My latest book is The One Who Swam With The Fishes.

"A mesmerizing account of the well-known story of Matsyagandha ... and her transformation from fisherman’s daughter to Satyavati, Santanu’s royal consort and the Mother/Progenitor of the Kuru clan." - Hindustan Times

"Themes of fate, morality and power overlay a subtle and essential feminism to make this lyrical book a must-read. If this is Madhavan’s first book in the Girls from the Mahabharata series, there is much to look forward to in the months to come." - Open Magazine

"A gleeful dollop of Blytonian magic ... Reddy Madhavan is also able to tackle some fairly sensitive subjects such as identity, the love of and karmic ties with parents, adoption, the first sexual encounter, loneliness, and my favourite, feminist rage." - Scroll



Sign up for my newsletter: The Internet Personified

8 September 2007

I got rhythm, I got music, who could ask for anything more?

eM has been a bouncing, happy Tigger-cat all week, and it is awesome. Several epiphanies, even, which I shall elaborate on, shortly. Isn't life great?

*We can now play the field with greater ease: So Major Epiphany One happened, when was it, Wednesday night? Yes, Wednesday. I was out with a friend for dinner, and because there was a (BLAAAAARGHKILLMENOW) cricket match, and we were at High Street Phoenix, he suggested that we go to the Sports Bar. One assumed he only wanted to go to the Sports Bar to get a drink and spend time with me, but once there, his eyes glazed over as he stared, fixated at the screen. The Sports Bar was full, so we hopped next door to the Brew Bar, which was also full, but we got ourselves bar stools. Many aborted attempts at conversation later ("So yesterday? I saw an alien!" "Uh-huh, that's nice, ohhhhh, SHOT!") I gave up and tried to read my book in the dim lighting, which also got too much, so sulkily, I also looked at the screen. And dudes, I totally got cricket for like the first time ever. It was a very exciting cricket match, all like the last scene of a sports movie, where everything happens in slow motion, and you're biting your nails, waiting for the good guys to win, and the good guys won and the entire bar exploded and mmmm so much testosterone in one room I swear I started ovulating right then. So. Not that I'm a cricket convert, I still think it's deadly boring, but I also cheered and whooped and grinned around at my fellow countrymen and scratched my balls. Urrrrrr. (That was a growly noise. Imagine me also flexing my biceps. You want a piece of me, beyotch?)

*Can you spell P-L-A-Y-A-H: Major Ephiphany Two is that it's possible to date. I'm dating. Which is different from DATING dating, when you're only dating one person. (Wow, that was a confused sentence.) But I'm going out with boys, nice ones, and allowing myself to wear skirts and feel all chick-like. This is fun! I realised about a week ago, that I was only picking the strange men, so I decided the next time a guy who seemed normal, asked me out, I would go for it. And I'm having a good time, and not feeling all fucked up or obsessive, and everyone should date. Exercise your gender roles. Be able to flutter your eyelashes by moonlight. Etc. Place your bets now, ladies and gentlemen, how long can eM stay healthy? Excellent odds!

* Music, makes the bourgeoisie, come together: I think there were only two epiphanies. Ooh, wait, there was one more. So Janmashtami recently happened, and like every other religious festival in my locality, this too was celebrated by two loudspeakers surrounding my house playing very different kinds of music. And since I had to meet someone for a story I was doing and had to pass by many more of these loudspeaker gatherings, I came to the conclusion that the most popular song played at these things was Sean Paul's Temperature, you know the one that goes, "I got the right temperature to shelter you from the storm, oh lord, gal, I got the right tactics to turn you on." I kid you not. I heard this five times outside my window and then thrice as I travelled through the city. Maybe it's a reference to the whole Krishna lifting the Mount Govardhan thing?

* Because no post is complete without some snark: In other news, despite all this positive reinforcement, things on the personal appearance front have totally turned for the worst. My hair! My hair! COMPLETE nightmare. There seems to be nothing I can do about it, it frizzes, it stands up in odd places, in the mornings, I have an afro, and no matter how much styling spritz or Livon I put on it, it still looks the same. Like crap. And my skin is breaking out. Which is what, I suspect, prompts people to ask me how old I am. And all this while, I put it down to my youthful exuberance and demeanor.

Is all. I leave. Thank you, come again.

24 comments:

  1. This is a first. So I am trying to figure out how to get started on this food review and sound somewhat clever, when I decide I shall distract myself by checking out your blog. And you've posted just 11 minutes before I do. This feels weird now, like telepathy was waiting for you to finish writing before it kicked in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your hair - Are you in Bombay now.. Then the humidity would explain it.. Maybe the Monica syndrome (Friends at the Caribbeans!)

