Humans have always had love for stories. If you remember our grannies or parents would tell us stories during meals or right before sleep. That was where our imagination first started and structure the story. We’d beg for another story each night, not because we needed to fall asleep, but because we loved hearing them. A few of those stories ended up being told again and again, passing from one generation to the next.

Movies

And then, over time, as technology progressed, so did the medium. Stories are told through images, performances, music, silence, dialogues, and emotions.

Movies aren’t just something we watch when we’re bored. Sometimes they make us think, laugh, cry, dream, or see something differently. To me, movies from the 2000s always hit differently, which makes me watch some of them every time I want to watch something without getting bored. They introduce us to different cultures, traditions, perspectives, and so much more.

Some movies stay with us. We picturize ourselves with some characters and become deeply connected with them. Then we say, “It wasn’t just a movie, it’s an emotion.”

And there are some Indian movies and filmmakers that I truly appreciate. Some filmmakers I have observed so far are Mani Ratnam, what I love about his movies is how he brings together love, relationships, and politics so naturally. S. S. Rajamouli, he makes films into epic worlds with unforgettable characters. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, what I love about his movies is that he doesn’t just tell a story. His films are filled with music, art, history, costumes, and emotions as well, all coming together to make his films feel almost like a dream. Imtiaz Ali, his movies tell about love, relationships, journeys, and all the emotions we go through in life. His characters feel real, and their stories often leave us thinking about our lives.

And there are so other filmmakers too who have made Indian cinema special in their own ways. Everyone has a different style to narrate the story and that is what makes different genres feel interesting.

Series/TV Serials

And then came series/TV serials. Unlike movies, which last 2 to 3 hours, we will get more time with the characters in the form of episodes.

In TV serials too, the old ones are truly fascinating, unlike the current ones. Like TMKOC, for example, an old TV serial that used to be broadcast every Saturday and Sunday for 24 hours unlike all other days, because of its popularity and natural comedy. It wasn’t only about comedy, it used to deliver other aspects of life too.

Even today, some adults, while having food, make TMKOC their companion, which makes it more than just a TV show.

From TV serials to web series that we binge today, the way we watch stories has changed, but our love for them hasn’t…

My final thought!

I believe we become attached to movies and series because somewhere inside those stories we find a little bit of us. We see characters experiencing things we have experienced or felt. And sometimes we watch them for fun, for escapism, and sometimes just because the story makes us feel understood. Sometimes we become so involved in their lives that they seem real to us.

~ Prathibha

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This simple and delicious dish is made by soaking rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds, grinding them into a smooth batter, allowing it to ferment overnight, and then adding salt before cooking it on a hot griddle.

It is served with chutney (coconut/groundnut) and sambar. There are hundreds of types of dosas. The most popular ones are Plain Dosa, Masala Dosa, Neer Dosa, Rava Dosa, Set Dosa, Benne (Butter) Dosa, Pesarattu (which is popular in Andhra Pradesh), Ragi Dosa, Onion Dosa, and many more. Among all of these, the most popular and tastiest dosa is MASALA DOSA. Its golden, crispy exterior, flavorful potato filling, and perfect pairing with coconut chutney and sambar have made it a favorite around the world.

Wherever we go, whether to stalls, restaurants, or street food vendors, the first dish we would like to ask for is “Masala Dosa.” This heavenly dish is mainly prepared on Sundays in our home so that it can be enjoyed in everyone’s presence.

Why Dosa Is Healthy

Dosa is not only delicious but also nutritious. Since the batter is naturally fermented, it supports gut health and is a good source of carbohydrates and protein. It can also be made with millets like ragi. Being light, wholesome, and easy to digest, dosa is a meal enjoyed by people of all ages.

But nowadays, the dosa tradition has been ruined in some places by weird flavors such as Chocolate Dosa, Ice Cream Dosa, Pizza Dosa, Maggi Dosa, Pani Puri Dosa, and what not. Whether these inventions are delicious or simply bizarre is up to each food lover to decide.

To me, the most satisfying combo is a crispy, golden homemade dosa with filter kaapi, which is one of the most comforting traditions one could ever have. Nothing beats the comfort of dosa and filter kaapi.

Some of the popular dosa places in India are:

• MTR, Bengaluru

• CTR, Bengaluru

• Rameshwaram Cafe, Bengaluru

• Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan, Chennai

• Vidyarthi Bhavan, Bengaluru

A crispy dosa, a bowl of chutney and sambar, and a cup of filter kaapi, that's all it takes to make an ordinary day feel special. No matter how many new dishes come and go, dosa will always remain a timeless favorite.

