I have two biological grandmothers and one adopted grandmother. My book, "Thank you, Dadima," which is a memoir of my dad's mom has an entire chapter dedicated to Ganga, my adopted grandmother. But many of you don't know much about my mom's mom or Mutasshi, as I used to call her. Her name was Sumathi … Continue reading Sumathi Mutasshi—My Other Grandmother
I hate to say this but that title was hijacked and I was replaced by a mutt for the past 13 years. After my grandma passed away in 2009, my parents moved to her bungalow from their cozy 2-bedroom apartment not too far away. For years my dad and brother, both dog lovers, had been … Continue reading Papa’s Pet
Dear Papa, When Amma was sifting through your things, she found your Madras Literary Society card and said, "Papa wanted to give them a copy of your book." Little did I know that this would put in motion a string of events that would lead to my book launch---something you wanted to do when I … Continue reading For you Papa
It was Ekadashi, a day auspicious to Vaishnavites, when he collapsed on his wife's bosom while she was trying to wash him up. She called to her sister in alarm. "Call the ambulance. We have to take chetan to the hospital." He had lost so much weight over the past few weeks, refusing to eat … Continue reading Never Say Goodbye
Right after the car accident in the summer of 2019, I remember penning a blog post. My priorities had changed after a terribly close brush with death. I wanted to (a) publish my book, (b) devote more time doing Reiki, and (c) I’ll get to that in a bit. This month, I crossed off (a) … Continue reading Ticking off Items on My List
This Thanksgiving was different just like this year was. I spent it away from my kids and family in the US. I didn't cook a Thanksgiving meal with mashed potatoes and pie (both regularly feature in my Thanksgiving feast). It's not a holiday in India although Wednesday was a public holiday thanks to cyclone Nivar … Continue reading 30 Days of Gratitude (Chennai Edition)
Imagine yourself on your deathbed. No, really! Take a moment and imagine that. Will you be happy that you lived your life in the best way possible? Will you have a sense of satisfaction that you pursued all your dreams and made them come true? Or would you be wringing your hands in despair thinking … Continue reading Living Life to the Fullest
Ganga's gone. Physically gone. Her obituary appeared in the Manorama newspaper yesterday. So it must be true. I find it hard to believe, because I wasn't there when it happened. Chennai was in a lock down and Dad and I couldn't travel to Palakkad for her funeral. How cruel is this life that we couldn't … Continue reading Hello From the Other Side and Other Signs of Afterlife
For most people the body is a solid tangible entity and the core reality of their existence. They forget that everything in this universe and beyond is energy and besides what is visible to the naked eye is a whole other subtle world that influences our reality. Without this energy or life force (chi or … Continue reading Energy Healing 101
My father just celebrated a milestone birthday. On March 1st he turned 70. Ten years ago I had flown down from Boston with hopes of celebrating my grandma's 80th birthday and my Dad's 60th birthday back to back. But that was not to be, my grandma passed away a day shy of her 80th birthday … Continue reading An Unforgettable Trip
Punctuate Life 