Petals!

Wish you a wonderful, blessed and joyous Happy New Year 2022!                                [Image: Pazhavangadi Temple prasadam] Starting the year with a temple trail feels super sacred and joyous for me. It felt like a beautiful way to grasp with gratitude the precious moments of 2021. Taking inspiration from  the words of John O'Donohue: "We bless this year for all we learned, for all we loved and lost." A visit to Thiruvananthapuram, capital city of Kerala, is how I wrapped up the tumultous year of 2021. Paying respects to my favourite temple in the capital city - yes, Pazhavangadi Ganapati kshetram - and then a first time evening darshan at Sreekanteshwaram temple concluded our visit as we got ready to welcome the New Year. On New Year's Day, which is today, I had an amazing time meeting loved ones, especially spending time with family members, uncles and aunts and cousins. Such fun-filled moments...

Sara's Malayalam movie review: Malayalam cinema is known for breaking stereotypes even when its male audience may find it clearly unpalatable. One of the recent Malayalam films this year that I really found thought provoking is 'Sara's' on Amazon Prime despite the fact that it has many sketchy areas in its narrative and I do not support Sara's personal choices. [READ: Prithviraj starrer Mumbai Police breaks stereotypes!] Sara's Malayalam Movie Review: To have a child or not should be a woman's decision 'Sara's' is a film that urges Malayalis to give a 'woman' more independence about deciding whether she is ready to marry, and if she is, if she wants to have a child and if that choice comes under scrutiny, the final choice should be hers alone - it is her body, her life - not the guy's. This is something I personally believe in - a woman should never be forced to do anything against her will by anyone. No matter how you view it, a man ...

Wondering where to buy Kerala kasavu saree in Kochi? Don't worry! I am sharing few of my favourite shops for Kerala Kasavu Saree shopping in Kochi. In the image shown below, I am wearing a Kerala kasavu full tissue saree from Ramachandran Handlooms, it glows like molten gold and is perfect for evening functions.  Kerala Kasavu Saree shopping in Kochi: How to get started Few popular places to buy Kerala Kasavu Saree in Kochi would be as follows: 1. Kasavu Kada 2. Ramachandran Handloom 3. Karalkada 4. Parthas 5. The Chennai Silks 6. Pothys I will go into the details of each shop and what I like about each of these shops that are renowned for stocking the best quality Kerala kasavu sarees for every occasion including engagement function and even the traditional Kerala wedding function. Kerala Kasavu Saree: Authentic vs Affordable Kerala Kasavu If you are passionate about buying a Kerala Kasavu saree, which is a must-have in your saree wardrobe, you have to figure out your budget ...

Festivities are over, feelings are not!😊 As I write this blog post, Diwali blues are settling in, just as easily as the evening chill in Delhi's barely breathable air. You won't believe how I used to dread the festive season in Delhi when I came here two decades ago. The sound of fire crackers used to frighten me. Even children would carelessly toss the firecrackers from one corner to the other and I would be literally trembling with fear! Has anything changed now? I have begun loving the festivities! Having lived in Delhi NCR for more than two decades now, I see things differently. I love the festive season, especially Diwali, when I can just deck up my home, unleash my creativity in arranging the decor and the diyas and getting ready to send out gifts of love to a very small circle of loved ones. When I look out of the window just now, I see a grey sky and the sun resembles a fading yolk. Peace all around.  Or is it the energy that I have carried along with me after Ma...

Kuruthi movie review:  Wondering whether to watch Prithviraj's film 'Kuruthi'? This must-watch thriller has one hero  - Mammukoya!  Malayali's favourite 'Gafoor Ka Dost' who remains immortalised through Mohanlal-Sreenivasan starrer 'Nadodikattu'. Just a year ago, I had read his memoirs in Malayalam and loved it so much, I couriered it to my father, who enjoyed reading the lesser known life of an amazing character actor we are blessed to have in Malayalam cinema - yes, the one and the only Mammukoya! Okay, so let's dive into the film and why I really found it gripping. Kuruthi Malayalam Movie review: A Gripping Thriller Now coming back to Manu Warrier's directorial debut 'Kuruthi', this is a brilliant socio-political thriller that probes the depths of 'intolerance' without taking sides.  Kuruthi Movie Review: Story When a Hindu boy is taken into custody over the death of a devout old Muslim man, he becomes a target for the old man...

Independence Day Book Reccos: Pramod Grover's 'The Saga of Parvati: From Lahore to New Delhi' is a fascinating account of a real-life story of Gulzari and Parvati's marriage in Lahore and how they are forced to abandon their home and fly to begin a new life in Delhi. Interesting tidbits of information about the pre-Independence period in Lahore are in the story. For instance, well-to-do women used to buy fine shahtoosh and jamawaar shawls, that are currently worth at least five lakh rupees each!                                        [Subscribe to my NEW newsletter] And one tola of gold back then was worth Rs 50/- and now just compare and calculate the price today! Racing through a swanky and luxurious lifestyle, the Indian family falls apart as they swerve ahead to crash into a dire situation of bankruptcy. Had they exercised some prudence over such reckless spending, they may have ...

Karthik Subbaraj’s Dhanush-Aishwarya Lakshmi starrer Jagame Thanthiram is a film that takes you straight into the lives of Tamil immigrants in the UK and touches upon issues that impact their life such as racism, joblessness, acceptance from society. [NEW! Subcribe to my weekly newsletter ] Modelled around a Tamil interpretation of 'Godfather', the film is a gangster drama revolving around a local goon from Madurai who is brought on an assignment to the UK. The intolerance towards Asian immigrants is shown well but the weak story plot failed to make an impact. In my view, Dhanush is a powerhouse of talent but remains largely untapped in the film due to a weak script. Jagame Thanthiram: Weak story narrative From start to finish, the film struggles in its pacing and narrative, thereby disappointing its audience who find themselves being thrown into a serious topic such as immigration and its grave implications but catapulting in different directions as the narrative goes haywire...