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Looking back, I realize I stepped into an new chapter without even noticing it .

I moved from my hometown to a new city. Although I was surrounded by people, there was still a void that came with leaving my family behind. Learning something everyday, as a part of building block of career. The days got busier gradually than any other days before. Here I would like to share what a city can change a person.

I was excited to explore new things, meet new people, and experience a different way of life. One of my biggest learnings has been ‘observation’. I observed a lot around me. This new phase of life taught me valuable lessons, like how to adjust when you step out of your comfort zone. I learned how to approach people and deal with them accordingly. You meet people out of nowhere. Some stay, some leave, but every connection teaches you something about life and about yourself. It also made me realize the value of home cooked food, family, and my hometown.

Moving away from home lets you know more about yourself than about others. It teaches you that if something doesn't work out, you should always trust your gut feeling that's what I do every time things happen around me. Taking solo walks and rides, observing people, realizing that everybody is busy living in their own lives, understanding the value of money, and seeing how my group peers sometimes fail to differentiate between wants and needs. I also realized the art of balancing everything, just like how my mother does every single time. This is something I still struggle with and continue to learn. The one person I kept remembering was my mother whenever things didn't go the way I wanted, whenever I felt completely shattered. She always gave me the strength to believe in myself.

If you have that one friend who stood beside you when you had nothing to offer except your silence, appreciate them. Those are the people who make life's journey a little less lonely 💌.

No matter how many friends I had around me there, I learnt to take care of myself because I need to fill my own cup before I can pour into others. In the process of learning and becoming, the loop of "what ifs" is common. Those phases make you stronger only when you take one step at a time and trust the process. It's okay to be in Chapter 3 of your life while watching others in Chapter 10. We don't need to be in race with others. Instead, we need to compare our present with our past, stay in our own lane, and grow just like a tree does.

At last if something good happens to you then you are worth deserving it. And if it doesn't, maybe even greater blessings are on their way. Trust the process, stay positive, and trust the timing of the universe💫.

Here’s to writing again

See you in the next one.

~Prathibha

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Kashi/Varanasi/Banaras, the world’s oldest city and perhaps the last. I witnessed the beauty of Kashi during the Maha Kumb Mela, which occurs for every 144 years. It was the most crowded city had ever been, with people rushing only to get darshan of Lord Kashi Vishwanath. There were moments where I felt it looks more than just a city.

Streets of Kashi

As soon as we landed at the Varanasi airport, the journey from the airport to the city kept switching between different modes of transportation . When we arrived Kashi finally, no taxis were allowed to go further because of vast crowd, then for the very first time I had experienced rickshaw ride. We felt lost, as the hotel guide delayed showing up. Then a boy came to take us to the hotel, there we witnessed what “ Galiyon ki Kashi” means. The narrow galis, where only two wheeler can fit, were filled with creative paintings, ancient time designs, ancient banaras doors, matka chai at the corners of street, and mainly healthy, fit stray dogs.

Unlike in my hometown, the dogs in the Kashi felt different. Perhaps it’s because of the presence of Lord Kala Bhairava, whose divine vehicle(Vahana) is said to be the dog. They knew that most devotees were from South India, many stalls offered idli, dosa, and other familiar dishes. Everywhere we went, we saw malai in sweets, chats, local foods, and even bhaang.

Temples of Banaras

The first temple we visited was the Kala Bhairava temple in the night. With elongated queue it took nearly two hours for darshanam. Getting in and getting out wasn’t easy without Google Maps--ufff. By the end of the day, we barely had time to visit just one temple.

The next morning, we visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple(one of the twelve Jyotirlingas). It’s large welcoming doorway, the white marbles interiors, and golden structures inside temple purely mesmerizing moments one can never forget.

The same day we also had darshan of Godess Varaha Devi. Devotees here cannot see the Devi directly, it is the only temple where everyone except the priests must bow down and view the Devi through a small square opening. We also visited other temples like Sankata Mochan Hanuman, Ganesha, and more each holding its own unique story.

Ghats and Maa Ganga river

The Ghats of Kashi are a sacred steps situated along the river. Each ghat has its own story, energy, rituals and spiritual significance. People perform yoga, meditation, holy bath, pujas, cremation rituals.

Some famous ghats of Kashi are Dashwamedh Ghat, where the mesmerizing Ganga Aarti is performed every evening but unfortunately we missed it due to massive crowd during Mahakumbh Mela, it was cancelled and we couldn’t witness it.

