The Witty Warrior

I've never used this blog for its intended purpose. You can't find a well researched article or perfect reviews. It's been a place to share my superficial opinions on anything that stirs my heart. Lately, I've been using it as a journal to share personal anecdotes. My college junior talked to me today. She’s such a nice, loving girl. She wanted to talk because she's going through the same tiring process as I am and wanted to share her fears. She praised and thanked me for being kind to her in the past and now. I felt doomed after the conversation. I've always liked acting as an elder or leader in any group I'm part of. I like taking responsibility and helping my peers. But I felt I'd failed this girl, my sister, and everyone around me. My success could have boosted them, but I've failed, especially as an elder daughter who should have carried my family’s responsibilities. Currently, I'm highly dependent on my parents emotionally and financially. ...

In Coimbatore, an eighth-grade child was asked to write an exam outside the classroom, seated on the floor near the entrance, citing menstruation. This created a huge ruckus among the public, who demanded an explanation for the school’s inappropriate act. This was coupled with fears of possible caste discrimination as well. This incident reminded me of my teenage years when I had to fight all the menstrual taboos in my family. At the time of puberty, besides the fear of bodily changes, I faced the mental anguish of following various taboos tied to it. My mother seemed completely different in her approach. She asked me to take a week off from school, which was a big shock to a girl who was always hesitant to miss class. I vehemently opposed whatever came my way. For the first time, I felt my independence was completely stripped away. I incidentally sensed from my friends’ experiences that there might be plans for a ceremony or function. My friends had all enjoyed those instances and sha...

 William Shakespeare wrote, 'What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'  This quote critiques the superficiality that a name carries and rather values the inherent quality of one’s existence. This does not hold true when your name sends you to detention camps, deems you a foreigner in a nation where you were born, bred and cared for all your life. Assam, given its strategic position with neighboring Bangladesh, has always been in turmoil regarding the status of citizenship. The NRC process has amplified this turbulence, revealing the grim face of humanity and the hollow reality of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam that this nation often preaches. I have admired various bureaucrats for their timely service and integrity that has transformed many lives. But the bureaucratic system as a whole lacks empathy and is embroiled in ineffectiveness, delays, inaccuracies, corruption, and more. The irony is that this system demands people provide long-drawn r...

  "Nostalgia curls around what little we were given and turns it holy, Isn’t that how we bless the smallest things, and make saints of strangers?" - twitter/ @Marsadist I have always been fascinated by people around me, their emotions, interactions, and thereon. I tend to associate myself with their needs and decisions and ponder the social structure that determines these quotients. This has made my aspiration to become a civil servant stronger. This society has shaped my thoughts, ideas, and almost everything that I am today. On the platform X (previously Twitter), a number of discourses about various events happen. I came across a person randomly and got acquainted with them very quickly. There were some intriguing factors that made me resonate with that person. We have interacted sporadically from thereon, and it has always been so endearing and pleasant, and it uplifts my morale. I was reminded of this person when I came across this wonderful take on nostalgia. The term ...