Category Archives: Reshma’s Blog

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Moms-to-be and Babies Centres in Bangalore

General Thoughts, Pregnancy and Parenting, Reshma's Blog

Bangalore has suddenly turned into a birthing destination with over seven premium hospitals targeting moms-to-be. There are perhaps a few more to set their foot in the hope of lots more more babies to be born.

I am myself right now working for a second maternity hospital in my career and I am completely enjoying it. Wonder again if there is an overdose of these hospitals but I guess investors are setting up as they do see a demand. It certainly is one of the urban facilities provided for city dwellers.

More industry trends indicate lot more mother and baby stores, lounges and related facilities coming up. I just hope all this helps a larger audience in terms of safety, facilities and luxury would be an added advantage.

Watch out as I would be writing more on this segment until I move to a new arena.

A pocketful of sunshine

Deccan Herald, General Thoughts, Published Articles, Reshma's Blog

It may seem harsh, but you are the only one who can help yourself through darkness, writes Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma.

 

Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma, March 2, 2013:

CROSSROADS

Life appears to be near perfect, if not absolutely perfect. Then, unexpectedly, monsters come your way, knocking on your doors. You encounter a major illness. Or a huge financial loss with which you have lost everything in one stroke – money, status, and relationships.
Or a situation where you lost the love of your life to death or divorce. Or an infertility diagnosis that leaves you feeling barren. A personal tragedy in life, needless to say, drains you emotionally.
The catastrophic personal loss becomes a phase that most of us struggle to come out of. Life just seems to be at crossroads that make you choose between giving up and surrendering to the situation, and starting your second innings in life. Surviving the situation is probably the trickiest part of these instances.
But the biggest challenge lay in finding happiness, or atleast comfort, after having battled out tragedies.

Says Dr Keerti Tewari, a breast cancer survivor in her thirties, post her treatment at HCG hospitals six years ago, “For a person who has studied medicine, I knew that there was something wrong with me, and finally decided to have a check-up. On conducting a random self-examination, the results confirmed that I had breast cancer. The very name of the disease or imagining its implications put me off completely. But my husband let me cry for about two days and then took control of the situation. We started going to several hospitals for consultations and zeroed in on HCG. But no matter what form of support system you may have, ultimately it is only you who has to stand up for yourself and battle out the negativity from your life.”
“The pain I underwent was unimaginable, both at an emotional level and at a physical level. I was balding, putting on weight due to the treatment, and even losing my eyelashes! It was not an easy path when I chose to battle with cancer and decided to have my life back.”
Life, at times, demands that you go harsh on yourself to make things better for yourself. If you can’t hold onto yourself, no one can. Sharanya Gupta (name changed), who recently had her divorce come through, says, “Everything seemed good when I married the man of my choice. I even had my family to support me. I took a sabbatical from work as I wanted to live this dream of being a happy wife. Now it seems so illusionary and a dream that was only mine and not my husband’s! I was trying to work on my marriage which was turning sour and soon got to know that my husband was cheating on me! The feelings of anger, frustration, and shock hit me hard. I had wasted my time on a relationship that was never meant to be a good one. Finally, it dawned on me that brooding over it would fetch me nothing and that I had to walk out of the marriage. I got back my job and let myself be consumed by work to forget everything else. I did everything that I wanted to, like going to watch good plays, travel a little bit, spending time with myself, though I had good friends and family with me. Today, living as a single woman has become a conscious and deliberate decision. If nothing else, I’m  atleast at peace with myself.”
If you can take control of your life and lead yourself towards a better you, nothing can stop you from being at peace.

Anish R, a young businessman who faced a huge financial crisis says, “Financial loss is something that just doesn’t take away only monetary assets. It can take away a person’s social status, lead to severe emotional breakdown and even break relationships. I had suffered so terribly in my business venture that there was a stage when I was close to losing my home. I was even worried about the next meal. The pressure was immense and I had to start all over again.

It does take a lot of courage to keep a straight face in front of people, especially when you do not want their sympathy, and just want to thrive on ideas and opportunities to stand tall once again. Today, my business is doing fine and I have built up another home. Being emotionally strong is a key aspect in getting over financial crisis.

