https://www.sakheecollective.com/home daily 1.0 2025-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a0ce0ad8-ccc7-4ac3-877c-d9ee4a3cd696/pexels-mehmet-turgut-kirkgoz-12601643.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/4194b815-c343-4e80-b514-afd8930a8c32/DSC00476.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f3ad7c87-1340-45ee-b812-763d62a72e9c/DSC00619.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6e66c1d2-4817-4355-bfda-442728fc68d3/DSC00600.jpg https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/i-didnt-know-i-was-healing monthly 0.5 2025-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/18ab3f88-8bca-4bab-89ac-cf53c8543e27/484b4b7d-0de5-4b86-a29a-a7d351278721.jpeg Home - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0905c342-53b5-4ee9-a70b-4973660675ce/3745c991-7422-4630-87c0-7d117929d0f6.jpeg Home - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! The Healing in Disguise Looking back, I can now see moments where healing had quietly crept in. It tiptoed in on evenings when the phone didn’t ring and I didn’t mind. In the middle of a poem, I wasn’t trying to write. When I stopped needing everything to make sense. When I started sleeping better without forcing a strict sleep routine. How I stopped overthinking small interactions (which, if you know me, is huge). None of these were big enough to post about. But together, they were everything. I think poetry became my quiet medicine. It gave me a language for the mess in my head. It turned vague feelings into something I could hold in my hands, even if it was just a few scribbled lines. Somewhere between ink and paper, I had made peace with my own silence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/d8f5965e-79a6-4e9a-b1c5-b9719038cc28/23b3504e-7195-4adc-b14d-17159eee9f15.jpeg Home - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/e3b95739-137f-4bc2-9e27-2a833307f4da/6d89f6b8-8eba-4915-a91c-5706cfd21ba8.jpeg Home - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6fceb3c6-685f-4cec-9946-97e88c5b2322/4def521f-c4b0-4991-9967-740f8e71a318.jpeg Home - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/angel-within-the-walls monthly 0.5 2025-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927559981-BRD5LS6SGHKXHXJUAL5N/Chettinad+-+A+Photo+Odyssey+through+this+hidden+gem+-+Innpursuitofhappiness.jpeg Home - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927560046-MQFRLM16CLJB650HXFPG/%23desiaesthetics.jpeg Home - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927642258-03WR2ZMK6V8BJV5Z6CHL/_+-+2025-06-14T145954.936.jpeg Home - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927642292-P2721BME5MLDR3CXH084/when+your+Indian+music+culture+knocks+in+your+heart+%F0%9F%A5%AD%F0%9F%9B%BA%F0%9F%AA%94.jpeg Home - Angel within the walls https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/na-idhar-ke-na-udhar-ke monthly 0.5 2025-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/fb251eca-f0cf-4bba-82eb-178adc65003e/Frenzy+dance.jpeg Home - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/32e4b2ae-911e-43de-b6cc-ad9b06fa291e/Screenshot+2025-06-14+at+2.04.18%E2%80%AFPM.png Home - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke Take caregiving. An honorable job, yes—but unpaid, unrecognized, and expected. Especially from women. Especially women of color. My issue isn’t with caregiving itself. It’s with the assumption that caregivers—mostly women—don’t need care themselves. Caregiving is not just an act of kindness. It has served as an instrument of sexism as an unpaid labor system. It is no coincidence that those asked to do this invisible work are women. Policies like universal childcare and fair wages aren’t just feminist—they’re human. They remind us that care isn’t finite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/655f74a0-4a72-41cd-bafb-93b7a01b3092/_+-+2025-06-14T111957.212.jpeg Home - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke Maybe that’s just the way it is. But I recently read a quote by Abigail Hing Wen: “I don’t care what baggage they dragged over the ocean. They have no right to make me carry it the rest of my life.” I agree. But this kind of baggage—where children are expected to carry their parents’ dreams, disappointments, and fears—is not easily discarded. Over time, it fuses with your sense of self. It calcifies. It becomes your posture. This weight is my inheritance, but it feels more like a tax. It is meant to protect you, but ironically, all it does is teach you fear—of risk, of vulnerability, of asking for help. The suitcase you never packed becomes who you are. Unconditional love teaches you that being a good daughter means carrying everything—and never complaining. I carried it for years. But slowly, I am learning that love should not depend on being strong, low maintenance, or simply someone you’re not. There is no prize for putting yourself last. It is wrong. I wish someone had told me that. I’m telling you now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6aaaa2cb-1492-4042-b4f4-2475698c7755/_+-+2025-06-14T111941.453.jpeg Home - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke When you are confident, you are seen as someone who can handle things—so you’re given things that were never yours. A child to raise. A therapist for grieving parents. An emotional landfill for others to drop off their burdens. Your plate is stacked with responsibilities that were never yours, but you balance it perfectly. Because you’re so good at it. Because survival can sometimes look like competence. And no one notices that you’re shrinking because you’re still getting things done. I try not to remember how I did it all. No one noticed how I spent lunch breaks printing worksheets for my brother instead of running on the playground. How I did homework alone while others laughed in the halls. How I swallowed feelings with a smile because expressing them earned punishment, while silence earned praise. A child who stands up for themselves is just such an inconvenience. So you shrink some more. Eat your feelings. Blame yourself. Shrink again. Until you've backed yourself into a corner that is impossible to get out of. Until you’ve disappeared. I was such a loud, outspoken child. And I grew so, so silent. It didn’t suit me. Emotional maturity in a child is like a shoe too big—supposedly good because you’ll grow into it, but still too large for your tiny feet. You trip and fall. You can’t run, and you can’t argue with the infuriating logic of it all. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c0c34a97-99ce-4f30-b377-b7141e0dfd75/_+-+2025-06-13T141911.450.jpeg Home - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall When I left home for college, I was in great shape (I didn't know it back then but I was). Did I love my body? No, but I didn't hate it anymore and in my eyes that was still a victory. I had imagined that I would keep losing weight and would eventually end up in a place where I loved myself. But things didn't go as I planned. As months went by I gained weight, pebble by pebble, gram by gram. Jeans started getting tighter and bras smaller. At first I ignored all the signs, not because I didn't notice it but because I didn't want to accept it and if I accepted that I regained some weight I would have to start hating myself all over again and I simply didn't want to relive that. I hadn't put on some crazy amount of weight but a very normal and healthy amount, and looking back now I don't know why I beat myself so much for it. I would look in the mirror and hate myself, calling myself ugly in pictures and cry at night at how terrible I felt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6e913d34-b66c-462a-89b7-46e970f8e254/_+-+2025-06-13T142336.380.jpeg Home - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall The Indian society I live in has very much normalised commenting and remarking on physical bodies – particularly those of women. From chacha’s and maami’s to neighbours and spouses, everyone has an opinion on what a woman looks like. An opinion on the length of her hair, the crookedness of her teeth, the number of rolls on her belly and the colour of her skin. It saddens me to admit that I have not met one Indian woman who has not had a journey similar to mine, one where they questioned their self-worth because someone else didn’t know what boundaries were. All bodies are beautiful. Big or small, short or tall, lean or chubby, everyone is beautiful and even though I couldn't apply it to myself, I always knew that. And looking back now maybe the reason I couldn’t do it was because I so very deeply attached the visualisation of beauty to physical appearance. But I've come to learn that real beauty doesn't come from our body mass index or our waist measurements but from our kindness, our actions and intentions. Our ability to remain kind in the face of complete despair and be steadfast to our values are what actually make us beautiful. And no amount of weight or the lack of it can take our beauty away from us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/4cbf2c78-5ecc-40f1-8817-f11adf23c624/IMG-20241203-WA0695+Copy.jpeg Home - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/13827d9e-fa43-4dd8-bb9a-1bd36bb9829d/IMG_20221219_005131_705_Original.jpeg Home - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall I began stripping my clothes to stand naked in front of the full body length mirror that adorns the pink wall in my bedroom. I begin to make my way through my curves and breaks, through my dimples and muscles, and I decide that I am not beautiful. I am not beautiful because I don’t look like the women I see on the internet and that was what beautiful women looked like. I am not beautiful because they told me so. And that is precisely why I must become beautiful. I must change to try and fit inside the beauty standards of a stale, peeling cardboard box, chastising and punishing myself in the process. And so it began, a fervent, crazy, YOU-like obsession to create a body that would please others, which would in turn please myself, without the slightest consideration or acknowledgment for my natural and true self. At first everything seemed fine. I found a special comfort in slogging out to HIIT workouts on the internet where beautiful women with perfect sized breasts and sculpted abs who wore bubble-gum pink leggings motivated me to do, even though I never felt as pretty as them when I struggled shakily to hold a plank or do a push up. I would feel ugliness ooze and radiate out of my fat cells every time I did a jumping jack or ab crunch. But every time my limbs began to give up I would look at myself in the mirror on my pink wall to remind myself how ugly I looked and how I didn’t deserve the privilege of being called pretty. Unless I went back and finished that workout. Unless I lost some weight. Only then would I become worthy. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/wedded-to-the-olive-green monthly 0.5 2025-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/81ba30d0-5f50-4a07-8ff3-668d7468fd4a/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.57.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green Over the next few days, I was back in Mumbai, in my childhood home, surrounded by the old comforts that now felt like another life. Things escalated intensely over the next 3 days. It was painful to be separated for whatever little time I could have been with him. I counted every minute, every news update, every “I’m okay” text. I found it hard to think about any thing else or focus on my work but I went about my life back in Mumbai. I feared that the chances of more forces being deployed grew higher with every day the conflict continued. And then, on the 10th of May at 17:00 hours - A ceasefire. Operation Sindhoor had succeeded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7c101171-4d95-45a2-b409-5a44cbc8dee1/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.56+%282%29.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green The first six months felt like a dream. I watched him live a life of commitment most of us will never understand - waking up at 4:30 am every single day, training hard, strategising for the security of a billion people, and still coming home to pull me into a dance in the kitchen as we cooked together! It felt like I’d walked into another era - one where honour, dignity, discipline and love coexisted without irony. And then, Pahalgam happened. This time, regular tourists were targeted for their religion. This time, it felt personal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747203509901-VQTMPB40WK6M06ZUDISN/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.56+%281%29.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747203508211-J33T7IV6KUQID7LMVBPB/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.55.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747203510801-ZY7WCAEPU5RQLCS9Y7GN/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+11.10.19.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7df6a20b-389a-47f7-8e90-6cf6bb56dfad/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.14.23.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green I used to wonder if I should have moved abroad. I know now - this is the land I’m proud to call home. I used to hesitate to say “I am Hindu” because I didn’t want to be misunderstood or align myself with extremism. Not anymore, because this it is not a dictatorial religion but a philosophy born out of an intelligent and ancient civilisation, that allows for multiple paths, offers room for doubt, for debate, for disbelief, for being atheist even! It’s not perfect. Neither is this country. But there is an unmistakable, untouchable gentleness in the soul of India. A belief in goodness. In duty. In protecting what matters. And that’s what I married into. Not just a man. But a legacy. A promise. A uniform that stands for something far bigger than both of us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/26ac908f-57df-4516-9b99-87ada568d0a9/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.55+%281%29.jpeg Home - Wedded to the Olive Green - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/we-are-enough monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f8473382-8e88-4332-ba88-0fc8ed8adaaf/Minas+Avetsiyan.JPG Home - We Are Enough! - Make it stand out Art by Minas Avetsiyan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/82d987b4-7987-49ef-be45-305ca5723922/Richa+Kashelkar.JPG Home - We Are Enough! - Circa 2025 My daughter is now 12, who frequently encounters the same line of questioning that often revolves around societal expectations. However, in response, she nonchalantly shrugs and says, “I’m enough.” And she means it. Watching her—unbothered, self-assured—I feel pride swell inside me. Another fierce, thoughtful girl growing into her voice, her place, her power. Art by Richa Kashelkar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a70336c7-7b89-4936-b638-4107878c7ff4/Chanchal+Anasooya.JPG Home - We Are Enough! Art by Chanchal Anasooya https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/i-wrote-letters-to-make-sense-of-the-world monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/add97837-4c99-4197-a7b1-76b41a68a006/Letter+From+Bangladesh.jpg Home - I wrote letters to make sense of the world I always had two worlds- Inner and Outer. My letters carried my inner world. I am not great at talking about myself. I always had kids coming to me to share their issues; I had letters to talk about my world. Everyone processes life differently. In all my letters, I processed mine. I felt sad for the little bird that would just wait outside the playground. I could only tell that in my letters. Letters grounded me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/df923b8b-6879-4db4-8548-5fd65e4e2f6c/Letters+during+Covid.jpg Home - I wrote letters to make sense of the world - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/45e2d17f-6015-406d-9a4c-3755ae42a893/Post+Office+Delhi.jpg Home - I wrote letters to make sense of the world Now that I am a writer and a healer, everyone says I am so calm and so processed in life. I haven’t told them that in dark, restless nights, letters kept me going. One of humanity’s greatest needs is to feel seen and heard-thorough letters I felt that. That’s my tiny secret. In our small town we have a post office. I remember as a teenager I would cycle down to post my letters and wait for the post woman to carry mine. That was the greatest joy then. I felt belonged. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1744527492287-7AMVSR07CS0LRX2GWFTC/Post+Office+Assam.jpg Home - I wrote letters to make sense of the world https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1744527493173-0GMM3TN0E9353VTRKTYZ/Letter+1.jpg Home - I wrote letters to make sense of the world https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/glad-to-be-disappointed monthly 0.5 2025-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/2cc0235b-6e8b-4890-b08d-843db25cf91a/IMG_20220608_095546__01.jpg Home - Glad to be disappointed - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742318852342-5FKAQTQNPPY600UGTVH0/46303.jpg Home - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742318428321-PKEJXQNZ9BFMR658N5T2/IMG_20220608_090744.jpg Home - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742318467213-XBSKJDO7Y1NTIBV3PP7H/IMG_20220608_095037.jpg Home - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f7bc3e6e-54a1-44a2-b4ce-b0ac7dcbd4a1/IMG_20220608_095333.jpg Home - Glad to be disappointed - Make it stand out You can do anything, today, I think aloud as my overwhelmed self walks in the stream to take an eyeful from right under the fall. And now I stand here with my foot stuck between two stones brushed by the constant flow of water. This is it, you stay stuck now until the water carries you down into the stream. I must scold myself in times of crisis - a survival tactic, maybe. ‘You’re not stuck’, a calm voice assures me. ‘You are right where you are supposed to be.’ I turn around to find this mind-reader, standing tall in the group of seven. His arm extends to pull me to the other side. What follows next is an instant connection with people I otherwise barely know. The only thing that we share is a feeling of accomplishment that we are still soaking in, lounging under the cloudy sky, many feet above the ground. Liberating. At this moment, all my bundled-up disappointment evaporates. I turn into a feather. Maybe that’s what makes the descent swift. Or is it these people who have unwittingly lifted off the heaviness in my heart? Grateful. