Much-needed course correction in finding a road among potholes and order in disorder Drastic reforms are needed toward peace and harmony via negotiations and a new order Restoring strength and hope with cutting-edge technologies for sustainable development A wide range of solutions with a people-centric equitable approach transforms settlement
Understanding community needs and commitment to redefining social welfare protocols Small consistent practical mindset changes can make a big difference in performance calls Strict agreement and best practices must extend beyond things connecting to core principles Radical mindset to moderate ideology takes their engagement in value-based activity cycles
Creating a false perception among the public via false narratives can set a wrong precedent Advocating violence in all its forms must be taken to task in public and legal action dent Crack down on organized criminal activities in all their colors/flavors is an essential action Epicenters of extremism and terrorist mindset must be firmly dismantled before distraction
Extremist agenda by radical elements raises several alarming questions about global integrity Efforts of destabilizing forces must be declared illegal and nipped in the bud for overall unity Extended global family concept eventually leads to rejuvenation, renewed focus, and energy Freedom from terrorist mindset would have a long-term impact on universal peace entropy
Offer hope and light to keep the fires of confidence, conviction, and faith burning forever Regulate harmful content and hate speech events that have real-world consequences ever Social media disregarding peoples’ sensibilities and cultural invasion demand firm actions Reversing the war trend will require deep reforms within the public mindset and interactions
Nurturing public mental state plays a pivotal role in multiphase development in life manual Make positive changes on various parameters to enhance human wellness quotient annual Build a society on strong pillars of accountability, transparency, ethics, integrity, and ecology Fanatic mindset course correction needs a blend of knowledge, experience, and technology
Let's talk about something no one likes to talk about—rejection.
You know that sinking feeling in your stomach when someone says "no," when you're left out, passed over, or just not chosen? Yeah, that one.
We've all been there.
Whether it's not getting the job you poured your heart into, a friend pulling away, a relationship that ended before you were ready, or even something as simple (but painful) as being left out of a conversation, you feel it. It stings. And sometimes, it shakes you.
This isn't just about rejection. It's about what rejection can do to us if we're not careful.
Because let's be honest—when the world says "no," it's easy to start wondering:
What's wrong with me?
Was I not good enough?
Should I even keep trying?
But here's the truth I want to walk you through: rejection doesn't define you. It reveals you.
And more importantly, it can reshape you without you losing your core.
When Rejection Feels Personal
Let's not pretend we can just "shake it off" all the time. Rejection can feel deeply personal, even when it's not meant to be.
That email that starts with, "Unfortunately..."
That friend who stops reaching out.
That silence after you open up and share something vulnerable.
It doesn't just touch your confidence—it presses hard against your identity.
But before you internalize that pain and let it become part of your story, pause.
Ask yourself, "What story am I telling myself right now?"
Because most of the time, rejection says more about timing, fit, or someone else's headspace than it does about you.
Stop Letting "No" Mean "Never"
One of the sneakiest traps of rejection is finality.
You hear "no," and it echoes like "never."
But here's the thing: most rejections are just detours. Not dead ends.
That job you didn't get? Maybe it was clearing space for something better aligned.
That relationship ended? Maybe it taught you how to love yourself more fiercely.
That opportunity that slipped away? Maybe it wasn't your opportunity to begin with.
I get it—it's hard to believe that when your chest is tight and your heart is bruised.
But think back. How many rejections eventually led you somewhere even better?
Permit Yourself to Feel It
Here's something we don't hear enough: You're allowed to grieve rejection.
You don't have to pretend it didn't hurt. You don't have to be the "strong one" all the time.
Cry. Journal. Go on a long, angry walk. Vent to someone who gets it.
Let yourself process it fully, because stuffing it down only lets it fester.
And when you've let the emotion pass through you, something incredible happens: You make room for your resilience to show up.
Rejection is Redirection
I know this phrase is all over social media these days, but hear me out: There's power in this truth.
When you're able to zoom out, you'll often see that rejection didn't remove something from your life—it redirected you toward something more aligned, more grounded, more you.
Sometimes the rejection was a gift wrapped in frustration.
Sometimes it saved you from months or years of compromise.
Rejection invites you to re-evaluate—not yourself, but the path you were on.
Hold Onto Yourself
The scariest part of rejection isn't the "no." It's what "no" tries to do to your identity.
Don't let it chip away at your worth.
Don't let it convince you to be smaller, quieter, or less you just to avoid the hurt again.
Your job isn't to avoid rejection.
Your job is to be so rooted in who you are that rejection doesn't shake your foundation.
You are still whole. Still enough. Still capable. Even when someone else doesn't see it.
So, How Do You Handle Rejection Without Losing Yourself?
Let's recap—because I know when your heart's heavy, clarity helps:
Feel it fully. Don't bottle it up. Let the emotion move through.
Challenge the story. Don't let a single "no" rewrite your worth.
Zoom out. Rejection often protects you from the wrong fit.
Reflect with kindness. Growth comes from reflection, not shame.
Keep showing up. Bravery is in the trying, not the outcome.
Final Thoughts
If you're in the thick of rejection right now, I want to say this gently but clearly, You are not broken. You are becoming.
