On learning bravery before understanding loss I’m telling this story now as an adult.But the boy inside it was ten. At ten, I believed walls had feelings.Not because they spoke, but because they noticed. Especially the wall in the rented house we moved into after Mummy died. It wasn’t her house, and yet, for a … Continue reading But My Smile Still Stays On
Category: REMINISCENCES & REFLECTIONS
Nostalgic moments revived.
What December Still Knows
A grown man revisits the boy who learned loss in the season of joy. Every year, December arrives like a familiar visitor… carrying light, carrying music, carrying an ache that never truly leaves me. It begins with a hush inside my chest, the kind that comes before a memory rises. December is the month my … Continue reading What December Still Knows
The Room Where She Died
Echoes from “Autobiography of a Yogi,” held together by memory, love, and the persistence of a scar I can still remember that house, and that room where my mother died, with a clarity that defies the decades. Time usually blurs even our brightest joys, but certain memories remain untouched—as if they belong not to the … Continue reading The Room Where She Died
When a Book Opened a Door
A Quiet Conversation Between the Living and the Loved. It was my friend Vasu who first told me about The Autobiography of a Yogi. He would quote little pieces from it during our conversations—especially whenever I wrote or spoke about my mother. More than once, he said, “You know, Mohan… the way you write, it … Continue reading When a Book Opened a Door
Half the Chaos, Twice the Silence
Great for Toys, Not So Great for Tears People think being an only child is a blessing wrapped in shiny paper.“Lucky kid,” they say. “No sharing! No fighting! No one stealing your snacks!” And yes, on paper, that sounds like a dream. If my father walked in with something that obviously looked like a child’s … Continue reading Half the Chaos, Twice the Silence
The Storyteller’s Secret
Some stories stay with you. Some storytellers never leave. It’s funny how memory works. I spent four years in Calcutta — ages zero to four — and somehow, people find it incredible that I remember anything at all. They’re right, of course. At that age, one’s greatest life achievements are mastering “potty” and identifying the … Continue reading The Storyteller’s Secret
When Teachers Were Human
Before screens had answers, hearts did. I don’t usually read WhatsApp forwards.Most of them begin with “Must Read!” — which, to me, is reason enough not to. But one particular forward last week caught my attention.It was about a teacher. Maybe it was the word teacher that stopped me.Or maybe it was because, after all … Continue reading When Teachers Were Human
Up in the Air — and Back to Earth
On finding grace, courage, and heart in the hardest parts of work and life. There are some things in a career that never get easier, no matter how many years you’ve been around.For me, it’s having to fire someone. Whether it’s because of performance issues, restructuring, or one of those mysterious “management decisions,” the act … Continue reading Up in the Air — and Back to Earth
O Chumma! (Just Like That)
A lighthearted tale from the days when even mischief had manners. If I had to describe my childhood summers in one phrase, it would be — “O Chumma.”Which, for the uninitiated, roughly translates to “Just like that.”A phrase so innocent, yet so powerful, it could dodge nosy neighbours, curious relatives, and half the village gossip … Continue reading O Chumma! (Just Like That)
Eat Something, You Look Thin
The immortal echo of every mother and grandmother People say nothing lasts forever. Clearly, they’ve never met mothers. Or worse, grandmothers. Mothers don’t really die — they simply reappear in upgraded versions, also known as grandmothers. It’s the only promotion in the world where the pay is zero, the job description is vague, but the … Continue reading Eat Something, You Look Thin
Internal Control in a Peanut Cone
The tiny crunch that reminded me how love and discipline can live in the same moment. Technology may be advancing at the speed of light, but some temptations never grow old. For me, one of those is the humble paper cone of peanuts roasted in hot sand by a roadside vendor. The crunch of those … Continue reading Internal Control in a Peanut Cone
The Loaf and the Love
