At Night All Blood Is Black is a dichotomy between the act of morality and malice shaped by the humankind

David Diop’s novel was much more than a gut-wrenching war tale, recounting the harrowing ordeal and experiences of the protagonist. To me, the book gave a glimpse of the human condition and what one is capable of doing under distressed situations, when rationality and morality seem to appear just as shallow as war and death … Continue reading At Night All Blood Is Black is a dichotomy between the act of morality and malice shaped by the humankind

Ruskin Bond’s My Favourite Nature Stories teaches about little pleasures of life

Tiny flowers blossoming through the cracks of neighborhood walls; dandelions thriving in the wilderness; water streams, making their way to a distant lake, shaping the terrain and sculpting the rocks on its path; trail of fallen leaves on that morning mountain hike; and the warmth of the afternoon sun on a cold wintry day—don’t they … Continue reading Ruskin Bond’s My Favourite Nature Stories teaches about little pleasures of life

A Novel Change: Where Do We Go from Here?

Welcome to this extraordinary epoch of new-normal. The three-syllable word has come to resonate with a profound change that is happening in the world today—redefining our outlook and putting our life into perspective—on our existence; our relationships; our ambitions and accomplishments. At such times, the word, unprecedented, has found a special place in our everyday … Continue reading A Novel Change: Where Do We Go from Here?

Ruskin Bond’s Landour Days Talks About Journaling and Simple Pleasures of Life

I will never get tired of Ruskin Bond’s writings. His unhurried words seem to reflect his gentle demeanor. How easily does he talk about the simple pleasures of life—taking a walk in the wilderness, gazing at the setting sun, observing the flowers and the birds and welcoming them to his abode with equal fervor. The … Continue reading Ruskin Bond’s Landour Days Talks About Journaling and Simple Pleasures of Life

Sometimes all that is left of a place are beautiful memories. Taran N. Khan’s Shadow City is a revisit to her beloved land—Kabul.

To think of Kabul and of the culture, the people, the snow-capped mountains surrounding the brown, barren landscapes—the 3000-year old city has always felt familiar. This is a land that I have never visited, but in my mind’s eye, Kabul is vivid and intriguing. Faces of young men and women with flushed cheeks and bony … Continue reading Sometimes all that is left of a place are beautiful memories. Taran N. Khan’s Shadow City is a revisit to her beloved land—Kabul.

Expeditions and Explorations: An Atlas that can open many possibilities of life

On a balmy afternoon, while sifting through my beloved mahogany bookshelf, I came across an old edition of the Outlook Traveller magazine. I opened it, perhaps, out of my aching desire to hit the road, see the mountains and catch the waves again, or maybe I realized that we are somewhat stuck in a time … Continue reading Expeditions and Explorations: An Atlas that can open many possibilities of life