Every "no" you face carves out space for a better "yes." Not because you weren't enough, but because you're growing into something stronger, truer, and more you.
Let the "no" be part of your story, but not the whole story.
Because the best chapters? They're still unwritten.
I'm learning this too. And if you are, I'm walking with you.
Feeling overwhelmed by school, social life, and the sheer volume of thoughts buzzing in your head? Or perhaps you're looking for a creative outlet, a secret space to explore your ideas and feelings? Look no further than the humble diary—a powerful tool that’s been cherished by thinkers, artists, and everyday individuals for centuries.
More than just scribbling down daily events, diary writing is a profound exercise in self-discovery, creativity, and personal growth. The scientific study says positive journaling gives profound impact on your life. It contributes to your mental health and overall well-being and boosts mood. And in today's digital age, it’s easier than ever to start!
Unleash Your Inner Storyteller: The Ultimate Guide on How to Write Diary
How often should I write in my diary? Do I have to write every day?
Absolutely not! While "diary" often implies daily, the best frequency is whatever works for you. Some days you might have a lot to say, other days just a few lines. The key is consistency over quantity.
What should I write about if nothing "exciting" happened?
You don't need dramatic events to fill your diary! The most profound entries often come from reflecting on the "ordinary."
Is it okay if my diary entries are messy, unorganised, or full of mistakes?
YES! In fact, that's the whole point! Your diary is your private space, not a graded assignment.
How do I keep my diary private and secure from others?
Online Journals (like MemoirDiary.com): This is where digital excels! Choose a reputable platform that offers:
Using an online platform often feels more secure than a physical book that can be misplaced or discovered.
Strong Password Protection: Use a unique, complex password.
Encryption: Ensures your data is scrambled and secure.
Privacy Settings: Check that your entries are set to private by default.
Can diary writing really help me with school or my future?
Absolutely! While it might feel personal, the skills you develop through diary writing are highly transferable and beneficial for both academics and life.
Guide to Diary Writing
Let's dive into everything students need to know about diary writing, from the basics to why platforms like MemoirDiary.com are your new best friend.
What is diary writing anyway?
At its core, diary writing is the practice of regularly recording your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and observations in a private space. It’s a personal conversation with yourself, a candid record of your journey. Unlike a school essay, there are no right or wrong answers, no grades, and no judgement. It's just you, your thoughts, and the page.
Why Should Students Keep a Diary? The Amazing Benefits!
You might think diary writing is just for historical figures or angsty teenagers (think Adrian Mole!). But the benefits for students are immense and surprisingly practical:
Boosts Self-Awareness: Understanding your own emotions, reactions, and thought patterns is crucial for mental well-being and maturity. A diary helps you track how you feel and why.
Improves Writing Skills: Regular writing, even informal, strengthens your vocabulary, sentence structure, and descriptive abilities. This directly translates to better essays, reports, and communication.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Pouring out your worries onto paper can be incredibly therapeutic. It helps you process difficult emotions, identify problems, and even find solutions.
Enhances Memory: Ever forget what you did last week? Your diary becomes a personal archive, helping you remember important events, lessons learnt, and even funny moments.
Fosters Creativity: A diary is a safe space for brainstorming ideas, developing characters, sketching stories, or even writing poems. It's your personal creative playground.
Develops Problem-Solving Skills: By articulating challenges in your diary, you can gain clarity and often find new perspectives or solutions you hadn't considered.
Tracks Progress: Whether it's academic goals, personal habits, or creative projects, a diary allows you to see how far you've come over time.
Diary Format: No Strict Rules, But Here’s a Common Structure
The beauty of a diary is its freedom! There's no single "correct" format, but here's a common structure that you many find helpful. You can use date, dear friends (if you are writing online), To my self, etc. You also have to remember to leave your post having good sign-off that left unfinished. May be interested task that you are going to finish next day or time that keep you inspire to write. Know the important aspect of diary what all that should be including,
Date and Time: Always start with the current date (and time, if you wish). This anchors your entry in time.
Example: May 24, 2025, 8:30 PM
Salutation (Optional): Many people like to address their diary, like a trusted friend.
Example: Dear Diary, My Journal, To My Confidant, Hey Me, Self...
Opening Statement: A quick summary of your mood or the main event of the day.
Example: "Today was a rollercoaster..." or "I'm feeling really reflective tonight."
The Body: This is where you write freely.
Events: What happened today? Who did you talk to? What did you do at school?
Thoughts: What are you thinking about? Ideas, questions, observations.
Feelings: How did those events or thoughts make you feel? Explore your emotions.
Reflections/Lessons: What did you learn? What would you do differently? What are you grateful for?
Future Hopes/Plans: What are you looking forward to? What do you want to achieve?
Closing (optional): A brief sign-off.
Example: Until tomorrow. That's all for now. Sleep well, your friend.
Diary Topics & Ideas for Students: Never Run Out of Things to Write!
Stuck on what to write? Here are endless ideas for your diary entries, including day-to-day good and bad parts of the day. Note: When you write about gratitude, do not talk about the negative side of the story.
Personal & reflective:
How was your day, really? What was the best/worst part?
