Nostalgic's articles Nothing personal, Mr Twain! #FridayReflections Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why.” My views on this, however, are slightly differ. Allow me to explain. To begin with, how can one ever be sure of what one is born to do or be? […] August 4, 2018August 6, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Kashi Art Cafe #WordlessWednesday This is my entry for #WordlessWednesday. The above pic was taken at Kashi Art Cafe during one one of my trips to Kochi. The installation comprising of five metal human-heads arrayed one on top of another conveys varying emotions, and it is this amalgamation of art and psyche that, to me, speaks more than a […] August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Life in collaboration Life is like a blank canvas and our mind a paintbrush. We dip it in hues of varied emotions; the red of anger, the crimson of blush, a gloomy blue, a sunny yellow, a refreshing green and a million others. However, the same colour can have different interpretations for different people. For example, red can […] August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Are you a bookworm too? The ‘Bookworm Bingo' tag has been doing the rounds on Instagram, and so I decided to bring it onto the Blogosphere as well. Below is the original tag and my pictorial edited version. I have also included a customized description of my choices, because for someone who loves words, I just could't restrict myself to […] July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked The pro(s) of #ProteinWeek For all those who are diet conscious and working on that size zero figure, here is a fun fact for you.Around 68% percent (or more) of Indians are not happy with their body and suffer from low self esteem. Coincidentally, around the same number have insufficient protein intake and land themselves up in trouble. Pic […] July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked The looking glass If mirrors could talk, I'd demand to knowWhy it stays mum when I wear my make up too loudMy lipstick too red, my kohl too darkWhy doesn’t it tell me that I am still beautifulWithout that layer of white-wash on my faceThat appearances do not define me, it is whatLies inside me that does, why […] July 14, 2018July 14, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Losing count on #WorldPopulationDay “Didi, I have to go to the doctor for a checkup today. I am pregnant,” my house help announces, a little embarrassed. “Oh Congratulations!” I say instinctively, even before realising that her face does not reflect the happinesses an expectant mother’s should. Lalita (name changed) has been working with us for the last five years […] July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Mindfulness decoded “I wish I could be in two places at one time,”my friend sighed. “Wished every woman ever,” I laughed, and we both rolled our eyes. She was desperately trying to squeeze her hair spa appointment in between her work hour break. The voucher she had won for an Instagram giveaway had been pending since the […] July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Movie review of ‘Nude' Have you ever witnessed an exhibition of nude paintings? What is your first reaction? Do you lower your gaze and turn away out of fear of appearing too brazen? Do you look around to observe reactions from people around you before voicing your own? Or do you stand in silence, lost in reverance for the […] June 30, 2018June 30, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked ‘Always & forever' (a short story) Miles away, living in a different city, Ajay missed her terribly…sometimes even more than family. His family would often tease him about it; that he spent more time with her than with them. But what was presumed to be puppy love had blossomed into a symbiotic dependency over the years. Now in a new city, […] June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Of choices and illusions I was reading an article in the newspaper, when my eyes fell on this one particular line that stood out like a sore thumb.“Our lives are defined by the choices we make,” it read, in bold, right at the center of the printed piece. And that got me thinking. Is it fair to call every […] June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked #OpenNTalk: That's the way the cookie crumbles Imagine this enticingly gorgeous Black-Forest cake (complete with dark chocolate glaze dripping et al) sitting coyly in your fridge, waiting to be devoured. You have recently discovered and confessed your love for Black-Forest, and your possessiveness is at its zenith, forbidding everyone else from enjoying it, because, well, you’re a crazy cookie who tends to […] June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked #OpenNTalk of handshakes and first impressions Over the last couple of days, the Twitterverse has been constantly abuzz with comments on the recent handshake exchanged between French president Emmanuel Macron and POTUS.As a matter of fact, it wasn’t so long ago that our beloved Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, had extended a similar kind of torture on poor Mr Kumarswamy, who […] June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked #OpenNTalk of a plastic-free world Every year, the United Nations celebrates 5th June to commemorate our relationship with the environment and make us aware of where we are heading with it. As a child, I remember planting a sapling on this day each year. It was a kind of school tradition, an extra curricular activity to help us understand that […] June 5, 2018June 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Identity If they stop and ask you who you are Give them no reply Let them search you for your identity, you have none Free souls do not belong to any religion Caste, creed, gender- nothing matters You fly beyond these boundaries Demarcating triage and high-risk zones If they stop and ask you who you are […] May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked The dirty truth There comes a time when the only way to start living is to tell a story. Some may call it redemption, some call it the truth. Whether fact or fiction, who is to say? Life, after all, is a complex amalgamation of what is and what we want it to be. As children, we are […] May 20, 2018May 20, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Movie review: ‘October' Movie Title: October Genre: Romance/drama Director: Shoojit Sircar Story: Juhi Chaturvedi Producer: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar Cast: Varun Dhawan, Banita Sandhu, Ajay Sharma, Gitanjali Rao and others The film starts on a casual note, showing us a typical day in the life of Dan, a hotel management student interning at a five star hotel, who […] April 14, 2018April 14, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Of why I am against the Big Fat Indian Wedding There are two types of people in this world – those who love Indian weddings, and those who do not. I have to proudly say that I belong to the latter category. Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against the celebration of the sanctimonious union of two souls in holy matrimony. However, what […] April 12, 2018April 12, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Debunking beauty stereotypes Every woman, in the course of her life time, encounters feelings of self-doubt and deprecation wherein she turns extremely critical of her body image. Sometimes these phases last longer than usual leading you to abhor the person you see in the mirror. All of a sudden, your face seems too fat, your nose too big, […] April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Musafir diaries: the travels of a gypsy heart “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ St Augustine I was bitten by the travel bug rather early on in life. As a child, I recall looking forward to the end of every academic year. Vacations not just meant freedom from exams and school but also […] April 4, 2018April 4, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked The worth of water “World sparrow day, can you believe that?!!” my friend exclaimed, rolling her eyes.We were at our regular haunt to grab a quick lunch when she casually flipped out her phone for a random social network check.On scrolling through the trending topics on Twitter, this unique hashtag had caught her attention.“Anything becomes a social trend these […] March 22, 2018March 22, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked From Hari to Hawkings: The politics of ‘Chinese Whispers' If I were to advocate a particular theory all my life, and some ignorant bubblehead, after my demise, declared that I proclaimed something absolutely contrary to it, what would I do?Well, practically, nothing. Because the dead unfortunately cannot defend themselves (the likely reason why that someone would be abusing the opportunity). But if I was […] March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked From Holi to Hooliganism: the ugly side to a glorious festival Long long ago, the festival of Holi was started to herald the end of winter and welcome the beginning of Spring. However, with time, this occasion, also known as the festival of colours, this day that supposedly celebrated the triumph of good over evil, gradually changed meaning.Cut to present day, the essence of Holi is […] March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Book review: The fragile thread of hope Book Title: The Fragile Thread of Hope: A gripping emotional inspirational fiction Author: Pankaj Giri Format: Kindle (available in e-book) ‘The fragile thread of hope' by Pankaj Giri had been in my TBR list since quite some time now. But truth be told, I'd plain forgotten about it. Had that not been the case, I'd […] March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Are you healthy-E-nough? As a doctor, I often am hounded by extended family and friends asking for tips to good health. However, today, with the world resorting to drastic changes in lifestyle, the answer to this question is becoming increasingly difficult. With hardly any time for a well-balanced nutritious diet and exercise, we deprive ourselves in areas that […] January 24, 2018January 24, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Book review: ‘Padmavati – the queen tells her story' It is December, the season where wishes are granted in mysterious ways. It was just the other day that I was cribbing about the deferred release of Sanjay Lila Bhansali's movie ‘Padmavati' because of the row created by the Karni Sena.Having read about the legendary queen of Chittor in my childhood (‘Amar Chitra katha' phase) […] December 23, 2017December 23, 2017 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Random You never realize when or how it slips in. But by the time it makes itself evident, it's almost always too late. It has embroiled itself into your life, made its way through the labyrinth of your thoughts, and depending on how it shapes, is destined to liberate or destroy you. You attempt to ignore […] August 8, 2017August 8, 2017 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Nothing personal, Mr