Vidya Shankar's Blog, page 10
April 27, 2018
Name of the game
Names and me are miles apart. It takes me quite a while to register someone’s name to memory.
When I am faced with a new batch of students, I prefer to meet them with a list of their names. Not that it guaranteed memory but at least it helps me make the connect between name and face in lesser number of days.
I once had a very brilliant set of sixth grade students who found out about my list. They insisted I put away the list and call out the names from memory. I remember how I had to ransack my brains for at least some faint hint so that the intensity of embarrassment wasn’t too much.
When I have to call up places I regular, like the salon for instance, I used to try and come up with opening lines that didn’t require me to use names of the staff. After a while I felt it wasn’t right, so I discreetly wrote down the names on the bill I received. Except that the next time I wanted to call, I couldn’t remember where I had kept the bill.
Luckily for me, one of the girls shared her name with a leading Bollywood actress and so I assigned that to memory.
My phone calls to the salon were now much easier and things were going on fine till the last time I called, only to be told the “Bollywood” girl didn’t work there anymore and there was a new girl in her place.
So now I have to find a new connection. The process doesn’t end, does it?
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 28, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/341be0d1-8ead-49d4-8e9c-63f12f5f8f47.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
When I am faced with a new batch of students, I prefer to meet them with a list of their names. Not that it guaranteed memory but at least it helps me make the connect between name and face in lesser number of days.
I once had a very brilliant set of sixth grade students who found out about my list. They insisted I put away the list and call out the names from memory. I remember how I had to ransack my brains for at least some faint hint so that the intensity of embarrassment wasn’t too much.
When I have to call up places I regular, like the salon for instance, I used to try and come up with opening lines that didn’t require me to use names of the staff. After a while I felt it wasn’t right, so I discreetly wrote down the names on the bill I received. Except that the next time I wanted to call, I couldn’t remember where I had kept the bill.
Luckily for me, one of the girls shared her name with a leading Bollywood actress and so I assigned that to memory.
My phone calls to the salon were now much easier and things were going on fine till the last time I called, only to be told the “Bollywood” girl didn’t work there anymore and there was a new girl in her place.
So now I have to find a new connection. The process doesn’t end, does it?
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 28, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/341be0d1-8ead-49d4-8e9c-63f12f5f8f47.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
April 20, 2018
Fiery survivors
I had been wallowing in a pity party for quite a while when I bumped into a friend who manages a cafe. She told me to visit her at her workplace the following Monday, 11 a.m. Though I love that cafe for the positive energy that pervades, I didn’t go.
But guilt got on to me, so Tuesday afternoon I headed to my friend’s cafe.
She was at the billing counter. “It’s not Monday today, it’s not 11 a.m., and I’m not free to talk to you now,” she said. I apologised for not coming the day before and said that I wouldn’t mind sitting in a corner reading my book.
Instead, she put me on a high stool by the counter, provided me with hot chocolate (on the house) and told me to watch the bakery section across the counter where five or six ladies were baking pastries and cakes with a smile and an occasional song on their lips.
Was it their cheerful countenance that hid it from me, I don’t know, but it took me a while to notice that their faces and hands were disfigured. Scars of fire accidents from domestic violence, I was told.
The meticulousness with which the ladies went about their work amazed me. Apparently, after rehabilitation, they’d been given training not only in baking but also on cleanliness, personal grooming and appropriate behaviour.
The greatest challenge the trainers faced was getting them to speak politely, for fires not only scar the skin but damage the very core of one’s soul.
I asked my friend if I could write about their stories. She said, “No, they don’t want their stories written. They have all moved away from their pain and are now living a glorious life!”
I was left speechless.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 21, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/1f7783b0-bf93-4963-abdf-184c254231b0.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
But guilt got on to me, so Tuesday afternoon I headed to my friend’s cafe.
She was at the billing counter. “It’s not Monday today, it’s not 11 a.m., and I’m not free to talk to you now,” she said. I apologised for not coming the day before and said that I wouldn’t mind sitting in a corner reading my book.
Instead, she put me on a high stool by the counter, provided me with hot chocolate (on the house) and told me to watch the bakery section across the counter where five or six ladies were baking pastries and cakes with a smile and an occasional song on their lips.