Negative thoughts of anger, frustration and depression, or even suicidal tendencies, are going to hit you, but you must give up!”
You have only yourself to prove to and you must never let yourself down. Ali Khwaja, a counsellor, says, “Trauma or a breakdown can be the result of any major happening where the person is unable to cope, and it affects him/her emotionally. Individuals need to look for self-help mechanisms, where they build on inner strength to cope with such situations, and then talk about it to family or friends. Build a support system around you to help you sail through this phase and also, if required, talk to a professional counsellor to fight the battle.”
As a word of caution, he further adds, “Parents need to teach children to understand that failure is part of life and accept that it’s absolutely fine not to be an achiever in everything. That life has its ups and downs for every individual. People need to learn to survive the minor battles right from the beginning in case a situation arises where you need to be strong and this can happen only if you are emotionally secure.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross might have given the world five stages of grief to any form of catastrophic personal loss model in her book ‘On Death and Dying’. The stages – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are mechanisms of adjusting with grief and perhaps those who are survivors of personal loss or trauma may have undergone these stages or much more.
But a strong message from survivors is that it is only ‘you’ who can help yourself to overcome a burdening experience. Remember difficult times will definitely pass. It’s only a phase. Let go and live life as a fighter, and maybe the best is yet to come, so live on…

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/315821/a-pocketful-sunshine.html– The article was published in the Living Supplement of Deccan Herald on March 2nd 2013.

Celeb soup for the bored soul

Published Articles, Reshma's Blog, The Hindu

Why are we so obsessed with celebrity news? The personal life of models, actors or cricketers may be a stress reliever or a conversation starter, says Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma

Whether we’re flipping channels, turning to page three, or surfing the Internet, we perk up as soon as a celebrity is talked about in the media. It could be their birthday, an outburst of anger, photographs of their parties, or a date they had in a restaurant. Anything and everything to do with celebrities, especially if there are photographs or videos available, is instantly devoured by a large audience.

Why are we so intrigued when we hear such news or gossip? Says Gautami K, a marketing professional, “I think it’s the boredom or monotony of life that gets to us. Every once in a while, I do browse major news sites or entertainment sites for celebrity news. Likewise, if I am at home I do want to be updated on the latest gossip on Indian celebrities or the Hollywood ones. This is one of the ways I can relax.”

Many people find reading of a cricketer’s interests or an actor’s lifestyle a way to transport themselves to a world where they seldom think of their own worries.

Says Manjula Shetty, proprietor of a leading beauty salon, “Women find it very relaxing when they are reading something on lifestyle or the film magazines. You generally find a lot of these magazines at beauty salons because women come here to be pampered and relax.”

Of late, almost everyone in show business seems to post intricate details of their life, whether to share good news or to defend their actions, statement or opinion. In the age of blogging and twitter, we hear what kind of dress they wore or what their opinion is on some issue, or what their new baby is like. Everything to do with glamorous celebrities seems to be welcome. These celebrities also know that it’s good to be talked about even if they are not doing all that well in their chosen profession. After all, being a celebrity is all about being clicked and followed in the virtual world, too. Is it only women who find such gossip interesting? No, says Raghu Rao, a professional working in an advertising agency. “Men too like to know of their favourite sports personalities’ personal life, photographs or comments by their favourite actors to feel closer with their icons.”

There have been instances when those in the public eye are abusive, misbehave, or make controversial comments, before apologizing just as publicly. There are wannabes who post frivolous pictures of themselves that are anything but appealing. In a country that is heavily dependent on film celebrities, cricketers and the like for major entertainment news, people like to know personal details. No one complains until there is an overdose of news about a single celebrity. Celebrity gossip offers stress-free therapy, brings friends together over lunch and lightens up the office environment. It also gives people reasons to laugh or feel good that they were not the person caught in an awkward photograph, opening a window for negative emotions to be thrown out. The next time you find an introvert colleague surfing through an actor’s childhood pictures splashed on the web, perhaps you could join in. It may just start a conversation.

The article was published on February 19th 2013 in the Hindu Metro Plus- http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/celeb-soup-for-the-bored-soul/article4428222.ece

When the stork comes a-calling in style

Deccan Herald, General Thoughts, Published Articles

Being pregnant has never been more fashionable than now, writes Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma

Thanks to Bollywood Moms, the average woman is now confident about her pregnancy, struts about in branded maternity clothing, and participates in fashion hunts. She may take a break to enjoy her pregnancy or she may continue to work. Either way, she wants to prove to herself and others around her that she is “pregnant, confident, and happy. Period.”

The Brits are celebrating the royal pregnancy in style with the much hyped Kate Middleton’s expected arrival in July 2013. Back home, we might not have a royal baby on the news as the next big arrival, but there are enough women celebrities who are married, and the next big announcement after their wedding seems to be of their pregnancy.

