Articles by Divya Sreedharan

How do I slim thee? Let me count the ways... A while ago, I was getting my then-five-year-old ready for school. It was one of those beautiful and bracingly chill Bengaluru mornings where all you want to do is curl up with a mug of filter coffee sweetened with bella. Alas, the little fellow had school. I wanted him to wear a warm coat. He vetoed the one I laid out and instead, insisted he wanted a thin windcheater.  “The warmer coat will keep you nice and snug,” I pointed out. “No, I look fat in it,” he responded, matter…

Anamika * has six cellphones, all the latest smartphone models. Bharat * has a refrigerator and a television set in his bedroom. So what, you wonder. Many of us already do. Anamika is barely six. Bharat is nine. And no they do not have famous or celeb parents. They are not on YouTube (yet), they do not have Instagram accounts dedicated to their lives (just wait a couple of years). They are simply highly privileged children living in your neighbourhood. These two children are what we call the new normal. They are being brought up in enormous wealth and affluence.…

An article in the New York Times says having a working mom leads to economic, educational and social benefits for her children. The children of such mothers tended to "complete more years of education, were more likely to be employed, and in supervisory roles and earned higher incomes", the article says quoting a Harvard Business School study which looked at working moms and their children in the US. I happen to agree that it is good for moms to work--for self-worth, self confidence and economic independence. But I also believe the quality (and quantity) of work is very important. And…

Revathi Anne Jagan buys only organic—from pulses, rice, oils to fruits, vegetables, dry fruits and nuts to snacks and fruit juice for her children. She used to go to 12 Degrees Organic in Banaswadi, but now she has switched to Organicz4u on Assaye Road that opened just a few months ago. The new store is more conveniently located, and what's more, on the route to her children's school. Not that the Banaswadi store lacks patrons. Revathi's neighbour Smitha K goes there still. Smitha too buys everything organic, including organic milk. Because just like Revathi, she too believes that the additional…

So an out-of-town cop beat up his daughter in public, over an alleged affair. People, including the girl's own mother, stood by and watched. I am sure the mother was distraught. But she did nothing. Two women passers-by (may their tribe increase!) came to the girl's rescue and called the local cops. But in the end, the daughter failed to file a complaint. No surprises there. Perhaps the daughter is used to this kind of behaviour. Perhaps the mother gets beaten up too, back in their home town. Perhaps both mom and daughter are conditioned to expect this abuse from…

 S'pot' the difference! Pic: Divya Sreedharan One of the boys in the photograph above, is a Transformers lover, he makes paper planes, he goes to school, he attends birthday parties and playdates. And he loves going to the park to play in the sand. That boy is my son. Let's call him MS (my son). The other boy is a little bit older, but not much bigger in build. He too goes to school. In fact, he is in class 5. But he is not a 'child' any more. He also works on the weekends, to help out his parents.…

Recently, we went to see close assorted family living in the Nilgiris. We took the route that goes via Bandipur, Masinagudi, Kalhatty, Ooty, Wellington. The journey was a revelation, in many ways. At the entrance to Bandipur, there were groups of young people cautioning motorists against speeding, or honking and littering the National Park. "It's a Tiger Reserve", they reminded us, "so, please don't stop anywhere, drive with respect," they added, waving us on with a smile. My husband and I were surprised of course, but also gladdened, to see such committed conservationists giving up their holidays to do something…

Kripa is a married mom of two in her mid-30s. She is on Facebook, Twitter and many, many WhatsApp groups. And yep, she has many “friends” across these various social media, across groups, too--school groups, college groups, work groups. Too many 'friends' to count, in fact. Through the day, Kripa finds it hard to ignore her cellphone because it pings incessantly with messages from the various groups she is part of--there is a constant exchange of messages, videos, images, jokes--some “non-veg” jokes and videos, some innocent, some childish. All kinds of messages, really. One day, Kripa sent a smiley in…

At my local park, I sometimes see two young women (sisters, I assume), taking their elderly grandfather for a walk. The gentleman is very unsteady on his feet so the two women have to grip his arms to support him. Also, he cannot walk fast, so this little group's progress is very slow. But I've never seen or heard the two young women complain. Instead, they go silently round and round the park, patiently leading their grandfather. And after about half an hour or so of this, the three of them head out of the park and make their way…

Pic courtesy: CME and The Bangalore Conservatory If music be the food of life, play on... So said the Bard. What if music is life to you? What if, only the glorious notes and the wondrous chords make sense, what if everything else to do with everyday living, means nothing? What if you are Samuel Marcus? Samuel, or Sammy, as he is called, is 27 years old. He has an older sibling and he has loving parents. And he has, in the words of people who have heard him, the 'voice of an angel'. Sammy, you see, is blessed with…