Beera

Today is the last segment of a phase where I spent years in the same institute. As I walked through the Heber gate towards QSC and sat on the very same bench that was specifically my reserved seat. There was one tree slanted towards the window which was my friend as it was part of the conversations. The long talks about random topics with different bench mates were also shared to the walls and the tables that would have already carried a million stories.  From there to the corridors towards the department was another memory of waiting for professors. More than the wait the gentle breeze and the chatter of students walking up and down the stairs were much more interesting.  Now the pathways are all adorned with flowers and leaves as if an invitation towards a different world altogether. The welcome of deer at every corner peeking out from the bushes was a unique sight I saw on the campus. Mcc was a time loop where it was similar to the Garden of Eden completely diff...

Today being the last exam almost marks the end of two years of returning to campus. I don't have much impression regarding last year but this year I met a few wonderful people who were part of my growth. I remember not having an impression of a few of my classmates but as we grew closer this year some of the stories told were something I labeled as insignificant.  The days of loneliness and homesickness were struck off because of the few people who were a comfort space for me that made this year better.  I remember my second home where I spent time in her place usually to take an afternoon nap. Then later to "Karupatti"  shop for tea. The long strolls in the Gandhi Park and hours of talk. I still remember you staying back during the holidays because I couldn't go home. It might not seem important but the relief I felt of not being alone in this city was abundant.  The singer among us spent most of her time in the music she sang which was melodious. Our common topic o...

Today as I sat in Bishop Heber Chapel I was reminded about my first day in college which happens to be my visit to the chapel right after joining the college. When I came five years ago my senior akka took me around the college. It was a hot summer holiday when all the trees were almost dried and the whole college was empty apart from dry leaves and trees as a companion.  When I entered the chapel I was taken to the choir audition almost waiting to be eliminated. Before that day I always made sure I was never audible to someone as I sang but that day unexpectedly I got selected and became the part of the alto singers. After one day of practice, I gave up as I was never able to understand music. I always felt listening to music while enjoying and singing are two different entities but later on, I learnt it was not necessary that way. As I tried to quit two of my seniors also part of 'alto' convinced me to attend for one month before I made a final decision. And the most exciting...

As I was going through the news page one title unintentionally led me to open to do further reading. The article was titled "10 Reasons Why Grandparents are Important for Children". This article seemed like a need of an hour in this modern generation. I n this fast-moving world where we are always in a race, there is no time or space for family. This race is never ending where individuals do not have time for themselves and always look for personal gain. Long gone the time for family, long gone time for relationships, now it's just an obligation that needs to be fulfilled. When this change came it was something that needed a lot of pondering. T he article talks about the need for grandparents that we all know. As we travel from place to place we find a lot of old age homes so this article is a need of the hour. Children rarely know their grandparents because we only find a nuclear family where parents are busy earning and children stay all alone not knowing the need for...

A nother monotonous day P assing by slowly F ew more days to go T he end of another phase. W ill we meet again? Or when will we meet? A ll scattered across the globe W ith independent lives to build. A s days get nearer and nearer A nticipation to make memories A whole year neglected by A t the end a desperation. W ill it succeed O r remain the same W ith lots of different groups T o be one again. N ot a goodbye yet S till days to go lots of plans ahead Before the final day arrives.

Children's literature is a genre that we all love and enjoy reading. Usually, the readers expected to read are children so the plots are very simple and easy to understand. These novels or books talk about friendship and relationships with morals added to the story. Adventures and self-discovery would be one such theme. Children's novels will have fantasy and magical realism to pique the interest of the readers.  The novel I would like to talk about is "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill. This is a fantasy fiction that itself could be understood by the title of the novel. Firstly, the story is a journey to self-discovery. We see the protagonist Luna growing up and discovering herself even though there were people who tried to keep her hidden.  Secondly, we find the concept of good and evil like every children's story. The bad villains and the hero who saves them. The defeat of bad and good triumphs is what is portrayed in the story. Thirdly, we see the...