From bakery ovens to childhood memories, and the warmth that endures The best bread in the world is the one you can’t wait to eat. Not the kind that comes sealed in plastic, looking like it was machine-cut by a barber with obsessive symmetry. Not the kind that sits politely in your toaster waiting to … Continue reading The Loaf and the Love
Across the Bridges of Yesterday
Childhood crossings, trembling planks, and memories that never let go. I was born in Calcutta, and one of my earliest impressions of the world is a bridge—the great Howrah Bridge. To a four-year-old, it didn’t look like steel and rivets; it looked like a giant playground that grown-ups had stolen for themselves. Perched between my … Continue reading Across the Bridges of Yesterday
When the World Pauses, Surprises Begin
On hidden hills, wordless songs, and books waiting to be found. There’s something magical about arriving at a hill station that doesn’t appear in glossy brochures. No signboards promising attractions. No queues at crowded viewpoints. No selfies against neon backdrops. Just winding roads that open into stillness. At the small resort where we stayed, mornings … Continue reading When the World Pauses, Surprises Begin
The Calcutta I Carry
Memories too precious to risk, yet impossible to forget My parents met in Calcutta, and it was there that they fell in love. Though they married later in Kerala, the beginning of their story—and mine—was written in Calcutta. No matter where life has taken me since, that city has always remained close to my heart—as … Continue reading The Calcutta I Carry
When the Night Thinks I’m Worthy
A love letter to late-night storytelling and slightly irresponsible choices “You’re doing it again.” My wife stood at the door, arms folded like a part-time warden and full-time realist. “It’s 2 AM.” I looked up from my laptop and gave her a sheepish grin—the kind that used to work on teachers, and these days works … Continue reading When the Night Thinks I’m Worthy
Lost in the Comma Grove
Where Sentences Stumble, Stories Begin (Or: how “writing a memoir” became a badly planned jungle trek—with imaginary coconuts and one very judgmental semicolon.) I didn’t set out to write a book.I set out to remember.And like most things I begin with misplaced confidence, it quickly spiralled out of control. It started innocently—my daughter asked a … Continue reading Lost in the Comma Grove
The Global Kindness Department
Run by people who don’t know they work here. Charles Dickens once wrote, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another.” True enough. He may not have imagined the sheer heroism required to lift your spouse’s overpacked suitcase onto the airport conveyor belt while your back stages a mild rebellion—but … Continue reading The Global Kindness Department
Nothing Lasts Forever, But Stories Do
Saying Goodbye to Shops That Shaped Us When it comes to remembering kids’ dresses, my wife’s memory is sharp as a needle—me? I forget where I put my keys five minutes ago. But that’s part of why these familiar little shops mean so much to her. There’s something quietly magical about those places—shops that have … Continue reading Nothing Lasts Forever, But Stories Do
Stairway to Heaven Goes Both Ways
And a Lesson on Listening, Laughter, and Neck Wind Sensors It began like any other regular morning in the office. Emails pretending to be urgent, phones ringing just enough to sound important, and our boss locked in his cabin, doing what bosses do—speaking in hushed tones that somehow carry farther than normal voices. Then came … Continue reading Stairway to Heaven Goes Both Ways
Not Bad
Learning the Art of Disappearing Loudly Some of the stories I share here are personal—drawn from my walks, memories, or passing thoughts that demanded coffee and conversation. But this one’s from the trenches of my working life. Specifically, the time I graduated from being a confident office multitool in Jebel Ali to a confused spreadsheet … Continue reading Not Bad
Slow Train Coming
This Trackside Wisdom Brought to You by Mild Inconvenience There was a time I used to take the bridge. It was the “respectable” way to cross the railway tracks during my early morning walks… Safe, official, and approved by orthopaedic surgeons across the world. But somewhere along the way, I started avoiding it. Not for … Continue reading Slow Train Coming
The View from My “I-Worry” Tower
A Tale of Heartbeats, Tap Water & Hindsight For most of my working life, I lived in what I now fondly call the “I-Worry Tower.” You’ve heard of the Ivory Tower… where intellectuals and academics sip fine tea while debating the meaning of life in Latin. Well, mine was a slightly different version: the … Continue reading The View from My “I-Worry” Tower