    --H

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://thecompulsiveconfessor.blogspot.com/2005/07/appetiser-type-entry-before-we-move-on.html

    read the bit on hair - now you know what needs to be done ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Because no post is complete without some snark"

    So with you on hair issues.. those recurring nightmares can be a pain! But I find a haircut and professional styling so soothing for the soul! tried it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. hair!!! i hv so many bad hair days too :(( :'( .... afro in the morning and i dont hv time to run a comb thru all of it! nothing works, a haircut wont do any one any good,hair flies arnd in all directions and in a few minutes time you look like your wearing a wig ! long hair can be tied up in bun or a pony but u end up looking like a granny!! :(

    ReplyDelete
  6. Finally relented (even if only a little) to the pull of cricket huh? I can totally relate.

    After years of resistance to the sport, I have recently taken to American Football, so that I may not be left out of my football-crazy husband's emotional roller-coaster ride this football season (it's going on here right now).

    Also, as my only other option was to conduct extended monologues with myself to keep me engaged for the duration of these lengthy matches, I decided to finally jump on the football bandwagon with the rest of America.

    If you can't beat them, join them huh. sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  7. meow, my little tigger cat
    on the bright side yesterday your hair matched your eyes
    lovely melty caramel brown
    and we got to make sameer squirm
    :P

    ReplyDelete
  8. hair today, gone tomorrow... loviung bombay? come back to delhi... it's lovely weather these days.

    try the dove range, it's kinda nice.

    ReplyDelete
  9. great to see yo're happy, healthy h-and hup-beat lil eM. now keep it that way...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dating normal guys
    nooooooooooooooooo
    it ll get old very soon
    go back to the eccentric idiots
    n entertain moi

    ReplyDelete
  11. Frizzy hair, the bane of my existence. Worst was two weeks in Bangkok this summer, I swear I was ready to jump off a longtail into the Chao Phraya. Try John Frieda's Frizzease, works like a charm.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Let me call out Metrosexual Renovatio for this one.

    Herbal Essences coconut milk and orchid hydrating shampoo, followed by the L'oreal beige tub of Absolut Repair conditioner, topped off with liss extreme serum, the purple one. That'll set your hair all nice and good-like.

    That's only one of my three shampoos and two conditioners.

    ReplyDelete
  13. is this a blog? jesus, sounds more like a dtc u special. thankfully i don't have to come back.

    ReplyDelete
  14. @ 21speed. I agree. Thank god we are not required to come back. This blog is about the worst I read today.

    ReplyDelete
  15. "Skin is breaking out" ??? One of those phrases which guys have no clue about but girls seem to use often.

    Nice blog you got here !!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi all of you beautiful people. Here's something from the dark underbelly of journalism.

    A Goan blogger has done the impossible - carried out a sting operation on a local newspaper!

    As journalists covering the
    June assembly elections in Goa, many of us were aware about the misuse
    of editorial space in local papers for advertising various candidates.

    Now a blogger, I suspect a journo of Goan origin who used to do sting
    operations for national media, has done a sting on the Herald, which
    claims to be the number one paper in Goa.

    The blogger posing as a
    marketing executive negotiated a deal to sell editorial space at a 400
    per cent premium over ad rates.

    check out the story on:

    http://penpricks.blogspot.com/

    Shiv Kumar

    ReplyDelete
  17. You saw an alien? Whoa! But that shot really did kick that aliens' lolly a$$!

    Someone somewhere said 'eccentric idiots' that's being 'normal', ain't it?

    zilch no more.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You really must be kidding - how can they play that song on Janmashtami?!! Krishna must be turning in the Heavens!! Or wherever else he is!

    ReplyDelete
  19. faboulous, I read a story like this in aiden chambers "This is all" .You are a true Indian like me.LOL

    ReplyDelete
  20. about the hair thing, im in your club already...mine is the wavy kind and the glorious wind kindly messes up all the hard work!its really hard to maintain at times though..

    oh and btw, i write abt cricket for a living!its ok if u find cricket boring...guys wouldn't mind it all..well i certainly don't!

    cheers and nice blog too!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hey,

    I have been lurking around for a day or two. You have got interesting stuff here. I like your style of writing........Kinda...in your face!! Good for you!
    More power to you girl and much success in the future.
    And like I suspected...you have got Mallu blood in you :-) just like me. Keep on Bloggin'.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your feedback! It'll be published once I approve it. Inflammatory/abusive comments will not be posted. Please play nice.