Anjali - I Love Myself

We were sitting in Waffles doing our father-daughter thing - she eating her classic waffle and me eating scrambled eggs. Anjali was happy with the world and suddenly said 'I love myself'. The she asked me if I love myself. I said sometimes.

Then she told me a couple of things. 'We all want to be understood right? Who gets us better than ourselves? So why look for anyone else to get us. We are always there with ourselves even if no one else is there so we better love ourselves right?'

Makes immense sense. Why was I not loving this person I am with all the time? I think i better start if I want to have a good time with myself.

Avatar - Movie

Didn't get it the first time I watched it. Enjoyed the movie now.
Thanks Naresha.

Column in the Sunday HANS - The Great Indian IIIPL!

Here comes the Great Indian Political League!

https://epaper.thehansindia.com/c/37869546

The Kindness of Friends - Acknowledging Sagar's Contribution for 'This Way Is Easier Dad'

Sometime in 2015-16, I was chatting with Sagar about book ideas that could be developed out of the blog. I zeroed down to three - a collection of a series called 'Thought for the Day', another series about 'Paradoxes of Our Lives' and then a series of blogs I wrote about Anjali. We looked a few and it took Sagar hardly a few minutes to zero down on the Anjali series.

I was reluctant. Would it be wise to compile a book about my daughter, would the exposure hurt her, am I promoting her in a way that may not be good. Sagar felt that the ideas were universal and they had a nice energy and it's not presented as if I was promoting it so he felt I should go ahead. He sat with me every day from 8 in the morning, the time when I would drop Anjali at school, and over many cups of excellent coffee made by his mother, we made a proof of concept - a blog with an illustration. Sagar used some software and did a lot of work, spent many hours on it.

The idea was accepted and the book completed. However Sagar's software illustrations were found to be too abstract so we needed an illustrator who could use the original photos (some 40%) and then come up with illustrations for the others. Sagar volunteered to sit with me and come up with ideas.

Again every day we sat at his house and while I read out the story and told him the lesson, he would think up an idea for an illustration.

My list of chapters

I would write it down, make some rough sketch and take it to my illustrator Chacha. Ramaraju was the one who sourced Chacha for me - he did small illustrations for '50 Not out' also. I would then sit with Chacha at his house and explain the concept and then Chacha would do it.

So many people who helped in the making of that book. Idea. Concept. Illustration. Editing. Bouncing ideas. From 7 in the morning to 3 in the morning. Today when I found that book with those sketchy ideas it took me back to those days.

Books, movies, ideas, plays, music, time - Sagar has been a wonderful source of support and help in my growth in the past 10 years. Here's acknowledging a simple-hearted, incredibly generous and highly intelligent person today.

Thank you Sagar for all the love and your wonderful work.

Anjali - Exam Time

Exams are on. Anjali is preparing hard. She sets herself some goals all on her own and prepares pretty seriously. Waking up earlier than normal, spending time with her books before she gifts herself some TV, asking me or Shobhs to ask her questions, answering till her throat goes hoarse, she pushes herself.

The other day we were chatting before she went to sleep and she confessed that when she came back from school and studied and nothing was 'going in' she got upset. I know that feeling. We try hard, but in our effort sometimes it just does not happen. I told her to ease up on herself a bit. Even the exam I said, she should write with love. Not as something to conquer but something she loves.

I don't know what she understood.

But the next day she came back beaming from the exam and told me 'I did what you told me Nanna. I wrote the exam with love.'

I felt happy. I don't know what it meant to her but I feel it's what I meant. It does knock all tension of competition out. It just becomes you and the exam and a nice gentle, space where there is nothing wrong. Where mistakes are ok. Where we are doing the best we can and are helping one another find the answers.

With love then.

Anjali - A Short Meeting with Some New Friends

We were out for a small walk when we found a bunch of puppies. They decided to hold an impromptu meeting with Anjali and tell her some of their stories. After they finished we continued with our walk.

They seemed quite happy.

It takes a minute to stop by and listen, and make them feel happy. Pups, plants, humans.

Rashtrayana - Appupen

In Appupen's universe of Halahala, a superhero appears. His name is Rashtraman and he goes with of 'Hero of Halahala.' Rashtraman is definitely going to save the Rashtria. He has a sidey - Cowboy - who is half cow and half man.

There is trouble in Rashtria with the queen being kidnapped by an evil KGD - King God Demon of Paradesh. Cowboy who is keen to get into the limelight, seeks permission to reccee and find out about the queen's whereabouts. Cowboy however is lured away by grass - a mean trick. Cowboy gets captured but he sets fire to Paradesh with his tail. (So what's your tail?) Which means Rashtraman has to join the fight. Propagandhi suggests a cricket match to support his propaganda. There are Gauraakshas and other such characters. After a lot of interesting twists and turns to save Rashtria, the heroes return, having fought illusions.

Rashtrayana is a graphic novel. Superb artwork again. The satire and wit are sharp and irreverent. Brilliant stuff. Appupen, this is valuable work, keep at it. I love it, all those layered jokes.

Check out more of Appupen's acerbic wit and satire on www.brainded.in or www.halahala.in

Or check out this review and interview
https://scroll.in/article/906026/rashtrayana-trouble-in-paradesh-appupen-is-back-with-a-savage-satire-on-a-totalitarian-state