Desert Rose

Up until 15 years ago Growing up in Muscat, we made it home in time for lunch. We could eat with our hands and take our own sweet time. Or could we? Because welcome to Geolin – rules are rules, girls! Our lovely home was a little uphill and as Pappa geared up the slope and the car came to a halt, we’d catch a glimpse of our Mumma standing at the door. She’d be fresh after a bath, wet hair loosely tied at the end leaving enough room for it to dry out slowly. She was almost always draped in a set mundu keeping us rooted. What a stunner, Mumma! She’d stand there and catch a glimpse of us and know exactly how our day went. From the comfort of the car to the scorching heat outside to the warmth of the home was routine, but one of the biggest luxuries this life has given me. Lunch was always ready. I never asked how. I never even wondered. It would be laid out on the table and we just needed to finish about 10 things in Mumma’s rule book to be able to devour our lunch. Shoes in the rac...

Have you gone back to a place that when you last visited made you go all wow and yay? Have you observed how the wave of joy came in not like a gush but slowly flowed in and tickled your feet? Have you experienced the familiarity and the feelings of the past kick in slowly - everything you used to wow about; and then slowly you’re wondering why it all feels so different? A couple of weeks back, I went to Mysore for probably the third time in the last 5 years. This time, while walking through the palace, I noticed myself looking for “me”. There was this version of me whose heart paced and did kathak in rounds all over that Durbar hall when I first visited. The indo sarcenic interiors had sparked off that ghazal in my head and my body language changed as though I took each step carefully adorning the lavish costumes. This time I just noticed how my reactions had changed. It took longer for me to start doing that Kathak. I remember how I’d have a clear idea of what I should wear wh...