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Reflections
A subdued red glow breaks over the distant horizon on the chilly January winter morning. It is the time when life slows down to a gentle crawl. Men huddle around makeshift bonfires sipping sweetened tea till late in the morning. Women serve hot snacks and make more tea for the men as they mind their…
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The deafening sound of silence…
Having lived outside India for years, I am used to adjusting my brain and body clock often. Day light savings, summertime, wintertime, I am always adjusting to the time dictated to me However, more recently, I am only tuned into one thing – the India time zone. Daily, I become wide awake in the middle…
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Immigrant Messenger
We are two strangersIn a new land Putting on our smilesAnd best hairdos We connect on screenTwice a week Hello Teacher, she saysHello there, I wave Tell me about the weatherTell me about your home How many rooms do you have?Do you have couches, cushions, curtains? Red is my favourite colour I say. I like…
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Blue Maqm
It has been over five months since I blogged. Was it the virus, or the winter or just my self-induced lethargy that pushed me into inaction – not sure. All of us have had our moments this year – of frustration, anger, sadness and confusion. Many of us managed through a process of patience and…
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They made black lives matter
The indomitable spirit of Harriet and Miriam had long ago been been indelibly cross-stitched into the present-day reality of race and colour. Their brave and unstoppable efforts made sure that ‘Black Lives Did Matter’ for all generations to come.
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Transition is a constant in our lives
We live life seeking the familiar and the comfortable. We want to be at home with known people, food, locations, and opinions. We want to be accepted and validated, and to have routines and habits that are comforting. But we do not recognise and accept that our lives are in constant transition. Distractions and disruptions shape…
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The Magic Mirror
Snow White’s stepmother, the wicked queen, asks the magic mirror, “Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of all?” The mirror confirms that she is the fairest of all. One day the answer is different. The mirror replies, “ There is a maiden fairer than you. Her name is Snow White.” Corona Virus…
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I am a survivor – Maryam Sheikh Abdi
The cutting began with the eldest girl and on went the list. Known to be timid, I was the last among the six. I shivered and shook all over; butterflies beat madly in my stomach. I wanted to vomit, the waiting was long, the expectation of pain too sharp, but I had to wait my…
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Awesome native tongue
Mark Twain, in his essay ”the Awful German language”, wrote that a person who has not studied German can form no idea of what a perplexing language it is. He found that in German, a young lady had no sex, while a turnip had. Think what high-strung reverence that shows for the turnip, and what…
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Oil lamps, jasmine flowers and an indelible identity…
A yellow radiance filters through the dew-laden leaves of the sapota tree outside my grandmother’s house in Chennai that morning. Bright patterns of light dance on Thayamma’s skin as she bends down to sweep in front of our home. She sets the broom aside and starts sprinkling water from a metal bucket. After evenly spreading…
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Duniya Salaam 