Tag: family

Pot of Gold

pot of gold

He was certain that this time there would be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. – Today’s Author

“Mr Kumar, they’re here!”

They heard shuffling noises from within and a moment later the flustered Kumar appeared at the doorway.

“Come in, come in. Sorry to have kept you waiting.” he wet his lips nervously as the boy’s parents had tightly pursed their lips.

Leading them inside, he called out to his wife, “Meena, ask Priya to get ready quickly.”

The custom began.

The tall, bespectacled boy wore a crisp full sleeved shirt and a pair of freshly laundered pants. He sat in between his parents who looked around the room critically.

The maid served hot snacks and tea. They ate in silence. Kumar fidgeted in his chair, and kept wringing his hands. He stole glances at the broker, whose smile was fixed.

“So,” the boy’s mother began, “how long should we wait for your princess to get ready?”

Kumar stumbled out of his chair. “Er — she’s ready, I’ll ask her to come out.”

Twenty minutes of Q&A, a vocal test and a walking test later, “Well, we’ll let you know in a couple of days.” Saying so, the mother walked off. Her husband and son followed mutely.

The broker followed them, and Kumar heard them quietly whispering at the entrance. And then, they were gone.

The broker lingered. “Don’t worry, Mr. Kumar. They like your daughter very much. They will call you tomorrow to finish off the deal.”

Kumar’s face lit up for the first time in weeks. “That’s so good to hear! Here.” He shoved five thousand rupees into the broker’s hands. “Have this as a bonus.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Kumar. You’re so kind. Call me when you’re ready to marry off your second daughter as well.”

As Told by Shakespeare

Marriage of two minds.

Epic rewritten.

~

As far as I know, the entire concept of marriage has been wildly violated. Problem is, most people ignore the only thing that matters most in wedlock: the minds.

We so often underestimate the power of well-matched thoughts. Successful marriages aren’t the ones that last forever just for the children’s sake, but real marriage of minds is what lasts even after a mutual disagreement.

If only people’s minds were married instead of just the bodies, we might have a completely different society. Everything we do would have more clarity. We’d be a society of people who deeply understand and sincerely respect each other.

And that would be a world worth protecting.

It’s the Time, to –

It's the time

I have had enough.

Enough of peer, and enough of pressure.

More than enough of awareness.

And also of social conformity.

 

It’s the time, to step down

From the pedestal, and accept

the harsh truth. For acceptance,

is the first step to recovery —

or so they say.

 

But —

I have had enough.

Of pointing fingers, and

of ‘sharing’ responsibilities

I respect family — they adore tradition.

It was my duty, they said

To care, and cure — and nurture

The future of our country.

 

Why should I make a home —

When my richer counterparts

party? After all —

We are all 19.

 

It’s the time, to make a stand

To step up — and step out

To a future of my choice.

Giving Thanks, the Tamil Way

I am a South Indian and my mother tongue is Tamil.

I just said that, because today is a special day for us Tamils. It’s called Pongal.

Pongal is also a famous food item prepared with rice. It could either be sweet – prepared with jaggery, and ghee roasted cashews, or savory – prepared with lots of black pepper.

It’s the day farmers thank the Sun for a good year’s harvest and pray for a better harvest the following year. It’s like Thanksgiving Day for them. It’s only their special day, farmers who work so hard to fill our plates – but as things go on the real world, we all get a public holiday.

Ironically though, while the rest of us relax and rest, farmers spend the day making pongal and offering it to the Sun god. The following day, is a celebration for the cattle that helps in farming. They bathe their cattle, feed them grandly and thank them too. The following day is when they take meat – and in grand fashion too! Generally, it’s a week-long celebration for farmers.

Students celebrate this holiday as much as the farmers; all schools and colleges close for a whole week. And with the weekend just around the corner, most people have gone home to family to celebrate the holidays. They make pongal early in the morning, offer it to the various gods they worship, and spend the whole afternoon watching the back-to-back movies telecasted on TV. A typical holiday at a typical (modern) South Indian home.

Did I mention Pongal is one of the most auspicious days of the Tamil calendar?

Thought you ought to know.

Accidental Bestseller

His book was on the best sellers list and it was the worst possible thing that could have happened. – Today’s Author

He had never expected to send that draft to print; it was his first novel, and it was meant to remain unpublished.

Despite the people who appreciated the work, he knew it fell short somewhere. After countless scrutinizing drafts later, he had decided to put it off for sometime.

Then came the flourishing era.

He wrote another book, published it, and from there, his path was paved with success.

Throughout the years, the first novel remained a draft, collecting dust in his drawer. He never made an effort to revive it.

His family tried to coerce him into getting it published but he wouldn’t budge. He had convinced himself that his first book wasn’t meant for public readership.

Then it happened.

One bright Sunday, he left home for his morning walk, never to return.

Floating in mid-air, he gaped longingly at the shelves. After what seemed like hours, a young girl picked up a copy and flipped it to read the synopsis.

He read it over her shoulder.

“The critically acclaimed first work of the great novelist Bradly Wilson, published posthumously by his loving family.”

“This is his greatest contribution to the literary world. Pity he never got to see it in print.” — The New York Times.

“He was always like that; he gave away a lot without trumpeting it” — Mrs. Wilson.