A human brain is a versatile organ. “No computer can duplicate its myriad functions,” to quote Reader’s Digest. In spite of it we are assailed by forgetfulness, which proves to be sometimes very convenient. This temporary amnesia, which affects all of us from time to...
There was a recent article in Times of India in the aftermath of Pune Porsche case that we seem to be taking Yes- Parenting too far. When re-visiting some of my old articles, I realized that not much has changed from February 2017 to now. This piece published in...
It was a cold winter night in Lucknow. After I had managed to coax my toddler to bed, I settled under a quilt, cozy and snug, looking forward to some precious ‘me time’ with my book. This is when the doorbell rang to announce the arrival of my husband’s cousin, his...
In the frenzy that follows a celebrity death or any horrifying end to a well-known personality, the Freuds, Sherlocks and Devi Shettys of society come out of the woodwork to voice their expert opinions. News channels and social networking sites are full of messages...
Many of India’s middle-aged have become the sandwich generation, taking care of their elderly and the young. But what is it doing to them, especially the women? It was in the early 90s that I came across an ardent ‘foreign’ devotee at the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ashram in...
Devika Ramarathnam had divested her Marapachi Bommais (dolls) off their tattered clothes hoping to engage in some DIYs restoring them to past glory. She strongly believes that such dolls made of red sandal wood with its inherent medicinal properties needs to...
“Never criticise a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins,” is an old (Red) Indian proverb. Today in the customer care industry, we expect employees to be extremely empathetic in their dealings. They are taught to spout phrases such as, “I can understand what...
I have a thousand things to say to you and a thousand reasons not to… Are many adults caught in the predicament most effectively summarized by the above quote? Should we talk, shouldn’t we, on unpleasant yet important subjects to our children? What is the right age to...
A acquaintance is the youngest of many children. Like Peter Pan, she was a girl who never grew up. Sandwiched between her well-meaning older sibling and her versatile yet misdirected husband, she never ventured beyond her comfort zone. Recently, a mother who came to...