The self-inflicted death of a healthy, young man is always a tragedy. Following the suicide of the young and successful Indian actor, Sushant Singh Rajput, I have seen several social media posts in the vein of (self-paraphrased) “If you need someone to talk to, I am here. You are never…
Death, Birth. Marriage, Widowhood. Sickness, Health. Music, Silence. Vignettes of utter contrasts back to back all within 18 hours. Life itself, in fact, encapsulated in a nutshell. Last night, I ‘attended’ a wedding online. Today, an online memorial meet for my husband’s schoolmate. Right before, I caught what I could…
As I drove through Kotturpuram, the pillion rider on the whizzing motorbike gesticulated wildly. I looked him in the eye and drove on. Now, a car sidled up, the driver miming. He brought his vehicle to a complete stop beside mine, opened his windows and gestured. His lane was free.…
One evening late December, after I recovered my car from the Music Academy parking lot where the valets had left it (conveniently facing forward, of course), I realised, much to my chagrin, that the AC had stopped functioning. It had been just fine when I had driven it in. The…
One message that made a mark on me in childhood was an Amar Chitra Katha panel of Buddha saying “All desires bring pain” – a statement I have reflected on extensively (probably even excessively) of late. I studied Economics for school certificate exams from the University of London and again…
“Help me,” those big, innocent, liquid eyes had emoted, welling with tears. Unable to articulate in words but implicitly trusting you, the adult, to alleviate the pain. And you have no idea of what is going on – nothing hurts more. “It is unbearable, amma. Will it not just stop…
Every year, at around this time, my father’s death anniversary, the 15th this time, I am flooded with thoughts. His presence hovers over me constantly, no matter where I am, this towering light house of a beacon. This time, I wonder about how he would feel about the increasing frustration…
I rounded off my intermittent attendance of this music season with my final concert for the year, yesterday, that of Sri. Abhishek Raghuram at the Music Academy. Driving in at about 6.10 pm for the 6.45 pm concert, I approached the valets. They told me unequivocally that there was no…
This week marks 14 years since my father passed away. He left knowing two grandchildren were on the way but without seeing them – suddenly, abruptly. With no precursive events. I felt too young when it happened. I wondered ‘why me’. Soon, though, I realized he left without suffering. And…
Ever since I returned to Madras over a decade ago, I have been strongly dissuaded from traveling on the bus saying “It is not what it used to be. It is not safe” etc. etc. However, it is important to me to have the ability to negotiate public transport to…