Featherstone's essay on "The Body and Consumer Culture" talks about the influence of consumer society on the perception of the body. Firstly, he talks about the commodification of the body. The body commodified and changed according to the presumed societal needs. Due to the high beauty standards some of the industries thrived greatly. The demand for beauty products, cosmetic surgery and fashion has increased over a period of time. Secondly, the beauty standards decided by society vary based on the media's description of beauty. In the entertainment industry, celebrities had to pass certain beauty standards to remain in the lead roles. Once these standards are not fulfilled their value diminishes. This is widely accepted by the viewers both consciously as well as subconsciously. Thirdly, due to the standardised beauty concept many youths change themselves to fit the notions of the society. They even wear clothes that may not be visibly comfortable or apply cosmetic pr...

" C ulture is Ordinary" by Raymond Williams redefines the understanding of culture emphasizing everyday aspects and lives of the people. Firstly, Williams emphasises that culture is strictly not defined by arts or literature but the way of life also is part of culture. In different places, households carry many rituals and traditions from generation to generation. This too is a part of culture. For example, every morning some of the families draw "kolam" in front of their houses, this practice does not change even after the relocation to a place or a new environment. These cultural practices continue to be passed on to the next generation. Secondly, William says that culture is not static but it changes regularly based on social interactions. People often migrate from place to place and interact with many individuals. In this process, the cultural practices are also shared. These practices change throughout time due to the influence of external factors....

" T hirteen ways of looking at blackbird" by Wallace Stevens talks about different perspectives on life. The blackbird can be seen in a different perspective and it is equated to the force of life. The bird is a symbolic representation of nature and the way of life. The perspective of life changes from person to person and every individual finds their own purpose and meaning in life. The poem is divided into thirteen stanzas giving thirteen views on life. Blackbird becomes a symbolic representation of inspiration and motivation. T he poet talks about how our consciousness shapes our reality. When we tend to believe in ourselves the power to overcome challenges strengthens us. The poet uses the mystery of ice and can even be used as a sharp weapon. Ice is harmless but can be molded into a sharp object. The poet also says fear can be turned into strength with the strong determination an individual can posses. There will be obstacles often just like the ice covered path but t...

Today as I was going through the play "Curse of a Starving Class" by Sam Shepard few thoughts swirled in my mind. This play touches upon various aspects of the themes found in American plays. Firstly, this play talks about the idea of the American dream. Even in the most struggling phase, every member of the Tate family has their dreams waiting to be fulfilled. All their dream comes to an intersection at the idea of living a better life. Secondly, we find a broken family struggling to make ends meet. The father, Weston who is supposed to lead and guide the family is stuck in debt and is an aggressive drunkard. The mother Ella is left to fend for herself. We see how there is no emotional connection between the parents and the children. The lack of communication confused the plans and caused a disruption leading to chaos. As the plays move forward we find how the parents refuse to take responsibility and the children are left to fend for themselves. Emma has to choose to provid...

Lonely looking bird That flies above the head Always being cursed By a bunch of human heads. But there was one bird Who visited regularly Guarding the house Just like a member of family. Always cursed for it's color "Is it my fault?" he asked No one replied Feeling ashamed of the answer. "Why am I the one blamed?" He asked all around No one answered no one believed To prove his innocence. On day he met a friend A guest from far across the land. With a welcoming aura he said " N ow my heart rests upon thy words."

As I sat under the night sky and kept my eyes moving all around, a few observations came to me. Today is a cloudy night, till yesterday I could see stars even this very but it was still there blinking in the sky making it more pretty. But today it was different there were clouds and it was moving. It would often shield the sky making the night darker and other times there would be a small ray of light apart from the city lights.  Where would be the clouds travelling to at such a faster pace? When the moon is at the brightest phase how will the city without light look? It would be aesthetic with the only natural light falling on earth. Was it because of clouds the stars hid away? The clouds look greyish covered all across the sky distinguishing it from the dark blue sky. The cool gentle breeze flowing through the tendrils of my hair giving a different feeling compared to the sunny and humid afternoons. Sometimes I feel like staying on the terrace the whole night but the mosquitos ar...

