Precious Pearls

A wedding… not a monsoon wedding and not necessarily a summer or a winter one. It is the ‘season of weddings’ and you know, it is just a reason! Everyone is activated. Close kin are on their toes. They have to play hosts. Distant kin, too, are charged up as they have to lot display to their hosts. Everyone is busy. There are so many things to do, book tickets, get your dresses ready, send across invitation cards, buy gifts, living arrangements, accommodation, entertainment… wedding is just a reason…. Gorgeous women and handsome men, dressed in the traditional attire, walk the wedding hall just like the ramp. Kids carry dresses heavier than their own weight! Yes, there is an odd honest kid or two who finds a huge ‘playground’ and forgets everything else. Pleasantries exchanged. Compliments given. Beaming with smiles and teeming with enthusiasm, the venue is abuzz. Wedding is just a reason… All is settled now. Hosts are heaving a sigh of relief, the affair has started off with ...

Everyone loves to read. Not necessarily important always a book, but newspapers, pamphlets, mobiles, instruction manuals, social networking sites, documents, registers, calendars, plaques, signboards, oh people can read all sorts of things. Yes, but of late, one thing that kindled my reading habit was Kindle. It was a wonderful technological invention and to me, it was a lifetime library. My bookshelf suddenly wore a deserted look and it didn’t mind it. The kindle filled up the ‘emptiness’ of bookshelf. It was so light-weight and yet held all my treasure-trove. I was happier with the gadget’s slim and trim look and convenience. A nice casual travel, my kindle and coffee, it was my dream ever since I bought kindle. I wanted to sit at a peaceful sylvan location with a cup of coffee reading my favourite books. Oh, even a quiet coffee shop was fine as no bountiful beach locale was in sight. And finally, I happened to travel to Mumbai on work. Beyond working hours, it was going to b...

All world is the stage, they say. The real one perhaps scares me, thus this ‘world’ stage makes me more comfortable. And it was the time to see my daughter at the stage. Ever since Diwali vacation was over, her playschool announced her school gathering. Earlier, I thought it was a small thing but as the big day was nearing, all teachers and parents were charged up. Their dress, practice, synchronisation and auditorium, oh, I had taken ‘grand affair’ little casually. I had my apprehensions to begin with. Looking at not only my little one all two or three years old perform, wasn’t it strange? But I didn’t sound it as I thought I was becoming ‘toddler rights’ activist. Thus, I kept it to myself. Yes, at home, my daughter would spontaneously dance, and it was the ‘power packed performance’.  While everyone around was little anxious of what would kids do on the stage, kids were the relaxed ones as they had no idea what was to be unfolded. When parents and relatives were really gea...