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/a-letter-to-the-colour-pink monthly 0.5 2025-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3bbe88c0-e9d7-42ed-bfe5-bf5ec84df3a5/-7.jpg Home - A letter to the colour pink For me, the color pink was inextricably linked with femininity, but unfortunately, my perception of it was tainted by negative connotations. I saw pink as weak, secondary, common, and powerless. But then, there was my sister - a living embodiment of the very color I had come to despise. She was none of the things I associated with pink. In fact, she was a beacon of strength, resilience, and individuality. Now that I reflect on those memories, I wonder who instilled this idea of hatred in me at such a tender age. Was it a genuine dislike for the color, or was it a rebellion against the perceptions surrounding it? None of the women or little girls who adored the color pink were weak or untalented. On the contrary, they had the audacity to be themselves, to embrace their femininity, and to express themselves unapologetically. And in doing so, they inspired me to reevaluate my own perceptions and biases. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/116f498b-ab85-4be0-b5fa-5bba41726386/64+Incredible+Nervous+System+States+ideas+in+2022+%7C+fairytale+aesthetic%2C+ocean+life+photography%2C+deadly+animals.jpg Home - A letter to the colour pink https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/a-woman-of-many-tonguesnbsp monthly 0.5 2025-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0be1c7df-f30b-49ec-901e-ab6072f88efc/Photo+by+Pranali+Bankar+on+Unsplash.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Photo by Pranali Bankar on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/672ebb89-cfbc-43ef-81e6-6ada3dc719e0/Photo+by+Varun+Gaba+on+Unsplash.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues But I’ve come to love this beautiful mess. I am not just one language. I am all of them. I am the girl who cried in Hindi, but dreamed in Malayalam. The woman who texts in dramatic, extra-H in Hindi, but writes poetry in English. The wife who argues in a mix of Hindi and Gujarati, only to end up laughing or crying halfway through. And if that means I live in a constant state of linguistic whiplash, so be it. Because in all this chaos, I have found my voice. Language is more than just words. It’s our experiences and how we see the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/79e57924-a808-414e-b429-4992f81cff08/Photo+1.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/05fb987f-545b-4cb1-a67b-8b5a94a85d25/Photo+by+Ricky+Singh+on+Unsplash.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Photo by Ricky Singh on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742325210446-MNRZ8KU3SR8KOA5XKWNO/Photo+by+Dibakar+Roy+on+Unsplash+1.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742325227878-XLWWNU5F0CJ551X96X66/Photo+by+Dibakar+Roy+on+Unsplash+2.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742325253810-AWZJ0LDZEAU0TE6G7CC0/Photo+by+Harry+Thaker+on+Unsplash.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Harry Thaker on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742325255437-4UA17FLI9OWBBQILX8NC/Photo+by+MIGUEL+BAIXAULI+on+Unsplash.jpg Home - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Miguel Baixuli on Unsplash https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/the-most-important-day-of-our-life monthly 0.5 2025-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/d38a56bf-b20b-4cac-9140-52fd327dd618/.jpg Home - The most important day of our life I wonder—why do some marriages last while others don’t? What sacrifices are hidden behind the smiling faces of picture-perfect families? Who decides what a happy marriage looks like? Are couples who choose to part ways still seen as failures, while those who silently suffer together are respected? Why do we scoff at a couple who had a lavish wedding but later separate for reasons only they understand? How long before we stop glorifying endurance over happiness? How long before we stop letting social media’s perfect pictures fool us? I hope the younger generation learns to see beyond the glitter and grandness of "the most important day of our lives”. May they realize that a perfect wedding doesn’t guarantee a perfect marriage. That the real work begins when the music fades and the guests go home. Building a life that values truth over appearances takes courage. Walking away from what doesn’t serve them might shatter the illusion of a happy ending, but sometimes, that’s the bravest choice. And staying to fight for love—not because it looks good, but because it feels right—is a strength often overlooked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742316837770-AEQUHZ8CQ2DN6VUB85GX/-4.jpg Home - The most important day of our life https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742316887830-CG1V4A7O2TCWGIGMB490/%5BJeu+de+cartes+de+fabrication+belge+destin%C3%A9+%C3%A0+l%27exportation+vers+l%27Inde%5D+_+%5Bestampe%5D.jpg Home - The most important day of our life https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/found-my-solace-in-pottery monthly 0.5 2025-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207459868-TXO10YSRYVYTDDI9BUSN/2.+IMG+-+Autumn.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207463585-PRVF6QV362IEYXH577ZV/1.+IMG+-+Autumn.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207457222-BD5AN6T8DWFPMRPWYPP3/8.+Photo+Self.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207456218-JAG9ZVHJFRPX2TEAM2WG/9.+Photo+Self.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207532273-BPB4ZAON4QWXQAJBJ1ZH/3.+Pot.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207533298-T4Y8TVTN47SMBSUXYY3T/4.+Pot.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207534214-X5BLD19ZY314J75V55RM/5.+Pot.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742207534872-7PQ7WPW41QARD1ZWZ7N7/7.+Plate+-+Glazed.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/edcff716-bea3-4308-bcb7-9b3b2b0da496/6.+Pot+-+IG+post.jpg Home - Found my solace in pottery! My tutor was unreasonably harsh at the beginning— or so I thought. Pulling for hours and trimming with extreme caution to get the piece smooth to eventually see the piece smashed was painful. Any unevenness in the walls, whether too thick or too thin, incorrect shaping, or trimming abnormalities resulted in the piece being smashed and starting over from scratch. After all the hard work, once the clay is shaped, you can still be in for a surprise during the firing process—both good and bad. I’ve had many pieces broken in the kiln. But isn’t it a blessing to have the chance to restart, to learn, and to create something better each time? This Saturday routine became a habit that kept me occupied and gave me purpose during the months I spent waiting for my work visa. More than anything else, it taught me Mindfulness—being aware in the present moment and Detachment — a virtue so important to maintaining inner peace and avoiding being swayed by life’s ups and downs. I keep going back to my wheel in moments of despair and confusion. It calms me, grounds me, and gives me the confidence to create something better—every time. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/rangeen-mukti monthly 0.5 2025-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306105384-KGH7CA0N4AV5RXO71J75/DSC06407.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out While her saree remains white, her accessories tell a different story. Vibrant pink and green bangles adorn her wrists, symbolizing life and joy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306883158-8C87AA6V3XBXFB1GAGD7/DSC06390.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti What I love most about Rangeen Mukti is how it uses subtlety to tell a powerful story. It's not loud or confrontational, but quietly challenges the notion that life must be devoid of color after loss. It invites the viewer to see widows not through the lens of pity or tradition, but as individuals with the right to joy, choice, and self-expression. Working on this project was incredibly personal for me. Before I started, the world seemed either white or black to me. But as I immersed myself in creating this, I realized that fashion and culture are far more nuanced. I understood the importance of approaching cultural themes with mindfulness and practicing cultural appreciation instead of appropriation, because I now see how easy it is to unintentionally offend or misinterpret. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/cc00ea0c-9880-4a7c-ba12-83a0f45bf376/DSC06445.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out Paayal on her feet radiate power, creating a portrait of a woman reclaiming her space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306190747-WDDJISH5287QYFR5C077/Rangin+Mukti+9.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out Her long braid is wrapped in pink kaner flowers, a quiet defiance against the constraints of tradition. Lotus buds rest gently in her hands, symbols of purity and renewal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306037048-4BPSSU8RRCGKEUCWV8F1/DSC06367.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out A delicate Borla on her forehead and a Paayal on her feet radiate power, creating a portrait of a woman reclaiming her space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b4b8b9be-60cf-4e60-98be-9d67715d65b0/Rangin+Mukti+10.jpg Home - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out The ocean behind her is not just a setting; it’s a metaphor for the endless possibilities and unrestrained freedom that await her. Her stance, poised yet powerful, speaks volumes — it is as if she is reclaiming a space that society had once denied her. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/going-slowlo monthly 0.5 2025-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603031041-IFDJ50QA7S1ZF7E4NESY/Picture+1.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - Villa Khatun https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603031408-M80Y17F31CQWZQW6LB6T/Picture+2.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - Calm amidst chaos: Watching a rainy day unfold https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603032135-WMBYJNJ02IPCFDX5TET2/Picture+3.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The captivating Thunbergia flowers or the Bengal Clockvine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603032975-M7UKQCPMSV0M2F4OEVVA/Picture+4.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - A scrumptious cream cheese-filled bombolini, hibiscus tea, and a good book! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603034215-EWMP8FIJSL4T9YMZ3M1O/Picture+5.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The lip-smacking ros omelette and poee bread, a traditional Goan breakfast item https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603034595-OYTTC7G23H57FSQV6YC0/Picture+6.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - A plate full of the best traditional Goan desserts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603037172-FCIDHIIMSF82B67UIXC2/Picture+11.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The welcoming entrance of Sunaparanta https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603038572-R0WT33O3JN91STBNPS5P/Picture+10.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The corridor of the Sunaparanta Arts Centre https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603039816-DGO3M2O6KM38RZFF9EWO/Picture+9.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - corridor of the Sunaparanta Arts Centre https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/cfdf0ce1-7698-45ae-bba9-3485d1464180/Picture+20.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The last leg of my solo trip took me to the 400-year-old Reis Magos fort, a grand and wondrous remnant of the Portuguese colonial era in Goa. A bastion of behemoth proportions. The Fort premises also house small exhibits showcasing the fort’s complex history, the colonial era, and post-independent Goa. They house artefacts, photographs, monographs, maps, and much more. I was fortunate to have an unhurried stroll through them while relishing the sound of the salty waves in the Arabian Sea, and breathtaking views of the vast blue from the fort. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603530934-LHYVECGLF637O205AKTX/Picture+12.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The chapel at the Our Lady of the Rosary Church https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603532302-H601P9JY06UVC671FLUF/Picture+13.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The Chapel at the Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603534532-2MBWYJ55EMU1CH1THSAQ/Picture+15.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - Glorious interiors of the Church https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603535946-K5FVBL2RC2DKX1SHRLLD/Picture+16.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - The Reis Magos Church https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603538094-Y22TK6Q0FRBTKEIDR7E8/Picture+17.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - A small watchtower overlooks the Arabian Sea https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734603539461-IW5YGJEBBABYXZ75XGH6/Picture+18.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - One of the exhibits inside the Fort https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/bb691748-ae97-4168-a989-11618f0619e7/Picture+8.jpg Home - Going Slowlo! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/beetroot-the-childhood-villain monthly 0.5 2024-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a8de2a65-0e66-48d6-8090-2a0497568468/unnamed-5.jpg Home - Beetroot: The Childhood Villain I’ll write more about what was on our plate and recipes for those in the next few blogs. Fast forward to adulthood, and here I am, running my own kitchen. I have a newfound appreciation for all the food that we were forced to eat as children. So, today’s recipe is dedicated to all those 90s kids, who almost cried while eating their beets only to realise the benefits of it later. If you are a 90s kid reading this and were forced to have beets as a kid; Stop! First, go thank your mother. This version of the beetroot cutlets is tasty, packed with proteins and extremely versatile. You can have them as is, in between sandwiches or as a main with veggies and sauces in your wraps. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1717420818473-YGETOXZCVTPYTWQR0139/-40.jpg Home - Beetroot: The Childhood Villain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1717420820635-S2ZQ13KW0ACDJNQ7931G/unnamed-3.jpg Home - Beetroot: The Childhood Villain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1717420825948-WBTT6YTAYEXF5M2XJWAA/unnamed-4.jpg Home - Beetroot: The Childhood Villain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0dc98e88-6e80-4d31-b6be-05d467cc5267/Angela+Evans+Orange+tile.jpg Home - Beetroot: The Childhood Villain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/living-and-learning-a-journey-with-my-best-friend monthly 0.5 2024-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c1036a39-9b67-4721-b547-dd9bc9df26eb/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-50-27.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend - Make it stand out The day we moved in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125015352-MKH1203I5X95UOMBFRE6/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-38.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125034736-M4K7RG3S7S2U46V9ODXU/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-52-47.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125068378-RTX1B4286UHV4BUNLLKL/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-38+2.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125088919-NAB1EQZN53JYD02RU88B/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-39.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125133025-KHO4RTQP5O2WX7DHU035/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-51-47.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125114524-MZ3GQ7TTDDQB2BPSZ0I0/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-51-18.jpg Home - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/ior68kq01hamv1a1fvwutgj6td7e0e monthly 0.5 2024-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/96ae613d-3c2a-4845-be23-647a79cdc3ea/Abstract+Yoga+Meditation+Poster%2C+Yoga+Girl+Sun+Chakra+Wall+Art%2C+Sun+Energy+Healing+for+Meditation+Room+Decor%2C+Healthy%2C+Relaxing+and+Spiritual+Living+Room+Daughter+Room+Studio+Decor-16%2522+X+24%2522-No+Frame.jpg Home - NEWTON IN YOGA AND LIFE. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/an-open-letter-from-a-privileged-indian-woman-to-india-and-the-world monthly 0.5 2024-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/287e0209-6b8d-4179-925f-7220e452bfa9/Untitled+by+Jamini+Roy+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas+%26+Digital+Art+Prints+%7C+Small%2C+Compact%2C+Medium+and+Large+Variants.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World Why do you say that my in-laws would not let me do something and that I wouldn’t belong to you? Why did you have me if you had to give me away? And when I ask you, you say because such is society. Why are you afraid of society? Why every second of my life you wanted me to behave not as a human being but as a respectable girl and a woman who should stay in her boundaries and is only allowed limited happiness and freedom and independence and laughter? Why was society always more important than my happiness? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9b9ec5bc-c79b-4e93-a7f7-1f74c062de85/Painting+%7C+Roy%2C+Jamini+%7C+V%26A+Explore+The+Collections.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9e2aacdd-6789-4dac-9d75-4501f026b504/Jamini+Roy+Paintings+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas%2C+Digital+Art+%26+Large+Size+Prints+Of+The+Famous+Old+Master%27s+Artworks.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c43bfee4-d7b0-4299-85ab-777da93b421f/JAMINI+ROY+%281887-1972%29%2C+Untitled+%28Three+Women%29+%7C+Christie%27s.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c17d444f-4a9f-42a6-b575-8f96340fcbd0/%28%2360%29+JAMINI+ROY+%7C+Untitled+%28Double-sided%29.