"What will the girls in my class dress as? Did India have any female freedom fighters?" An innocent question by her 4-year-old son sent Priyanka Bhattacharya Dutt on a trip down history lane to look for and reclaim untold stories of brave women who fought alongside men, even led men into battles for freedom. “Dress … Continue reading ‘Did We Have Any Female Freedom Fighters?’ Asked The 4-Year-Old
Remember the magic of the mighty Indian Railways that most of us experienced as kids. The joy of looking out of the window as the countryside whizzed by. Or even racing to take the upper berth, making it a house of sorts for the long train journey ahead. Somewhere along the way, we grew up … Continue reading All Aboard The Choo Choo Train
Heartache, boredom, loneliness. And also a growing excitement at starting afresh and exploring the unknown. Archana Patni writes so beautifully about how she helped her daughters deal with a big move from Bangalore to Singapore.
Parenting is that one unique experience where you are constantly learning, and can never claim to truly know it all. And no one is more nervous (and eager to learn) than a new mother. Afshan Anjum tells us about her initial journey in the 'School of Parenthood' and the various teachers (good and not so … Continue reading The School of Parenthood
Who says a 4-year-old can't have food adventures? While Priyanka Bhattacharya Dutt thought she would have to rely on happy meals on a recent vacation to Singapore, her 4-year-old had different plans.
It's true that not everyone falls in love with their newborn right away. I too spent a whole day figuring my baby out. Nine months felt like a year, for the nausea could often make a day feel like two. I used to get emotional, angry and anxious - nothing new there. I talked and sang to my baby a lot. I had thought of so much that I'd tell him/her. But once I had him in my arms, there were also a few things I was sure I'd never say to him. Afshan Anjum writes about the 5 things she will never tell her son.
Bringing a baby into this world is no easy task. The first few months literally go by in a daze. But no sooner than erstwhile dazed, sleep deprived mothers start looking like they're actually enjoying this motherhood thing, that we jump in, asking (often telling) them to start planning another baby. Sharavati Choksi has had … Continue reading ‘One & Done!’ Why That’s The Best Way For Me
In India, actually most of the world, when a Ms Bhattacharya marries a Mr Dutt and has a baby, the child is a default Dutt. Sometimes, in rarer circumstances he may be named Bhattacharya - Dutt. But its almost impossible to find a child with an entirely different and neutral last name. This was the dilemma that Taruni Mathur faced when she had her baby boy. Today she shares her story and the journey she took to naming her son.
It’s Mother’s Day, you tell me. So what should I do? I woke up at dawn, as usual, To clean the baby’s poo. I rushed to make his breakfast, And ate his leftover food, All the while, reading forwards, Celebrating my motherhood. It’s ‘my day,’ I should celebrate, Get waited on hand and foot. Oh … Continue reading A Mother’s Day Ode … To Me. And You
Imagine 3 million trucks line up, piled up high with waste. That's how much untreated waste India dumps into its landfills every day. And while we wait endlessly for governments to change policies to tackle our waste crisis, it's high time we understood our own role in it. While it is easy to preach change, very few people have the conviction to be that change. Fewer still are trying to inculcate that sense of responsibility in their children. Mridula Swamy writes about how her two children are green warriors in their day to day life.