Reaching for Somebody’s Star
Things I Chased, Things I Found, and Things That Just Sat There Flickering Some mornings, I sit at the edge of the bed and forget why I stood up.Other days, I remember far too much. Apparently, it’s best if I stay out of the kitchen, off the shopping list, and away from the fridge. I’ve … Continue reading Reaching for Somebody’s Star
Bald Goals
A Memoir of Motivation, Missed Starts, and Lavish Loos I’ve always had a soft spot for motivation.The kind that arrives with a name tag, a folding chair, and the promise that “life will never be the same again.” Many years ago, just after I joined my father’s building materials and sanitary ware distribution business, I … Continue reading Bald Goals
When the Land Laughed
The soul of a land that stayed the same while everything around it changed. For generations, the land sat quietly at the edge of the backwaters… cradled by thick mangroves, shaded by stooping coconut palms, and embraced by silence. The kind of silence that could only be reached by boat. No one walked here unless … Continue reading When the Land Laughed
The AcciDental Smiler
I wasn’t happy. But my lips said otherwise. On most mornings, I step out with a noble intention: walk briskly, stay healthy, and disturb my dental work as little as possible. Thanks to a recent root canal, my mouth is on a strict no-jiggle protocol. The dentist, overly cheerful and suspiciously enthusiastic about tiny metal … Continue reading The AcciDental Smiler
Catch-Up in Progress…
A backbencher’s overdue reply to time, technology, and friendship. The other day, while earnestly pretending to “network” on LinkedIn (read: lurking), I sent a message to an old college classmate. You know those contacts you scroll past 37 times and finally think, Ah, what the heck. Let me say hi before our fingers get too … Continue reading Catch-Up in Progress…
Squats, Slaps, and Sudden Enlightenment
An Unexpected Route to Mental Mastery I finally discovered the reason for my exceptional intelligence. It wasn’t books, it wasn’t talent, and it definitely wasn’t doing homework. Nope… it was Rao Sir and his delightfully medieval punishments. You see, I was casually scrolling through social media when I stumbled upon a video about Superbrain Yoga. … Continue reading Squats, Slaps, and Sudden Enlightenment
The Marble Trekker
And the Man Who Learned That Spiders Don’t Need Shoes (But They Need Luck) There I am… parked on a soft, overly polite chair in a large textile store, the kind where husbands come to die waiting. My wife is deep inside the fabric jungle, comparing shades of beige that all look exactly the same … Continue reading The Marble Trekker
Operation Fruitstorm: Kerala Edition
Where Mangoes Fall, Jackfruits Stick, and Squirrels Judge What’s tastier—mango or jackfruit?Lately, my tummy’s been debating that with growing urgency.It’s happy, yes… but also very, very confused. Between the guavas, bananas, mangoes, and jackfruits it’s been receiving, it’s behaving like someone who just got promoted. Big perks. Bigger desk. Total chaos.That’s my tummy right now: … Continue reading Operation Fruitstorm: Kerala Edition
The Wise Old Fool on the Hill
The Crow Whisperer Who Sees What We’re Too Busy to Notice I’ve resumed my daily morning walks now that I’m back in Kochi. The familiar streets greet me like an old friend… grumbling a little, but still comforting. It’s the kind of reunion where neither party has changed much: the roads are still cracked, the … Continue reading The Wise Old Fool on the Hill
The Hello That Almost Didn’t Happen (But Thankfully Did)
Familiar Faces, Fading Memories, and a Lot of Gulab Jamuns I’m back in Kochi after a few days in Dubai for my niece’s wedding, and the pictures have started rolling in… filtered, fabulous, and occasionally photobombed. As I swipe through them, I’m reminded of the rare blessing it was: a big-hearted gathering of relatives and … Continue reading The Hello That Almost Didn’t Happen (But Thankfully Did)
Between the Buffet and the Blessings
We Came for the Wedding. We Left Holding On to Each Other. Let’s be honest. Most of us spend our daily lives blissfully unaware that time is tiptoeing past us. Until one day, you find yourself at a wedding in Dubai, wondering when exactly your niece… who once turned a movie theatre into her concert … Continue reading Between the Buffet and the Blessings
Peanuts, Petrol, and the Long Way Home