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World This letter is a rant, a vent, some questions, some thoughts, some dark truths, some ugly realities, some positives, some sufferings, some childhood pains, some untold stories — small and big nuisances spread throughout a woman’s day and life. I wrote this letter because no matter how positive and giggly women are, as we cannot cry all the time for what is wrong and unjust and redundant, we should not go through what we go through daily. No one should. Some of the behaviors are even considered natural, and nothing is being done to fix them — that is my biggest pain. I would be happy if after reading this letter, even one parent or one Indian man or one person from the world changes one thing that would make the world a better place for women. That would be enough. My purpose in writing this letter would be achieved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/aa0712b2-ff45-4a90-9659-a5a4147a1480/16%2B+Earthly+Beautiful+Paintings+by+Jamini+Roy-2.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/525c0b55-1910-4de8-8b7b-334bf489e87c/Mother+and+Child+by+Jamini+Roy+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas+%26+Digital+Art+Prints+%7C+Small%2C+Compact%2C+Medium+and+Large+Variants.jpg Home - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World Why do you assume that I would be loving and gentle or motherly with children if I am a woman? Because I can shoot out a child out of my body? Let me break the ice — many of us have no motherly instincts. We are not up for sacrifices and changing diapers and admiring the mushed tushie of the child when we apply Johnson’s baby powder. We still cannot take care of ourselves properly. Why do I take a step back when it comes to career and identity? I have worked hard to make myself who I am. Why should adjustments come naturally to me and not to the man? Why do you have it so ingrained that my own family thinks so? Why do random uncles become our guardians? Because they are the men, patriarchs of their families, so, of course of the neighborhood. Or because we belong to the same geography and caste? But above all — because we are single and alone women in the jungles of the big city? How can they adopt me without any paperwork? https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/cooking-at-home-is-cool monthly 0.5 2024-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/e5572fca-1f71-44b0-b5ca-2a4853f98ab7/IMG_F7D702D9FF48-1.jpg Home - Cooking at home is cool! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9b05fb81-7955-4613-87b0-2fe10312f163/2.jpg Home - Cooking at home is cool! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ff8d7be1-1515-476f-b799-bc2b134ba640/PHOTO-2024-03-02-10-53-43.jpg Home - Cooking at home is cool! Women from privilege have been freed from the daily task of cooking - a much-needed change. However, like with all changes, this too has its setbacks. Cooking, or rather cooking regularly, is considered regressive and uncool. If you find yourself with the leisure to cook every day, it suggests you're not occupied with enough meaningful pursuits. While occasional weekend breakfasts with homemade cookies or pancakes for the family are delightful, daily cooking might imply either a lack of open-mindedness in your family or a compromise of the freedom rightfully yours. Although this shift benefited many, especially women who didn't find joy in cooking, it posed challenges for those who did, irrespective of gender - a common outcome in multiple libertarian movements. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/5a839972-4835-4092-b58e-be44372f273c/1.png Home - Cooking at home is cool! There was a time when I considered building a career in food. However, as someone who excelled in academic pursuits and extracurricular activities, I subconsciously associated cooking and food with notions of oppression, conflicting with the image of a modern, independent woman. I didn’t think it was “smart” enough. Of course, it was all in my head. As time passed, I kept going back to food and looked at cooking as the ultimate stress buster for cooking and feeding people gave me joy. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/venturing-into-uncharted-territory-recipes-mom-never-attempted monthly 0.5 2024-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/34b52be9-dea1-4245-bd95-90ab6502d2b4/Screenshot+2024-01-20+at+3.19.20%E2%80%AFPM.png Home - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/68071c88-cba4-4c15-8255-ff12ee7a4edb/Screenshot+2024-01-20+at+3.19.51%E2%80%AFPM.png Home - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted Serve: Serve hot with lemon wedges and Onions on the side for that extra zing. Tips: Adjust the spice levels according to your preference. For added flavour, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the prawns just before serving. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/4f9707c3-249f-43d3-a836-8e74895cc163/unnamed.jpg Home - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/art-journalling-and-me-time-as-a-new-mother monthly 0.5 2024-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1705741584232-6IA8LMBJKIF0ZO3HDYDU/Brighter+-+006.jpg Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother - Make it stand out Picture credit: Chenthil Mohan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/5f6c0b12-1298-48dc-87b0-7c504edfcc55/Sketchbook+Stack.jpg Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother So we began. I was just beginning to discover watercolours, as well as re-discover just how much I loved to draw. Along with my drawings, I wrote little notes about the drawing or wrote something about my day on the same page, and added the date. That was the beginning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1705742093570-BS4A6BC3Y3B13G3GRCZ2/packaging.png Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1705742517128-URAOKM68FYTSX5YJ6MAL/img20220117_21464898.jpg Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1f492c9e-e81a-4996-a210-2f6148465095/Joy.png Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother Those 100 days were pivotal to my life. They gave me a sense of identity beyond being an employee, a mother, a wife, and a daughter. In those precious minutes that I spent in my journal, I was just being myself. The one who loved to draw and paint. That’s it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/676f8c36-763e-4ba6-a210-af03bbd684a2/twirl.png Home - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/2024-travel-list-destinations-off-the-beaten-path monthly 0.5 2024-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c2ea26d2-06f6-45dc-883e-467666ded2d9/Safari+Tanzania.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 02 FEBRUARY: Tanzania Tanzania is a beautiful country located in East Africa, known for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and diverse wildlife. February is an excellent time to visit Tanzania, as the weather is warm and dry, making it a perfect time for outdoor activities, hikes and wildlife safaris. One of the star attractions here, is the Serengeti National Park, a vast savannah filled with incredible wildlife, including lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes. February is the calving season for wildebeest and travellers can witness the incredible sight of thousands of wildebeest giving birth to their young. For those who love hiking, Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Tanzania is also known for its rich culture, with over 120 different ethnic groups living in the country. Travellers can explore the local markets, sample traditional Tanzanian cuisine, and learn about the country's history and traditions. Tanzania is a fantastic destination to visit in February, offering a unique blend of adventure, wildlife, culture, and natural beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f1d9f832-2e42-4760-b87b-8d301cd6e57a/Rainforest+in+Monteverde%2C+Costa+Rica+%5B1440x1793%5D+%28OC%29.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 03 MARCH: Costa Rica Known for its lush rainforests, stunning beaches, and diverse wildlife, Costa Rica is a great option for travellers who want to explore the outdoors. March is one of the driest months here, making it easier to experience the country’s natural beauty at its best. Costa Rica is home to an incredible ecosystem, with over 25% of its land area protected as national parks and reserves. Travellers can explore the dense jungles, hike to waterfalls, go zip-lining, or relax on the pristine beaches. The Arenal Volcano National Park, home to the active Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio National Park, known for its beautiful beaches and diverse wildlife, are must-visits. Hike up to the volcano's base, soak in the natural hot springs, take a canopy tour to see the jungle from above, or simply dolce farniente on the beaches. The options are plenty. Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they are commonly known, are friendly and welcoming people who are always happy to help visitors. The country has a low crime rate, making it a safe destination for solo travellers! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1704825233206-GR7CMA7AAGKNWM37BAX1/Montenegro.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 01 JANUARY: Montenegro Montenegro, an unexplored gem located on the Adriatic Sea, in the heart of the Balkans. Steeped in history and culture, with several UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the old town of Kotor, a mediaeval walled city located on the Bay of Kotor. January is the coldest month here and therefore, perfect if you love to indulge in winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Home to several national parks, like Durmitor National Park - a must-visit for adventure seekers, known for its snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes, and stunning hiking trails, Montenegro is the perfect winter paradise waiting to be explored. In addition to its natural beauty, Montenegro is also known for its delicious cuisine, which is influenced by its Mediterranean and Balkan neighbours. With its stunning landscapes, delicious cuisine, and warm hospitality, it's a destination you will remember for a lifetime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ae413cea-1d4c-4156-8c90-8401cc25cd40/3b21b2a0e2096cb1d5c8deee86a69323.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 07 JULY: Rwanda Despite its troubled past, Rwanda, a small country located in East Africa has emerged as a safe and stable country that's home to some of the most beautiful landscapes and wildlife in Africa. One of the main draws of Rwanda are its famous mountain gorillas. Rwanda is home to several mountain gorilla families that live in the dense forests of the Volcanoes National Park. Take part in a once-in-a-lifetime Gorilla trekking experience, where you can hike through the forest and observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. There is light cloud coverage in July making it a comfortable climate for Gorilla trekking. Rwanda also has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its traditions, music, and dance. Rwandan cuisine is a mix of African and European influences. The country is known for its delicious meat dishes, including grilled goat and brochettes (skewered meat). This hidden gem with its warmth and hospitality, majestic mountains and plenty of wildlife is waiting to be discovered. So go ahead and add it to your list of must-see travel destinations for 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/14fbc5c0-8663-44be-af4a-0e2898db6204/The+Complete+Guide+to+Theth+%26+Albania%27s+Accursed+Mountains+-+Slight+North.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 08 AUGUST: Albania Albania, a hidden gem located in southeastern Europe, bordered by Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, is a unique destination that offers a mix of history, culture, and natural beauty. The Albanian Riviera is a must-visit destination in August, with its crystal-clear waters and stunning beaches. The beaches here are among the most beautiful in Europe, and travellers can enjoy a variety of water activities, including swimming, snorkelling, and diving. August is also the perfect time to go on a hike to the Valbona Valley National Park, which is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. The park offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, rivers, and lakes. Albanian cuisine is a must-try, with its mix of Mediterranean and Balkan influences. Travellers can enjoy a variety of dishes, including fresh seafood, grilled meats, and delicious pastries. The country is also known for its excellent wine and some of the local vineyards and wineries allow travellers to take a tour and indulge in locally produced wine. August is the perfect time to visit Albania as it's the peak of the summer season, and the weather is warm and sunny. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7d993c32-5565-4bc2-befc-d998d44cb60b/Fairytale+Lake+Bled+%E2%9C%A8.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 05 MAY: Slovenia With its crisp, pure air, lush forests, picturesque villages and overall stunning landscapes, it is no surprise that Slovenia - a small country tucked away in Central Europe is gaining popularity as a must-visit travel destination. Unlike larger, more crowded European destinations, Slovenia offers a more peaceful and laid-back atmosphere. Whether you're hiking in the Julian Alps, kayaking on the Soca River, or exploring the country's charming towns and villages, there’s a sense of ease and comfort. The country is also home to several national parks and protected areas, including Triglav National Park, which is known for its stunning mountain scenery and crystal-clear lakes. The country has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and traditions. From the mediaeval town of Piran on the Adriatic coast to the charming capital city of Ljubljana, there are plenty of opportunities to explore Slovenia's unique blend of Slavic, Italian, and Austrian influences. The country is known for its friendly locals, who are always happy to help you navigate your way around and offer tips on the best things to see and do. With warm daytime temperatures and plenty of sunshine, May is a great month to explore the Slovenian outdoors. Whether you're travelling solo or with a group, you can feel confident that Slovenia is a destination where you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about your safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/cef618ce-8147-439d-a0f2-19600b2227dc/Laos+Travel+Diary.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 12 DECEMBER: Laos Laos is a hidden gem in Southeast Asia that is often overlooked by travellers. This is a country of breathtaking natural beauty. From the towering mountains in the north to the lush forests and waterfalls in the south, Laos has plenty of outdoor activities to offer. The northern region of the country is home to several mountain ranges, including the famous Phou Louey National Park. Laos also has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its architecture, traditions, and cuisine. The country is known for its well-preserved architecture. The ancient city of Luang Prabang and the famous Wat Xieng Thong temple are testament to it. One of the most striking things about Laos is the warmth and hospitality of its people. Visitors to Laos are often struck by how friendly and welcoming the locals are. Whether staying in a guesthouse or simply exploring the local markets, you will surely be greeted with a smile and a friendly hello. December is one of the drier months in the country and the temperatures are moderate making it easier for travellers to explore it to the fullest. Whether you are looking for adventure, culture, relaxation, or all of the above, Laos is sure to exceed your expectations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1f8dadf0-3210-4fb2-ac3f-e2c2e8cba7fa/Samarkand%2C+Uzbekistan_+Best+Things+To+Do+%26+See.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 11 November: Uzbekistan Uzbekistan is a fascinating country located in Central Asia, known for its rich history, beautiful crafts and stunning architecture. The city of Samarkand is home to some of the most impressive architectural wonders in the world, including the Registan, a complex of three magnificent madrasahs (Islamic schools) dating back to the 15th and 17th centuries, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Ulugbek Observatory, and the Shah-i-Zinda complex, a mausoleum with exquisite mosaic tilework and intricate patterns. Another must-visit city is Bukhara. This city has been continuously inhabited for over 2,500 years and was the heart of the legendary Silk Road connecting Russia and China. Old madrasahs in Bukhara are now converted to cute shops carrying exquisite silks, suzanis, carpets and ceramic ware. The city of Khiva, is a well-preserved example of a traditional Central Asian city, with its towering minarets, old city walls, and bustling bazaars. Don't miss out on trying some of the local dishes such as plov (a rice pilaf with meat and vegetables), lagman (a noodle soup with meat and vegetables), and shashlik (grilled skewered meat). Uzbekistan is a fascinating destination for those who love history, architecture, and culture, and November is a great time to visit when the weather is cooler, and the tourist crowds are thinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ef2c4d58-935a-48b0-bee6-5cb32e9a4020/Explore+Bolivia%27s+hidden+gems+with+our+list+of+18+places+to+visit%21.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 04 APRIL: Bolivia Bolivia is a landlocked South American country known for its diverse landscapes, rich culture, and unique traditions. The Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, is a popular destination in Bolivia. Also known for its vibrant culture and traditions, you can attend festivals and events, such as the Fiesta de la Cruz in May, where locals dress up in traditional clothing and perform traditional dances. Bolivia is also home to several indigenous communities, such as the Aymara and Quechua, who have preserved their unique customs and traditions. In addition to its natural beauty and rich culture, Bolivia also offers delicious cuisine, which is influenced by its Spanish, indigenous, and Andean roots. Try traditional dishes such as salteñas, empanadas filled with meat and vegetables, or pique macho, a spicy beef dish. Bolivia is a unique destination that offers a mix of adventure, culture, and natural beauty. April offers comfortable weather conditions to explore the country's stunning landscapes and rich culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f11f9876-3b7c-41a1-8b7a-1818c67f9104/Jordan%27s+natural+beauty.