Shrinika Neethi

  ……Continuation of part 1 Click on the link to read the first part https://hridayakamala.blogspot.com/2023/02/p-o-v.html For all the infamy, the fox is not a bad guy, at all. It is the unforgiving society that left him no choice, no? Like the fox, I too have been misunderstood, neglected and taken for granted…..innumerable times. Not all situations offered a chance to explain my stance, I had to put up with a bad reputation. It was very unfair, with time I realised that I should deal with it regardless of how I felt about it. I started watching out for myself, pointing out others' mistakes before they could point out mine, judging people presuming they would judge me anyway and kept up with the cut-throat attitude that was much required to stay afloat at work. Not long after, I saw myself running around in circles, blaming the world for my woes, feeling insecure, lonely, threatened, and exhausted. That was a high price to pay for surviving. When we say that the way of the worl...

This was a speech I delivered in Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University, Samayapuram, as part of the Trichy Toastmasters Club meeting. The audiences were a full house of students coming from various departments who were enthusiastic about public speaking. This story is a result of my improvisation of 3 folk stories originally from Aesopica/Panchatantra. I assume position on the stage and acknowledge the audience with eye contact and a smile. You know, this place is just like my college auditorium where I have attended numerous meetings. Back then, I would be sitting as part of the audience commenting or making fun of the speaker. I mean, come on, not all speakers are interesting. Some are boring, some are in fact funny, and some others are so good at putting us to sleep that the only way we can remain awake is by entertaining ourselves. Now, the tables have turned, and I am the speaker standing in front of a big bunch of students wishing for good behaviour. I mean, come on, I have prep...

  This is a memoir I had posted in Facebook on April 29, 2020. It was during the pandemic lockdown. Someone said that the quarantine period is a good time for inward travelling and so I did..... into myself and the loft shelves. Dug out quite a few pictures and memories. Penning my memoirs - Quarantine Diaries. DRAWING CLASS    An exciting part of my summer holidays was the Art lessons I took from Artist Vadivel (Vadivel Sir). The month long course happened for 2 hours each morning in the terrace of his home, it was a charming ambience..... lots of daylight, thatched roof for shade, coconut and neem trees for cool breeze, a kind teacher and his warm family.       Straw mats were spread on the floor and students of all ages sat together in clusters. The smaller children preferred to get distracted by the bees, fruits and birds on the trees; some used to chit chat by the water pot and almost all badgered SIR with useless queries. He enjoyed it all. Us teenage...

The following write up holds tid bits of my 2 days stay in Dharma Gurukulam, Palani (a homeschool that  upholds the Indian Knowledge System/ Rishi parampara) where my son is studying in 6th grade. Almost 7 months into his first year there, I noticed him and his classmates rising above  the hardships of the asharam lifestyle and gradually evolving into a sprightly set of younglings . Picture Courtesy : Srishti Khatry Monthly visits to Dharma Gurukulam are an exciting affair, for the obvious reason that I get to be with (my son) Vaibhav after what feels like ages. Besides that, it is the wonderful drive – smooth highways running between lush green fields and awe-inspiring hills. Indra devta has always been kind enough to cover up the sun with cottony clouds, things would not be as pleasant if not for the right lighting. So instagrammable, no filters needed. I did not stop for the usual podi dosai break at Anandhas Hotel in Pazhani, reaching the destination at the earliest was mo...

     With more and more women climbing up the corporate ladder and assuming up leadership positions, now is a good time to focus on your attire. Not because your current one is bad but with some styling tips your next purchase can help you in being taken seriously. Power Dressing means to dress up in a style intended to show that you are a leader/ person who holds an important position in a corporate, business, politics or government.     The adage ‘Great leaders have Broad Shoulders’ have meanings both metaphoric and literal. Shouldering responsibilities and holding oneself accountable for the outcome is an invaluable trait of a good leader; that is the metaphoric meaning of the saying. Coming to the literal meaning, studies suggest physical attributes like being tall, having a deep voice and broad shoulders contribute to people subconsciously trusting and accepting a person as their leader.       While the metaphoric ‘broad shoulders’ is an ...

    Do you have any memories of listening to stories? Well, I have many. When I was a toddler, my mother used to tuck me inside the bed and tell me sweet bedtime stories to put me to sleep.   As I grew a little older, I often used to complain,” Gawd! I’m so booooooooored!”. Just then, my grandmother would sit me down and tell me stories of scary witches and wonderful fairies. When I was in college and lived in the hostel, a few of us girls would get together in the night. We would close all the doors and windows of the room, turn off the lights and burn a single candle. We’d sit around it to tell spine chilling…. teeth chattering stories of ghosts.    Reading novels, watching movies and web series are all fun, no doubt. But to listen to someone narrate a story is a different kind of fun. And that is exactly what we are going to do now, I am going to narrate stories for you from the famous Aesop’s fables. Not 1, not 2 but 4.   About 2600 years ago,...

  Once upon a time in a village, there was a young boy called Amrit; a simple, obedient and helpful boy. He loved flying kites and had agreed to take part in a kite flying competition with his friends. So, he wanted to buy a new kite, a big one with brilliant colors and a flamboyant tail. He broke open his piggy bank, put all the coins in his pocket and went out to the market. As he walked, he was thinking of techniques and tricks to win the competition. His engrossed mind was suddenly assaulted by a powerful aroma…..the aroma from Bittu’s sweet shop.     Bittu was the best Halwai (sweet maker) of their village, the aroma of his sweets spread all over the market; and his fame had spread even farther to the nearby cities from where people come to the village specially to buy his sweets. He was an ambitious man who was happy and proud of his achievement.      Amrit resisted the temptation to buy and eat the sweets because he did not have extra m...