Of Birds and Bees... well, literally!

It was my mum’s idea! My daughter's first birthday was, well, not exactly around the corner… there were whole three months left to it. And yet, our daily hone bills were soaring sky high with every passing day over the same discussion in a constant loop – as to, what they’d give her for a gift!

-         Dress?

-         Well, then give me a wardrobe too!

-         Toys?

-         Do you have any idea how many of those are still unwrapped?

-         Something in gold?

-         Eww… Don't even think of that, not for me and my daughter (*roar*)

-         Then?

-         Well, let me think some more…

I wish you a Merry Christmas!

This had also been published in The Huffington Post, Women's Web and MyCity4Kids!!

"How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness, how the time has flown! How did it get so late so soon?” – had said Dr. Seuss!

Right! Before you barely get used to the new digits at the end of the date, it’s time to change it again. That time of the year is back. The Time of the times, the Month of the months!

Look! It’s December, again!!

Still Alice - a Film Review!

This article has also been published in Women's Web!


This is going to be a rather morbid post, I promise you!

When I had sat myself down to watch this movie, I was uninitiated, totally uninitiated. Of course, I had chosen it only because Julianne Moore, who played the protagonist in it, won herself the Oscar for it. Little did I have a notion of what to look for, what to think of it. But, having watched the gripping tale of “Still Alice”, all I can say is – it truly has been a lesson, at least. A lesson that, one, can really never learn!

How?

Kya "Tamasha" hai!

This is going to be one hell of an insane rant, muse, or I don’t know what! Bear with me.


I’ve often been, rather almost always been, rather envious of those who author self-help books; it seemed they’ve always had a Sufi, a saint, a pathfinder, or even if it's just a tarrot-card reader by the roadside, they've had them there for themselves right on time, right at the very corner of the road where they stopped to find their way. The right message on the poster, the right picture, sermon, song, the right thing at the right moment, just what they needed and when! It always, unfailingly, made me feel very little, feel - incessantly - like not being the chosen one, perhaps!

Menses - let it just be!

This post has also been published in The Huffington Post and Women's Web

"What is Durga Puja?" - they had asked!

This article has also been published at The Speaking Tree, Youthkiawaaz, WhatsupIndia, Gurgaon Moms and Women's Web!!


Now, strange things happen at times at most habitual moments. Like when they asked you to tell them "something about yourself" at your first job interview, and you looked blank. You did not know, until then, how difficult it could be to be asked to summarise your own self, in precise words and well-formed sentences, conclusively and sufficiently! You do not know where to start, what to carefully keep aside, what is just yours and not for the world to know, and what preciseness of the reply would fit the bill right, that is, to leave your audience engaged and pleased and to still be honest and at it. When confronted with casual curiosity, or even courtesy-calls, on something so damn close to you that you've grown up to belong to it or to be it yourself, it really gets bad. I know I am getting too gibberish for you to keep on reading this piece, especially in a season where you've so much to otherwise, and I duly apologise. Give me a chance to defend.

I'm just back from a very sudden going-total-blank-at-a-most-obvious-question situation at a non-Bong gathering. They casually, only slightly curiously, had just asked me one simple well-meaning question:

"What is Durga Puja?"

Girls Are Not Any Superior To Boys!!

This article has also been published in Women's Web and a magazine.

Girls are not any superior to boys. Please, it’s important to emphasise and re-emphasise this.

Those regular status messages and those frequent Whats-app forwards that paint the town pink – that tearful letter from a father to his married daughter, that list of things woman leaves behind in marriage, surname, home and freedom to not cook food, to why is mother the next best creation, or wait, the best! No, don’t buy them. Don’t buy them at all!

5 Ways To Raise Your Kid Gender Neutral

This article has been cross-published at The Huffington Post, YouthkiAwaaz, Mycity4kids and Women's Web.

1. Don’t buy them blue or pink.

The other day, my four year old asked, yet again:– Mum, are you sure?– Sure of what?– That pink is not the colour for girls, and blue for boys?– Yes, dear.

I took her to the balcony as we talked:
– Look at the sky. What colour do you see?
– Blue. Light blue.
– Now tell me, is the sky there only for boys? Does it shine or rain only for them and not us?
– No!

Re-United at the Sea...

This has also been published in Women's Web.



Days are long, bright and sunny -

Silver of water, blue of shades,

Vastness of the world at large -

The commerce, the many trades…

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - Film Review

This has also been published at Women's Web.


When I sat to watch the movie "Birdman", there was no denyng that it was indeed because it was the Oscar win this year. I knew that if I like it, it'd mean I've understood it; else, I plain haven't had got it. I had assumed it'd be one which would be rich in a way that I'd have to try and reach. That I'd need to understand references, watch out, and would possibly miss out on few layers.

At the end of it, I realise a different thing - that, what I actually missed out on was the name of the movie. The entire name, which is:

"Birdman - The unexpected Virtue of Ignorance!"

That said, the rest was really for you and for me, and for any and all of us.

Our first PTM!

This article has also been published in Women's Web, World of Moms! and a magazine.


I was ready to take the blame. I was ready to own it all up, before they would even start. In my wild imagination, I even pictured myself joining my hands as I would tell them all about it; but of course, better sense prevailed.

It was our first ever Parent Teacher Meeting, PTM as they call it these days. I was, to say the least, nervous.

It should not have been our first, which is, well, the first blow I was expecting.

Carbon copies

This article has also been published in Women's Web


Hate Tomatoes. Like, really! If raw, then, hate you too for it!

Fish markets turn them on.

Churches calm them down.

They love mushrooms, and loathe papayas. Especially, if ripe.

They put on and shed quite easily. Weight, that is.

Love to walk. And, to sleep.