Why British partitioned India? THE GREAT GAME
Rich in every aspect, India is a land that has always been coveted by every power and wealth hungry empire and despot. Empires came and went plundering what they could, but it was the wily British who institutionalised empire for exploitation. It was the ‘Jewel in the crown’ of the British Empire, and every effort was made to retain, expand its hold on India. The Great Game nowadays means something else today but in 1830 it was the riGvalry between Russia and the British for control of all lands that could impact British trade In 1830 the Muslim Ottoman Empire […]
Staying safe – post Corona and more …
The Corona pandemic has shook the entire world. A seemingly small virus has brought the world on it’s knees! It is said that we might see more such viruses every now and then. Even if we find a vaccine for Corona, it can not be said that the world is a safe place, like before! We world shall never be the same again! Such pandemics, or viruses are beyond our control. We can do absolutely nothing about it. But, there are THREE THINGS, which we must do and that are in our control – PRECAUTIONS – There are various medical […]
Trust Issues
I reclined on the cushioned chair for the unavoidable routine, From the corner of my eye, I saw my (wo)man-Friday reading a magazine. She smiled to greet but made no efforts to take guard, An assistant instead sauntered in apathetic to my heart beating hard. Getting my eyebrows plucked is a monthly torture I subject myself to, In spite of being habituated, the crossed threads alert the fear crew. One strand of brow threaded extra can cost me years of repentance, Yet, I didn’t have the heart to stall the hazard but sat in submittance. […]
To Give And What To Give
The father safely delivered one of his living cells, The mother gave her all to fight the morning-sickness spells. They, together, gave blood and flesh and bones, Also, gave their best to clear the shoe of any stones. He gave lessons and guidance to build resilience to sustain, She gave a demo daily about doing everything but complain. He willingly gave the fighter’s spirit – raw and throbbing, She calmly gave traits of patience – potent and absorbing. A set of values to safeguard were given by the father, She gingerly added the missing ones to […]
Mahabharata – A new perspective!
The recent telecast of the epic The Mahabharata was quite an amazing watch. I am a superfan and a total Krishna lover but that’s not what i am going to write about here. This time I experienced a different perception, so thankful to beloved SRIGURU of SrmDelhi for unfolding The Bhagavad Gita so beautifully. I believe all the mythological or the characters from these epics are symbolic to teach us bigger lessons than just ‘the moral of the story’. Presenting a new perspective – Assume the Kurukshetra to be our body. The Kauravas are our weaknesses or the villains namely […]
My dear TIME
A good friend lost a dear one and condolences poured in. Some were sympathetic, some supportive and others out of concern. I read some messages on one of the whatsapp group chats saying ‘ time will heal.’ It stayed in my mind. Does ‘time’ really heal? Is ‘time’ some magician or healer? Yes with time our maturity rises with more experiences of life. But a small trigger can sometimes take us back to the unpleasant incident. Then it is a replay of the same story. And we keep replaying the same cd a number of times and replay and replay. […]
The Chair
‘It was a long day; I’ll take care of it tomorrow. Night!’ ‘Oh no! I’m running late… Tonight, I’ll set things right.’ The ‘tonight’ changes to ‘tomorrow’ that never comes, Sunrises and sunsets are clocked as my room piles up items. Soon, the function of the chair adapts to the emergent need, The pile of discarded clothes grows on its four legs like weed. One awkward day, I want to use the chair for its intended purpose, A heave-and-dump transfers the pile onto the bed, an alternative dais. Thence, the pile changes countries in every […]
That Feeling of Inadequacy
It was that day – My debut on the daughter-in-law runway. All’d be present there… The near and extended family’s share. Putting together a pretty saree for the ceremony. I stepped out strutting ALL the tokens of matrimony. Exquisite and bright silk sarees flooded the room Every lady there dressed in a style more like a costume. Heavy brocade borders A long gold necklace Hair tied back Big studs for earrings Each lady, Though with the above similarities, Stood out with her unique poise. I tried to blend in… But… The saree’s blouse was mismatched. […]
I See You
Every time I end up on the camera app, A dozen options line up urging for a tap. A picture clicked is deemed incomplete, Until a filter applied or ‘delete and repeat’! Filters are aplenty; or maybe uncountable, Yet the need to get a perfect pic is insatiable. Technological advancement is unidirectional, It does nothing to a mindset that’s been distortional. He has been hovering over me for thirty long years, And he is the same on a rainy day or when a cloud clears. But one extremely fine day, the weather changed; Or maybe the filters […]
Father; Go Figure!
You moulded me to be a tough personality… But, delicately honed me to be a soft heart! You taught me to brace my individuality… But, also taught me how to embrace adversity! You guided me to surrender to an elder and/or experienced… But, also asked me to challenge when they doubted my mettle! You always hovered around shielding me from the world… But, also turned into a team by delivering slaps to a molester! You stood by me when I took my first steps in your family… And, you walked with me when I took my […]
Colour Me Kind
She was a tad darker for a conventionally pretty lady, Optimistic, atop a glass shelf she found her remedy. The smooth and soft lube of cream left her skin not only supple, But also cut the melanin synthesis, puncturing her inferiority bubble… The market tasted success and expanded its magic, Indiscriminatingly, it welcomed all genders’ traffic. Tiny molecules gushing in our veins hold the power, How red will the blood appear – it controls without an error. Monitoring the levels of iron is the first step in the equation, It further affects the haemoglobin that carries oxygen infusion. […]
Charming Personalities
Warnie, Maradona, Tyson Gay, Lance Armstrong, Yohan Blake ruled their thrones, So did Hulk Hogan, Asafa Powell, Shoaib Akhtar, Andre Agassi, and Marion Jones. Being the best or the second best yet they fell prey to this silly error, In ruins, their fairytale professional careers ended prematurely in a horror. World class athletes who were masters of their bodies couldn’t train the brain, A prohibited drug surging in veins dragged them off shamefully from their reign. Why, we cried to them, did they need an external agent to power their skills? Was talent so easily conquered […]
Black and White
Vigilance and patience were about to be rewarded at that moment… Shhhhh……… ‘Hold your breath,’ I told myself… ‘Stay silent……’ ………….. Aaaand…….………………. Snap! Hacked from its hideout, it plummeted like a feather towards the tap. One in a million, yet it was a villain and not the hero, How many ever times I conquered, it would regrow. Shining defiantly against the dark carpet, Its gleam attracted attention like a magnet. ‘A white hair!’ we screamed petrified like spotting a ghost, Severe case of negligence was the obvious reason diagnosed. I chopped it every time it appeared […]