Mental Excursions

Men’s day indeed! You know what date it is today, don’t you? A few years ago, a young man challenged me about the importance of today, the 19th of November.   Now it is the birthday of a darling friend and the wedding anniversary of another dear one, and I wish them tons of joy and happiness, is what I told him. No, in a haughty proof of his superior knowledge on topics general, he enlightened me that the day is observed as International Men’s Day (IMD) the world over. I thought it was a joke, and a very poor one at that. But what the heck? Turned out he was right. This men’s day thing has been observed since 1992 and here I thought that every day was men’s day since that genius Adam somehow convinced his partner to bite into an apple, the fruit which was the first one to make it into Bible, and create all this chaos. We shall talk about apples some other time. Right now, my only concern is – the present, i.e., today. It was obviously a man, Thomas Oaster, who had in 1992, ...

A very good morning to you too! Trying to overcome this strange feeling of unnaturalness during Covid times, I looked for and found not one, but many suggestions, write-ups and videos from several well-wishers and the internet. Most said we should be grateful for what we have and not complain about what we do not have, which would make things easier in those difficult times. It seemed to make sense because the list of what we have is generally a whole lot shorter than that of our desires or wanna-haves. So, this exercise in gratitude not only takes very little time and effort, but also eggs people on to yearn for the longer list and distracts the mind from the current issues. Unlike what we do with most of the advice, I started to follow this in true spirit. For a few months I was effusive in my gratitude to and for everything- nature with all the living and non-living beings in it (lizards would forever be an exception), family and friends, residents in our complex who smile back,...

One for the road Can you compare my category of people with the supporting dancers in a Bollywood item song? No, they are energetic and dressed (in)appropriately. We, on the other hand, must be mere supporting actors to achievers on this planet. We exist, living quiet, dull lives while the history-makers do things. They love excitement and adventure and are not averse to taking a few risks to make life spicy. They do not join the army, for wars are few and far between nowadays. They go out for adventure sports and the like. Their existence is punctuated with thrill, enthusiasm, positivity, and excitement. Their names flash in news in electronic and print media, even if posthumously. Imagine yourself merrily enjoying the breeze and dull sunlight (there is a haze due to pollution) on your face riding your two-wheeler or sitting in your car, humming along with music, or enjoying a conversation with your fellow passenger, as you drive on the road . The time ticker on the traffic light c...

Good luck, Mr. Sunak! We Indians might seem indifferent or unconcerned about many issues, yet when it comes to politics, the fact remains that we are politically a very aware nation. Most of the people on the street have definite views on who (and why) should be our prime minister in the 2024 and later elections. Why, thousands of Indians give up their regular daily chores or the day’s bread and butter to crowd in sweltering heat for political rallies during election season to show their support for these leaders. That they get a measly sum of Rs 50 to 100 with a packet of stale poori-subzi, does not put a dent on their commitment to the cause. The icing on the cake is when a person of Indian origin creeps up the ladder to be in the supreme political position in some other country. Oh boy! we simply go into a tizzy! Remember how we talked on and on about Kamala Harris, her Tamil and her dosas when she became the vice president of the US of A? Switch on your television. All the chan...

Gamblers’ Diwali Shiva and Parvati playing Chaupar : Folio from Rasmanjari Series c.1694-95, attributed to Devidasa of Nurpur. (Miniature painting, The MET) Today is Saturday, and Monday is the big Diwali celebrations night. Diwali is mega Christmas for us Indians. Like Christmas, the preparation for this festival also begins with decorating the house, preparing, cooking, and gorging on a lot of food, especially Indian sweets ( mithai ) and starts days in advance. Yes, there is crazy amount of shopping and serious exchange of gifts too. As are prayers said on the birth of Lord Jesus, for us the worship of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi (for health and prosperity throughout the year) is what gives the day its religious sanctity. Like they do to celebrate Christmas, families follow their own traditions for Diwali as well. Strangely enough, one of these is playing cards or to put it bluntly, gambling. This is done among family and friends and is generally preceded or followed by hear...

I lost my needle! Have you ever lost a needle, a stapler pin, an awl pin or for that matter anything thin, small with a pointed end which could stick into something and stay stuck and hidden for ages? This is only a simple question and has no spiritual or any other connotation. One cool afternoon during my sojourn the week before last when I picked up my embroidery after a break, the needle was not there. I looked for it in the jumble of threads and in the orderly stacks. I picked up the fabric and dusted it in the air, but there was no ‘plink’ sound of the two-inch spike of carbon steel. Now I was concerned. While travelling, I carry only one or two needles. In fact, for the sake of convenience and as a precautionary measure, even in my sewing box at home, I keep a small fixed number of needles.    I looked carefully at the table, on the chair, on the carpet,  on the wooden floor around it,  passed my hand slowly over everything, hoping something sharp would...