Yes, pregnancy has become a style statement! It has become a reason to be fashionable, to be in the limelight, and get fans to hear about the much-awaited news. Today anchors, models, and actresses take it in their stride to talk about pregnancy, as it adds a new dimension to their personality.

Who could forget Bollywood actress Aishwarya’s pregnancy announcement with her losing a film project due to pregnancy!

Her journey as a mother with baby Aaradhya, and of course, post–pregnancy weight were quite the eye-grabbers in all media. Celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, Mandira Bedi, Lara Dutta, and Celina Jaitley have all been in the limelight for pregnancy-related announcements promoting yoga CDs, baby pictures and more. In what has been seen as a global trend, women are becoming stronger in their decisions and like marriage, pregnancy too has become a natural phase of life that is accepted. It doesn’t bother women anymore as they believe with talent, work will come again, even if it is in the show business.

A decade ago, in India, this would seem inappropriate, especially if one were in the glam industry of films, small screen, and entertainment channels. A decade ago, no such hype existed. Women, especially under the arc lights, were reluctant to talk about pregnancy. Moms-to-be wanted to hide the growing bulge, as pregnancy was considered as an announcement that could hamper career prospects.

Today, however, pregnancy fashion has become a huge business opportunity to be cashed. The mom-to-be is bombarded with a host of products like pregnancy clothing, accessories, necessities like pregnancy pillows, stretch mark creams, specified pregnancy slip-on shoes to name a few. In all the gamut of assertion and the need for women to be recognized for their talent, no matter what event occurs in life, the phase has also become the perfect opportunity for marketeers to utilize the given opportunity with products and services to suit the category. This, they say, is all about “living in style” and “convenience”. The would-be-mother is made to feel special and privileged. Several events encourage the lady to be in the limelight with fashion shows or pregnancy calendars. Pregnancy photographers are a new breed of camera-persons on the block, who make you believe that pregnancy is a time to be cherished and stored as a wonderful memory.

In the last decade, a drastic change from multi-speciality hospitals to dedicated maternity hospitals has spruced up for the changing consumer. Today, many pregnant women want to go to a single speciality hospital when it comes to maternity care. No wonder these single speciality hospitals of pregnancy and paediatric care have enough activities to make the momma-to-be believe that this is once-in-a-life-time opportunity and that it needs to be special. With just one or two pregnancies being the norm in urban households today, it is not surprising that most moms-to-be are embracing activities from dedicated mother and child stores, hospitals, and websites that talk of pregnancy as a “never-before and never-after (perhaps)” experience. Many women have even become regular bloggers who write articles and stories detailing every month of their pregnancy and post pregnancy experiences!

Since ages, pregnant women have always been advised to exercise for an easy delivery. Now though, there is a fun alternative – dance therapy! Even classical dance forms are being appropriated and choreographed to suit pregnant women. This trend is fast catching up and even has the approval of many gynaecologists. It is probably not long before we see a pregnancy-speciality restaurant or a special pregnancy makeover by a noted salon to make the lady’s day.

Here are some of the most trendy ways to enjoy pregnancy:

– Get a makeover done with a noted beauty salon
– Get a specialized photographer to shoot you a pregnancy portfolio
– Get friends to arrange for a pregnancy get-together in someone’s home. It would be good to share an afternoon lunch with other pregnant women to talk about your current phase, especially with people who are in the same zone. Try and arrange for a movie screening on DVD with fresh juices and popcorn to munch on.
– Write a few letters to the unborn baby. Actual handwritten letters. Maybe on what you did that day. These can be stored in a well-decorated box and shared with your little one, once she is able to understand and of course, read well.
– Look-up a restaurant that can arrange for a lovely candle-light dinner in a beautiful ambience that will make you feel good.

Basking in motherly glory is certainly an in-thing now, and most pregnant women are lapping it up. And why not? Afterall, pregnancy is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a miracle the woman’s body was designed for!

 

The article was published on February 2nd 2012 in the Living Supplement of Deccan Herald.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/309197/when-stork-comes-calling-style.html

Review of English Vinglish -from my perspective

General Thoughts, Reshma's Blog, Reviews

It’s been quite some time right since I happened to watch  a Sridevi movie and this one of Sridevi -English Vinglish -I actually went for it only after receiving a lot of good reviews for it.

I had my own apprehensions in the beginning when the movie was announced as I had quite disliked one of my other favorite actresses so called comeback -Aaja Nachle.