Manikarnika Ghat, where we get to see dead bodies cremation rituals. In every ghats, Aghoras, Sadhus were seen indulged in their own world with bare minimal clothing.

The boat ride along the ghats on the Ganga was one of my most beautiful moments in Kashi. I wished I could spend a few days continuously on the boat, but I was simply grateful even for that single ride. We had holy bath in the morning during sunrise, performed some pujas over there. It was quiet, divine and timeless

“Kashi teaches us peace, eternal, simple living and so much more 🕊”

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Our mind doesn’t keep quiet even in silence. Thoughts are like stars, the passing clouds, the waves, the breeze. I wonder where these thoughts come from? Why they flow everytime like from morning to the bed time. But do they end when we sleep? Nah, they come in the form of dreams 💭. So it seems like we are not responsible for the flow of infinite thoughts. Here are my thoughts on “thoughts”...

Watching them like clouds and flow of river

Some thoughts are constructive, some destructive like clouds, our mind is like a sky where some clouds are bright that bring rain, growth and freshness. The same applies to constructive thoughts which nurtures you mentally and physically like feeling gratitude, showing love, kind towards others, possessing self-love, positive talks,etc. These are the thoughts that shapes us internally and leads to growth from all areas of life 🌱

The other ones are destructive thoughts like dark clouds, heavy with doubt, fear, negativity. They mentally drain people, it also leads to overthink, trauma, depression, etc. Which leaves us like abandoned in a dark room, scratching head, jealousy, anger and some even do self harm out of these.

But negative thoughts aren’t bad in themselves they are like signals. What matters is whether we let them control us or let them pass like clouds.

Thoughts are like rivers, which flow continuously, the only thing we can do is to “go with the flow” let the unnecessary drift away and to gently hold the ones that truly matter to us.

Reflection of thoughts

We all go through from infinite thoughts some hold meaning while some not. Like water holds the shape of the object it is in, don’t give shape to the thoughts you don’t want to hold, just pass them on saying “I am not that thought” and move on. Some of the best ways to avoid unnecessary thoughts are practicing meditation, mindfulness, engaging with deep work, journaling, which calms nerves and gives you right clarity.

“We may never control the flow of thoughts, but we can choose which ones to carry with us...”

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People around me were using an app and by then I didn’t really know what it was being used for. Out of curiosity I also started using Snapchat to send snaps of some part of my life and maintained snap streaks too. Friends and I started to see our lives through it. By the time I reached around snapstreak 380 , roughly a year of using it, one day I sat silent in my room putting all my thoughts together a silent voice echoed in my mind out of nowhere, saying…

A silent voice in my mind

“ Is this how you people are getting to know each others lives? What will you get by knowing what people are doing constantly in their lives? Had people forgotten the real conversations? Was it fair to check on others everytime while you can seize that moment? Is this really bringing peace? etc…” I decided to delete my account and I did it’s been 1.5 year I am not in knowing others lives through snapchat. I started to make calls and do text to my friends and it actually made difference to know what’s happening in my friends lives. The same happens with Instagram, watching endless reels of others, seeing what celebrities doing in their life and their stories. Ugh! But what we need at the end of the day?It’s peace, love, gratitude in our lives. But it’s wrong saying it’s all bad sides, using it intentionally by keeping the parts that truly serve you like art, knowledge and to cut out the part that drain you (comparison, the noise and doomscrolling)

Replacing noise with peace

I started noticing little things in my life like the breeze ,people in public places, patterns in clouds, someone’s smile, comfort of my cup of coffee and everything around me. Later I stopped constant scrolling of instant dopamine in every platform( Instagram, Youtube, Netflix). I finally made peace within me by replacing them with embracing boredom, making art, journaling, reading books, gain skills. I finally had time to create rather than just ‘consume’. My sleep, health, relationships with family and friends got improved overtime. The world is buzzing with notifications, short duration videos, reels. It’s how algorithms are designed to hook you and make you addicted. It might not happen overnight to cut the noise but through small steps I believe it’s possible for everyone. Sit at a serene place, take out a paper and pen, write all possible thoughts you come across in your mind. Once your thoughts are on paper, clarity will follow 🌱

While reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, I realized that many of us don’t need more apps or more noise ,we need fewer distractions to think clearly.

“Noise will always exist. The power lies in choosing which sounds deserve your attention. This week, try cutting out just one kind of noise and notice the clarity that returns…”

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