MAADHYAM

She floated into my life when I never knew She grew so close and knew all that she wanted to know About me and her She spoke to me when her heart felt blue We sat and sang talking of all the things we would do Dreaming of staying together Crying when we though what if we had to part? Life brought a smile to me face which she knew why? We would wonder how our lives would pass by. How she could spend time endlessly not a care about the world Just wanted to smile and float like a butterfly A butterfly who knew not where she wanted to go But spread happiness on every flower she touched She could never see anyone sad And would try and pull my socks if I were ever in that state She had a hidden beauty which everybody loved She loved life and waited to see each day go by Talking of days not knowing what if we never met? But our friendship just grew by leaps She went miles away but not so far To come by sometimes and see how we are Call to check if all is right And fill our spirits...

My grandfather was freedom fighter And on this day 70yrs ago he saw freedom from the British rule He was a true Gandhian and followed his principals He dropped his surname and caste to join the Gandhi Movement So when asked whats your surname here is my reply He wore only khaadi and used only khaadi The Kurta khaadi The Dhoti khaadi The Handkerchief khaadi and even his undergarments Khaadi Every Year he would come and spend time with us He would narrate stories of how he went to jail and how they fought for freedom When we met his friends when we went to Kerala for our summer breaks we spoke about freedom and heard stories from his friends which one may only see in films but are true His favorite song he hummed through the day Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram Pati tapavan Sita Ram Eshwar Allan tero naam Sabko Samati de Bhagavaan I am proud to be his granddaughter He always said you are first Indian then whatever you want be Religion is man made Be good  Be ...

The Dragonfly I’ve always been fascinated by these little creatures and fler they were mystical.  There’s something about them—mysterious, delicate, yet powerful. The day I drew this dragonfly, something within me shifted. It came a day after a close friend lost his father, suddenly and without warning to a Cardiac arrest. One minute he was playing with his grandchildren the next he fell dead on the sofe.  No good bye No time to react No time to process Just gone That moment made me pause. The dragonfly , in cultures around the world, is a symbol of transformation — Not just surface change, But deep, internal change that stems from emotional growth, Mental maturity, And a new understanding of life itself. Reflections Life is fragile. Life is unpredictable. It takes just one event — One breath, one heartbeat, one goodbye— To change everything we know. But in the face of this uncertainty, We must continue. We must rise, And live. Not in yesterday, Not in ...

From Innocent Play to Pressure-Packed Trends: A Tale of Two Generations Growing up, many of us remember sneaking into our parents’ rooms, rummaging through their vanity, and swiping on a tube of lipstick with reckless abandon. It wasn’t about looking perfect or capturing a moment for the camera—it was pure play. The oversized heels, the smudged red lips, and the powder dusted over our faces were all part of pretending, of exploring the idea of being "grown-up." These moments were fleeting, innocent, and most importantly, disconnected from any societal pressure. When Makeup Was Just Play Back then, makeup wasn’t a routine or a statement but a novelty. There were no expectations of perfection, no filters to compete with, and no audience to validate our efforts. We played dress-up for ourselves, for our siblings, or for a good laugh. By bedtime, the lipstick smears were wiped away, and we returned to our carefree world of books, outdoor games, and imagination. The Shift to the ...

DADDYYYYY Me and my dad We love each other He taught me to be me Taught me to fall and rise Taught me to never give up Taught me to enjoy the simple things in life Taught me to argue and  not take things at face value Taught me be good first  Taught me to give and not ask for something in return  Taught me to love unconditionally Taught me to cycle and balance my life Taught me to a be a strong woman so I can stand up for myself Taught me to be independent yet care for others Taught me to have faith and never loose hope Taught me to be brave and have no fear Taught me a lot I'm so glad  He was the person who could answer my questions and I can still share my thoughts and ideas Even though we argue over things he teaches me to think aloud  He supports my ideas and claps and cheers to see me do the things I do and also makes sure I am humble and down to Earth I'm lucky he is there now to teach my little ones the same Whenever he was asked why didn't h...

Happiness is an art which can be learnt. It has a lot of benefits. If you are a parents it is a boon in your life. Positive and Happy Parenting does take too much of your time and when practiced just like any other artform leads to a better state of mind and a happier family. If you pay attention to what you do on the canvas it will be beautiful piece. But! You ask me how can I become a better parent? How can I become a happier parent?  Well! It is all about what you say, how you behave and what you do. It is all about the choices you make in life. Just like an art piece we use color , we have a medium, paints and a canvas all come together to make a masterpiece. If any of the three are not in balance the outcome is not what you want and not beautiful. It may be nice but! if I told that you can do it could better if you do something else. So! For positive parenting you need to be happy first yourself. What if I told I will give a "Happiness DOSE pill for free. No c...

Women's Day why the hype? Are we Safe? Lets ask these questions.  If we get 80% yes then Maybe we should not celebrate. Are we safe as women today? Can we walk down the road in the middle of the night without the thought of something bad happening? We have daughters can we trust all the men to keep our child safe? When our girls are at school till they get home we are wondering if they are safe? When they go to study in another city away from home are they safe? When we dress the way want and walk and don't have a single person really ogling at us? When we can go where we want without any fear? Any city or town where there is no molestation, rape and harassment of women? When the girl child has been seen as a boon in every Indian family? When we start treating our women like the way we treat o goddess, devi's and matta's. When we answer No to 80% of these questions , only then should we celebrate  Women's  day. -Sandhya Lal