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
Category: Uncategorized
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
Of Puppies, Peanuts, and People Who Walk Past
A story about instinctive kindness and the lessons adults forget. My morning walks are usually well-planned… early start, steady pace, and a truce with the neighbourhood strays. But today, I step out late, throwing off my usual route and my carefully negotiated peace treaty with street dogs who take punctuality very seriously. I choose a … Continue reading Of Puppies, Peanuts, and People Who Walk Past
Lifting Spirits, Not Packages
A modern fable on strength, self-awareness, and the weight of changing times. Morning walks are supposed to be peaceful, but mine always seem to turn into existential debates about life, ageing, and why my knees sound like bubble wrap. I try to focus on my breath, my steady… well, relatively steady… strides, and dodging the … Continue reading Lifting Spirits, Not Packages
The War Outside, The Questions Within
Even when war makes no sense, a mother’s voice is enough. “There’s a war happening,” says Mummy. I stop chewing my banana. A war? Here? In our quiet little town, where the biggest battles are over who gets the crispiest dosa? That doesn’t make sense. Mummy was talking to Daddy about it while he read … Continue reading The War Outside, The Questions Within
One Last Slap
A moment of discipline, a lifetime of love, and a farewell too soon. I have lived a long life, stumbled through mistakes, taken wrong turns, and ignored wisdom when I shouldn’t have. And yet, if you ask me what I truly long for, it’s not another chance to rewrite those mistakes. It’s something simpler, something … Continue reading One Last Slap
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
Walk, Don’t Run—The Dogs Are Watching
Walking the Fine Line between Fitness and Foolishness When it comes to my morning walks, I don’t dabble in the conventional. Parks, jogging tracks, and treadmills? Pass. I’m a side-road connoisseur. Give me a narrow, potholed lane with a stray chicken or two over a smooth track any day. Who needs predictability when you can … Continue reading Walk, Don’t Run—The Dogs Are Watching
The Hole-y Grail of Truth
Why Life, Bagels, and Elevator Pitches Are Better with Gaps You know what’s brilliant about bagels and vadas? The hole. Without it, you’re left with something undercooked and downright disappointing. And that got me thinking. Why not apply the same principle to truth? Add a hole, make it lighter, and easier to chew on. After … Continue reading The Hole-y Grail of Truth
The Buzzing Negotiator
He came for blood, but stayed for the conversation Every evening, I light frankincense in a brass vessel, letting its earthy aroma drift through my home. It’s my peaceful little ritual, not just for the calming scent, but because it keeps the mosquitos at bay. Well, mostly. Last night, I’m mid-procession, wafting the fragrant smoke … Continue reading The Buzzing Negotiator
Why Every Living Being Deserves a Slice of Equality This New Year
A Delightful New Year’s Tale About Cake, Kindness, And Cosmic Balance As the final sunset of the year cast its golden glow, the ants, the world’s tiniest powerhouses, decided they’d had enough. Enough of being stomped, squished, and swept aside. They were done being ignored as life’s footnotes. On that final night of the year, … Continue reading Why Every Living Being Deserves a Slice of Equality This New Year
Santa’s Polar Portal: A Magical Journey from Antarctica to the Arctic
Experience the enchanting adventure that brings together friends from both poles! As Christmas approached with its usual jingle and jangle, Santa Claus was busier than a one-horse sleigh in a snowstorm. He was knee-deep in gift-wrapping and cookie sampling when suddenly, his jolly old phone rang—a sound as rare as a reindeer with a sense … Continue reading Santa’s Polar Portal: A Magical Journey from Antarctica to the Arctic
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
A Woodstock for the Soul: World Meditation Day 2024
Sitars, serenity, and a global pause for mindfulness. December 21, 2024, is almost here, and the world is preparing for World Meditation Day—a day when everyone, from toddlers with sticky fingers to grandparents with creaky knees, will attempt to sit still, breathe deeply, and master the ancient art of... doing absolutely nothing. For me, this … Continue reading A Woodstock for the Soul: World Meditation Day 2024
A Life in Full Stride: A Dad’s Odyssey of Defiance and Determination
The Journey of a Man Who Walked His Own Way When I first heard about the longest walkable route in the world, I nearly choked on my coffee. Picture this: a jaw-dropping stretch from Cape Town, South Africa, to Magadan, Russia—a staggering 22,387 kilometres of uninterrupted land. No planes, no ferries, no boats—just you, your trusty … Continue reading A Life in Full Stride: A Dad’s Odyssey of Defiance and Determination
