Hmmm...

There is something about the night that always feels different. From our childhood days, we have all felt it in some way. Remember those evenings when we would sneak out with friends after dinner, just to walk down the same roads we travelled every day? In the daylight, those roads felt ordinary. But at night, they became something else. The air felt cooler, the shadows longer, and the silence louder. There was a strange mix of fear and excitement. You know the road like the back of your hand, yet in the night, it feels like you are discovering it for the first time. And then there are nights when you walk hand in hand with someone you love. The same street, the same sky, but somehow the stars seem closer, the breeze feels softer, and every silence speaks more than words can. The world slows down a little, and you just exist in that moment. So what is it about the night that makes everything feel so special? Maybe it is because the noise of the world fades away, and what remains is yo...

Fresh Tea It was a lazy Sunday morning. The kind of day when you have no big plans, just a few things lying around waiting to be done. Meera was cleaning the cupboard in their bedroom, pulling out old files, boxes, and a pile of forgotten memories. Rajesh walked in with two cups of tea. “Looks like a war zone here. Need a soldier?” he said with a smile. She laughed and nodded. As they sat together, going through old photographs and birthday cards , the room was filled with laughter and warmth. Then, from one of the boxes, Meera took out a small, gift-wrapped pen . Her smile faded. “This is the pen you brought for your boss, right?” she asked softly. Rajesh looked at it. “Yes, I think so. Why?” “You remember that fight we had after that? You said you forgot my birthday that year because of office work. But you didn’t forget to buy this pen,” she said, her tone turning sharp. Rajesh sighed. “Meera, that was fifteen years ago.” “Yes, but it still hurts,” she whispered. “You alway...

After so many years, Natraj took the pain of finding each one from his intermediate batch and created a WhatsApp group. The group was buzzing from day one. “Hey, where are you now?” “Still in Delhi.” “Wow, after 34 years, can’t believe I’m talking to you again.” Everyone wanted to know how their classmates were doing. Each time a new person joined, the group would light up. There was teasing, laughter, old incidents shared, and plenty of photos from the past. Slowly the group grew to around 120 people. Then Pinky from Mumbai suggested, “This is our 35th year of passing. Why don’t we all meet up for a reunion?” The group went wild. “Yes, let’s do it.” “I’m in.” “June is perfect.” People started posting pictures of their tickets. “NZ confirmed!” “Canada done!” “South Africa booking.” The Hyderabad friends took the responsibility of hosting. Close to 100 people showed up. Laughter, music, drinks, dance — it felt like college all over again. No one looked like they were 50 plus. By evening...

Today is Onam. A harvest festival that has such deep meaning in Kerala’s culture and history. Yet, when I scroll through conversations and posts, what I mostly see is talk about the sadhya and the new clothes. The feast is grand and the outfits are beautiful, but is that all we want to pass on to the next generation? The real value of Onam was never just about what is on the plate or in the wardrobe. It was about unity, equality, and gratitude for nature’s blessings. This is not just about Onam. Think of other festivals we celebrate. Ganesh festival rituals never asked for loud music or massive processions. Deepavali never demanded deafening crackers, it was meant to be about lighting your home. Dandiya was about community joy, not blasting speakers all night. Burning the effigy of Ravan in Dussehra, carrying out tazias in Moharram, or decorating trees at Christmas all had meaning and purpose. But what have we turned them into today. If we can burst crackers for IPL wins or weddings, t...

In our service industry, we often meet clients who carry their ego on their sleeves. Recently, I had an incident that reminded me why I choose to stay calm. I was in a group chat with my team and the client. As usual, the client’s tone was not very cordial. Every explanation my team gave was treated like a challenge. It was very clear that the mistake was on the client’s side. I could see my team getting frustrated, and even their language was starting to show it. Before things could heat up, I stepped in and told the client that we would sort it out and just needed some time. A couple of hours later, the client messaged saying the matter was resolved on their side. Ironically, that was exactly what my team had been trying to explain to them from the start. That weekend, during our team meeting, they asked me, “Why do you never lose your cool? Why don’t you put your points aggressively?” I told them there are many reasons for that, and I want to share them here. 1. Winning the moment v...

  The news that ICICI Bank has raised the minimum balance requirement to ₹50,000 in urban centres while setting different slabs for other areas might sound like a routine corporate decision. But scratch the surface and you will see something far more dangerous: the rise of a modern-day caste system disguised as “policy.” When you say a city resident must park ₹50,000 just to keep an account alive, you are doing more than managing finances. You are deciding who is “worthy” of banking and who is not. You are saying that convenience, safety, and financial dignity belong only to those who already have more. This is not just about one bank. It is about a mindset. The same mindset that once decided who could enter certain temples, who could sit in which part of a classroom, who could drink from which well is now deciding who gets access to the simplest financial services. We have seen this before in many forms: • Credit cards with “Platinum” and “Black” labels, not for better service...

These days, whether it's a simple conversation between two people at home or a political argument on TV, one thing has become too common. Blaming others has become our first reaction. We don’t even stop for a second to think what the other person is actually trying to say. Take a normal situation at home. If one partner says, I felt uncomfortable with your family’s behaviour, the immediate reply will be, should I start talking about your family too? Or say someone brings up something like, off late you’ve been spending a lot. You already know what kind of reaction that gets. The focus shifts from the concern to a personal attack. The issue just disappears. This habit has gone beyond homes. In friendships, at work, and also in politics. Look at how things work in our country. The moment someone raises a real concern, like rising prices, unemployment, or law and order, the answer is never let’s work on it. The reply is always something like, you also did the same when you were in pow...