Stories from the other side.
“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.” ― Albert Einstein Being ordinary can be a good thing. No-one really expects anything from you. No-one expects you to scale mountains or walk under water. Or fly like a bird to cast shadows below or walk without wanting to reach anywhere. No-one expects you to use hand…
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Growing up, I used to fondly look forward to this time of year. Back then, we’d all sit together around the table: roll handmade sweets, mum would work relentlessly on our dresses, carols blew in the wind, midnights were synonymous with ringing bells, and our neighbourhood lit up with festivity. As I grew older, and…
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Director, Kim Ki-duk introduced to me to his vision of Korea — through his movies. His take on Korean culture was cynical, contemplative, and probably, a deeply scathing review of popular culture. Even in its beauty, through beautiful cinematography, and despite the lack of grey tones, his work wasn’t always easy to digest. Perhaps, that’s why, he isn’t…
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Way back in the seventies, my parents along with my brother (who was three at that time) moved to the UK. Their stint would last for about three years, before they would eventually return home, but stories of their life and travels across Europe, would dominate the rest of their life. As a child, I’d…
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Seoul doesn’t feature on many travellers’ bucket-list. Honestly, it didn’t feature on mine either. It doesn’t have the glitz of Shanghai or Tokyo’s breakneck pace. The city is austere; a lot of its cultural/heritage sites were destroyed or damaged during colonial rule. And the effect of its bitter past is hard to shake off. A…
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“Introverts, in contrast, may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express…
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I always thought we’d travel; never stay. And even we ever did; we’d trade chaotic city life for an ordinary life in the mountains. What can I say? Things have a way of working or not. It’s been 5 days since we’ve moved to Seoul. We’re not sure how long this move will last. A…
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A few years back, on women’s day, we boarded a plane to the Northeast of India. Deep down, I was happy, to escape the fuss that comes with the day. I’m not always good with keeping my thoughts in check and days like these are like old wounds. Midair, 30,000 ft above what was happening…
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“God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.” William Shakespeare Every time, I look around me, I find myself drowning under a sea of masks. Each, hiding more than it can reveal. Each, trying it’s best imitation of the one next to it. We’re taught to wear masks at an early age.…
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I admire photographers. They’re not very different from magicians, often conjuring illusions of imaginary worlds — blurring the fine lines of reality. And if the camera, was invented a few centuries earlier, it would be interesting to see how would they have fared against thinkers and painters of that time. “One person’s craziness is another…
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