The Pen Dialogue

After enduring a stretch of damp & drizzly mornings, we were fortunate that our day to The Blue Mountains turned out to be promisingly sunny so we could extract most of the beautiful weather. The iconic tourist attraction of the scenic world situated on the east of New South Wales, an hour long drive from Sydney is a must-visit. Before we hopped into the luxury bus that arrived at quarter past 7 in the morning, we were briefed about the day's agenda alongwith a fairly small group of not more than 20 travellers. Our bus driver and tourist escort Mr.Jed welcomed us on board with a beaming smile, a bottle of still water and a bar of real milk chocolate. The tall, athletically built, enthusiastic young man probably in his early forties had a bright clean- shaven face.His broad forehead lined with blond hair shone in the daylight, while he talked fluent English in a sharp Australian accent. As brisk as a flea, he wore a powder blue shirt teamed with a comfortable pair of baggy bl...

OF all species on the planet, monkeys evidently come closest in appearance and mannerisms to humans.  Some monkeys can be less aggressive while others can be quite violent or even destructive by nature. They snatch, they steal, they make angry screeching sounds and even attack. It feels specifically threatening when they stare you in your face with cruel expressions. When closely observed monkeys look vicious, wicked and ugly. From  my perspective monkeys are unappealing & unpleasant animals.  This one time a monkey got inside my car behind me and God, I was petrified !!! On enquring why it particularly followed me and not anyone else, a man near the temple explained that the monkey was curious to know if it could find something to eat in the bag I was holding. A lesson was learnt when I noted that no one else in the temple brought a bag along. A mischievous, idiotic monkey once pulled down my skirt at a railway station when I was with my aunt. The skirt slipped down ...

  365 days- another revolution of the earth around the sun-witness to change of seasons. This was an unanticipated duration in an unknown domain under strange conditions. Sydney was an abrupt,unprecedented calling under unforseen circumstances in July last year. With a suitcase of warm clothes packed only for a few weeks, I landed on the soil of Australia in the peak of its winter -  a distressed mind hazier than the spooky frigid nights, feebler than a new born just out of its mother's womb-  vulnerable anxious afraid. Unfamiliar with the laws of the land, ignorant to the culture & lifestyle of its habitants I braved into an exhausting battle with anguish & resentment yet determined to raise a voice against injustice, cruelty and disgrace. When injustice abounds it creates room for more injustice and when overlooked they  aggravate into bigger societal issues causing irreparable damage. Silence is not the solution. I chose the road less travelled and soldier...

Cooking is both an art and a science. To me, it means mental and physical therapy. I discovered my love for cooking in my tween years when I frequently experimented on making after- school snacks for my younger brothers. When something turned out acceptable for them to enjoy, it gave me reason to try out something more.  The final outcome of a finely crafted dish, cooked with fresh hand- picked ingredients, blended with chosen spices, touched with a secret twist and then the most important fact that I hail from a background with hearty Punjabi appetites, persuaded me to explore my culinary skills. When delicious food lovingly and generously served on a well-laid table bring wide smiles on beaming faces, it gives me immense gratification and inspires me to cook many more exhilarating meals for my family and friends.  Appreciation is my greatest motivation 😊 While Baking is also a form of cooking ( in dry heat) it has become exceedingly popular in the recent times. Most offline...

There is something exuberant about the clear blue sky. Something gleeful about the birds that fly. The touch of the air feels crisp and clean. The grass, the leaves were never so green. The massive meadows, the hills, the streams  Everything around seems lush and pristine. The evening air never breathed so divine.  My heart applauds the stars that brightly shine. Nature never fails to do its part. It offered in abundance from the start. I wish we had not caused all the mess. Been a little more responsible and generous To preserve all that was given to us.  Appreciated enough, Returned enough. Man is thoughtless, thankless too.  Exploited Mother Earth- She didn't know what to do!!  Her beauty and elegance began to fade. She cried and pleaded, but in vain. Until one day a virus spread That rapidly led to many a dead. It brought the world down to its knees. It brought misery and pain and disease!!   Maybe a lesson now is learnt. The generations to come wi...

W ith no vivid memory but for a few pretty pictures with my gorgeous parents that hang casually framed on the wall of our living room- perhaps the only evidence to remind me that I have been to this pl ace when I was two years old. So, realistically this was my first visit to Kashmir in my entire adulthood being on the other side of 50 now. It is said, Seeing is Believing. So is I realised after my vacation, how much truth this statement holds.  Kashmir or Cashmere, situated in the northernmost part of India is known for its abounding valleys, majestic mountain peaks and outstanding natural beauty that comes closest to one's imagination of Paradise. Travelling for me has never been a fetish. I am a quintessential cancerian home bird, mostly confined to comfort in the coziness of my space but a holiday to any destination with family is certainly a thing to do!!  Whenever we do chance upon a family holiday plan, I spring at the offer mainly because it gives us quality time toget...

As the sound of the waves hit the shore,   I profoundly think about life more and more...  And all about nature's bountiful things in store! While I watch youngsters dance on the beach- The ocean is tirelessly beating its own tune to teach,  Some of life's deepest lessons we must learn To strive hard and never give up to yearn.  For as beautiful and calm that it may seem,  It sometimes rages swiftly making its way through like a fierce dream.  Yet , I love the sound of the waves  For the message it gently breaks,  into our ears... Thou shall remember for years and years.

Born to a Punjabi family, I happen to be raised and bred in South India owing to the incidental settlement of my previous generation that originally hailed from Pakistan. After the partition in 1947, my father all of two years of age was brought to this side of the border by his single mother along with his siblings, out of which a few relocated to Madras (now known as Chennai) for reasons better known to them. While some of my paternal uncles and aunts stayed back to settle in the north and grew families in a typical Punjabi environment, we in comparison had an upbringing exposed to South Indian tradition, festivals, food, clothing, language and the like.We were obviously influenced by both our friends and teachers at school besides being surrounded by a South Indian ambience due to our neighbourhood at home. For my mother, who moved from Delhi to Chennai after she married my father, it was rather demanding of her to adapt to such an extreme culture disparity. Initially, more like a f...

Adorably called 'Sona Chacha' by his loving nieces and nephews, my living legend, my Dad is an assured owner of a vibrant personality that cannot be ignored. Admired for his distinctive charm and quick-witted humor he is an effortless crowd- puller to any age group, making him the most favourite person among his kith & kin. At 75, still as curious as a cat-his exclusive far sight and rare intelligence keeps him updated about not only the current world situations but also the latest awareness on communication,  travel, technology and way beyond. An avid traveller and nature lover, his enthusiasm to the next holiday destination has dates marked well in advance on his personal calendar.  We were a nuclear family of five-I being the older of my two brothers, customarily brought up in a household where we had unannounced relatives and visitors swarm into our home, from across the country to be warmly welcomed by my parents with open arms and doors all year round. By the way, th...