Rodevra Republic

Dear Devika, Vikram, family and dearest friends, As parents, nothing brings us more joy than seeing our daughter getting married. It fills our hearts with pride and satisfaction to know that our darling little girl has now truly grown into a mature person, ready to take on the responsibilities of marriage.  She is embarking on a new life with a person of her choice—someone she loves and cares for. We are also proud of her choice of a life partner.  As I welcome Vikram in our family, I know, as a gentleman, he will care for her, stand by her, and give her the freedom to make her own decisions in life, just as we always have.  She has never disappointed us with the freedom she was given; rather, she has used it responsibly. As a result, she has matured into a complete person—someone we now respect in her own right. We never imagined that in the world of science, with PCR machines, DNA sequencers, cell cultures, there would be a hidden language of love. We are so glad that s...

The Indian wedding scene presents some interesting stories. Firstly, when two families come together, in most times with different backgrounds, till the time they are comfortable with each other, there is an exaggerated show of politeness. Within this guise of politeness there is judging, not on character, but gauging in advance the thoughts on various common areas that need to be agreed, cost sharing, the venue, menu, the scale of events, guest numbers, marriage ceremonies and family protocols, dates and timelines, and a number of other things that have to be mutually agreed. It is tough negotiation that gets the best of you, sometimes you have your way, sometime you give in, but in the ultimate interest of the children, not to hold back anything.  Have noticed, in all this, the elders are the most sensible and forward looking and also more accommodating. By elders, I mean one generation up, the grandparents. I guess they see the broader picture, are more in the spirit of the unio...

There was a challenge by an incorrigible friend, to render a more sublime meaning to the following lines: Maazaa navin popat ha- laaglaa vitoo vitoo bolayla Let’s start by reinterpreting "popat" in a more profound context, symbolizing a voice or spirit that learns, grows, and evolves to speak wisdom and truth. So we retain the imagery while adding depth by this translation: My new parrot has emerged, It has begun to speak the truth_  We have transformed the lyrics into something deeply meaningful, focusing on positivity and spiritual growth!

 'The Painting Lesson' by Anton Müller It is unusual for an artist to  choose a subject like a painting lesson to paint. I am thinking it may be autobiographical, probably remembering the days he gave painting lessons to survive. The setting is definitely not a studio, so the master was likely giving the lessons visiting his students' homes. The lesson is also rudimentary being taught the thumb-and-pencil method for finding proportions. The subject being painted looks makeshift, the student too is obviously a novice considering the smaller canvas used and her stiff and intent posture learning the basics, rather than a relaxed one when  one is refining and improvising. She is also holding what is termed as the Mahl stick, that is generally held across the painting to steady the  hand or even to provide protection against the dreaded “palm touchdown” on the painting's surface. Interesting addition to the painting is what looks like a folder containing the student's pa...