February crosses the road to March
Of 3rd newsletter anniversary, museums as happy places, and trees as mood barometers + calm inducing art
Dear readers,
It has been three years since I first sent out this newsletter on a whim - and I can’t believe at times how so many of you have decided to accompany me on rambling, meandering journey. And so I would like to begin with a note of gratitude for your company which truly means very much. At this time of the year in 2020, when we knew so little, oh so little, as to how the pandemic would upend all held to be dear and familiar: people, routines, lives, I embarked upon this newsletter journey; and in midst of all that has happened and waiting to happen, this newsletter has always been a soothing, calming, meditative space for me. In my first newsletter, I wrote how this newsletter would be the repository of all those things on my mind and which didn’t fit the word count. Now three years later on, it continues to be that and also, about resisting the algorithm, to create pockets of words, thoughts, and ideas which social media sites often prevent us from seeing or focusing upon. When I create and share on social media, no matter how much I try not to, I invariably am thinking of the engagement and the audience; when I write over here, I am largely thinking of and writing for myself. A many-faced solitude, if that does not sound too contradictory - and how grateful I am for it!
For those of you who have been reading for a while or perhaps even just recently joined this newsletter journey, it won’t come as an earth shattering surprise, ha that my favorite pursuits are mostly solitary. Solo walks or wandering around beautiful, creative, and restful spaces are very important to me and which is why I have always gravitated towards museums. Many years ago, when I was going through an anxious phase and I found myself with plenty of time on my hands to explore London, I spent many content and restoring hours at British Museum, V&A, and National Portrait Gallery, distanced from the world and the treadmill of my thoughts, my mind free to simply focus on all the beauty laid out in front of me. Later, a decade ago, newly married and arrived in Pittsburgh, my husband introduced me to yet another happy place which would become one of my most cherished ones in the city: Carnegie Library. I had never previously lived in a place with a public library and I cannot express my excitement at the prospect of all those books waiting to be discovered and read and cherished. You could borrow up to 50 books at a time and while I never got around to doing that (although I did meet a school girl who was doing so and very sweetly asked me if I could help carry a few of those books to the check out counter!), I must have read so many new books by authors then new to me, not to mention, re-reading all my favourites to compensate for all the books I had left behind at my parents’ home in Oman. On wintry, dull, bleak days, there was nothing more I would look forward to then walking to the library, settling down with a good book (or magazine), and whiling the hours away. When I think of the things I miss most about the States, it is the libraries and parks and trails which immediately spring to my mind.
I was also especially glad to learn about the Carnegie museum adjoining the library. Availing of an annual membership meant that I could visit the museum whenever I wanted, gain access to special events and exhibits, and participate in workshops and more. It wasn’t so big that it was overwhelming and intimidating, it was just small enough to be intimate and welcoming. I spent hours in the mineral gallery, falling in love with the fantastical gems and minerals in their natural state; I would sit at thoughtfully placed benches in the visual arts section, free to gaze at paintings for as long as I wished. Given that I had just joined Instagram and was beginning to explore my newfound interest in photography, I even participated in a community photography project at the museum, one of my pictures even adorning the walls. The museum was a space which inspired me, which invited me to reflect and be at pause, with no one shaping the way I had to engage with whatever I encountered there.
Even though I lived in Delhi after moving to India, arguably the country’s cultural capital, there were various reasons I could not visit the museums there - and I especially missed them in my subsequent move to Bangalore, when I would yearn some days to simply go somewhere to passively engage with art and beauty and just sit with my thoughts. I am so glad that void may be somewhat filled with the appearance of Museum of Art and Photography, which opened last week and of which I had a sneak peek, thanks to an article I am writing about it. It happens to sit right across Cubbon Park and ahem, the Government Museum (which I visited once with an out of town friend and had little desire to return to again!) so I envisage afternoons spent in the park before collecting my thoughts in the museum or vice versa. I hope to share more later in the article but for now sharing my favorite glimpses.
Meanwhile, the curious case of spring/summer/winter is now firmly in motion in Bangalore and the trees are alternating between wintering leafless branches, wearing new leaves, or bursting into bloom. I always feel as if I am seeing a mirror whenever I encounter these trees in various modes of growth, oscillating from one mood to another, seeing them as mood barometers. Here are my interpretations of their moods below, featuring the golden trumpet tree and the jacaranda.
