If you go to the moon, you would go up. But when you reach the moon, you land. You go down. And if you are on the moon and you look up, you will see the earth. That means that somewhere between here and the moon, up becomes down and down becomes up.I started reading Sophie's World when I was about twelve. I was impressed and intrigued - but I could not finish reading it. There was just too much intensity that I was not prepared to deal with. Perhaps if I had read Hello? Is Anybody There? first, I would have tried harder with Sophie's World.At first glance, Hello? Is Anybody There? is a bit like The Little Prince. At second glance, it still is, and in a good way.It is a book that reminds us that the question is far more important than the answer. It is a beautiful journey into our minds and our realities. I am sure that every time I read it, I will take something else out of the … [Read more...]
Shadow Web
Everybody in the internet age does it at least once in a while. Type in 'Varsha Seshan', just to see what pops up. Don't tell me you haven't searched for yourself on Google.Jessica Allendon did just that. And the consequences were totally out of control.Shadow Web is not about time-travel. Time-travel is easy. You go back in time, but you know something about the history of the place. But what if you find yourself in a parallel world within the same time-space fabric? What can you do then?I delighted in Shadow Web. It opened out to me possibilities of imagination and storytelling, ideas of parallel histories and dangers.Sometimes, I wonder (perhaps all of us wonder) what it is to be myself. What or who am I? This is nothing compared to the question of what I am without my socio-cultural background. The same 'me' with the same parents in the same city - where everything is … [Read more...]
Parents and Kids Choice Awards – Last Day to Nominate
For once, I'm taking on the role of marketing my work!If you like The Story-Catcher, do nominate it for the Parents and Kids Choice Awards! Because this is one award that does not depend on sales, publicity or distribution. … [Read more...]
Avameru
I began to read the book and licked my lips, wondering what I could say about it. A book by a dear friend can be a dangerous thing because you must have an opinion about it.With Avameru, the opinion was easy. I enjoyed it.Yes, in the beginning, I had thoughts in my head about how it was somehow not my kind of book. I don't read 'Young Adult' - perhaps that was why it wasn't appealing. Et cetera et cetera.And then I finished the first fifty pages. When I looked next, I had finished the book.Pacy, exciting and engaging, Avameru brought to me a blend of adventure and energy that I love. Most importantly, it places story above all else. Story comes first. When the story catches your fancy and makes you want to know what happens next, you know you're hooked. And this happened to me with Avameru despite the fact that I had already read the original (hand-written) manuscript.I enjoyed … [Read more...]
Theory of Knowledge – Mathematics
Planning my Theory of Knowledge class on Mathematics as an Area of Knowledge, I realise again what a strange mixture of art and maths I am! How I enjoy mathematics! Yet, I realise how much can be challenged. Is mathematics associated with beauty? What is the focus of mathematics – reliability, validity, certainty or truth? What is the point of mathematics? Is mathematics, as a system, a simplistic reduction of the world into categories that do not really exist? Is the study of integration/derivatives/imaginary numbers/irrational numbers a meaningful contribution to human knowledge?Thinking along these lines, I realised that in mathematics, context is often irrelevant. We discussed three examples that the class enjoyed thoroughly.Mathematics is the only subject in which you can buy 32 watermelons and no one will ask 'why'.“If you have three oranges and four apples in one hand and … [Read more...]
Women of Pride
Women of Pride unravelled a lot of questions before proceeding to respond to them, at least in part .There was so much about the devadasis that I did not know. Often in books I read, the history of these temple dancers was cheerfully summed up in a couple of sentences. The devadasis were nityasumangali - perpetually married. They were honoured and revered, but as time went on, they began to lose their patronage. They became associated with loose women, with no morals. Consequently, the entire system of being wedded to a God was abolished. Voilà, you have a history that begins in legends and ends in the 20th century.Who were these women? If they were married to gods, how did the lineage continue? If they were 'pure' and suddenly became corrupted by changing values, what constitutes purity and what constitutes corruption? What does it mean to outlaw a caste? Is it the same as … [Read more...]
Ram Navami
Three years ago, we performed on a beautiful stage as part of the Kannada Sangha celebrations in Pune. I can't quite believe that it was three years ago. Waiting to perform again! … [Read more...]
Arangetram
Often, invitation cards say that 'Arangetram' means 'ascending the stage'. Theoretically, all of us know that it is our first stage programme. Then why is it supposed to be so perfect? It is a beginning, an entrance.We often widen our eyes and raise our eyebrows at students who perform their Arangetram 'too early'. At age seven? How ridiculous! After learning dance for just two years? Tut tut. Nonsense.Where do these ideas come from?A book I'm reading tells me about many of the last devadasis. Kumbakonam Bhanumathi (who described dance as 'the sweeter unheard melody of our music system') did her Arangetram at age eleven. Pandanallur Jayalakshmi (whom Rukmini Devi allegedly tried unsuccessfully to imitate) completed hers when she was eight. Thanjavur Balasaraswathi (about whom Satyajit Ray made a film) was seven when she did hers.These are just examples. The … [Read more...]
A Dream
Last night, I had a dream.My sister and I were walking through old streets towards a tall block of flats. Beyond the building was a meadow. The grass was tall, gleaming in the sunshine.The two of us sat down on a bench nearby. "How wonderful it would be to live in a flat there, overlooking the meadow with grass that is waist-high!"Suddenly, a creature glistening with sweat ran through the grass. It was scurrying on all fours, almost hidden in the tall grass. As it turned, we saw the gleaming dark grey tail, flat like a beaver's, but huge, much taller than a man.Moments later, a large blue bulldog appeared in the grass and flew onto the beaver's back. Enraged, the beaver reared up on its hind legs. Undaunted, the bulldog too stood on its hind legs and the two were of the same height. They fought like bears, hugging, circling, growling.My sister and I watched, amazed. The blue … [Read more...]
International Children’s Book Day
Yes, today is International Children's Book Day, a time for me to look back at all the wonderful children's books I've read this year! … [Read more...]