# The Bun Maska Corner

> Stories that touch your heart!


## Posts

- [The Half Path: What Abhimanyu's Story Taught Me About Life](https://bmcblog.com/the-half-path-what-abhimanyus-story-taught-me-about-life/): On the 13th day of the Kurukshetra War, a catastrophe loomed over the Pandavas. Guru Dronacharya had formed the Chakravyuha to capture Yudhishthira. Only Arjuna could break the formation completely — but the Kauravas had kept him busy elsewhere. Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s sixteen-year-old son, was the only hope. He knew how to break into the formation. But not how to get out. The situation was desperate. Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha successfully. He was trained by none other than his father, the greatest warrior, Arjuna. But as he entered, Jayadratha sealed the entry behind him. Abhimanyu was cut off from his kin,… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [My ‘Shopping Protocol’!](https://bmcblog.com/my-shopping-protocol/): The doorbell rang at 10 AM sharp. It rang like that on most days. I grabbed my wallet and ran to the door. Most of my mornings, same routine. Amazon. Flipkart. Myntra. Nykaa. Some brand I found on Instagram at midnight. Someone always had a package for me. Every time, the courier guy brought my dose of happiness. He probably knew my face better than my neighbours did. Today: a Nike dry-fit T-shirt. I’d been dreaming about it for weeks. Scrolling past it. Adding it to my cart. Removing it. Adding it again. Finally clicking “Buy Now” at 1 AM… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Your Pain Is Real. So Is Theirs!](https://bmcblog.com/your-pain-is-real-so-is-theirs/): We were in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Life was utterly chaotic. Overwhelming numbers of patients, limited resources, shortage of essential drugs and oxygen, uncertain treatment outcomes despite every effort, it was maddening. An unbearable nightmare. I was completely broken. Long hours, no sleep, constant stress, and deaths and tears every single day. I called a friend, hoping for some respite. Instead, I felt worse after the call. My friend said, “You are at least earning something. My shop has been closed for months and I can’t even pay my rent!” It annoyed me. I was watching people die… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [We Need More Stories and Storytellers to Stop Future Wars](https://bmcblog.com/we-need-more-stories-and-storytellers-to-stop-future-wars/): A missile hit a school on the morning of February 28th. Hundreds of girls, aged 9 to 12, died. I saw the satellite images, rows upon rows of graves dug for children. The wailing of families in the funeral procession cut through me. I don’t understand the politics. I can’t pick a side. But this? This is unacceptable to every one of us, no matter where we stand. What was the fault of these children? At that age, you don’t know what politics, religion, or sovereignty even mean. Yet their lives were taken. In recent conflicts, thousands of children have… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Our Failing Yadnyas!](https://bmcblog.com/our-failing-yadnyas/): At the Jaipur Literature Festival this January, I sat in the audience as Gurcharan Das, one of my favourite authors spoke from the stage. One thing he said hit me hard. “In India, when we buy something from a shop, use an autorickshaw, or visit a hospital, and we pay for it, our first instinct is doubt. Did I just get cheated?“ Think about that. Most of our transactions begin with suspicion. The customer walks in thinking, “This man will cheat me.” The shopkeeper watches and thinks, “This customer will cheat me.” We are a low-trust society. And we pay… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Chhoti Chhoti Khushiyan - The ₹320 Bill That Changed How I Think About Happiness](https://bmcblog.com/chhoti-chhoti-khushiyan-the-%e2%82%b9320-bill-that-changed-how-i-think-about-happiness/): The train reached Pune on time. It was seven in the morning. Our hotel check-in was at noon. We had five hours to kill. We didn’t waste a minute. We walked straight to the Irani Cafe in the Camp. For the next two hours, we sat, talked, and sipped tea. Plates of Bun Maska came and went. The morning breeze drifted through the street. The cafe smelled of freshly brewed tea. The conversation was unhurried and honest. Something about that morning felt rare. I hadn’t felt