Miffed's Scribblings

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music, said  Aldous Huxley. It is indeed one of the most universal ways of expression and communication for humankind and is present in the everyday lives of people of all ages and from all cultures around the world. Several types of research suggest that listening to music we hear in our youth helps us recall specific events, reminds us of people we have forgotten, and helps us revisit significant periods in our lives. Why do we love music? Who among us doesn’t have a similar story about a song that touched us? Whether attending a concert, listening to the radio, or singing in the shower, there’s something about music that can fill us with emotion, from joy to sadness. Studies have shown that when we listen to music, our brains release dopamine, which in turn makes us happy. Typically, our brains release dopamine during behavior that's essential to survival (sex or eating). In one study published in Nature...

Dearest Maa,  If I could turn back the clock, I would. And I know that is not the way life works. Even after 10 Years, you are still everywhere I know you would not want me sad. But I can’t stop thinking about my longing for your presence. You left us today and it's already been a decade. Though my actual memories of the days and weeks that led up to your death have almost faded, my feelings of sorrow are bone-deep. I don’t need to remember with any amount of clarity to feel overwhelmingly sad. As the years roll by, my feelings of loss change shape and I’ve noticed that they’re fixated on the passage of time lately. I’ve found that the more time I place between you and me, the more acutely I ache for the past. Ten years after your death, I understand that the vulnerability to experience grief is always with me. Some days, it lies dormant. Some days, it becomes inflamed like emotional rheumatism. Like a particular time of year, certain experiences flip a switch, and I am flo...

Batadrawa Project: An Innovative blend of traditional and modern culture? My Op ed on the recently approved Batadrawa Project and the discussions surrounding it got published in NorthEast Today . Do check it out by clicking on the above link.