The novel is wrought with violence, both internal and external and noise, that I heard, and shrunk from. Yet there are moments of pause, when I put the book down because I could take no more of the stark imageries that seem to streak the afterlife; dismembered limbs, blood-stained bandanas, eyes in various hues, skulls and ghouls and all that can make you tremble in your sleep. There is unsettling humour that lines the almost-400 page novel.
“Motherhood means attachment. And today, as I sit at my desk, I tell myself each day, to love and let be; to appreciate but not advise; to converse as equals- listen more, not judge and coerce and pile my expectations onto their lives. Easy? Nah.Â
 What are my expectations?”Â
5 women decide to head out to the vineyards at Khao Yai in Thailand. They explore wineries, waterfalls, rain clouds, lily ponds while being enthralled by monkeys, deer and elephants! A day by day account of a joyous holiday full of happy surprises.
Klara is not just intelligent and insightful, she is also noble, which gives rise to the thought that perhaps we undermine those we consider robotic; we humans tend to disregard those very folk who display emotions with difficulty.
Perhaps it is an error to deem them less sensitive?
There is a freshness to her writing; a simplicity in it that belies the depth of what the story carries in its womb- the profound pain and the undying will to live on with it, as second skin.
A script and screenwriting workshop in a haven called Himalayan Writer’s Retreat nestled in the mountains at Satkhol (3 hours from the plains at Kathgodam) en route via Bhimtal. It was an enriching experience with participants from all over India and abroad. Anu Singh Choudhary who has co-scripted many screenplays such as Aryaa, mentored us with great patience and panache. The four-day workshop was a great learning experience. And in such an idyllic environment too.
We aren’t here on earth in order to bend over backward to resemble everybody else. We’re here to be ourselves, in all our gnarly brilliance.