As I sat in the theatre, for a night show after a  interesting work day, I actually started relating to the movie in many ways. Perhaps I was the brat where I would think my mom doesn’t know English like the daughter shown in the movie or mine and my mother’s first flight to London where neither her or me (in my fifth grade) didn’t know the right usage of the language.

Yes I did my schooling where that was the best one in that area but when I came to Bangalore to join Kumarans, I was completely freaked out.

Today as I write the blog and hold my job as a Communication Manager I do feel it has been a long journey though it can be better in the coming years.

Coming to the movie, Sridevi looked her age and I was actually glad scripts are written according to the required characterization and did not feature a young heroine.  Thank you Gauri (director of the movie)  for making people realize people need not be Judge mental (as spoken in the movie) of anyone in life.

 

The need to feel good during pregnancy

General Thoughts, Pregnancy and Parenting, Reshma's Blog

It’s funny but many women do not make a conscious effort to feel good during theri pregnancy. I say this from my experience and itneractions with my close blood relations who have been pregnant in the recent past.

With one or two children becoming the norm, unless of course you are one of those rare women who have the urge to go through the birthing process again and again, women in their pregnancy need to feel happy to the extent possible during pregnancy.

For one the phase wouldn’t repeat easily and it is good time to take a break from work if you can. Yes pregnancy is to be enjoyed not to be dealt with unnecessary stress. Of course if your Obstetrician allows and if you feel you are fit to be working until the next month and most importantly, you have a work place that has peers who encourage you and not bother you with irritable stares, then you should do what you feel is right.

In my current work stint I happen to see so many pregnant women, I wonder if they feel happy or scared or tired to go through this journey. From my end I would like to wish all the pregnant women -Enjoy the phase if you can. Pamper yourself and feel good. You are Pregnant and You are Special.

At ease, ladies ’n’ gentlemen

General Thoughts, Published Articles, Reshma's Blog, The Hindu

Trends In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is what everyone strives for, writes RESHMA KRISHNAMURTHY SHARMA

“Do me a favour please, just get dinner from the nearby pizza outlet? I will be reaching home late,” says Sowmya N., an HR professional and colleague riding home with me on a Tuesday evening. As I look at her wondering if it is difficult to go back home and cook for just two, she defends herself. “Yaar, it is convenient and that’s what is important to me to keep me sane.”

Come to think of it, what is it that most urban dwellers want for good living? Money and a host of smaller wants. But what is increasingly dominating urban minds is the desire for convenience .

People do not mind digging deeper into their pockets to achieve a stress-free life. From what weekend shopping trends indicate in malls and food stores, we like to go to a place where everything is stocked under one roof and we can get out faster. Why? Because it is convenient. When it comes to holidays, many of us want travel schedules that suit our preferences and offer relaxation.

Obviously affordability, rising incomes and glimpses into how people are living in developed countries are making us opt for services or products that bring us closer to that kind of life. Adding to this perception is the idea that convenience is saving time and helping us to multitask. We have technological innovations that offer services through mobiles, PDAs and laptops. Firms such as At My Doorsteps, Rentoys.in and AyurShop offer groceries, toys or even ayurvedic products at our homes.

Books online

A similar initiative started over a decade ago is an online library that picks up and drops off books that you want to borrow. Says Vani Mahesh, Proprietor, Easylib.com, “Starting an online library way back in 2001 was only to cater to an audience that understands convenience using technology. In our case getting books delivered home using technology or as part of premium service is only because Internet is no longer expensive and highly reliable. Moreover, that’s exactly what our customers look for–convenience at their doorstep.”

So is convenience so important that we look for it everywhere? Says Saraswathi Rao, a homemaker and mom of teenage children, “I believe people have grown up from the struggling economy and most living in cities want to lead a good life and achieve things faster. Moreover, they are very much aware of what makes them happy. So you have people going beyond boundaries and taking help of resources and technology to save time, multitask and attain more, even if comes at a higher cost, because that is what we strive for in our lives.”

Global exposure is making people see what it means to live life smartly rather than live life on hard terms. One phase of life that has offered convenience on various levels is motherhood. Says young mother Shruthi Tripathi, “With women returning to work faster post motherhood, this stage of life has embraced many things to make the role of mother easier right from bottles to pacifiers and prams amongst host of other utility items. You even have professional nannies who come to your home at a fee to make you feel motherhood is meant to be as stress free as possible.”

