My admiration for the beauty and variety in the world of seashells continues into 2015! Wish you all a very happy new year!
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‘Sea’ 2015!
Author: Kasturika
I tell stories - of people, places, and ideas - through words and visuals.
Designer by profession, Writer by passion, and Storyteller by accident (or is that a cosmic conspiracy?)
Digital Nomad, Slightly Eccentric
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Merry Christmas!
Wish you all a Merry Christmas!
(Image taken from a phone camera, apologies for the poor quality!)
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Unfinished, no longer
It was probably January 2012. I saw this beautiful magazine cover photograph, and challenged myself to sketch it out. I took the help of my art teacher to get the facial proportions right and began working on the fabric. And then, somewhere down the line, I abandoned the sketch. I cannot recall why. I occasionally looked at it with disappointment. Over a year and a half later, I unearthed it from the depths of my cupboard.
I promised to spend a little time on it as often as possible. First the face, then the hair, then the finishing… It was test of my patience, and I almost lost it, as I quickly filled in the colours. And here it is, at long last, a former unfinished portrait, now complete.
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A Very Happy Deepavali
We hadn’t really planned on making a rangoli this year. It isn’t something we do traditionally.
All that changed, however, when a close friend of mine sent me a photograph of a beautiful rangoli she had made with her sister.
My cousin and I went shopping for colours, and with the help of my mother, drew a rangoli together.
Wishing you all a very very happy and prosperous (and hopefully cracker-free) Deepavali.
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Break Time!
It’s that time of the year again, when we worship the Goddess of Learning, Saraswati. Submitting all our study material to the feet of the deity, we take a little break ourselves*.
Wishing you a very happy Gandhi Jayanthi, Navratri, and Vijay Dasami!
* Find out more here.
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Strangers in the train
Swiping away on my phone playing a popular game, I was sitting in the metro train. It was peak office hours and the coach was crammed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a young lady gesturing to the passenger sitting next to me. If she said something, I didn’t hear. Partly because it was a little noisy; but mainly because I had earphones plugged in.
I looked up and realised what was going on. An elderly lady had been standing next to my seat and the young lady had requested my neighbouring passenger to give the old lady her seat. I realised her efforts were in vain and I got up to offer my seat.
As the elderly lady sat down, the younger one thanked me. I couldn’t say anything. Here was a girl who cared enough for a stranger. And there I was, oblivious to my surroundings.
I smiled sheepishly and thanked her in my mind.
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Salutation
I salute the deity before beginning,
I salute mother earth, for the strength I derive from her,
I salute my guru for all the knowledge I inherit.
I help protect the innocent from savages,
And heal the victims of ravages.
Over the ages, I have travelled across the seas,
And been nurtured by different cultures.
I gave birth to Shaolin Kung fu.
But my roots remain hidden,
And only a select few
Can uncover the deeply guarded secrets that define me.
I am Kalaripayattu,
An ancient Indian martial art,
The mother of all martial arts.
I had written this little piece for a voice over for a video almost two and a half years ago. Inspired by the salutation sequence of kalaripayattu students and gurus, I had hoped to spread awareness about the art form. I couldn’t quite do justice to the theme at that time. And I do not think I will ever be able to, not in the near future at least. When I discovered this in my post drafts, I figured it was better ‘out there’ in the wild than gathering virtual dust.
Related Post:
Letter to Unniyarcha
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Happy Independence Day
Connaught place, now named Rajiv Chowk, was constructed by the British around the same time other structures including the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the Parliament building were being constructed. Together, these structures were a symbol of Imperialism. It was a show of strength for the colonists, and many people were displaced to make way for the construction.
However, soon after the completion of buildings, the second World War broke out, followed by the Indian Independence movement.
Today, CP, as it is fondly called, is a hub of commercial activity and a favourite hang-out place for thousands of people, including yours truly.
Last month, on a cool cloudy day, I went to meet a friend at CP. The breeze was strong and little drops of monsoon rain were beginning to fall. We looked at the center of the circle.
Flying high overshadowing the past, and looking over our shoulders, the Indian tricolour was at its finest.
Wishing you a very Happy Independence Day.
Jai Hind!
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Visual Treat
A little while back, I visited the food court at HUDA City Centre Metro Station.
Now I’m not very fond of fancy restaurants. I usually end up buying corn on the cob from a street vendor. But when my stomach groaned, I reluctantly entered the newly opened food court.
It didn’t take long for me to get a snack. A keen eye behind the counter of petooz noticed a hungry customer and helped me decide my order. But more than the snack (which was delicious), I liked the colourful illustration on the wall of the street food stall.
The doors of public transport?
Detail of the illustration
The snack bar
A hat-tip to the artist Arif Hussain. From the Red Fort and Qutab Minar to a foul mouthed auto-rickshaw* driver and the Metro line, the illustration captures the big landmarks and the quirks of New Delhi. If you happen to find yourself at the HUDA City Centre Metro station, be sure to check out the food court, whether you are hungry or not.
More photographs at Sasi Menon Design’s FaceBook Page:
* also known as a tuk-tuk
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A Flower’s Life
You put in all your efforts,
I smile ’cause I’m impressed.
That is what you think.
To you, I am always pretty.
But it’s not because of you,
That is my ill fate.
You wait for me to blossom,
And at just the right time,
Cut me off my stem.
You give me sparkles,
A little water to drink,
To show me off to your mate.
I may cry before your very eyes,
But you choose to ignore.
For you, that’s my smile.
I wait patiently to get my own way.
That is not what you want,
And I must stay.
Soon the day will be here,
And I will become free.
That is the day you will throw me away.
Musings of an eccentric mind 