What are you grateful for today?
What challenges are you facing at school or with friends? How do you feel about them?
Write about a dream you had.
Describe your emotions right now. Why do you feel that way?
What's something new you learnt today?
Reflect on a recent conversation or argument.
What are your goals for tomorrow, next week, or this year?
Write a letter to your future self.
What's a fear you have? How does it affect you?
Creative and Imaginative:
Describe your ideal day in vivid detail.
Create a character and write a short scene with them.
Write a poem about something you saw today.
Imagine you have a superpower. What is it, and how do you use it?
Describe a place you love using all five senses.
Write a fictional dialogue between two unexpected characters.
Brainstorm ideas for a story, a project, or even a new invention.
School & Academic:
What was the most interesting thing you learnt in class today?
Which subject is challenging you most, and why?
Reflect on a recent test or assignment. What went well? What could be improved?
Write down questions you have about a topic you're studying.
Plan out your study schedule for the week.
Describe your ideal learning environment.
Types of Diaries You Can Keep:
Daily Diary: The most common type, recording day-to-day events and feelings.
Gratitude Journal: Focuses solely on things you are grateful for.
Dream Journal: Records dreams immediately after waking up.
Travel Journal: Documents experiences, observations, and feelings during a trip.
Bullet Journal: A customisable system for planning, tracking, and journaling (often with a creative flair).
Reading Journal: Notes and reflections on books you've read.
Project Journal: Tracks progress, ideas, and challenges for a specific project.
Why Online Journaling (Like MemoirDiary.com) is a Game-Changer for Students and experience writers
While a physical notebook has its charm, online journaling platforms offer unique advantages, especially for students.
Accessibility & Portability: Write anywhere, anytime—on your phone, tablet, or computer. No more forgetting your notebook! Your diary is always with you.
Privacy & Security: Reputable online platforms offer password protection and encryption, keeping your thoughts safe from prying eyes (unlike a physical diary that can be easily found or lost).
Searchability: Quickly find old entries by date, keyword, or tag. Imagine instantly finding that thought you had last year about your career goals!
Multimedia Integration: Add photos, links, or even audio notes to your entries, making them richer and more dynamic.
Organisation: Categorise entries by theme (e.g., "School," "Friends," "Feelings"), tag them, or organise by date, making it easy to browse your journey.
No Limits: Never run out of pages! Online journals offer unlimited space for your thoughts.
Less Intimidating: For some, a blank digital page feels less daunting than a pristine physical notebook. You can easily edit or delete without "ruining" a page.
Eco-Friendly: Reduces paper consumption.
You can create your own diary where all the thoughts and reflections are on one page. eg: memoirdiary.com/diary/author/michael-jackson/ where all the entries will be found.
At MemoirDiary.com, building a space where you can securely and creatively cultivate your personal narrative. Read others reflections, it's designed to be intuitive, and inspiring—the perfect digital companion for your journaling journey.
Start Your Diary Today!
Whether you choose a classic notebook or a modern online platform, the most important step is to simply begin. Dedicate a few minutes each day, or even a few times a week, to jot down your thoughts. You'll be amazed at how quickly your diary becomes an indispensable tool for self-discovery, creativity, and navigating the exciting adventure of being a student.
Your story is worth telling. Start writing it today!
Much-needed course correction in finding a road among potholes and order in disorder. Drastic reforms are needed toward peace and harmony via negotiations and a new order. Restoring strength and hope with cutting-edge technologies for sustainable development. A wide range of solutions with a people-centric equitable approach transforms settlement.
Understanding community needs and commitment to redefining social welfare protocols. Small consistent practical mindset changes can make a big difference in performance calls. Strict agreement and best practices must extend beyond things connecting to core principles. Radical mindset to moderate ideology takes their engagement in value-based activity cycles.
Creating a false perception among the public via false narratives can set a wrong precedent. Advocating violence in all its forms must be taken to task in public and legal action dent. Crack down on organized criminal activities in all their colors/flavors is an essential action. Epicenters of extremism and terrorist mindset must be firmly dismantled before distraction.
Extremist agenda by radical elements raises several alarming questions about global integrity. Efforts of destabilizing forces must be declared illegal and nipped in the bud for overall unity. Extended global family concept eventually leads to rejuvenation, renewed focus, and energy. Freedom from terrorist mindset would have a long-term impact on universal peace entropy.
Offer hope and light to keep the fires of confidence, conviction, and faith burning forever. Regulate harmful content and hate speech events that have real-world consequences ever. Social media disregarding peoples’ sensibilities and cultural invasion demand firm actions. Reversing the war trend will require deep reforms within the public mindset and interactions.
Nurturing public mental state plays a pivotal role in multiphase development in life manual. Make positive changes on various parameters to enhance human wellness quotient annual. Build a society on strong pillars of accountability, transparency, ethics, integrity, and ecology. Fanatic mindset course correction needs a blend of knowledge, experience, and technology.
O you brave men or the most hateful individuals, Whether you are engaged in a religious war, Acting as the agents of some authority, Or dancing to the tunes of your Master's Voice, What have you accomplished? For money? Then ask the tailor to sew a pocket onto your last garment. If you believe you have months to live before reaching heaven, Realise that in pursuit of a paradise, that no one has seen, You have turned 'Heaven on Earth' into hell.
Have you seen the image of the innocent face, Still adorned with chura in her arms, Henna on her hands, and the fragrance of fresh rose petals Showered on her during her marriage just days ago? Now the head of her husband rests in her lap. They came to Pahalgam to create beautiful memories of their marriage, But what has become of that hope? May the Almighty spare your loved ones from such a fate.
Reflect on what you truly gain from such actions. Do you consider how the noble souls who have perished in this violence Will console their families? O Kings of the Kingdom of Hatred, Cease this horrific war; do not play with the lives of innocent people. O Heaven on Earth, today the lovers of humanity are ashamed of the actions of misguided individuals. Grant them a sense of compassion, if you can.
“We need to generate leads.” Sounds familiar? If only I got a penny every time clients & potential clients have said this to me. Here’s the catch: 97% of your audience isn’t ready to buy today.
So why keep microwaving content like instant noodles & expecting a five-course meal? Demand generation isn’t about forcing leads— it’s about planting seeds. Here’s how to grow them right:
1. Awareness First, Leads Later:
Forget instant conversions. Start by positioning your expertise, experience & unique value through content that educates, not sells. Think blogs, videos & webinars that answer burning questions.
Example: A SaaS company creates a YouTube series on “How to Reduce Customer Churn” instead of pushing a product demo.
2. Know Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Inside Out:
Guessing your audience’s pain points? That’s like baking a cake without a recipe.
Do this: Use intent data to track online behaviors and tailor content to what your ICP actually needs.
Pro tip: Narrow your ICP as much as possible. A vague audience = generic messaging that falls flat.
3. Show Them What They Need (Before They Know It):
Your audience might not be searching for your solution yet. Create demand by highlighting problems they’re ignoring.
Tactic: Publish ungated “how-to” guides (e.g., “5 Signs Your Sales Process Is Leaking Revenue”) to build trust.
Case study: Brands like Seiko used targeted display ads to boost keyword searches by 110%— by focusing on customer needs, not products.
4. Relationships > Transactions:
People buy from brands they trust.
Host webinars or workshops to engage prospects face-to-face (even virtually).
Leverage LinkedIn ads or email sequences to nurture leads with personalized content, not sales pitches.
5. Measure, Iterate, Repeat:
Track everything— content engagement, ad performance, lead quality. Double down on what works.
Tool hack: Use retargeting ads to re-engage visitors who consumed your content but didn’t convert.
The Bottom Line
Demand generation isn’t a 2-minute noodle hack. You can’t just pour hot water on half-baked content and call it a meal. It’s a slowsimmer— educating, earning trust & staying on their radar until your ideal customer wakes up one day thinking, “Damn,Ineedwhatthey’reserving.” So stop fishing for instant leads. Start cooking real demand. Also, read my last article on Content Creation Challenges.
This piece is a heartfelt reflection on the unseen emotional and mental labor mothers carry in silence. It sheds light on how society often glorifies motherhood with ideals of strength, sacrifice, and selflessness, while failing to recognize the immense personal cost these expectations can bring. The writing challenges the romanticized notion of the “supermom,” emphasizing how this narrative contributes to the invisibility of a mother’s emotional struggles. Through vivid expressions and honest admissions, the writer gives voice to countless mothers who feel unheard, overwhelmed, and undervalued, despite giving their all to their families.
The final sections underscore the urgent need for acknowledgment, compassion, and open conversations about the realities of motherhood. The emphasis is not on seeking pity but on reclaiming the space to feel, to rest, and to be human. It encourages mothers to speak up, ask for help, and allow themselves to exist beyond their roles. The message is clear: in order to build a better, emotionally healthy future for our children, we must first start by nurturing the emotional well-being of mothers themselves. Recognizing their invisible load is the first step in honoring not just the idea of motherhood, but the women who live it every single day.
We talk about how beautiful motherhood is. But what about the weight no one sees?
Let me say this upfront: this is not a pity piece. It’s not about “poor moms” or “motherhood is suffering.”
I love being a mom—with all my heart.
Motherhood is powerful. It’s transformative. It’s sacred.
But somewhere along the way, culture wrapped that sacredness in silence— in expectations, in myths we never questioned.
And because of that, motherhood can feel… invisible.
Over the years, we’ve turned mothers into superheroes. And that sounds like a compliment—until you realise: Superheroes are expected to do it all. Without a pause. Without asking for help.
The Invisible Load We Carry
You do everything:
Pack the lunchboxes. Fold the little socks. Remember every birthday, every doctor’s appointment, every school event.
You cheer the loudest. You love the hardest.
And somehow… you’re still the last person to get a “How are you doing?”
That’s the disadvantage. The part no one warns you about.
We hear it all the time:
Mothers are selfless.
Mothers always put family first.
Mothers are meant to be strong.
And so, we do. We give. We bend.
Because strength has been romanticised. Because sacrifice has been worshipped.
It’s the idea that you’re not allowed to feel overwhelmed by it all. That if you do somehow, you’ve failed.
Motherhood slowly becomes an identity that swallows every other one you had. You’re no longer the writer, the dreamer, the dancer, the girl with silly quirks. You’re just—“mumma.”
A beautiful title, yes. But also a heavy one.
The Silent Sacrifices
It’s in the way the world expects you to be okay. All. The. Time.
You’re expected to keep the ship sailing, even when you’re drowning below deck. To smile through exhaustion. To juggle everything with grace.
We’ve been conditioned to believe that motherhood means being the eternal caretaker, even at the cost of our well-being. Somewhere along the line, self-care became a luxury instead of a necessity.
This isn’t about blaming anyone. Our grandmothers did it. Our mothers did it. And now, we’re expected to continue—without questioning the weight passed down from generation to generation.
The silent strength of holding it all together while coming undone.
There are days when the weight of motherhood feels heavier than I can carry. There are nights when I lie awake, wondering if anyone truly understands the mental load I carry.
There are moments when I question whether I’ve lost parts of myself in the process—whether I’m still me, or just a collection of roles.
It’s a constant balancing act: Trying to nurture your family while also trying to nurture yourself. Trying to be everything to everyone, without completely losing yourself in the process.
And no matter how much we try, the guilt creeps in. If we take time for ourselves, we feel selfish. If we push through exhaustion, we feel like we’re failing at motherhood.
The unspoken disadvantage? We’re not allowed to feel both exhausted and loved. Both burned out and worthy.
The Quiet Strength We’ve Come To Expect
There’s a certain quiet strength in motherhood.
It’s the strength that says, “I’ve got this,” even when you’re on the brink of collapse. It’s the strength that keeps you going, even when you feel like you’ve given all you have to give.
And yet—it’s the very thing that makes it hard to ask for help. To show weakness. To admit when you’re struggling.
Because we’ve been taught that if we don’t make it look easy, we’re failing.
I’m here to tell you: You’re not failing. No one has it all together all the time. Not even superheroes.
And maybe it’s time we stop expecting ourselves, as mothers, to be superhuman. Maybe it’s time we start acknowledging the weight we carry— and stop pretending it doesn’t exist.
What’s Missing: Acknowledgment, Pauses, And Support
Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t trade motherhood for anything.
But I do wish for: More acknowledgment. More pauses. More hugs.
So here I am, saying it out loud. Not for sympathy. But for love.
The real weight of motherhood isn’t in everything we do— It’s in everything we silently feel and don’t share, Just because our emotions might be ‘too much’ for the world.
Motherhood is all-encompassing. But that doesn’t mean it should take everything away.
It’s okay to say, I need a break. It’s okay to feel tired, overwhelmed, and unsure. And it’s okay to take a moment.
Because when we do, we create space for ourselves and our families. Space to breathe. To be honest. To be heard.
And that honesty? It makes our relationships stronger. It helps us let go of silent grudges. It helps us release the blame. It helps us accept, with love.
If we want something better for our daughters, our sons, and ourselves, We have to start talking. Out loud and unfiltered.
Because motherhood deserves honour that’s worth protecting. But mothers? They deserve to be seen, too.
Even the strongest hearts need rest, and even the kindest souls deserve to be seen. Acknowledgment can be the beginning of healing.
Girish Karnad (May 19, 1938 – June 10, 2019) was an incredible Indian actor, filmmaker, and writer who made a huge impact in the world of Kannada literature and beyond. He was a Jnanpith award winner and worked across various languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Marathi. When he started writing plays in the 1960s, it was a big turning point for modern Indian playwriting in Kannada.
For around forty years, he wrote plays that often mixed history and mythology with today's issues. He even translated his works into English and got a lot of praise for them. At the time he began writing, Kannada literature was really influenced by Western literature, and many writers were choosing topics that didn't feel very local or connected to their roots. But then, after reading C. Rajagopalachari's version of the Mahabharata in 1951, something clicked for him. Karnad discovered a fresh way to use historical and mythological stories to explore modern themes and the existential struggles of people today. He created characters who faced deep psychological and philosophical challenges, making his work resonate with many.
One such play of his is ‘The Fire and the Rain’, which is counted among Karnad’s most popular and highly acclaimed plays. Originally written in Kannada as ‘Agni Mattu Male’, this play takes its story from the later chapters of the Mahabharata. During the Pandava’s pilgrimage to the heavens they pass through a sacred spot and Sage Lomaasha narrates to Yudhishthira the story of the death and resurrection of sage Yavakrita.
The Story of Yavakrita
Once there were two sages who were friends—Raibhya and Bharadwaj. Raibhya had two sons, Paravasu and Aravasu, while Bharadwaj had one son, Yavakrita. Yavakrita envied the respect that Raibhya and his sons received. He wanted to be wiser and more knowledgeable. Instead of taking the traditional route of studying under a guru, he decided to go into the jungle and commit to deep penance to force the gods to grant him knowledge.
Indra, the king of the gods, came down to teach him about the flaw in his approach. However, seeing Yavakrita's stubbornness, Indra ultimately granted him knowledge of all the Vedas and beyond.
Later one day Yavakrita is passing by Raibhya’s hermitage and finds that his daughter-in-law, alone, and rapes her. When Raibhya learns of this he creates two creatures – a beautiful woman who entices Yavakrita and a rakshasa who kills him. Upon seeing his son dead Bharadwaj is grieved and dies, but not before setting a curse on Paravasu that he will be the cause of his father Raibhya’s death.
The curse comes to fruition when, one day, Paravasu returns home utterly exhausted after performing a yajna for a king. In the darkness, he mistakes Raibhya for a wild animal and, in self-defense, shoots an arrow, accidentally killing him. To protect Paravasu, Raibhya’s younger son takes the blame for the death, allowing Paravasu to continue with his yajna. In his grief, Aravasu prays to the gods and manages to bring his father, Bharadwaj, and Yavakrita back to life.
The story illustrates how, despite possessing extensive knowledge, Yavakrita ultimately had no control over his senses because he failed to follow the proper path of serving a guru, leading to his downfall.
Book: The Fire and the Rain
Girish Karnad significantly alters the story to incorporate themes of love, betrayal, jealousy, and revenge. The play is set against the backdrop of a prolonged drought affecting a kingdom. Paravasu, the chief priest, is conducting a seven-year-long sacrifice to appease Indra, the god of rain and the king of all deities. The action begins as the sacrifice is nearing its conclusion.
The Fire And The Rain
Upon reading the play, we observe that the relationship between Yavakrita, referred to as Yavakri in the play, and Paravasu’s wife, Vishakha, is altered. In this version, Yavakri and Vishakha were lovers before he left for a ten-year penance. She is later married off to Paravasu and endures an unhappy life, striving to be the ideal wife and daughter-in-law. When Yavakri meets Vishakha again, they engage in a conversation. Vishakha reveals that during the first year of their marriage, Paravasu hardly spoke to her. He was perpetually in search of knowledge and used her body to satisfy his physical desires. And then he left for the sacrifice and has not seen her in seven years. By the end of their conversation, Yavakri manages to coerce her into having intercourse with him.
Then there’s Raibhya. Here the highly revered sage is presented as a vile old man. When he learns about Vishakha’s infidelity he calls her a whore and slaps and kicks her. He is angry at Yavakri for ruining his family's reputation and awakens a Bramharakshasa, a Brahmin soul stuck between the mortal world and the afterlife, to kill Yavakri. When Vishakha goes to warn Yavakri about the danger to his life, he reveals how he did this as revenge, because he believed that his father Bharadwaja deserved more respect than Raibhya.
After Yavakri’s death Paravasu comes to the hermitage in secret at night. This leads to a scene where Vishakha has a conversation with him where she conveys her feelings of loneliness and misery. She reveals that Raibhya was envious of his own son for becoming the chief priest in the sacrifice instead of him, and he expressed this jealousy by sexually assaulting his daughter-in-law. Additionally, she highlights that both he and Yavakri exploited her body for their selfish needs. After Vishakha's heartfelt outburst, she asks Paravasu to kill her with an arrow to free her from her disgrace. Instead, Paravasu shoots the arrow at Raibhya.
One might assume that he killed Raibhya out of anger. However, he reveals that he was aware of Raibhya's jealousy. He says that Raibhya had killed Yavakri to divert his attention from the sacrifice, ultimately ruining it. And that is why he killed Raibhya. He tells Aravasu that he mistakenly thought their father was an animal in the dark and shot him. Later, he placed the blame for Raibhya's death on Aravasu.
And then we come to Aravasu, the younger son of Raibhya. He is portrayed as the simple and innocent younger son of Raibhya, caught in this convoluted drama. He has no interest in learning the scriptures; instead, he dreams of dancing and performing alongside his lover, Nittilai, a tribal girl. Aravasu wishes to marry Nittilai and is even willing to abandon his Brahmin caste for her. However, due to a series of unforeseen events, he is unable to do so, and Nittilai’s father has her marry another man.
Nittilai is not merely a love interest for Aravasu; she is given a voice and actively questions the rules and traditions that bind her. She questions Yavakri’s search for knowledge, asking why he did not ask Indra to end the drought, helping all the people in misery. Ultimately, when she is married against her will, she chooses to run away to be with Aravasu.
The most significant change that Karnad makes to the story is the ending. In this version, Indra is pleased with Aravasu and grants him a boon. The scene depicts the souls of all the dead characters standing, hoping to be brought back to life. However, the Bramharakshasa then begs Aravasu to ask for his freedom from the cycle of life and death, which Aravasu does. So, opposite to the original story, Yavakri is not resurrected. He faces the consequences of his actions.
Reading the original story and then the play, it is not hard to tell why Karnad made the changes. The most prominent reason is that the original tale entirely sidelines the woman who was sexually assaulted. Paravasu’s wife is a plot device that leads to Yavakrita’s death. The story tells us that Since Yavakrita gained knowledge through a shortcut, he had not achieved the control over his senses that comes with proper study under a guru. That is why he raped the woman. In the end, he is brought back to life, and it is presented as a happy ending
The play provides the wife with an identity by giving her a name, Vishakha, and a voice of her own, allowing her to express herself as an individual, which is absent in the original narrative. Her voice is presented as the voice of rebellion against the patriarchal society that reduces women to nothing but tools for pleasure. He does the same with the character of Nittilai as well. She is put into a marriage against her will, however, she dares to not accept that as her fate.
Karnad depicts the casteism prevalent at the time, and unfortunately still exists today in the play. It is earlier established in the play that actors are of low caste, just because they indulge in pretense. Even if a person is born a Brahmin, he loses his caste if he becomes an actor. Earlier in the play, when the character of the actor-manager comes to offer to perform a play to please Indra, he is asked not to look at the sacrificial pyre, as it will pollute the sacrifice.
The story of Nittilai depicts casteism but from a different angle. Aravasu is supposed to be present in front of Nittilai’s whole village and ask for her hand. Nittilai’s father, who is the village chief is distrustful of Brahmins, as he believes that they only like to use women from lower caste for sex, but would not marry them. Later when Aravasu is unable to come, Nittilai’s father has her married that very night. Because of the exploitation from the upper castes, the chief becomes extremely distrustful of the Brahmins.
Girish Karnad, in his play ‘The Fire and the Rain’ is a perfect example of his humanistic approach to seeing the world. Despite presenting the world as a place full of suffering, selfishness, and betrayal, in the end, there is a clear commitment to moral values. Karnad explores the very unfortunate ills of modern society through using mythology as the backdrop.
It’s 5:00 AM in a middle-class family: It’s 5:00 AM in an Indian middle-class family with an artistic inclination. These families are different from the non-artistic ones. They hang Ajanta wall clocks in their drawing rooms—just one. The non-artistic families hang one only if it is gifted to them at a wedding, theirs or someone else’s. Otherwise, they don’t bother. The music annoys them when it is paid for. Why would someone pay for annoyance? Free is musical; paid is nonsensical.
Ajanta Wall Clock
So, at 5:00 AM, the Ajanta wall clock sings its usual tune. Only background music, no lyrics—karaoke style. The whole 1300-square-foot house fills with its melody. Such homes have grown up with Ajanta; they sense time by hearing it, not seeing it. Ajanta Group understood this middle-class pulse well in the 1980s. They remain profitable to this day.
I have belonged to an artistic family for the past 18.5 years. Because we have had an Ajanta wall clock for the past 18.5 years. It hangs in the same place, singing every hour. Each hour has its distinct tune, from 1 to 12, repeating itself. We don’t mind repetition. A 12-hour gap offers enough eternity to make it fresh again. The middle class is happy with that—more than happy. Time gets melody. Their lives may not, yet their time does. Sometimes, the clock sings with a sore throat. That’s when it’s time to replace the battery. The battery, which, nine out of ten times, is either missing or cannot be found when needed. But it must be replaced. Not because time has gone awry, but because the music has lost its charm. Eventually, during an Amazon Sale Day, batteries are bought in bulk, and Ajanta gets its cough syrup. It recovers instantly.
The companionship of Ajanta with the middle-class family hinges on its hourly tunes. To the middle-class soul, it is heart-rending. Followed by intermittent sounds. Usually, the first is the sound of thunder. Not from the sky, but from the kitchen—the whistle of a pressure cooker. A 5-litre pressure cooker sits on the largest burner of a 3-burner stove, more often than not the only one that burns with adequate flame. The flame roars, the cooker whistles and thunders. They complement each other, made for each other since the historic beginning of cookers. This episode is usually brief unless the rubber gasket is in an avenging mood.
One cannot estimate the power of this thin rubber ring until one has dealt with it twice a day for three months. A bit of slackening, and you are stuck with leaking water forever. The sound of trapped steam, which should escape through the whistle, instead comes from everywhere except the whistle—threatening. At 6 o’clock, already late morning for the middle class, nothing is scarier than a cooker that won’t whistle on time. It’s a nightmare in broad daylight.
The next few hours are filled with other sounds—bedsheets being shuffled, water gushing from every tap, the clatter of vessels, the zipping and zapping of school bags. The middle class finishes its never-ending work, tasks running in parallel. Important ones squeezed between routine ones, like morning family talks, which happen in the brief pauses between the wash and dry cycles of the washing machine. Otherwise, they go unheard. Zero-noise washing machines in middle-class homes run at 100 decibels. They are vocal, like everything else—the bedroom fan that needs a complete overhaul, the tube light humming for the past two weeks, the sparking mixer wire wrapped in tape, sometimes throwing 500-volt sparks of agony. Everything competes to drown the others out. In a middle-class home, nothing is ever silent.
And then, at the end of the month, there is another sound—the sound of currency. A near-silent sound, yet powerful enough to silence everything else. The middle class loves this sound, whether in the form of crisp notes in hand or bank balances glowing on glass screens. This sound gives them a voice. It lays the foundation for future decisions—decisions about which new sounds will be added, which will be fixed, and which will be silenced. It is always the near future that worries the middle class. The far future moves too fast, too silently, becoming the near future before they know it. And yet, they hear it—just in time.
Fast forward 7 hours. It’s 7:00 PM.
There are sounds again. The sounds of people. The sounds of footsteps moving between rooms and the kitchen. The dining table fills with voices. TV sounds take over—not just ours but also our neighbors’. We listen to our TV and theirs. We discuss similarities and differences in our TV sounds. Discussions start with TV shows and lead to mindsets—inevitably. Then come the sounds of mindsets—ours and our neighbors’. Each believes their sound is better. Ignoring the similarities, which are so close they could be interchangeable. This is the song of bonding that connects middle-class families.
Within the confines of ‘upper middle class’ and ‘lower middle class,’ they move slightly up or down, never crossing the upper or lower limits. Collectively, they form the ‘mid-middle class.’ Beyond the upper limit, sounds are so silent they seem nonexistent—yet they are extremely powerful. Below the lower limit, sounds are so loud and public that middle-class sophistication finds them embarrassing. So, the mid-middle-class sounds stay within their confines, ever-changing and yet never changing.
Time moves at triple speed—three hours in one hour. It’s 10:00 PM. The Ajanta wall clock sings again. Each song piles onto the already triggered anxiety. The day is ending. The sound of time mixed with the sound of anxiety speeds things up like a catalyst. Ten hours’ worth of work gets squeezed into four. The resulting screech is terrifying to an outsider, like an overloaded machine about to collapse. To the middle class, it is an everyday ritual. They are unbothered.
These sounds, in different notes and tones, say different things. All mixed up, yet distinct. The sound of frustration and the sound of calming down. The sound of missing books and stationery and the sound of desks being ransacked. The sound of hopelessness and the sound of hope. These sounds prevail for a few hours. Then, they submerge into silence.
The middle class sleeps. To relive the same sounds the next morning. With Ajanta wall clock, at 5:00 AM.
Are Musk and AI reshaping democracy? Surveillance, privacy, and productivity challenges loom as technology changes how we live, work, and govern ourselves.
This afternoon, I sat in my chair again to admire the beautiful surrounding nature. It seems as if spring is making its appearance in the Netherlands earlier this year. I find it very admirable how nature follows its course every year. Spring, summer, and winter come every year, yet this time there is something that prevents me from fully enjoying this process. My mind distracts me from these beautiful seasonal changes.
While watching a Danish police series on television, a whole new world is opening up to me. I had noticed many things individually before, but suddenly I began to see the bigger picture. It may sound strange to say, but the election of Donald Trump in America and his appointment of Tesla boss Elon Musk as one of his advisors, in particular, opened the "door" for me. The way Musk is now trying to restructure the U.S. government through various technical AI tricks, which I consider almost scandalous, caught my attention.
Do we still live in a democracy?
Picture: CNN & The Guardian (Elon Musk, Donald trump & Yuval Noah Harari
You probably know from the news how Musk is doing. According to him, the world must and can be much more productive. After that, I don’t completely blame Musk, because that wouldn’t be fair. Of course, in almost every country in the world, there are industries and people who lag behind in productivity. Many areas could be done much better in a "Tesla" way, but will there still be enough work in the world for all the billions of people, or are we heading toward "new" poverty? Where will people without work and income go in this world? But, okay, many people in Africa also "survive" in poverty without food and drink, right?
The developments in America also made me think about what’s happening in my own country, and perhaps in all of Europe. Before I continue, I want to tell you that even my mother, who passed away far too early, used to tell me as a young boy that “there is usually a ‘good’ side to every bad decision.” So, I try to keep thinking optimistically, but that is not always easy, I can tell you. As I looked out my window at the beautiful nature, I had to reflect on how we, as humans, are being managed by a few “figures” who act "for our good."
Are we going back to a situation like before the Second World War?
Many people may have fortunately forgotten the situation in Europe before the Second World War, but in my view, it consisted of pure poverty and an almost inhuman life. People worked as slaves for a pittance, and when there was no more work? If I am to believe Yuval Noah Harari in his latest book, Nexus, the system was entwined by government spies, especially in the former "Eastern Bloc." People constantly checked on each other on behalf of their governments. There were spies at every "meeting," and you couldn’t trust anyone. You could only work hard until the job was done and keep your mouth shut.
What were the things that made me think? At that moment, I thought as I looked out the window into the garden: "Can we, as humans, still do things in freedom?" Sure, some form of data and privacy protection has been established, but what is the government quietly doing to control the so-called small group of criminals? Smartphones can now be traced everywhere. Any home camera that might not be pointed at the neighbor’s garden can be monitored by the police, and the recorded images must always be available to them. Every new car is (supposedly) equipped with a tracking system that can also be accessed by the police at any time.
There are fewer and fewer officers on the streets in the Netherlands. I’ve written about this before—police are increasingly being replaced by so-called BOAs (special enforcement officers) and computers. There are cameras on the highways that can pinpoint our exact location based on our license plates. Companies can remotely track how many keystrokes per minute their employees make on word processors, and the cameras in laptops can be accessed by companies at "desired" times. Don’t you think this is a threat to your privacy? What good is so-called privacy protection as a stopgap measure? Yes, criminals should be punished, but what about the rest of the population and their privacy? People can only perceive what they see, but where is the development of our world heading, and who is pulling the strings without our influence?
