Books: Stories Short and Sweet, by Ruskin Bond

'Stories Short and Sweet' is a wonderful collection of 12 short stories by Ruskin Bond, set in the hilly small towns of India. The book captures various facets of life, including humor, nostalgia, love, friendship, trust, and betrayal, often through the lens of childhood experiences.

Here are the chapters (stories) included in the collection:

1. Those Three Bears 

2. The Coral Tree

3. He Who Rides A Tiger

4. The Thief’s Story

5. When the Trees Walked 

6. A Bouquet of Love

7. The White Pigeon

8. Pret in the House

9. The Overcoat

10. The Tunnel

11. The Snake Charmer's Daughter

12. The Wild Fruit

I loved the stories, "The Coral Tree", "The Thief’s Story", and "A Bouquet of Love " a lot. “The Coral Tree” tells the story of a young man leaving his grand father’s house in India for England permanently, and touches the emotional aspect of parting with a place. Reading the story, it strongly feels like we are the boy and an urge to make the boy not leave. "The Thief’s Story" is a touching story of a thief who tries to steal from his own friend, and the associated dilemma. “A Bouquet of Love” tells the story of an elderly woman living a solitary life in a cottage on a hill station and how once harsh weather takes her life.

Each story is crafted with Ruskin Bond’s signature warmth and gentle humor, making it a delightful read for all ages.

- Rahul

Book Review: ‘Do Epic S*it’ by Ankur Warikoo

 

Ankur Warikoo is an author who later became social media influencer after a stint in entrepreneurship (he cofounded several companies and websites). He is highly educated (MBA from ISB-Hyd) and well versed with the ecommerce and startup space. “Do Epic S*it” is his first book which came out in 2021.

The book comes close to “self-help” space and since thousands and thousands of books are already written in this area by both foreign and Indian authors, Ankur has chosen to build this book heavily on his own life experiences. After reading this book, we get a very clear idea about the author’s life journey, including his parents, wife and kids and it seems the author has used this book for his personal “branding” (after all, he is a social media influencer now). And when it comes to the “content” of the book, it comes across as genuine and written with a good intent to help others.

In this book, the author reflects on what is success and what is failure. He says that most of the time, it is “others” who decide for us what is success and what is failure. We need courage to define these two for ourselves, in our own ways. We need not do things to please others, but we should do things which make us happy, because if we are happy doing things, we do not need any external push or motivation. 

The author says that most battles are won or lost in the mind. Ego is a major roadblock to learning and growth. Money offers freedom, but only with discipline. Avoid taking loans for expenditures that your income doesn't support. Holding grudges drains energy. Treat people with respect, empathy, and then sympathy. The way we can identify true friends is that true friends celebrate our success and are not jealous of us. You are the average of the thoughts you spend time with, not just the people.

To summarise, this book is a natural summary of all good things the author learnt in his life till the time. And he has expressed those very well and with a good intent. I found many of his key points from this book are already out in the domain. But as we know, every Guru teaches the same lessons, but the manner in which those lessons are taught makes a difference. It feels that the book is by and large targeting young readers who have just started their professional journey. I would definitely recommend this book to these readers. 

- Rahul

Books: The Commonsense Diet: Stop Overthinking, Start Eating: By Rujuta Diwekar

 

I had heard the name of nutritionist and author Rujuta Diwekar on the internet a lot and this is her first book I chanced to go through and I found her book totally worth the hype. After reading the book, I understood why she was so popular. It is because she makes so much sense in what she says. I highly recommend this book to one and all.

At first glance, I had also wondered if her name had a spelling mistake, because we come across Rutuja (meaning seasonal) but not Rujuta a lot. I searched and found that Rujuta is a real word/feminine name and it means Honesty/Sincerity.

This book is written in a witty style, perhaps her trademark style and it is real fun reading it. I shall remember this book as much as for the facts and education in it as much the humorous way it is written.

The book encourages us to reject fads and extreme restrictions in favor of traditional Indian wisdom in foods and nutrition. Her core philosophy revolves around making sustainable, guilt-free food choices rooted in local, seasonal, and homemade meals. She emphasizes that "diets" don't work in the long term because they are temporary fixes. Instead, good health is a result of consistent, common-sense habits. She debunks popular myths, like eliminating carbs or fats, stressing that these demonizations are harmful.

Key points from the book:

Local, Seasonal, Traditional Food: The book strongly advocates for consuming food that is grown locally, available seasonally, and prepared using traditional methods. This means embracing regional staples like dal-chawal (lentils and rice) with ghee, poha, or idli, rather than imported superfoods or processed items.

Mindful Eating: Rujuta Diwekar promotes paying attention to your food, savoring each bite, and eating slowly. This helps in recognizing hunger and fullness cues, preventing overeating, and fostering a healthier relationship with food, free from guilt. She even proposes the "Jordan formula" – taking a second bite only if you're sure you can eat a third, to encourage mindful consumption.

No Meal Skipping: Especially breakfast, regular meals are crucial for stable blood sugar and sustained energy, preventing cravings and overeating later.

Ghee is Good: Contrary to popular diet trends, she champions the inclusion of ghee (clarified butter) in moderation, highlighting its benefits for nutrient absorption and satiety.

Holistic Wellness: The book extends beyond just food, emphasizing the interconnectedness of diet, exercise, sleep, and mental well-being. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and managing stress are integral components of her "commonsense" approach.

Rejecting Fad Diets & Overthinking: Rujuta constantly urges readers to simplify their approach to food, tune out the constant noise of conflicting diet advice, and trust in the inherent wisdom of generations before us. Health is not complicated; it's about going back to basics.

Ultimately, "The Commonsense Diet" aims to empower individuals to make peace with their plates, enjoy food without fear, and build lasting healthy habits by embracing simple, time-tested wisdom of our country.