Daddy by Sylvia Plath talks about the poet's relationship with her father. As the poem progresses the anger and frustration the poet has on her father is expressed. I would like to point out a few themes from the poem. Firstly, the poem focuses on the father-daughter relationship. It's obvious that she is scared of the father because of the domineering and aggressive nature but as she has only experienced aggressiveness she fails to distinguish or without strong protection from her father she again falls victim in her married life. The father was not a choice but the husband was, but her lack of paternal love and support led her to a wrong choice that she regrets. She even compares her father to Hitler due to the similarities she found between both individuals. Secondly, the poem talks about power leading to suppression and oppression. She gives the imagery of the Nazi as a bullseye point to equate her life with the Nazi victims. Thirdly, the poem talks about identity and self-...

Today as I was watching a few music videos , two songs had a very similar theme but the interesting part I felt was one song seems to ask questions whereas the other seems to be giving an answer. " The Man" by Taylor Swift talks about how women face discrimination in society especially in the workplace. The recognition and achievements that she deserves is denied because of her gender. " I am so sick of running as fast as I can wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man" T here was a time when I asked myself that if I was a man I would have been treated differently and I think most of us would have thought this way. I also have heard stories of how sometimes it becomes difficult to shine even though they have the ability. The label of a woman being weak haunts them in every aspect cutting down the wings whenever it grows slightly. T he next song I chose is from the movie "The great Indian Kitchen". The song talks about woman empowerment and ...

"Words can hurt as well as heal" is a statement often heard. Few days back I had a conversation with an individual, she spoke to me for a long time and when the conversation was over I was very depressed and almost regretted the choice I made. The conversation still stuck in my mind causing anxiety and occupying my thoughts completely. Those few words from the person were enough to hurt and discourage me. I still remember leaving her place with a sweaty forehead, shaky hands and tears refusing to fall. I do not know whether it was intentional or unintentional but I believe and hope those were unintentional words.  Today after a lot of thinking and overthinking finally I had a chance to talk to a friend. Since the person was far away only phone conversation was possible. I had to hear her suggestion to convince myself about my choice. It's not because I changed my decision but to be sure that one more person supported me. The conversation wasn't long but it was comfort...

The library was one spot that gave me solace. Among the books or the study area downstairs was my place of stay. Staying back after class for hours was a relief not just from the sun but also leading me to read.  Today while I sat in the same library at the corner of the room I couldn't concentrate on the essay that I was reading due to scrambled thoughts running around. I felt so lost and hopeless that I decided to doddle. I am not a very perfect artist but during my school days, I used to draw during arts and crafts class. As years passed by never touching a paintbrush led me to lose the confidence I once had. After a long time, it felt good to draw as I got distracted which was very necessary at that point. The library brings back hidden talents. I remember I cultivated the habit of reading from the library and after a break, I again restarted from the very same place called the library.    Apart from my visit to the library I also spent time on women's launch. I saw a...

Ruth being one of the strongest female characters in the Bible taught me about how to work for myself. Today as I sat distressed, the lesson spoken today gave me courage. Ruth is a very strong woman who never left from her responsibilities. Firstly, when her husband dies she stays with her mother-in-law Naomi despite Naomi asking her to leave.  Secondly, her responsibility towards work outshines her from others. As a widow she chose to work hard, she had opportunities to slack but she never misused her rights. She worked hard not for others but for herself.  Today apart from her story I heard a testimony that inspired me. In a village where people are treated as an outcaste from the society, a group of people spend their time playing cards even though they had qualifications to get good jobs but they do not have faith in themselves to try. A person went to that village and spend time everyday with the card players. He talked to them, encouraged them to look past their fear and...

Today after a long search I stopped at a poem by Robert Bridges titled "Nightingales". This poem provides a beautiful picture with it's words. The poet tried to show the difference between illusion and reality. The poem is short but the poem draws a thin line between illusion and reality through the bird nightingale. Escapism is one reality that is portrayed, how nightingales sing to escape from their pain and suffering. The first part of the poem shows a beautiful world but the reality is portrayed in the second half of the poem. In various situations, we tend to want to escape and choose different mediums to cope with it. It is said an artist with pain is capable of being great in their work as they pour out their pain in the form of art.  The poem shows the fleeting beauty that slowly fades away. The song may bring lot of beautiful sights but it slowly fades away to the reality. Meaning however ornamental it may look it only remains for a short while.   The song sung b...

