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
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Stroke the artist in you
After a lot of YouTube tutorials and pocket full of inspiration, I pulled up my socks and decided to dabble in some watercolor art today. I assembled my paints, the tools, and the entire paraphernalia, and boy, the joy I felt in that moment. To fill up the blank space with cheerful colors, naïve brushstrokes, … Continue reading Stroke the artist in you
The Art of Mastering the Self
Paulo Coelho’s The Archer takes the reader on a quest to find beauty, grace, goodness, perfection by way of understanding the elements of archery. In simple and subtle ways, it talks about finding elegance and brilliance in our actions, our pursuits, and the manner we accomplish our dreams. The book does not teach you the … Continue reading The Art of Mastering the Self
When the time is right. You know it.
Not every decision we take will have a clear, reasonable answer and rationale behind it. Many of our life-changing decisions and choices we make are often intuitively guided. Like that cushy job you left to embark on your long-cherished adventures or to build your dream business. Perhaps, for once, you mustered your courage to part … Continue reading When the time is right. You know it.
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.
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
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
Goa: Monsoon Escapades and the Never-Ending Chase
When the monsoons arrive, they change Goa’s landscape into a dramatic vision—turning the foliage into lush green, soaking every bit of the parched land and making the distant hills grow verdant with eagerness. One can see nature’s abundance all around: be it the dark, heavy clouds almost touching the land about to burst or the … Continue reading Goa: Monsoon Escapades and the Never-Ending Chase
Pondicherry: Discovering its Charming, Gallic and Spiritual Side
The sight of packed taxis outside the airport brought a smile on my face. That sudden rush of excitement carrying so much anticipation and hope, just the way a child does, felt carefree and joyous as I stepped outside. I asked the driver if he was willing to take us through the East Coast Road … Continue reading Pondicherry: Discovering its Charming, Gallic and Spiritual Side
The beautiful expansive prose of this wonderful literature
If I must describe this book in one word, I would call it “exhaustive”. Phew! I can’t recall how many times I might have whined about giving it up, wanting to stop halfway and reassuring myself that I can leave a book unfinished. It is alright. Those first hundred pages felt like an arduous journey, … Continue reading The beautiful expansive prose of this wonderful literature