15 Mar

Posted at 20:22h in Book Reviews by
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I received the book Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa (along with another book by the same author- The Blue Between Sky and Water) as a birthday gift from Kirthi Jayakumar, author of The Doodler of Dimashq. Because I had loved The Doodler of Dimashq, Kirthi thought I may enjoy this book too. Mornings In Jenin Thank you, Kirthi, for this wonderful gift. I am so glad I got to read this tragic yet beautiful book.

03 Apr

Posted at 00:01h in Random Ramblings by
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Every time we, as feminists, talk about women rights, gender equality, and other topics along these lines, we encounter many people who are equally vocal in opposing our ideas with views steeped in ignorance, myopic thinking, and baseless prejudices. I have been in many situations where I bow out of a disagreement in order to save a relationship, which often leads the person on the other end (usually a man) to mistakenly believe he has won the argument. Most times, I haven't bothered to correct them, instead seeking satisfaction in the knowledge that I was a bigger person. Often I secretly chuckle at their folly and take sadistic pleasure in letting them make a fool of themselves.

27 Dec

Posted at 03:30h in From Around the World by
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Below is an article that I co-wrote with my friend and co-author in Mock, Stalk & Quarrel - Tanushree Ghosh Dhall - for Huffington Post.

In conflicting and confusing political climates, what becomes vital is having a voice. That is the most privileged avenue we have as humans to help us make sense of anything by understanding each other. To help us dissect and dissent. And that is why stories told are so important – when we hear an alternate point of view directly, as news or opinion, we often confront. But when we read a story, especially a satire – viewpoint shared from another narrative – we stop to digest and are often left with some lingering questions. We either feel validated in what we believe or are forced to question.

17 Nov

Posted at 00:30h in Spotlight (Guest Posts) by
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I have been yakking about this ever since the first announcement was made. And yet, when it is finally happening, I do not know how to share the news with you. The spaceship had flown over my head and rendered me dumbstruck. Add to that being 'trumped' in the USA and rendered 'cashless' in India - reasons enough for me to call it a new form of apocalypse. Roland Emmerich only got some minor details wrong. The year is 2016 and the catastrophe is more due to political and economic developments. My only activity at this time is to stare into space and sing along with Bob Marley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmwue6Jq4KA As I wait for the spaceship to pass, and my euphoria at becoming a published author (soon) to die down, Kirthi Jayakumar - my co-author from Mock, Stalk & Quarrel  - drops in at  Wandering Soul. While I am speechless at her achievements and still reeling from the fact that she has a blue tick against her Twitter handle and is a TEDx speaker, (more reasons for me to be awestruck) I'll simply turn to her dedicated Wikipedia page to tell you more about her.
Kirthi is a women rights activist, a peace activist, an artist, a lawyer, and a writer. (PHEW!) She founded The Red Elephant Foundation, an initiative built on storytelling, civilian peace-building, and activism for gender equality. She is the author of Stories of Hope, a collection of short stories; The Dove's Lament, also a collection of short stories. She is the recipient of the US Presidential Services Medal in 2011 and two United Nations’ Online Volunteering Awards apart from being an active UN Online Volunteer.
[caption id="attachment_13483" align="alignnone" width="1280"]14753407_1185802644830944_8661707466391987934_o Kirthi Jayakumar speaking at TEDx Chennai[/caption] So is the world really coming to an end? YES! (Remember, I am on a mission of not saying NO!) But fret not! For our saviour is here with her magic weapon. Over to Kirthi now ...