T omorrow, again tomorrow C reeping the fear within U nknown of the next minute Increases the anxiety within. Words words words Question the decisions made Still the crave for the rigidness Only wavers me a bit Standing tall like a tree Despite not knowing  what next Striving forward with trust Not just me but a lot more. Am I fragile Weak minded or indecisive E ven with the thorns T he pillar is still as strong as a bark. T his too shall pass A mantra that's been repeated E verything falls in place J ust as it always have been.

Today I came across a phrase by one of my friend which states that "Kya jaldi jaldi bade go gye yrr" which translates to how quickly we grew up. This statement was posted along with a video of my school premises bringing back the memories of the lost time. Time passes in the blink of an eye. As years move on I find myself looking back and seeing a blurred version of time. It's like a game, sometimes it seems so slow sometimes too quick.  One video took me back to the time where I still was a carefree soul. Apart from studies everything was smooth. It felt like a different world altogether. Everyday going to school just to maintain the perfect attendance title. Being excited for the certificate all seems too far away. Even though five years have passed I still feel as if the time in school was much slower than these five years. I still remember the road to the entrance gate. A small garden where I had my plant to water everyday. Library near the balcony, a place which was ...

There is a yellow tree near the selaiyur gate. Like a painting adorned and stood proudly among all the remaining green trees. It danced to the rhythm of the breeze and made soft sounds expressing its happiness. The bright yellow shades were the flowers that bloomed and covered the entire tree. The petals covered the paths as if a carpet of flowers was laid especially for me. While walking through the path petals fell on me like showers of blessing for a bright new day. Sometimes the yellow tree looks lonely as its families are all scattered in different parts of the vast campus. Since they are far from each other won't they feel lonely at times. The rays of sunlight falling on the yellow tree highlights the colour giving a bright glittering texture. Sometimes a part of the tree brightens, but other times it glitters altogether. I wonder if the yellow tree could talk what could be its first words? Will it welcome me like the inanimate objects in "The beauty and the beast...

Today being a holiday is the best moment to rest and relax at home the entire day does not give any hint of the hot weather outside as it's pretty cool inside the house. Then there is lot of time to browse through the pending novels and completing the watch lists. Today I would like to talk about the feeling of loss that we feel right after finishing a series or a book. As a reader, I often tend to get too involved in the story or the character. It is not the same for every other book, movie or series that we invest our time in. There are lots of pieces of literature, be it movies or series that we look forward for the end half-heartedly. But there are also some books or movies that make the viewers want and wait for the second part. I can give few examples from my experience. Few days back when I finished reading a book titled "Ladies Coupe" by Anita Nair I was not very happy about the ending because I was curious and wanted the story to continue but the stor...

Does the title look like a blog supporting fast food? Then I have to clarify that it's just a misunderstanding. Why do we like junk food even though we know it's bad for our health? The love for healthy food remains but still, the cravings often betray the healthy diet. Have we noticed such foods are more expensive than healthy food? But still, where do our eyes and hearts go, we sure know. This blog is not about healthy tips or the side effects of fast food but it's rather about the feeling of craving. A few days back I was craving fries so I planned to make potato fries. After eating those still the feeling of wanting the fries made in some shops didn't erase which was weird because the raw material is the same so why did this feeling continue to exist? We all watch YouTube and often curse the advertisements that pop up in the middle of some interesting video. Some advertisements are related to food delivery tempting the viewers to buy the food. Do cravings arise from...

Today being Sunday I decided to go to a different church. Everything was good except for the weather. It was so hot that it almost burned me alive. Usually, the heat starts at noon but now it starts in the morning itself. And my room is special as it's always an oven. No matter how cool it's outside the room will be a heater. I think I went a bit off-track. Yeah, let's go back to the topic. This heat outside made me feel not to leave the room but be lazy on the bed. I had to fight laziness and leave the room in the morning and on top of that yesterday night there was no electricity for some time. Wow, summer really drains a person.  During lunch also unable to have food as all that I cared about was water and 'Moore' which was too chilled. Aaha! That is another feeling altogether. Later while sitting on the bus stop under the shade did not provide much relief as the wind itself was hot, the shade did not help at all. All these are natural and can not be ...

