Birthday baby!

Happy Birthday. We love you.

A Long Walk for Bina - Ruskin Bond

Recently checked something off my bucket list, illustrating a Ruskin Bond story. 

Worked with one of the nicest publishing houses, Rupa Publications and their awesome creative director, Maithili. Had a fun time churning these out, hope you enjoy the result.

(The book is available online if you'd like a copy, A Long walk for Bina, by Ruskin Bond, Illiustrated by Lavanya Naidu - Rupa publications.)

Here are some of the final illustrations/explorations! :

Ears wide open

Listener.

Ever Blossom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY DEAREST!

Last year on the 5th of November, I gifted my mother an ever blooming variety of plant, the euphorbia milli aka Milli. It was to be my proxy, while I spent time away from home travelling abroad. My mother has always been a gifted green thumb and the plant true to it's description and it's owner, has always been in bloom. 

Recently about a month ago, my parents took a vacation to the South of India. She left Milli to the care of our mashi. Mashi vowed to take care of Milli and religiously did so while my mother was away. Strange as it may be, Milli having sensed my mother's absence, refused to rejoice in a new caretaker's shower of love, and did not bloom. 

On my parents' return, mother was horrified. Milli was sunken and depressed, with not a single blossom on her.

Mashi was thoroughly confused and upset and needed much consoling.

 Mother started to talk to and take care of little Milli. Within three days time, by what I would normally call a coincidence, but what was quite obviously a Mother's love, Milli was back being her usual blossomy self, swaying in the breeze, leaves shining.

A month later, which is a few days ago, I returned from a long travel, quite exhausted and haggard. Took me two days of Ma's love and her home cooked meals to feel like Milli does. 

My mother has that effect on me, and everyone she loves. She is a miracle maker. 

Happy Birthday Mommy dearest!

We love you more than one can contain in expression.

To good health, happiness, good fortune and the superlatives of all good things in the world-

Cheers!

And Happy Birthday Milli! 

I is.

At the end of hectic Thursday.

Home

Home.

Siesta

Rainy afternoon bliss.

Happy Birthday Brother!

Happy Birthday Brother! 

I remember, very vividly, being utterly fascinated by everything my brother did when I was younger (as I'd mentioned in an earlier post). My aim in life back then, was to match up to his duck hunt high score, be able to talk about the Rock's signature moves, collect pocket money to buy Hot Wheels and get tall enough to fit into his old jeans. So many memories of playing Lego and fighting for the big pieces and the better pieces and insisting on a mushroom cut at the salon, circling future cars in Autocar, that we'd own,

 like the Lamborghini Diablo or Ferrari Testarossa. 

I almost never followed the conversations with my girl friends. I was lucky they tolerated me. 

Things have changed, over the years, and I grew my hair out and stopped watching  wrestling, but my brother has been the source of all my entertainment while I grew up. 

And I absolutely adore him for always letting me be

 a part of all that he did (albeit sometimes grudgingly).

I love you Gau'.

Happy Birthday!

Have the most brilliant year ahead.

May all your wishes come true!

with love.

Baby.

Dodo

A tribute to 'My Family and Other Animals'

Those of you who may have read the book, by the very wonderful and brilliant Mr. Gerald Durrell, will know the significance of the dodos here. 

On the left is Dodo,

on the right is Dodo the Dandie Dinmont terrier.

If you haven't read the series already, and you love Nature, 

run out or search online for copies! 

(Thank you Maddy, I owe you some ice-cream! :D)

From us to you two

Heaven

A place, where the ones we love, are cuddled up after a long day of digging holes, chasing tails and peeing off clouds (which we call rain, I believe)

Stay happy boys, nothing can touch you now.

We love you and miss you.

Dundun

DUNDUN ♥

I think this may speak for every one of my classmates from school:

 My friend Ankita's grandmother, who we lovingly call Dundun, has at some point in our school lives, been a granny to us all.

Love you so very much Dundun, 

wish you the best of health and the warmest hugs.

Adopt a puppy!

Shout out to all dog lovers in Pune!

This little puppy needs a home, he is temporarily set up at Jeev Raksha, a shelter in Pune, however the conditions aren't suitable to keep him there much longer!

He's extremely playful and very loving and deserves to have a family!

Please ask your friends if they'd like to take this furry friend in, or if they may know an animal society in Pune we can get in touch with, or if you yourself would like a most adorable furry companion, 

get in touch with:

Shubham Shreya: +91 7507551066

E-mail: shubham.graphicdesign@gmail.com

Every little action done to help spread the word could get him a loving home soon!

So don't hesitate!

Night Sky Shine

Star Studded Nights

On my recent trip to the mountains, the boy introduced me to a most wondrous spectacle. 

As darkness surrounds us,where the air is clean and night is still, the sky decks herself to the nines, with a hundred thousand stars.

Oh! What a humbling sight!

Thank you for helping me realise it's magnificence, 

and thank you for being the one I shared the experience with.

Much love, to the boy who left his heart in the mountains. 

The Sleepyhead and the Chatterbox

It's been so long since I picked up a brush and painted on paper. On my recent trip to Nepal, I had a sudden urge to sketch, so the boy bought me a sketchbook. We had only a day in hand and with the wondrous distractions of a new place, I forgot about the sketchbook, 

until now.

