Suruma Writes On...

My poem, 'Let me Cry for You' was published in the October 11 issue of Madhyamam weekly, a leading publication in Kerala. Surprisingly it came out on Vijayadasami day.Feeling blessed and happy.

A short and unplanned tour after days of busy schedules and hectic workloads is always a solace for the mind.Breathing in the new air,discovering new places and meeting new people is something that I'm very much inclined to.And these journeys have only enriched my experiences on that frontier.That's the best part.But when it comes to answering nature's calls, these trips seems to have only given me anguish!        Yesterday Valiyappicha,Vallumicha,Haju, Alifikka and I decided to visit Wagamon,a hill station in Idukki,a few hours from my native place at Kollam.We started from home at about half past six in the morning in our car and spent the major portion of our first hour in pensive silence.As we went past the plains and began climbing the hill ranges we were all overcome with hunger.We got off before a huge hoarding that read Hotel Aaryas and happily strolled towards the restaurant.After a tasty breakfast of Dosa and Sambhar, we all resolved to use the washroom in the r

Death toll in Kashmir has risen to 85.Young boys and girls like 11 year olds Khushboo and Nasir Shafi have been killed.Pellet injuries have left hundreds of adults and children blind and injured. The dreams and hopes of an entire population is in turmoil.These children, most of them distinction holders and extremely talented, had dreams of a peaceful future.They dreamt of being doctors,engineers and civil servants to help their people come out of the troubled times.They wanted to reach great heights and become great personalities. Imagine your brothers,sisters and children who were leading perfectly normal lives till yesterday, disappearing all of a sudden today and reappearing some days later,covered in blood,cold and dead.Every morning in school, most of us raise our right arms to say that all Indians are my brothers and sisters.Aren't Kashmiris our brothers and sisters as well?Then,why isn't there a collective outrage when it comes to the people of Kashmir?Why are we silen

     Equality is a highly contested issue even in the 21st century. Even though articles 14 to18 of the Indian constitution ensure  equal treatment to every citizen, we are still miles away from the horizon of equality. With long histories of deeply entrenched inequalities, abolition of inequality is indeed a herculean task for India as a country.       It was keeping in lieu with this goal, that the architects of  our constitution incorporated certain laws and provisions that will ensure that every citizen of the country is treated equally and is not subjected to any form of discrimination or prejudice.  Reservation is one  important step taken in that direction.      However people across the length and breadth of the country have several misconceptions about the idea of reservation.  From activists,academicians, to the common man, there are a number of people who put forth an endless list of arguments to oppose reservation. There are many who talk volumes about how reserva

The country celebrates 70 years of freedom today. There are parades in almost all schools, flag hoisting ceremonies,cycle rallies and independence day messages. There are people selling balloons and flags of all sizes. But what are we actually celebrating?                                                                   What India achieved on the 15th of August 1947 was freedom from one important type of constraint placed upon liberty-colonial domination. Colonial domination has in fact been one of the worst systems of oppression that has subjugated generations of people to ill treatment and violence and has looted all the resources of otherwise prosperous nations across the world.It has enslaved people and has violated their human rights. Therefore colonialism is a concept that hampers the freedom of the colonized nation and its citizens.So our independence from Britain after 200 years of oppression is not to be belittled in any manner.Yes,we are free from colonialism.However, how

Doesn't the scarlet hue painted across your countenance , torture your five year old mind? Doesn't your broken limbs and scarred temple weigh down upon your shoulders? Doesn't your body twitch in pain and vexation? Doesn't the agony make you cry out loud? Oh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I forgot that your small,credulous eyes , have ran out of water to shed, I forgot that your lips;dark crimson; haven't tasted the salt in your tears, I forgot that you were born to the sound of the mortars that spit and the drones that dance. I forgot that you've never listened to your mother's lullabies or to the clatter of the colourful toys, I forgot that you've never tuned in to bedtime stories of fairies and superheroes who fill your pot of wonder to the brim, I forgot that you've never had frivolous squabbles with your brother whose inanimate cadaver you haven't yet seen, I forgot that your childhood was drowned  in the scarlet ocean,

Story: The sky above was clear and the winds blew much less. The army camps on my side were anxious about the war that was going to take place. It was just daybreak. The soldiers did go numb for the cold had been agonizing. But their spirits were soaring up high like colorful kites that flew with the gale.   Even the guns, tanks and missiles seemed to be invigorated with spirit of the combat. Every bit of Earth and every flake of snow looked as if they too wanted to join the fight. The chiefs were busy pumping up inspiration into their subordinates whose faces looked firm and resolute in spite of the piercing conditions. “We will not allow them to occupy our motherland.” The general’s voice reverberated across the snow clad mountains. “We will not give them even an inch of our land. Be ready, my men, to sacrifice your life for our country. There is no greater cause to die than to die for one’s motherland. Be alert, be firm and be courageous. Victory will come

Here is the link to my Youtube channel "Jas" where I have posted few videos of my public performances of singing at various occasions since 2011.Few of them are videos of performing with the awesome band 'Saptak' based in Trivandrum.(Quite an accidental incident!!) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYh8ARulxaVomRq8RsbaP_g

A short trip during the summer vacation definitely is something that energizes your mind and fills it with some positive power. This vacation, being the longest in the history of my school life, we made a week long trip to Delhi. Despite burning at 46 degrees, I could enjoy Delhi in all its beauty. The sun was overhead and it felt like standing inside an oven, there was dust and the air wasn’t as clean as it is back here. But Delhi was a fun and enlightening place to be in.                                   To experience the history that I’ve only learnt in textbooks was something that made my heart leap in joy. To walk past those same buildings and streets through which the Mughals and the rulers of the Sultanate walked past, literally gave me goosebumps. Many a times I wished I lived in those glorious times. Well, yes, the world is much better now, but you know- just to know how it might have been back then.                     To walk through the burning white marble of th