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Category Archives: City life
The New Vacation: Exile
Lately, I’ve been thinking about vacations. It’s about that time of the year when I need a respite from the usual grind, when my batteries go into the amber zone and send out a plaintive signal to be recharged. As … Continue reading
Posted in buddhism, City life
Tagged break, exile, holiday, overstimulation, peace, quiet, recharge, rejuvenation, respite, sensoryoverload, solitude, vacation
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The homegrown mango
“So-and-so kaku sent you some mangoes from her family farm in Kaij,” my mum announced, handing over a handful to me. I beamed in delight. I looked down lovingly at the three or four golden orbs cradled in my arms. … Continue reading
Posted in City life, small town life, Uncategorized
Tagged climatechange, climatecrisis, connectedness, globalheating, globalwarming, identity, Indiansummer, kaij, locallygrown, mangoes, Marathwada, rootedness, roots, summer
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Learning acceptance from a mangy dog
The skinny dog limped onto the road. Her ribs stuck out, a thin fur hanging unevenly over them. There was no one on the road at this time of the day; every sane soul was taking shelter from the sharp … Continue reading
Posted in buddhism, City life
Tagged acceptance, awareness, buddhism, dogs, mindfulness, Mumbai, summerdays, zenbuddhism
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Discovering Friendship in a Bhel Vendor
Every evening, as the sun begins to descend from its high perch, a bhel vendor quietly rolls his rickety food cart down my road. It is a daily, late afternoon ritual, when the sun’s rays take on softer tones, and … Continue reading
Posted in buddhism, City life
Tagged bhel, community, friendship, humanconnection, ordinariness
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It’s A Too-Hot Summer Already
It’s too hot, all of a sudden. Blasts from a furnace hit my face. I look up, scowling at the overheated sun. Why the wrath, I ask it? As if in response, a wave of steaming rays hits me. I … Continue reading
The White Topi
The bicycle rode by, a middle-aged man astride. Or maybe he was slightly older than middle-aged. I couldn’t tell you because I was more focused on the white topi (cap) atop his head. Everything about him was as ordinary as … Continue reading
Posted in City life, small town life
Tagged caps, clothing, culture, history, identity, Maharashtra, Marathwada, memories, topi
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Mind The (Friendly) Gap
A few months ago, I found myself in the middle of a busy gathering. People from all walks of life were congregated into one spot and there was a frenzied buzz in the air. Conversations jostled for space, topics spilled … Continue reading
Posted in buddhism, City life
Tagged anxiety, breath, gaps, gifts, LondonUnderground, mindfulness, mindthegap, relaxation, spaces
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