Why I Write

"The idea is to write it so that people hear it

and it slides through the brain and goes 

straight to the heart." 

- Maya Angelou

It is difficult for me to fathom since exactly how long I have been writing to express myself. This certainly doesn't include the quintessential writing one does while in school or college. Sometimes, it seems to me as a consequence of my intrinsic behaviour which is keeping things to myself. Growing up, I was not the one growing up with a bunch of kids - neighbours, cousins of my age and my early socialization was limited to my parents and elders for as long as I can remember. Being the elder sister with a considerable age difference, my childhood was solitary. Before class 2 when my family finally moved to Jaipur, my father had postings in different districts and I faintly remember changing schools as well as homes. In fact, even within Jaipur, I have been part of four different schools. This also meant that I never got attached to one particular area, home, school or set of friends. 

Looking back, it is now that I realize that my love affair for writing began nearly a decade back and I am extremely grateful to my parents for their support. I've always been a voracious reader and certain books left imprints on my impressionable mind. Two of the ones that really inspired me to embrace the pen include 'The Diary of A Young Girl' by Anne Frank and 'The Story of my Life' by Helen Keller. Since the time I've gotten to know about their lives, they inspire me and will continue to be my heroes, no wonder they say that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Falling In Love With The Machine: Is This What The Future Looks Like?

Released in 2014, the Academy Award-winning film by Spike Jonze, “Her”, starring Joaquin Phoenix.

“Her” is an atypical love story which brings to screen a technology driven futuristic take on human life and personal relationships. Released in 2014, the movie is definitely worth a watch and it is no wonder that it has won numerous accolades and has been widely screened at film festivals. The protagonist Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is a professional who pens customized love letters for an online service. These letters are not in the usual computer font, but a distinct beautiful “handwriting” created digitally. On the personal front, he appears to be a lonely man after a recent separation from his wife and has somewhat of a monotonous life where he does his 9-5 office stint and gets back home.

 At one plane, it reflects the increasing utility of tech artifacts, wherein Theodore is checking e-mails on the go and responding to them via his digital assistant on his Bluetooth earpiece. This and much more became possible when he purchased and installed an intuitive AI software on his computer after filling out essential details. Though the digital assistant does not have a form, the OS who names itself as “Samantha” (the voice of Scarlett Johansson), after Theodore opted for a female voice, fills the void in his life in the beginning. He begins to interact with Samantha quite a lot, initially for work related stuff like attending or cancelling phone calls, responding to e-mails and text messages. 

Power to Ideas

The progress of a society is reflected among other things, in the way it embraces its diversity- of its people, their cultures and opinions. We, as self-actualized individuals of a modern society, must try to acknowledge and respect myriad ideas and their expression in all distinct forms. 

Musings of the Culturally Curious #1

 It is really interesting how a sight, sound or smell can trigger umpteen ideas in the mind.

I spotted these intricately beautiful door handles somewhere at Bharatpur, Rajasthan and they struck a chain of fleeting thoughts eventually...

Auroville through my eyes

Hello,

I present here few glimpses of my maiden visit to the "City of Dawn", Auroville (coined after Sri Aurobindo) in the format of a Photo Diary.

Exploring the areas that were open to visitors like the Visitors Centre, Matrimandir made me fall in love with the place.

For people who love to seek peace, shop local art and craft, who appreciate a confluence of cultures, a visit to Auroville and the Mandir far away from the hustle bustle can be therapeutic.

Beautiful Mandala Pottery

I still remember how enchanted I was while roaming around the Mandir. The geodesic dome made out of gold plates makes this temple one of its kind I believe. The entire physical structure with the symmetrical staircases, milky white marble floor, water running through little channels into a small space in the centre, and the beautiful crystal orb placed in the centre of a huge hall on which a ray of sunlight hits from the top of the dome is awe inspiring. This entirely white hall with the crystal orb at the centre is meant for silent meditation.

Exploring Jodhpur, the Sun City: A Field Trip

Hello,

Sharing glimpses from my field visit to Jodhpur, Rajasthan, as part of our Sociology Honours programme, where we explored the city’s cultural and social fabric alongside our professors and classmates. This journal brings together snapshots of our journey, interweaving reflections with visual narratives.

Day 1: 14^th December’15

After reaching Jodhpur on the morning of 14th December, we checked into Mangal Haveli Guest House, which offered a beautiful view of Mehrangarh Fort from its terrace and was in close proximity to the Clock Tower and the fort.