that alive in a long time. We went to the conference later. Checked into… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [A New Story of the Cap Seller](https://bmcblog.com/a-new-story-of-the-cap-seller/): Once upon a time, there was a cap seller. Not a stranger, but someone we all already knew. Remember the cap seller from childhood stories, the one who cleverly threw his own cap down and tricked the monkeys into returning all the stolen ones? Yes, that one. This was his grandson. The grandson carried on the family trade, selling traditional caps and earning an honest living. He walked from village to village, his own and the nearby ones, calling out to customers just like his grandfather had. Old business, old customers, a simple rhythm of life. Things were going fine.… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Lets Scroll Less and Create More Art!](https://bmcblog.com/lets-scroll-less-and-create-more-art/): Eight years ago, my life was falling apart. I was a young physician, fresh into practice. I worked days and nights. But exhaustion crept in. Sleep became restless. Focus slipped. Small mistakes followed. Things spiraled. I felt restless. Clueless. Frustrated. Close friends noticed. They saw the stress and told me to take breaks from work. They were right. But I thought I was already doing that. The moment my work ended, I opened social media. I scrolled through updates from friends. I smiled. But that smile was the problem. That smile was a delusion. It poured fuel on my stress… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [The "Deleted Message" That Broke My Morning](https://bmcblog.com/the-deleted-message-that-broke-my-morning/): On New Year’s Day 2018, WhatsApp crashed. For one full hour. Globally. The reason? 75 billion wishes flooded the app. India alone sent 20 billion of them. That’s one country bringing the world’s most popular messaging platform to its knees. But it didn’t stop there. Google engineers noticed something stranger. Every single morning before 8 AM, severe network congestion hit India. Devices crashed. Servers strained. The culprit? Millions of Indians wishing each other “Good Morning.” Every single day. I have well-wishers who send me Good Morning messages without fail. I appreciate their affection and their dedication. But honestly? I rarely… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Enough of Connectivity, We Need Dependability](https://bmcblog.com/enough-of-connectivity-we-need-dependability/): The internet made it easy to connect with people. Yet broken relationships surround us. WhatsApp launched around 2009-2010. It made connecting across oceans cheap and frictionless. Similar apps followed. Barriers to human interaction fell away. Saying “hi” to anyone anywhere costs nothing now. But here’s the real problem: Will they say “hi” back? Dependability Is a Basic Human Need When a friend replies to your message consistently, a bond forms. Everyone needs to depend on someone. This is basic. Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller call this the Dependency Paradox. The more we can depend on each other, the more… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- ["The Man Who Taught Me the Price of Success"- Remembering Norman Sharma Sir.](https://bmcblog.com/the-man-who-taught-me-the-price-of-success-remembering-norman-sharma-sir/): After many struggles and heartbreaks, I got my post-graduation admission in Medicine. It was the start of realizing my childhood dream—becoming a physician. But the task was challenging. The course had a brutally low passing rate in the final exam. Before that final exam, though, we faced smaller tests every day. My first one came right after I got my admission letter. I had confirmed my admission for DNB Medicine at Choithram Hospital. I was thrilled. But I needed to go home and bring my things before joining. I needed written permission from the Dean of Academics, who was strict… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Happy Women's Day!](https://bmcblog.com/happy-womens-day/): I was recently invited to be the Chief guest at a Women’s Day celebration of a group of entrepreneurs. They asked me to share my story, something that can inspire. It set me thinking, what exactly is my story? Is it that I’m a Gynaecologist? Is it that I’m the mother of 2 kids? Is it that I’m the wife of a Gynecologist? Is that my story? Very often, we limit our stories. We become a part of everyone else’s story. We are the good parent in our kid’s story, the supporting wife in our husband’s story, and even the… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Happy Valentine's Day](https://bmcblog.com/happy-valentines-day/): The day began as usual, with the morning hustle and the familiar rush to reach the hospital on time. When I stepped into my chamber, its spotless cleanliness and the fresh aroma of room freshener welcomed me, setting the tone for another busy yet fulfilling day. As I booted my laptop, the ever-helpful internet reminded me of the significance of the day—Valentine’s Day. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. Back in college, I eagerly awaited this day, cherishing both the joyful and bittersweet memories it brought. Suddenly, the scent of the room freshener seemed to blend seamlessly with the… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [New Year Plan!](https://bmcblog.com/new-year-plan/): Watching children grow is a fascinating experience. As I observe my son grow up, I often find myself missing earlier stages of his childhood—his laughter, his innocence, his little quirks that once defined him. Yet, it’s equally exciting to witness new facets of his personality emerge as he grows older. With time, however, their focus shifts more toward studies, and unknowingly, guiding them through this journey becomes one of our greatest responsibilities. I often remind my son that studying is about gaining knowledge, not just preparing for exams. But I also understand that exams are important milestones to be cleared.… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Different Shades of Pain](https://bmcblog.com/different-shades-of-pain/): For more than half my life as a doctor, I’ve been confronted with pain and suffering almost every day. It has become my daily mission to alleviate that pain, but getting here took an immense amount of effort. The journey being a doctor involved years of grueling academic training, long working hours, and dealing with inadequate working conditions and facilities. And once the academic hurdles were cleared, a life of personal sacrifice began. But despite our best efforts, do we always win against pain and suffering? The answer is, unfortunately, no. No matter how hard we try, there are times… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [संगीत सेनेचं सीमोल्लंघन](https://bmcblog.com/dasara-with-music/): माझ्या पुतणीला बस स्टॉप वर सोडायची जवाबदारी आज माझ्यावर होती. तबला वादनाची तिची सुरू असलेली अनेक वर्षांची साधना आणि त्यातून साधलेलं कौशल्य एका मोठ्या व्यासपीठावर सादर करण्याची दुर्लभ संधी साधून आली होती. आणि आपले गुरु आणि सहकाऱ्यांसोबत ती शहराकडे निघाली होती. बसची वेळ ८.३० ची ठरलेली. आणि बस स्टॉप घरापासून अगदी २ मिनिटांच्या अंतरावर. म्हणून ८.२५ ला ‘१० मिनिटात हिला सोडून येतो’ असा पुकारा करून आम्ही निघालो. एक पाठीवर घेता येईल इतकी छोटी बॅग आणि प्रचंड उत्साह सोबत घेऊन स्वारी मजेत गाडीत येऊन बसली. बस तयार उभीच होती. सोयीस्कर ठिकाणी गाडी लाऊन आम्ही बस जवळ चालत गेलो. सगळीकडे नुसती लगीनघाई!… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Ideas Do Work - Our (Comeback) Story](https://bmcblog.com/ideas-do-work-our-comeback-story/): Two years ago, we published The Bun Maska Corner (BMC) blog for the first time. It was purely an emotional decision. As friends, we felt like working on a creative project, so we started writing our short stories. Over the next two years, you gave us a lot of love. However, we faltered on many fronts, and in the last few months, we didn’t post anything. BMC has always been about emotions. It was a story land where we tried to extract unique perspectives from mundane happenings of life. It was meant to be a free-flowing expression. But somewhere along… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [A Place Called Home](https://bmcblog.com/a-place-called-home/): A table full of strangersLaughing and making merrySpoonfuls of custard,And bowls of gravy Each living the momentHeart fluttering with innocent ecstacyNone could fathomWas it the wine or a fantasy She sat there, looking at eachSoaking in the joyCapturing the laughterTo relive on some rainy day Flickering candlelightBounced off of rosy cheeksThe clinking of glassesA music she still seeks Who would’ve knownStrangers, as they once wereWould fill a table; and livesWith glee, and the heartache’d blur Years down the lineEach would rememberTheir story and hersLike a shiny heart of amber – Manasi.
