To my newfound religion called Veganism!

When we move to a different country, we get an opportunity to start afresh... on somethings at least. I never liked drinking milk as a kid. Not a fan of cottage cheese half of India is obsessed with. Never been a yes to cheese either. I have always shied away from wearing leather and animal fur. Hence, my interest in veganism was not a surprise to me or anyone around.

But I never had the courage to give up occasional filter coffees in quite little cafes. Also true to my south Indian origins, I love butter milk and curd rice. And did you know Gulab Jamoon is made of milk?

Well, I have started on this journey and hope to swim through all battles that come my way... welcoming 2019 on a healthy note!

To be born a girl

When would it be the right place, right time, right people for me to be born
A home where my people aren’t scared that I am born
A time when my people aren’t wishing that I were a boy
A time when my people aren’t praying that I be married
A society where my people won’t reduce me to a baby-making machine
A room where my people aren’t thinking of raping me
A country where a court doesn’t have to decide whether I can visit a temple
A kitchen where pickle won’t mind that I bleed

Don’t ask me why am I a rebel
You ask me to take a right,
I shall take an extreme left
That’s how my own teach me to survive

Ramblings of a woman in the 21st century India

It probably is an imaginary world where I suffer 

No one can see the reasons for my pain 

Does it mean that I don’t 

I am fighting my own monsters to find freedom and peace 

Freedom within to achieve my dreams, 

Freedom to chase my blurry vision of success 

Yes, I get distracted by every unkind word 

Yes, I get called out ‘petty’ to be hurt by ‘petty’ things

So the fault must be mine,

I wasn’t ready to be called nikammi for not knowing the difference between patheela and patheeli 

Fault must be mine... even after 30 plus years in this patriarchal world, 

I am still naive to be not okay with people inquiring if I contributed to the glory of Paratha making in the kitchen

I have always believed that everybody’s freedom ends at the tip of their nose. 

And how do I respect anyone who doesn’t respect their freedom or mine. 

If Parathas were all I wanted to make in my life, 

I know I can make better Parathas than most people around me. 

But I guess Parathas don't mean much to me after all!