- Rahul

 

Article: Why People Post Negative Things on Social Media about a Deceased Person

There are several psychological and social factors that can contribute to this behavior:

1. Disinhibition Effect (Online Anonymity/Distance): Social media provides a sense of anonymity and emotional distance. People feel less accountable for their words when they are not face-to-face with the grieving family or the deceased's supporters. This can lead to a disinhibition effect, where they say things they would never say in person.

2. Lack of Social Norms for Digital Grief: While traditional grief rituals have well-established norms, social media is a relatively new space for discussing death. "Digital etiquette" around death is still evolving, and some individuals may not fully grasp or respect the sensitivity required.

3. Personal History/Unresolved Conflicts: The death of a person can sometimes open up old wounds or unresolved conflicts. For individuals who had negative experiences, grudges, or perceived wrongs committed by the deceased, their death might be seen as an opportunity to air those grievances without fear of direct retaliation from the person themselves.

4. "Truth-Telling" or "Setting the Record Straight" (from their perspective): Some individuals might genuinely believe they are "telling the truth" or "setting the record straight" about the deceased, especially if the deceased had a public persona that conflicted with their private actions or if the commenter felt personally wronged. They might feel an obligation to present what they see as a more accurate picture, even if it's negative.

5. Seeking Attention/Validation: In some cases, people might post controversial or negative comments to gain attention, provoke a reaction, or validate their own feelings. The outrage generated by such posts can be a form of perverse gratification.

6. Moral Policing/Judgment: Some individuals feel a need to pass judgment on others, even in death. They might see the death as an opportunity to deliver a final verdict on a person's character or actions, often from a position of perceived moral superiority.

7. Impulsivity and Lack of Empathy: Social media encourages rapid, unfiltered responses. In the heat of the moment, or without fully considering the impact of their words on grieving loved ones, some people might post insensitive or cruel comments impulsivity. A lack of empathy can also play a significant role.

8. "Piling On" or Mob Mentality: If a few negative comments appear, others who hold similar sentiments might feel emboldened to join in, creating a "piling on" effect or a mob mentality.

A Little Muslim Girl On the Train

 

On my recent train journey, a middle-aged Muslim woman and her 6 to 7 years old little daughter boarded the train from Prayagraj railway station. The woman seemed illiterate, spoke too loudly, did not have manners, unnecessarily interrupted co-passengers with some or the other help, and it felt sad to travel in the same compartment as hers. But her little daughter left me totally in awe and seemed like a fairy of some kind!

The first thing I remember hearing from the little girl was when a teaseller passed in the morning, and she said to her mother, “mummy chai kharido” (mother, buy some tea)! From the way she sounded, it seemed as if she was asking for tea for herself. Her mother ignored her at that time, but later in the evening, she did buy tea from a teaseller, and she had ordered “two cups” of tea! It was shocking to see that she had taught her little girl to take tea from such an early age! And this was not the only thing out-of-age about the little girl.

The little girl used her mother’s phone to make several calls during the travel. I found that she was in habit of calling her mother “mummy” instead of “ammi” and father as “papa” instead of “abbu”, the latter terms are typically used in Muslim families. But she gave away her religion when she called someone over phone and called “Assalam valekum”, which sounded so weird coming from a little girl.

She remained on her berth along with her mother most of the time, and early morning next day when the train was about to reach the destination, she came down with her too. Her father called over phone and the little girl picked up the call and after saying “Assalam valekum”, the father went silent; and the girl asked, “Aur?” I was shocked to see such a little girl using this trick of saying “Aur?”, “Aur?” during phone calls to extend the discussion and probe the other party to talk more. Her father seemed to be totally non-talkative type because he was at loss of words even though it was he who had made the phone call. The girl herself asked him, “Aap majaar ke paas milenge na, jaisa pichhli baar mile the? Ham log majaar ke paas wait karenge”. I wondered what majaar she was talking about (later after reaching the railway station, I saw a small majaar (shrine) made on the Railway land just besides the main entrance; she was talking about that as a landmark). She told her father about the count of bags she and her mother were carrying. Later she gave the phone to her mother. The father asked the mother “who all are coming?” and she said, “no one else came” (meaning only she and the daughter were coming) in a voice of disappointment. The father again went silent and then said he was cutting the call, and it almost felt as if he did not like his wife much.

Just before the train was to arrive at the platform, the woman went to the loo after telling her daughter to remain sitting at her berth. But she did not specifically tell her that she was going to the loo, and hence after a minute the little girl became anxious and ran towards the way her mother had gone. By that time, I was already standing near the gate waiting for the train to arrive at platform, and I told the girl to wait at her seat and not to move, but she totally ignored me and went to the toilet door and banged it till her mother shouted from inside. Then the girl came back to her seat. I was really impressed that the girl had not trusted her mother and was fearing any untoward incident (like her mother leaving her behind and vanishing), which was a crime stuff from the newspapers. I guess such things happen in the worker-class families and such kids learn to trust only their instincts and not any other from their childhood.

When her mother came back and both were sitting on their berth, the girl looked at her luggage and after finding several loose carry bags, she said to her mother, “Ye allar-ballar lekar ham kaise utrenge?” (how shall we deboard the train carrying so much loose stuff?). Her use of the term “allar-ballar” (or something like it, if I don’t remember exactly), totally floored me! It was like cherry on the top, climax of a thriller novel.

I think the only one who vanished from the train was me, since I shall cherish the little girl and her interesting talks for a long time to come. May she always have a good and happy life; like a little fairy she is.

