Sangeetha Kamath

And out of nowhere came this madness to wreck mayhem in my already topsy turvy world! Tickets back to Singapore were initially booked on the Chennai transit (why of all the cities?) Because of the shortest layover I could muster, given my still delicate health conditions and which was never even an intentional choice in all my 23 years of travel to and from Singapore. This had to be it even though I was on unfamiliar grounds.  But Luck seemed to have a mind of it's own and turned its back on me when Fenjal decided to crash bang in the middle of orderly events, a day before my intended day of travel.  When destiny's favorite child was shielded by Baba and his blessings, even Luck had to bow down and retreat in haste. **** Roused from my siesta with a sense of a peculiar dimness and chill , a far cry from the usually sunny and blinding brightness of humid Mangalore, I couldn't help but have that niggling feeling at the back of my mind. Checking on the flight updates for IXE-M...

  Rajendra stood at the doorway, his eyes scanning the hallway one last time. He had lived in this house for over 40 years, raising a loving family, celebrating countless birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, festivals, and weathering life's storms. But now, at the age of 85, he could no longer care for himself. His children had long since moved away, starting their own families. But the departure of his wife from the earthly realm was the final blow. The old man took a deep breath, his eyes misting as recalled the sound of his children's laughter, the smell of his wife's cooking, the hustle and bustle whenever his grandchildren visited. With a heavy heart, he locked the door behind him. He walked slowly down the garden path. The tree lined driveway replete with Gulmohars that his father had planted a generation ago seemed to weep crimson tears, showering him with fragrant petals. As he reached the gate, he turned back to look at the house one last time. The windows seemed to...

As the sun set over the ocean, a frail cat named Lola cuddled snuggly in Skye’s arms. Her legs barely carried her weight. But how she wished, driven by a deep longing to feel the sand beneath her paws one last time. Skye let her down gently secured to a harness. Lola padded silently across the sand. As she reached the water's edge, she paused, letting the foamy surf wash over her paws. She remembered the countless hours she'd spent on this beach, chasing frisbees and bounding playfully with Skye. Barely a few steps were taken and Lola was panting for breath slumping on the soft wet sand. She tried jumping onto Skye's shoulder like she did when she was a kitten. But couldn't muster any energy. Lola knew she was saying goodbye to her beloved Skye. With a final mew, she nuzzled her head against Skye’s heart as she lovingly picked her up again, tears streaming down her cheeks. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the beach in a warm, golden light. And Lola was at peac...

  The tones and hues outside are those of a vibrant spring. Mid winter rains and chill have been dismal this year and the air is unusually clogged with a dry spell, boiling us night and day. While November for me has been a month of transformations and dragging transitions, it's also been an odyssey on many planes and of varying degrees.  Shedding my vulnerability and donning an invisible suit of armor has been one of them to face my life lessons head on. When it comes to me, the Universe has had a wacky sense of humor these past few months. Just like an impish child, it doesn't like me sitting still or getting cozy in my comfort zone.  Dear Diary! Dear Diary! Dear Diary!  Oh Dear Oh Dear!  Where do I even begin?  I've been hopping from one merry ride onto another in a maddening spree. It was the finest of times, it was the crummiest of times. It was the age of triumphs, of glory, of celebrations, of reunions and of milestones which marked my parents' 50th ...

Winter is upon us, but November in these parts feels like high summer. The excessively wild, overrun garden which was blessed with a thriving monsoon had been pruned, hacked and trimmed prim ‘n proper a couple of weeks ago. Bare, except for a few sprouting shoots, the swarms of multi hued butterflies of various proportions, dragonflies buzzing around and the most miniscule of hummingbirds savoring the last honeyed drop of nectar from the waning blooms—a variety of life that thronged our garden have deserted it. Nature goes still and everything has quietened…it's hibernation season for the wildlife.  Except for the piercing call of the Coucal that heralds its arrival as it swoops down from its inconspicuous nest snuggled on a nearby luxuriant herbage making my garden come cheerfully alive. Strutting on the common, low brick walls parting the houses next door and also along the gates and on flowering shrubs fringing the row of houses across from mine, its glossy,indigo feathers highl...

You won't know what you've missed out on, if you haven't already picked up this Wonder of a book.  I won't even go to the extent of saying that it's a page turner. On the contrary, this story makes your heart so full and eyes brim over, you can't help but to not buy some time for yourself until you're ready to pick it up again.  It has the effect of churning your emotions to a fine powder and at the same time stay intact in the recesses of your heart. But try as you might, you cannot…will not abandon it halfway or stash it away, unforgotten and unread. No!  *** August,-- Auggie as he's fondly called by his family, is a fifth grade middle schooler struggling to find his place in a new prep school after being homeschooled in his initial years for the way he looks, attributed to a gene mutation. Going through umpteen correction surgeries from babyhood to present day, Auggie still doesn't fit the aesthetic norms set by society. Although the kid is intell...