Whispering Shadow

When people are 300 seconds away from their death, research shows that there is a surge in electrical activity in the brain. Neurons are communicating rapidly with each other. Multiple parts of the brain light up in a manner the person was very much alive and dreaming. We don't know what these dreams are, but based on the experiences of people with near-death experiences,  we know they are likely to lucidly see the experiences that have shaped their being. My dadi is critically ill due to a fall and in the Intensive Care Unit. As a family, we are clear we don't want to extend her suffering. On receiving the news, my partner shared this reflection on death with me. I thought it would be good to send her a last wish, in the form of dreams I would like her to dream about, as she breathes her last breath. One of her strongest memories is of her ancestral home, that she left behind at the age of 14 years due to the partition of pre-independence India. She would dream about the acr...

I woke up today to the news that Chadwick Boseman passed away. He succumbed to stage IV cancer after four years of treatment. In the middle of chemotherapy and surgeries, he played iconic roles that glorified his heritage as a Black man - whether it was through biographies of Jacob King and Thurgood Marshall or through the fictional superhero, Black Panther.  He embodied a commitment to his craft, pride in his roots, and strength in his suffering, all within a short life of 43 years. His death is a gentle reminder of how life is short. Unless we live every day bringing alive our best potential to the best of our ability, we may die feeling a sense of guilt or regret. At the same time, his life is also a reminder of the impact you can have in a short time on many around you. Every choice that you make matters and is an opportunity for you to serve. You can leave a mark no matter how long you have to live. I am not Black. In fact, I am an upper-caste Indian belonging to the rel...

Had Cleo been alive today, she would have been four years old. She would have been eating a special meal of freshly cooked chicken or fish. She would have been forced to wear all kinds of fun accessories, much to her dismay. She would have had tonnes of photos clicked for the sake of our memories with her. She would have visits from people who have parented her. After all, she was the Queen kitty in our lives. The Queen for a reason However, Cleo is no longer with us in physical form. She passed away three months ago, after fighting courageously a battle that she could not win against lily toxicity. I will never forget the day she passed away. It is the saddest day of my life.  It is not the saddest because of her death. Everyone dies when their time comes. It was sad because it was not her time. She was a healthy, happy, playful cat. She had never been to a vet for any illness, not even fleas. She didn't deserve the cards of death that were dealt to her. She didn...

Dear Humanity, Congratulations. You have successfully shifted gears in the journey towards self-destruction. The events of the last few weeks have absolutely convinced me that there is nothing much we can do to slow things down. You have adopted a multi-pronged approach in ensuring we moving faster towards the goal of annihalation of our race. Whether it is conflict over a piece of land (in Gaza and Ukraine ), whether it is fighting for religious supremacy ( the Shia-Sunni war in Iraq and the Islamist insurgency in Nigeria ) , whether it is killing for power over civilians (in Syria , Egypt , Somalia and Sudan ), whether it is demonstrating the superiority of the male gender ( rapes in India , including the rape in school ) and whether it is carelessness in handling deadly epidemics and their carriers ( Ebola , MERS , screw up - for the lack of a better word- by CDC ), you have done it all. Like an icing on the cake, the collateral damage of your endeavours has even included the...

Shofiya is one of the brighter students in our class. She is quick-witted, hard working and capable of making the right choices. Last Wednesday, Shofiya's father gave up his long fight against brain tumour. Being her teachers, we went to meet her as soon as we found out. As soon as Shofiya saw her friends and teachers, she came out of the house. She met Akriti, her class teacher and my colleague, and gave her a hug - and the moment she did - tears ran down her face like water from a broken dam. She held her tight for nearly 5 minutes. After she had calmed down, she came up to me. As much as I would have loved to give her a warm hug, I didn't considering the sentiments of the community. While she walked up to me, my mind was searching for the right thing to tell her. I thought I will start with "It will all be okay." No, it won't after having lost the only bread winner in the family of 5. I instead told her "This is a difficult time for your family and you....

Ahmed is a student in my class. He is a tiny kid with an infectious smile. He has a penchant for getting into trouble and hurting himself. Being hyperactive doesn't help his cause. As much as he is a distraction while teaching, I have not lowered my expectations of him in the class when it comes to behaviour. I have invested a lot of time in talking to him and his mother to build a connect. This Wednesday was the first day he showed a strong improvement in his task adherence in class and I was happy that something was finally working. Having met his mother a few times, I know he comes from the lowest of the the low income households that my students belong to. He lives in a small rented temporary accommodation with his parents and two sisters - one elder and one younger. His father makes hats for a living. His father's income is not regular and strictly governed by the off take in shops. His mother helps his father when demand peaks so that they can maximize their income. My...

Oh beloved! I come to thee Delinquent I have been Please forgive me. Blinded by the darkness Agony I couldn't see Hold my hand I will set you free. Don't find answers For none you will find Seek no love That love, you will leave behind. Embrace me Once again be strong The divine light beckons To eternity you will belong. Yonder lies a world The abode of the soul End the battle within Let the pieces form a whole. PS: Dedicated to the one loved by the ones I love.

I happened to catch up with “I am Legend” today. There are many movies which have captured the doom’s day scenario, but this one particularly got me thinking. Imagine being the only survivor in a city like New York, where the only companion you have is you dog. Imagine having lived like this for almost three years. And when you think things can’t get worse, imagine, living in the perpetual fear of mutated zombies. The movie highlights the catastrophe playing with the human genome can bring. In the wake of finding a cure for cancer, a virus is created which in the movie, goes on to bring the human race on the brink of extinction. The mutations of the virus cause the subjects under test to develop initial symptoms like those of rabies which with time create a full-fledged disorder in the host’s physiology to create cannibalistic tendencies. Again, it is likely that the movie brings to life a far-fetched thought, but it is definitely a possibility, no matter how small its chances are. The...