LIFE MUDRAS

 The MAN – a creature on the face of this earth capable of thinking, having feelings, and emotions. As society evolved so did the MAN. Blessed with a powerful physical ability vis a vis woman. The expectations and roles of the man too evolved and the bar raised every passing day. A male child once he descends is fitted with templates. * Be a man. * Don’t cry like a woman. * You are the torchbearer of the family. And many more. The layers of artificial attributes keep on adding every day. But sadly the man is never allowed to display the real him. Tears, intense emotions are a strict NO. MAN O MAN

  "So Aryan, did you ever have a girlfriend?" Aryan's fiancée Rohini asked him. "Well, virtually yes, but practically no," Aryan replied. "What ?? I did not get you..." She said and twitched her nose. "Well it's a long tale, are you sure you would want to hear it?" Aryan asked. "Sure sure, go, ahead," Rohini said. Aryan started, "During my college days, I was never a handsome and fit guy like I am today." "Self-praise haan!" Rohini intercepted. "During those days, I was a dull, boring, and unattractive guy with a nerdy look. Also jealous as every other friend of mine had a girlfriend, but I never had one." At a 31st December party, I had been out drinking with my friends especially my friend Sohan. We were good friends, but he was of those mastikhor type. Sozzled up I was. The rum let my emotions loose that night. I blabbered to Sohan that I did not have a girlfriend and was regretting it. Like a p

(In the Hindu religion, LAXMI is the Goddess of wealth) " I am Laxmi", she said. I simply looked at her! The contradiction of her name reflected in her attire. Dark skin, crumpled clothes with loud colors, a large bindi adorning her forehead. Laxmi had come to take care of the additional work in my house. She had a son and daughter-in-law, barely in her forties. “My parents married me off very early Memsahab," she said, sipping her tea. She was an early riser. 6.35 am and she would be at the door. At times I felt guilty ... jealous too! My inflated ego of corporate life would deflate before her professionalism. The utensils would be shining, her cleaning was neat and she went about her chores like the formulated excel sheets in my laptop, utmost precision... Weeks passed, I returned home from work one day, to some commotion at my building. An elderly lady had passed away. Neighbors paid condolences and the cremation took place after 2 days. Their children came from abroa