Deep Ties

                                                                        Amazon.in Being a teacher and educationist is often the best kind of life one can lead! It is a calling that keeps one young, physically and mentally. Every day brings a new kind of learning, sometimes tender, at other times funny, often fraught with anxiety and fulfilment, sometimes both at the same time. This afternoon, when I was doing my usual rounds in school, peeping into classes, keeping an eye out for unusual sights and talking to teachers and children whom I encountered along the way, I suddenly paused before a classroom. It was the 5 th standard and the door was shut. However, there was a little chappie who stood outside with a strange expression on his face. He did not seem particularly upset about being there, but the moment...

  Pinterest Ogden Nash’s poetry brings a smile to the faces of all those who delve into his poetry. His comic verses have been relished over the decades, known for their irreverence and their eccentricity. They are meant not only for lovers of poetry but for all those who want to savour moment of sheer fun and frolic. Starting with one of his most famous poems ‘Reflection on Ice-Breaking’ Candy Is dandy But liquor Is quicker. When COVID-19 wreaked havoc bringing the world to a standstill, it took vaccines, sanitizers and masks to bring down its effects. Ogden Nask spoke not about a virus, but about a germ. THE GERM A mighty creature is the germ. Though smaller than the pachyderm. His customary dwelling place Is deep within the human race. His childish pride he often pleases By giving people strange diseases. Do you, my poppet, feel infirm? You probably contain a germ. Nash was often impudent and downright hilarious. His spellings often disarranged themselves just so they could ensc...

                                                                         AVC Movies Sometimes, there comes a movie which clicks for all the right reasons. Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey is one such offering written and directed by a newcomer Vipin Das. The main roles are essayed by Basil Joseph as Rajesh and Darshana Rajendran as the beleaguered Jaya. What makes this a must-watch movie?  True life issues are dealt with here, but with a dose of healthy humour which soften the aggressive bits to an extent.  a. The movie starts with girls having no rights. Jaya does her B.A. Malayalam, just because she is not allowed to go far away from home. No Anthropology for her, because she is anyway going to get married in due course. b. Her teacher, played by Aju Varghese, is a modern man who talks about wom...

  Twenty days ago, we flew to Mumbai for a wedding. Often we get into a flight, check out the flight magazine, turn a cursory eye at the instructions given by   the airhostess and grab a little shut-eye. Unless of course, there is a chance to watch the latest movies on board, when it is an international flight. For instance, when we travel to Johannesburg, which is an eight hour odyssey from the Gulf, I settle down, tuck a blanket around me and watch about six movies without blinking. The Mumbai flight had no such entertainment and I looked out of the window for a while. Only to be absolutely mesmerised by the magnificence of the changing blue sky which I had never really noticed ever before. As the flight took off, Kochi airport receded till it took on the appearance of a map from afar. Slowly, as the aircraft climbed higher and higher, the dazzling blue sky came into sight. And what a beautiful sight it was. I clicked pictures of its various stages, unable to get over the ...

                                                                   BrainyQuote “Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. You do what you want, what you love. Imagination should be the center of your life.” Ray Bradbury When I was just a little girl, people would ask me, “What do you want to be?” Pat would come my answer. “I want to be a writer.” The answer was instantaneous, not because I was a prodigy. The reason lay elsewhere. I had this friend, a trifle older than  I  was, who would come over in the evenings with a diary filled with her writing. Poetry, essays, stories… you name it, she had it. She would irritate the life out of me by showing off her literary treasures to my mother, who would give her a hug and praise her to the skies. “Anythin...

  Amazon.in Have you been hunting for interesting books for your children? If so, please take time out to read 'Parvati the Elephant's Very Important Day'. What makes a good book cover for a children’s book? An eye-catching composition, a strong focal point and an apt title that explains what lies within, according to popular opinion.  'Parvati the Elephant’s Very Important Day' boasts of a cover image that ‘covers’ all these guidelines perfectly. A smiley elephant with a beatific smile, wearing an ornate ‘nettipattam’, (the ornamental head covering) a few decorative silk umbrellas and flowers dotting the page reminiscent of a grand Kerala Pooram draw the reader into the excitement of the festival. The illustrations meander across to the back cover, along with the succinct blurb. The narrative is simple, written in rhyming verse, as it describes a day in the life of a temple elephant, Parvati, who is elated to be part of the temple festivities. It is an importan...

  Pinterest “Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world”. Matilda The name ‘Roald Dahl’ brings a smile to the faces of most people, especially children. His stories are fantastical, unconventional and hilarious… three attributes that reel readers in, hook line and sinker. Not for nothing has Dahl been called one of the most popular children’s writers of all times with his creative use of language, the wisdom of his philosophy and the good humour that shines through like the sun that provides the silver lining on a cloudy day. Dahl was raised by his Norwegian mother who would regale him with stories of witches, trolls and magical creatures from Scandinavian fables. This influence stayed with him when he began writing his books. His most popular books are ‘James and the Giant Peach’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’, ‘BFG” and ‘Matilda’.                              ...

                                                                 Amazon.in A Complete Poetry Writing Workbook for Budding Poets “Sharing hues would not have been possible if there had been no clues.” The first line in the book gives the reader an idea of what to expect from this connoisseur of poetry who took four decades to bring out the writer within her. For it was then she realised the truth that it is never too late to follow one’s passion, and from that point onwards, she never looked back. Vandana Saxena has made her debut book extra valuable by sharing her thoughts on how to write Poetry. Her book covers seven sections, starting with the Prologue. Section two gives an elaborate introduction to Poetry, along with reasons to write poetry. According to her, “Poetry makes you a better writer”. She moves on to the element...

  The Odyssey Online Today is the day when time and tide have waited not, Writing has taken a back seat, I have quite lost the plot. Even if I wanted, I could not have written a page, Nevertheless, I do need my plight to assuage; The day is done, the night is coming to an end Yet, I will mourn if I do break the trend.   The words begin to come forth, my pen starts to move, Whirling within my head, each idea in its groove, Even if I wanted to, I could not stop the unending flow Nine times out of ten, my imagination puts on a show. The poem seems to write itself, acrostic all the way, Yes, now I pause to sleep; tomorrow’s another day.                                                                             Pixabay      Postscript: This is my 20 ...

  Alamy Is there anyone who can truly say that food is not important in their lives? Yes, the degree of importance may vary. Some eat to live, others live to eat. This post is for all the foodies out there who love the very idea of food. Of course, there are those who believe that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. The reverse is true as well. A man who cooks for his lady love is already ensconced safely in her heart! When I got married at the age of 22 to a dashing Army officer, the kitchen was a remote area for me, in Army parlance. I am not making excuses here, but anyone who has been part of the sumptuous meals that were served at home when I was a child, will know the reason why. My Dad was in the Army and my mother cooked for exactly a year and a half after she married him. Then came an angel in the guise of Parvathy Amma, a middle-aged lady who was a wizard in the kitchen. Anything she prepared tasted divine. To cut a long story short, not only was Parvat...