The Nomadic Soul

A pigeon once flew into Ria's childhood living room and could not find its way out — flying frantically in circles around the room while the balcony window stood wide open the entire time.It's one bird among many across a lifetime of encounters — a silent visitor perched on an almirah, peacocks strutting like royalty through a garden, a mynah trapped behind a balcony net, painted storks holding still against a vast Bharatpur sky. The ornithologist Salim Ali makes an appearance too — "a migratory bird himself." Each bird is different on the surface, but underneath, they share one thing: the ongoing choice and privilege to be free.Salim Ali—Indian ornithologist known as the "Birdman of India"; instrumental in establishing Bharatpur as a protected bird sanctuaryBharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo National Park)—UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rajasthan, IndiaHandbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan—landmark ten-volume work by Salim Ali and S. Dillon RipleyPainted Stork—large resident wading bird of South and Southeast Asian wetlandsSarus Crane—tallest flying bird in the world; resident across the Indian subcontinentOrange-headed Ground Thrush—brightly coloured, ground-dwelling forest thrushNorthern Pintail—migratory duck wintering across South AsiaRose-ringed Parakeet—bright green parakeet native to Africa and South AsiaRed-wattled Lapwing—ground-dwelling wader known for its loud "did-he-do-it" callAsian Koel—large cuckoo, brood parasite of crows

Ria grew up alive to sound—a Casio keyboard's pre-recorded violin rendition of "Greensleeves," the family ritual of watching Chitrahaar on Doordarshan, the menacing tone of Ring a Ring o'Roses. Long before she had words for it, she was being shaped by everything she heard. This essay moves through the sounds of a childhood: a timeless Mohammed Rafi song, the roar of the Arabian Sea, the hymns sung at the school assembly, the vibration of a piano felt through a wooden stage on a birthday morning. This is an invitation to step into one girl's sonic landscape and feel the vibration of the original symphony."Likhe jo khat tujhe, jo teri yaad mein, hazaaron rang ke, nazaare ban gaye," lyrics by Neeraj, from "Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe," Kanyadaan (1968), music by Shankar-Jaikishan, sung by Mohammed Rafi."Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe" (film song)—from Kanyadaan (1968); lyrics by Neeraj, music by Shankar-Jaikishan, sung by Mohammed Rafi; English translation: Ria"Greensleeves"—traditional English songChitrahaar—Doordarshan's twice-weekly Hindi film-song programme, since 1982Doordarshan—India's state-owned public broadcaster"Ring a Ring o' Roses" — The Countdown Kids (lyric video)"Showers of Blessing" — Bill & Gloria Gaither, ft. Sue Dodge (Live)"This Little Light of Mine" — Soweto Gospel Choir (Live)"Heal the World" — Michael Jackson"Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music"Morni Baga Ma Bole"—from Lamhe (1991)"Jana Gana Mana"—India's national anthem; written by Rabindranath Tagore"Silent Night" — Bing Crosby

Ria had killed every plant she'd ever owned — marigolds, money plants, snake plants, succulents — and had accepted her ineptitude at growing things. Then her son asked how onions grow, setting in motion one family's first season of gardening: an onion propped up in a glass of water with mismatched forks, basil that dies and returns, an avocado that arrives bruised and speaks a deeper truth. This is a meditation on tending — to plants, to a child's curiosity, to yourself.A Book Of Luminous Things: An International Anthology of Poetry

Episode 1: Fashion for the Soul — How the way we dress shapes who we becomeFor most of her life, Ria wore a uniform of some kind — school uniforms, corporate dress codes, and the informal codes of every season of life. Then, in her 40s, the uniform disappeared. For the first time, there was no dress code. The question that followed was harder than it looked: who am I, and what am I craving?This episode follows one woman's journey back to herself through fabric, silhouette, and colour — from a childhood bracelet of jasmine flowers at India Gate to barrel-leg trousers that changed how she writes. Along the way, a quiet argument forms: that fashion is not frivolous. That what we wear shapes who we become. That dressing with intention might be one of the most honest things a woman can do."I want to unfold. I don't want to be folded anywhere, because where I am folded, there I am a lie." — Rainer Maria Rilke, from Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy (Riverhead Books, 1996)Asta/AasthaTibi Style ClassEnclothed cognition studyOzissUnrushSutaNicobarFab India