Petals!

Ruzbeh N Bharucha's latest book, ICE with Very Unusual Spirits, is a book that I have absolutely enjoyed reading. While reading every chapter, I began to contemplate a lot on the friendships in my life, as the book blends in some of the most valuable teachings of Sage Tiruvalluvar and Sai Baba of Shirdi. The essence of the book revolves around true friendship and how it can make us not just more human but it can make us divine beings too.    [READ: What are Tantric Practices? Find out!]   As  human beings, we thrive on friendship. These days, I've started wondering, ''Is there real friendship out there?'' From experiences that span four decades now (yeah, I am that old!), I am beginning to wonder about the authenticity of most ''friendships.'' [Do read:  How to Console a Friend who Lost her Spouse ] A friend whom we knew since childhood days invites us home for dinner but when we visit, we don't get served dinner, but popcorn. Ou...

In my part of the world, it is winter already. For me, it means that there is more work to be done at home. Winters are a time when I used to love snuggling into the blanket and sleeping for hours. Now that I am a mother, it feels like a distant dream and a luxury that I cannot afford. The truth of life is that mothers don't usually get that kind of luxury, not even on Sundays!               My experience of Saturday mornings is attending a full-fledged PTM that continues from 9 AM to 1 PM, my weekend is literally over, because I've got tasks pending at home. Of course, there are tons of chores that pile up like cooking the daily meals (wracking my head for something beyond the comfort food called dal ) and all of it has to get done by the end of the day. [ Do read: There's No Woman on The Moon ] Of course, I also have to remember to take out the family's treasury of sweaters and keep them ready in the wardrobe for daily use.   Plus,...

This summer vacation in Kochi, I caught up with some old friends and we exchanged real life stories – of pain, struggles, heartbreak.  One friend began her conversation like this, “I filed for divorce. I couldn’t stand the cruelty any more. I thought that filing for a divorce would ruin my happiness. But I feel happier now, than I have ever been in my whole life. I am able to enjoy my life fully and freely, without any fears and with total confidence.” I felt the happiness in her voice. And for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel sad to hear the word ‘divorce.’ And then she said something thought-provoking, “ People around me make comments when they see that I am not suffering, lamenting or ashamed of having filed for divorce. They make assumptions and shallow comments about me even after knowing all that I’ve been through... why is it that we have become an ‘educated’ society that thrives on comparisons and wants to see others ‘unhappy’ – i don’t understand i...