- Rahul Tiwary

Pigeons on my Balcony

It happened recently that I kept a few pieces of cardboards from old cartoons on my balcony’s iron grill, expecting those to provide a ‘curtain effect’, i.e. privacy. And then I forgot about it. After a few weeks, today, I realised that a few clever pigeons had grabbed the opportunity with both hands and made their home below the cardboards! 

If you look at two ‘couple-pigeons’ sitting anywhere, you can immediately sense that those are ‘couple’, not some random stranger-pigeons or brother-pigeons or boss-employee pigeons. I don’t know what is so special in their body language that we can immediately understand that they are a couple! And these ‘couple pigeons’ have been living rent-free under my balcony’s cardboards for several weeks! 

After I discovered their encroachment, I immediately remembered the news and awareness articles from the ‘internet’ which tell that these pigeons in big cities are carriers of several types of disease-causing bacteria and viruses and that is why these pigeons are called “pests of the sky”. I have been practicing hard to hate these pigeons for this reason, and with time I have understood how hard it is to ‘go against the genes’. How can we hate some birds who look so beautiful and innocent? But after they encroached upon my balcony, I got ‘hard-reasons’ to hate those criminal-pigeons. 

Finally, I carried out ‘bulldozer action’ by collecting all the cardboards from my balcony and packed those together to be thrown out. And then I went to the office. After I returned and went to the balcony, I found that those pigeons were wandering around barefoot, as if trying to ascertain what had happened! I wondered if they understood that a human (i.e. me) had purposefully destroyed their home, or if they blamed it on the ‘act of God’. I did feel ‘guilty’, almost as if I had ‘sinned’. In one moment, those pigeons had become martyrs, and I had become the East India Company. I think I should not have looked at those pigeons in the ‘eye’! 

Anyways, I have hardened my heart and become totally determined that I shall not let those pigeons live on my balcony again. I plan to fill the gaps and make more fortifications to stop the pigeons from encroaching there. I shall be vigilant and not forget about it all, like I did last time which caused this situation. But all said and done, deep inside, I know I shall not be able to live guilt-free after driving those pigeons out. 

I hope the pigeons ‘quit’ and find another place to make their nest. Whether they are ‘pests of the sky’ or not, my balcony is not their favourite hangout. 

"I'm very old-fashioned. I believe that people should stay married for life, like pigeons and Catholics." - Woody Allen

- Rahul Tiwary 

Travelogue: Jubba Sahni Park, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Grand Mall, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Books: Fooled by Randomness : The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets; by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

As the title indicates, this book is about the significance of randomness in our life. Published in 2001, this book was a precursor to his more famous work, "The Black Swan," further developing many of the ideas introduced here. 

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a former options trader, argues that our brains are not wired to comprehend the true nature of probability and the impact of rare, high-impact events. We tend to attribute success to skill and hard work, while conveniently overlooking the immense influence of luck and unforeseen random occurrences. Conversely, failures are often attributed to external factors rather than a misunderstanding of risk.

The book has a few areas of improvements in my opinion: I feel there is a slight confusion in the book about its target audience, since the book addresses a diverse set of contexts: a mix of philosophy, psychology, stock market trading, and history. The length of the book also ‘feels’; and I think 1/3 to 1/2 of the book can be easily trimmed to make it more effective for readers. Also, during the first half of the book, the writer’s tongue in cheek style of writing creates a distraction for the readers; especially since the subject is a grave one. This improves as we get towards the latter part of the book near its end, which is most enlightening. 

Here are some of the important points from the book:

- Our brains aren't wired to grasp true probability or the immense impact of rare, high-consequence events.

- Much perceived "skill" is actually luck disguised as deterministic outcomes. 

- It is not wise to rely on inductive reasoning – drawing general conclusions from specific observations – especially in complex and unpredictable systems. Empirical data can be misleading because it only represents what has happened, not what could happen or will happen.

- We only see the single realized path of events, overlooking countless "alternate histories" that could've occurred.

- Hindsight Bias: Believing we "knew it all along."

- Confirmation Bias: Seeking only information that confirms our beliefs.

- Narrative Fallacy: Creating false cause-and-effect stories for random events.

- Overconfidence: Overestimating our abilities and predictions.

- Halo Effect: Our overall impression of a person (e.g., successful) influences our perception of their specific traits, making us attribute their success to admirable qualities, even if those qualities were not truly the cause.

- Survivorship bias: We focus only on successes, ignoring the numerous failures.

- The "Turkey Problem": Past patterns don't guarantee future consistency, especially with extreme events.

- Silent evidence: The unseen data of failures that distort our understanding of success.

- Embrace Stoicism to accept what's beyond our control and maintain rationality amidst uncertainty.

- Rahul 

Travelogue: Pune Airport

 

Travelogue: Bangalore Airport

 

Books: The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness: By Morgan Housel

 

I had been reading about this book and its author Morgan Housel for quite some time. Finally, I got chance to finish this book. I highly recommend it to all.

During my MBA, I had come across a subject called “behavioral finance” for the first time. It was enlightening to study and it all made sense. This book is the second such education I underwent.

The most important part I want to highlight about this book is that the author appears very honest in it. Honesty is often an underrated trait in the world of writing. Along with age, I have been observing and appreciating it more and more. Near the end of the book, the author has also included a chapter where he describes his own personal investment style. He mentions that he mainly invests in low-cost index funds, no risky investments, does not take debt, lives frugal lifestyle, saves lot of his income for the rainy days, and it clearly seems that he practices what he advocates. It was very touching.

There are about 20 chapters in this book and all contain timeless wisdom related to life in general and wealth in particular. Since I read a lot, I had come across a few of those lessons earlier form other sources, but most of the book came as a great read and a great realization.

It is really nice to come across such an honest book and this author who seems so genuine. Hats off to Morgan and as I mentioned in the beginning, I highly recommend this book to one and all.