Was it their cheerful countenance that hid it from me, I don’t know, but it took me a while to notice that their faces and hands were disfigured. Scars of fire accidents from domestic violence, I was told.
The meticulousness with which the ladies went about their work amazed me. Apparently, after rehabilitation, they’d been given training not only in baking but also on cleanliness, personal grooming and appropriate behaviour.
The greatest challenge the trainers faced was getting them to speak politely, for fires not only scar the skin but damage the very core of one’s soul.
I asked my friend if I could write about their stories. She said, “No, they don’t want their stories written. They have all moved away from their pain and are now living a glorious life!”
I was left speechless.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 21, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/1f7783b0-bf93-4963-abdf-184c254231b0.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
April 13, 2018
Right block
Looks like I’ve been infected with writer’s block this week. Over the past four or five days, I have been avoiding the computer as though it was some kind of virus. All because I’ve been drawing a blank whenever I would think of Short Take. There just didn’t seem to be anything to write about.
You might exclaim, “Hey, the world is so full of stories!” But that exactly has been the problem with me this week.
I have been confined to my house because of the mounting heat and that has kept me away from humanity and the world around from where we writers draw our stories.
But there must be something from memory that I could pull off, I mused. And so finally I tried to face the inevitable and sat myself in front of the computer.
I have been here for almost four hours now, ransacking my brain for some interesting memory from any remote corner of my brain.
The more I searched the more blank I became.
So much so that I am now totally drained out, my energy levels debilitated because of the heat and all that thinking.
Looks like my brain has temporarily shut down. Maybe it needs a holiday just as I do too.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 14, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/2b7bf669-72c0-4b96-bf74-662db67fa852.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
You might exclaim, “Hey, the world is so full of stories!” But that exactly has been the problem with me this week.
I have been confined to my house because of the mounting heat and that has kept me away from humanity and the world around from where we writers draw our stories.
But there must be something from memory that I could pull off, I mused. And so finally I tried to face the inevitable and sat myself in front of the computer.
I have been here for almost four hours now, ransacking my brain for some interesting memory from any remote corner of my brain.
The more I searched the more blank I became.
So much so that I am now totally drained out, my energy levels debilitated because of the heat and all that thinking.
Looks like my brain has temporarily shut down. Maybe it needs a holiday just as I do too.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Apr 14, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/2b7bf669-72c0-4b96-bf74-662db67fa852.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
March 30, 2018
Life’s a poem
Finding poetry difficult to read? It may be that you don’t have the patience for it. Quite understandable. After all, our life is ruled by prose and digitalisation has seen to it that something so subtle and soul-stirring as poetry doesn’t fit in.
Little do we realise that poetry is exactly what we need to make our lives more meaningful. You see, poetry demands our entire attention. It transports us away from the turmoil of everyday life to a place that lies not miles away but deep within us.
There is poetry in all of us, which is why we all can read poetry. But what keeps one from reading poetry is fear - not the fear of not being able to understand but the fear of having to let go, at least for a few moments, the bickering, competitive, discompassionate, delusional world we are so comfortable being part of.
In truth, poetry is not as difficult to understand as it is made to be believed. Poetry being a play of words, it is understood best when listened to. And it doesn’t always have to be in the poet’s own voice because then we would lose out on some wonderful verses. Just pick up a poem and read it out aloud yourself, in whatever manner appeals to you. Definitely, you’ll find some meaning to those lines that you might have failed to see earlier.
Don’t worry about being wrong in your perception because no poem has a set contour to it and no poem should be taken at face value.
OK, so you’ve picked up a poem and read it out loud and yet you were unable to make a connect to it. So what? Don’t let that discourage you. Continue reading more poetry and you’ll one day know what I mean.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 31, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/54998bff-77be-46cc-87f5-72ab1bddc539.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
Little do we realise that poetry is exactly what we need to make our lives more meaningful. You see, poetry demands our entire attention. It transports us away from the turmoil of everyday life to a place that lies not miles away but deep within us.
There is poetry in all of us, which is why we all can read poetry. But what keeps one from reading poetry is fear - not the fear of not being able to understand but the fear of having to let go, at least for a few moments, the bickering, competitive, discompassionate, delusional world we are so comfortable being part of.
