Petals!

I went to one of those branded fashion stores that had unveiled their summer collection and i thought its a great chance to just check out what the design range and prices are like. I usually like to buy stuff from there if its affordable, of course.   There was this nice young affluent family who were making a lot of noise in the womens' trial  room section where girls and women were trying out stuff they wanted to buy. I noticed this family because they seemed so cozy and full of laughter, which is usually the case when there are more than two family members nearby.  The father was striking because of his booming voice and too loud personality. He looked like perhaps he is in his early forties, the mother looked like she was in her thirties. The daughter seemed to be in her teens, she looked very young, pampered, i-always-get-what-i-demand types. She had a high pitched voice and she talked down to the sales girls and seemed to find fault with everythi...

Flown turbulent skies and bumpy air clouds? That's how the past couple of weeks have been like for me while dealing with my five year old Adi. Still, I've got to admit that I love every moment that I spend with my son. It's like going through a roller coaster ride because temperamentally, we are opposites. He is fiery and I am serene. He is stubborn and I give in easily. He is very unpredictable and well, i am not....i could go on actually.....but you got what I am saying, right? Well, in the last two weeks, Adi and I - this is a mom's hunch of course - have become a lot more closer than before. He seems to intuitively understand my thoughts and feelings. He accompanies me when I go for my evening walks. That is a fantastic time when he tells me his little secrets and I tell him mine. We have these 'adult to adult' conversation and I really feel that it brings us closer when I stop treating him like a kid.  Today, he was running after and calling one kid, rep...

I didn't plan to watch "Seniors." The promos didn't impress me. A close friend smsed me saying that she loved the movie and that I've got to go and watch it. That made me sit up. She doesn't usually sms me about a movie.  I booked my tickets. I expected it to be a comedy or something of the sort relating to law college. The four stars - Jayaram, Biju Menon, Manoj K Jayan and our swantham Kunchaks ( as we gals call him affectionately) packed in a real entertainer under the direction of Vysakh - the same director who made the movie Pokiri Raja (starring Mammooty and Prithviraj). I enjoyed the movie. It had so many entertaining moments, packed with college campus pranks, fun and mysterious moments. Some scenes that I found totally hilarious can't be mentioned here so I guess you've just got to watch it and find out for yourself. The music was awful and left one with a feeling 'please end it fast so that we can get on with the movie!' The story ...

Coming from a traditional Hindu family, Buddha Purnima is not something that I grew up understanding or celebrating. My father used to tell me the story of the young prince who saw suffering all around him and abandoned a princely life to understand the cause of such suffering. As a kid, I thought the prince must have been a little bit of a nutcase to leave behind such comforts and luxury to find out the cause of suffering. I couldn't understand why he had to put his body through such rigorous pain and hardships to find out why suffering exists. Couldn't he have just enjoyed the blessings that God had given him in life? The very fact that he did not even acknowledge the existence of God itself told me he really is a nut case. These were my thoughts at a time when spirituality was not yet a complete path in my priority list. I am sure you are wise enough to understand. I thought, as Malayalis do when unnecessary curiosity comes their way, "Appam thinna porey, ...

Adi brings home a friend. She is a very sweet looking girl who is wearing a princess-like dress. Being some one who loves to appreciate, I can't resist complimenting her and telling her she looks very beautiful in that dress. Adi tells me matter of factly, "I told her you look so pretty and beautiful and lovely too but she is not believing me. Amma, please tell her again." HMMMM! The tough part came when little Adi turned into mischief mode and i know there is just no stopping him. He pasted cake slices into her lovely tresses and she was so upset. Obviously! She came running to me and showed me what he had done. I gave him a tough scolding just then and he said he was really sorry about i and didnt know cake can stick like that since he isn't a girl.  He showed me his hair to prove the point! I spent sometime consoling the little distressed girl. We handled the tresses carefully and managed to remove the cake bits that were clinging while Adi was watching on wi...

In India, we believe in what the Vedas say: "Maathru devo bhava, Pithru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava, Athithi devo bhava." Mother comes first, before the Father or the Teacher or the Guest.  At the cost of sounding like a spoil sport, let me confess that I don't believe in "Happy Mother's Day" that is being celebrated today.  Indian culture, since time immemorial, has always revered and given the mother a sacred place of importance. However, the society forgets it conveniently whenever it suits the occasion, and therefore, a day is dedicated to total lip service and giving of cards. Traditionally, we in India show love and respect to our mothers most of the time. What a Paradox! Mothers in India have no right to name their children! Yet in practice, mothers cannot name their children. For all important occasions, they are given the step motherly treatment by the orthodox society. They cannot take part in traditional ceremonies of their child...

The day we reached Dubai, we went for an evening boat cruise along the Dubai creek. To most tourists, Dubai creek is a natural seawater inlet that divided the city of Dubai into two- Deira Dubai and Bur Dubai. What fascinated me more was the historical and cultural significance of this beautiful creek. Dubai's formation is attributed to be around 4,000 years old but it was only in 1833 that it gathered some shape. This is the year when the Al Maktoum branch of the power clan of Al Bu Falasah of the Bani Yas Bedouins shifted from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. More significantly, this saw the reign of Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti who lead them to Dubai and became its ruler from 1833 to 1852. Young, ambitious and intelligent, this leader set the foundation for the open port city as it exists and is flourishing today. It was not so easy though. Pirates from the Gulf were known to attack the port, due to which a series of co-operative treaties had to be formed and negotiated in 1892.  By in...

Dear Friends,  Adi's taking part in Shipra Mall Face of the Mall contest. He needs maximum number of 'Likes' on the Shipra Mall's Facebook page. Please help him win. Step 1: You have to open your Facebook account, search for Shipra Mall is my Favorite Mall.  Step 2: When you spot it in the FB search results, go to that exact page and press the Like button. That registration will entitle you to vote for Adi and you can visit this Adi's pic and press the "Like" button under his pic. If you believe Adi deserves to win, please share this with friends and others in your circle to help Adi win. He is so excited about this contest and I hope he reaches the top slot and wins. He wants an unlimited supply of Kurkure as the grand prize - an impossible demand to accommodate of course. Does any one want to volunteer? Looking forward to your thoughts and 'Like' votes!