Modern Adulthood

  • The Most Wonderful, Slightly Exhausting Time of the Year

    The Most Wonderful, Slightly Exhausting Time of the Year

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    From Ganesh Chaturthi to New Year, the festive season is full of modaks, beautiful sarees, mithai, parties and people we love. But behind all that festive cheer, there’s also a little loneliness, a lot of invisible labour and the question of who we’re really celebrating for.

  • Sometimes They’re the Parents, Sometimes They’re the Kids

    Sometimes They’re the Parents, Sometimes They’re the Kids

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    You Never Really Stop Being Their Child There is something slightly absurd about being in your forties and still being treated like you need supervision. You can manage your career, your money, your home, your travel and most of the decisions that come with being an adult, and yet a…

  • When Did Free Time Become Scrolling?

    When Did Free Time Become Scrolling?

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    There was a time when having an hour to yourself meant you might actually do something with it. Read a book, make something, learn something, potter around the house. Now, somehow, we just reach for our phones.

  • When Did We All Become Café Girls?

    When Did We All Become Café Girls?

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    Somewhere between four nights a week in smoky bars, Kamikazes and pretending aching feet were a small price to pay for being seen, the party girl quietly discovered cold brew and Birkenstocks.

  • Dating Gets Different When Everyone Has History

    Dating Gets Different When Everyone Has History

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    Dating in your 40s is a different sport. Everyone comes with an ex, a few emotional scars, a couple of questionable decisions and, if you’re lucky, a funny story about how they got there. The hard part is figuring out which of it belongs in the past—and which of it…

  • Why Our Circle Gets Smaller

    Why Our Circle Gets Smaller

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    Some friendships become like the decorative vase sitting in the corner of your living room. There’s nothing wrong with it—you’ve just forgotten it’s there. Growing older has a funny way of teaching us the difference between keeping people and keeping friendships.

  • The Exhaustion Of Playing Catch-Up

    The Exhaustion Of Playing Catch-Up

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    Every family seems to have that one cousin who unknowingly becomes everyone else’s benchmark. Somewhere between weddings, promotions and polite family gossip, I realised I wasn’t trying to build my life anymore—I was quietly trying to catch up to someone else’s.

  • Why Does Money Feel Different In Your 40s?

    Why Does Money Feel Different In Your 40s?

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    I once owned nearly thirty lipsticks and still convinced myself I needed one more. These days, buying a single lipstick feels like a commitment because all I can think about is finishing the ones I already have. Funny how money changes once your priorities do.

  • The Strange Joy Of Becoming Friends With Your Mother

    The Strange Joy Of Becoming Friends With Your Mother

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    As children, we think our mothers have all the answers. Mine certainly did, although I’m still waiting to find out why red is called red and not blue. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, our conversations changed, and so did our relationship.

  • Mumbai’s Long-Distance Marriage With The Monsoon

    Mumbai’s Long-Distance Marriage With The Monsoon

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    Every year, Mumbai greets the first spell of rain like a long-distance partner returning home after months away. We make plans, fry pakoras, sit by the window and forget every inconvenience… until the honeymoon ends a few weeks later.