- [Unboxing Treasures](https://bmcblog.com/unboxing-treasures/): ‘Grrrr,’ ‘thud,’ ‘boom,’ ‘thak!’ Nowadays I’m surrounded by crazy sounds all day long. Sometimes, it’s the drilling machine making holes in the adjoining wall, sometimes the carpenter driving nails into the unfinished cupboard, and at other times, it’s just the mayhem on the road outside. Our hospital is under renovation while the city is preparing to welcome the Metro rail. So we are surrounded by noise and dust and chaos almost always, manoeuvring through traffic, and wood panels and paint cans, awaiting the transformation this chaos promises. Getting a renovation done in a working hospital means that there are numerous… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Kites](https://bmcblog.com/kites/): It was a Sunday morning, but not the lazy morning that Riya would’ve liked. She was frantically preparing for the day ahead. The energy in the kitchen was palpable. As was the enthusiasm of the tiny bobbing dots which had started crowding the sky outside. Big and small, tailed or winged, kites in multitudes of colours were as ubiquitous as the clouds in the sky. It was Uttarayan. Her favourite time of the year. As an unspoken agreement with their friends, Uttarayan was always celebrated on Riya’s terrace. No invitations needed. So, she was busy piling up supplies of snacks… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [ए दोस्त](https://bmcblog.com/%e0%a4%8f-%e0%a4%a6%e0%a5%8b%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%a4/): ऐ दोस्त, काफ़ी दिन हुए तुमसे बात किए हुए।या यूँ कहूँ,काफ़ी दिन हुए तुमसे दिल की बात किए हुए। कभी सोचती हूँ, शायद नाराज़ हो मुझसेपर सोचो तो, नाराज़ होने के लिए बात ही कहाँ हुई है हमारीपर पहले नाराज़ होने के लिए यह भी काफ़ी होता था ना,‘ ना बात करना ‘ फिर सोचती हूँ क्या बात करेंगे?वहीं रोज़मर्रा की बातेँ?ज़िंदगी का हाल…पर पहले, इन्हीं बातों से तो कितनी यादें बनाई थी हमने,ज़िंदगी बनाई थी! फिर सोचती हूं, वक़्त नहीं होगा तुम्हारे पासअच्छा बहाना है ना, ‘वक़्त ना होना’! सभी के पास हैलेकिन पहले तो कभी कमी नहीं थी,ना… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [My Affair With Coffee](https://bmcblog.com/my-affair-with-coffee/): A friend called after ages. She was in town for a day and wanted to catch up. Super excited about meeting up, I chose the new coffee shop in town for our rendezvous. It had rave reviews from the coffee enthusiasts in town and I wanted to treat my friend to something exquisite. As I stepped into the lift for the coffee shop, the invigorating aroma of roasted coffee beans filled up my senses. The nutty, smoky, fruity smell of coffee instantly lifted my mood and automatically turned my feet towards it. (To tap into this exact feeling evoked by… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Khichadi](https://bmcblog.com/khichadi/): It is Thursday today, an ordinary weekday. It always surprises me how weekends and Mondays are eventful while the other weekdays feel so routine, so lacklustre. Today, felt exactly like that, a routine repetitive day of work. After I was done with the day’s work, I reached home and asked my favourite question as soon as I arrived, ‘What’s for dinner?’ What answer would you expect on a ‘routine’ day in an Indian household? It was Khichadi! Khichadi is full of commonness. We make it on ordinary days. It requires ubiquitous ingredients. Apart from the basic daal, rice, and spices,… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [A Love Story](https://bmcblog.com/a-love-story/): There were stories to be told, And secrets to be shared, Lying under the starry sky, With our backs on the dew kissed grass. The sky stood starry & the grass – green and moist, But we never happened. Yet I emailed the stories, the secrets, That were meant for her and her alone. There were to be coffee dates – cute & cozy, Conversations over crunchy cookies, With laughter and cups filled to the brim. But distances grew and the dates never happened. Yet we had long FaceTime calls, With smiles and coffee cups to go with it all.… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai - Part 2](https://bmcblog.com/jeena-isi-ka-naam-hai-part-2/): The State Medical Association had organised its annual sports event. All the district medical associations participate in it and compete in various sports categories. It’s an event full of passion and enthusiasm every year. I got a call to participate in the district cricket team this year. And how happy I was! Cricket has been my passion since I got to know the game. During medical practice, I had lost touch, but the love for the game, always remained. Since last year I had started playing again, intermittently in small tournaments. And this was a happy moment. Being a part… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Automation](https://bmcblog.com/automation/): I had a busy night in the hospital with many emergencies coming through the night. Though it was very