From Deepa's Desk

  I came across this wonderful note on a site and couldn’t help musing and pondering over it.  At this point of time, as I reach the middle-age, a question often pinches me – ‘What is the purpose of my life?’ Have you come across this question? And most importantly, did you get the answer for this? I haven’t yet! For those like me who meander through life living in the moment and carrying out their day-to-day activities with no thought for the future, the above note comes as a life-saver! As the note says, our purpose of life need not be something very magnificent or huge. Too often, we set high goals for ourselves. Most of the times, the little things we do in our daily lives more or less help in achieving the purpose of our existence. It could be something like preparing a meal whole-heartedly and lovingly for the family. It could be spending some quality time with your kids and giving them your whole attention. They do say that charity begins at home! It could be even s...

  Today is the 13 th anniversary of the 26/11 attack. An attack that shook not just Mumbai but the entire world. A dastardly act of violence and aggression that no person of this age can forget.   Today, my spirit is with Mumbai. I feel a strange yearning to be there. To be at CST, my home away from home in Maharashtra. Not a single day goes by that I don’t think about Mumbai. But today, I long for it.   May be the grief that every Mumbaikar is feeling today is reflecting in my soul too. For every Mumbaikar is connected with mutual love for this city which is a mother to us.   I have worked in two offices in Mumbai. The first one was at Fort and the second one was at Colaba. I remember the euphoric feeling of getting down at the platform of CST and walking towards the exit, side-by-side people of all walks of life. I felt one with them. That is what CST does! It instantly connects people. For me, every morning felt like I had left one home and arrived at ano...

  There are many ways that inspiration flows into our life. It could be from an image, or from a story, or a person or a book. Today, I read a book which is not just a book. It is a journey from humble origins to what could be considered as the most coveted position in our country. It is the story of a man who rose to unimaginable heights, yet stayed firmly rooted to his origins and retained his moral ethics and values. The book I am referring to is titled My Journey – Transforming Dreams into Actions. And the author is none other than the People’s President, the Missile Man of India, our own APJ Abdul Kalam. I was going to write a review in very few lines in a reader’s group that I am in. But something didn’t feel right about limiting into few lines, the shower of inspiration and hope that this book bestowed on me. Hence this blog post about a book that came into my life at the right time. The narrative takes us to simpler and better times of life. As APJ describes how the...

The moon is the center of attraction today! While for some, it is the glorious Poornima, for others, it is the equally mystical and beautiful eclipse. The moon is beautiful either way!   Today is Annamalai Kartigai Deepam, one of the most beautiful festivals of the year. A festival of Deepam and hills and lights! As a child, this festival meant seeing the beautiful brass Vilaku (lamps) lit outside my home by the elders of my family and relishing the sweets prepared as Naivedyam. The sweets included Nai-appam, vella-pori and some paayasam. The limit of my involvement in festivals was just this – watch the beautiful Vilaku and partake of the delicious naivedyam.   As I am growing in years, I am learning to be more involved in the celebration, not just as a witness and an enjoyer, but as a doer too! There is a large scope for learning and someday I hope to perfect myself when it comes to preparation of delicacies for festivals.   Drawing a Maa – Kolam is the favo...

  In the chase for fame, In the process of making for myself a name, My destiny I left behind, Only the chase reigned on my mind.   In the chase, I forgot who I am, Foremost in my mind was only glam, The purpose for which I was born, It got left behind, forgotten and forlorn.   Did I succeed in the chase? Was there, of satisfaction, any trace? Did I achieve what I wanted to? Was it really what I was supposed to do?   Fame, I did get a glimpse of, My name flashed for a while, sort of. But fame and glam proved to be fleeting, I eventually ended up, in dissatisfaction, seething.   Was this for which I gave up my destiny? Was this what amounted to now, my identity? The thought screamed in my mind 'Not this!' In the chase for temporary, many a moment did I miss!   I distanced myself from the chase, Within me, I searched for a tranquil place. Somewhere far away from the world, Where myself and my thoughts I ...

Atul peeked into the bedroom and saw his mother working on the laptop. She looked busy. Definitely the best time to... 'Mom, can I go to the park?' He tried out his luck. And lucked out when she nodded distractedly. Atul literally ran out of his home before his mom could remember that he was yet to finish his homework.  He walked towards the park with a smile he was trying hard to contain. Little victories like these made him happy. His happiness lasted only for a few seconds. Except for few elders, the park was otherwise empty. None of his friends had arrived. He decided to wait for them.  He went towards the slide and spent some time playing there. After a while, it got boring. There were only so many times he could climb up and slide down. He was about to leave when his gaze fell over the boy. The boy looked to be of his own age. Atul felt there was something different about him. The boy was clearly sulking. He was sitting with his arms folded around his chest and a morose ...

Ten-year old Atul felt very grown up indeed as he made his way towards his friend's home, all on his own. His friend Sanjay stayed in the same colony as Atul, but in a different building. And today was Sanjay's birthday. The 10th one. The first one of double-digits. Sanjay had invited all his friends for a party at his home. Atul tapped his pocket yet again to confirm the presence of Sanjay's gift. It was a beautiful golden-coloured pen that had black stripes on it. Sanjay's mother had complained to Atul's mother that Sanjay was not very keen on writing. Naturally, when Atul asked his mom about what gift he should give to Sanjay, she had promptly suggested a pen, the logic being, the pen would motivate Sanjay to write more. Grown-ups were indeed weird. Atul stood outside the building where Sanjay lived and hesitated. Although he and Sanjay had been friends since a few months, they had never really visited each other's homes. Atul smoothed the new t-shirt tha...