A few years ago, a good friend, James, came down to Bangalore from London to study Kannada. My friend and I met him in a cafe in Bangalore’s quaint old VV Puram district. James, or Jam as we call him, is a chap prone to the most inane hilarity, armed with a wry British wit. […]
On the 6th of September, 2004, I stood at the entrance to a rather forlorn-looking building on Bangalore’s Double Road or KH Road. As I entered, I saw another woman sitting at the entrance in front of a security guard. The guard was apologetic. “The office opens only at 9:30, Ma’am,” he told the girl. […]
I was reminded of Dr. Seuss’ classic book today. “There are more than 1,000 books here,” my exhausted Dad said, pointing to the three cartons of books awaiting transport that jam up the staircase in our house. I grinned, waiting to unpack my beloved books and sort them out. “Look at these albums that were […]
From the time I can remember, I have loved to read. One of my favorite memories is of me coming back from school when I was about five or six years old, and sitting on this little ledge that overlooked our yard while my adopted sister pampered me with snacks. My best friend – a […]
It was early in the morning yesterday when I glanced at my phone to check my workout for the day. There was a notification from Google Photos. “Look back on this day last year.” With a start, I realized as the photos showed up that it was on the same Friday last year that Travelling […]
Just like that, six months of this year are over. I laugh at the ease with which time flows, and we flow into it, thinking it lasts. Last year, at this time, I was super excited about my friend’s arrival from Ireland. The countdown had begun, and it was all I could think of. This […]
It’s almost evening here in Bangalore. The day has been overcast with a few patches of sunshine. It’s time for the part of the day I look forward to – my Skype “sessions” with Travelling Birdy. But when she calls me in tears today because of something awful that had happened, I react as I […]
I believe in synchronicity. I always have. Of late, I have been going through this phase where I see parallel numbers often. The 07:07s or 11:11s or 09:09s. This happens several times during the day. I think of a person and suddenly that person’s name flashes across on the street sign or billboard or on […]
I reconnected with a good man last weekend – a disconnection that had been orchestrated by me, and the reconnection equally orchestrated by me. That man was completely gracious in accepting my craziness and was undeniably kind in his response. Today, I sat in the absolutely lovely surroundings of the NGMA (National Gallery of Modern […]