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Without the Dark, We Would Never See the Stars

It was a starry winter evening, and the world felt full of life; everyone was out walking and enjoying the evening. We arrived at Ranjit’s new tailor shop, which had just opened after his old one was demolished. The new shop had two sides open, letting in the cool night air. The warm lights inside and the smell of fabric welcomed us. The shop is located directly across from the famous Monginis cake shop. Its speciality is that it is open at the front and on one side completely. Ranjit is usually seen enjoying his evening tea when we pass by. On that particular day, I was sharing a few instructions when I heard my husband calling me from the fruit vendor’s stall. “Jyothi, here’s Varghese ma’am!” I saw Mrs Varghese leaning against the fruit stall for support. I waved and gently asked Ranjit, “Do you know Varghese ma’am?” He shook his head to indicate that he didn’t, but everyone knew Varghese, ma’am. Although she wasn’t a school teacher, there wasn’t a child in the neighbourhood who hadn...
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Tapola: A Tranquil Haven for Nature Lovers

  The Diwali festivities are special due to the rituals, beautiful decorations, delicious food, and family bonding. These celebrations provide a welcome break for everyone, as offices, colleges, schools, and workplaces shut down during this time. The festival is also marked by the bursting of firecrackers, which can create a lot of noise. This year, on the day of Lakshmi Pooja, the incessant sounds from the firecrackers were particularly challenging. While the rituals emphasise that it’s just about light, the celebrations have become extravagant to make a significant impact on social media. The Diyas have been replaced by flashy lights, but the children bring joy as they build tiny forts of Emperor Shivaji out of mud. With a few days off, we felt the need to escape into nature. We were looking forward to visiting the Kaas plateau in Satara district, Maharashtra. The plateau has acres of special flowers that bloom just after the monsoons begin. It continues till the end of September...
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My Mother was a Parijata Flower

                                              Bloom where you’re planted During the heavy rains in May this year, the bridge near our home collapsed, and the municipal authorities planned to reconstruct it. This bridge was built over a wastewater outlet as well. After bulldozing the old bridge, they left the site unattended for several days. Our neighbourhood is called Rajyog Colony, but the roads are not paved well. With the bridge blocked, we had to take longer routes to reach our workplaces. The new park, located just 600 meters from our home, became inaccessible. As a result, we started walking through nearby colonies and alleys that led us to more distant areas. During one such walk in a neighbourhood with only bungalows, I came across Parijata plants lined along the pavement. It was late evening, and the flowers had begun to bloom. The white flowers with orange s...
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We are all visitors to this time, this place

  The piercing sound of the long lash caught my attention as a man approached the road. He was half-naked, wearing a type of palazzo-style garment on his lower body. His back was painted red, and he periodically lashed himself to the rhythm of the music. After a while, he began to beg for money. When the traffic signal turned green, we all rushed back to reality, driving forward before the lights turned red again. As I began to drive, I couldn’t help but wonder what the beggar hoped for in life — was it more lashes, more cash, more begging, or perhaps a hot meal? These thoughts lingered with me every time I encountered a situation. At college, I noticed preparations for new admissions were underway. The faculty seemed eager to welcome a new group of students. Many changes were occurring, particularly with the college becoming autonomous. I observed the faculty looking forward to these changes, including new positions and additional responsibilities. I wear a smartwatch, and when I ...
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My Red Car, My First Love on Wheels

  The photograph was dated July 19, 2016. Until now, I hadn’t paid attention to either the date or the car in the picture. In fact, for years afterwards, I didn’t think much about the date at all. I hadn’t picked up my car from the showroom because I wasn’t confident in my driving skills. I had chosen a small, gleaming red coloured car— one of the older models that hadn’t been sold. It stood out, brave and shining, among the newer models that looked so sleek and proud. It seemed like the best option for a novice driver; it suited my budget and was capable of handling difficult drives and narrow parking spaces. The date of purchase coincided with the birthdate of the eminent astronomer and astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar, whom we lost recently. I was recalling the memories of Dr Jayant Narlikar, but the photograph sent me down the memory lane. When I completed my Ph.D., my family and extended family expressed great appreciation. Everyone had kind words to share, but my mother-in-l...
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It Never Hurts to Keep Looking for Sunshine

The young man walked proudly holding his baby in his arms, the baby was just 4 months old. She was named Munmun and called Moon affectionately. She sported a beautiful smile and had plenty of admirers. Far away in a man-made forest, a black dog had a litter of two pups. One of the pups, as black as coal, tended to bump into everything around it. The other pup was beige and appeared healthy. A philanthropist adopted it within the first few days. Everyone fondly called the little black puppy Bumpy. Unfortunately, after losing its way, Bumpy ended up all alone at the top of the mountain, searching for someone to care for it. However, it refused to give up on life and continued to bump into people. Some kicked it, some petted it, while others simply ignored it. As time passed, Bumpy grew into a proud stray dog, carrying an air of dignity despite no one being able to identify its breed. In the forest, it met another dog, a black-and-white hound, and the two quickly became the best of friend...
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Hanami: The Joy of Learning

  PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES PHOTOGRAPH BY GETTY IMAGES It was Valentine’s Week, and the shops were filled with cute, cuddly teddy bears, red hearts, chocolates, and a variety of gifts. Valentine’s Day holds deep significance for many. It is a celebration of love, compassion, and to reflect kindness and empathy. That morning I happened to see an advertisement that said, ‘This Valentine, fall in love with learning’. Our housing society is home to more than 100 families, and every year we welcome a few new faces. We watch as little kids grow into adolescents, and we also see toddlers transition into curious kids. Among them, Prajvini and Saiesha are two little girls who capture my attention every day. At just four years old, they are full of curiosity and possess a certain magic. One day, I found them seated on the low boundary wall of the garden, surrounded by mounds of white rangoli powder. They had a packet of powdered color but seemed unsure of what to do with it. I flattene...
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