Who shall recall that I once walked the journey of life 200 years from now? Did my capricious mind ever face this question in the myriad of emotions it faced?
As I chased horizons with changing goalposts, little did I realise that I will never hold it within the folds of my palm. When I did, it granulated like sand and found its way through crevices.
That India is quite diverse is a known fact and with its diversity comes ample opportunities for the curious traveller. I travel solo a lot, either on vacation or on work. Occasionally I extend my work in a new city to a mini vacation by taking time off. It is during my slow travels that I think of some things back home and I wonder if the sense of freedom I seek is available to me in its true sense.
Continue reading “Doing things solo as a woman in India – Why the prejudice?”
Its raining in South India now. I am seated by my window with a piping cup of local chai, watching the rain pattering on the glass. Its a beautiful feeling. I still have a few books to read and there’s nothing that can beat the beautiful combination of hot masala chai, a great book in hand and the monsoon. The swell of the ocean brings about a now familiar November and December as the North-East Monsoon sets in.
As I was awaiting to enter the airport the other day, I saw two burly security guards checking our passports to let us in. Ahead of me was an elderly lady, perhaps coming to the airport for the first time. The guard asked her in as rude a manner as possible in a language she was not familiar with, to display her identity. The lady smiled at them and asked in her rustic language where she could find her flight. The guard simply shouted at her for her ‘ignorance’. The smile vanished from the lady’s face as she fumbled hurriedly for her passport in her bag as the man continued to press her to be quick. She did manage to show her passport and enter the airport perhaps more overwhelmed by the sophistication in an airport than was needed, especially at her age. The scene is imprinted in my mind. Here was a wonderful opportunity for the man to be simply nice to a lady perhaps old enough to be his grandmother. All he required was a little patience and a smile. He chose simply to do just his ‘job’ instead.
When I first read Somerset Maugham’s book ‘The Razor’s Edge’ almost a decade ago, I recall to have been quite affected by it. I was perhaps enchanted by the rich prose and the style of writing. Over these years I have read a lot of books but some characters have just managed to stay in my mind, like Larry in Maugham’s book. In this era when it so much easier to purchase a book online, I decided to test how much of a hold this book would have now and I must admit that this time, it has been an overwhelming experience to read the book for reasons beyond the literature aspects.
Continue reading “Maugham, Brunton, Hesse – the common link?”
Musings... 