Rani Poduval-Ajith

                                                      Many years ago, one sunny afternoon as I and my best friend were chatting in the backbench of class while our teacher lectured us; I mentioned I am going for a wedding reception to Chennai over the weekend ( hip place to travel to for a girl who listened to A.R.Rahman’s Urvasi on loop till her parents prayed for the college bus to come faster). Since our common cousins were getting married, she was aware of it so she mentioned look out for groom’s brother – he had assisted in the recently released hit movie of 2000(God 20 years ago!!!) which was a complete delight to watch especially amongst the college girls. Fast forward to the wedding reception, I caught him looking affectionately at the newlywed couple   while he sat back on the white satin chair, so   I gulped a big glass of water and...

  The months of July & August always brings with it a sense of excitement, a shift in the winds, the birds’ tweets sound a little brighter, the warm dry weather characteristic of the Middle East is more bearable to say the least. Every weekend is filled with trips to the glitzy glamorous shopping malls in search of bright, beautiful and luxurious gifts to take home for our loved ones. Towards the last few weeks before the journey, the trips spill over to the weekdays as well. Truth be told, the suitcases can never carry enough for our loved ones which is why multiple plastic bags adorn a weary but excited traveller. As we await our call for boarding, my feet tread on their own to the duty free shops in search of those last minute gifts…Every item displayed on the racks find a place in my heart be it.. The classy Marlboro that would make my brother smile or the quintessential bottles of alcohol that would make the receiver smile like they are blessed. Or is it that pack of puz...