The social fabric of society too has changed and it could well be one of the reasons why people are looking for comfort in every aspect of life. Perhaps 30 years ago joint families helped take some of the pressure off. With nuclear families and multi-tasking being the order of the day, urbanites are now continually looking for that comfort zone in as many services as possible.

Published in the Hindu Metro Plus on August 1st 2012

Click the link- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article3709622.ece

Ideal age to have a baby

General Thoughts, Pregnancy and Parenting, Reshma's Blog

An opinion on the ideal age to have a baby in one’s life.

As I play with my little one who is just about to turn three in a few months time, the thought has often crossed my mind, if I  would have been a better mom if I had a baby ten years ago. Personally I would have been obviously much younger, more energetic but also much frustrated(trying to convince myself !). It was not out of choice that i had a baby post 30, it happened that way.

I do see a lot at my current workplace, moms who look and are much older quite fine with the fact that as age increases the conception rates come down. With women entering professional fields in late 20’s it has become an accepted norm that it’s ok to marry late and more importantly have a baby later.

Well I feel any age after your marriage is great to have a baby. But as a human being you should be able to decide when you want to be a mother or father. Better if the couple decide on the time mutually so that you are both responsible for the decision. From my own experience I feel parenting is a great task if both partners contribute in bringing up the child.

So have a baby when you feel is the right time and that time can be any time when you are prepared, aware of the responsibilities and enjoy the phase.

Interview with Geeta Ramanujam – Kathalaya

General Thoughts, Published Articles, Reshma's Blog

Hi

Do check this interview done for Chillibreeze. The last part is about me. Appreciate your comments.

Link to the actual article posted on chillibreeze website –http://www.chillibreeze.com/interviews/chillibreeze-interview-Geeta-Ramanujam.asp

Interviewed by Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma for Chillibreeze

Ramanujam is a storyteller who set up Kathalaya: House of Stories, a storytelling academy in Bangalore. It is the first and the only globally recognized academy for storytelling in the world. Geeta uses storytelling as an effective educational and cultural tool in many leading educational institutions in India and abroad.

She has conceptualized a Diploma program as she felt the need to further the confidence of storytellers to take up storytelling professionally. She is also International Storytelling Network’s Indian coordinator

1. Tell us about your career as a teacher and a librarian. What inspired you to take on the art of storytelling?

I taught English and Social Sciences for over 12 years for classes, nursery to 10th grade at Valley School Bangalore, one of the alternate schools in the city. I believed in teaching everywhere using integrated learning. So I would teach under trees to explain a particular concept and when it came to history lessons to show Indus Valley artifacts, I would take the children to a potter and so on. The teaching career equipped me in dealing with children and I even designed several curriculums. I was then posted as a librarian in the school. I found that children read less so I started narrating stories to them.

It was around this time that I got an offer to conduct a week long storytelling workshop in the city. The workshop was such a huge hit that it inspired me to think of it as a serious profession. I set out to start Kathalaya in 1998 with two others but now, I am the only founder member. The other two have moved on with different interests.

From a teacher who was not even a graduate but who had valuable support from the management to complete her Bachelor of Arts, Masters in Economics, History and Political Science and then do my B.Ed to M.Ed while teaching, the journey has been challenging. I have to admit that getting into teaching was a forced career option for me. I was allowed to work only as a teacher and I had decided to make the most of the profession.

2. Tell us more about Kathalaya and your journey as a storyteller.

It is wonderful to be recognized by numerous centres and academicians as a professional storyteller. For 16 years, we have trained over 57,400 adults here and at schools and various sectors in the society. I learn something every single day from people I come across, especially children. I have narrated stories to children in urban spaces, children in rural schools and children with special needs. We recorded a set of stories and gave it as a tape to 28 schools for blind children as part of a Rotary initiative. I have traveled to various countries to do performances, to listen to stories and meet global storytellers.

We organize Kathothsava, an annual storytelling festival, our collaboration with the Swedish government to narrate stories. The journey has been marvelous with all its challenges and we hope to do well in the future too.

3. Who according to you is a good storyteller?

One who is grounded, able to communicate with his or her audience regardless of language barriers and is highly creative in communicating concepts. So you need to be highly sensitive and this reflects in your narration and the way you are able to engage your audience.

4. As an academician what is your view of children and their levels of comprehension today – are they able to understand concepts faster?

Definitely! I recall a recent incident at a workshop – I was narrating the story of how planet Earth moves on its axis; a 4-year-old child stood up, started turning around in his position, and said, this is how the Earth revolves! Probably five or six years back, I would not have even narrated such stories to kids but today, I understand that they are up to date with concepts such as hurricanes, science and nature.