Twain! #FridayReflections Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why.” My views on this, however, are slightly differ. Allow me to explain. To begin with, how can one ever be sure of what one is born to do or be? […] August 4, 2018August 6, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Kashi Art Cafe #WordlessWednesday This is my entry for #WordlessWednesday. The above pic was taken at Kashi Art Cafe during one one of my trips to Kochi. The installation comprising of five metal human-heads arrayed one on top of another conveys varying emotions, and it is this amalgamation of art and psyche that, to me, speaks more than a […] August 3, 2018August 3, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Life in collaboration Life is like a blank canvas and our mind a paintbrush. We dip it in hues of varied emotions; the red of anger, the crimson of blush, a gloomy blue, a sunny yellow, a refreshing green and a million others. However, the same colour can have different interpretations for different people. For example, red can […] August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Are you a bookworm too? The ‘Bookworm Bingo' tag has been doing the rounds on Instagram, and so I decided to bring it onto the Blogosphere as well. Below is the original tag and my pictorial edited version. I have also included a customized description of my choices, because for someone who loves words, I just could't restrict myself to […] July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The pro(s) of #ProteinWeek For all those who are diet conscious and working on that size zero figure, here is a fun fact for you.Around 68% percent (or more) of Indians are not happy with their body and suffer from low self esteem. Coincidentally, around the same number have insufficient protein intake and land themselves up in trouble. Pic […] July 25, 2018July 25, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The looking glass If mirrors could talk, I'd demand to knowWhy it stays mum when I wear my make up too loudMy lipstick too red, my kohl too darkWhy doesn’t it tell me that I am still beautifulWithout that layer of white-wash on my faceThat appearances do not define me, it is whatLies inside me that does, why […] July 14, 2018July 14, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Losing count on #WorldPopulationDay “Didi, I have to go to the doctor for a checkup today. I am pregnant,” my house help announces, a little embarrassed. “Oh Congratulations!” I say instinctively, even before realising that her face does not reflect the happinesses an expectant mother’s should. Lalita (name changed) has been working with us for the last five years […] July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Mindfulness decoded “I wish I could be in two places at one time,”my friend sighed. “Wished every woman ever,” I laughed, and we both rolled our eyes. She was desperately trying to squeeze her hair spa appointment in between her work hour break. The voucher she had won for an Instagram giveaway had been pending since the […] July 3, 2018July 3, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Movie review of ‘Nude' Have you ever witnessed an exhibition of nude paintings? What is your first reaction? Do you lower your gaze and turn away out of fear of appearing too brazen? Do you look around to observe reactions from people around you before voicing your own? Or do you stand in silence, lost in reverance for the […] June 30, 2018June 30, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
‘Always & forever' (a short story) Miles away, living in a different city, Ajay missed her terribly…sometimes even more than family. His family would often tease him about it; that he spent more time with her than with them. But what was presumed to be puppy love had blossomed into a symbiotic dependency over the years. Now in a new city, […] June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Of choices and illusions I was reading an article in the newspaper, when my eyes fell on this one particular line that stood out like a sore thumb.“Our lives are defined by the choices we make,” it read, in bold, right at the center of the printed piece. And that got me thinking. Is it fair to call every […] June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
#OpenNTalk: That's the way the cookie crumbles Imagine this enticingly gorgeous Black-Forest cake (complete with dark chocolate glaze dripping et al) sitting coyly in your fridge, waiting to be devoured. You have recently discovered and confessed your love for Black-Forest, and your possessiveness is at its zenith, forbidding everyone else from enjoying it, because, well, you’re a crazy cookie who tends to […] June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
#OpenNTalk of handshakes and first impressions Over the last couple of days, the Twitterverse has been constantly abuzz with comments on the recent handshake exchanged between French president Emmanuel Macron and POTUS.As a matter of fact, it wasn’t so long ago that our beloved Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, had extended a similar kind of torture on poor Mr Kumarswamy, who […] June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
