Swetha Banda

He was woken up by the lights flooding the cabin, accompanied by the pilot's announcement that they will be landing in Hyderabad in approximately forty-five minutes. The outside temperature will be 32 deg celsius and the local time in Hyderabad would be 2.45 am. Rubbing his groggy eyes, Rohan sat up straight and pushed open the window blinds. Dim, obscure lights were visible on the ground, probably a tiny little Indian town. The lights were random and almost looked like stars in the sky on a slightly hazy night. The haze. That's what it was. The lights were obscured by a layer of dusty haze covering the ground.    Sravanti, his cousin was getting married in a week and he had a lot resting on his shoulders. Relatives would remind him of his role in keeping the brother in law from running away to Kashi several times during the next week, sometimes joking and pinching his cheeks, and at other times, with a seriousness that bordered on delusion. This was an important ritual in Tel...

A few days ago, Singapore came out of the circuit breaker after being in lockdown for about 8 weeks. On the first day, a friend of mine went out for lunch to Tanjong Pagar, an area that is popular for global restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. There he saw a few people gathered around photographing a hen and her chicks walking around the usually traffic ridden roads. On another occasion, photographs and videos of a family of otters lounging around in front of the (otherwise) ever-busy Mustafa Centre made the rounds on social media. For a city that's boasts of a huge amount of biodiversity , displays of farm birds wandering around or wildlife loitering around are rare in the urban settings. Even the wildlife in Singapore's nature reserves know well not to tarnish the carefully manicured image of the urban cityscape. Talking about manicured, the lawns, gardens and parks around Singapore also started to show their natural state in the last couple of months. While I never a...

In August 2018, N and I moved to the US for about 9 months. We were to move in to our rented apartment by the end of August. But due to certain paperwork issues with the previous tenant, the apartment wasn't available to us till the first week of September. We had to find intermediate accommodation for about 10 days. N suggested that we book something on Airbnb as the hotel rooms seemed slightly expensive. Being the last minute and given that it was the beginning of a new academic year in the university town, most apartments on Airbnb seemed book or beyond our budget. We were also conscious about the neighbourhood that we rented in as we had heard about the high rate of crime in NH. However, we did find a room in someone's house which was available. The only concern was that the owner had clearly mentioned that she had several pets - two dogs and two cats at home, and one cat who lived in the backyard but wasn't allowed into the home. Never having had pets, N and I we...

In the summer of 1998, the construction of our house was just about complete and we had a house warming ceremony. Right behind our building, was a lake. People could rent a pedal boat and go boating on that lake at that time. Subsequently, water from the lake was drained out to a different lake and the boating stopped. I was about 14 at that time. Sravani and Sruthi, my friends whose houses were also in the same building were a couple of years younger than me. While the gruhapravesham was going on, the three of us felt particularly adventurous. We decided to go boat riding, but wouldn't be allowed to do it on our own if we asked for permission. Well, we decided to do it anyway. The three of us had a little bit of pocket money and we rented a boat. Our plan was to take the boat to the other side of the lake, closest to our house and surprise our parents and to show them, how capable we were to do it on our own. We would reach waters edge on our home-side, call out to our pare...

Every night, I would hear this particular sound. It was the one sound I was really terrified of. It was the sound of a really heavy, wooden log hitting the ground and then being dragged along on the road. It would happen around the same time every night. I would lie awake, imagining a terrible monster who had large, wooden logs for legs, walking along the street, looking for little children to carry away and eat. Then I would crawl up to my parents bed and sleep in between my mom and dad, hoping that I wouldn't be carried away. After all, which 8 year old would be strong enough to fight this monster and triumph. This carried on for a few months and my night terrors got worse. My parents were, at that time, trying to get me to sleep independently. But I would end up in their bed, almost inevitably. It was worse on days when the power went out. One day, I was home sick and missed school. It was just after lunch and I was reading a book in the balcony when the bell rang. I ran...

Standing at the limit of an endless ocean Stranded like a runaway, lost at sea City on a rainy day, down in the harbour, Watching as the gray clouds shadow the bay - Icehouse - Great Southern Land Aboriginal Australians are known to have lived on this continent between 40,000 and 70,000 years ago. In Jack Hills, Australia, rocks as old as 4.4 billion years were known to be found. This makes Australia one of the oldest piece of land on Earth. Whats interesting about this continent is that it is cut off from the rest of the land mass making it very unique in terms of its flora and fauna. The artistic, spiritual and musical traditions of this land are as earthy and primitive as can be. Travelling through Australia, I felt this primal connection to the land. There is this sense of vastness that is overwhelming. Although a modern country, travelling by road gave me the feeling that the rest of the world does not really exist the way it does. I caught my first glimpse of ...