- Rahul Tiwary

Travelogue: Cloudy Sky from an Air India Express Flight

 

Travelogue: Patna Airport (New Terminal after Modernisation Project)

 

Hindu Temple: Baba Dudh Nath Dham, Chhapra Megh, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Some Pictures from Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

(Clockwise from top left) 

Icon Plaza Mall, Bhagwanpur

Sikandarpur Lakefront  

Royal Mansion Banquet Hall, Goshala Road

Motijheel Flyover

A mango orchard in Muzaffarpur 

Sahu Pokhar Ram Janaki Mandir 

Busts of freedom fighters Prafulla Chandra Chaki (1888-1908) and Khudi Ram Bose (1889-1908) at Muzaffarpur 

How the Afghanistan Withdrawal May Have Contributed to US Hesitation in Entering Israel Iran War

The argument that a delay in the US entering a potential Iran war is due to a loss of confidence post-withdrawal from Afghanistan is a compelling one. There are strong arguments supporting this link.

The final days of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport were widely criticized. This chaotic imagery, including scenes of desperation and the Abbey Gate attack, led many to question the planning and execution capabilities of the US. The swift Taliban takeover and the perceived abandonment of Afghan allies were seen as a blow to American prestige and credibility on the world stage. Adversaries like Russia, China and Iran viewed this as a sign of US weakness and an emboldening factor for their own actions.

There was also an impact of US withdrawal from Afghanistan on allies. Some allies expressed concerns about the manner of the withdrawal, questioning the reliability of US commitments. This could complicate future coalition operations and affect the willingness of partners to cooperate.

All of this can change if US navigates Iran war successfully.

US entering Israel-Iran conflict, if it were to occur, would likely differ significantly from the Afghanistan experience in terms of its potential duration and nature. There are key differences from Afghanistan that could limit its duration in Iran.

In Afghanistan, the US fought an insurgency (the Taliban) that was deeply embedded in the population, had strong ideological roots, and could melt away and reappear. It was a non-state actor with a diffuse structure. Nation-building was a core, long-term objective. But Iran is a nation with a conventional military. A conflict with Iran would involve conventional military engagements, air superiority, naval operations and targeted strikes. While Iran has proxies, the primary adversary is a state with defined borders and infrastructure.

In Iran, American focus would more likely be on specific objectives like dismantling its nuclear program, deterring regional aggression, or degrading its military capabilities. This limited objective would inherently reduce the scope for a long-term occupation.

Afghanistan's rugged, landlocked mountains aided insurgency, prolonging conventional ops. Iran's diverse terrain - deserts, coasts, and cities - offers varied tactical options allowing for more decisive conventional engagements, unlike Afghanistan.

Post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan evolved from dismantling Al-Qaeda/Taliban to nation-building/counter-insurgency, leading to a two-decade presence. Iran objectives would be narrower: preventing nukes, deterring attacks, ensuring navigation, or responding to provocations.

Bottom line:

A direct, decades-long occupation like Afghanistan is unlikely in an Iran conflict due to fundamental structural and strategic differences. A successful US campaign in the Israel-Iran war could significantly rebuild confidence in American global leadership. Such an outcome could help dispel negative perceptions from the Afghanistan withdrawal and reassure allies of the USA's reliability. Ultimately, the potential benefits of a decisive intervention could outweigh the risks.

- Rahul 

Arguments for Immediate US Intervention in the Israel-Iran Conflict

 

After 6-7 days of Israel-Iran war, recent reports suggest that Iran has achieved significant successes in its conflict with Israel, inflicting considerable damage. There is a perception that the US President is delaying intervention, perhaps to legitimize future actions, while relying on social media statements. 

The establishment of Israel as a separate nation was intended to prevent catastrophic events for the Jewish people. However, in the current conflict, Israel appears to be engaging Iran without direct support from other Western nations. Questions are being raised about the apparent passivity of the United States, United Kingdom, and France, who seem to be observing the war from a distance. 

A strategic concern highlighted is that Israel is constrained from targeting Iranian civilians, as such actions could inadvertently unify the Iranian populace with their government, contrary to the US objective of achieving regime change through popular support. Conversely, Iran is reportedly striking Israeli civilians, possibly due to the perceived ease and cost-effectiveness of such attacks, alongside existing animosity towards Israelis. This situation evokes sympathy for Israeli civilians caught in the conflict. 

Only coordinated intervention with Western backing could bring a swift end to the conflict and save Israeli lives. However, if the American objective is primarily regime change in Iran, a rapid resolution might not align with that goal. The lack of apparent concern for Israeli civilians in this context is deemed unfair. 

The US is using Israel as a proxy, similar to its perceived utilization of Ukraine against Russia, to achieve broader geopolitical objectives. This strategy places Israelis at a similar risk to that faced by Ukrainians. 

The current US President's actions are not significantly different from previous administrations, and he has been preoccupied with social media posturing while Israel faces intense conflict. 

As a bottom-line, for the sake of Israeli people, the United States must join Israel in the war against Iran without further delay. 

- Rahul

 

Reflections on “Gulaal” (2009): A Cinematic Masterpiece

 

I recently watched Gulaal (2009) on the ‘MH One’ TV channel, and I was genuinely stunned by its intricate plot and the thoughtful execution. The film stands out as a rare gem, far removed from the typical lot produced in India. Upon discovering that it was written and directed by Anurag Kashyap, everything made sense—he is a master of his craft, deserving of the highest honours and recognition.

The film lingered in my mind long after it ended. One striking observation was that nearly every character who died seemed to be actively courting their own demise. It’s an eerie pattern worth noting.

