Lost in Reverie....

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands  are a group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea .  More about it here   A trip of our college girl gang was pending for long and 2018 was the year when it seems the universe conspired to make it happen. The discussion started sometime in May/June’18 among the 5 of us - Pooja, Sonali, Hena, Sameet and myself. After numerous messages back and forth, time of the trip got finalised. Travelling alone meant taking care of work schedules, kids’ schools and exams, any family functions and so forth.. The only feasible time for all 5 together was August/Sept. The dates got finalized – 30 th August- 3 rd Sept Next, the place had to be decided. Our travel dates fell in the midst of rainy season and this year most of India was experiencing heavy rainfall… again numerous messages back & forth, we decided that this time it was Andamans. All excited, the next few months seemed to fly by in the an...

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I knew that little things are special things. When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed that there was a God to talk to. When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good ...

This is one post that was in my drafts for way too long and I guess it had to be posted.. a little old yet still relevant. Each phase of life brings along its own highs and lows…its upto us to face the lows gracefully and enjoy and cherish the highs… Childhood: friends/ play/ sand/ water/ getting dirty Pre-teen: staying up late / late night chats / TV / play Teens: first crush / first beer / sleepovers with friends / taking a shot at driving Late teens: raging hormones/ hyper enthusiasm/ thrill of trying new things/ falling in love Early twenties: excitement of first job/ the feel of being the most eligible ‘single’ in town/ steady relationship Late twenties/ early thirties: true love/ happy marriage/ babies/ travels / climbing the corporate latter/ working on one’s own Late thirties: Stable work / steady income/ family/ watching kids grow up beautifully. Its fun as well as challenging to cross each phase of life… to keep moving from a decade to anoth...

An oil on canvas painting I did this year on Ganesha Chaturthi.  I am not a very religious person. Spiritual, maybe... I do believe in the creator and some such, but when it comes to following rituals or even being a part of them, I always try to run!  I try to avoid the regular Pujas and Kathas and Havans as much as I can...it is quite difficult for me to do so without offending the family coz both sets of families are traditional brahmins and pujas form the base fabric of the family.  And as most people around, I try my best not to be responsible for tearing the fabric. Sigh!  However, Ganesha- the elephant headed God has always mesmerized me. Since childhood I was fascinated by all the mythological stories... but as age and intellect took over, all the stories started to seem rather funny!  Lord Ganesha is probably a painter's dream. One can make him in innumerable ways and he always seems just perfect. This is one of the many paintings that I ...