When I tell people that I teach in an elementary school, people react either with shock or pity. It looks like I have chosen this path because I dont want to take up a serious career or that I couldn't get a better job. Most people don't believe when I say that I really enjoy it and want to be a teacher by choice. And what's worse is that it looks like I have wasted my qualifications by choosing to teach. All this, because teaching as a career does not seem as lucrative as the other professions, although the amount of work one puts in is by no means less. As the economy improves and job prospects increase and people turn their attention towards professions that pay more, seem high profile, and command more respect. Infact, there is such a shortage of good quality teachers in our country that we almost have no role models in the teaching profession to look up to. It is a sad stae of affairs and it proves that for all our lip service about improving and giving the b...

At lunch with a friend this afternoon, we were talking about how in hindsight all our experiences seemed perfect and worthwhile. While, during the said period, it seemed like everyone was miserable and unhappy. I recall a similar experience. In 2010, I lived for a year in Durham, UK doing my Masters. I remember my time there as we remember most of our travels – thrilling and happy, everything new and strange. This is funny, since, if I think back honestly, while I was actually there I did not feel “happy”. In fact, I cribbed incessantly about the loneliness, the cold weather and the long distance relationship with my husband. I was miserable through out the summer I spent in Durham. Although, arguably when I think back one it, it was one of my happiest summers. Some of the happiest memories of my life are of playing badminton at all odd hours of the day or night with my friends, eating a pizza and chatting with my friends about our lives. Even though this whole time I was mis...

Someone once asked me what I would want if I were granted a wish. I replied that I would ask for an elder sister. When my mother was expecting a second baby, I was 6 years old. I distinctly remember saying that I wanted a sister and that I had already decided a name for her. Well, my brother was born and I couldn't give him the name I had thought of. I do love having a brother and we have had really good times. But somewhere at the back of my mind, I still wish I had a sister too. While growing up, I saw friends who have sisters and they wanted to kill each other all the time. They fought over everything and they were as different as chalk and cheese. But as we all grew up, somehow the sisters got closer and their relationships matured. The same siblings who couldn't stand to be around each other, now talk to each other everyday, even if they are on different continents. I have grown up watching my mother and her sister talk to each other about everything in their lives an...

Growing up having a large extended family meant attending atleast one wedding every summer. My mother's side of the family is especially big and I got to attend quite a few weddings. South Indian weddings are very unique in the sense that they are about everything other than the bride and the groom. Typically, you'd find the bride and groom sitting clueless on a pedestal surrounded by the several pundits, all the aged grand parents, several aunts and some cousins. Added to this crowd, there is a photographer from both sides. Let's not forget the noisy kids running around on the Mandap  playing tag and catch. I was once at a wedding of a friend whose South American friend seated next to me pointed out to me how normal everyone thought it was that the bride and groom were talking over the mobile phone while the wedding ceremony was taking place. I was suddenly struck by how little the bride and the grooms involvement in the ceremony really seemed to be. On a lighter note, ...

At one point in life I wanted to be a talk show host. Especially on a news channel. During my Masters programme in Durham University, my dream came partly true. We had a very interesting assignment in one of our courses- aptly called "Innovation and Technology Management" where we had to make and post a video on a particular topic. After much discussion, trial and errors, we finally settled on doing the assignment in a Talk show style and I was very glad to have played the part of the talk show host. Here's the link to the assignment and I have to say, we had a ball during this assignment. Watch the last 3 minutes of the 2nd video if you want to watch just the fun parts. The rest is kinda technical. 

Although I am still a few months away from hitting the big 30, there are clear signs that I am getting old. For instance, you could take my daily routine. (Now, which youngster would you say, has a 'daily routine'?) Anyway, this is how my typical weekday looks like. My day starts with a hot cup of coffee while reading the newspaper, and mind you, I cant function without this first dose of caffeine. Then a simple breakfast, work and then I get back home to a relaxing evening (which includes another cuppa), watch TV, read a book and hit the bed by about 10.30, while I dreamily imagine the aroma of my morning coffee. A weekend includes a quiet dinner with friends and a visit to my parents. Throw in a movie, and the weekend feels rushed. No long drive in the crazy, chaotic traffic to the cooler side of town to eat in at a fancy continental restaurant. I'd rather have a simple meal at a local 'Sagar' type of joint. And whats really bothering me is that I am finally beg...

