A letter I wrote to a stranger. For you, I mean.
Author Archives: Deepak Rana
Aman Ki Aisha
Illustration by: Nidhi Chanani 1 1 April, 1998 “Stop! Stop! Stop!,” shouted Mani, at the top of her voice, before turning her gaze, upon the TV screen. Aman obeyed the instruction, and stood at the edge of the veranda (on his bare feet), holding the bamboo stick (with a TV antenna clamped to it), in hisContinue reading “Aman Ki Aisha”
Oh Nationalism: Excerpts
What constitutes a nation? If it is language, then we have multilingual nations, if it is history then we have seen nations getting divided over the period of time, if it is ethnicity then most of today’s nation will cease to exist; some nations exist on the idea of religion, but many do not. AccordingContinue reading “Oh Nationalism: Excerpts”
All You Need To Know About Jokes
Humour is a powerful tool. Not to the extent where you can consider it mightier than a sword (don’t even try it), but fairly powerful, to seduce some, and to scare some away. A joke (I mean your life), is more complicated than it first seems. You may argue that what is the point ofContinue reading “All You Need To Know About Jokes”
Oh Religion!
The world (well, most of it) is aspiring for peace today, but there are a few people who remain enthusiastic about killing in the name of religion, and they have their reasons too. Let us have a look at that. If we start our discussion with a belief system that has ceased to exist today, Aztecs wouldContinue reading “Oh Religion!”
7 Beautiful Passages from Literature
In this post, I am sharing some of the finest passages I have ever come across.
Why I want to leave India
Do you want to stay in India? I have often asked myself this question and I have never got a single answer to it. But with time, it seems, my confusion is getting resolved. Let me start with where I come from. I come from a small village in Himachal Pradesh, which does not evenContinue reading “Why I want to leave India”
Lost and Found
It was not the best place to be in. I was in the back pocket of this little boy Sanju. He had recieved me as a part of his prize money in a school competition. The exact amount was one hundred and twenty, and if you take one hundred (which he had secretly hidden inContinue reading “Lost and Found”
Why I stopped following the News
Then: You don’t watch news? How stupid! Now: You watch news? How stupid! The above assertion is not a pretentious attempt at wit but a subtle warning about the state of modern day journalism. In the last one decade, TV news channels have gained significant importance in India, thanks to the increased connectivity throughContinue reading “Why I stopped following the News”
A Tribute to Rahul Gandhi
“I have a dream.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. “Emotional baat kehna chahta hun… This morning, I got up at night.” ~ Rahul Gandhi. Never before in its history, Indian politics looked so amusing. It was mostly an abode of boredom, where dull people would walk in and talk about certain ‘political’ things which noContinue reading “A Tribute to Rahul Gandhi”
From the other side of the fence
Note: I wrote this article last week for a Pakistan based magazine. This is the unabridged version. The last few days have given a lot of hope to the India-Pakistan relationship, with people from both sides exchanging messages over social media – this post is only continuing the legacy. (Original Link) I remember growing up inContinue reading “From the other side of the fence”
That Creepy Voice!
I am that creepy voice in your head. Want to hear me?
Our Obsession with Perfection
Beauty and perfection cannot go together. Think about the things or people you love the most. Do you love the fact that they are perfect in every sense or do you cherish the little (imperfect) things that only they have and no one else? You know the answer, don’t you? However, in the modern times,Continue reading “Our Obsession with Perfection”
One of these days
One of these days, I received an invitation for an event, or a ‘grand event’, as it was conveyed by the messenger. Sometimes, I worry about the extraneous usage of adjectives – a practice started by the marketers that has now crept into the common man’s daily dictionary. These days ‘best’ means ‘good’ and ‘good’ meansContinue reading “One of these days”
I Am a Fool
“I”
“Life”
Oh Nationalism!
It was a sweltering afternoon, when I stood next to the gigantic gates of Wagah Border – an enthralling place which separates the two nations: India and Pakistan. My watch, already soused with sweat, displayed 3 pm, which meant I was still two hours away from the glorious Wagah Border Ceremony and was supposed toContinue reading “Oh Nationalism!”
Am I a proud Indian?
A poetic expression of my idea of Indian nationalism.
RIP Equality
Another headline flashes! Another exclusive report! A farmer’s son has qualified the most prestigious engineering entrance exam of India. Should I be shocked to learn about a farmer’s kid being an intelligent lad? Why do we highlight these professions each time we find bright students in their homes? What does that tell us about ourContinue reading “RIP Equality”
Deepak Rana 