tiring, I was able to stabilize all the patients. With a meager 3-4 hours of sleep, I felt dull the next morning. I had woken up slightly later than my usual time. Despite the busy night, I had to reach my clinic on time as I had a long list of appointments lined up. I quickly got ready, had my breakfast, listened to my brief news podcast and was all set to begin the day. As I got into my car,… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [‘I’ for Internet…‘I’ for Imagination](https://bmcblog.com/i-for-interneti-for-imagination/): We first published ‘The Bun Maska Corner’ on the auspicious day of Vijayadashami this year (2022.) As with any new project, we had our apprehensions. Initially, we shared the blog’s link with only our close ones to gauge the response. To our relief, the blog was well received and we got a lot of love in the form of reads, comments, and calls. With four authors, the blog was shared across four broad groups of acquaintances next. Universally, the first reaction was about the beautiful look of the website. Most readers complimented us on the design of the website and… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Contact List](https://bmcblog.com/contact-list/): After two weeks of brainstorming, online learning, choosing between the numerous web development tools, multiple meetings regarding the content to be posted, social media learning curve and all the related juggernaut, our blog was finally published. Initially, I shared it with a few close people and they were surprised to know that I write! That was expected, my writing had been for myself. Most of the times limited to my diary, sometimes shared with very close friends but that was rare. Now, that I had decided to write a blog, I thought I should share it with a few more… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Evolution Of My Boondi Raita](https://bmcblog.com/evolution-of-my-boondi-raita/): As I went into my lunch break today, I saw that I had an extra box in my tiffin. A curry and three chapatis is my routine and I am disciplined enough to never change that. So out of curiosity I opened that extra box first. There I found my favourite boondi raita. My mom had placed a specific label of ‘Sugar free’ on it! It has been a full year now. Exactly a year ago, I had gone for a pre-insurance check up. As always, it was a casual visit to the hospital for getting my tests done, where… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Chicken Angara and Garlic Naan](https://bmcblog.com/chicken-angara-and-garlic-naan/): I was meeting a friend after years. Yeah, I am from the generation which talks daily but meets rarely. But anyways, I was pretty happy and excited to meet this friend after a long time. It had been a coincidence that we had registered for the same conference and planned to stay at the same hotel. This surprise element was an extra topping on our excited moods! As I was waiting for my friend I smiled at myself thinking about our friendship. For all those who knew us, it was a big surprise that we were so close-knit friends. Me… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Unstoppable at 40!](https://bmcblog.com/unstoppable-at-40/): I remember an evening a few years back. My childhood friend and I were sitting at a restaurant. Our lives were engulfed in sadness and melancholy with similar reasons at that time. He was going through a break up and I was going through my career issues. Typical problems of the late teenage! And then he said to me holding his drink, “You know, what’s the worst thing that has happened to me in my life? It will sound strange, but its that I always secured a top rank without fail.” It really sounded strange at that time, as we… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [The Clock Setting](https://bmcblog.com/the-clock-setting/): I am a late entrant to the world of books and literature in general. Two years ago, a friend gifted me a new Kindle. I already had an old Kindle with me and these devices last long but still, my friend gifted me one on my birthday to motivate me to read. And it just worked. I started reading and it became a beautiful part of my life. Recently I finished reading the book ‘Lives not Lived’. It is a simple and lucidly written book with a plot that penetrated my heart. The end of the book shook me up… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Ustad Hotel](https://bmcblog.com/ustad-hotel/): The first wave of Covid had just receded and I was relieved. I felt like I had witnessed perhaps the worst phase of my career as a doctor. But this relief didn’t last long. My wife started getting fever along with throat pain. The wave had ebbed, but it was certainly not over. We isolated her in the house and started the treatment protocol. The Covid test came back negative. But there was nothing to feel happy about, as the fever and throat pain continued to worsen. All