Growing up in the 1990's in Bangalore  before cable TV had encroached upon our lives and the internet was still a thing of the future meant growing up with books. Especially, if your sibling was 6 years younger there was only one thing to do during the vacations in summer when you weren't with friends - read. The first book I owned and treasured was a second hand collection of short stories written by Enid Blyton. How I loved that book! I read and re-read every story in that book until I could tell them by memory. By the age of 9, I started off on the adventures of the Secret Seven and the Famous Five. Enid Blyton was easily the biggest influence of my childhood. I dream't of having my own adventure club and living in the English countryside with its rolling hills and gentle moors and having an outlandishly romantic name like Jane. I even had the name of my adventure series ready - it was to be called The Fabulous Four. As with other convent educated children, English...

In the last few weeks, news has been abuzz with reports of attacks against women from all over the country. There seems to be a sudden awareness of the bleak state of affairs concerning women in the country. While there has visible outrage against the attacks all over the media, I'm curious to know, is the outrage going to trigger a change in the mindset in India or going to make the Indian woman more scared than she already is to step outside her house with confidence?

Everyone has certain fears in life. Most of those fears are silly ones like being scared of cockroaches or some slightly more serious like the fear of heights. Mostly harmless fears that remind you of their presence once in a while and otherwise lie dormant. Unless ofcourse it turns out to be a life-altering phobia, which I am guessing is relatively uncommon among most normal people. So, the point of ranting about the whole story of fears is - I have one. Its the fear of failing in a math paper. Now, you may say that its very common and most people have a fear or exams. Atleast most people who have gone through the Indian system of education are scarred through life with this incredible fear of exams. So, yes - I fear exams, especially exams dealing with numbers and mathematics. I wake up almost every night with a sweaty forehead and shivering hands believing that my life is doomed because I have failed a maths paper. It takes me a couple of minutes to realise that its just a dream ...

It was 2 am. The roads were deserted. We approached the road where we knew he would be standing. From a distance we could see the small discrete crowd buying from him. We slowed down and looked carefully to see if everything would be alright. Just then, 2 policemen on a bike came by. We sat frozen in the car wondering if we should just leave or wait to see what happens. After a few minutes the policemen rode away. We decided to stay. We had to have it. We stopped the car a safe distance away. Two of the guys went and bought it and brought it back to the car. One sip and I knew it was one hell of a good cup of masala tea and the experience of drinking it in the middle of MG Road at 2 am was just something else...

Et si tu n'existais pas... | Online recorder

Earlier, I had always made my qualms about auto drivers very well known.  I detest their arrogance and their rude behaviour. So I had decided I would not take anymore autos unless absolutely necessary. Yesterday, was one of those days.  I was getting ready to go to class on my Scooty, when the rain gods decided that they had other plans. Just when I was about to leave, it started pouring cats and dogs. It was too late to take a bus. So, I was left with no choice other than to take the damn auto. Luckily for me, it wasn't easy to get one. And the ride left me reconsidering my hatred towards autodrivers. This guy was very courteous. He spoke fluent English. And he was asking me which route I preferred. Whoa!! Who does that? :P On the way, he stopped to buy fruits. After doing so, he apologized for delaying me, and went on to explain that he was on his way to pick up some lady. And everytime he went there, she always offered him something and he thought it was only fair that he should...

Re-uploaded this song once again.  Waqt ne kiya | Upload Music

I stepped into the post office and I travelled back by 15 years in time. The ancient ceiling fans, the wooden furniture, the banyan tree just outside, the low doors and high ceilings, it was right out of the champak, tinkle and gokulam world. The postmen in their khakhi coats were all sitting around a big wooden table on their wooden benches and were sorting out the letters. Their bicycles were parked under the banyan tree.  It was such a different scene from the plush corporate, air conditioned, thickly carpeted, glass offices where you get greeted with a fake "How may I help you?". This actually felt real, like something you would immediately associate with a typical Indian scene. Laughing postmen, gossiping women, some old retired men standing in queue, and absolutely no youngsters in sight. This took me back to the time when I was a little girl with big dreams. I used to wait for the postman to make his daily rounds every afternoon, hoping that he would have something for...