Life is an illusion

Did you hear some one singing their heart's out just now. In a very off-key way - almost hard to hear. Oh, that was me.  I half listened to a podcast by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee where a researcher was telling him and us the benefits of arts - music, drawing, dance, reading etc. on our stress and hence our health.  I don't know about health, but mood definitely improves while listening to music - and the improvement is better if you sing along. Many an evenings when I can't drag myself into the kitchen, I push the earpods and start listening to old hindi songs. And the day gets better - just like that. Many a mornings, when I am particularly agitated, and I still have to go outside, I start mumbling some old Carnatic bhajan and I am OK - ish.  I have read some where that even people with dementia who can't even remember their own children will remember their favorite songs.  So come one, let us all sing with spotify, youtube - whatever your music app is.  And be tak...

 I noticed a new poster/calendar of some God on a tree on my walk. Don't worry - no one is trying to invade Bangalore, not by using posters. It is of course 'our' God only. Then I realized - this place is where a tender-coconut vendor will stand. As it was early in the morning, he had not come.  Can he carry his entire stock of coconuts home? Where will he keep them and how will he transport. So he had covered those coconuts a plastic sheet and asked the God to look after them.   If the God is the witness, at least some people - some God fearing people will hesitate to steal those coconuts.  Who says devout people can't be smart? Why should only politicians and 'god'men(???) monopolize the use of God for selfish motives?   An idea - instead of using folk art to beautify our roadsides, government must paint pictures of Gods and Goddesses. Of all colors and creeds. And do you know the greatest advantage - it may put a stop to public urination. And m...

 I looked at this little child of 7 years and I instead saw Ravanasura who has come to kidnap not me, but all my belongings. It all started with mangoes. Always, it starts and ends with mangoes. Mangoes attract little children just like sugar attract ants. I might have screamed at hundreds of kids just for loitering around my mango tree. Of course, why would they just loiter, they are there to pluck the mangoes - the mangoes which my acidic stomach does not accept and my husband's diabetes detests.  All the tiny fruits are stolen my these little 'thieves'. Now the remaining ones are quite big, ripe and are in very tall branches not attainable without large poles. So these little kids have to either climb the stairs and go to terrace or bring their adults.  Normally kids don't dare this step. So I was little bit at peace. Knowing they would not dare to climb the staircase and risk getting shouted at by the angry old lady.  That is exactly why I was aghast when I saw t...