I had woken late, as one does on holiday, the particular luxury of returning to the city after months away. The sun streamed through the kitchen window. The persistent sound of an uncle from the next building echoed through the walls. I often wondered why he hadn’t sought help for it, after four years of hearing that same sound, it felt like a part of the background. I walked to the dining room to have my coffee. My younger sister was already there, seated at the table, eatin

The first thing that hit me was the smell of scrambled eggs sizzling on an open tawa, drifting across a stretch of open ground somewhere on the edges of Dubai. I remember feeling a quiet sense of wonder — like I'd stumbled onto a whole world that existed a few kilometers from my apartment, running entirely on its own rhythm, one I'd never bothered to notice before. A friend of mine had told me, months earlier, that when he first arrived in Dubai he'd lived in a labor camp. He

Around 20 years ago, I was on my way to watch a movie at a cinema in the nearest city. It was a 22km bus ride away. I was a teenager, just about, and it was my first solo trip and it was a big deal for me. So I started early in the morning (I hardly slept the day before). I woke up, wore my favorite T-shirt, and boarded the bus. The plan was to watch a movie, go to a restaurant, and be back home. The key was 'Freedom'. I reached the city, went to the cinema, and then reached

It has been a year, Dad – 365 days without you. The earth has been spinning without you for one year. It sucks living this way. I have...

This was during my days in Bangalore as a tattoo artist. I got a call from a client to get a tattoo done. I agreed to meet at a cafe and discuss the design. I reached the place, and there was a cute-looking couple, probably in their mid-20s. We exchanged pleasantries, and they told me how the guy wanted a tattoo that included both his and his girlfriend's names — fair enough. I showed them some designs and suggested they get an ambigram with both their names. The guy said, "M

I believe most of the problems we face or create are because of an arrogance of sort to imagine somehow that we are special and unique.

I have been walking past Ting Irie’s Bob Marley wall for a couple of years now and I have always wanted to try out the place. I finally did