Of words and vibes

 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

  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

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