other parameters also came back negative. But so many times in life,… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [The World Cup I Cherish!](https://bmcblog.com/the-world-cup-i-cherish/): It’s Cricket World Cup time again and India will start its mission in a few days. Slowly, as the tournament will gain momentum, we will be in for another thrilling experience of intense cricket. When a new Cricket World Cup begins, our minds unknowingly start travelling the roads of Cricket history. India won the cup first in 1983. It’s an important historical milestone for me as an Indian Cricket fan. But I was too young to be a part of the thrill then. So, I don’t find a personal connection with the 1983 World Cup win. The World Cup win… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Backup Plan](https://bmcblog.com/backup-plan/): Every year from February to March begins the time of planning for vacations. Schools close for the summer vacation in April, and everybody wants to make good use of this time of the year for an extended family trip. Some people look for exotic hill stations, but for most others, as an age-old custom, the mothers plan to visit their parents’ house with their kids. And for the kids, this is a hell of a memorable ritual every year. They have some of the most amazing experiences with their maternal grandparents, uncles, and aunts during these trips. It was already… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Need A Prayer](https://bmcblog.com/need-a-prayer/): I was sitting on the front seat of the SUV as we traversed the dusty, zigzag roads through the tea fields. Evenly trimmed tea plants looked like green waves stretching to the horizon. Distant green waves covered with fog gave a dreamy appearance. The whole commute felt heavenly. We wandered aimlessly, soaking in the beauty of nature. We crossed a small bridge over a water stream and parked our car. We walked back to the bridge and watched the crystal-clear water flowing, creating a soothing symphony. Clouds of fog moving along the water felt magical. I clicked a few pictures… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Being Dravid](https://bmcblog.com/being-dravid/): Firstly, congratulations to all on India’s remarkable T20 World Cup win yesterday. It was an incredible tournament, with a thrilling final game between India and South Africa. The moment the last ball was bowled and India’s victory was confirmed, emotions erupted. The tear-streaked faces of Rohit, Virat, Hardik, and Siraj were unforgettable. Celebratory moments like Virat and Rohit hugging, wrapped in the tricolour, and Dravid embracing Hardik and Bumrah, were heartwarming. Yet, the sight of Dravid holding the trophy aloft, his joy uncontainable, was particularly moving. As the chief coach of Team India, he was finally having his moment. Dravid… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Meghalaya](https://bmcblog.com/meghalaya/): “The property is very beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and look forward to visiting again!” We showered the manager of our homestay with compliments. She was a young lady with a distinct North East Indian look—small slanting eyes and glowing skin. She smiled, bowed humbly, and replied, “We would love to welcome you again soon.” I couldn’t resist offering some constructive feedback. “However, you could improve your coffee,” I suggested. In a cozy place like Shillong, especially after days of rain, strong, frothy coffee would be an excellent addition. She smiled, promised to improve the coffee, and we… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [The Hamster Wheel](https://bmcblog.com/the-hamster-wheel/): Raghav had a new neighbour. Gayatri had shifted just a couple of days back. Given that his wife and he loved to host, they’d called Gayatri for a small tete-a-tete over afternoon tea. He looked around his front lawn. It was characteristically strewn with evidence of his livelihood, also his labour of love. One corner held stacks of earthen pots and pans, fresh out of the kiln in all their terracota glory. Next to them were multitudes of cups, mugs, and trays; all painted beautifully in vibrant colour. There were samples of colours, waiting to be approved; clay needing to… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [One Day](https://bmcblog.com/one-day/): Ah, the lure of ‘One day!’Hoping things will be betterTomorrow will be yet another day Pinning our hopes on the morrowDreaming of a life we wantDevoid of pain, suffering, and sorrow And yet, every day goes byJust as dreary as the one beforeAs we stand by, just asking,’Why?’ Probably, it’s easier to dream and just beReckoning and rationalizing that today will passTo bring in the day, we aspire it to be. But, I’d rather take the road aheadAnd bruise and fall and stand againThan choose to hope, till the future’s dead Because,One day is today and never again. – Manasi.
