Yours Sincerely

2020 is incredibly hard to describe for anyone. It is like we were somehow jolted into an alternate reality that we didn't know existed. I am aware it must have an extremely stressful year for many who had to cope with sweeping changes, financial difficulties, health issues, and loss of near and dear ones. Praying for the souls of those who lost their lives and hopeful that 2021 gives us the strength to face what lies ahead. What 2020 was for me: My 2020 has thankfully not been as stressful as many, and I have much to be grateful for. While it was a rollercoaster, the entire year had so many phases to it, each giving a new perspective to life. In 2019, I had no idea that I would have soon started my MBA at London Business School in the middle of a pandemic, moved out of Mumbai shuttling between cities and continents, lived in a joint family / back-to-student-flatmate life, started cooking among other things.  There was initially the 'Zen' phase at work where I knew I needed...

So SRK can pee in a church in DDLJ. Nobody gets offended. Minor girl can be raped in a temple . Nobody gets offended. Come to think of it - Hrithik Roshan was romancing near Haji Ali in Fiza, and nobody got offended. But Hindu woman kissing a Muslim boy in a temple on-screen. THAT'S offensive! Never mind the scores of college kids who make out in empty temples anyway. Reality does not matter. If someone says it is offensive on a whim, it is! You see - it is very easy to be outraged in India for all sorts of illogical reasons. You can be outraged over someone eating beef, you can be outraged over someone kissing someone else, you can be outraged over someone writing a book, you can be outraged over a great many things. Unfortunately, when it comes to the real test where you expect outrage, that is where this country remains mute, like when a rape-victim is burnt alive in police custody on her way to testify in court. THAT can be forgotten, in fact, it's hardly noticed, if at a...

A hot topic of discussion in the toddler-moms WhatsApp group in the midst of the much-needed lockdown in Mumbai has been around ideas to entertain their toddlers at home. With the daycares and playschools shut, we often tend to over-do the screen time as we are left with no choice.  But even that works only to a point till the little ones get super-bored, or super tired, or super cranky and expect more. So I am trying to put together some tips and ideas based on my experience with my twin girls on tips to engage small children at home in a safe and healthy manner, along with a list of resources which I find useful for parents in a similar situation. So read along and have fun with your children! 1. Be partners in crime As much as possible, operate in shifts between you and your partner, especially if you're working from home than being a lone soldier in this and keep your house from becoming a war zone with work and kids becoming too much to handle. Small kids generally c...

Earlier, I have written about my gratitude towards women who have struggled to break the norms throughout history to achieve something like equality that we have today, women have given us voice and women who continue this struggle to make lives better for us. I want to re-share the post here first because that to me is the essence of celebrating women's day: A moment of gratitude and empathy: Celebrating the spirit of Women's Day - link I promised to continue to endure and carry on with the struggle. This time, I am calling upon people of all genders to introspect and acknowledge the different privileges each of us have, so that we can understand and bridge the gap between equality and marginalization. Understanding privilege is important - because every inch of our privilege is bought with suppressing a part of our own humanity. Privilege tells us lies to suppress the acceptance that marginalization and oppression are the inevitable foot-holders of privilege, that pr...

Can we have some of these women as characters in Indian cinema please: Vidharbha Woman Wicketkeeper Catches a Burglar Barehanded, Praised by Police  - link

We all know the importance of inculcating early reading habits in children and why it is important for their holistic development and so on and so forth. No sermons here. As a twin mom, I know reading for babies is incredibly fun for both kids and parents. However, one often doesn't know where to begin and a lot of the classic reading material recommended for children below 5 years of age is either very expensive or less available for Indians. So I am sharing book reviews based on my practical experience with my children.  1. Where Is Baby's Mommy?   by Karen Katz This lift-the-flap book with lovely pictures about baby searching for mommy at different places in the house, and discovering his toys, ending on a beautiful note with baby finding mommy makes for a perfect first book to introduce the concept of 'books' to a child. It was a great hit with my infants. Karen Katz is a must-to-have author in the beginner reader's library. Arm yourself with scotch-tap...

On my way back from work Pink streak Sunset looks stunning from my bedroom window. I'll try to capture it on camera next time. Morning view from the window Sky is orange after sunset - View from kitchen