Nayana's Stories

  These days every person's aspiration and dream is to go abroad either to study or on a holiday. The travel industry is abounding in the hospitality industry, travel and tourism are abundant with the reality. I am not against the growth of any industry but at times wonder how much we encourage people to go on holidays on Indian vacations. There are few who go to Orissa, Agra, or even west Bengal from here. It is easier and more exciting to go to Singapore, Malaysia, or Dubai as the close destinations. Even as a cultural experience India has thousands of places that one can visit as a child a teenager or as an adult. But going to the USA, UK or European countries has become more inviting and exciting to this generation of kids. Even education-wise people like to go to schools that are associated with IB Board and international standards. What it is that is missing in the Indian education system or travel cities that people opt for these choices. The only thing that...

  All of us are struggling or coping with this dilemma of working from home or working from the office. Both sides have their advantages and disadvantages. Working from home provides you the opportunity to be bound in one space without any disturbance. You can do work fully at your own time at your own pace at your own rhythm. Working from the office you are governed by the timing of the rules and regulations of the office. But you also have all the infrastructure that is required to function in an office space. When you are working from home you have to create your own resources like a computer, technological infrastructure, and a private room to work in where there is no disturbance. But here the advantage is that you can work, you can look after the family, adjust to the family timing and the husband and wife can work as a team. When you are in the office this possibility is not there and the couple is more dependent on staff or in-laws to look after the children. Bo...

  Movies have been an entrainment part of Indian culture. They are a huge source of entertainment, reflection, and realizations they also provide a possibility of arguments and differences in perspectives. While one movie may evoke a strong relationship with an individual. There can be some others who get fully put off by them and just cannot relate to them. If I were to reflect on my orientation I am hugely pulled by movies that are reflective though-provoking and have an essence. I also try out some others which may not be my type but yet have some meaning. Movies provide a huge possibility of reflecting the culture and meaning of the society. International cinema is also very popular if it has a meaning. People are pulled by different kinds of movies like science fiction, Action pack, emotion pack, and even themes of heroism and patriotism. Each movie belongs to a different context and a different genre and a different world. They also reflect the artist process of t...

  I had seen the film The Kashmir Files one week back and was very biased about what had happened between the Hindus and the Muslims as two communities. There was almost a prejudice against the Muslim community for doing what they had done to Hindu pandits. However, my experience in engaging with the Muslims of Kashmir was extremely different. They were extremely humble, polite, and welcoming to all of us who went as tourists. They were saying that we are their bread and butter and would do anything to make us part of the Indian context that all of us were part of. They very clearly said that this prejudice was more political and media-driven but in their minds there was equal love and care for Hindus and Muslims. For us, it was an amazing experience to interact with the poorest of the boatman to sikarawala to the richest shopkeeper who sold artistic and crafted carpets. Hence my entire impression of the prejudice that I held slightly in my mind because of the cultura...

  We are in a world where every day there are problems to be solved and every little activity or act is experienced as a grave problem. People are talking more about problems than hoping to generate solutions. The problem solution phenomenon has perception for ages. Some people are driven toward the problem and some are towards the solution. Each one differs in his own orientation and ability to address this issue. There can never be a perfect balance because it is inhuman to retain that balance. As human beings, we tilted either towards the problem mode or towards the solution mode. People who tilted towards the problem mode are mostly complaining cribbing and crying whereas people who tilted towards the solution mode try to generate answers and reflection on the issues that are pertaining. There is no judgment on either side but this is just an opportunity to think and reflect on how I am tilted in such situations. Am I the cribber who is always “Crying Wolf” or am I th...