In truth, poetry is not as difficult to understand as it is made to be believed. Poetry being a play of words, it is understood best when listened to. And it doesn’t always have to be in the poet’s own voice because then we would lose out on some wonderful verses. Just pick up a poem and read it out aloud yourself, in whatever manner appeals to you. Definitely, you’ll find some meaning to those lines that you might have failed to see earlier.
Don’t worry about being wrong in your perception because no poem has a set contour to it and no poem should be taken at face value.
OK, so you’ve picked up a poem and read it out loud and yet you were unable to make a connect to it. So what? Don’t let that discourage you. Continue reading more poetry and you’ll one day know what I mean.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 31, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/54998bff-77be-46cc-87f5-72ab1bddc539.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
March 23, 2018
Shape of Water
Having watched the Oscar awards live for the first time this year, I thought it was only fair that I check out “Shape of Water” to get that feeling of completeness.
Prior to the Awards, I had not shown any interest in the movie, the reason being my aversion to slimy things. But post the Oscars, I wanted to see what was it about the movie that got it thirteen nominations and four awards, including Best Director and Best Feature Film.
“Shape of Water” is a juxtaposition of something so beautifully unbelievable against a harsh reality, a world seeped in discrimination of all kinds.
Right from gender inequality to language, race and colour, and the rich-poor divide to physical disabilities and abnormalities, the movie deals with various facets of unfairness. Each of its characters highlight a prejudice, the disturbing starkness and blatancy a contrast against the unperturbed fluidity at which the narrative is told.
The comparisons are so well brought out that we end up asking a lot of questions.
What exactly is beastly? Is it the creature that is deemed dangerous but is capable of love and healing or people like the Colonel or the Pie Guy who are insensitive even to fellow humans?
Who is a person of determination? The mute Elisa, introduced to us as a princess without a voice or Zelda’s husband who is supposed to be “silent as a grave” but when he speaks, shows his lack of compassion?
In spite of the monstrosity that is portrayed, there is something very calming about this movie, the background score and the visual effects intricately woven with the screenplay to bring out poetry on celluloid. So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t watched it yet, do so this weekend.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 24, 2018)
gulftoday.ae/portal/0c4257a7-193d-4892-9056-b41cf83ba5f7.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyam
www.facebook.com
Prior to the Awards, I had not shown any interest in the movie, the reason being my aversion to slimy things. But post the Oscars, I wanted to see what was it about the movie that got it thirteen nominations and four awards, including Best Director and Best Feature Film.
“Shape of Water” is a juxtaposition of something so beautifully unbelievable against a harsh reality, a world seeped in discrimination of all kinds.
Right from gender inequality to language, race and colour, and the rich-poor divide to physical disabilities and abnormalities, the movie deals with various facets of unfairness. Each of its characters highlight a prejudice, the disturbing starkness and blatancy a contrast against the unperturbed fluidity at which the narrative is told.
The comparisons are so well brought out that we end up asking a lot of questions.
What exactly is beastly? Is it the creature that is deemed dangerous but is capable of love and healing or people like the Colonel or the Pie Guy who are insensitive even to fellow humans?
Who is a person of determination? The mute Elisa, introduced to us as a princess without a voice or Zelda’s husband who is supposed to be “silent as a grave” but when he speaks, shows his lack of compassion?
In spite of the monstrosity that is portrayed, there is something very calming about this movie, the background score and the visual effects intricately woven with the screenplay to bring out poetry on celluloid. So what are you waiting for? If you haven’t watched it yet, do so this weekend.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 24, 2018)
gulftoday.ae/portal/0c4257a7-193d-4892-9056-b41cf83ba5f7.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyam
www.facebook.com
March 16, 2018
C(h)atty tales
Though I’m a friendly person, I am socially very shy. It takes a lot for me to strike up conversations with strangers or even get into comfortable niceties with people whom I am familiar with but not necessarily close.
Thus it was very surprising that I had made myself a friend within 10 minutes of a casual meeting.
For almost ten years, I have been a regular at this salon. And in all those years, I have interacted only with the girls who usually help me with the services I need and never with the rest of the staff there. Also, never with any of the other customers who frequent the place. If at all a random customer tries to get talking to me (and it often starts with my long, luxuriant hair) I just smile or keep my replies to a minimum.
It was a similar situation that day. This lady gave me the wow comments I was so used to hearing. I gave her my usual short reply and the smile I normally give to denote end of conversation and as usual, turned away.