The first to fall was Rananjay Singh ‘Ransa’, portrayed brilliantly by Abhimanyu Singh. His performance was so compelling that I looked him up and learned he hails from Sonpur, Bihar. His natural and powerful acting left a lasting impression. Ransa, captured by his envious stepbrother, showed no fear. Instead of pleading for his life, he hurled insults at his armed captor, provoking him until he was shot. It felt as though Ransa invited his own death.

Later, Dukey Banna (played with intensity by Kay Kay Menon) orchestrates the killing of Jadwal, though the film offers no background, making it unclear whether Jadwal’s death was similarly self-inflicted.

Dukey’s elder brother, Prithvi Banna, mentally unstable after their father’s death, spirals out of control. Dukey attempts to shoot him but accidentally kills a dancer instead. Prithvi’s erratic behaviour made his fate seem inevitable.

Toward the end, Dilip, a young student, shoots Dukey Banna. Rather than trying to escape or seek help, Dukey spends his final moments revealing how Dilip’s girlfriend manipulated him to gain political power. It’s as if Dukey chose to spend his last breath enlightening a confused youth rather than saving himself.

Bhati, Dukey’s associate, is later killed by a rival gang. His decision to venture alone into a dark, isolated area is baffling. He could have eliminated Dilip earlier when he was vulnerable. Even Bhati's reaction to being shot—standing still, making no attempt to flee—felt like a silent acceptance of death.

After realizing he was used by Kiran, Dilip tries but fails to shoot her. It’s a tragic moment, reflecting how love can paralyze even in the face of betrayal. Her brother then shoots Dilip, and instead of seeking help, he runs to his empty rented room. That final run felt deeply symbolic—more a journey of heartbreak than a response to injury. It was his homecoming, his pilgrimage, his moment of maturity—tragically timed just before death.

The film’s ending, where the corrupt triumph and the idealists perish, is both ironic and fitting. Gulaal portrays a world where predators roam freely, and some characters, knowingly or not, embrace their fate.

Perhaps when life is lived on one’s own terms, death becomes less a fearsome end and more a threshold to cross.

- Rahul Tiwary

Lone Musketeer

 

On my way to the office, I noticed a young boy, around 8 to 10 years old, standing by the roadside, signaling to passing motorcyclists for a lift. I saw several bikes ahead of me ignore him, so when I approached, I decided to stop. The boy looked at me, seeking confirmation, and I nodded to let him know he could hop on.

But what happened next took me by surprise. Instead of getting on, he walked away and returned with a large sack filled with empty glass bottles—beer bottles, to be precise. It appeared he had been collecting them from the roadside along the highway. I had seen similar bottles scattered on the footpaths, likely left behind by people who drank there at night.

The boy struggled to lift the heavy sack, and I immediately told him that I couldn’t give him a ride with that load. Then I continued on my way.

For a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Was he a ragpicker? Or had he just started trying to earn money this way? Maybe he had done this before and was hoping someone would help him again. Or perhaps he was simply a resourceful child, finding creative ways to make a living.

The encounter made me reflect on the reality that we live in a world filled with “parallel lives”—realities that exist around us but often go unnoticed.

- Rahul Tiwary

A Dentist with Agenda

 

31st of May is celebrated as “World No Tobacco Day”. There was a health awareness session in our company that day and they had invited a dentist to speak about how tobacco has bad effect on our teeth and related issues. The dentist was from some Southern states, and she gave a good session on the actual topic, which I ignored since tobacco is not relevant for me. But then the Q&A session happened, and it shocked me.

The general questions related to teeth and dentistry were answered well by her. But after a while I started observing a clear pattern in her answers and suggestions. From her answers it seemed she and an anti-Ayurveda or anti-tradition “agenda”.

There was a question from someone about whether “tooth powders” are also fine. She asked to never use a tooth powder because it is “abrasive” and it can harm our teeth. Really? I don’t know what can harm our teeth more – rubbing our teeth with “plastic” (toothbrush is nothing but plastic) two times a day for 80 whole years; or occasionally giving our gums and teeth a “massage” with tooth powder. I do not use tooth powder regularly, but whenever I have used occasionally, I don’t hate it like she asked us to do. And I don’t think it is abrasive at all.

Later, someone asked what type of toothpaste to use, and she said, “never use anything which has “cloves” in it, because cloves can harm your teeth.” Really? I asked an AI based chatbot and it replied below about cloves and dental health”

Cloves are indeed beneficial for dental health, and their use is backed by both traditional practices and modern research. Here's how they help:

🌿 Key Benefits of Cloves for Teeth and Gums

1.        Pain Relief

Cloves contain eugenol, a natural compound with strong analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. Applying clove oil to a toothache can provide quick relief.

2.        Antibacterial Action

Eugenol also has antimicrobial effects, helping to kill bacteria that cause tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath.

3.        Reduces Inflammation

Clove oil can soothe inflamed gums and is often used to treat conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis.

4.        Freshens Breath

Its antibacterial properties help eliminate odor-causing bacteria, leaving your mouth feeling fresh.

5.        Natural Alternative

Clove oil is a chemical-free option for oral care, often used in DIY remedies like mouthwashes, toothpaste, and gels.

🧪 How to Use Cloves for Oral Health

•          Direct Application: Dab a small amount of clove oil on a cotton ball and apply it to the affected area.

•          Mouthwash: Mix a few drops of clove oil in warm water and rinse.

•          Toothpaste Additive: Add a drop of clove oil to your toothpaste.

•          Clove Tea: Drinking clove-infused tea can also support oral hygiene.

She also advised not to use Ayurvedic toothpastes but use toothpastes like Colgate which means exposing our mouth to chemicals (toothpaste = chemicals), two times a day, for our whole lifespan. I do not use an Ayurvedic toothpaste myself, but I like to twitch toothpastes and sometimes I do use Ayurvedic ones too. I did not like the way she strictly rubbished a whole category of toothpastes.