I discovered so much beautiful art this month when I most needed to - or did it find me?:) However, illustrator Jean Mallard’s works in particular were so calm-inducing that I seriously wished I could just step inside the frames.
And for now, I hope that the third - third! - month of the year brings you cheer and much thought and all that you are searching for. It’s my birthday month so I will be indulging in my usual alternating bouts of ‘omg, yet another birthday, I feel SO old!’ and ‘Oh wow, grateful to see yet another birthday’:)
Sending love and light,
Priyanka
End-notes:
Flower fun:
You can imagine how much joy Hoovu Finds’ Instagram account gives me, with all things flowers related and I was so glad to do a Sunday takeover for them, talking and sharing my flower love. Here is a little post I did for them, especially talking about the role flowers have played in my life, especially vis a vis mental health and if you are inclined to see my takeover, you will see it as the first of the highlights on the main page.
What I wrote:
This essay for Atlanta-based Khabar magazine
Back in December, when I was in middle of a long and involuntary writing break, the editor of Khabar reached out to me for a piece regarding my experience growing up in Oman. I had previously published a short story in the publication and he recalled my bio that I grew up there. Apart from it being a rare occasion when the editor themselves comissioned the piece, it also pulled me out of my writing slump and not to mention, write about a subject that features a lot in my writing, Oman, home, and identity from yet another perspective. Given the World Cup occurring in Qatar at the time and the Arabian Gulf being in the news for all reasons, I found myself compelled to think more critically of what it meant to be part of the Southeast Asian Gulf diaspora in the essay.
Continuing with this theme, I also spoke extensively about my experiences of being part of the Southeast Asian Gulf diaspora for a research project that academics from an American university are conducting on the subject. It’s both interesting and weird being on the other side of the interviewing context and in this case, I also explored other dimensions of what it meant to be part of the diaspora vis a vis social media archives documenting our stories as well as developing a political consciousness (or not).
What I read:
Books:
I was in a real reading slump this month so I mostly returned to well-thumbed childhood favourites, The Baby Sitters Club and Enid Blytons:)
Links:
It’s been a month of writing disappointments, rejections, and frustrations and more and so this piece about embracing disappointment made for timely reading.
I read this moving essay, ‘The Desire Tree’ about a wish tree, mourning, and a portrait of a beloved aunt more than a couple of times, it haunted me so.
I discovered about Loose Ends, a group in which more than 1,000 volunteers across the world complete unfinished projects, such as blankets and sweaters, for grieving loved, knitting legacies of love and memories through this piece.
This essay, In Praise of Slowing Down could not have more resonated with me while I simultaneously try to curb and make sense of my constant restlessness:)
I always love learning about creatives’ workspaces and was especially glad to see my dear friend and accomplished artist,Vidya’s desk featured here:)
Loving delving into and discovering the intoxicating world of scent-making and scents via this wonderful newsletter, Litrahub Perfumery
I have always found the world of dream interpretation intensely fascinating and have kept a dream journal on and off over the years. I absolutely loved Kristin Posehn’s series on dreams here, like this piece as to how dreams played an elemental role in the renowned pure mathematician, Srinavasa Ramanujan’s mathematical discoveries.
What I watched:
Farzi, which I was especially excited about as one of its writers, Suman Kumar is a good friend! On first glance, I would normally not have watched this series (as my husband jokes, my viewing choices are very limited, which means we can rarely decide what we want to watch together, haha) but the strong storytelling, characterisation, and performances instantly drew me in. I especially loved Vijay Sethupathi and was really glad to see Amol Palekar on screen after so long.
The Romantics, which is ostensibly an ode to the legacy and achievements of Bollywood director and producer, Yash Chopra but turned out to be more of the makers reveling in the coup of bringing the so far Yeti-like figure, his son and the man behind the Yashraj Productions, Aditya Chopra into limelight (also, Uday Chopra’s experiences in Bollywood narrated in an oscillating American accent thrown in as evidence of how nepotism cannot always work, OK, we got it, please move on!). I am a huge Yash Chopra fan whilst acknowledging how problematic and flawed his films can be and I would have liked to see more exploration of his filmography and film-making process. However, given that the Chopras themselves have produced the series, it does tend to veer into hagiography territory and I couldn’t finish it in the end.
Congratulations on three-anniversary!
Just discovered your newsletter Priyanka. And wow what a delight it is!
All my favourite things in one place !
Thanks for sharing so generously. And happy to know we share the same birthday month!