ANOU’S BLOG
Don’t lose faith in her…
Don't lose faith in her were my pa's final dying words. 'Her' in this occurrence is India. That was 21 years ago. I must admit it has been no easy task to keep the faith, specially as for the past 13 years I have seen its underbelly in more ways than one. One...
What is striking India is indifference
But what is really striking to me about India, much more than most other countries I have been to, is the indifference of privileged sectors to the misery of others. These words are an excerpt of a recent interview Noam Chomsky gave to a leading magazine. If one[...
No life is worthless…. the story of two souls
Some time back a relative conveyed to me trough the convenient sms medium that I was incapable of valuing relationships because I had no siblings. I blogged my hurt as writing out in the open is the best form of catharsis I know. The truth is I had a...
The curious case of the meat cleaver
One of the first 'demands' of parents of the slum where we began our work way back in 2000 was to teach their children English! Somehow these illiterate parents knew intuitively that knowing English would give their children a better start in life. We heeded to their...
Rani – a lesson in compassion
The very first day I started visiting the Kalka temple every morning at 7am, my attention was drawn to a woman many would called a beggar as that is how she supports herself. But I was drawn to her as to me she seemed regal and beautiful in a haunting way. On days...
One proud maam’ji
Utpal won two medals in a skating event held by a local skating club. It was a national (!) event as there were participants from other states. Utpal life on skates is a long saga. In the summer of 2011, when he was very disturbed and almost unmanageable, Radhey...
Buy me a ride
As always Nani was on ride duty yesterday evening! Rides at the Kalka Temple which are my grandson's preferred ones. And the all time is the 'jump jump' which is a big inflatable copy of a Disney character. It is also Utpal's all time comfort place...
Everybody Loves a Good….
Everybody Loves a Good Drought is a disturbing and thought provoking book written way back in 1996 by P. Sainath. One could substitute drought with flood or any other cataclysmic event. Just like the telling book about hunger, Ash in the Belly, that makes you...
a little box from way down under
It was hot and humid and I had survived a rough morning. The mood was definitely not the best. Things were not getting better as no one was answering the door bell. Someone finally did. But before I could vent my annoyance my eyes fell on a packet lying in on the...
who do they belong to
[Saturday is the day I visit the Shani Temple in Govindpuri. I have been doing so for quite some time now. It is a quick ritual as one lights a lamp and bows one' head and scoots off. Last Saturday as I was wearing my shoes, an man entered the Temple. He must have...
A letter to Kamala
Dear Kamala,It has been exactly 23 years since you left me. And every minute of those years I have missed you. I have missed your smile, I have missed your grace, I have missed your words that were always the ones I needed to hear. I have memories of you that go way...
It went from my head and out through my feet
It went from my head and out through my feet! Wonder what that means? I give you three guesses or maybe I should just reveal the meaning! But to get to that a little background. When my grandson left India a few months ago he spoke Hindi like a native, English with a...