Strolling through the path, Along the cemented pathway, With bushes on the left side, With varieties of plants. A budding of hibiscus Even banana leaves Some neem leaves And lot more greenery. Lots of little children, Even adults relaxing, Some walking with music, Others playing badminton with kids. Adults turning kids, And kids turning adults, In a short game of badminton, A competition along with fun. A lot more slides and swings, Small children running around, A cute couple talking with a smile, And a grandpa walking along the path. All these cute little sights, Some familiar some different, A fresh breath of life, while Strolling through the path.

We all love watching classic movies as it is nostalgic and reminds us of a different style of movie creation. Today I re watched a 2007 released rom-com titled as "Jab we met". This movie stars Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. I would like to highlight glimpses of my observation.  Firstly, this movie is a typical romance movie where the hero is depressed because of love failure and decides to end his life, that's when the heroine comes as an angel to save him. Even though the plot was predictable and obvious I still sat and saw with the same enthusiasm. The title itself is a combination of two languages Hindi and English which directly gives away an important part of the plot. Secondly, the plot does not drag much but there were some emotional scene that did not impact me but made me feel as just a mere observer. The plot mostly revolves around travel and the idea of seeing life in a positive mode. We also find that even a person who has a positive view on li...

Today unexpectedly we had a guest. I promised her a long way back to cook for her but the circumstances were not favourable. I was able to fulfil my promise today which made my day. Today we had chapattis, fries, spring onion sabji and egg curry. All the dishes were prepared by the three of us together. The process was fun as we listened to music and danced to the rhythm to give a flow to the cooking. It's been a long time since I prepared food and it was different to have lunch together giving a feeling of home. Today my special recipe was egg curry. I would like to share my recipe.  First, the eggs were boiled for around 10- 12 minutes to get a hard-boiled egg. Then few onions and tomatoes were sliced along with garlic and chillies. In a pan, a tablespoon of oil needs to be poured followed by half a teaspoon of cumin or jeera. Then sliced onion with some salts needs to be sauteed after adding some salts After the onion three golden tomatoes need to be added along with...

Why disconnect occurs in a relationship? This question was asked which gave a common answer of expectations but is it only that? I heard multiple ideas from different minds all coming to the solution to some of the experiences they too might have faced. There were many ideas shared like miscommunication, lack of maturity to deal with a situation, lack of listening to the other person and so on were some of the ideas shared by my friends. I think the disconnect between two people might be because of the comparison between two different individuals. Every individual is different so when a comparison happens gradually the relationship gets strained leading to breakage. The expectations that arise due to comparison put mental pressure on the person pushing them to get exhausted in the relationship. Once exhaustion hits it's a sign of disappearing relationship.  It's never easy to maintain a relationship but to keep it alive an understanding between two individual needs ...

M elting slowly T he illusionary state T he low loss of consciousness A lmost a drunken state. M oments before the inevitable W anting to stay awake B ut the droop of eyes D isobedient to the mind. G radual shut down of body T he tiredness taking over T aking to a dreamland O f unspoken fantasy. Listening but not hearing The world around fading A calmness washing over Cleansing all the worries away.

Don't we often feel like living a completely different life? What if we got a chance to explore different dimensions of possibilities? I often imagined the concept of the multi universe or alternative world where we are living as a different personality just like in one of the episodes of Doremon. T he curiosity of wanting a different life is due to the desperate wish to escape suffering. The novel "Midnight's Library" by Matt Heig talks about the possibilities of exploring different identities. T he protagonist tries to escape reality but gets stuck in a time loop where the clock is stuck at midnight. The person lives different lives and explores all the possibilities that one lifespan can offer. One thing Nora (the protagonist) cannot escape is the pain and loss which haunts her in every life. When she succeeds in changing one reality the butterfly effect causes her to lose something. T his short novel teaches how life is precious and that every shor...