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 09 SEPTEMBER: Jordan Despite being located in a volatile region, Jordan is one of the safest and most welcoming countries in the Middle East. It is home to some of the world's most famous historical sites, as well as stunning deserts and mountains making it a great choice for travellers who want to experience a different culture and explore a unique landscape. Jordan's ancient city of Petra is one of the world's most famous archaeological sites and is a testament to the country's rich history and culture. Another popular attraction is the Dead Sea, famous for its mineral-rich waters and therapeutic mud. Jordanian cuisine is a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences, with dishes like hummus, falafel, and tabbouleh being popular amongst locals and travellers. The weather in September is quite pleasant making it easier to visit all the destinations without the scorching heat. Whether you're travelling solo or with a group, you can feel confident that Jordan is a destination where you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about your safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/16fa3839-0518-4494-a564-fd13f31469a3/Ultimate+Guide+to+the+Best+Hiking+in+South+Korea.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 06 JUNE: South Korea June is the beginning of summer in South Korea, making it the perfect time to explore the country's many attractions. Seoul, the bustling capital city, offers a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. Seoul is home to several historical sites, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Explore the vibrant street markets, sample delicious Korean cuisine, and experience the country's unique culture by attending traditional performances. Another must-visit destination in South Korea is Jeju Island, a volcanic island located off the southern coast of the country. In June, the island is in full bloom, and you can witness the beautiful hydrangea flowers that cover the island. For those who love food, South Korea is a culinary paradise, offering a variety of delicious dishes that are sure to satisfy any palate. Korean BBQ, kimchi, bibimbap, and fried chicken are just a few of the many dishes that are must-try during the trip. Whether you're exploring the vibrant cities or relaxing on the beautiful beaches, South Korea is a destination that will leave you with unforgettable memories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f4dc7602-8037-4207-a356-80333e8c633b/INCREDIBLE+THINGS+ABOUT+BHUTAN+YOU+DID+NOT+KNOW.jpg Home - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 10 OCTOBER: Bhutan If you are looking for a safe, unique and culturally rich experience that you will cherish for a lifetime then Bhutan should definitely be on the top of your 2024 travel list. Nestled in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Bhutan offers breathtaking landscapes, a peaceful atmosphere, and deeply rooted traditions. October is a great time to visit Bhutan. The weather is mild and pleasant, with clear skies and minimal rainfall. It's also the time of the year when the country celebrates its biggest festival - the Thimphu Tshechu. The Thimphu Tshechu is a religious festival held annually in the capital city of Thimphu. It's celebrated to honour Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Bhutan. The festival is a colourful and vibrant affair, with traditional dances and music performances. Bhutan is also known for its natural beauty and stunning landscapes and October is a great time to explore the countryside. You can visit the Paro Valley and hike to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery, a sacred Buddhist site perched on a cliff. The hike offers stunning views of the valley and surrounding mountains. You can also visit the Punakha Dzong, a fortress built in the 17th century, located at the confluence of two rivers. Known for its Gross National Happiness, which prioritises the well-being of its citizens over economic growth, the warmth and hospitality of the Bhutanese people is palpable. The country has a strict tourism policy, and all visitors must book their tour through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator, so make sure to book your trip well in advance. This ensures that tourism is sustainable and benefits the local community. Bhutan is a magical and enchanting destination that offers a unique blend of culture, tradition, and natural beauty. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/sakhee-an-introduction monthly 0.5 2023-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3f51bda5-c353-4258-85b9-0fce7e16c9ac/DSC00545.jpg Home - Sakhee: An Introduction - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/power-of-female-friendships monthly 0.5 2023-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/62c96dd2-b0e0-4b11-8506-679542cdb2a0/pexels-pixabay-50579.jpg Home - The Power of Female Friendships Lessons from the wild https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/73ed6127-3b1d-4669-8dec-cfbeb93d2f7c/pexels-aline-viana-prado-3491680.jpg Home - The Power of Female Friendships - Different friends play different roles in our lives. A work friend might provide the strength to overcome obstacles at the workplace and strive for success, whereas a childhood friend may be the one you turn to for advice on important life decisions. Hence we must choose our inclement wisely, we are, after all, the company we keep. The people we keep in our lives, build relationships with, and interact with regularly will ultimately determine who we form ourselves with. Their actions and reactions good or bad as well as behaviors, all subconsciously influence our daily choices and decisions. Female friendships are a testament to the power and resilience of womanhood. They remind us that we are not alone in this journey and that we have a sisterhood to rely on. They remind us of the beauty of diversity and the richness that comes from embracing and supporting one another. These bonds are not just about sharing good times; they have the power to transform our lives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a648c83e-dba7-4125-a0d4-2fad989f14b5/pexels-aline-viana-prado-3491715.jpg Home - The Power of Female Friendships https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/twin-love monthly 0.5 2023-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/60cbbb30-973a-4fe3-bc5b-f5a343d5c296/IMG_4763.JPG Home - Twin Love When you’ve been together since the time of inception, how do you explain to yourself what being apart is going to feel like? When you’ve never really been alone how do you then deal with being lonely? When you’ve always had a friend, how do you make new ones? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356625844-N3I2BHID4QOCHEWKZL2Q/IMG_6444.jpg Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356605120-XDDKZJGZTDYGRSHF3L4M/8d63ec38-c8d6-4017-a645-3a7789b5ef22.JPG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356670086-7TS3DDSCYYQVJ2P50F15/Scan_20170922_172634_001.JPEG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356610651-S1P0I4M0J07PYP3FJKZ4/Scan_20170923_183748_004.JPEG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356691830-DVGU1VTNTF2YSIO429PS/Scan_20170330_180909_001.JPEG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356670538-NUQPUD0QVN8UCKAQCO3O/Scan_20170923_125124_003.JPEG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356621035-O6OS7YG4E6RPSQ0ZNX50/Scan_20170323_160410.JPEG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356720410-NL5RWG1FN5ZB0NNGQ4WQ/ae23b794-ce92-4ae4-a385-bc601223d676.JPG Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356710084-MDI4MI1DNXL47LN6RGGC/IMG_2983.jpg Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701356729902-3YHSQ21BJ77AGL12SU9D/IMG_2588.jpg Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3df77d92-7732-40d9-a53d-ec748ef4982a/image-asset.jpeg Home - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3a2f868e-7862-4590-ad2d-d3e1a33f4e10/946cdeb8-b61e-4038-97b0-f3a49170d36e.JPG Home - Twin Love I value this relationship more than any other. It taught me how to be a friend. It taught me love. It has defined the kind of life I desire. The kind of friendships and relationships I desire. I was given a built-in best friend for life. It made me learn how to be a friend to someone. Most importantly it made me not look outside for validation. I learnt to value myself over everything else. In some weird way, because Rhea was most important to me, I became most important to me. https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/friends-forever monthly 0.5 2023-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/8a05cf13-326b-4fc1-b3e0-76119a3f9215/IMG_0639.jpg Home - Friends Forever We thought the exams week would be a breeze. As Arathi and I travelled back together on the bus that fateful Thursday, we kept discussing the ‘accounts’ problems for the paper scheduled for the next day. Between the both of us, we had only managed one guidebook with answers to the problems that were more likely to appear in the final question paper. It was hers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/054649a8-dc85-450c-89ba-0c8cc36b7856/IMG_0640.jpg Home - Friends Forever https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c5a612ff-682d-438e-92c3-7454007aa8aa/6b4d2ba6-04d7-42ae-b36e-613e71f64832.jpg Home - Friends Forever In our second year of B.Com, she suggested we join typing classes at a nearby institute to master the keyboard. So every day after college off we trotted to our typing classes. As the year 1981 rolled in, we saw a sudden spurt in the frequency of her asthmatic attacks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/37f44558-60bf-4d16-9484-92b2738b639c/52b81fae-d2dd-4efa-95d7-e4e866fcccc8.JPG Home - Friends Forever - In September of this year, Aunty passed away, taking with her one of the last connections I had with my friend. It was the end of an era. Last month, during Diwali, Chandana - Arathi’s sister was keen on gifting me something. I told her, the most precious gift to me would be something that belonged to my friend. I'm in Singapore now with my son & daughter in law, holding the saree Arathi had worn during our intermediate college farewell party. 44 years after she was crowned Miss Francis! Our friendship lives on! https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Food+for+Thought monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Travel monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Poem monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Explore monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Soul monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Spaces monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Learn monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/home/category/Inspire monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles daily 0.75 2025-08-27 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/i-didnt-know-i-was-healing monthly 0.5 2025-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6c3f01da-24d6-4dd6-9703-a345e98d03db/484b4b7d-0de5-4b86-a29a-a7d351278721.jpeg Articles - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/bf88cd4d-f730-49de-b221-e87371de682b/6d89f6b8-8eba-4915-a91c-5706cfd21ba8.jpeg Articles - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f5a2b1a2-e907-4818-bdac-8fec24e2238b/4def521f-c4b0-4991-9967-740f8e71a318.jpeg Articles - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f88fe5b2-007c-4735-bdbf-9e92d4d6adae/3745c991-7422-4630-87c0-7d117929d0f6.jpeg Articles - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! The Healing in Disguise Looking back, I can now see moments where healing had quietly crept in. It tiptoed in on evenings when the phone didn’t ring and I didn’t mind. In the middle of a poem, I wasn’t trying to write. When I stopped needing everything to make sense. When I started sleeping better without forcing a strict sleep routine. How I stopped overthinking small interactions (which, if you know me, is huge). None of these were big enough to post about. But together, they were everything. I think poetry became my quiet medicine. It gave me a language for the mess in my head. It turned vague feelings into something I could hold in my hands, even if it was just a few scribbled lines. Somewhere between ink and paper, I had made peace with my own silence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b6f70278-e7ba-4c08-b182-43ed2c8db015/23b3504e-7195-4adc-b14d-17159eee9f15.jpeg Articles - I Didn't Know I Was Healing! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/angel-within-the-walls monthly 0.5 2025-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927960185-ZLL27EGU5IQ5F61CNYHL/Chettinad+-+A+Photo+Odyssey+through+this+hidden+gem+-+Innpursuitofhappiness.jpeg Articles - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927960260-6X5T4N19QDMZXPO03G3Z/%23desiaesthetics.jpeg Articles - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927961121-EX4OQJF0A450JO88HJAG/_+-+2025-06-14T145954.936.jpeg Articles - Angel within the walls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1749927961562-XB0E817J4B0ULVFC2MGU/when+your+Indian+music+culture+knocks+in+your+heart+%F0%9F%A5%AD%F0%9F%9B%BA%F0%9F%AA%94.jpeg Articles - Angel within the walls https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/na-idhar-ke-na-udhar-ke monthly 0.5 2025-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/98906bd7-3031-4dab-9df9-181462ceb609/_+-+2025-06-14T111941.453.jpeg Articles - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke When you are confident, you are seen as someone who can handle things—so you’re given things that were never yours. A child to raise. A therapist for grieving parents. An emotional landfill for others to drop off their burdens. Your plate is stacked with responsibilities that were never yours, but you balance it perfectly. Because you’re so good at it. Because survival can sometimes look like competence. And no one notices that you’re shrinking because you’re still getting things done. I try not to remember how I did it all. No one noticed how I spent lunch breaks printing worksheets for my brother instead of running on the playground. How I did homework alone while others laughed in the halls. How I swallowed feelings with a smile because expressing them earned punishment, while silence earned praise. A child who stands up for themselves is just such an inconvenience. So you shrink some more. Eat your feelings. Blame yourself. Shrink again. Until you've backed yourself into a corner that is impossible to get out of. Until you’ve disappeared. I was such a loud, outspoken child. And I grew so, so silent. It didn’t suit me. Emotional maturity in a child is like a shoe too big—supposedly good because you’ll grow into it, but still too large for your tiny feet. You trip and fall. You can’t run, and you can’t argue with the infuriating logic of it all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/e6725ed2-88c8-42ae-b3e9-15ce26b9b733/Frenzy+dance.jpeg Articles - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/89206ac3-5b3a-4273-bada-f067831c3612/Screenshot+2025-06-14+at+2.04.18%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke Take caregiving. An honorable job, yes—but unpaid, unrecognized, and expected. Especially from women. Especially women of color. My issue isn’t with caregiving itself. It’s with the assumption that caregivers—mostly women—don’t need care themselves. Caregiving is not just an act of kindness. It has served as an instrument of sexism as an unpaid labor system. It is no coincidence that those asked to do this invisible work are women. Policies like universal childcare and fair wages aren’t just feminist—they’re human. They remind us that care isn’t finite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f51ab1c9-9ca9-4e2e-8ac8-d233e2175973/_+-+2025-06-14T111957.212.jpeg Articles - Na Idhar Ke, Na Udhar Ke Maybe that’s just the way it is. But I recently read a quote by Abigail Hing Wen: “I don’t care what baggage they dragged over the ocean. They have no right to make me carry it the rest of my life.” I agree. But this kind of baggage—where children are expected to carry their parents’ dreams, disappointments, and fears—is not easily discarded. Over time, it fuses with your sense of self. It calcifies. It becomes your posture. This weight is my inheritance, but it feels more like a tax. It is meant to protect you, but ironically, all it does is teach you fear—of risk, of vulnerability, of asking for help. The suitcase you never packed becomes who you are. Unconditional love teaches you that being a good daughter means carrying everything—and never complaining. I carried it for years. But slowly, I am learning that love should not depend on being strong, low maintenance, or simply someone you’re not. There is no prize for putting yourself last. It is wrong. I wish someone had told me that. I’m telling you now. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall monthly 0.5 2025-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/85084a7a-5e70-4cc3-a661-8f426aae07b1/_+-+2025-06-13T142336.380.jpeg Articles - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall The Indian society I live in has very much normalised commenting and remarking on physical bodies – particularly those of women. From chacha’s and maami’s to neighbours and spouses, everyone has an opinion on what a woman looks like. An opinion on the length of her hair, the crookedness of her teeth, the number of rolls on her belly and the colour of her skin. It saddens me to admit that I have not met one Indian woman who has not had a journey similar to mine, one where they questioned their self-worth because someone else didn’t know what boundaries were. All bodies are beautiful. Big or small, short or tall, lean or chubby, everyone is beautiful and even though I couldn't apply it to myself, I always knew that. And looking back now maybe the reason I couldn’t do it was because I so very deeply attached the visualisation of beauty to physical appearance. But I've come to learn that real beauty doesn't come from our body mass index or our waist measurements but from our kindness, our actions and intentions. Our ability to remain kind in the face of complete despair and be steadfast to our values are what actually make us beautiful. And no amount of weight or the lack of it can take our beauty away from us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7903f071-a317-4a51-9bdf-3f373b8c3b02/IMG-20241203-WA0695+Copy.jpeg Articles - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/4e9e8b2b-49d0-446a-afa0-4f8d9d1d4dbb/IMG_20221219_005131_705_Original.jpeg Articles - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall I began stripping my clothes to stand naked in front of the full body length mirror that adorns the pink wall in my bedroom. I begin to make my way through my curves and breaks, through my dimples and muscles, and I decide that I am not beautiful. I am not beautiful because I don’t look like the women I see on the internet and that was what beautiful women looked like. I am not beautiful because they told me so. And that is precisely why I must become beautiful. I must change to try and fit inside the beauty standards of a stale, peeling cardboard box, chastising and punishing myself in the process. And so it began, a fervent, crazy, YOU-like obsession to create a body that would please others, which would in turn please myself, without the slightest consideration or acknowledgment for my natural and true self. At first everything seemed fine. I found a special comfort in slogging out to HIIT workouts on the internet where beautiful women with perfect sized breasts and sculpted abs who wore bubble-gum pink leggings motivated me to do, even though I never felt as pretty as them when I struggled shakily to hold a plank or do a push up. I would feel ugliness ooze and radiate out of my fat cells every time I did a jumping jack or ab crunch. But every time my limbs began to give up I would look at myself in the mirror on my pink wall to remind myself how ugly I looked and how I didn’t deserve the privilege of being called pretty. Unless I went back and finished that workout. Unless I lost some weight. Only then would I become worthy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c418107a-609c-4f28-99df-13fda0cfe7a1/_+-+2025-06-13T141911.450.jpeg Articles - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall When I left home for college, I was in great shape (I didn't know it back then but I was). Did I love my body? No, but I didn't hate it anymore and in my eyes that was still a victory. I had imagined that I would keep losing weight and would eventually end up in a place where I loved myself. But things didn't go as I planned. As months went by I gained weight, pebble by pebble, gram by gram. Jeans started getting tighter and bras smaller. At first I ignored all the signs, not because I didn't notice it but because I didn't want to accept it and if I accepted that I regained some weight I would have to start hating myself all over again and I simply didn't want to relive that. I hadn't put on some crazy amount of weight but a very normal and healthy amount, and looking back now I don't know why I beat myself so much for it. I would look in the mirror and hate myself, calling myself ugly in pictures and cry at night at how terrible I felt. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/wedded-to-the-olive-green monthly 0.5 2025-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7c756ee2-c4f2-428d-bab9-a2675afa5cd5/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.14.23.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green I used to wonder if I should have moved abroad. I know now - this is the land I’m proud to call home. I used to hesitate to say “I am Hindu” because I didn’t want to be misunderstood or align myself with extremism. Not anymore, because this it is not a dictatorial religion but a philosophy born out of an intelligent and ancient civilisation, that allows for multiple paths, offers room for doubt, for debate, for disbelief, for being atheist even! It’s not perfect. Neither is this country. But there is an unmistakable, untouchable gentleness in the soul of India. A belief in goodness. In duty. In protecting what matters. And that’s what I married into. Not just a man. But a legacy. A promise. A uniform that stands for something far bigger than both of us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/80038683-b77d-403e-8042-29d1c3250e96/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.57.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green Over the next few days, I was back in Mumbai, in my childhood home, surrounded by the old comforts that now felt like another life. Things escalated intensely over the next 3 days. It was painful to be separated for whatever little time I could have been with him. I counted every minute, every news update, every “I’m okay” text. I found it hard to think about any thing else or focus on my work but I went about my life back in Mumbai. I feared that the chances of more forces being deployed grew higher with every day the conflict continued. And then, on the 10th of May at 17:00 hours - A ceasefire. Operation Sindhoor had succeeded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/2adc9812-371e-4d3a-a764-ffeb3d316da9/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.55+%281%29.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/38dafd25-0312-445e-924c-886af6404078/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.56+%282%29.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green The first six months felt like a dream. I watched him live a life of commitment most of us will never understand - waking up at 4:30 am every single day, training hard, strategising for the security of a billion people, and still coming home to pull me into a dance in the kitchen as we cooked together! It felt like I’d walked into another era - one where honour, dignity, discipline and love coexisted without irony. And then, Pahalgam happened. This time, regular tourists were targeted for their religion. This time, it felt personal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747202866353-QQ9YVV8M42HMLVFDZJZ5/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.56+%281%29.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747202866145-JAL7WTGDHDQGIJFOXKFG/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+09.11.55.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1747202867996-M64GCH3EO3JKZHSMQPOS/WhatsApp+Image+2025-05-14+at+11.10.19.jpeg Articles - Wedded to the Olive Green https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/we-are-enough monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f8473382-8e88-4332-ba88-0fc8ed8adaaf/Minas+Avetsiyan.JPG Articles - We are enough! - Make it stand out Art by Minas Avetsiyan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a70336c7-7b89-4936-b638-4107878c7ff4/Chanchal+Anasooya.JPG Articles - We are enough! The absence of a boy seemed like a flaw only outsiders could see. But inside our home, we were complete. We laughed, fought, shared secrets, lifted each other up. When asked, “Don’t you wish you had a brother?” we’d smile and say, “No. We have each other. That’s more than enough!" Our sisterhood was our source of strength, a bond that provided us with a sense of security and companionship that surpassed the limitations of gender norms. Art by Chanchal Anasooya https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/82d987b4-7987-49ef-be45-305ca5723922/Richa+Kashelkar.JPG Articles - We are enough! - Circa 2025 My daughter is now 12, who frequently encounters the same line of questioning that often revolves around societal expectations. However, in response, she nonchalantly shrugs and says, “I’m enough.” And she means it. Watching her—unbothered, self-assured—I feel pride swell inside me. Another fierce, thoughtful girl growing into her voice, her place, her power. Art by Richa Kashelkar https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/i-wrote-letters-to-make-sense-of-the-world monthly 0.5 2025-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1fd63194-afbe-4df4-9782-7eded022189b/Letters+during+Covid.jpg Articles - I wrote letters to make sense of the world - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/78a6ef00-7c58-4079-a48b-854f9e61f0f5/Letter+From+Bangladesh.jpg Articles - I wrote letters to make sense of the world I always had two worlds- Inner and Outer. My letters carried my inner world. I am not great at talking about myself. I always had kids coming to me to share their issues; I had letters to talk about my world. Everyone processes life differently. In all my letters, I processed mine. I felt sad for the little bird that would just wait outside the playground. I could only tell that in my letters. Letters grounded me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c586d30e-0f6b-493f-b8dd-8c746b33bae6/Post+Office+Delhi.jpg Articles - I wrote letters to make sense of the world Now that I am a writer and a healer, everyone says I am so calm and so processed in life. I haven’t told them that in dark, restless nights, letters kept me going. One of humanity’s greatest needs is to feel seen and heard - through letters I felt that. That’s my tiny secret. In our small town we have a post office. I remember as a teenager I would cycle down to post my letters and wait for the post woman to carry mine. That was the greatest joy then. I felt belonged. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1744527166562-G6TMMQCFFADSCTMSGEQS/Post+Office+Assam.jpg Articles - I wrote letters to make sense of the world https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1744527199725-SMLWEBEM99JPOTU9841U/Letter+1.jpg Articles - I wrote letters to make sense of the world https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/glad-to-be-disappointed monthly 0.5 2025-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/2cc0235b-6e8b-4890-b08d-843db25cf91a/IMG_20220608_095546__01.jpg Articles - Glad to be disappointed - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1741346055163-I9L9RTBIF7VK8ZCS6CED/46303.jpg Articles - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1741346083111-MKFSBYBDQGXT08WX69YK/IMG_20220608_090744.jpg Articles - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1741346110850-8P9JBAPF7WJK9Q2ZBU0M/IMG_20220608_095037.jpg Articles - Glad to be disappointed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f7bc3e6e-54a1-44a2-b4ce-b0ac7dcbd4a1/IMG_20220608_095333.jpg Articles - Glad to be disappointed You can do anything, today, I think aloud as my overwhelmed self walks in the stream to take an eyeful from right under the fall. And now I stand here with my foot stuck between two stones brushed by the constant flow of water. This is it, you stay stuck now until the water carries you down into the stream. I must scold myself in times of crisis - a survival tactic, maybe. ‘You’re not stuck’, a calm voice assures me. ‘You are right where you are supposed to be.’ I turn around to find this mind-reader, standing tall in the group of seven. His arm extends to pull me to the other side. What follows next is an instant connection with people I otherwise barely know. The only thing that we share is a feeling of accomplishment that we are still soaking in, lounging under the cloudy sky, many feet above the ground. Liberating. At this moment, all my bundled-up disappointment evaporates. I turn into a feather. Maybe that’s what makes the descent swift. Or is it these people who have unwittingly lifted off the heaviness in my heart? Grateful. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/a-letter-to-the-colour-pink monthly 0.5 2025-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3bbe88c0-e9d7-42ed-bfe5-bf5ec84df3a5/-7.jpg Articles - A letter to the colour pink For me, the color pink was inextricably linked with femininity, but unfortunately, my perception of it was tainted by negative connotations. I saw pink as weak, secondary, common, and powerless. But then, there was my sister - a living embodiment of the very color I had come to despise. She was none of the things I associated with pink. In fact, she was a beacon of strength, resilience, and individuality. Now that I reflect on those memories, I wonder who instilled this idea of hatred in me at such a tender age. Was it a genuine dislike for the color, or was it a rebellion against the perceptions surrounding it? None of the women or little girls who adored the color pink were weak or untalented. On the contrary, they had the audacity to be themselves, to embrace their femininity, and to express themselves unapologetically. And in doing so, they inspired me to reevaluate my own perceptions and biases. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/116f498b-ab85-4be0-b5fa-5bba41726386/64+Incredible+Nervous+System+States+ideas+in+2022+%7C+fairytale+aesthetic%2C+ocean+life+photography%2C+deadly+animals.jpg Articles - A letter to the colour pink - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/a-woman-of-many-tonguesnbsp monthly 0.5 2025-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0be1c7df-f30b-49ec-901e-ab6072f88efc/Photo+by+Pranali+Bankar+on+Unsplash.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Photo by Pranali Bankar on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/79e57924-a808-414e-b429-4992f81cff08/Photo+1.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742322828887-W97ANCYDI3ETDJ4L72G3/Photo+by+Dibakar+Roy+on+Unsplash+1.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742322840559-GS8BVS9QCSP66J61CFNV/Photo+by+Dibakar+Roy+on+Unsplash+2.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742322854664-TLF5Q5RGR3M179I4K4CV/Photo+by+Harry+Thaker+on+Unsplash.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Harry Thaker on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742322856761-HHGQ9RY99QTWVGFRKZ06/Photo+by+MIGUEL+BAIXAULI+on+Unsplash.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Photo by Miguel Baixauli on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/05fb987f-545b-4cb1-a67b-8b5a94a85d25/Photo+by+Ricky+Singh+on+Unsplash.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues - Make it stand out Photo by Ricky Singh on Unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b3acbeaa-3b3f-4dbf-8f40-6ff99b1c35da/Photo+by+Varun+Gaba+on+Unsplash.jpg Articles - A Woman of Many Tongues But I’ve come to love this beautiful mess. I am not just one language. I am all of them. I am the girl who cried in Hindi, but dreamed in Malayalam. The woman who texts in dramatic, extra-H in Hindi, but writes poetry in English. The wife who argues in a mix of Hindi and Gujarati, only to end up laughing or crying halfway through. And if that means I live in a constant state of linguistic whiplash, so be it. Because in all this chaos, I have found my voice. Language is more than just words. It’s our experiences and how we see the world. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/the-most-important-day-of-our-life monthly 0.5 2025-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/76f2d704-5f84-4884-8809-e067bd86a876/.jpg Articles - The most important day of our life I wonder—why do some marriages last while others don’t? What sacrifices are hidden behind the smiling faces of picture-perfect families? Who decides what a happy marriage looks like? Are couples who choose to part ways still seen as failures, while those who silently suffer together are respected? Why do we scoff at a couple who had a lavish wedding but later separate for reasons only they understand? How long before we stop glorifying endurance over happiness? How long before we stop letting social media’s perfect pictures fool us? I hope the younger generation learns to see beyond the glitter and grandness of "the most important day of our lives”. May they realize that a perfect wedding doesn’t guarantee a perfect marriage. That the real work begins when the music fades and the guests go home. Building a life that values truth over appearances takes courage. Walking away from what doesn’t serve them might shatter the illusion of a happy ending, but sometimes, that’s the bravest choice. And staying to fight for love—not because it looks good, but because it feels right—is a strength often overlooked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742289016229-RVD4PW36YJ6T2LO4256Q/-4.jpg Articles - The most important day of our life https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742289016818-TUC3UWQE7RVLMVM90BNT/%5BJeu+de+cartes+de+fabrication+belge+destin%C3%A9+%C3%A0+l%27exportation+vers+l%27Inde%5D+_+%5Bestampe%5D.jpg Articles - The most important day of our life https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/found-my-solace-in-pottery monthly 0.5 2025-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/68c0bcb0-6c09-4963-b495-2ccf111b249b/6.+Pot+-+IG+post.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! My tutor was unreasonably harsh at the beginning— or so I thought. Pulling for hours and trimming with extreme caution to get the piece smooth to eventually see the piece smashed was painful. Any unevenness in the walls, whether too thick or too thin, incorrect shaping, or trimming abnormalities resulted in the piece being smashed and starting over from scratch. After all the hard work, once the clay is shaped, you can still be in for a surprise during the firing process—both good and bad. I’ve had many pieces broken in the kiln. But isn’t it a blessing to have the chance to restart, to learn, and to create something better each time? This Saturday routine became a habit that kept me occupied and gave me purpose during the months I spent waiting for my work visa. More than anything else, it taught me Mindfulness—being aware in the present moment and Detachment — a virtue so important to maintaining inner peace and avoiding being swayed by life’s ups and downs. I keep going back to my wheel in moments of despair and confusion. It calms me, grounds me, and gives me the confidence to create something better—every time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206785783-8VLSL6DPTTUJY52SG9FY/1.+IMG+-+Autumn.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206787167-DVHBS9TUKDA1KWONHOPI/2.+IMG+-+Autumn.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206788274-628A78HECBPDQENVBSJN/8.+Photo+Self.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206789778-933GPZ8QGQD51IOOMSCF/9.+Photo+Self.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206576812-JEIWYJC7EVVQEEC5CXRA/3.+Pot.