The culture of our elders (Or how they are aping the West) 4

[This is the unedited version of my column published 11 Nov 2012 in the Asian Age & Deccan Chronicle] Pre-Diwali spring cleaning was in full swing at home, when my dad handed me a stack of spotless cotton dhotis. “For donation”, he said, “Nowadays, I am preferring to wear these 3/4th pants at home. Very ...

The Singing & Sundal scam 18

[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 14 Oct 2012 in the Asian Age & Deccan Chronicle] A few months ago, the husband and I got to travel to Australia’s beautiful but remote Kimberley region. We were huddled around a campfire with Australia’s finest (which is to say, retirees with lots of ...

Faulty Towers (Or, the things that offend me) 1

[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 15 Sept, 2012 in The Deccan Chronicle & Asian Age newspapers] Not a day goes by without someone being offended by something that was said or done. What exactly is going on? Is the number of offensive people on the rise? I put the blame ...

Confessions of an Indian Patient 6

[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 22 July, 2012 in The Deccan Chronicle & Asian Age newspapers] I got a rude shock the other day. I went to see a doctor and she did several appalling things that you would never expect a self-respecting doctor to do.  First, she saw me ...

All you need is marriage 4

[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 22 July, 2012 in The Deccan Chronicle & Asian Age newspapers] Is there anything we Indians love more than a wedding? We are always ready to go to one, conduct one, or even better, hound unsuspecting young adults into one. Everyone is happy at a ...

The great Indian road trick 1

[[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 24 June, 2012 in The Deccan Chronicle & Asian Age newspapers] Do you feel stressed, worn out and defeated by traffic? Are you looking for a new route to enlightenment? The Art of Driving (AOD) philosophy can unlock secret pathways in your brain and help ...

A Letter to our Politicians 1

[Note: This is the unedited version of my column published 28 May, 2012 in The Deccan Chronicle & Asian Age newspapers] Dear politician uncles and aunties, Today my teacher is asking us to write a letter to someone famous. My classmates are writing to some smart celebrities, but I think I can get extra marks ...

Importance of fairness in modern Indian society 9

[Note: An edited version of this piece was published in Himal Mag] I am very much connected to Internetworks these days. My friends are sending me every day new new links, and I am expanding my world too much. But yesterday one shocking video I saw. One married girl is thinking about those shame-shame areas ...

Modesty of dress and Indian culture 9

[Note: This article was first published as a Facebook note, where it got thousands of likes & shares, and then in The Hindu’s Opinion section, where again it attracted lots of comments!] Sir/Madam, I write to complain about the abysmal standards of modesty I am noticing in Indian society. All bad things–sensationalist TV, obscene movies, ...