Not a moment too soon, because the very next minute I was facing her again, asking her a question. Even now I can’t believe that I had actually initiated a conversation, and that too with a stranger!
Before long, we had exchanged not just names and other trivialities but also phone numbers.
She said she was a cat rescuer and spoke with great passion about her feline experiences. I told her that I was a poet and writer and though I was no cat lover, her stories might give me something to write about.
Yes, I’ll be visiting her soon and what happens then would be another take.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 17, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/d22a5ba2-397d-4a9f-933a-7ba47c11bb89.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
Thus it was very surprising that I had made myself a friend within 10 minutes of a casual meeting.
For almost ten years, I have been a regular at this salon. And in all those years, I have interacted only with the girls who usually help me with the services I need and never with the rest of the staff there. Also, never with any of the other customers who frequent the place. If at all a random customer tries to get talking to me (and it often starts with my long, luxuriant hair) I just smile or keep my replies to a minimum.
It was a similar situation that day. This lady gave me the wow comments I was so used to hearing. I gave her my usual short reply and the smile I normally give to denote end of conversation and as usual, turned away.
Not a moment too soon, because the very next minute I was facing her again, asking her a question. Even now I can’t believe that I had actually initiated a conversation, and that too with a stranger!
Before long, we had exchanged not just names and other trivialities but also phone numbers.
She said she was a cat rescuer and spoke with great passion about her feline experiences. I told her that I was a poet and writer and though I was no cat lover, her stories might give me something to write about.
Yes, I’ll be visiting her soon and what happens then would be another take.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 17, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/d22a5ba2-397d-4a9f-933a-7ba47c11bb89.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
March 9, 2018
Oscar rewarded
“Hey, I’m going to be sick on Monday,” said my colleague in hushed tones.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“The Oscars. I haven’t missed out on a live streaming in about 10 years now.”
Oh, wow, isn’t that grand. To take a day off just to watch the Oscar awards!
And while it did seem to me then to be a petty reason to be absent from all-important work at office, the seed of desire to be able to do that one day was planted.
Watching the live streaming of the Oscars is a kind of luxury in our part of the world. It’s Monday morning here, a working day, and at the busiest hour of the day so there’s no way you could afford yourself even glimpses of the ceremony.
Years have passed by since that conversation with my colleague. The desire to watch the live streaming though pushed to a remote part of my mind would sometimes surface. I would then smile to myself and push it back to where it had come from.
This year, however, on the Monday morning when the Oscars would be going live, I found myself at home. And I thought, “Why not?”
So while my friends were getting ready for work, I luxuriated in the live telecast.
Not that the Oscars meant anything to me. I didn’t have any favourites even. I just enjoyed the show for what it was.
For me, being there in front of the TV on a Monday morning watching the live streaming was a desire come true.
But it also taught me a lesson - that irrespective of what anyone else might feel, it was OK to indulge in a bit of silliness if it was important to you.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 10, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/c9aecb4c-80b5-4b87-8a00-362f5da7ff4f.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
“What’s up?” I asked.
“The Oscars. I haven’t missed out on a live streaming in about 10 years now.”
Oh, wow, isn’t that grand. To take a day off just to watch the Oscar awards!
And while it did seem to me then to be a petty reason to be absent from all-important work at office, the seed of desire to be able to do that one day was planted.
Watching the live streaming of the Oscars is a kind of luxury in our part of the world. It’s Monday morning here, a working day, and at the busiest hour of the day so there’s no way you could afford yourself even glimpses of the ceremony.
Years have passed by since that conversation with my colleague. The desire to watch the live streaming though pushed to a remote part of my mind would sometimes surface. I would then smile to myself and push it back to where it had come from.
This year, however, on the Monday morning when the Oscars would be going live, I found myself at home. And I thought, “Why not?”
So while my friends were getting ready for work, I luxuriated in the live telecast.
Not that the Oscars meant anything to me. I didn’t have any favourites even. I just enjoyed the show for what it was.
For me, being there in front of the TV on a Monday morning watching the live streaming was a desire come true.
