Of words and vibes

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A Journey of Bonhomie

Train journeys have always held a great fascination for me. The rhythmic sound of the moving train is music to my ears. I almost feel warm and snug as the gentle sway of the train lulls me to a state of calm and tranquillity. Of course, I love to stand on the platform and watch the meandering railway tracks beckoning me to places far away. And as a child I used to think that the engine driver had the coolest job in the world as the trains whizzed speedily ahead. I guess, I sometimes feel the same way even now, too! Since the pandemic hit us, my train journeys had been non-existent. And I missed them terribly. However, last week, I got an opportunity to embark on one such journey from Bengaluru to Madurai. And believe me, I couldn’t conceal my excitement. The moment I set foot on the station, I felt right at home as always. The familiar sights and sounds felt warm and inviting. People dragging heavy luggage, children squealing excitedly on seeing an approaching train, hawkers peddling

Ocean's Eleven

I recently went on a short trip to a seaside town with a group of ladies, mostly middle-aged working women and it was indeed a trip to remember. We met at the railway station. Initially the conversations revolved around husbands stranded at home with zero-knowledge of cooking, much at the mercy of food delivery boys; and teenage kids who were more than happy to say good-bye to their hovering moms. The train arrived. We got on board and soon the clanging wheels got us excited about a lot of other things. We chattered on about being free from domestic responsibilities for two full-days and being on our own. The compartment was filled with silly jokes and senseless laughter as we got younger in years. My mind travelled to my college days and I was reminded of the educational trips I went with my friends. Yes. We were teenagers, once more. As the night wore on, we realised we were teenagers only in terms of our endless giggles and jokes. We were given several upper berths for bed and

Of thought leadership and Indian Media

Recently, the Supreme Court came down heavily on Television channels for using ‘hate and all such spicy things’ to increase their ratings especially during their prime-time debates. Terming hate speech a ‘poison’ affecting the social fabric of the country, the Supreme Court asked, “Where is our nation headed to if hate speech is what we are feeding on?” Mainstream channels still hold sway and the role of the anchor becomes critical. Media must have freedom of expression but should know where to draw the line, the apex court added. The Supreme Court’s rap for Indian Television media comes at the heel of several controversial and often polarizing discussions that prime-time debates usually delve upon. These vitriolic debates often reach heated heights when communally or socially inflammatory issues are discussed with an eclectic ‘panel of experts’ who most often out-shout each other. Media traditionally is called as the fourth estate, the fourth pillar of democracy that is the watch

India Art Festival: An eclectic celebration of art

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, man’s ultimate need or desire in life is to live to his highest potential; to actualize or to become everything that one is capable of becoming. And one of the most potent ways that man can come close to this elusive self-actualization is through artistic expression. As John Lubbock once said, “art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life.” Art elevates us mere mortals beyond the cares of everyday life into a realm of beauty and wonder. Art captures moments and emotions that are frozen fresh on canvas for centuries. Reason why, Frida Kahlo once said, “I paint flowers so they will not die.” Art is not just the creative expression of the artist’s soul, it is also an aphrodisiac for the art lover who gets to live and relive the experiences created by the artist, time and again. And that is exact

Family that travels together, stays together

It is said that a family that prays together stays together. True that. But as a travel enthusiast, I would also say that a family that travels together, stays together. Travel provides an amazing bonding experience to families. Traveling offers a chance to move away from the mundane dance of the routine. It’s a change from the daily drama of work, school, finances and relational entanglements. It provides families with an opportunity to forget the cares of the world; to unload the burdens of everyday life and to escape into the magic of faraway lands and idyllic retreats. In today’s fast-paced world of technology, families do not have the time to have one meal together in a day. In fact, children and parents communicate with each other more through Whatsapp messages rather than through face-to-face conversations. Such is the reality of city life. In situations like this, travel offers the much-needed respite from the humdrum of everyday life and gives families a chance to unwind

Of flowering trees and the magic of youth

It’s spring in Bengaluru. The Cherry Blossoms (Tabebuia Rosea trees) lining the roads are in full bloom. The trees covered with pretty pink flowers look like giant cotton candy. If I choose to ignore the bumper-to-bumper traffic, the street hawkers and the incessant honking, I would say I am in some pink, fluffy fairyland. Or should I say, Barbieland? The roads, too, are covered with pink petals and it feels surreal. Of course, all’s not pink here. There are the Copper Pod trees covered with yellow flowers. So bright and cheery that it almost makes me smile. Then, there are the flaming red flowers of the Gulmohar, infrequently firing up some quaint street corner of my favourite Bengaluru hangout, Koramangala. Yes, spring is glorious in Bengaluru, indeed. And you know what else is glorious? The vivacious laughter and the carefree capers of youth. I teach in a college in the city. Every day, I see young people - teens and newly minted twenty-somethings - walk into my classroom with