Deep Ties

  Dreamstime The word ‘mentor’ has always been there in our lives, right from the olden ages when rulers used to use their influence and affluence to bring up struggling artists and writers. Queen Elizabeth lent her name to the age that she reigned over – the Elizabethan era, and many were the prominent people she brought into the limelight, starting with William Shakespeare himself. Indian rulers like Jahangir, Akbar and Shah Jahan promoted the arts and literature in their courts. Who has not read about Akbar’s Nine Jewels or the Navaratnas? The Chola rulers of South India brought up the exquisite art form known as Tanjore painting or Thanjavur painting where gold leaf was used to embellish the classical themes.                                                            Pinterest - Tanjore painting Coming closer to the modern era, the renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma had a special mentor in his uncle, Sri Raja Raja Varma, who spotted the former’s artistic talent and honed his talent

  iStock Days should have more than twenty-four hours to be able to do all the things one wants to. I say this with conviction at around 5pm on a rollercoaster of a day, when so many things came together in a beautiful chaotic way, leaving one with a sense of exhausted contentment. An oxymoron, wouldn’t you say? A typical working day starts early, with home chores that need to be sorted before one gets out of the house. Of course, since my better half and I live alone, our daughter having shifted base to South Africa, everything needs to be done with precision. Just enough food to last for two meals, all food from outside to be consumed within two days and ice creams only on weekends and cheat days! Of course, these rules have been arm-twisted out of all shape, because I do not believe in doing things by half-measures. So, when I cook, I make enough food to last me awhile, when we order in lunch on Sundays (another rule!), I do try and add that little extra so that it lasts over, a

  Shutterstock “The Child is Father of the Man,” said William Wordsworth in his poem ‘My Heart Leaps Up’. This is an oft-repeated line which has been used by many over the decades, maybe because it is not only an easy poem to memorise but also makes much sense when children emulate their parents, or do things that earn them a pat on their backs.                                                                  QuoteFancy I grew up, an only child for seven years, after which my sister was born. For all those years I was like a sunflower, tossing and turning my head towards the sunshine in my life, notably my parents, both of whom were, in my opinion, outstanding. Often, I would sit and list out what made me like them, probably because I had all the time on the world, as children often do. Both my parents loved reading, and I grew up with books all around me. My mother ran a library at home where she encouraged children and adults to come and browse around. I still remember that there