I had just finished my first year at medical school, and was visiting Phuphee for the summer holidays. The days were hot but a constant breeze made the heat tolerable, even pleasurable at times. One such hot, breezy afternoon, an elderly gentleman and his wife arrived. When it was hot, Phuphee usually made ice cream. […]
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One balmy July afternoon, a few weeks before I got married, two families from the village arrived at Phuphee’s house. We were sitting on the verandah, tumbling in and out of a light sleep after a heavy lunch of riste te paalak (meatballs with spinach) when we saw them walking towards us. The families were […]
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For most of my life, I have seen Phuphee mark the end of the year with the simplest of celebrations. She would make something uncomplicated and enjoy it on her own or share it with whomever was around. Years ago, I asked her if it even counted as a celebration if it was just her, […]
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‘Power is balanced when repair is attempted at every rupture’ | Photo Credit: Illustration: Zainab Tambawalla I was in my early twenties when I got married. People often say that teenage years are difficult, but for me, most of my ludicrous ideas blossomed in my twenties. When I got married, I went in all hearts […]
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‘We are mostly the sum total of all the people we love and cherish, and some of us have more ingredients than others.’ | Photo Credit: Illustration by Zainab Tambawalla Ever since I can remember, I have struggled to make sense of relationships. All relationships. I feel there ought to be a rule book that […]
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A long time ago, a situation most unusual arose. It was the beginning of autumn. On a smoky afternoon, an elderly gentleman arrived at Phuphee’s house. As soon as he saw her, he started weeping. Phuphee lit two cigarettes and asked him to tell her what misfortune had befallen him. ‘My dear sister, my wife […]
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Six weeks after the birth of my second baby, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression. Even now, after having recovered to a large extent, I can’t think about it without feeling sad and overwhelmed. One of the earliest things that I remember is feeling anxious, and not the low-key ‘I-can-set-it-aside-if-I-want-to’ anxiety but the kind that […]
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A young woman named Haneefa lived in Phuphee’s village. She was a gentle mannered girl who excelled at everything she did. After she started working as a teacher in the local school, a marriage was organised. The groom, too, was a teacher and lived in the same village. Her marriage took place on a beautiful […]
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‘People who fear making mistakes eventually become afraid to even try anything, and those people die much earlier than their actual death. ‘ | Photo Credit: Illustration: Zainab Tambawalla I was five years old when a teacher slapped me on the face for accidentally breaking a flower vase in the classroom. I remember it was a […]
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Sometimes in life, you witness events that you are not physically a part of, but they change you in ways that you are no longer who you were before | Photo Credit: Illustration: Zainab Tambawalla In a conflict torn place called Kashmir, a village rests quietly amidst the mountains, the dense forests and the abundant […]
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