Founder of eShe magazine (eshe.in) and the peacebuilding initiative South Asia Union (southasiaunion.com). Features in and as 'The Unsuitable Girl', in episode 1 of 'Love Storiyaan' on Amazon Prime. Email: aekta@eshe.in
At a Buddhist discussion meeting last week (I’m part of the SGI, and follow Nichiren Buddhism), I came across the concept of ‘true friends’ versus ‘true enemies’. Simply put, a true friend is one that takes you deeper into your spiritual practice, and a true enemy is one that takes you away from it. So, … More Friends and enemies
I have been absconding from duty (this blog) not because there haven’t been any miracles in my life, but because there have been so many that I cannot express it all in words. So I thought, let me start with what’s right there in front of me. And what there is – is my girls … More Pow ‘wow’
Here are some notes from a discourse by TT Rangarajan that I attended a few months ago, putting them down in case I lose my notebook! 1. God is a matter of alignment, not belief. Faith in God is not enough, you have to align yourself with the message — whether it’s Krishna’s or Christ’s. Your value … More Teacher talk
It was fabulous to spend last week in Toronto. The town was alive with a joyful energy only summer can bring (mild summer, mind you, not the stifling Indian kind). Lots was happening — Bollywood’s darling IIFA awards, the Toronto Pride Week, a jazz festival. Plugged into phones or iPods, multitudes brushed passed me as I wandered the streets, taking in … More Right there, in the buildings
On my last day in Singapore, my brother and I discussed that the most effective way of giving respect and attention to older folk was to ask them stories of their youth. Had he and I not had this talk, I would have missed precious opportunities that came up recently to uncover fascinating tales of … More Mongooses and a red lace sari
Coming back to your life after an extended holiday abroad is almost like waking up from a long dream. Everything is new, strange, surreal – and yet familiar and starkly real. As I drove from home to work on day one, there was a tremendous sense of peace and calm. A sense of belonging, a … More Riding high
Your own children come with large doses of both heaven and hell. There are moments of heady joy, pride and a foolish heart filled to the point of bursting. But there are also moments of terror, panic and immense fear that goes deep down into your gut. This dichotomy does not apply to nieces. Nieces are pure … More There’s something about nieces
It’s been two weeks since I’ve been using Estee Lauder’s Time Zone Night Anti Line/Wrinkle Cream, and so far I’ve loved the experience. Like all Estee Lauder skincare products, this too has a mildly pleasant fragrance, is easily absorbed in the skin and is luxurious to the touch. My skin is usually dry and this … More Product review: Estee Lauder Time Zone
The first thought that went through my head when Manasvi, my fourteen-year-old, ripped her toenail right off her foot in front of my eyes two days ago was, “Thank God she was in the pool when it happened. The water will lessen the impact of the pain, and the chlorine will disinfect it in case … More Ouch
Shanthi Sekaran’s debut novel, first published in 2009 and recently re-released by Harper Collins, looks at an inter-cultural marriage set across three countries and a host of forgotten memories. George, a British student, is forced to marry Viji, a Tamilian, after they are caught making love. What follows is the story of their marriage, as they travel … More Book review: The Prayer Room
Due to late nights at work these days, I end up having my breakfast around noon. Yesterday, as I sat alone on the dining table in our ‘informal’ dining room (we have a ‘formal’ one as well, see how God spoils me), I was still sleepy, having my paratha in silence. This room falls in … More Domestic divinity
As an editor, nipping and tucking voluminous text is a vital part of my job. No matter how interesting the original text by the writer is, I have to cull out several portions of it due to paucity of space. Yesterday night, while editing a particularly interesting interview, I realised that my reader would only … More Editing life
I read a piece by T.T. Rangarajan, one of my favourite spiritual teachers, in Life Positive a few days ago. In it, he talks about the only three questions that are worth asking oneself as a measure of a life well lived. I decided to introspect on my responses and check my score. 1. Each … More Checkpoint
Suddenly in the middle of a harsh, unforgiving summer, came the rain. One kid was out to a birthday party. The other wanted to go to the mall, tired of sitting at home for the past few days (it’s summer vacation time). When it stopped raining, we drove down to the nearest cluster of malls (Vasant … More The day the weather god smiled
I love it when I have a good book to read. And this month, I’ve had two. First, I was addicted to David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. And just yesterday I wound up Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken. And I’m in literary heaven. When I’m into a book, I’m totally into it. So … More Between the lines
100 Paths 