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A Simple Snack, A Deep Lesson: Recognizing Our Privileges

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On a pleasant Sunday evening, I was savoring Panipuri with a friend at a roadside stall. The spiciness of the ‘Paani’ had both my eyes and mouth watering, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. I even asked the vendor for another plate. As I indulged in the crispy panipuris, I noticed a man walk up to the stall with his wife and three daughters. At first, I thought they were there for some snacks as well, but they stood across the road, while only two of the daughters approached the vendor with excitement. I assumed the parents weren’t interested in having any. The older of the two daughters asked the vendor the price of Panipuri, and he replied, “Rs. 40 per plate.” In an instant, their excitement faded, replaced by polite smiles, and they returned to their father. Even though I was across the road, I could overhear their conversation. The father, shaking his head, said, “It’s too expensive,” and firmly declined. They all walked away, empty-handed. Although the thought of helping crossed my...
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From Concerts to Pilgrimages: How FOMO Shapes Our Choices

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I'm a Coldplay fan! When it was announced that Coldplay was hosting a concert in India, I was over the moon, thinking I might finally get a chance to see them live. But to my disappointment, the tickets sold out within minutes. Today, some of those tickets are being resold on platforms like Viagogo for a jaw-dropping ₹9.9 lakhs. Yes, you read that right—₹9.9 lakhs for a concert ticket! What really surprised me, though, was seeing people crying on social media about missing out on the tickets, as if it was the end of the world. Intrigued, I dug deeper and found interviews where many admitted they weren’t even that familiar with Coldplay’s music. They simply didn’t want to miss out on what was deemed " the event of the year" . I couldn’t help but think: Really? I also noticed this phenomenon in other aspects as well.  It's interesting, and a bit disheartening, to think that something as deeply personal and spiritual as a holy journey could be influenced by FOMO (Fear o...
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Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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The Silent Warriors: Stories of Strength Behind the Smile

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(Illustrative image) It was a festival morning, and I found myself soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of the day. I sat in the balcony, watching people pass by in their festive attire, their faces glowing with joy and celebration. The air was filled with laughter, the aroma of special dishes, and the spirit of festivity.   Amidst this colorful scene, my attention was drawn to a woman walking down the road. She was dressed in ragged clothes, holding an infant in her arms. Two small children, likely around 3 to 5 years old, trailed behind her, barefoot. One of the younger ones stumbled and fell, scraping his knees on the hard ground. I watched, expecting the usual reaction - a cry for comfort, tears welling up in the child's eyes, and a mother rushing to console him. But to my surprise, none of that happened. The mother turned back, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. The child, with a look of quiet determination, got back on his feet, dusted off his scraped knees, and continued w...
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Wherever Life Plants You, Bloom With Grace

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A few days back I left my office at about 6 o'clock in the evening and I was heading towards the parking. On my way, I noticed a plant called Tacoma with beautiful yellow flowers. I immediately took out my phone and took the above picture. This plant with beautiful flowers was very pleasing to the eyes. This plant was not planted there on purpose. Yet somehow it managed to find enough soil, water, and nutrients to grow itself. What are the odds that it grows up in such a tiny gap between the concrete pavers and a brick wall?  This plant immediately seeded a thought in my mind.  We often complain in our lives about not being in a place we desire or not getting things we wish for. Some even grieve throughout their life failing to realize that the life they had could have been lived better had they focused on different things. You are feeling you are not where you want to be, you are supposed to be somewhere else. Say you could snap your finger and be wherever you wanted to ...
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Theory of Relativity

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Its been a long time since I posted my last blog. So many blogs in "Drafts" but I have been just lazy not to finish them. But every now then I see an inspiration around me that makes want to share it with you all.  It was a late evening in the scorching heat of Delhi in the month of May and I was sitting in the waiting room of Nizamuddin Railway Station waiting for arrival of my train back home. The waiting room was a mini India where people from all parts of the country where waiting to catch their train. Amidst the chaos in the waiting room, walks in a skinny old man in his late 70s carrying a bunch of baggage lock chains and repair tools in his hand with a backpack. His face was wrinkled and body was bent but there was no sign of tiredness on his face. The temperature on that day in Delhi was over 45 degree Celsius and still hadn't cooled down in the evening. Whole Delhi was exhausted from the heat including me, except this old man who had a charm of a young man on his...
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The Society of Sophisticated Lies

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Movies play a vital role in our society. Some movies or scenes from movies make a big impact on our lives. One such movie scene in my life is an old 80’s Kannada movie named Rama-Lakshmana. Although I don’t recall the whole movie, there is this song titled “Nodiddu Sullagabahudu” (which means whatever you see could be false) that had a great impact on me. This song which is in a “Katha Roopaka” form, narrates a story of a woman called Gangamma. Some of you might have had this story in your school book.  The story briefly goes like this: Gangamma decides to go out and fetch water from outside. But seeing her baby sleeping she calls out mongoose and tells it to take care of the baby. After a while when Gangamma returns, she sees the mongoose standing at the door with blood around its mouth. She immediately concludes that the mongoose had killed her baby and kills the mongoose. She then rushes inside to see the baby. She is shocked to see that the baby is laughing in the cradle and ...
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Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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The new beginning...

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For most people, 2020 has not been a good year. The pandemic brought the fast-paced modern life to a complete standstill.  Billions of lives have been affected by this pandemic. Everybody lived in fear of what would lie ahead. A year that most would want to forget soon.  However, things were different for me this year.  For me, it was a discovery of true love and the beginning of a beautiful relationship .  A year of a new beginning.   After a ride through the roller coaster, it's been a year since we are engaged to each other. Yet, it feels just like a month ago. A great start to the lifetime of togetherness.   Before this, everyone one of my well-wishers was questioning as to when will I get married. Wherever I would go, this question used to follow me like a shadow. Used to make me wonder as to why this relationship of all is given such significance in life.   I used to ask people about how their married life is. They used...
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