A nostalgic revisit to my daily desert commute… now with humour, hindsight, and fewer yawns. Ten minutes after landing in Abu Dhabi, I’m back on the road that once defined my weekdays. We’re heading toward Dubai, and I’m not behind the wheel this time… but my brain is already shifting gears, cruising straight into memory … Continue reading Peanuts, Petrol, and the Long Way Home
Tangled in Time
How an Old Knitting Book Became a Thread to My Past I am browsing through a book on knitting. Knitting? Yes, knitting. Now, before you start picturing me with a pair of needles, clickety-clacking away at a sweater, let me assure you… I have never knitted a single stitch in my life. But as I … Continue reading Tangled in Time
The World Is Flat, But the Pavements Are Not
A Pedestrian’s Guide to International Relations… and Tripping Hazards Thomas Friedman wrote a famous book The World Is Flat, arguing that globalization has removed barriers and levelled the playing field. I’d love for him to stroll through Kochi before making such bold claims. Because here, the pavements tell a very different story. Take, for example, … Continue reading The World Is Flat, But the Pavements Are Not
THE THREE MEN I WISH WERE ALIVE TODAY
When Presence Fades, but Influence Endures For years, my approach to blogging was like my approach to fitness… enthusiastic in bursts, inconsistent at best, and largely unnoticed. I’d write whenever inspiration struck, toss a story into the void, and then carry on with life, assuming the internet would do the magical work of bringing readers. … Continue reading THE THREE MEN I WISH WERE ALIVE TODAY
A Fault-Finder’s Pilgrimage to the Confessional Booth
Finding Faults, Seeking Forgiveness, and Getting Bit in the Process It’s that time of the year again… the pre-Easter confession. Fifty days of Lent, a spiritual cleanse, and one mandatory session of baring my soul. Except, as I settle into a chair in the queue, waiting for the priests to arrive, I’m grappling with a … Continue reading A Fault-Finder’s Pilgrimage to the Confessional Booth
A Long-Ago Summer in Alwaye
A Season of Stories, Surprises, and Sharpened Pencils Looking back, summer always meant Kottayam… Granny’s hugs, her endless stories, and the comforting rhythm of our ancestral home. But that year, fate had a different plan. My aunt and uncle in Alwaye invited me over, and just like that, my summer took an unexpected detour. Their … Continue reading A Long-Ago Summer in Alwaye
The Day My Daughter Ordered Heavy Machinery
*(Or: How a Teenager Schooled Her Logistics-Obsessed Father)* When your teenage daughter asks for a tipping chassis for her birthday, two things become clear: your work-life balance has gone terribly wrong, and your kid has developed an alarmingly expensive sense of humour. December is a big month in our family. My daughter’s birthday, strategically nestled … Continue reading The Day My Daughter Ordered Heavy Machinery
The Hazards of Junk Journaling
A Cautionary Tale from the Depths of My Bed There comes a time in every man’s life when he must confront his past. For some, it’s through old love letters. For others, it’s through embarrassing photos from the past. For me, it was a deep dive into the abyss beneath my bed… a Pandora’s Box … Continue reading The Hazards of Junk Journaling
The Teacher, the Tea, and the Timeless Connection
A Random Meeting That Taught Me Life’s Connections Run Deep Riding into Memories Life has a knack for surprising you when you least expect it. One moment, you’re out on a mission to escape the monotony of a shop counter, and the next, you’re knee-deep in an emotional reunion with your past, courtesy of a … Continue reading The Teacher, the Tea, and the Timeless Connection
The Gruen Effect Chronicles
How Festive Malls Turn Everyone into a Shopaholic. Imagine stepping into a mall during the festive season, the air rich with cinnamon and pine, twinkling lights twirling overhead like stars on a sugar rush. It’s enchanting. It’s magical. It’s a trap. Welcome to my life, where the “Gruen Effect” isn’t just a phenomenon—it’s a recurring … Continue reading The Gruen Effect Chronicles
The Day Frampton Came Alive in Kerala
How a Two-in-One Player and a Cassette Changed Everything It was the 1980s, a glorious era of bad haircuts, epic road trips, and cassettes as life essentials. My friend and I were cruising through Kerala on one of those broke-but-blissful adventures where every dosa felt like a banquet, and our cassette player was the crown … Continue reading The Day Frampton Came Alive in Kerala
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