Author: An Extraordinary Woman
-
Remembering Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassination…
I wrote this letter as part of a Coursera assignment. A day later, the former Japanese Prime Minister was assassinated… The coincidence/ timing was spooky! Disclaimer – The post is neither intended to hurt anybody’s sentiments nor to condone violence. Dear Miss Mukherji For some reason, I got reminded of the day Prime Minister Rajiv…
-
Strange Things I Like About Stranger Things
You’ve to be living under a rock if you’ve not heard of Stranger Things. Season 4 just wrapped up & I can safely say I love this series. TBH, the horror/ mystery/ suspense/ thriller genre is one of my favourites; so that’s a given. But there are many other, well, strange things that I like…
-
Today, My Boat Is Capsizing
Creativity is chaotic. On many days, my brain is a tangle of feelings, none of which are able to find their way to paper. This hinders not just my advancement but also becomes a big reason for stress. Even after writing for so many years, there are days when my guiding instincts seem to play…
-
Cooking, Lockdowns & Keeping Sane
Disclaimer – I recognise I was hugely privileged to be able to experiment in the kitchen when there were people out there who were struggling to make ends meet during the first lockdown. As then, so now, my heart goes out to them. I did whatever I could to support them. Before the lockdown, my…
-
That One Special Day
Good spouses don’t really need a reason to be celebrated but their birthdays come around just once a year. When we make this day special for them, they know that they’re appreciated, a thing that usually gets lost in the chaos of life. I’ve always seen the elders around me celebrate their spouses on their…
-
Hiranya Kashyap – A Demon or Just ‘Being Human’?
If you know the legend of Hiranya Kashyap, Holika & Prahlad, please help me answer this question – were the first two demons or just ‘being humans’?
-
A Night to Remember
Gauri and Paulomi, 25-year-olds, are caught in the work – relationship – family pressure cycle. Until one day, when the Universe conspires to release them… A short story to remind you of your young days!
-
I Lost My Grandmother to Cancer
This was shared by The Grief Reality in their ‘As Told By You’ section – As Told By Priya Thank you Katie & Evee for sharing my grief story! My heartfelt support to all who have lost a loved one…
-
Gratitude For Health
A thought that churned in my head yesterday, while reflecting over the occasion of World Health Day, has been gratitude! First & foremost, I’m grateful for the health of my parents & my loved ones. My parents got the damn COVID in the second & third waves. In fact, almost everyone we knew was either…
-
If it All Changed Tomorrow
Originally posted on Timeless Classics: ***** If we got that phone callSaying they won’t be coming homeIf the waters roseIf the earth began movingIf the air lifted buildingsAnd slammed them down againIf the other car hadn’t braked just in timeIf that knock came on the doorIf they said please come with meWe’ll clear this misunderstanding…
-
A Tale of Tails
In 2021, I’d a chance to interview Reeya Thakur for my society magazine. I’d come to know her as the woman who fed community animals during the lockdowns. What was small scale then is now a fulltime job for this animal lover & activist. For Reeya, animal love encompasses all animals with whom she shares…
-
A Single’s Chronicle
15 February, the world over, is observed as Singles Awareness Day for single people to celebrate. I’m sure there are quite a few out there who either actively dislike Valentine’s Day or don’t understand the hype about it. Over the years, I’ve become less vocal about my own relationship with Valentine’s Day. But Singles Awareness…
-
I Lost My Grandmother to Cancer
I miss my paternal grandmother – fondly called mummyji by all – everyday but today, on World Cancer Day, my longing for her becomes more pronounced. And the pain, a trifle more unbearable. I lost my grandmother when I was a child. I’d not even touched six then. My memory of her is a little…
-
Preserving Mental Health During the Third COVID Wave
The first COVID wave was merely inconvenient for most of us. The second wave was downright dangerous &, in many cases, life-altering. & now the third one is upon us. 2020 was about coping with changes, coming to terms with disappointments of plans not materialising, & about financial crisis. 2021 was about grief & hopelessness.…
-
Disability – What’s That?
Today is United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Coincidentally, I recently heard this anecdote from a doctor about his experience with a patient. Two girls visited him along with their dad. The younger one pointed to her elder sister, who needed the consultation. The doctor asked the elder sister, “Beta, aap kis class…
-
Lived Through
At times, I still find it difficult to believe what we’ve lived through. It seemed unreal… like a horror movie! Benches, gardens & parks that once overflowed with frolicking children & laughing elders had been empty for more than a year. Nature, of course, rejoiced! Songbirds occupied these benches & parks, tantalised us, “Come out.…
-
Karva Chauth/ Teej – Choice or Compulsion?
