Describe your perfect birthday cake. #bloganuary I grew up in India in a small town called Dehradun. Birthdays, in those days, did not rate as high as festivals like Holi, Diwali which celebrate the community rather than an individual. Probably special food was made and if possible, family or friends were present to give me …
Tag Archives: point-of-view
The Monsoon
write a poem about rain #bloganuary – An Elegy to Harriet Monroe The staccato rap-tap-tap of thunder heralds the short and wet season:From the Bay of Bengal, humid, earth-scented,Howling, darkening shadows across the parched Delhi sky.Scented with drops of water falling on arid earth, soaring, trees shuddering in a maddened dance of excitement, announcing its …
Transitions
Writing an Author Bio is hard. So, after I published Moments in Transition: Stories of Maya and Jeena I wrote this: My Life in Spine Art What is hard about my bio is that I have been a rolling stone – sort of. So now, after The House on East Canal Road here is my …
The Open Door
I can hear footsteps clanging behind me; getting ominously louder and the panic inside me builds, ready to explode. I stand paralyzed staring at the wall in front of me. There is an ornate gate on one side, an iron crossbar shaped coat of arms on a massive wooden door in front and a humble …
A Cup of Restraint
At the dawn of civilization, Omar Khayyam said something to the effect of- a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou beside me – his portrayal of heaven on earth. We lapped it up. But I ask you, does this scenario have merit today in a civilization when we all must rush about …
My New Friend
My day started as it usually does. I half opened my eyes: clear, sunny morning with a cool breeze in our loft, in my city, Dilli; you know the one – if there be heaven on earth, this is it, this is it – penned by a Mughal emperor who I guess fancied himself a poet too. Well I agree …
My First Friend
His name is Mahmoud. I don’t think anything of it even though I know no one else by that name. True, my mother’s name is Prakash and I have another aunt by that name. My father has a brother in law with the same name as his. So does uncle Sheel. But then, my name …
Holiday Thievery
Recent reports of robberies in the ritzy Union Square shopping district have left me intrigued. For example, Chanel on tony Maiden Lane reported the loss of a 40 thousand dollar bag! The police say a group of girls called the Rainbow Girls (no relation to another group) are responsible for that and many other such …
Miles to Go and All That
Dear Rani Lakshmi Bai, Most people won’t write to you because you are not only dead but you have been dead for more than a 100 years. But I have to. You, Queen of Jhansi, leader of men, I want you to know that poems have been written about you, children sing songs about you, …
The Small Red Sweater
Clara held his hand as they walked through Central Park. She felt so sorry for Sal. Over the years they had drifted apart but she flew into JFK right away when she heard about little Timothy. Wanting to distract him she said “look at the colors on that Maple. Yellow, orange, red – we don’t …
Neerja Raman 