It clearly felt as if she had an “anti-traditional” agenda; or if she was “sold-out” to commercial pharmaceutical companies. And one problem is that this remained my sole “takeaway” from that session which was supposed to be educational in nature.

- Rahul

A Tale of Two Gloves

Mother had asked me to sort out and throw away some old items from a showcase almirah. I hardened myself and started throwing away whichever items I could, in a big dustbin kept for that purpose. Whichever item felt useless and not collectible for the memory’s sake I just threw it away. After a while, I came across a pair of gloves which belonged to my father. I had some childhood memories associated with it too. It was meant for winter and was made of black leather of good quality, and it had white beautiful furs inside it. Father used to wear it while going to his bank on a motorcycle during the winter months. In childhood, we siblings used to play with it sometimes and were very much fascinated with it. But what was its use now? Hence, I threw it away.

As soon as I threw it away, father came there from some other room and saw it being thrown away. He said, “ye mera hai..” (this is mine). I asked, “par ab iska kya karna hai?” (but what to do with it now?”. Father was a bit taken aback and said, “no, I am not asking to keep it. I just said this is mine.” I remember feeling it a bit, but I was convinced that the old pair of gloves had to be sacrificed. It had no practical utility and there was no need to preserve it till eternity. The matter was forgotten.

I forgot about this incident, until one day while opening one of my almirahs which I do not open often, I came across a pair of my own old gloves.

That pair of gloves was also kept by me for sentimental value. It was a “safety glove” from my first job after engineering. After passing out of my engineering college, I had immediately joined my first job and was posted in a manufacturing plant. It was a new world for me. Whenever I went to visit a site in the plant, I used to wear safety gloves, safety googles and a safety helmet. I remember when I switched my job after two years and I had to leave, on the final day when I returned from plant, I did not know what to do with the gloves. I had left the helmet somewhere, but gloves were not supposed to be used by others and hence I just kept it along with my luggage and departed. That was my first job-switch and that was also the last time I stood on the soil of Chhattisgarh. Sometimes I remember those days fondly now.

As a memento from my first job, I kept those gloves with me somewhere, even when I changed cities and places, and years passed by. But what now?

As soon as I saw my old gloves, I remembered my father’s gloves which I had just thrown away. I felt a sense of guilt which would not go away. My pair of old gloves also did not have any practical value. How could I throw away my father’s gloves but keep mine? I could not have two sets of principles: one for myself and other for my father. Still, the attachment was deep, and I did not really want to throw it away. I had kept it safely for so many years! I knew that the gloves, which were in good shape, also contained some dust particles from the manufacturing plant. It was a time machine which could make me remember those two years of my life.

I spent a few weeks in dilemma, while knowing from the inside that I had to give it away. In order to do justice with my conscience, either I had to get my father’s gloves back, which was impossible since it went out with the trash few weeks ago, or else I had to throw away my own gloves.

Finally, after a few weeks from the day I mercilessly threw away my father’s old lovely gloves, I threw away my own memories-filled gloves too. May be in a few years, this blog post will be the only place both these gloves will find their remembrance.

- Rahul Tiwary

 

A Toy Giraffe and Happy Kids

 

On my way to the office, there's a stretch of road where many nomadic families live in makeshift tent homes along the roadside. They also run shops, mainly selling “toys”. At first, I found it interesting that they had chosen selling “toys” as their business, but after a while it became clear. They have got a little army of their own kids!

I have never cared to scrutinize them, but I see only a few of the men near their shops/tents, perhaps many go out for other vocations. And the women are not seen too, perhaps busy cooking in the backside of their tents. But the children are always jumping around that whole area.

One fine day, I noticed that a man had bought a soft toy “giraffe” from their shop and was trying to put it on his motorbike to carry it home. The “giraffe” was big: like at least two feet tall! I had never seen a giraffe as a toy, and I could never imagine why someone would buy a “giraffe” for a kid. There are all sorts of other popular animals, like elephants, tigers, lions, deer, dogs; all these are popular in the soft toys category. But the man, who was in his late 60s, had bought a giraffe! I remember imagining that a kid was going to be very happy that day, while I passed by.

Another interesting popular thing they are seen selling is “inflatable kiddie pool”. Made of PVC, these can be inflated, and after being filled with water, small kids can sit or play in it. I never saw any such interesting things in my childhood.

Coming back to those nomads. Sometimes I wonder if our world is going in the right direction or wrong. We have people like MS Dhoni or Abhishek Bachchan who got only one kid each, while they can afford to give fabulous lives to a dozen. And on the other hand, we have these nomads and poor people who got no life of their own and their children play in the dirt whole day, but they keep producing children like the world is going to end tomorrow if they don’t. Our Prime Minister wants to make India a developed country A.S.A.P., and our main opposition party wants to do “wealth redistribution” in society. All the while, these poor families keep producing armies of offsprings every year.

Well, I do not have any problem with these kids. They are always nice, and it is always nice to see kids around. It is what they are going to turn out to be after they grow up, worries me. At some level, I think our world would have been a lovely place if kids were going to only play with toy giraffes or inflatable pools. But at some point, they are going to get old and need livelihood and means to contribute to the society. I don’t know how many roadsides they will be able to keep capturing every year, for their tent-houses and toy shops.

I know that in such moments we need to introspect instead of pointing fingers. But at some point, we are going to end both introspecting and finger pointing, and like everything else, we shall vanish in the thin air. At that point, it will not be about what we thought or did, it will be more about what happened or got done by the collective us, while we were around. In the shadow of these thoughts, I find myself feeling more powerless than I ever have before.

