At The Last Gate

The war Took mama’s arm and three walls of our little blue house.The journeyTook five chocolate bars and my favourite doll,And now I See Purple blisters on baba’s feet and-at night-Tear streaks on mama’s cheeks. On the way we play a game where each gate is the next level we have to unlockAnd baba says some guards will be meaner than the othersThat on some days there will be no bread and our shoes might tearBut that’s...

Continue Reading 19 Sep 2015

Just Being

For a long time I carried around this notion with me that spirituality is something separate from real life. I though that I cannot actively be spiritual and engage with the 'real world' at the same time. It was largely because of the way I was exposed to religion as a child. I was told that being close to God entailed doing 'abc' thing 'x' number of times. That you...

Continue Reading 13 Jun 2015

Leaving Me Behind

The past few days have given me a reality check. A close friend lost a loved one, and I felt her pain. I can't imagine how she finds the strength to deal with this. It got me thinking about what it must be like. Cherish the people in your life. Love them and let them know you love them before you no longer can.On quiet evenings I wonderAbout Life stopping...

Continue Reading 25 May 2015

Dear Daughter

A jumbled, tumbled upside-down, inside-out, all-over-the-place poem for my daughter (If I ever have one someday) to read on rainy days when she just doesn't 'feel it'. Inspired by one of my favourite poets, Sarah Kay.Dear Daughter,When down,With your shoulders straight, chin up,Go out and jump into puddles andcome back to me with muddy hands,scraped knees and a big smile on your faceso I can kiss you andsend you right...

Continue Reading 24 Mar 2015

I Don't Need Your Saving

After ages I watched a movie that spoke to me. 'Arranged', a 2007 film, explores the evolving friendship of two fourth-grade teachers at a New York Public School- one a practicing Muslim and the other an orthodox Jewish woman. Rachel and Naseera, though from very different backgrounds, share a lot in common when it comes to their values and beliefs.I related with one scene in particular which took me back...

Continue Reading 28 Jan 2015

Chai

What holds India together? No, it is not Bollywood. Or cows. Or Masala. It is the divine drink- Chai. Chaaya. Tea. Teh. It starts in the morning, when Indian households slowly open their eyes to  a new day. According to the hierarchy of the family, one of the female members steps in to begin the ritual. If it is just a husband and wife, the wife. If it is father...

Continue Reading 16 Jan 2015