The witch doctor
There was a buzz down the alley where we lived that summer. The last house in that colony had been rented to a new family. They were Muslim. But that’s not the reason why the adults were…
Dogs and their loyalty
My father was a dog lover. Since the time I can remember, we have always had dogs in the house. He would take very good care of them and they were equally attached to him. German shepherds,…
Finding my triggers
As the years go by, I find that my eagerness to get to the workplace is precipitously on the decline. There used to be a time when I used to be at work at 7 am, sometimes…
Super fragile egos
I am skimming through the cacophonous thread of a Whatsapp group. Everyone seems to be trying to assuage somebody’s feelings or giving long explanations. I scroll upwards to get to the genesis of this acrimonious parley of…
Small towns: Wannabe cities
As the taxi jolts its way through the traffic, I see the landscape change. I am travelling from the capital to Bareilly. Everything around me looks grey, although it is 11 in the morning. The smog-laden air…
Pallas’s fish eagle: Spotting a nest
In Kaziranga, last year, we spotted a nest. Was it empty? Empty nest? No, two white heads bobbed up. Hey! There is a couple inside! Eagles! Which one? This is Pallas’s fish eagle, a species classified as ‘vulnerable’ in…
Dark Circles: A poignant debut novel
What do your parents bequeath to you? Do you look like them? Behave like them? Think like them? React like them? How intertwined is your present existence with your parent’s pasts? Dark Circles is a novel which…
When wishes come alive
It was my first visit home after my parents had passed away. It felt strange to be there. As if all my previous connections had been snapped. It no longer felt like my house any more. “Why…
Perfectly imperfect
I have seen many leaders. Some share their vision effectively with their teams. Others plan meticulously. Some manage. Still others micromanage. And irrespective of whatever style they use, these leaders manage to complete the task at hand.…
Diwali and its aftermath
I hear complaints of chest pain and breathlessness after the festival of Diwali has just gone. No. It’s not smog or pollution. At least not in Sevagram. A cursory glance at the piled up boxes of mithai…
