Relationships

Vulnerabilities give a chance to open up and strike an instant bond with the compassionate but carry the risk of eventually becoming the causes of abuse or the only reasons for staying in the relationships... Resilience might at first seem to be giving a cold-shoulder or being hard-hearted or brutal but down the course, turn into foundation for building timeless bridges with the bricks of honesty, steadfastness and trustworthiness

Social Sciences

History and geography seem to be interesting, now that I need not write the exams.... Bronze age, Ashoka, the World Wars, Landforms and Industries across India... 'Why did I miss the fun around learning these facts during the school days', is the question that comes to mind now.... might be the fear of being tested in remembering them... that sliptest on India and its features when I got 11 out of 25 still sends jitters in my spine and gives me nightmares!! It has permanently marred my aptitude for dates and maps and made me believe that Social is not for me!!

Today, while reading and helping the kids understand them, I feel so happy to note the details and assimilate their significance with a fresh mind and in a new perspective!!

While the content of textbooks is created with a powerful vision of facilitating children imbibe the knowledge and equipping them with the material necessary to build their understanding of the subject, it is equally important to develop efficient methods of pedagogy and implement novel learning procedures that enable the young minds comprehend the inherent sophistication!!

Beard

Pigeon

Alampur

One among the 23 Papanasi temples reflecting Nineth Century Chalukya Architecture, that were cautiously restored and relocated to Alampur in 1980s!!

Countryside

Festival

Spick and span are two small words, with broom and mop as its two straightforward representatives. But, the word 'festival' is not so innocent. It is a complex expression that teams up with these two partners in a strange manner, with running errands, shopping, lots of decorations and cooking; with bodily strain and backache as the invisible mascots!!

Art is a powerful medium to convey social message! Neither the age nor experience matters.... the honesty in approaching it and the confidence in presenting it add a lot of credibility to any artwork. Watched professionally executed 5-minute spanned street plays performed by mere 11-year olds. The gusto with which every student enacted them was impressive and engaging. Every minute of that half an hour was worth the month-long effort the children and the teachers put in!

Child is the mother of a woman too!!

Life only happens when God wishes it to..... the truth and this photo push a lump into my throat, tears into my eyes and make me breathless..... We were busy growing up while life was happening for our parents and when we found time to take a pause, he was nowhere to be found and her spirit was gone... We have become her parents, though could never be as good as she has been to us!! He left her to our care and when we're still fumbling and figuring out how to make up for her loss, she turned 60.... Life just happened and left her in a jiffy!!

8 Years

Eight years ago, my first assignment was to improve an account on Apple Inc. Leaving two children, all of 1 and 3 years respectively and intent on giving my best, I sit at the desktop and concentrate for an hour. Then, the minute I hear loud giggles, I want to push the chair and stand up, it doesn't move..... I look around to see heaps of toys thrown around the room with no place left for a single step, the young one's diaper hanging heavy and the older one's nose flowing out with a white trail into the mouth. Struck by reality, I feel guilty for not caring for them and being in my own world!!

Cut to the present day, I get to work on yet another Apple analysis, now at an easier pace. After a heavy Sunday breakfast, I retire into my den with the laptop and come back after an hour. This is the mess, spread up in the hall!! Ignoring my perplexed looks, Kaka leads me into the middle and explains how they have built a city, with airports, metro, swimming pools, sports arenas and many many more nuances....

Though the first thought that came to my mind was the miniature digital plan of CBN's Amaravathi; it slowly led into that deja vu moment I had!! And the aftermath is like; is the age just adding up years to these kids?? or is there anything worthwhile value addition that it is making..... to these children, as nothing seems to have changed in them over the years, but the spectacles that Kaka wears and the lost canines among Prithvi's teeth!!!

Distraction

As the desi rajma curry, raita and lehsun ka chutney, along with the British mayonnaise roll up as layers into the domestic version of tortilla.... the aromas waft into the drawing room. Naanna intent on not being disturbed for the next 1 hour, orders kaka and prithvi to get him three such homemade Mexican style Chatpata wraps from Mom's kitchen!! I can't say whether good food helps you find the way into a man's heart but it is certainly resourceful in distracting him from the digital devices....

14 years of courtship