Tag: NaBloPoMo

Categories
Musings

The mason is also an artist


“A friend of mine married her driver… Hey! What’s wrong with that? Drivers are humans too!”

Indians, in general seem to segregate people into two categories. Those in desk and white collar jobs are considered elite. Labour and blue collar is somehow substandard. And people are given very low wages for performing these tasks.

Professionals and consultants bill their clients by the thousands for every hour. Why can’t skilled workers also be called professionals?

The other day, a mason who was fixing a crack on our wall said, “I believe in doing a good job. If you are satisfied with the quality of my work, you are likely to recommend my services to others.”

This mason took pride in his job. He didn’t go to a business school to learn about customer satisfaction and the difference between good marketing and cold selling. His charges were slightly higher than ‘normal’. We didn’t negotiate – much. After all, why shouldn’t he be allowed to?

I am certain that there is scope for individuals to charge a premium for a job well done. In other countries, a construction worker can lead a decent life — and by decent, I mean socially, not just financially. Isn’t it time we start imbibing those values in our society?

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #15 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies

Cake, anyone?

Banana Walnut Cake

Happy Friday, the thirteenth! How about a cake to celebrate?

Taking out the pocket camera to photograph restaurant spreads to share on social media is one (annoying) thing. Capturing the colours, textures and portraying a certain taste, whilst fighting the urge to eat your subject, is something entirely different.

I can now truly appreciate the difficulties of photographing food.

Banana Walnut Cake
Banana Walnut Cake

I suppose you must take my word for it, when I say it tasted wonderful!

nanopoblano2015lightIt’s Baker’s dozen in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies

Come, fly with me…


A few years ago, I asked a couple of my friends to give me their favourite quotes. I had planned to make something out of the quotes and gift them. I wasn’t very happy with the results and decided not to give them.

I eventually gave one to my friend after she saw the post I wrote about it way back in October 2012, shortly after I had created it.

I pulled out the other quote by Victoria Moran today and realised that my friend does not even know I made this for her.
Quote by Victoria Moran

At the time I made this, it took me a long time to comprehend its meaning. I wasn’t sure why she liked it either. Now I can understand it. Because it resonates with me today, as it probably did with her, at that time.

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #12 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies

Lighting up Diwali with colourful candles

Last candle standing

Wishing you all a very happy Deepavali and a prosperous year ahead!

Blowing in the wind
Colourful Candles
Candles burning out
Diwali lights – some little flames, others mostly electric
Last candle standing

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #11 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies Stories

The Owl

One of the several bird paintings while I was in high school

‘Come, quick! You have to take a look at this!’

My father’s voice conveyed both his excitement and the urgency of the moment. We rushed to where he stood – at the door to the balcony. He signalled us to wait there and pointed outside.

A huge white bird sat perched on the railing of our balcony. All around it, the crows cawed as loud as their hoarse voices allowed them. This new bird was clearly not welcome. But the commotion didn’t faze the uninvited guest. We gazed in awe at its majestic presence. That was the first time I had ever seen an owl.

My grandmother (father’s mother) was sitting on her bed, when we asked her to join us. She was weak with old age and walked slowly. We prayed that the bird would wait for her. We didn’t dare step outside, fearing we may scare her* away. And she obliged. My grandmother was as excited to see the bird as we were. ‘Goddess Lakshmi has paid us a visit,’ she said.

She must have sat there for half an hour, clearly in no hurry to go anywhere. The crows could caw straight into her ear, and she couldn’t care less! We looked outside from our door to the balcony the entire time she sat there. We just couldn’t get enough of her!

* * *

The owl is called ullu in Hindi, and the word ullu also refers to a fool. I wonder why. With eyes wide open, they seem to be observant creatures. With greying hair and a deep thoughtful expression, to me, they are at once a picture of wisdom, peace and soft, furry, cuddly goodness. I’ve also seen very few owls — which may be the real reason why I find them fascinating.

As northern India prepares to welcome Goddess Lakshmi to their homes on Diwali, I wonder, will they call her consort a fool?

Wishing you a Happy Naraka Chathurdasi (and a happy chhoti Diwali, for those of you in the north!)

* I’m not sure if the owl was a him or a her. But I’d like to think of it as her. 🙂

One of the several bird paintings while I was in high school
One of the several birds I painted while I was in high school. It is now perched on the mantle at my grandparents’ (mother’s parents) home

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #10 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies

Ready to play

The stage is set

I was invited by my friend to attend a choir competition to celebrate the founder’s day of a Church. The competition included solos, duets and quartets. The main event was the choir in which seven teams from different Prayer groups across the city competing.

The stage’s backdrop was decorated with balloons to make it look like the keys of the piano. Unfortunately, there was a shortage of black balloons, and the keys could not be completed. Not for long, though. The musicians performing on that stage more than made up for the lack of the key balloons — all the performances I had the opportunity to listen to, were of a very high quality and a treat to the ears!

Ready to play
Ready to play

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #9 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Hobbies

Weekly Photo Challenge: Ornate

Chandelier

Luxury hotels tend to have a rather extravagant décor. Here are a few pictures I snapped using my phone a few months back at a couple of Delhi hotels. Click on the images to view larger size.

Chandelier
Flowers in a Vase
Petals in a bowl of water
Antique Statue

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Ornate.”

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #8 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Poetry

Micropoetry


The world sees greatness,
But you hide and take cover.

Oh! You fickle stupid self,
Recognize thy power.

Originally written on 22 July on Twitter https://twitter.com/kasturika_r/status/623839340183969792?s=09

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #7 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Categories
Musings

Doodle Notes

Doodle on the margin

I often find myself scribbling along margins of diaries during meetings. I think that is an indication of boredom, which is not really a good thing. Wikipedia, though, claims otherwise:

… doodling can aid a person’s memory by expending just enough energy to keep one from daydreaming, which demands a lot of the brain’s processing power, as well as from not paying attention. Thus, it acts as a mediator between the spectrum of thinking too much or thinking too little and helps focus on the current situation.

My doodles are usually in the form of lines. The lines are usually placed close together to create a gradient from dark to light (or vice versa). Sometimes they radiate from a central point to look like fireworks in the night sky.

There are certain doodles that take on different shapes and patterns. This one turned out quite interesting, and I hope to recreate it digitally at some point of time.

Doodle on the margin
Doodle on the margin

What about you? Do you doodle? Do you think it’s a good thing? Can you interpret doodles? What does this doodle say to you?

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #6 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Thanks a bunch to all the cheering peppers who have been tweeting and liking posts across WordPress 🙂

Categories
Stories

Highway Art


These, along with several other paintings greeted us, as we entered Puducherry while on our road trip in Tamil Nadu last Christmas.

Paintings on stone slabs next to the highway at the entrance of Puducherry
Paintings on stone slabs next to the highway at the entrance of Puducherry, Tamil Nadu

nanopoblano2015lightThis is post #5 in this year’s NaBloPoMo, or as Ra calls it Nano Poblano

NaBloPoMo = National Blog Posting Month = Thirty straight days of blogging

Thanks a bunch to all the cheering peppers who have been tweeting and liking posts across WordPress 🙂