Srinivasan was a very high profile Government employee. He had been given palatial quarters that were located in a posh suburb of the capital city. His wife Mythili had died of breast cancer leaving behind their only daughter Malini with him.
Malini grew up to be a beautiful and lovely young girl and she was top in her class in studies. She had just started post graduation studies and was an avid student of music and dance. Her time was completely occupied with studies and learning music and...

Anandchitra

Ask AC
Part 1
I was asked this question today and had to post it here to get others views as well.
C, my son is asking for a mobile phone for his birthday. He will be going to the 7th standard. If I don’t get him one, he will be very upset and throw some tantrums. My life would be easier if I get him one. What shall I do?
Dear, the answer is a big NO. Don’t you realize you are spoiling him. Even in your question you say its easier for you if you buy this gift. Don’t buy...

Anandchitra

One of the most common questions or assuredly a certain question that I will be asked is “What do you do?”. This coming from total strangers usually sets me back a little. Coming from people who are very familiar with me I wonder where they are headed with this question. How does one tackle this question I have wondered these past few years? For many years I have maintained either a full time job or part time so now that I do not work and stay at home my ears perk up and brain starts churning thoughts...

Anandchitra

In 1936 Munro Leaf wrote The Story of Ferdinand, a timeless children's story about a young Spanish Bull who prefers to sit and smell flowers than participate in the aggressive play of his peers. Nonetheless, in case of mistaken identity, he is recruited to the bullfights.
When he makes his much anticipated debut, he is overcome by the smell of flowers being worn by the women in the crowd and no amount of goading will provoke him to fight. The book ends with Ferdinand back in his childhood...

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The first Harry Potter book came out and I still remember there was not that much hue and cry over the book as there is now. I was easily able to borrow a book from the library and readit. The biggest impact that book had on me was it took me to the world of my beloved Enid Blyton. If I had read my subject book with as much or even lesser enthusiasm as I read Enid Blyton I would now be a Ph.D in every subject. Reading Enid Blyton was to be in a world of your own. Totally transported either to Fatty's...

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Of late I have been really trying to coach some kids for a Science tournament. I say trying because if one shows for the class the other does not and if 2 shows up it rains, or class room not availabe or even one day the projector fell down while I was TRYING to teach and scared the kids. Also I was continually disappointed that they all did not apply their minds to it or did not put in enough effort or took the whole coaching for the event more lightly than they should have. Well somehow we went...

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She was an old maid who lived opposite my house. She also did our household chores like washing clothes and cleaning the house, vessels etc. Her day used to start at 4 a.m. My grandmother used to tell me she could hear her rolling her pots around and getting ready to take bath before which she used to sweep the front of her house and spray cowdung and water mixture by hand. Her small house bordered the road so she had enough light from the street. By 5 a.m. she would have opened her small shed by...

Anandchitra

This morning I had a call from a friend parent about a field trip my son's class is taking in April. Yes I knew the date of their trip but thats pretty much what I knew. Also that would suffice. or so I thought. Was I wrong !??!! She knew who were going to be the chaperones , who was NOT going , among other things. She lost me in "Who was not going"? Now how did she know ALL of this. Well to be truthfully honest I am always the last to know but even I thought I am keeping myself updated....

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Online !!!!!!! UGH !!!!!!!! thats exactly what my mother keeps saying almost everyday now. One of the routine activities of my dear father is to read the newspaper everyday. Or should I say read Hindu everyday. Once he retired he had his own schedule. Which was to get up at 4 a.m. and go out to buy milk and then come back and make coffee. With all the trafiic related accidents we heard his dear children prohibited him from going out so early in the morning. What to do!! somtimes grown up children...

Anandchitra

I have this big tin of roasted peanuts on my kitchen countertop. Since I buy it wholesale it costs me much lesser than even smaller quantity would cost. I did not start this about cost though. I wanted to share how much I use nuts in my cooking. YES. If anyone had thought I sat and ate all these nuts .. what are you nuts??!! I initially bought these nuts to use in my Tamarind Rice. I truly believe these are very essential to that particular rice dish. slowly it progressed to coconut rice and vangi...

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