But it also taught me a lesson - that irrespective of what anyone else might feel, it was OK to indulge in a bit of silliness if it was important to you.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 10, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/c9aecb4c-80b5-4b87-8a00-362f5da7ff4f.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
March 2, 2018
The Big D
I really don’t know what made me attend the book launch, but there I was at the venue. It was not a book written by an established author, but the first book of an aspiring writer. The book called “Mind Your Head” by Aksharya is “a motivational, self-help and awareness book on Depression based on experiences.”
The “depression” the author talks about in this book is not the temporary state of mind that we sometimes go through when we feel low but manage to come out of in a matter of short time. What she refers to is “Clinical Depression”, “an illness of the brain that can affect anyone just like arthritis, diabetes, cancer” and which requires treatment.
Fact sheets point out that the most common illness in the world today is depression with over 300 million people being affected. Yet this is the least talked about aliment, reasons being lack of awareness. The misconception about depression is that since it’s a psychological disorder, it is “madness.” And as none of us want to be branded as a deranged and raving maniac, the sufferers endure the symptoms in silence, often having to lead a deceptive life.
Imagine the extra effort the patient, who already is beset with fatigue, has to put in to combat the psychological trauma of every depressive episode.
What is worse is when someone close to you has noticed your behavioural changes. But instead of being supportive, they deride you for your mood swings and aloofness. You are gifted with qualities such as jealousy, haughtiness, childishness, annoyance and so on, thereby confusing the patient further.
Hats off to the author for her bold effort in coming forward to speak about her depression. The illness being curable, the need for the day is more such initiatives from victims and psychologists to educate the public and clear prevalent misunderstanding of the illness.Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 3, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/6a758d81-1101-455c-aa63-49a83179a5c0.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
The “depression” the author talks about in this book is not the temporary state of mind that we sometimes go through when we feel low but manage to come out of in a matter of short time. What she refers to is “Clinical Depression”, “an illness of the brain that can affect anyone just like arthritis, diabetes, cancer” and which requires treatment.
Fact sheets point out that the most common illness in the world today is depression with over 300 million people being affected. Yet this is the least talked about aliment, reasons being lack of awareness. The misconception about depression is that since it’s a psychological disorder, it is “madness.” And as none of us want to be branded as a deranged and raving maniac, the sufferers endure the symptoms in silence, often having to lead a deceptive life.
Imagine the extra effort the patient, who already is beset with fatigue, has to put in to combat the psychological trauma of every depressive episode.
What is worse is when someone close to you has noticed your behavioural changes. But instead of being supportive, they deride you for your mood swings and aloofness. You are gifted with qualities such as jealousy, haughtiness, childishness, annoyance and so on, thereby confusing the patient further.
Hats off to the author for her bold effort in coming forward to speak about her depression. The illness being curable, the need for the day is more such initiatives from victims and psychologists to educate the public and clear prevalent misunderstanding of the illness.Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Mar 3, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/6a758d81-1101-455c-aa63-49a83179a5c0.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
February 23, 2018
Of ‘lame excuses’
A living language is defined not only in terms of its active functioning and usage but also in its quality to evolve. It is this quality that I am banking on to appeal to linguistic communities to bring about a crucial change in vocabulary patterns, words that we have taken for granted and apply to our daily communication simply because they have always been present in the language.
I am referring to words, or rather, phrases that include disabilities to make references to disparaging qualities. I wonder what participants of Para sports would have to say about the idiom “lame duck” to describe an unsuccessful person or “lame excuse” which means an unacceptable lie.
Can’t a heavily intoxicated person be anything except “blind drunk”? Why should an area outside the line of vision be a “blind spot”? Not being able to work at night is a natural physiological function, it definitely is not a “blind man’s holiday”.
These are revolutionary times we are living in now. Self-reliance being the keyword, persons of determination today strive to overcome taboos, constraints, abnormalities and afflictions to make their lives meaningful and such terms with derogatory contexts are not only insensitive in nature but also are unjustified. This definitely calls for a language change.
Eliminating such terms from our lexicon might take a few years but it’s not impossible. Lexicographers can come up with alternative phrases, and writers, speakers, teachers and other communities who use language as their basic tool must take conscious steps to not use the terms themselves and also to disallow others from using such vocabulary.
It is all a matter of creating awareness and making this issue legitimate. But if people choose to ignore the matter then all I can say is that “there’s none so hard of hearing as those who will not hear.”
