It was an interaction for 10 minutes, that and nothing more.

I watched Bhavana Belegere interviewd and took me back to one moment - where I got to interact with her father Ravi Belegere. It was late one night, like about 10 pm, and there was a book store called BBC - or Basavangudi Books Corner or Belegere Books Corner on the Gandhi Bazar main street. I walked in looking for a book on Tipu Sultan, that I wanted to read. A play actually. I was looking for the book, and there was no one in the store. Must have been 2016-17. I picked up a book and was engrossed in it, when I had a top on my shoulder. It was Ravi Belegere. 

He started to have a conversation with me, and when he found out what I was looking for, gave me a quick, yet insighful lesson on history and the connection between the French Jacobins and Tipu Sultan. 

It was an interaction for 10 minutes, that and nothing more. 

It stood star struck for those ten minutes, though I was a big critic full of opinions about his Hi Bangalore! work. He was also the man who translated Protima Gauri Bedi's Timepass, that I loved to read. 

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving"

 

Bhoomakka and her friend Sonkappa

 

Bhoomakka

Bhoomakka and Sonkappa her best friend

                           Took these images somewhere on the streets in Koramangala, with my friend

                            Darima. Bhoomakka and her friend Sonkappa. A Saturday in May, sometime

                            in 2016/2017

"A person's views cannot be silenced merely because the majority does not like the sound of them..

Read the text of this newspaper article - Free Speech is an integral part of healthy and civilised society: SC

Excerpts: 

"Seventy - Five years into our Republic, we cannot be seen to be so shaky on our fundamentals that a mere recital of a poem, or for that matter, any form of art or entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, can be alleged to lead to animosity or hatred amongst different communities. Subscribing to such a view would stifle all legitimate expressions of view in the public domain, which is so fundamental to a free society," a Bench of Justices A.S.Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan wrote in its verdict. 

"A person's view cannot be silenced  merely because the majority does not like the sound of them. The law enforcement authorities and courts must employ the standards of reasonable, strong-minded, firm and courageous minds, and not weak and vaccilating onese who scent danger in every hostile point of view, before inciting criminal action against freedom of expression." Justice Oka authored the judgement. 

Someone with a spine! 

  

a pause full of trees

Red light halts the road,
branches dance in the mirror—
a pause full of trees.

DIY Plan

So lovely!

I will make this one day! 

 

You can summarize 'SUITS' thus...

Success demands aggression – To get ahead, characters must be ruthless and strategic.

• Only one can be truly successful – The show portrays a cutthroat world where competition is everything.

• Ethical compromises are often necessary – Success sometimes requires bending or breaking the rules.

• It’s always about “what I want” – Personal ambition and self-interest drive most decisions.

  Did not like it! 

I dig this...

I dig this

 

now just look at this....

How was your day, 

my colleague asked

as i sat in the car

tucking my big bag under the seat

Fine, 

I grumbled

my head pounding

fine, i muttered, 

the brevity of my response

combining the 

everything under one label 

ignoring everything that 

i experienced

the happy moments, 

the mundane, the lonely 

and the really absurd

it ignored the fear,

the gripping panic

the tears that line the eyes

when you experience biting rudeness

Fine

being emotionally stunted, 

it is always hard to focus on the right thing

What are you focusing on?

What you focus on augments

R appraised the situation

gave pertinent advice

K made me laugh

Pappesh listened

Sh - she joked 

no one asked what exactly happened

The danger in that question is 

your focus may not be helping you

and as you relive it 

may stay entrenched in your mind

Change your neural pathways

Choose who chooses you

Choose you

..i am sorry

 I am sorry

I dont know what I did wrong

but I am sorry

to whom

I dont know

but I am sorry

always and forever!

I know why I am sorry

Cos I landed an intense 

moment

after a day of intense moments..

day… may be days, weeks

when what I wanted to say

was - lie down, close your eyes

and rest your heart~mind!

 

I miss you, amma

You cannot be an adult and treat children this shabbily...

The coach in this video was fired. 

reminded me of a time, when this older theater actor, grabbed my hand and snatched the gifts my uncle had given me as I was packing them into a suitcase, on my train journey from Mumbai to Bangalore. He then went on and shoved me aside in the train, and told me that he was taking the trinkets, and told me to deal with it. I also saw this man 24 years later, and it stirred up some serious memories. When I had gone to others on the train, they advised, "stay away from men!, have a low profile, sit only with women." 

Women are taught, to be the ones to stop by being demure, having a low profile, and just not being seen. In this case, another common advice has been, dont wear a ponytail, as people may pull at it. 

The message is never - stop being a bully, it is always, you be demure, elsem you will attract  a bully. 

So many things on my mind.

many things on my mind

and all I end up doing is surfing 

for silk sarees...

like that silk saree will set life right

i am worred, 

half way into biting my nails

Why is Grey not talking to me?

Why is PA, angry with me?

Why is Benevolent avoiding me?

Will 83 betray me?

Will I ever experience love

like I have dreamt of?

What did I do wrong.

What will happen next year?

will I be ok? 

Surfing for sarees online 

seems like a mindless distraction

hey world!

 Good Morning, World. 

Another Monday, another small step forward.

Let this week be ordinary, peaceful, enough!

baby pup!

I should never forget how tiny these toes are, or these fingers. 

No matter how tall you grow, or how well you adult

I should never forget that you were this tiny.

The gentleness of you, the innocence, 

the spunky attitude, the laughter

I will always love you, baby pup! 

- Your Deedo! 

 

... another quiet day, just the way I like it.

Little Pup, her parents Sharu and Tilak, Shaila and I went to watch a wonderful play for children.

Chippi Chipkali at Ranga Shankara, as a part of their A Ha! Children's Program. Please watch if you can! 

We of course had a full feast at Anju's Cafe. Aunty Shaila, Sharu and I got a chance to catch up, Pup was running about with father in her trail... we listened to each other and listed the tasks coming our way in the coming months... 

a good catch up. 

Also, got some good news. 

AR (an ex student) who had been having a hard time with their health, has now got a bit of happy news after some bad prognosis. They are in the clear. What a good news to get at the end of the day. 

All in all... another quiet day, just the way I like it.

The Mandala grows

A new family

merging with our family

A new sister 

coming to our house

Wonderful people

Wonderful beginnings 

All good things 

the mandala grows

Good morning! I think it is because it rained yesterday. 

This morning, I worked out, mask in my hair, skin care done - and going through a rabbit hole on Pinterest. It has to be my favourite website of all time. 

 

Things of beauty!

A vision!

I have always dreamed of hosting. I love it - the people at home, singing, laughing, dancing, and with children running around, feeling safe. In my childhood moziaced with regular moments and really hellish days, there was the feeling - fleeting but still present, of love and normalcy, of appreciation, of faith. I want my home to be space for my family, with happy moments. For family and friends.  

*

1 year of no drinking

That is one year of no drinking for today! 

Be Well, dear friend

Ever since I heard about OH, 

I have been in a trance

Second friend 

Struggling with a growing disease

Recover well!

Your family needs you.

Exit Romance!

All through December, I pined for you

not being able to see you

be near you

and then I saw you

in a picture 

in your relationship

holding their hand

rightfully so

and i realised 

this is my reality

i will be desired from afar

love all clandestine 

hidden. 

watching you lead a grand life 

and waiting for the moments 

when you will be mine

and that picture 

broke the bubble

the romance left

the love remains.