We Made Love This Weekend

When the partner and I got together what brought us together was a shared love for books, films, theater, music, travel and to some extent food but most important of all our ability and yearning to share myriad thoughts. Eight years of marriage, two babies and a dog later we are happy if we can say three lines to each other without intervention or distraction.

I call ours a mad household: the only rule that applies here is that there is no rule. Each day brings its own set of challenges and solutions. We are all proud owners of very strong opinions and don't care to follow what others have to say. Add to this the fact that we all have friends and love asking them to drop in which they do and it just adds to the circus.

So when we actually get an entire weekend to indulge in one of our first loves it feels like heaven :)

This Saturday the entire family including the 13 week baby went to attend Bookaroo a children's literature festival that tries to inculcate reading and imagining in children through various workshops, activities and simple story telling sessions. Carefully planned and curated Bookaroo has something for every child and then some.

It also has a carefully selected range of children's books which has lovely language and prettier pictures making the journey from screen to page super easy. My almost 5 year old is taking great delight in reading out the story of the Gingerbread Man to anyone who will listen and it delights me no end to see her catch the reading bug.

Having safely deposited babies, mom and dog at home with promises of returning ASAP the partner and me set of on Sunday for the Times Delhi Lit Fest at the pretty Maidens hotel in Civil Lines. What made it extra special was the fact that the venue was walking distance away from my College Indraprastha College for Women. Both College and Hotel are heritage sites having been in existence since the early part of the twentieth century.

I have always been jealous of people who could take out time to be at the Jaipur Lit fest and now was my turn to attend a Lit Fest and be able to listen to some of my favourite authors and speakers while sitting a stone's throw away.

The big attraction for me of course was Amitav Ghosh whose writing style I completely adore. My idol didn't let me down for I found he is as good a speaker as he is a writer, holding our attention and parlaying with ease on the comments made by his fellow speaker Tansen Sen an expert on Asian History with special interest in Indo-China since he belongs to both the countries.











I had carried my copy of the Ibis Trilogy hoping to be able to get it signed by Ghosh and managed the same as well - making it a further delight.













The discussion on Kashmir which we also attended was an interesting one with certain points being thrown up which to me came as a surprise for regular media usually doesn't point them out ever. The panelists included A.S Dulat (former RAW chief and Kashmir expert), Radha Kumar (expert on ethnic conflicts and Director General of Delhi Policy Group), Rakesh Sood (former Ambassador to Afghanistan & Nepal, expert on Foreign Affairs). These heavyweights were well handled by senior journalist Sankarshan Thakur.

It was interesting to know that more than roads, rails and jobs the Kashmiri was actually looking for an emotive anchor and almost everyone in the valley continues to call themselves a Kashmiri and not an Indian. The Indian passport is just a matter of convenience. While most recognize that Azad Kashmir may be just a dream yet they are not willing to duck under the Indian identity without being shown due respect and regard.

Since I love making village parallels like Miss Marple let me put my take out from the conversation as Kashmir: the child of separated parents. While the child has lost out on a regular childhood and deserves pity on that front, the survivor's instinct has also made the child extra cunning so that by now it knows how to play up each parent's insecurities well. What could be the correct method of dealing with this I, however, will not venture to propose for from personal experience I know it is easier said than done. Acknowledgment and empathy however are definitely stepping stones and continuous attention to ensure the child doesn't throw tantrums to seek it.

Sankarshan threw up the last question as to when could they see the Kashmir issue becoming a non issue and the experts laughed and gave all sorts of numbers. On my part, I hope the matter is resolved and Kashmir retains its Kashmiriyat and I am able to visit this paradise real soon.

We came away from the Fest chatting with a dear friend about his upcoming book Princely Palaces in New Delhi and how the usually reticent author will now have to make an effort to ensure his book and labour are recognized in the right circles. One uphill task for him, more difficult than the research for the book I am sure for the distaste showed clearly on his face. We wished him luck on the upcoming book launch and then reluctantly left for home where madness awaited us...then again this madness we cant do without.


P.S: are you still looking for the details of the making love bit? Well when you have been together for almost ten years making love is not really the physical aspect its more the mental and emotional coming together and linking back to what brought you together in the first place.

P.P.S: Sex is what you do when you get a chance....i.e kids, mom and dog be sleeping.....at the same time.