This one for all of You

As I write this last post to bring the curtains down on this blog, I am not going to talk about how it was a journey and how it changed my life etc etc..

I would rather end it by talking about people who made this blog happen.

First and foremost is my friend whose constant encouragement and persuasion made me even consider starting this blog. Back in 2006 this friend of mine used to sit right next to me in the office cubicle. Among many things that we talked about, blogs and his insistence that I start one was one. It took me 3 years before I could bring myself to write a blog but now that I think about it I think I have him to thank.

And then, thanks also to all those wonderful people whom I met through this blog who have given me such great feedback over time. Most of them are people whom I may never know in person, but their views and insights into topics have been very valuable. I may have disagreed, debated and even been stubbornly opinionated several times, but it was all very enjoyable and enriching.

So here it goes to friends, friends of friends and rank strangers online friends (calling anyone stranger after all this time sounds a bit rude!) who have encouraged, critiqued and helped me in these last 4 years to be better in ways more than one.

Thank you.

PS: I would love to hear from any of you guys if you would like to stay in touch. You know how to reach me ;)

March 22: World Water Day

March 22 is World Water Day and UN is calling 2013 the year for International Water Cooperation.

And I am planning a create a big infographic/data visualization - one piece at a time. I just got started collecting the data, but over the course of this year, I will design and build several pieces and put them in a thematic way in an overall map or visualization. It is an experiment and may not work out given its ambitious nature, but I think it is exciting and worth trying!

Graphic Design experiments

Getting my hands dirty in the graphic design world....it's so much fun!!

I created this graphic rather randomly, but boy! what a difference fonts make!

A Strange Dream

Had a very strange dream today... strange because I saw a long lost friend in the dream...someone I have not spoken to in about 5 years..(maybe more).

I am no expert in the science of dreams and cannot explain why I saw what I saw, but all I can say is that I wish this person the very best in life..

Another Snowy morning...

The Enigmatic Karna

It all started last year while I was watching some random episode of KBC. A question from Mahabharat popped up and I was stumped - also a little embarrassed, but it piqued my interest in the epic.

Since then, I have watched B R Chopra's Mahabharat multiple times and have read C Rajgopalachari's wonderful book of the same name and dissected several other articles, related stories and blogs on the subject. 

And while there is so much that I have learnt in re-reading and re-watching this great epic, I have found myself more and more drawn towards Karna. To me, he is one of the 3 standout characters of the epic. The other 2 being: Bhishma and Shakuni. But even among these 3, it is Karna who is the most enigmatic and impressive.

He is a multi-dimensional character; a great warrior, someone who fights on the wrong side and still commands respect from everyone; he is also a great friend, a man who stands by his friend despite knowing the consequences; he is a great human being, a man with a clear conscience and someone who is true to his words; he is a man of big heart who never refuses anything to anyone. And yet, with all these qualities, he is constantly humiliated, taunted and taken advantage of. His qualities, his solitude and his internal duel between his loyalties towards Suyodhan and his identity make him one of the most revered and complex characters in Indian mythology. 

His life is a tragedy and his story is so twisted that it has compelled me to think what if...what if he was recognized as Kunti's son much earlier, what if he was not cursed by so many people....what if he had accepted Krishna's request and joined the Pandavas...what if...

Shamed...again!

updated: Dec 29: May God bless her soul in peace..


I usually do not write reactionary pieces, but what happened in Delhi 2 days ago has put me to shame - again and it must put every Indian everywhere to shame. The fact that a young girl can be violated and brutalized like this gives goosebumps to me. For how long can we just bubble up our emotions at times like these and then go about our business a couple of days later as if nothing happened. All this hoopla, all this drama in the parliament is for what? Nothing has changed in so many years: I remember living in the Delhi area a decade ago and how most mornings I would wake up to one horror story or another about Delhi's dark side. To me this incident is personal, because as a woman, as an Indian and as someone who has lived in the city, I know what it means for a young woman to survive in our society and especially in that city and I want it changed.

And no, I won't be satisfied with strong condemnation from the politicians and some emotions and tears from the female parliamentarians. It is time to go beyond lip service and put strict laws in place that instill fear among the culprits. It is time to give the women and young girls of this country an assurance that they have as much right to feel safe as those animals feel now while performing their heinous acts!