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Feb 24, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/dbe412b2-0685-4bf3-aace-1911d0a2844f.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyam
www.facebook.com
I am referring to words, or rather, phrases that include disabilities to make references to disparaging qualities. I wonder what participants of Para sports would have to say about the idiom “lame duck” to describe an unsuccessful person or “lame excuse” which means an unacceptable lie.
Can’t a heavily intoxicated person be anything except “blind drunk”? Why should an area outside the line of vision be a “blind spot”? Not being able to work at night is a natural physiological function, it definitely is not a “blind man’s holiday”.
These are revolutionary times we are living in now. Self-reliance being the keyword, persons of determination today strive to overcome taboos, constraints, abnormalities and afflictions to make their lives meaningful and such terms with derogatory contexts are not only insensitive in nature but also are unjustified. This definitely calls for a language change.
Eliminating such terms from our lexicon might take a few years but it’s not impossible. Lexicographers can come up with alternative phrases, and writers, speakers, teachers and other communities who use language as their basic tool must take conscious steps to not use the terms themselves and also to disallow others from using such vocabulary.
It is all a matter of creating awareness and making this issue legitimate. But if people choose to ignore the matter then all I can say is that “there’s none so hard of hearing as those who will not hear.”
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Feb 24, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/dbe412b2-0685-4bf3-aace-1911d0a2844f.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyam
www.facebook.com
February 16, 2018
Wardrobe masters
Is it “men” or is it just my husband, I fail to understand, but when it comes to clothes, there seems to be a great divide.
Like, when I have to pick up something to wear, I stand before my wardrobe and carry out an analysis. My choice would depend on various factors. Besides the weather, which would tell me if I need to wear warm clothes or the lighter ones, I also need to look at the colours I have been wearing lately. It certainly won’t do to repeat a solid red or green in the same week.
I can’t be seen in a salwar kameez three days in a row. I need to break the monotony with trousers or jeans. My accessories too have a say in my choice of clothes. I wouldn’t want to wear something for which I would have to repeat the same pair of earrings and bangles I had worn maybe five days earlier.
There are other questions I ask myself. Does that dress I have picked up match my mood for the day? And will I be comfortable in it doing the tasks I have to?
But most importantly, when was the last time I was seen in that dress on social media?
So while I am there in front of my wardrobe scratching my head with indecision, hubby simply opens his side of the wardrobe and withdraws the shirt lying topmost.
“But that’s come back washed and ironed only yesterday. Why don’t you pick up something from the bottom of the pile? Those shirts haven’t seen the light of day in months probably.”
“Yes, I know. But I’ve already taken this one out. Maybe next time.”
I heave a sigh of exasperation because I know “next time” never happens.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Feb 17, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/8fc2946e-bd66-414b-95a2-81a36d5b16e4.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
Like, when I have to pick up something to wear, I stand before my wardrobe and carry out an analysis. My choice would depend on various factors. Besides the weather, which would tell me if I need to wear warm clothes or the lighter ones, I also need to look at the colours I have been wearing lately. It certainly won’t do to repeat a solid red or green in the same week.
I can’t be seen in a salwar kameez three days in a row. I need to break the monotony with trousers or jeans. My accessories too have a say in my choice of clothes. I wouldn’t want to wear something for which I would have to repeat the same pair of earrings and bangles I had worn maybe five days earlier.
There are other questions I ask myself. Does that dress I have picked up match my mood for the day? And will I be comfortable in it doing the tasks I have to?
But most importantly, when was the last time I was seen in that dress on social media?
So while I am there in front of my wardrobe scratching my head with indecision, hubby simply opens his side of the wardrobe and withdraws the shirt lying topmost.
“But that’s come back washed and ironed only yesterday. Why don’t you pick up something from the bottom of the pile? Those shirts haven’t seen the light of day in months probably.”
“Yes, I know. But I’ve already taken this one out. Maybe next time.”
I heave a sigh of exasperation because I know “next time” never happens.
Vidya Shankar
Published in The Gulf Today / Short Take, dt Feb 17, 2018)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/8fc2946e-bd66-414b-95a2-81a36d5b16e4.aspx
Here's my first book! An ensemble of poetry and photographs.
Click the link below to watch a 30-second promo video.
https://youtu.be/5BhbjMaIwpk
You can buy it at this link:
https://notionpress.com/read/the-flautist-of-brindaranyamwww.facebook.com
