Petals!

I was always curious about Army wives.  You see, I had heard stories. Whispers and rumors, more like.  But I had no clue that Army wives had a strict dress code. No showing skin, legs. That kind of thing. And the golden rule is - Hierarchy rules! Never ever say 'No' to a request by your husband's superior's wife.  When I mentioned this to my always-logical-and-practical husband, he scoffed, " That cannot be true. Its just your imagination. You are talking about the Indian Army, for god's sake. Not some kitty club."  Well, after I read Aditi Mathur Kumar’s novel "Soldier and Spice," I knew it wasn't my imagination at all!  What to look forward to while reading Soldier and Spice  Soldier and Spice is a full-of-life book. It keeps you informed about the life of Army wives in India.  When you finish reading the book, you will be wonder, "Is all of this (examples: the memsaab part and men standing up ...

Do you often worry about things going wrong? [Do read: What's the best spiritual lesson you learned from dealing with anguish? ] Throughout the years when I had the opportunity to observe Swami (my Guru), there is one remarkable trait that I saw in Him.  No matter what the situation is, Swami is always in harmony and absolutely free from worry.  Swami often says, "Worry is a waste of time and waste of time is waste of life." [Do read: How to find the peace within you when your plans go for a toss! ]                                                 [Image: Unsplash] A year ago, I saw a video of Swami visiting Delhi, Rishikesh and other places when he was in his early 20s - at a time when the world around probably looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and criticism. There was also a special musical programme where Swami  addressed ...

Life is pretty short. So, just do what you love. Do what makes you happy.  There's nothing like it! Tell me: What makes you happy? 

Some movies flop at the box office and often I find myself wondering why.  I read an old interview in Vanitha magazine about Malayalam film directors analyzing their movies that flopped.  Director Kamal talked about how 'Azhakiya Ravanan' flopped at the box office and reasoned that it had a futuristic vision that Malayalis probably were not ready for at that time. He mentions specifically about the heroine depicted as having submitted herself to the anti-hero and then being accepted by 'the hero.'  I disagree with Kamal's statement - that may not have been the sole reason for the movie becoming a flop.  Padmarajan's movie 'Nammuku paarkaan mundiri thoppukal' depicted the heroine being raped by her step father and the hero carries her away - literally and cinematically - off her feet. Even today, the average Malayali loves that film.  The same goes for the unconventional character of the main female protagonist  'Clara' in yet another ...

This is Gopi Mohan Sundaram.  I call him Muthettan – my adorable brother with the handsomest smile.....   My earliest memories of childhood vacations begin with Muthettan – waiting for me at the gate of “Menons” – my grandmother’s home located right behind the Ernakulam Shiva Temple. First glimpse and then Muthettan would break into smiles, I would be lost in bear hugs as Ettan and Mutthettan surrounded me – they are my mother’s brother’s sons and my “blood” brothers as I call them.                   Those were the days when there were no iPhones or iPads to keep us glued to our seats. Bored way too often, one of our favourite child hood games was breaking and mixing bricks that used to lie around the road, putting it in water and pretending to sell “orange” juice in a bucket! It didn’t matter that it wasn’t even a proper game – it kept us busy on summer days and we ended up looking dirty with mud marks on our...

When you come back home at the end of the day, there are some things that motivate you no matter how tired you are. That's exactly why  Subroto Bagchi's books have a special place on my bookshelf.  Often, I take my favorite portions from Subroto Bagchi's 'Go Kiss the World' and I share it as a kind of bed  time story with my nine year old son. He waits eagerly for these stories! [ Do read: Subroto Bagchi's book 'Zen Garden: Conversations with Path Makers ]  'Go kiss the world' was his mother's advice to him as she lay in hospital, during her last moments with her son.  These words from his dying mother became the guiding principle of Subroto Bagchi's life. In this book, Subroto Bagchi takes you through the humble beginnings of his life, with emphasis on his mother's influence on his personality and core values.  Coming from a small town in Orissa, he tells you of a childhood that had no luxuries and how observing and le...