that exercise that you pretend to …
- On choices and consequences…What role does choice play in our lives? I read a book somewhere that spoke about parallel realities. Every time we are faced with a choice, we make one and our lives go forward from that point on. But there is a possibility that the other choice is also made, and reality splits there so …
- On comfort, arrogance and a few things in between…We won! We won! WE WON!! Always a good feeling, being part of the winning side. Team India continued their new-found dominance of the sport, and people are beginning to draw comparisons with Australia in their heydays, when they won anything and everything associated with a bat, a ball and 22 players. Well, let’s relish …
On comfort, arrogance and a few things in between… Read More »
- India….India!And so, at the end of it, I finally got down to watching (still am) the IPA World Cup Final. Subscribed to Starzplay just for this. And India seems to be winning, so it’s all good. Here is something I wrote a couple of years back, when I found myself in a similar situation, and …
- Self driving cars, and self-minded people….Turns out that Venezuelans have a stellar contribution in the self-driving car industry. Did you know this? Next time you hear about the wonderful future of self-driving cars, picture this: Venezuelans, living in crisis conditions after their economy collapsed, sitting at laptops and outlining pictures of trees and bikes so that the robotic vehicles don’t …
- Well, just read more!I hear this in nearly every appraisal that I conduct – I want to improve my communication skills and writing skills. And I have the same answer every single time – Read more! I heard the same comment today, and well, I had the same answer. But here is a more elaborate explanation:) “In my …
- Of shrapnel and snippets…So a calm day passes, and then, just as I sat to write this, we got the official alerts on incoming missile threats from The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster. To be fair, they are doing a fantastic job on getting this all sorted and keeping us safe, but sometimes, it does unnerve you. …
- On colors and celebrations…होली है!! Holi hai! Holi is a popular festival in Sanatana Dharma, originating from India. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Holi is popularly known as the Indian “festival of spring”, the “festival of colours”, or …
- On apples, money and endless reels…A day of lower workload, lower war news (thankfully) and supercharged AI. And yes, new MacBook Pro computers and Studio XDR displays. Also, a few conversations on Finance over evening walks (and squeezed in a bit of AI there too). But the highlight was something that I read, that I have experienced in person, and …
- A calm and uneventful day…It was a very calm night – some thought it was a bit too calm. I guess partly because of reduced traffic and generally reduced outdoor activity – but anyway. The day began with a couple of booms, but that was it for the rest of the day till now. Keshav was so excited (super …
- On planning and compilations…And so it’s Day 2, a Sunday, and it started with a scary bang, but little afterwards. The day was spent in keeping up with the (official channels) news, declaring remote work for staff (the government recommended this later in the afternoon) and reconciling with the fact that schools will go online (oh no) for …
- We are safe…There has been a lot of news and quite a lot more speculation on the happenings since afternoon today. Yes, there have been some explosions heard, and these have mostly been in the air – why and what – I would stick to official media channels of the UAE to keep myself updated, and not …
- Just a few words…Was starting a blog on another topic, when I came across some lines that I felt nice about. Here they are… At the age of 25, 27, or 30 and up, you’ll realize you’re not just chasing your own dreams anymore. You strive to give your loved ones the best this life could offer. You’ll …
- The bad wolf of AI…The Big Bad Wolf is upon us. Or, as Keshav called it – the small bad mouse:| For those who don’t know what it is, the Big Bad Wolf is one of the biggest book fairs in Dubai, held at least once a year, with brand new books going for a steal. Last year, I …
- On pujas and vidhis…Had a discussion earlier this week on celebrations. The elaborate planning, the vidhi (or method) of every ritual, every little aspect of it. Sometimes, such arrangements can get so detailed and granular that it takes the feeling out of the equation, which I feel is the primary objective of it all. That one particular flower …
- Don’t we all live in our own stories?Don’t we all live in our own stories? The story of me, the story of you As it plays out, everyday, day after day, So unique, our stories Each one weaving a tale that is only one’s own… The people we meet, the friendships we make The experiences, good and bad Those times we spend …
- Of seasons and elections…And so election season is nearly upon us – at least four states (all biggies) will go to the polls this year. Unless the “one nation one election” proposal is implemented, this election process will continue throughout the year, year-on-year, perpetually. One set of assembly elections gets over, panchayat elections take over. Then another set …
- Random musings on a given Sunday…Was a bit of an adventurous Sunday. Well, almost. We set out to Al Qudra Lake and religiously followed Google Maps, regardless of the street signs showing a slightly different detour. And well, we did end up at a lake, but it was the Expo lake, not Qudra. A good drive, except for the last …
- Of toys and stories…And so Keshav finally discovered ‘Toy Story’ today. I had attempted to show him the movie around a year back, maybe it was too early back then. This week however, he started to speak about Mr. Potato Head and Buzz Lightyear, possibly introduced to him in school, and so I saw the opportunity. Saturday mornings …
- At the airport…Spent some time at the airport today… People…a lot of them, and suitcases Carrying goods of variety, gifts, sweetmeats… Eager eyes, aching bodies… Tired from the journey, but joyous in anticipation of relatives and friends who await them. Small dreams in their eyes, of moments to come of stories to tell, to hear, to discuss …
- 2162…2162. That’s the number of days since I first started writing this blog regularly. Not a day missed – I wrote through sickness and health, through the birth of Rohāmrta and his sickness and health as well. Through the busy days (most) and the not-so-busy days (very few). What I don’t have in literary genius, …
- That trip to a bookstore…A trip to the bookstore… A trail mostly forgotten By most of us who find ‘better’ things to get busy with… A trip to the bookstore… A joyful journey to an exciting destination of discovery… A trip to the bookstore… one that brings back fond memories of Mecca Stores and a once in a month …
- Is change the only constant?Change is the only constant – so says the cliche and every other LinkedIn profile. But it is true. And one has to keep reinventing oneself every once in a while, mostly with the aim of climbing at least a notch higher… And so here I am, working on reinvention number ‘god knows how much’, …
- Should we grow our own food?Do you think that we should grow our own food, whenever we can? Well, not all of it. But at least enough so that we can stay in touch with it, and pass it on to the next generation. For thousands of years, we ate what we grew. And then the Industrial Revolution changed us …
- Of Adiyogi and perception…Only the most painful circumstances yield the most intense prayers. The uncertainty that lies in front of us makes us appeal to the higher consciousness with all our heart. And when we are heard, and the problem is alleviated, we thank him and move on. In between this problem and the next lie a lot …
- The night that surpasses all nights…Mahashivratri. The night when you stay awake, and pray to Shiva, the ultimate Yogi. A lot of questions may arise in our minds, when we think of Shiva, and Shivratri – or the night of Shiva. For instance, why is Shiva synonymous with austerity? He is always depicted as a mendicant, as a renunciate – …