The Middle

THE exuberance in my voice must have been evident when I rang up my father. I was happy to tell him that I had bought a cycle for his schoolgoing grandson. It was a little expensive, but my son liked...

I glanced at her cherubic face — pink cheeks and a creamy complexion. Manbhari seemed a befitting name for the lovely girl. I smiled. Her eyes sparkled momentarily and clouded just as suddenly and her expression changed to an unsmiling...

AN anniversary is supposed to be a day of celebration, right? You dress up in your finest attire, cut a cake, maybe clink a glass or two, and reminisce about how you’ve survived another year of wedded bliss (and arguments...

A couple of months ago, I attended a wedding where I knew no one except the father of the bride. After giving the host a warm hug and the customary shagun, I was all by myself. I headed towards the...

SOME people are keen to do a good deed, but they don’t go ahead with it as they presume that others may not cooperate with them. I remember an incident which illustrates that if you pursue a noble goal with...

IT was the kind of winter that old Shimlaites still talk about — it covered the Christ Church spire in mist and turned the Ridge into a white desert four decades ago. It snowed for days, the kind of heavy,...

Narayani Ganesh RIPPED jeans and faded T-shirts have been around as ‘in’ clothes for many years now. The boomers may view this strange trend in clothing as nothing short of disgusting. They ask, why wear beat-up clothes when you can...

AMID the controversy over the alleged omission of the Punjabi language as a subject in the CBSE’s draft policy, I witnessed a scene that made me feel like the odd man out at home. We were watching TV — me,...

I must have been nine or 10 years old. The open-air amphitheatre was enveloped by the night sky, and swarms of people had gathered to watch a play. The excited din of men, women and children still rings loud in...

I received several phone calls days before my retirement. My friends and well-wishers apprised me of the dos and don’ts to be observed during one’s retired life. I was also told that I would become a ‘senior citizen’ and get...

SWITZERLAND has captivated the world with its breathtaking beauty, justly earning the sobriquet of ‘heaven on earth.’ But, as the saying goes, the way to one’s heart is through the stomach. When the belly and taste buds remain unsatiated, the...

HUNGER is such a burning issue that people often find themselves running from pillar to post, day and night, searching for employment to provide food for themselves and their families. At times, there is so much desperation that they have...

AS I am the sole retired banker in my neighbourhood, fellow residents often approach me for advice on matters related to banking and finance. About a month ago, a tailor who plies his trade near my house sought my help...

A few years ago, as I left the immigration desk after arrival in Brisbane, Australia, an officer standing nearby politely stopped me and said: “Hope you had a good flight. Are you carrying more than $10,000 in cash?” I wasn’t,...

ONE afternoon, an elderly gentleman, who was known to our family, paid us a visit. Thanks to his flowing long white beard and neatly tied turban, he bore a striking resemblance to my late father. As I welcomed him, my...

BACK in early 1995, the Ardh Kumbh was in progress in Allahabad. I was posted as an instructor at the School of Artillery in Deolali, Maharashtra. I had received orders to take over as the second-in-command of my regiment, stationed...

IN the 1970s, the 7.5-km race for seniors was a major attraction at Bishop Cotton School (BCS), Shimla. There was a fierce rivalry between VK Roach (captain of Curzon House) and S Chauhan (captain of Lefroy House) in 1975. On...

LAST week, Capt Karamjit Singh Bakshi and a non-commissioned officer lost their lives in a blast triggered by militants near the Line of Control. This tragedy, all the more saddening for me as I served as a Colonel in the...

HAVING missed the briefing before a golf tournament, a new player asked me about the facility of a preferred lie (for the uninitiated, it allows golfers to improve the ball’s position without any penalty). “Well, place the ball at an...

IN January 1990, militants stepped up their activities in Kashmir. There was a surge in targeted killings; Kashmiri Pandits and other non-Muslims were threatened with dire consequences if they did not leave the Valley. Insurgents backed by Pakistan spread terror...

AS I glanced at the newspaper that morning, one headline caught my attention, ‘Isolated and hostile for long, Andamans’ Jarawa tribals now enrolled as voters’. I remembered the day when I first had a glimpse of these tribal people. Jarawas...

THE first of everything is always treasured, be it the first words spoken by a child, the first day at school or the first kiss. In a fauji’s life, the first posting is an unforgettable event. Every soldier’s experiences upon...

TECHNOLOGY is simply indispensable in today’s world, but it doesn’t always simplify life. Sometimes, it leaves us red-faced and gives us a ‘hold my beer moment’. One of my friends started using an app for translation as part of his...

MOTHERS care, mothers share, mothers dare, and sometimes they make you pull out your hair. Each day spent with them is a learning experience. I am sharing some snapshots. “Does my nail polish match my dress? Silver shoes work with...

I do not remember what kindled my interest in Urdu, but while I was in college, I joined Jamia Millia University’s correspondence course to learn it. It did not take me far, and then other priorities pushed Urdu behind. Two...