It being Karva Chauth today, I got reminded of an incident that compelled me to write down my thoughts. A few years ago, a lady on my Facebook list posted something to the effect – ‘Women talk about feminism & then go ahead & take their husband’s surname.’ There were a few who agreed with…
-
Keeping The Memories
Disclaimers – This post contains spoilers. If you have not watched The Keepers yet, please watch before reading. If you do not plan to watch The Keepers, I recommend you do watch. This post is just an outpouring of my emotions & thoughts after seeing the docuseries. It is not meant to be any kind…
-
Please Do Not Judge!
Like my friend D exclaimed, “Pandemic or no pandemic, this judging (especially on social media) has to, has to STOP!” & I can’t agree more. But, for now, limiting myself to appeal against the condemnation the content creation community has faced. Read on!
-
The Dog-father
So, today is the day we will tell our fathers how much we love them. However, there is one category of children who are unable to tell their daddies the depth of their love. Because they cannot speak. Thus, they show it with their actions every single day. But, if they could speak/ write, I…
-
‘Jab’ We Met!
Disclaimer – LONG Post N & I got our first COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday, 8 May 2021. We had booked a slot for Max Hospital Patparganj for 13 May but wanted an earlier one. We rescheduled for BLK – Max Super Speciality Hospital for 8th when we got the availability. I wanted to write this…
-
Abhi To Main Jawan Hun!
I looked around my drawing room & flushed with happiness. Thanks to the COVID-19 vaccine, I could resume my kitty parties. I smiled at the lovely ladies & exclaimed, “I’m so glad all of us got vaccinated. We can resume our monthly parties now.” There was a stunned silence in the room. I could feel…
-
The Story of My Sabbatical
You can read Parts I, II & III here, here & here respectively. An Epilogue Sorry I need to blabber more. Because I got a few questions centring around “So what do you do now?” & a couple of unsolicited advice saying something like, “Think and judge your constraints and keep trying with good corporate…
-
World Poetry Day
Today’s World Poetry Day But I do not know what to say. People say I write well. But poetry does not ring a bell. I struggle to find a rhyme. The only word that goes here is thyme. Poems have always fascinated me. But composing them is not my cup of tea. I like how…
-
The Story of My Sabbatical
You can read Parts I & II here & here respectively. Part III – The Second Year From February 2018 or so, I began my job hunt. The primary reason for this was my savings depleting. I expanded my initial preference of not-for-profit/ start-ups to include corporate (as the former was not yielding results). I…
-
The Story of My Sabbatical
You can read Part I here. Part II – The First Year I spent the first few months contemplating what kind of job I wanted. I was keen on either not-for-profit organizations or start-ups. I channeled my energy in this direction. I got a couple of good head starts but due to some or the…
-
The Story of My Sabbatical
I have taken long to write about my ‘sabbatical’ experience. I was unsure about sharing it with the wider world earlier but now I am ready. Let me begin. & I must caution – this three-part series contain my personal experiences & emotions. Part 1 – The Background Flashback to August 2016: I had moved…
-
You’ll Be Missed
I have always been proud of being unattached to material possessions. It is not that I do not value my belongings. In fact, I take good care of them. But I do not attach undue importance to at least 90% of my possessions. I thus usually do not get heartbroken if something breaks/ tears occasionally.…
-
You…
I walk down the road,I remember your tousled hair.The wind whispers your name,I feel your touch in the air. Time spent with you,Is my best time ever.No matter what I talk about with you,It’s my best conversation ever. I like it when you brush your hand against mine,I like it when you whisper into my…
-
Caught In Between
I am no more a child but am still innocent I am not yet a grown up but am expected to be Life’s being unfair… it is a tug – of – war &’m caught in between They say I should grow up They say I am naïve I do not ask them for much…
-
Alone… And Happy
I recently read a blog post by Jenny in Neverland on the Benefits of Alone Time & nodded my head vigorously at every single point. But her post got me thinking about the times when the lack of alone time affected my mental health & my behavior. My first experience was at business school. My…
-
Bulbbul Got Me Thinking
Beaming that my article on the movie Bulbbul published on Women’s Web. If you’ve not seen the movie, please do so before reading the article. I tried to keep away from spoilers but a couple may have sneaked in. 13 Questions That The Netflix Film Bulbbul Got Me Thinking About… Any Answers?
-
What Not to Say to Anyone Who’s Faced Discrimination
The last weekend I watched Axone on Netflix. As I do with most of the movies I watch, I wrote on social media what my thoughts emerging from the movie were – “#axonethefilm is a better representation of the #Discrimination faced by northeastern #Indians than #penalty is. The movie touched a chord. I was heartbroken…
-
Bulbbul Got Me Thinking
I find it difficult to follow web series. It is a task keep watching season after season, being left on a cliff-hanger in a season finale, & remembering the previous one when a new season hits. I prefer movies infinitely & OTT has made it possible for short movies to be made. So, when I…
-
He Left Us Aching
It has been 15 days since Sushant Singh Rajput died & yet, there are moments when my heart refuses to believe he is no more. I see his smiling images on social media & think – “he looks so ‘alive’!” I am neither an expert on Bollywood nor on mental health. So, I will refrain…
-
Fall Apart…
If you fall apart, I will collect the pieces & make you one again. As I fall apart, I see the pieces scattering around me… – Something I wrote in another life
-
To groom or not to groom?