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206577933-TBDQCQM9J988K1Z7Y4AE/4.+Pot.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206578710-G8FSOKU15MSTEBA9U4D4/5.+Pot.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1742206581526-F6TEQT3W95LKDQTJU1C0/7.+Plate+-+Glazed.jpg Articles - Found my solace in pottery! https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/rangeen-mukti monthly 0.5 2025-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b37a5e7e-c8b5-462f-b480-5ecb3e6531dc/DSC06445.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out Paayal on her feet radiate power, creating a portrait of a woman reclaiming her space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306037048-4BPSSU8RRCGKEUCWV8F1/DSC06367.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out A delicate Borla on her forehead and a Paayal on her feet radiate power, creating a portrait of a woman reclaiming her space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b4b8b9be-60cf-4e60-98be-9d67715d65b0/Rangin+Mukti+10.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out The ocean behind her is not just a setting; it’s a metaphor for the endless possibilities and unrestrained freedom that await her. Her stance, poised yet powerful, speaks volumes — it is as if she is reclaiming a space that society had once denied her. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306190747-WDDJISH5287QYFR5C077/Rangin+Mukti+9.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out Her long braid is wrapped in pink kaner flowers, a quiet defiance against the constraints of tradition. Lotus buds rest gently in her hands, symbols of purity and renewal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740383022775-KB30WNLFR9UT8DIVBOYF/DSC06407.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti - Make it stand out While her saree remains white, her accessories tell a different story. Vibrant pink and green bangles adorn her wrists, symbolizing life and joy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1740306883158-8C87AA6V3XBXFB1GAGD7/DSC06390.jpg Articles - Rangeen Mukti What I love most about Rangeen Mukti is how it uses subtlety to tell a powerful story. It's not loud or confrontational, but quietly challenges the notion that life must be devoid of color after loss. It invites the viewer to see widows not through the lens of pity or tradition, but as individuals with the right to joy, choice, and self-expression. Working on this project was incredibly personal for me. Before I started, the world seemed either white or black to me. But as I immersed myself in creating this, I realized that fashion and culture are far more nuanced. I understood the importance of approaching cultural themes with mindfulness and practicing cultural appreciation instead of appropriation, because I now see how easy it is to unintentionally offend or misinterpret. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/vt38wc8ocjjazuoiuc5m6w665a905z monthly 0.5 2025-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/65781000-5702-4662-a636-235ef077cc0c/Screenshot+2025-01-14+at+7.06.06%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Going Slowlo! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0f27758a-9c4c-4b36-8985-65a89cc1019f/Screenshot+2025-01-14+at+7.08.42%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Going Slowlo! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/2c3a4f5a-1b56-4b6f-a0f3-283dc9265fee/Screenshot+2025-01-14+at+7.12.11%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Going Slowlo! The last leg of my solo trip took me to the 400-year-old Reis Magos fort, a grand and wondrous remnant of the Portuguese colonial era in Goa. A bastion of behemoth proportions. The Fort premises also house small exhibits showcasing the fort’s complex history, the colonial era, and post-independent Goa. They house artefacts, photographs, monographs, maps, and much more. I was fortunate to have an unhurried stroll through them while relishing the sound of the salty waves in the Arabian Sea, and breathtaking views of the vast blue from the fort. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1734944254507-1HSMBMRKI6WP88F4O16U/Picture+8.jpg Articles - Going Slowlo! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/203c5c8a-ee4f-42cf-b8b9-4d3f504b1cc9/Screenshot+2025-01-14+at+7.09.40%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Going Slowlo! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/living-and-learning-a-journey-with-my-best-friend monthly 0.5 2024-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c1036a39-9b67-4721-b547-dd9bc9df26eb/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-50-27.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend - Make it stand out The day we moved in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125015352-MKH1203I5X95UOMBFRE6/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-38.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125034736-M4K7RG3S7S2U46V9ODXU/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-52-47.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125068378-RTX1B4286UHV4BUNLLKL/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-38%2B2.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125088919-NAB1EQZN53JYD02RU88B/PHOTO-2024-05-16-00-42-39.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125133025-KHO4RTQP5O2WX7DHU035/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-51-47.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1716125114524-MZ3GQ7TTDDQB2BPSZ0I0/PHOTO-2024-05-16-12-51-18.jpg Articles - Living and Learning: A Journey With My Best Friend https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/newton-in-yoga-and-life monthly 0.5 2024-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/96ae613d-3c2a-4845-be23-647a79cdc3ea/Abstract+Yoga+Meditation+Poster%2C+Yoga+Girl+Sun+Chakra+Wall+Art%2C+Sun+Energy+Healing+for+Meditation+Room+Decor%2C+Healthy%2C+Relaxing+and+Spiritual+Living+Room+Daughter+Room+Studio+Decor-16%2522+X+24%2522-No+Frame.jpg Articles - NEWTON IN YOGA AND LIFE. - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/an-open-letter-from-a-privileged-indian-woman-to-india-and-the-world monthly 0.5 2024-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9e2aacdd-6789-4dac-9d75-4501f026b504/Jamini+Roy+Paintings+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas%2C+Digital+Art+%26+Large+Size+Prints+Of+The+Famous+Old+Master%27s+Artworks.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/287e0209-6b8d-4179-925f-7220e452bfa9/Untitled+by+Jamini+Roy+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas+%26+Digital+Art+Prints+%7C+Small%2C+Compact%2C+Medium+and+Large+Variants.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World Why do you say that my in-laws would not let me do something and that I wouldn’t belong to you? Why did you have me if you had to give me away? And when I ask you, you say because such is society. Why are you afraid of society? Why every second of my life you wanted me to behave not as a human being but as a respectable girl and a woman who should stay in her boundaries and is only allowed limited happiness and freedom and independence and laughter? Why was society always more important than my happiness? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9b9ec5bc-c79b-4e93-a7f7-1f74c062de85/Painting+%7C+Roy%2C+Jamini+%7C+V%26A+Explore+The+Collections.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/aa0712b2-ff45-4a90-9659-a5a4147a1480/16%2B+Earthly+Beautiful+Paintings+by+Jamini+Roy-2.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c17d444f-4a9f-42a6-b575-8f96340fcbd0/%28%2360%29+JAMINI+ROY+%7C+Untitled+%28Double-sided%29.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World This letter is a rant, a vent, some questions, some thoughts, some dark truths, some ugly realities, some positives, some sufferings, some childhood pains, some untold stories — small and big nuisances spread throughout a woman’s day and life. I wrote this letter because no matter how positive and giggly women are, as we cannot cry all the time for what is wrong and unjust and redundant, we should not go through what we go through daily. No one should. Some of the behaviors are even considered natural, and nothing is being done to fix them — that is my biggest pain. I would be happy if after reading this letter, even one parent or one Indian man or one person from the world changes one thing that would make the world a better place for women. That would be enough. My purpose in writing this letter would be achieved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c43bfee4-d7b0-4299-85ab-777da93b421f/JAMINI+ROY+%281887-1972%29%2C+Untitled+%28Three+Women%29+%7C+Christie%27s.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/525c0b55-1910-4de8-8b7b-334bf489e87c/Mother+and+Child+by+Jamini+Roy+%7C+Buy+Posters%2C+Frames%2C+Canvas+%26+Digital+Art+Prints+%7C+Small%2C+Compact%2C+Medium+and+Large+Variants.jpg Articles - An Open Letter From a Privileged Indian Woman to India and The World Why do you assume that I would be loving and gentle or motherly with children if I am a woman? Because I can shoot out a child out of my body? Let me break the ice — many of us have no motherly instincts. We are not up for sacrifices and changing diapers and admiring the mushed tushie of the child when we apply Johnson’s baby powder. We still cannot take care of ourselves properly. Why do I take a step back when it comes to career and identity? I have worked hard to make myself who I am. Why should adjustments come naturally to me and not to the man? Why do you have it so ingrained that my own family thinks so? Why do random uncles become our guardians? Because they are the men, patriarchs of their families, so, of course of the neighborhood. Or because we belong to the same geography and caste? But above all — because we are single and alone women in the jungles of the big city? How can they adopt me without any paperwork? https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/cooking-at-home-is-cool monthly 0.5 2024-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/e5572fca-1f71-44b0-b5ca-2a4853f98ab7/IMG_F7D702D9FF48-1.jpg Articles - Cooking at home is cool! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ff8d7be1-1515-476f-b799-bc2b134ba640/PHOTO-2024-03-02-10-53-43.jpg Articles - Cooking at home is cool! Women from privilege have been freed from the daily task of cooking - a much-needed change. However, like with all changes, this too has its setbacks. Cooking, or rather cooking regularly, is considered regressive and uncool. If you find yourself with the leisure to cook every day, it suggests you're not occupied with enough meaningful pursuits. While occasional weekend breakfasts with homemade cookies or pancakes for the family are delightful, daily cooking might imply either a lack of open-mindedness in your family or a compromise of the freedom rightfully yours. Although this shift benefited many, especially women who didn't find joy in cooking, it posed challenges for those who did, irrespective of gender - a common outcome in multiple libertarian movements. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/5a839972-4835-4092-b58e-be44372f273c/1.png Articles - Cooking at home is cool! There was a time when I considered building a career in food. However, as someone who excelled in academic pursuits and extracurricular activities, I subconsciously associated cooking and food with notions of oppression, conflicting with the image of a modern, independent woman. I didn’t think it was “smart” enough. Of course, it was all in my head. As time passed, I kept going back to food and looked at cooking as the ultimate stress buster for cooking and feeding people gave me joy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/9b05fb81-7955-4613-87b0-2fe10312f163/2.jpg Articles - Cooking at home is cool! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/most-anticipated-books-of-2024 monthly 0.5 2024-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/69286c48-eebe-4c80-9c8a-57bf675efa0f/145624511.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - The Fetishist Publishing in: January 2024 On a cold, gloomy night, twenty-three-year-old Kyoko stands in the rain with a knife in her hoodie’s pocket. Her target is Daniel, who seduced Kyoko’s mother then callously dropped her, leading to her death. But tonight, there will be repercussions. Following the unsuspecting Daniel home, Kyoko manages to get a rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and then nothing goes as planned. The Fetishist is the story of three people—Kyoko, a Japanese American punk-rock singer full of rage and grief; Daniel, a philandering violinist forced to confront the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, a Korean American cello prodigy long adored for her beauty, passion, and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved. THE FETISHIST is an exuberant, provocative story that confronts race, complicity, visibility, and ideals of femininity, written before the celebrated author’s untimely death in 2019. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7bcafaea-3550-4876-90df-41d2414571e1/127306192.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Anita De Monte Laughs Last Publishing in: March 2024 1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/37f7cd24-af7b-412a-873b-cd417c8ffadd/195474144.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Table for Two Publishing in: April 2024 The millions of readers of Amor Towles are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of comprise which operate at the heart of modern marriages. In Towles’s novel, Rules of Civility , the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September, 1938, with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself—and others—in the midst of Hollywood’s golden age. Throughout the stories, two characters often find themselves sitting across a table for two where the direction of their futures may hinge upon what they say to each other next. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/7d78a760-fdd0-4517-bec8-da704a5f6782/155685405.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Splinters Publishing in: February 2024 Leslie Jamison has become one of our most beloved contemporary voices, a scribe of the real, the true, the complex. In her first memoir, Jamison turns her unrivaled powers of perception on some of the most intimate relationships of her consuming love for her young daughter, a ruptured marriage once swollen with hope, and the shaping legacy of her own parents’ complicated bond. In examining what it means for a woman to be many things at once—a mother, an artist, a teacher, a lover—Jamison places the magical and the mundane side by side in surprising pumping breastmilk in a shared university office, driving the open highway in the throes of new love, growing a tender second skin of consciousness as she watches her daughter come alive to the world. The result is a work of nonfiction like no other, an almost impossibly deep reckoning with the muchness of life and art, and a book that grieves the departure of one love even as it celebrates the arrival of another. How do we move forward into joy when we are haunted by loss? How do we claim hope alongside the harm we’ve caused? A memoir for which the very term tour de force seems to have been coined, Splinters plumbs these and other pressing questions with writing that is revelatory to the last page. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/b43e7c1d-b7fb-46e3-8603-2160d56b79a2/127305853.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - The Women Publishing in: February 2024 Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam. THE WOMEN is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/44b72a49-fe7b-4c56-9655-182d0ee5d953/173754979.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - James Publishing in: March 2024 When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond. While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light. Brimming with electrifying humor and lacerating observations, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/8edc13ef-c844-4d00-819b-187ecadc923f/181110028.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - The Great Divide Publishing in: March 2024 An epic novel of the construction of the Panama Canal, casting light on the unsung people who lived, loved, and labored there, by Cristina Henríquez, acclaimed author of The Book of Unknown Americans It is said that the canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built. For Francisco, a local fisherman who resents the foreign powers clamoring for a slice of his country, nothing is more upsetting than the decision of his son, Omar, to work as a digger in the excavation zone. But for Omar, whose upbringing was quiet and lonely, this job offers a chance to finally find connection. Ada Bunting is a bold sixteen-year-old from Barbados who arrives in Panama as a stowaway alongside thousands of other West Indians seeking work. John Oswald has dedicated his life to scientific research and has journeyed to Panama in single-minded pursuit of one goal: eliminating malaria. But now, his wife, Marian, has fallen ill herself, and when he witnesses Ada’s bravery and compassion, he hires her on the spot as a caregiver. This fateful decision sets in motion a sweeping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice. Searing and empathetic, The Great Divide explores the intersecting lives of activists, fishmongers, laborers, journalists, neighbors, doctors, and soothsayers—those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/616aa82c-4ec5-4d44-8148-2c70feaeca20/194802722.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Funny Story Publishing in: April 2024 Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f9f509ce-4f0b-49b9-8d2d-6a91280aa987/9781639732463.