#OpenNTalk of a plastic-free world Every year, the United Nations celebrates 5th June to commemorate our relationship with the environment and make us aware of where we are heading with it. As a child, I remember planting a sapling on this day each year. It was a kind of school tradition, an extra curricular activity to help us understand that […] June 5, 2018June 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Identity If they stop and ask you who you are Give them no reply Let them search you for your identity, you have none Free souls do not belong to any religion Caste, creed, gender- nothing matters You fly beyond these boundaries Demarcating triage and high-risk zones If they stop and ask you who you are […] May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The dirty truth There comes a time when the only way to start living is to tell a story. Some may call it redemption, some call it the truth. Whether fact or fiction, who is to say? Life, after all, is a complex amalgamation of what is and what we want it to be. As children, we are […] May 20, 2018May 20, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Movie review: ‘October' Movie Title: October Genre: Romance/drama Director: Shoojit Sircar Story: Juhi Chaturvedi Producer: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar Cast: Varun Dhawan, Banita Sandhu, Ajay Sharma, Gitanjali Rao and others The film starts on a casual note, showing us a typical day in the life of Dan, a hotel management student interning at a five star hotel, who […] April 14, 2018April 14, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Of why I am against the Big Fat Indian Wedding There are two types of people in this world – those who love Indian weddings, and those who do not. I have to proudly say that I belong to the latter category. Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against the celebration of the sanctimonious union of two souls in holy matrimony. However, what […] April 12, 2018April 12, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Debunking beauty stereotypes Every woman, in the course of her life time, encounters feelings of self-doubt and deprecation wherein she turns extremely critical of her body image. Sometimes these phases last longer than usual leading you to abhor the person you see in the mirror. All of a sudden, your face seems too fat, your nose too big, […] April 10, 2018April 10, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Musafir diaries: the travels of a gypsy heart “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ St Augustine I was bitten by the travel bug rather early on in life. As a child, I recall looking forward to the end of every academic year. Vacations not just meant freedom from exams and school but also […] April 4, 2018April 4, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The worth of water “World sparrow day, can you believe that?!!” my friend exclaimed, rolling her eyes.We were at our regular haunt to grab a quick lunch when she casually flipped out her phone for a random social network check.On scrolling through the trending topics on Twitter, this unique hashtag had caught her attention.“Anything becomes a social trend these […] March 22, 2018March 22, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
From Hari to Hawkings: The politics of ‘Chinese Whispers' If I were to advocate a particular theory all my life, and some ignorant bubblehead, after my demise, declared that I proclaimed something absolutely contrary to it, what would I do?Well, practically, nothing. Because the dead unfortunately cannot defend themselves (the likely reason why that someone would be abusing the opportunity). But if I was […] March 17, 2018March 17, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
From Holi to Hooliganism: the ugly side to a glorious festival Long long ago, the festival of Holi was started to herald the end of winter and welcome the beginning of Spring. However, with time, this occasion, also known as the festival of colours, this day that supposedly celebrated the triumph of good over evil, gradually changed meaning.Cut to present day, the essence of Holi is […] March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Book review: The fragile thread of hope Book Title: The Fragile Thread of Hope: A gripping emotional inspirational fiction Author: Pankaj Giri Format: Kindle (available in e-book) ‘The fragile thread of hope' by Pankaj Giri had been in my TBR list since quite some time now. But truth be told, I'd plain forgotten about it. Had that not been the case, I'd […] March 2, 2018March 2, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Are you healthy-E-nough? As a doctor, I often am hounded by extended family and friends asking for tips to good health. However, today, with the world resorting to drastic changes in lifestyle, the answer to this question is becoming increasingly difficult. With hardly any time for a well-balanced nutritious diet and exercise, we deprive ourselves in areas that […] January 24, 2018January 24, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Book review: ‘Padmavati – the queen tells her story' It is December, the season where wishes are granted in mysterious ways. It was just the other day that I was cribbing about the deferred release of Sanjay Lila Bhansali's movie ‘Padmavati' because of the row created by the Karni Sena.Having read about the legendary queen of Chittor in my childhood (‘Amar Chitra katha' phase) […] December 23, 2017December 23, 2017 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Random You never realize when or how it slips in. But by the time it makes itself evident, it's almost always too late. It has embroiled itself into your life, made its way through the labyrinth of your thoughts, and depending on how it shapes, is destined to liberate or destroy you. You attempt to ignore […] August 8, 2017August 8, 2017 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked