The thought balcony

  The Power of the Unseen Narrator Sometimes, after the costumes are removed and the glamour dissolves, what lingers is not the face of the heroine but the voice in the background. While watching Bridgerton and Gossip Girl, I realised that the real authority in both worlds does not belong to the socialite, the debutante, or the queen bee. It belongs to the unseen narrator — Lady Whistledown and Gossip Girl. They are not seated at the centre of the ballroom. They do not demand attention. Yet they command it. They do not create events ,they interpret them. They do not raise their voices , they frame the story. And in framing the story, they create reality. That is power. What fascinated me most was not the secrecy but the commentary. The real background score of these series is not the violins or the orchestra but the narration. A steady stream of observation guiding how we feel, what we suspect, whom we trust. And then a quiet realisation emerged. Isn’t that what o...

  The Grace That Lowers My Head Picture this-You’re finally hitting your stride. A project wraps up successfully, praise rolls in, and for a fleeting moment, you feel unstoppable and taller than you really are. The feeling is not outward, but somewhere within. Then a setback. A missed opportunity. A harsh critique. Or just the quiet weight of reality. I’ve been there more times than I can count, whispering to myself that I am nothing. Not in self-pity. Not in despair but as a reminder that anything can happen anytime and nothing is permanent. This force that pulls me down used to frustrate me. Why now? Why just when things were going well? But over time, I’ve begun to see it differently. It is not punishment. It is protection. Every time I edge toward pride, something gently reminds me to stay grounded. Achievements are fragile. Anything can change in a heartbeat. We must remember that.  I’ve also realised that success makes us visible. And visibility attracts m...

  The Rings That Completed a Story At a recent wedding, something quietly extraordinary unfolded. The celebration itself was vibrant, rooted in a community’s unique customs and aesthetics. For an outsider, the colours, rituals, and expressions of joy might have felt unfamiliar. It is easy, in such moments, to observe differences first — clothing, language, style — and unconsciously measure them against one’s own comfort zone. But beneath the visible layers of culture and celebration, a deeper story emerged. Before the bride stepped into her own marriage, she fulfilled a promise she had made as a child. Years ago, she had learned that her parents never had a proper ring ceremony when they were married. There had been no exchange of rings, no symbolic moment to seal their union. As a young girl, she noticed that absence and quietly decided to change it one day. She began saving small amounts of money — coins set aside from allowances, modest sums preserved over time. What...

  When Shiva Comes Back. My relationship with Shiva has never been linear. As a child and through my early years, I was deeply drawn to Shiva….chanting His name felt natural and effortless, almost like breathing. Before l got married ,my devotion to Shiva was steady and intimate. After marriage ,life gently shifted. I began visiting the Gurudwara more often. The rhythm of shabad kirtan entered my days. For some time I immersed myself in that devotion. Later, I found myself chanting bhajans. Gradually my heart moved toward Lord Hanuman. Now strength ,surrender and protection became meaningful to me. And yet Shiva kept returning. Not dramatically, and not insistently, but quietly, like an old presence that never truly leaves. This Maha Shivratri felt like meeting Him again after a long pause. I was not inside a temple. I was not among a physical crowd. I was at home watching the live celebration from the Isha Foundation, and softly chanting Om Namah Shivaya during Rishi...