Read it with Rasheeda

  I miss the world. I miss the world I was born in. I miss the seas; I miss the airs; I miss the heat I was baked in. I miss the roads; I miss the rails; I miss the skies that I fly in. I miss the you; I miss the me; I miss the way I was human. I am now astray! I sit still and stay! I am being treated like a vermin. Let me go free. Let there be glee. For the earth's a tree.. That loves the growing spree.. And is as forgiving as a woman. ~By Your missing friend, Rasheeda Madani.

Assalamu Alaikum dear reader friends..!! And my dear students!! At last.. Alhamdulillah.. I’m back… I’m back… I’m baaaacckkk!!!! Today I’ve come here with an intention to discuss about the “Roaring Twenties” which was a landmark of modernism in the history of America. The 1920’s and 1930’s were characterized by various movements, wars, and rebellions which resulted in a sudden rise of knowledge and creativity. Friends, do you not agree with me when I say that deep emotions and sufferings result in works of great aesthetic value? Yes..!! Similarly, today we are discussing such a period of modernity in America which shakes the very foundations of art and artistry in the history of America. We can so relate to our contemporary times with this age of transition and Renaissance in America. In American literature we call this the “Jazz Age”. The age was characterized by shifting dance and music styles. The ‘Jazz’ is a kind of music which is a combination of European and African styles. It wa

Sisters… It is time! We grow more, We do more, We know more. Stop hiding behind Your WhatsApp statuses, Profile pictures, Instagram updates, And your Twitter signifiers! It “is" time. To grow To do And to know.. That we are more Than the women In our thoughts.. In our reflections.. It is “time"..... To overgrow the typo, The omens, and the hype, That we are just “women"!! No We are not Just women!!! “It" is time To overthrow our genders, Shed the pink, And redefine our lipsticks… We are… More More than our pains More than our struggles More than our bindis More than our sarees More than our kitties More than our kitchens And more than everything That labels us… Traps us… And confines us..!! We can be more We need to be more… We are the seekers And the makers… So let's begin to believe… We are not “just women"... We are “More"!!!! #BeTheMoreDay --By you

Assalamu Alaikum dear reader friends!! Happy to be back with a "sweet sounding" greeting for the New Year!! Wish you all a happpppyyyyy New Year filled with success and prosperity!!! Life has been going well dear amigos... with the help of books and music! What is life if one doesn't have time to read at least 50 pages or so, before going to sleep every night?! So friends this time I chose this beautiful treatise on "senses" by Diane Ackerman!!  The book is called A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SENSES !!  Thanks a million Dr Kunhammad for introducing me to this growing genre called Sensory Studies !!   Special thanks to  Dr Rufus , our admin @ Readers' Rendezvous , for his stimulating ideas on Creativity which inspired me to write this post! Sensory Studies involve a cultural, anthropological, sociological, psychological, and an aesthetic approach to the study of senses .  In short, "The sensorium is a fascinating focus for cultural st

The bell rang. I enter the class. The solid silence Is broken by the chirps Of sparrows and The perfume of grass… Never ending smiles Of children, Drizzle upon me (I was an amateur then.. A terrified me..!) I still remember.. The “shy” boy From the last bench, Arose to give me His name. I noted down quickly And went on with the rest.. He was The first in number.. Was a diligent pupil.. One among the best! Another “little” one Gazes at me From the first bench, With an infinite grin-- That brings about A silken glee Inside my crowded head; And in some way He seems endearing.. Makes me chuckle too…!! As I see them all, Buckled tight To their benches, Ready to roll.. For in me “They believed” And probably Saw an aureole..! My heart swells In pride, Everyday.. At the sight of this Serene morning routine.. Which shuns, doubtlessly, My pains of past, Present, and future, away..! Sud

Assalamu Alaikum my dear reader friends!! I've been so intrigued to write a post on this wonder novel, "Frankenstein" , written by Mary Shelley in 1818. I came across this absorbing article in The New Yorker , which was published to honour the bicentennial of this globally acclaimed book "Frankenstein" . [Thank you Dr. Anwar for sharing with us the article @Readers' Rendezvous ]. The article speaks of the motif behind the emergence and the reign of the novel, which has triggered criticism of many sorts, all these years. Being a scholar who's got "a nose for the new!", I couldn't resist but buy myself a copy of this critically devoured novel. Some say, the book was inspired from a short-fiction writing competition, held within the literary elite including Byron, Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley and John Polidori. Some biographers have made a note that Mary Shelley has etched this story as an aftermath of her first-born baby's death.