The Bay Window
The Russia I Remember
Of a journey, some wonderful people, and a Russia I hope to see in peace again.
A corner of the cottage
Around the House
Funny things, strange things, ordinary things, old memories and the occasional thought that refused to leave me alone.
Flattening the Curve!
I really envy people with one of those spick-and-span homes. You know… the sort where everything is just about perfect. Not a cushion out of place, framed family photographs on the side…
An ode to the Palakkadan Ullisammanthi
Sometimes the quickest way home is through a smell.
Write by the River
A few days of writing by the river Periyar, and the people who made them unforgettable.
The Smile That Stayed
Some smiles remain with us long after the moment has passed.
The Unbroken Half
Sometimes, being incomplete does not mean being less.
What She Saw
Sometimes we catch only a moment of somebody else's story.
Sankalp – A Website Makeover
I still remember the excitement of getting an online address for Sankalp, a few years back… the process of hunting a suitable domain name, collecting photographs, writing the content, and…
The Unsung Heroes Behind Sankalp
I believe in the power of team work. Today, as Sankalp steps into its 15th edition at Kottayam, I can proudly say that we are scaling up the ladder in a steady manner only due to a fabulous…
The Friday Presence
Some people become part of our lives without ever really entering them.
An Honest Thiruvathira Confession
Of nostalgic mothers, traditional rituals, and one thoroughly reluctant daughter.
Sankalp ‘Crafts’n Weaves’ Sneak Peek – Stall No: 35
Sankalp ‘Crafts’n Weaves’ Edition 12 > 10, 11 December, 2016, Rotary Balbhavan > Panampilly Nagar, Kochi.
Sankalp – Kochi Beckons…
Recently, Linkedin reminded me that it was the 7th work anniversary of Sankalp. Time definitely flies! 7 years have passed smoothly and today, we are all set to unveil the 12th Edition of…
Sankalp – Team Power
We are all set to enter the 12th Edition of Sankalp ‘Crafts’n Weaves’…. December it is, at Kochi, and with the official confirmation to be brought out soon, i am really excited!
Storm in a Teacup
One clogged sink, two cups of tea and a brief bout of gender envy.
A Little Power
On bullying, misplaced authority, and the simple courtesy of treating people with respect.
I saw God…
The caste, religion or nativity of the person who saved her granddaughter’s life was immaterial. All that she knew was that she saw God in that man…
Wazir – a captivating thriller
A story about two unlikely friends, a capable ATS officer and a wheel chair bound chess grandmaster who is brought together by a quirk of ill fate, and who decides to help each other…
Trikarthika - Nostalgia unfolded
Of tiny lamps, family rituals, and the things that seem to have changed with the years.
Sankalp – More Than an Exhibition
It began with an exhibition and grew into a wonderful collection of women, stories and lasting bonds.
The India I grew up in
On faith, friendship and the India I grew up believing in.
Nightmare Nights!
I have been stabbed multiple times with a sharp knife by an unknown assailant, I have hopelessly lost my way in strange and lonely places without any idea of where I was or how to return…
Good bye, Dr Kalam
Remembering a man who taught a generation to dream with their eyes open.
Memories of another day - A village called Manjalur
Some places don’t really leave you, even when you leave them.
A boy called Arun
Sixteen years old, battling cancer, and still finding reasons to smile.
The Night Was Mine
When a sleepless night brought back Dhruva, Enid Blyton and a little bit of childhood magic.
The Green Eyed Monster!!!
On jealousy, irrational thoughts and the strange things insecurity can do to the mind.
Love is in the Air
And apparently, so are red hearts, teddy bears and heart-shaped chocolates.
Good bye, Mr. R.K.Laxman...
Remembering an extraordinary cartoonist whose humour was sharp, never cruel, and always wonderfully human.
Yes, PK Should Be Banned
On godmen, religious intolerance, morality, and the dangerous business of thinking.
The Resolution That Never Dies
Of old diaries, abandoned gym memberships, Black Forest pastries and the eternal quest to lose weight.
Thank you, Sunitha
Some people leave behind much more than they realise.
Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
A few months back, I had the opportunity to visit my almamater, along with a few friends. Our main motive was to regain a sense of ‘belonging’ that would arise out of meeting familiar faces…
Learning Lessons, the Hard way!
Pain, I feel, is the greatest teacher in life. There is nothing to beat that fact.
Elusive Questions
I really don’t know what my friend, Preetha had in mind when she gifted me a note book. Neatly wrapped in a pretty blue wrapper, she had sent it across as a no-occasion gift. But why did…
The Great Driving Licence Adventure
Of red ink, green signatures, helpful strangers and the great Indian bureaucratic adventure.