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Sugar Baby Publishing in: January 2024 Sugar, Baby follows Agnes, a mixed-race 21-year-old whose life seems to be heading nowhere. Still living at home, she works as a cleaner and spends all her money in clubs on the weekends searching for distractions from her mundane life. That is until she meets Emily, daughter of one of her cleaning clients, who lives in London and works as a model . . . and a sugar baby, dating rich older men for money. Emily's life is the escape Agnes has been longing for - extravagant tasting menus, champagne on tap, glamorous hotels with unlimited room service, designer gifts from dates who call her beautiful. But this new lifestyle is the last straw for her religious mother Constance. Kicked out of her family home, Agnes moves in with Emily and the other sugar babies in their fancy London flat and is drawn deeper and deeper into their world. But these women come from money: they possess a safety net Agnes does not. And as she is thrown from one precarious relationship to the next - a married man who wants to show off the glamourous, exotic girl on his arm; a Russian billionaire's wife who makes Agnes central to a sex party in Miami-she finds herself searching for fulfillment just as desperately as she was before. A compelling journey of self-discovery that offers sharp commentary on race, beauty, and class, Sugar, Baby is an electric, original, spellbinding novel that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/46de00cc-62fe-4eaf-b062-ec13a73d0afa/9780241618257-jacket-large.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Blessings Publishing in: February 2024 When Obiefuna's father witnesses an intimate moment between his teenage son and the family's apprentice, newly arrived from the nearby village, he banishes Obiefuna to a Christian boarding school marked by strict hierarchy and routine, devastating violence. Utterly alienated from the people he loves, Obiefuna begins a journey of self-discovery and blossoming desire, while his mother Uzoamaka grapples to hold onto her favourite son, her truest friend. Interweaving the perspectives of Obiefuna and his mother Uzoamaka, as they reach towards a future that will hold them both, BLESSINGS is an elegant and exquisitely moving story of love and loneliness. Asking how we can live freely when politics reaches into our hearts and lives, as well as deep into our consciousness, it is a stunning, searing debut. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/db957d9d-7cb9-49f7-b56f-c00663364beb/199344846.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Knife Publishing in: April 2024 From internationally renowned writer and Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring—and surviving—an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him. Speaking out for the first time, and in unforgettable detail, about the traumatic events of August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie answers violence with art, and reminds us of the power of words to make sense of the unthinkable. Knife is a gripping, intimate, and ultimately life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3b6b0812-9274-43b5-92a9-c75f5215e7a5/174147294.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Wandering Stars Publishing in: February 2024 Colorado, 1864. Star, a young survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre, is brought to the Fort Marion Prison Castle, where he is forced to learn English and practice Christianity by Richard Henry Pratt, an evangelical prison guard who will go on to found the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, an institution dedicated to the eradication of Native history, culture, and identity. A generation later, Star’s son, Charles, is sent to the school, where he is brutalized by the man who was once his father’s jailer. Under Pratt’s harsh treatment, Charles clings to moments he shares with a young fellow student, Opal Viola, as the two envision a future away from the institutional violence that follows their bloodlines. Oakland, 2018. Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield is barely holding her family together after the shooting that nearly took the life of her nephew Orvil. Extending his constellation of narratives into the past and future, Tommy Orange once again delivers a story that is by turns shattering and wondrous, a book piercing in its poetry, sorrow, and rage—a masterful follow-up to his already-classic first novel, and a devastating indictment of America’s war on its own people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/36ffa97f-f200-4cb1-a175-041e2cf2f9f6/91-FRlzC91L._AC_UF894%2C1000_QL80_.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - The Caledonian Road Publishing in: April 2024 A biting portrait of British class, politics, and money told through five interconnected families and their rising—and declining—fortunes. Campbell Flynn – art historian and celebrity intellectual – is entering the empire of middle age. Fuelled by an appetite for admiration and the finer things, controversy and novelty, he doesn’t take people half as seriously as they take themselves. Which will prove the first of his huge mistakes. Campbell Flynn, always knew that when his life came crashing down, it would happen in public—yet he never imagined that a single year in London would expose so much. Entangled with a brilliant student, he begins to see trouble brewing for his family and friends. All his worlds collide—the art scene and academia, fashion and the English aristocracy, journalism and the internet—as dangerous forces enter his life and Caledonian Road gives up its secrets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/5c002296-c73b-4fb0-b2ac-de31e18e1590/197144545.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Lies and Weddings Publishing in: May 2024 Rufus Leung Gresham, future Duke of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel has a the legendary Gresham Trust has been depleted by decades of profligate spending, and behind all the magazine covers and Instagram stories manors and yachts lies nothing more than a gargantuan mountain of debt. The only solution, put forth by Rufus’s scheming mother, is for Rufus to attend his sister’s wedding at a luxury eco-resort, a veritable who’s-who of sultans, barons, and oligarchs, and seduce a woman with money. Should he marry Solène de Courcy, a French hotel heiress with honey blond tresses and a royal bloodline? Should he pursue Martha Dung, the tattooed venture capital genius who passes out billions like lollipops? Or should he follow his heart, betray his family, squander his legacy, and finally confess his love to the literal girl next door, the humble daughter of a doctor, Eden Tong? When a volcanic eruption burns through the nuptials and a hot mic exposes a secret tryst, the Gresham family plans—and their reputation—go up in flames. Kevin Kwan unfurls a juicy, hilarious, sophisticated and thrillingly plotted story of love, money, murder, sex, and the lies we tell about them all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/3667e71d-ee87-4e2b-a5d4-e39523bbd507/202993222.jpg Articles - Most Anticipated Books of 2024 - Maria, Just Maria Publishing in: January 2024 Following the death of her grandfather, Maria has stopped speaking - not because she can't, but because she doesn't want to. Now in a psychiatric hospital, as she begins the process of 'reconnecting with reality', Maria recalls her journey of being 'just Maria' - a girl born into a Syrian Christian family in Kerala, whose companions were a grandfather who took her along to wander around the village and its toddy shops, a great-aunt with dementia who challenged Maria's position as the youngest in the family, a dog with a penchant for philosophy, various long-dead family members including a great-grandmother with a knack for prophecies, a patron saint who insisted on interfering in people's affairs, and Karthav Eesho Mishiha with whom Maria has regular conversations. Sandhya Mary's novel Maria, Just Maria - masterfully translated by the award-winning Jayasree Kalathil - is an insightful and humorous take on ideas like normal-abnormal, natural-human, love-hate, etc. that define contemporary society, and the exuberant and moving story of a woman trying to find her place in this world. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/venturing-into-uncharted-territory-recipes-mom-never-attempted monthly 0.5 2024-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/4f9707c3-249f-43d3-a836-8e74895cc163/unnamed.jpg Articles - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/34b52be9-dea1-4245-bd95-90ab6502d2b4/Screenshot+2024-01-20+at+3.19.20%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/68071c88-cba4-4c15-8255-ff12ee7a4edb/Screenshot+2024-01-20+at+3.19.51%E2%80%AFPM.png Articles - Venturing into Uncharted Territory: Recipes Mom Never Attempted Serve: Serve hot with lemon wedges and Onions on the side for that extra zing. Tips: Adjust the spice levels according to your preference. For added flavour, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the prawns just before serving. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/art-journalling-and-me-time-as-a-new-mother monthly 0.5 2024-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1705737967076-EEU7X2DLSA4PJL0YQ9CU/packaging.png Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1705738419907-NZIT15SO45Q7DN91WMGR/img20220117_21464898.jpg Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ed28d64d-4bac-4580-9db1-adcbd274cadb/Joy.png Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother Those 100 days were pivotal to my life. They gave me a sense of identity beyond being an employee, a mother, a wife, and a daughter. In those precious minutes that I spent in my journal, I was just being myself. The one who loved to draw and paint. That’s it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/676f8c36-763e-4ba6-a210-af03bbd684a2/twirl.png Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/fbb2c264-9531-445e-980c-f2e16f818eb8/Brighter+-+006.jpg Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother - Make it stand out Picture credit: Chenthil Mohan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/5f6c0b12-1298-48dc-87b0-7c504edfcc55/Sketchbook+Stack.jpg Articles - Art Journaling and ‘Me-time’ as a new mother So we began. I was just beginning to discover watercolours, as well as re-discover just how much I loved to draw. Along with my drawings, I wrote little notes about the drawing or wrote something about my day on the same page, and added the date. That was the beginning. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/2024-travel-list-destinations-off-the-beaten-path monthly 0.5 2024-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f8699733-5c5f-420e-b2b5-47d984acb7ed/Montenegro.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 01 JANUARY: Montenegro Montenegro, an unexplored gem located on the Adriatic Sea, in the heart of the Balkans. Steeped in history and culture, with several UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the old town of Kotor, a mediaeval walled city located on the Bay of Kotor. January is the coldest month here and therefore, perfect if you love to indulge in winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Home to several national parks, like Durmitor National Park - a must-visit for adventure seekers, known for its snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes, and stunning hiking trails, Montenegro is the perfect winter paradise waiting to be explored. In addition to its natural beauty, Montenegro is also known for its delicious cuisine, which is influenced by its Mediterranean and Balkan neighbours. With its stunning landscapes, delicious cuisine, and warm hospitality, it's a destination you will remember for a lifetime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c2ea26d2-06f6-45dc-883e-467666ded2d9/Safari+Tanzania.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 02 FEBRUARY: Tanzania Tanzania is a beautiful country located in East Africa, known for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and diverse wildlife. February is an excellent time to visit Tanzania, as the weather is warm and dry, making it a perfect time for outdoor activities, hikes and wildlife safaris. One of the star attractions here, is the Serengeti National Park, a vast savannah filled with incredible wildlife, including lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes. February is the calving season for wildebeest and travellers can witness the incredible sight of thousands of wildebeest giving birth to their young. For those who love hiking, Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Tanzania is also known for its rich culture, with over 120 different ethnic groups living in the country. Travellers can explore the local markets, sample traditional Tanzanian cuisine, and learn about the country's history and traditions. Tanzania is a fantastic destination to visit in February, offering a unique blend of adventure, wildlife, culture, and natural beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/8b4eb31b-caf9-44e5-8aed-67d87017836e/3b21b2a0e2096cb1d5c8deee86a69323.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 07 JULY: Rwanda Despite its troubled past, Rwanda, a small country located in East Africa has emerged as a safe and stable country that's home to some of the most beautiful landscapes and wildlife in Africa. One of the main draws of Rwanda are its famous mountain gorillas. Rwanda is home to several mountain gorilla families that live in the dense forests of the Volcanoes National Park. Take part in a once-in-a-lifetime Gorilla trekking experience, where you can hike through the forest and observe these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. There is light cloud coverage in July making it a comfortable climate for Gorilla trekking. Rwanda also has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its traditions, music, and dance. Rwandan cuisine is a mix of African and European influences. The country is known for its delicious meat dishes, including grilled goat and brochettes (skewered meat). This hidden gem with its warmth and hospitality, majestic mountains and plenty of wildlife is waiting to be discovered. So go ahead and add it to your list of must-see travel destinations for 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f4dc7602-8037-4207-a356-80333e8c633b/INCREDIBLE+THINGS+ABOUT+BHUTAN+YOU+DID+NOT+KNOW.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 10 OCTOBER: Bhutan If you are looking for a safe, unique and culturally rich experience that you will cherish for a lifetime then Bhutan should definitely be on the top of your 2024 travel list. Nestled in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Bhutan offers breathtaking landscapes, a peaceful atmosphere, and deeply rooted traditions. October is a great time to visit Bhutan. The weather is mild and pleasant, with clear skies and minimal rainfall. It's also the time of the year when the country celebrates its biggest festival - the Thimphu Tshechu. The Thimphu Tshechu is a religious festival held annually in the capital city of Thimphu. It's celebrated to honour Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Bhutan. The festival is a colourful and vibrant affair, with traditional dances and music performances. Bhutan is also known for its natural beauty and stunning landscapes and October is a great time to explore the countryside. You can visit the Paro Valley and hike to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery, a sacred Buddhist site perched on a cliff. The hike offers stunning views of the valley and surrounding mountains. You can also visit the Punakha Dzong, a fortress built in the 17th century, located at the confluence of two rivers. Known for its Gross National Happiness, which prioritises the well-being of its citizens over economic growth, the warmth and hospitality of the Bhutanese people is palpable. The country has a strict tourism policy, and all visitors must book their tour through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator, so make sure to book your trip well in advance. This ensures that tourism is sustainable and benefits the local community. Bhutan is a magical and enchanting destination that offers a unique blend of culture, tradition, and natural beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/cef618ce-8147-439d-a0f2-19600b2227dc/Laos+Travel+Diary.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 12 DECEMBER: Laos Laos is a hidden gem in Southeast Asia that is often overlooked by travellers. This is a country of breathtaking natural beauty. From the towering mountains in the north to the lush forests and waterfalls in the south, Laos has plenty of outdoor activities to offer. The northern region of the country is home to several mountain ranges, including the famous Phou Louey National Park. Laos also has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its architecture, traditions, and cuisine. The country is known for its well-preserved architecture. The ancient city of Luang Prabang and the famous Wat Xieng Thong temple are testament to it. One of the most striking things about Laos is the warmth and hospitality of its people. Visitors to Laos are often struck by how friendly and welcoming the locals are. Whether staying in a guesthouse or simply exploring the local markets, you will surely be greeted with a smile and a friendly hello. December is one of the drier months in the country and the temperatures are moderate making it easier for travellers to explore it to the fullest. Whether you are looking for adventure, culture, relaxation, or all of the above, Laos is sure to exceed your expectations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f1d9f832-2e42-4760-b87b-8d301cd6e57a/Rainforest+in+Monteverde%2C+Costa+Rica+%5B1440x1793%5D+%28OC%29.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 03 MARCH: Costa Rica Known for its lush rainforests, stunning beaches, and diverse wildlife, Costa Rica is a great option for travellers who want to explore the outdoors. March is one of the driest months here, making it easier to experience the country’s natural beauty at its best. Costa Rica is home to an incredible ecosystem, with over 25% of its land area protected as national parks and reserves. Travellers can explore the dense jungles, hike to waterfalls, go zip-lining, or relax on the pristine beaches. The Arenal Volcano National Park, home to the active Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio National Park, known for its beautiful beaches and diverse wildlife, are must-visits. Hike up to the volcano's base, soak in the natural hot springs, take a canopy tour to see the jungle from above, or simply dolce farniente on the beaches. The options are plenty. Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they are commonly known, are friendly and welcoming people who are always happy to help visitors. The country has a low crime rate, making it a safe destination for solo travellers! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ef2c4d58-935a-48b0-bee6-5cb32e9a4020/Explore+Bolivia%27s+hidden+gems+with+our+list+of+18+places+to+visit%21.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 04 APRIL: Bolivia Bolivia is a landlocked South American country known for its diverse landscapes, rich culture, and unique traditions. The Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, is a popular destination in Bolivia. Also known for its vibrant culture and traditions, you can attend festivals and events, such as the Fiesta de la Cruz in May, where locals dress up in traditional clothing and perform traditional dances. Bolivia is also home to several indigenous communities, such as the Aymara and Quechua, who have preserved their unique customs and traditions. In addition to its natural beauty and rich culture, Bolivia also offers delicious cuisine, which is influenced by its Spanish, indigenous, and Andean roots. Try traditional dishes such as salteñas, empanadas filled with meat and vegetables, or pique macho, a spicy beef dish. Bolivia is a unique destination that offers a mix of adventure, culture, and natural beauty. April offers comfortable weather conditions to explore the country's stunning landscapes and rich culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/248d7ddc-86b2-4caf-946d-555546b89cd4/Ultimate+Guide+to+the+Best+Hiking+in+South+Korea.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 06 JUNE: South Korea June is the beginning of summer in South Korea, making it the perfect time to explore the country's many attractions. Seoul, the bustling capital city, offers a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. Seoul is home to several historical sites, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Explore the vibrant street markets, sample delicious Korean cuisine, and experience the country's unique culture by attending traditional performances. Another must-visit destination in South Korea is Jeju Island, a volcanic island located off the southern coast of the country. In June, the island is in full bloom, and you can witness the beautiful hydrangea flowers that cover the island. For those who love food, South Korea is a culinary paradise, offering a variety of delicious dishes that are sure to satisfy any palate. Korean BBQ, kimchi, bibimbap, and fried chicken are just a few of the many dishes that are must-try during the trip. Whether you're exploring the vibrant cities or relaxing on the beautiful beaches, South Korea is a destination that will leave you with unforgettable memories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1f8dadf0-3210-4fb2-ac3f-e2c2e8cba7fa/Samarkand%2C+Uzbekistan_+Best+Things+To+Do+%26+See.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 11 November: Uzbekistan Uzbekistan is a fascinating country located in Central Asia, known for its rich history, beautiful crafts and stunning architecture. The city of Samarkand is home to some of the most impressive architectural wonders in the world, including the Registan, a complex of three magnificent madrasahs (Islamic schools) dating back to the 15th and 17th centuries, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the Ulugbek Observatory, and the Shah-i-Zinda complex, a mausoleum with exquisite mosaic tilework and intricate patterns. Another must-visit city is Bukhara. This city has been continuously inhabited for over 2,500 years and was the heart of the legendary Silk Road connecting Russia and China. Old madrasahs in Bukhara are now converted to cute shops carrying exquisite silks, suzanis, carpets and ceramic ware. The city of Khiva, is a well-preserved example of a traditional Central Asian city, with its towering minarets, old city walls, and bustling bazaars. Don't miss out on trying some of the local dishes such as plov (a rice pilaf with meat and vegetables), lagman (a noodle soup with meat and vegetables), and shashlik (grilled skewered meat). Uzbekistan is a fascinating destination for those who love history, architecture, and culture, and November is a great time to visit when the weather is cooler, and the tourist crowds are thinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/14fbc5c0-8663-44be-af4a-0e2898db6204/The+Complete+Guide+to+Theth+%26+Albania%27s+Accursed+Mountains+-+Slight+North.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 08 AUGUST: Albania Albania, a hidden gem located in southeastern Europe, bordered by Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, is a unique destination that offers a mix of history, culture, and natural beauty. The Albanian Riviera is a must-visit destination in August, with its crystal-clear waters and stunning beaches. The beaches here are among the most beautiful in Europe, and travellers can enjoy a variety of water activities, including swimming, snorkelling, and diving. August is also the perfect time to go on a hike to the Valbona Valley National Park, which is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. The park offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, rivers, and lakes. Albanian cuisine is a must-try, with its mix of Mediterranean and Balkan influences. Travellers can enjoy a variety of dishes, including fresh seafood, grilled meats, and delicious pastries. The country is also known for its excellent wine and some of the local vineyards and wineries allow travellers to take a tour and indulge in locally produced wine. August is the perfect time to visit Albania as it's the peak of the summer season, and the weather is warm and sunny. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/ef89938b-a2b4-44f7-be24-ae6a325a4384/Fairytale+Lake+Bled+%E2%9C%A8.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 05 MAY: Slovenia With its crisp, pure air, lush forests, picturesque villages and overall stunning landscapes, it is no surprise that Slovenia - a small country tucked away in Central Europe is gaining popularity as a must-visit travel destination. Unlike larger, more crowded European destinations, Slovenia offers a more peaceful and laid-back atmosphere. Whether you're hiking in the Julian Alps, kayaking on the Soca River, or exploring the country's charming towns and villages, there’s a sense of ease and comfort. The country is also home to several national parks and protected areas, including Triglav National Park, which is known for its stunning mountain scenery and crystal-clear lakes. The country has a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and traditions. From the mediaeval town of Piran on the Adriatic coast to the charming capital city of Ljubljana, there are plenty of opportunities to explore Slovenia's unique blend of Slavic, Italian, and Austrian influences. The country is known for its friendly locals, who are always happy to help you navigate your way around and offer tips on the best things to see and do. With warm daytime temperatures and plenty of sunshine, May is a great month to explore the Slovenian outdoors. Whether you're travelling solo or with a group, you can feel confident that Slovenia is a destination where you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about your safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f11f9876-3b7c-41a1-8b7a-1818c67f9104/Jordan%27s+natural+beauty.jpg Articles - 2024 Travel List: Destinations Off The Beaten Path - 09 SEPTEMBER: Jordan Despite being located in a volatile region, Jordan is one of the safest and most welcoming countries in the Middle East. It is home to some of the world's most famous historical sites, as well as stunning deserts and mountains making it a great choice for travellers who want to experience a different culture and explore a unique landscape. Jordan's ancient city of Petra is one of the world's most famous archaeological sites and is a testament to the country's rich history and culture. Another popular attraction is the Dead Sea, famous for its mineral-rich waters and therapeutic mud. Jordanian cuisine is a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences, with dishes like hummus, falafel, and tabbouleh being popular amongst locals and travellers. The weather in September is quite pleasant making it easier to visit all the destinations without the scorching heat. Whether you're travelling solo or with a group, you can feel confident that Jordan is a destination where you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about your safety. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/sakhee-an-introduction monthly 0.5 2023-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/2d596274-1eb5-44de-bceb-5b45d28156af/DSC00545.jpg Articles - Sakhee: An introduction - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/twin-love monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/60cbbb30-973a-4fe3-bc5b-f5a343d5c296/IMG_4763.JPG Articles - Twin Love When you’ve been together since the time of inception, how do you explain to yourself what being apart is going to feel like? When you’ve never really been alone how do you then deal with being lonely? When you’ve always had a friend, how do you make new ones? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6c65643e-86b1-415b-a30d-99211a3167da/Scan_20170409_173631.JPEG Articles - Twin Love - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1f3e3e49-666e-4842-affd-786162ae27e7/946cdeb8-b61e-4038-97b0-f3a49170d36e.JPG Articles - Twin Love I value this relationship more than any other. It taught me how to be a friend. It taught me love. It has defined the kind of life I desire. The kind of friendships and relationships I desire. I was given a built-in best friend for life. It made me learn how to be a friend to someone. Most importantly it made me not look outside for validation. I learnt to value myself over everything else. In some weird way, because Rhea was most important to me, I became most important to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353675900-MARDGISJXQZM6LAE2SIP/IMG_6444.jpg Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353624148-YQK3ONPZDYIN91LK9NN6/8d63ec38-c8d6-4017-a645-3a7789b5ef22.JPG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353685355-WI6WAKDRBXEPQU02V49G/Scan_20170923_183748_004.JPEG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353682831-DFX182JH28KGRRLNVV7T/Scan_20170323_160410.JPEG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353910877-J541O4KJDNFZ0HKXXAJK/Scan_20170922_172634_001.JPEG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353911766-S9KMGM01MH3S5A0UR99J/Scan_20170923_125124_003.JPEG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353906905-CTPXK3CAR17MF5F2QN3X/Scan_20170330_180909_001.JPEG Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353853180-5NWLSO35T3DWKKF64QPM/IMG_2983.jpg Articles - Twin Love https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/1701353631921-NPNEHZ2UJ9I49EGF7BI3/ae23b794-ce92-4ae4-a385-bc601223d676.JPG Articles - Twin Love https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/power-of-female-friendships monthly 0.5 2023-12-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0c1e9644-3464-48b4-9f8e-d383c33f0f69/pexels-pixabay-50579.jpg Articles - The Power of Female Friendships - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/192258d0-603f-4212-a5b8-1abfec4b1936/pexels-aline-viana-prado-3491715.jpg Articles - The Power of Female Friendships - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c5193e57-f768-475d-a3e1-5e6199727c5f/pexels-aline-viana-prado-3491680.jpg Articles - The Power of Female Friendships Different friends play different roles in our lives. A work friend might provide the strength to overcome obstacles at the workplace and strive for success, whereas a childhood friend may be the one you turn to for advice on important life decisions. Hence we must choose our inclement wisely, we are, after all, the company we keep. The people we keep in our lives, build relationships with, and interact with regularly will ultimately determine who we form ourselves with. Their actions and reactions good or bad as well as behaviors, all subconsciously influence our daily choices and decisions. Female friendships are a testament to the power and resilience of womanhood. They remind us that we are not alone in this journey and that we have a sisterhood to rely on. They remind us of the beauty of diversity and the richness that comes from embracing and supporting one another. These bonds are not just about sharing good times; they have the power to transform our lives. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/friends-forever monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c5a612ff-682d-438e-92c3-7454007aa8aa/6b4d2ba6-04d7-42ae-b36e-613e71f64832.jpg Articles - Friends Forever In our second year of B.Com, she suggested we join typing classes at a nearby institute to master the keyboard. So every day after college off we trotted to our typing classes. As the year 1981 rolled in, we saw a sudden spurt in the frequency of her asthmatic attacks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/37f44558-60bf-4d16-9484-92b2738b639c/52b81fae-d2dd-4efa-95d7-e4e866fcccc8.JPG Articles - Friends Forever In September of this year, Aunty passed away, taking with her one of the last connections I had with my friend. It was the end of an era. Last month, during Diwali, Chandana - Arathi’s sister was keen on gifting me something. I told her, the most precious gift to me would be something that belonged to my friend. I'm in Singapore now with my son & daughter in law, holding the saree Arathi had worn during our intermediate college farewell party. 44 years after she was crowned Miss Francis! Our friendship lives on! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/8a05cf13-326b-4fc1-b3e0-76119a3f9215/IMG_0639.jpg Articles - Friends Forever We thought the exams week would be a breeze. As Arathi and I travelled back together on the bus that fateful Thursday, we kept discussing the ‘accounts’ problems for the paper scheduled for the next day. Between the both of us, we had only managed one guidebook with answers to the problems that were more likely to appear in the final question paper. It was hers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/eafa072a-725e-4d95-adc3-c61e1c0abb6b/IMG_0640.jpg Articles - Friends Forever - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/category/Food+for+Thought monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/category/Poem monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/category/Explore monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/category/Soul monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/articles/category/Spaces monthly 0.5 https://www.sakheecollective.com/photoessays daily 0.75 2025-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/452d5bca-5aec-45f9-94eb-d6176034f087/DSC00476.jpg Photo Essays Laxmi and Kamal. "We became neighbours when we came here after our respective marriages and have been through everything together ever since. She thinks I nag her, but I still love her the most." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/fabf694c-214a-4902-b4be-3c703b1a6205/DSC00639.jpg Photo Essays Kanak and Astha. "We study better, together. So even though we stay far from each other, we make it a point to meet for studies before every exam." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c298aa4c-49a1-4375-8510-3235f58484b9/DSC00613.jpg Photo Essays Yashashree and Aaradhya. "We are cousins. We get into a lot of mischief together." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/0ddfc11c-7ee9-426d-8413-f41aacf7cc44/DSC00590.jpg Photo Essays Manasi. "I find joy in the silence of my own thoughts." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6a708d9f-7f2d-4dc2-b9f0-a9acbfebda43/DSC00600.jpg Photo Essays Amba and Babita. "We are originally from Rajasthan and moved here with our families. We spend all day together selling small items in local markets." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/feb7bf0e-6a05-42f0-bec1-795117fb62dd/DSC00684.jpg Photo Essays Ketaki, Sujata, Rohini. From sharing a bench in college to now, our friendship has sustained 20 years of everything - good, bad and best. We couldn't buy 3 vada paos then, so we would share one - we've seen each other through those times. It is difficult to find time to meet every day now but we make it a point to catch up every 3-4 months. That one day we spend with each other, we don't care where we meet, what we eat .. we just want to talk. Tell each other everything." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/a2824d17-583c-4502-890a-ff4fe7f28f14/DSC00619.jpg Photo Essays Jyoti and Madhavi. "We used to live in the same neighbourhood before Madhavi's son got a swanky new apartment. I miss those days when we borrowed sugar from each other's houses." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/bed65131-d891-4b91-b981-56eedc5750a9/DSC00597.jpg Photo Essays Kamal and Vaishali. "I had an arranged marriage at 21. I didn't know a lot about my husband or the family but they are all wonderful. She (my mother-in-law) has been the one who has guided me through everything". - Vaishali "And I have always wanted a daughter, Vaishali completed our family". - Kamal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/f4904c5b-912c-456e-9f66-cf230a2eb141/DSC00696.jpg Photo Essays Alka, Sujata, Deepali, Hema. "We are all accidental friends because we work together every day. Most of our day is spent with each other." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/723775e9-6f73-463f-84a0-f6473e58fa69/DSC00559.jpg Photo Essays Ojaswini and Gayatri. "We are sisters. Now that both of us have grown up we always have each other's backs, so whenever one of us gets into trouble with our parents, the other one is always in her corner." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/e2141b6c-079b-4ecc-80a9-b2c567c1b434/DSC00624.jpg Photo Essays Aasha and Lata. "We are from Akola, a small town in Maharashtra. We met each other, when she got married to my husband's brother. From all our family duties, we took a quick break to enjoy our cup of chai." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/6e8ba3cb-f303-439c-b567-1f03e99d833e/DSC00633.jpg Photo Essays Salma and Heena "At 21, I found a friend in my mother. She gives me the freedom, she never got" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65590ca68571c25ab89beaf4/c2812712-07cb-4709-98e5-b1984456c201/DSC00651.jpg Photo Essays Mitali and Siddhi. "We have been friends since childhood and now we go to the same college. 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