- Rahul

A Cat in the Park

 

Life With Background Music

 

During my teenage, once I had noticed that whenever I had a question in my mind which did not have an answer, after a while I would find the answer randomly somewhere out of the blue. I remember myself rationalizing it by thinking that when a question goes unanswered, our subconscious brain keeps searching for answers, and hence spots one when it comes across it.

Some time back, a thought came to my mind that our life would have been better and more interesting if there was ‘background music’ in it; like it happens in the movies. For example, if we were serious, an appropriate background music would be playing around us. It would help us communicate better, since the recipient would understand the context better due to the background music made for the occasion.

A few days ago, while watching a movie on TV, suddenly a dialogue appeared. A character said, “You know what? There is music in life too! It is just that not everyone can hear it!”

The depth in the dialogue stunned me. What if our world really has background music in it; but the problem is that we can’t hear it? And what if there are people who ‘can’ hear it? For example, someone said something to us, and we understood it only on its face value. But there is another person, let us say very wise and experienced, and that person could not only listen to the person but also the ‘music’; and hence got the context better?

I know this is an imaginary thought, but philosophically, the thought is magnificent.

If everyone really understood everyone else, perhaps there would be lesser conflicts and heartburns. Or maybe if everyone really understood everyone else, there would be anarchy everywhere, because at times it is better if we do not understand things too. Whatever the end results, I won’t mind a little music in life. And an ability to listen to it too.  

- Rahul Tiwary

A Little Homeless Girl

 

On my way to office, there is a portion of road besides which some homeless people live by having made a make-shift tent-house and they sell a host of items (mainly toys) to the passersby. As rains have started, today while I was passing by, I noticed half a dozen kids of around 6-7 years of age making a loud sales pitch and selling “mudguards” for motorcycles. As I ignored them and passed by, suddenly a scene captured my attention.

There was a small girl of about 6-7 who had collected a big dusty blanket on her head and she was shouting in anger. It seemed as if someone from her family had asked her to gather the blanket but had not told her where to keep it; and as she had already gathered the heavy blanket over her head, she was shouting and asking where to keep it, as she did not have the energy to keep it on ground and to pick it up again after figuring it out. This idea that such a homeless poor little girl would also shout in anger at her parents startled me a bit.

It is a whole different topic about why kids shout angrily at their parents; but the poor little girl doing the same thing in a way comforted me that she was having a normal childhood, and all was not lost. Of course, she was able to do it only if her parents had given her the right to do so, meaning she was loved by them and well taken care of. This is hardly a conclusion which could be made merely by going through the scene, but I am convinced that it is what it is.

- Rahul

 

Songs: Vishal Mishra Non-Stop Hit Songs

 

A Mother Between a Fight

 

On the way back from office, at a particular point on the roadside, I sensed there was a scuffle going on. Or it was a fight about to break out between some people. When I crossed the scene, I noticed that two auto-rickshaws had stopped and a tall dark guy in his late 20s was having a scuffle with someone, while two women were also standing by and then one of the women tried to stop and calm down the boy. From the way they were dressed, they all looked uneducated. The boy got agitated by her interruption and angrily shouted at her. It seemed she was his mother and she was stopping him from getting into physical fight with an auto-rickshaw driver.

I have read this ‘feminist’ claim many times that if women ruled the world, there won’t be any wars. While history tells a very different story, I think this claim is just another feminist propaganda made with a singular motive in mind. What I think a valid statement could be is to say that there won’t be any wars if “mothers” ruled the world. Not all women have got the mindset or character to think like a mother. Mothers, because of their God-like act of giving birth to a child, have a natural tendency to “preserve” and are naturally “anti-destruction”. One who constructs can’t be naturally inclined towards destruction. This is why; the role of “creator” is marked with a different god than the “destroyer” in Hindu Trinity (three aspects of God/Paramatman). If mothers had the power to influence events, at local or global level, it is logical to believe there won’t be any fighting, war or destructions.

Bogged down by deliberate and mindless wars, our world desperately needs everyone to think from the eyes of a mother.

- Rahul Tiwary

Cyber Fraud in the name of CCAvenue and Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan

 

I have been to Shirdi Saibaba Mandir for few times. I tried to visit recently again, and it led to a near-miss with a cyber fraud attempt.

Since I wanted to travel alone, I booked a bus ticket to Shirdi online. The bus operator’s online booking website mentioned about the terms and conditions, and they suggested to book VIP Passes in order to finish the darshan fast. In my past travels, I had always gone through the regular route, hence I thought of trying the VIP Pass this time. Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan has a website through which I booked VIP Pass for Rs 200. The next day, I got a call from the bus operator who told me that they have cancelled the trip and returning my booking amount since they have not found enough bookings for the day. Since I was not traveling now, I thought to cancel my VIP Pass too. I went to the same website and cancelled my VIP Pass booking. The website displayed a message saying they have cancelled the pass but won’t be returning any money since it was non-refundable. It sounded weird given that the temple is one of the richest in the world, but since there was no option, I decided to accept it.

Several weeks since the mentioned episode, I got a phone call from a caller who introduced himself from ‘CCAvenue’, which I knew was a company running payment gateway. He said that I had booked an online aarti and puja at Saibaba temple, but the booking amount had got refunded to my bank account by mistake and I needed to return the money back to the company. The guy who was calling was an educated guy speaking in good English and he was well versed with the technicalities. I told him that as per my knowledge no money was refunded to me as per the policy of the booking website. But he insisted that the money was refunded by mistake to my account. He said, “otherwise, how would I know about your booking”? I replied, “because these days, each bank or financial transaction as well as KYC document is being sold to frauds in our country”. The guy’s voice saw only a small dip and he started arguing with me that it was my moral duty to return the money to the institution. He asked for permission to send me an email with details of how to transfer the money to his company. I told him in reply that first I would verify my bank statement to confirm whether I got any money refunded or not, and then I would decide on the next action. He said it was fine, and he would call me later again.