One of the thoughts that struck me at the beginning of the confinement was a positive (unsurprisingly!). A containment benefit was not having to undergo the painful waxing process. Temporary relief! But it was highly likely that I would emerge on the other side looking like Chewbacca! I’d thought that once the curfew was over,…
-
Un-mothers
Today, a week after Mother’s Day, I want to speak to the ‘un-mothers’. Un-mothers is the label given by society to the women – Whose child abandoned her, Who lost a child, Who had a stillborn, Who had a miscarriage, Who could not conceive, no matter how much she tried. It is okay. You are…
-
Thoughts in The Times of a Pandemic – Be Grateful
I notice how my outlook has changed ever since I adopted/ discovered/ found/ started practicing gratitude. (What is the right word to use for an emotion that was always there hidden away & has surfaced now?) I have had the ‘why me?’ tendency. I have been trying to cure it by practicing gratitude. I also…
-
I Am Sorry, 2020!
Today, India lost Rishi Kapoor, an actor. Yesterday, the country lost Irfan Khan, another excellent actor. The two deaths, coming in the middle of a pandemic, have caused almost an outrage on social media. Outrage against 2020. The year 2020… yes, the year! IMHO, that’s gross injustice to the year, specially when the tragedies are…
-
Thoughts in The Times of a Pandemic – Being Kind!
I’ve realized an aspect that’s important right now – being kind. Well, it’s always important but I’m human. Be kind to the young children who are unable to understand why they can’t go down to play. Be kind to the school & college going kids who are unable to meet their friends. Be kind to…
-
Complex Issues
This post of mine was published on Women’s Web! https://www.womensweb.in/2020/02/how-we-readily-share-our-good-times-but-shy-away-from-being-openly-vulnerable-feb20wk1sr/
-
A SELF – ASSESSMENT ON DALE CARNEGIE’S PRINCIPLES
Where Do I Stand On The Philosophies Enlisted In ‘How To Win Friends & Influence People’ (HTWF&IP) My second book for 2020 was the timeless bestseller How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Before I read the book, I’d always thought it would be a cliched one. After all, the title itself…
-
Three Hard Truths I Learnt About Happiness
The first book I picked up in 2020 was Happiness Unlimited. It is a series of conversations between Sister BK Shivani & Suresh Oberoi. I had heard Sister BK Shivani speak on TV a couple of times. Unlike other god-men/ god-women, she made sense to me. So, when I got this book for a discount…
-
Complex Issues
Over the last few weeks, a thought has been nagging me. Indians are a strange lot. We love chattering but only about shiny, happy matters. Broach a complicated question and we clam up. In fact, we can go on for hours about geopolitics or the latest Bollywood gossip, but do not utter even a squeak…
-
My Top 2019 Watches
I wasn’t a film buff ever. Growing up in Patna in the 1990s, there weren’t too many options to go to a cinema hall to watch a movie. Also, I felt myself more attracted to books than to the big screen. However, over the last couple of years, I notice myself watching more & more…
-
My Top 2019 Reads
Ever since I opted out of the corporate world, my reading has increased. By the time 2019 ends, I would have read 30 books. (It would be more than 30 as I counted only the ones I had reviewed on Twitter.) I have always been a voracious reader, but, daily routine & circumstances made my…
-
Friendships of The Year
Over the last couple of weekends, I have been lucky to witness friendship at its finest. At N’s friend, T’s wedding, his friends perhaps numbered more than family. In a world where relationships have become transactional, it was heartening to see friends descend from all over the world to celebrate their pal’s holy matrimony. Maybe,…
-
My Bucket List
Eight years back, I realized the perfect synonym for life. It is uncertainty. I did not really know what I will be presented with the next day (or what will be thrown at me). Consequently, I compiled my bucket list (with a wee bit of inspiration from a friend). It transcended across time. A few…
-
PERFECTLY SANE
His smile; his gentle demeanor; his impeccable manners – They had all swept her off her feet. She had felt then that it was the end of her search; that she had found happiness finally. Little was she to know… It had been a pleasant summer evening. He had politely asked her mother if he…
-
It Took Me Just 15 Days To Have An Affair
A fictional story related to the odd-even rule in Delhi On the odd days, I hitched a ride with him in his Verna. On the even days, he escorted me in my City. We had lived in the same condominium but it had taken the odd-even rule for us to meet. Heck, I did not…