The Hartal Habit
On hartals, political egos and the ordinary citizen caught in the middle.
Amar Chitra Kathas and Childhood
Of summer afternoons, a little leather trunk and the childhood world inside those pages.
The Cruelty of Words
On victims, victimizers and the things we say when compassion would do.
I guess I am a responsible voter.
I vote once, complain for five years, and then do it all over again.
I Have A Dream...
A few dreams for my country, inspired by a dream that changed the world.
The Waiting Room
Of hypochondriacs, amateur doctors, unsolicited advice, and the many varieties of humanity found in a doctor’s clinic.
RIP, Telegram
Of pink telegrams, anxious postmen, curious children, and a chapter of our past that quietly disappeared.
Twilight, for Me
A time when memories return, the world grows quiet, and I find my way back to myself.
The Professions We Lost
Remembering the familiar faces and disappearing professions of childhood.
Thrissur Pooram - A Cultural Bonanza
Of elephants, parasols, percussion, fireworks and a festival that brings a city together.
Life Was Easier When Apple and Blackberry Were Fruits
An accidental lesson in surviving without a smartphone.
Before Facebook, There were Autograph Books
Of school friendships, handwritten memories and the delicious anticipation of a letter.
Advent of a New Year
Of hope, resolutions, fresh beginnings and the inexplicable excitement of January 1st
Nirbhaya shouldn't have died in vain...
What a terrible tragedy should have taught us about women, fear and the silence of society
I Came Across a Corpse Yesterday
And it made me think about death, curiosity and the living
The Meena Aunty Theory of Inflation
How rising prices, according to my neighbour, could actually make India healthier
When the Village Falls Silent
An evening in Manjallur, a lonely aunt, and the changing face of the village I remember
The View From My Treadmill
Twenty minutes of exercise, a busy road and a rather unexpected window into life outside
The Guruvayoor Ekadashi I remember
A childhood Guruvayur Ekadasi of cold mornings, wheat kanji, temple walks and little treasures
A heartfelt eulogy to Joy Sastampadikkal
It was pretty unnerving, seeing Joy sir’s picture in the front page of the Mathrubhoomi for the wrong reason. Ultimately, death has taken him away from our midst and the thought that he…
A Barbaric Custom
I just saw a really barbaric custom in television today. Called the Jallikkattu, which culminates the harvest festival of Pongal, in Tamilnadu, it involves trying to clamber upon a fiery…
School Youth Festivals
Kollam is a very busy place these days. Hosting the state school youth festival has never been an easy task, as has been proved time and again, and this time too, the various cultural…
Kudos to Kerala Police!
Interestingly enough, Kerala Police seems to be in the limelight for all the good reasons... They have managed to strategically place our own Palakkad in the world map, and that too, for a…
Nano, The new car model from TATA
Come monsoons, and the most common sight on the road would be that of whole families, complete with the husband, wife and two or more small kids, squeezed together in a motorbike or…
Coconut tales...
A few days back, there was a picture of a coconut tree laden with almost 2000 coconuts, in a local newspaper. Coconuts were hanging down very impressively, and it certainly left many a…
Rhythmic Malayalee
Let me wish the whole lot of you over there an extremely happy and prosperous New year! I guess i should be adding in 'healthy' too as an adjective of New year because, without proper…
movie - CBI series
All the malayalam tv channels were trying to outdo each other with their enthusiastic airing of recent movies on Christmas day! Starting as early as 9.30 in the morning, (wonder how anybody…
Golf Course
Did you realise that our 'God's Own Country' has taken another significant step to boost tourism?? Well... we malayalees are going to witness the rise of our own Golf course of…
Thiruvaathira
Today is Thiruvaathira, a very important festival for the Malayalee hindu woman.
A divine dusk...
Just picture a calm and peaceful dusk in your mind. The brilliant afternoon sun has lost it's might and has given way to subtle colours of the evening. Flocks of birds fly together to it's…
Anchoring... no mean task
speaking of the musical reality show, Idea Star Singer, i sort of like it's anchor, Ranjini Haridas. in spite of her anglicised malayalam or lack of proper diction, she seems to bring some…
Idea Star Singer
Malayalees seem to be hooked on to reality shows these days. If the television scenario was bossed over by those sob serials till recently, these days, everyone seems to be into music and…
Sabarimala season
This is the Sabarimala Season... the whole state is filled with devotees from all walks of life, who have taken their 'vratham' to visit the holy shrine of Lord Aiyappa. The cold, windy…
Google's Own Kerala...
Malayalees all over the world were in for a pleasant surprise this week. It was known that Kerala ranked first in the top 10 searched places for most exotic tourist location, through Google…