For the many nights you try so hard to stay awake to listen to my continuous chatter from religion, politics, to the neighborhood dogs, films and just about everything under the sun, you are truly wonderful.

 Thank you!

 (but also, you are warned, it isn't going to stop.)

(acrylics on paper)

Sing-alongs!

Music

 My fondest memories of my childhood, are weekend mornings spent with my father. He used to whip out the mic and announce to the household that we were in for a musical morning. This used to get me thoroughly excited, and within minutes I would be rummaging through the tapes at home to find a blank one to record on. The rest of the morning, would be spent singing every song I knew, and all the songs I'd picked up from Dada. We would sing and sing, sometimes just create our own lyrics as we went on, sometimes start with one song and end in another, because the tunes were similar!

 I get my love for singing and music from my Dada.

 Often at nights, just before he goes to bed, he'll ask me to sing him a song, and before you know it, we're six-seven songs down, the Eagles, the Beatles, Denver, Sinatra, what have you, creating harmonies, tapping on wood and extremely happy. 

We have a collection of audio cassettes packed somewhere, safe from the incessant bombarding of digital progress. Teaming with recordings of a most delightful childhood. 

I thank my father for creating these memories with me, and every other thing he has inspired in me and taught me. I am fortunate and grateful to be his daughter, every single day.

Dada, I love you. 

Happy Dada Day!

Love,

Mamoni.

Definitions

Definitions

As we're growing up, as we mature, we make very impressionable people. Children can sometimes be mean and hurtful, unintentionally, to the other children. Sometimes the effects last a minute, sometimes a while.

 Adults, however, can be mean and hurtful to other adults, 

much to my general dismay, intentionally.

There are various ways of dealing with snubs and rejection, some laugh it off, some turn vengeful, but some, dwell on it and let it swallow them whole. 

Everyone is different and unique in their own way, that can not be said enough, no one is entitled to fitting into someone's checklist of expectations. 

 One person's reject is another's prize,

 so why subject yourself continually to such whims?

There is nothing wrong with who we are,

whether we're tall, short, small, large, needy, greedy;

 the only danger is letting someone else's opinions and expectations define who we are.

For once, let's keep our scathing remarks and judgments away, let's give that sharp tongue a miss, that chance to gossip, that chance to take one for granted, and spend that energy in something a little more befitting to what defines us, as we claim to be, an evolved species.

(A tad preachy, I presume, but meh. :) )

Some Twelve Odd Years Ago

Rain

The rain is most definitely my most favourite time in Calcutta, not just because, everything smells like wet earth, not because it's the perfect time to have chai and pakoras, but because it brings back my fondest memories of the time spent with my best friend, Pallu. Her place was very close to school, so on some days, I'd come over for lunch, and the minute the sky got dimmer, our hearts would race and we'd rush to the terrace.

 We love the rain. And after a good soak, we'd, dry off and head to the kitchen to make macaroni in white sauce.

 That has to be the most delicious macaroni I have ever had! 
Lots of butter, chilli flakes and love.

To growing up together, and over a decade of being the best of friends,

I love you so much Pallu!

Happy Birthday Nanda!

This is coming in late, slipped my mind to post this on the 2nd of April!

Nevertheless,

To my golden drop of sun, to the reason for many smiles for over six years now, to knowing a true friend, for restoring the security that people like you, do exist and a small reminder to me, that I have been extremely lucky to have friends like you. Thank you Nanda, for everything, for all your love, for all your time and all your encouragement and advice. I know that I can always come to you, no matter how small or large the problem, and you will always have a solution, a comforting word and the will to see me through it till I am smiling. 

I am very lucky to have a rainbow crazy leprechaun like you in my life. 

I hope I can do for you, what you have done for me. 

I love you very much, here's a tight hug, from me to you.

You deserve every success and happiness in the world.

Happy Birthday!

caught in the headlights

Scandalous surprises

Love.

An Education.

I owe her all.

Growing up, my mother would (and still is) be the first to wake on weekday mornings. She would hustle about the kitchen, getting our tiffins ready, as we (my Dada, my brother and I), spent the next several minutes, in blissful, dreamless sleep.

One rare morning, I slipped out of bed, awakened by the smell of lime rice, and followed it to the kitchen. My mother was in conversation with three birds all perched on the window, curiously peering through the grills, heads tilted, listening. She was explaining to them that she would give them biscuits as soon as the rice was packed into my lunchbox. They waited patiently, and one of them, a crow she named Kaloo, sat and cawed, as if reminding her that she was not to forget them. As the years have gone by and the neighbors have changed as many times as the winds change direction, Mother's little feather friends still come back, some old, some new, sometimes rare exotic cousins, and of course, Kaloo.

 Sometimes they come for the food, sometimes they come for the love. 

She is in many ways, a mother to them

.

She has taught me to care and to be compassionate. To be unafraid and keep my friendships extended to feathered and furry creatures.

 Her love never seems to cease, and is never constrained. 

It is selfless and limitless and effortless.

She is to me, the most genuine, most wonderful human being. 

I owe her my education,

my happiness,

my love,

my life.

We love you.

Happy Mother's Day.