First thing I did was to report and block his number. Then I checked my bank statement online and found that no such refund had ever taken place after the VIP pass booking date. The guy was clearly a cyber fraud.

While I got saved since I did not trust the random guy calling me, not everyone is as lucky. As our economy is becoming more and more digital by the day, frauds of many kinds are also increasing. Most of the victims remain silent and most of the crimes never get reported. A few cases we hear about are only a tip of the iceberg. Government and public regulators are totally ineffective and inadequate in stopping the flood of these crimes, and the final responsibility falls on our shoulders. Many times, it feels that the non-digital world was safer, but in true sense, it was not safe too; just the modes of crime were different. I don’t know how many years it will take for the government and regulators to get a grip on the situation, but currently, it feels like we can be safe only by taking extreme precautions at our individual level.  

- Rahul  

A Little Lizard Story

 

One fine day, when I opened the main door of my flat, suddenly a little house lizard entered in. In my hometown, house lizards are a common scene, but in a residential flat in a big city, I never had a lizard around. Seeing the lizard get in, the first thought that came to my mind was, “what is she going to eat (since there are no insects in the flat)?” Panicking, I knew each moment was important, hence I rushed and brought in a broom with which I tried to guide the lizard out of the door. The lizard was trying to hide behind some objects, but she saw the open door and hence went out. I immediately closed the door. The whole thing happened within a few seconds, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

After I settled in, the thought returned to my mind that my first reaction seeing a lizard in the house was not to rush it out but a worry about what the lizard would eat? The lizard was sure to be starved if she stayed in, and hence I had to send her out before she hid. This little worry about the lizard made me understand my struggles with empathy.

A little amused, I once again opened the main door and this time, there was no lizard around. Once again, a sigh of relief.

- Rahul    

Sweet Dreams (2025): Why Should Dreams Not Be Realised?

I happened to watch ‘Sweet Dreams’ (2025 film) starring Mithila Palkar and Amol Parashar. I chose to watch it since I am a fan of both. The story clearly seemed to be ripped-off from some Hollywood movies, which is totally okay since every Indian movie, no matter how much resembles any international movie, always feels distinct, and better. What really disturbed me was the ending.

Both Mithila Palkar and Amol Parashar are unique and special, and it is really wonderful that they were made a pair in this film. Mithila Palkar appears as Mithila Palkar in every movie and yet has a mix of mystery, familiarity, and genuineness which makes the viewer want to watch her performances every time. Amol Parashar is such a natural actor that we can say that he was “born to act” (btw, he did B.Tech. from IIT Delhi before quitting his job to enter acting). He brings grace and dignity to every role he does. With such an amazing cast, the movie could have done wonders if the makers did not fall for the cliches.

The first thing I did not like was the “setup”. Dia (played by Mithila) was living with a guy without marriage and Kenny (played by Amol) was a serial dater who was so desperately looking for a girlfriend (or wife) after getting dumped by his ex, as if sky was to fall if he had to live alone any longer. We could understand his emergency if he was an old guy reaching expiry date for marriage, or an orphan who had no chance of getting a wife until he fished her out of a river. This whole setup reminded me of recent horrific murder case of a Mumbai gurl by her live-in partner. The movie makers thought that just because the film had to be released on OTT, they had to provide the right (immoral) setup, which was ridiculous.

Secondly, the movie lacked side stories and ran straight from one pillar to the other like a documentary. Songs were good but felt wasted when the makers did not even try to make the best out of this film.

The worst thing I liked about the movie was its ending. These days, it has become cliché to leave the stories “open ended”. No matter how much “open” the ends are, we can clearly see which ways the ends can go. So, why take the trouble? In this film, the writers forced Kenny (Amol) to leave Dia (Mithila) and go for Roop; another girl who was clearly very interested in Kenny without any reason. The movie did not explain why Roop was after Kenny as if he was her last chance of redemption. Whenever Roop looked at Kenny, it seemed she was both melting and burning from the inside. She so desperately wanted Kenny as if there was no other boy in the entire world. And she was so determined not to be seen desperate, that she appeared doubly desperate; and it was so insulting (for her). Kenny clearly did not like her, did not love her; all he needed was a friend, but he was getting a wife instead of a friend. It felt so unfair.

Despite tolerating whole movie and eagerly waiting for the climax, when the end finally arrived, it turned out to be anti-climax. It did not make any sense why Kenny and Dia decided to part ways with each other, just because they had got other options. Kenny was clearly feeling too sorry for Roop and hence he was looking for an escape; on the other hand Dia was just showing her lack of confidence and determination like she was showing all through the movie. After trying so hard to find each other, these two people had finally found each other, but then they started talking about unimportant things as if they were totally confused. It almost felt as if they had become content with the process to reach the goal and forgot why they were trying so hard all through.

If the movie makers had just played straight and united Kenny and Dia in the end, I won’t be feeling so upset and blaming the film so much. And Kenny and Dia would be living together, happily ever after. Now that the movie makers totally destroyed their friendship, their only hope is to find each other again, in dreams. Dreams are not so bad after all.

- Rahul

Travelogue: Blue Ridge, Hinjawadi, Pune

 

Travelogue: Ryewood Park, Lonavala, Maharashtra, Bharat

 

Travelogue: Lonavala Railway Station, Lonavala, Maharashtra, Bharat

 

Travelogue: Some Pictures from Lonavala, Maharashtra

 

Travelogue: Public Statues in Lonavala, Maharashtra

 

Travelogue: Sunil's Celebrity Wax Museum, Lonavala, Maharashtra, India