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Witerati: Of Meghan’s book pithy and Kamala’s chithi
Even as closer to home, actor Juhi Chawla landed in the bad books of the Bench hearing her lawsuit against 5G, on foreign turf there were tidings that did not spell well for Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle’s book, The Bench
BLURB It is as much the season of Meghan Markle’s book about father and son, as of Kamala Harris’ Chithis’ Day Out in the sun
Even as closer to home, actor Juhi Chawla landed in the bad books of the Bench hearing her lawsuit against 5G, on foreign turf there were tidings that did not spell well for Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle’s book, The Bench.
With a row erupting between her publisher and a leading bookseller, Markle may find she is not only getting in the bad books of the monarchy, but also that things are looking bad for her book.
While much of cosmopolitan India Quarantining looks to have been busy hooked to books, some Tweeple have been busier bustling about to toss up tips on how to be in bad books. Or, make the most of being in bad books.
Juhi Chawla: 3G mantra for making it to the high court Bench’s bad books. Invite fans for dhoom on Zoom in virtual courtroom. Then watch 3G do its job. Gatecrash, Gaana, “Ghungat ki Aad Mein”.
Meghan Markle: When not busy babbling into British royalty’s bad books (Oprah or offstage), the next best thing to do is make royalty from books.
Olympian Sushil Kumar: Fine Art of Fleeing by nook or crook, when the constabulary is out to book.
Class-12 board students: How not to care about getting into parents’ bad books, as long as one can officially bunk the book.
The Curious Case of ‘5G Ghar Par Hain?’
Of Kamala Calling and chithis
The Prime Minister can certainly claim to be in the good books of the Joe Biden administration, considering he got his first call from none other than American vice-president Kamala Harris.
And how the two Vax-ed eloquent!
These trending tidings came close on the heels of news about Harris’ uncle’s 80th birthday in Covid-consumed India.
The pandemic’s gloom and doom have mostly seen me shunning tamasha TV’s negativity-dripping news hour. Much in the manner one would shrink from American chop suey served with sauce that tastes not a drop sweet and simply sour.
But what alerted my cochlear compartments to recent babblings of ‘breaking news’ about Harris is a name reeled off among her India family. It bestirred the backwaters of memory from many summers ago. Like gossamer lace from girlhood’s gift trunk being unwrapped.It refreshed the receded contours of a countenance stowed into the subterranean sleepiness of my subconscious. A genial and gentle face with a soft voice that could sound strict when need be.
Since Harris’ shout-out to her “chithis” and anointment to the American hot seat, but naturally, her assortment of aunts and uncles have popped up practically everywhere propelled by the paparazzi.
Reflected Glory meets Fifteen Minutes of Fame.
As the Pashas of prime-time TV prattled about Harris’ call, the mists of time shrouding a faded face peeled away, layer by layer.
“Left …. Right …. Left,” that soft voice of seasons back had instructed me.
No, it was not a Baba Ramdev-esque reminiscence of a yoga class posturing. Nor was it about my political posturing.
It had to do with calm clinicality.
The voice had turned stern when I had once suggested a softer option, “No short cuts in life!”
The foggy fumes of that forgotten memory finally lifted fully.
Hers had been the last face that I remembered leaning over me, before the fast ‘n’ furious fumes of anaesthesia had ages ago consumed my consciousness.
My forgotten tryst with none other than Harris’ “chithi”, Sarala Gopalan.
The grand matriarch and former head of PGI gynaecology department who had presided over my C-section birthing pangs and had a hand in my sonny dearest not staying tied to mommy’s umbilical cord.
The curious case of ‘Chithi Chithi Pang Pang’.
chetnakeer@yahoo.com