- [Girlfriends](https://bmcblog.com/girlfriends/): One look in the mirror, and I knew, I should refrain from stepping on the weighing scale for the foreseeable future. I could deal with a muffin top better, as it is less scary than weighing scale numbers! Mustering all the body positivity I could, I put on a loose shirt, and got ready for the day.That evening, I was supposed to meet my girlfriends R and D, over coffee and cheesecakes! These coffee dates have always been our respite from the tedious routines. Sinful affairs with indulgent food, coffee and juicy bits of gossip. I always come back with… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [New Beginnings](https://bmcblog.com/new-beginnings/): The soft sea breeze blew wisps of curly hair across her face – her once beautiful face. She was never beautiful in the worldly sense. Her dusky complexion, small forehead, thin lips, didn’t exactly fit the definition of beauty. But her big, dark eyes shone with a twinkle every time she smiled. The faint dimples on her cheeks gave away a hint of mischief, and her small but shapely nose perfectly complimented her mouth. Her face still bore the signs of its past glory, albeit with a sprinkling of graceful maturity. Crow’s feet, laugh lines, white hair, a little extra… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Life](https://bmcblog.com/life/): Ira came home after a long day at work. As she plopped her bag on the side table, the pile of unopened mail caught her eye. She sighed. Some things she’d been avoiding like the plague. She knew all this, the unopened letters, the cluttered room, the cupboard, everything, at some point, would remind her of him. She was just not ready to plunge into the pain. Could she handle the emotions, which literally made her nauseous? Would she ever be ready to let go? As always, the memories of that day flooded in. Disturbingly so, she could vividly recall… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Winter Mornings](https://bmcblog.com/winter-mornings/): You wake up to the smell of coffee and firewoodIn a haze of memories and nostalgia. The first glow of the morning sun,The distant chime of a temple bellDrown the chaos in your mind;Fill your senses with an ethereal magic. As the fog clears, you can see,Through the haze of your perceptions.The empty road ahead, becomes your companion.You are alone, but not lonely! And the world around slowly wakes up. Like sobering up after a drunken night,A night of cold distance and icy egos.The sparks of dreams and nightmares slowly die down.Leaving just a trail of the subliminal behind. Just… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Mrutyunjay](https://bmcblog.com/mrutyunjay/): Not everything is black and white in life. It’s always the grey in between that’s more interesting, realistic, relatable. That’s why Mahabharata is my favourite tale of all times. An epic with multiple story-lines woven impeccably together. Every character with myriad shades of grey. Nothing fitting the boxes of right or wrong perfectly. Karna is one character from the epic who has intrigued me as much as Mahabharata itself. Today I’m writing about Shivaji Sawant’s MRUTYUNJAY which narrates the story of Karna. Well, you’d say, everybody knows the story. He was Kunti’s first born son (before marriage), was abandoned, only… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Gulzar Saab and Me](https://bmcblog.com/gulzar-saab-and-me/): “Jaadon ki narm dhoop aur aangan mein let kar Aankhon pe kheench kar tere daaman ke saaye ko Aundhe pade rahen kabhi karwat liye huye!” (Listen) Can life be any more beautiful? More beautiful than Gulzar saab’s words? I really don’t remember when Gulzar saab entered my life. Growing up in a household which loved music and Bollywood, I had a dose of beautiful songs very early on in life…Kishore da, Rafi ji, Asha ji… the melodious voices filled the days and nights. I was always surrounded by them and my friends would often wonder at my choice of songs.… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [Lover’s Tiff.](https://bmcblog.com/lovers-tiff/): There they sit, staring at me, from the corner of the room, while I run around from one chore to another. I can feel the intense, forlorn gaze… the sting of broken promises, the hurt of neglect… Oh, I’m talking about my running shoes… what did you think? Running, was the love of my life, and then ‘life’ happened….I became lazy, and somehow mundane things became more attractive. For me, the whole process of stepping into your running shoes and hitting the road; sweating it out under the sun; gravel, sand, stone, crunching under your feet, rivulets of sweat soaking… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [How ‘Not’ To Talk To Teenagers.](https://bmcblog.com/how-not-to-talk-to-teenagers/): How often do you feel ancient while talking to the next generation? Well, with a teenager ‘bopping’ around, it’s an everyday occurrence for me. (What can you expect, with 4 generations under one roof – My Husband – Gen X, Me – Millennial, Daughter – Gen Z & Son – Gen Alpha?) The language they use, sometimes it’s so alien to me! With whatever God gifted small amount of intelligence I have (it sailed me through medical school!), I’m at least now able to understand that ‘ROFL’ means ‘Rolling On the Floor Laughing’ (though the person using this is never… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [मायबोली...](https://bmcblog.com/%e0%a4%ae%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%af%e0%a4%ac%e0%a5%8b%e0%a4%b2%e0%a5%80/): माझं आणि पुस्तकांचं नातं तसं खूप उशिरा जुळू लागलं. खरं सांगायचं तर हे नातं आताकुठे बाळसं धरू लागलंय असही म्हणल्यास वावगं ठरू नये. नाही म्हणायला शाळेत असतांना मी घरच्यांच्या आणि शिक्षकांच्या आग्रहास्तव पुलंची एक दोन पुस्तकं वाचून धमाल एंजॉय केली होती. पण तरीसुद्धा मनापासून वाचनाची गोडी वगैरे त्यामुळे काही निर्माण झाली नाही. कुणी पुस्तकांबद्दल बोलू लागलं की मात्र मला त्याचं भारी कौतुक आणि तात्पुरतं कुतूहल नेहमीच जाणवत असे. नित्यनेमाने अभ्यास, शिस्तबद्ध जीवनशैली आणि पाठ्यपुस्तकांपर्यंतच मर्यादित राहून गेलेलं वाचन, असं माझं लहानपण गेलं. शालेय जीवन संपून ११ वी – १२ वी साठी महाविद्यालयात जाऊ लागलो. समोर मेडिकलच्या प्रवेशाचं लक्ष असल्याने ह्या… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [काश तुम्हें ऐसा प्यार हो...](https://bmcblog.com/%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b6-%e0%a4%a4%e0%a5%81%e0%a4%ae%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%b9%e0%a5%87%e0%a4%82-%e0%a4%90%e0%a4%b8%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%aa%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%af%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b0-%e0%a4%b9%e0%a5%8b/): काश तुम्हें ऐसा प्यार होकी तुम्हारे हर दिनकी शुरुआत उसके Good morning मेसेज से और अंत उसके Good night वाले से हो।जिस दिन Good night ना आये, तुम्हें नींद आना मुश्किल होसुबह मायूस उठके तुम एक दुखी सा शेर लिखोऔर फिरसे उसे Good morning भेज के एक नयी शुरुआत करो काश तुम्हें ऐसा प्यार होकी हर रोज़ तुम उसके लिये अच्छे कपड़े पहन के सजोऔर फिर दिन भर उसके video call की राह देखोजब शाम तक कॉल न आये, तुम उसे selfie भेजके कपड़े बदल लोऔर अगले दिन एक नये ड्रेस के साथ एक नयी शुरुआत करो काश तुम्हें ऐसा… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life
- [जीना इसी का नाम है!](https://bmcblog.com/%e0%a4%9c%e0%a5%80%e0%a4%a8%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%87%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%80-%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%a8%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%ae-%e0%a4%b9%e0%a5%88/): मुंबईचं T2 आंतरराष्ट्रीय विमानतळ, सकाळी सात ची फ्लाइट असल्याने मी खूप लवकरच उठलो होतो. जेमतेम चोवीस तासांचीच ट्रिप असल्याने माझ्याकडे फार काही सामान नव्हते. फ्लाईटच्या वेळेच्या बऱ्याच अगोदर मी सगळ्या औपचारिकता पूर्ण करुन माझ्या गेट कडे चालू लागलो. हे T2 विमानतळ खूपच देखणं आहे. सगळीकडे सुबक दुकानांचा नुसता झगमगाट! त्या झगमगाटातून चालत मी माझ्या नेहमीच्या आवडत्या कॅफे पर्यंत पोहोचलो. “सगळं एयरपोर्ट इतकं सुंदर का सजवलेलं असतं? माझ्यासारखी सगळ्यांनाच विमान प्रवासाची आत कुठेतरी भीती असेल आणि अश्या विचारांवरून लक्ष घालवण्यासाठी हा सगळा सोपस्कार असेल का?” माझी कॉफ़ी समोर आली आणि मी माझ्या बालिश विचारांना आवर घातली. सकाळची कॉफ़ी म्हणजे माझ्या मनासाठीचं… Read More »The Half Path: What Abhimanyu’s Story Taught Me About Life

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