Hermit in the City

The streets of Hyderabad wrote me a letter saying that they were happy to host the festival Bonnalu, that just concluded, but they don't seem very pleased with all the litter we have left behind. So here is what the streets think. During Bonnalu the streets was an utter roit of colors and emotions,there was loud music, the streets were all decorated with lights and flowers and what a sight to see all the women dressed up taking offerings to mother divine - milk, jaggery and rice, that they place on their heads, all in a pot and the pot is covered with neem leaves. (would be easier if I just put up a pic, well let me see…) Found it... Apparently this festival originated because its the Ashad Maas, according to the hindu lunar calendar and thats when we have rains and water pollution and children falling sick. So these women, specially from slums decided that every year they go and pray to mother divine to protect their children in particular and family in general. As a

Loosing a close one is like loosing a part of yourself, its quite an intense process and the internal churning one goes through can be quite daunting and in-expressible. However with the pace that we live life and with the super intervention of technology, we are taking longer than before to truly heal and truly move on. Though I speak of closure wrt to demise of a close one, I mean to share about it as an issue in general. As i sat observing myself go through a sea of emotions at my granny's prayer ceremony, it felt very mixed. Some part of me had moved on in a year, so I was more at ease thinking of her, but when so many members of the family came together to pray, that feeling left me over-whelmed. As I allowed myself the freedom to think of her, without resisting I was surprised the way my mind totally let go and churned in emotions and as I continued being with them, there was this point where they transformed into pure love and it engulfed everyone around. I remembe