5. Is storytelling only for children?

Not at all. This can be taken as a profession if you have the passion and grit to carry on. We have conducted several workshops in corporates where we narrate stories of children to professionals. It helps them in improving their listening skills, communication skills and is a great de-stressor. I have people at the end of workshop telling me they felt child-like and had gone back in memory to their childhood.

6. Do you always narrate stories that you have read or do you write them yourself?

Because I love narrating stories with an element of humour, one cannot go on with the same set of stories, I do create them as well. Maybe that would be my line of career in the future as I know I may not be able to carry on like this forever. I have written over 600 articles as a freelance writer. Now I like to write poetry and whenever I think of a new story, I write it as a gist so that I can shape it later.

7. Your advice to budding storytellers

Good storytellers are born. Learn the art of observing things around you and possibly the art of doing nothing (Laughs). Yes, it can make you can think of a situation where the leaf is swaying and telling something to the tree, a mountain talking to its passersby and so on!

8. Are you inspired by other storytellers?

Storyteller Antonia Rocha from U.S has an impressive use of language, choice of words and a beautiful voice; there are several elements that I admire about his narration. Another person is this lady from Austria, Karen who narrated a story in her home on why the “Sun does not rise every morning?” Her house was located in the mountains and it gave a completely new meaning as she was narrating it with such passion. Her narration came straight from the heart!

9. Any particular story narration that has stayed with you?

I has conceptualized a story based on a mountain in Tiruvanamalai and then narrated it the foothills of the very same mountain. It was twilight and a group of children was listening to me. It suddenly started raining and there was a power outage. After a few minutes a diya was brought. The entire scene – nature unleashing her fury, the mountains in the backdrop and the diya – everything added to the narration. After a few minutes, I noticed a few saints listening intently to the story. The moment was surreal and it will be with me forever!

Interviewed by Reshma Krishnamurthy Sharma for Chillibreeze.

Reshma is a communications executive at a leading maternity hospital in Bangalore. She is also a freelance writer and has written for the Hindu and Deccan Herald. She writes on lifestyle, women and parenting. In the past, she has worked in PR and advertising. She was also an RJ with FM Rainbow 101.3MHz for six years.

DID NOT TAP EITHER CONSCIENCE

General Thoughts, Reshma's Blog

Doing a good deed is not an easy task. I understood this sometime ago from a woman who I assume spent large part of her life on single footpath. Amidst the rubbles and garbage under Sirsi flyover near the traffic junction, seated was this woman. Shabbily dressed, hair in knots, wrapped in torn blankets in wind and sunshine; it didn’t bother her if there were ants or stray cattle next to her.

It always seemed her needs were different and the stares from motorists and passers by didn’t help much in life.

As I have always considered myself to be one of those who does not encourage begging, I never bothered about giving her anything though as a woman my heart would skip a beat whenever I saw her. One day I saw a rag picker giving the woman something as I was waiting for the signal light to turn green. This act made me feel remorse and guilty that as a much well to do person in life I hadn’t given the tattered woman anything and a rag picker gave something in her capacity. It was the same day I saw the woman’s dirty clothes which I thought hadn’t been washed for a year at least.

I rushed home and immediately dug out an old saree and blouse to give the needy woman Subsequently as I was returning from work on my two-wheeler I wanted to convince my soul that I too am capable of doing good. As I spotted the unkempt woman, I called out to her and threw the packet containing the clothes.

With the dirt covering her face and an expressionless face, I could not understand if she was happy receiving clothes and if it made any difference to her existence. She vigorously tried to get into the blouse and that seemed small for her, so she threw it. And as I was leaving the junction, I saw her holding on to the saree close to her.

After two days I noticed the woman was wearing the saree I had given but it did looked as though it had been worn by her for at least five years without a wash. The garbage, pieces of cloth, cattle and dogs next to her hadn’t changed and I was little disappointed that probably this was not that mattered to her.

That was the last I had seen of her. A week and a fortnight passed and my eyes would hunt for the woman on my way back home at the traffic junction. The woman had vacated that place or destiny had taken her somewhere else, hopefully to a better place. Soon enough, one day I noticed the torn blankets, the blouse and the saree that I had given and probably what she last wore were all lying there as bits of dirty cloth.

Somehow I felt the deed of giving her a saree hadn’t tapped her conscience neither mine.