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



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20 September 2008

A list of excuses

I'm not dead, I'm not dead! Pwomise. I've just been in an un-blogging state of mind. FIRST, if you read my Twitter feeds, you'd know I had a cough. The cough turned into a full fledged viral fever, the kind your grandmother used to make, and to make it worse, I took it with me to Delhi, where I went to help celebrate my dad's 60th. AND I took a train and I had the top berth in the end of the compartment which meant I was merrily pressed up right by the air conditioning vent. I spent three of my five days in Delhi being ill, and left Lali with the virus in Bombay and altogether it was all very not nice.

BUT! I have a new phone! Previously I had this clamshell, which lasted me all of a year before it broke so the flap refused to shut so I had to, at various times, wind a bra strap, a hair band and several fraying scrunchies around it so it would shut. Enough is enough, I said to myself many times, and this time round, when my aunt and grandmother gave me some cash (note: am I too old for monetary presents?) and purchased this beautiful piece of machinery. I love it, I love it, I love it. It takes wonderful pictures and it has this thing where I can load music on to it and use it as ring tones. So far I have Nobody Knows, the Grey's Anatomy theme as my general ringtone, Build Me Up, Buttercup for my A-list group of close friends, Mahiya for everyone else I know socially, mostly drinking buddies (I am nothing, if not dhinchaak) and for JC, Anyone Else But You by the Moldy Peaches. My mum requested the belly dancer type tune already on the phone as hers, so that's the ringtone for the Family group. Gotta love technology.

But, speaking of JC, all was rather tumultous recently. We were going through a bit of a rocky phase in our relationship, and that led to many discussions, many tears, many moments of anguish and so on. But, I THINK *fingers crossed* we've worked stuff out now, we've been talking a LOT since I got back two days ago, trying and not letting things slide when they upset us, and I think we've reached this entirely new stage of intimacy which is wonderful and scary. If we ever break up, as we almost did, I'd be crushed, this is also something I learnt recently. Life lessons are HARD, man.

And, yeah, so that's why I've been remiss about updating this blog and that's why you can't be TOO mad at me. It's been quite an odd ten days. I'm loving being back in Bombay though, I don't know why, I missed it more than I had before on previous trips, even though it's raining and annoying and traffic-y, I'm still looking around with love-filled eyes and watching couples hold hands as they wait for an auto at the station, holding an umbrella at right angles so that I can be protected from the slanting rain, chilling at friends houses till two in the morning, I love this city.

62 comments:

  1. I just started reading your famous blog…let me read and later on I will post a comment. But before that would you send a comment on my blogggg?

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  2. "wind a bra strap" ... this is the cheapest way to add masala in the blog... i dont think anybody is that fool.. but i have serious doubt in ur case!

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  3. Mmmhmm. I love Bombay too. Miss it terribly! Sighhhhhhhh!

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  4. Hii welcome...even i miss mumbai..i agree wid u life's lesson are always learnt in a hard way..

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  5. Intimacy and attatchment can be indeed scary, especially after a rough spot.

    I hope the relationship grew stronger after this.

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  6. Do gals use bra straps to keep mobile flaps closed?! well, can't imagine such a thing. I second garg, it's masala stuff on the blog.

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  7. hmmm...
    i hope u r better!! the virus is all over i tell u.. damnation be on it!!
    and while u learn things d hard way.. chance u'll never forget just need to be bold enuf to learn from it.. and move on!!

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  8. I swear, it's been a friggin' epidemic of colds, coughs, sore throats and sniffles. Hope you're better. My throat's still sore though.

    And nice new phone, btw. You're kidding about the bra strap bit aren't you?

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  9. glad to c ye bak :)
    hope u r doing better now.
    excuses were gud, one excuse is as good as another ;)
    looking fwd to ur next post...
    u rock!

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  10. Nice phone. Can i meet that aunty too? ;)

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  11. umm...i m a COMPLETE newbie and all that 2 dah blogging scene...so m gonna request d obvious! *grin*

    heres mah link...
    http://chocolatereverie.blogspot.com/

    P.S i have an extraordinarily (phew, big word!) thick skin so be as rude as u like!

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  12. Hmmm.... Cute fon! My bro in law owns a similar piece.. But my fuckin' ego never lets me put my hands on it. =)
    bra straps r indeed best way to shut ur fon only if u r a zero size monster. Lmao :p
    no offence.. Myn...

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  13. Hey JC, could you please go ahead and dump eM, so that we can get back to the heartfelt angst ridden blogging that we all miss so much? This new sanitized Enid Blyton version of her blog bores the crap out of us.
    And please do the following to maximize the impact;
    First, don't actually break up. Just don't call her for a while, don't pick up her calls and act all distant and curmudgeonly when you meet.
    Then, and this is the best part, when she gets upset and asks you what the hell is going on and if you want out - tell her that's it's not her, it's you! Tell her that you've been in a "bad place" and that you think that taking a break for a while would be in her own best interest. Chicks hate that shit!
    Then let the relationship linger on awkwardly, like a sick cat that no one will put out of its misery. Also, go for some break-up sex whenever you have a chance.
    That's a one-two punch that's guaranteed to knock the heart out of any babe.
    Maybe then we can all settle back and enjoy some quality artistic suffering in her posts as she downward spirals.
    Here we are now, entertain us.

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  14. seems that it is time for the entire world to fall ill!!!

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  15. Hope eM-JC bonding grows strong like a rock.

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  17. Welcome Back!!
    the new phone makes the two of us. I got myself a new iphone as well..

    All the best with JC( fingers crossed) ...
    * amusing to see ppl making such a big deal about Bra Strap. brilliant immaturity.

    Hope u'r feelin fine after the viral:)

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  18. ahh the colds and virals can get to be very irritating...Ya teh intimacy adn all after an lamost breakup too i can understand...after so many lamost breakup points i finally married my man,,,that too after 7 long yrs....nice post

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  19. Whoa!
    Doctor Demento's got quite the sharp tongue!
    But all the best for you and JC.
    And more luck for your phone. It can be a royal pain in the ass.

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  20. I've been reading your articles/posts in Mumbai Mirror and just started reading your blog.... I must admit I find your writing pretty interesting and will make it a point to read it regularly..also looking fwd to reading your book.
    Cheers :)

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  21. At least you can check the archive list so it displays in the reverse order.. that makes sense.. free tech advice from a consultant!!

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  22. well its all good that ur back/.i din know u were gone...cause this is my first visit here...:)

    keep blogging and clickin pics! with ur new phone !

    cheers

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  23. hye..i hv jst seen ur article in metro..and opend your blog......nt getting anything...bt smthing is there that im nt getting......nyways..keep updating ya....

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  24. Erm..good luck with JC, your health and the phone. Oh and the book too.

    And may this doctor demento be demented by dementors and that too the meanest there can ever be. Grrr.

    Cheers!
    S

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  25. Well, I heard in hindu and other magazines abt ur "You are Here" book. Well I am planning to buy this book as the life of Indian girls have been a mistery and will always remain one. Well n since you have opened up let me see how ur life goes:) I have stayed in delhi for 4 years(during my engineering) so I guess I will be able to connect with the places and the culture.. Even though I am a guy who doesnt drink or smoke I have been with ppl and seen many girls who smoke and drink and have been and seen the nightclub culture n jazz.. Even I have this blog about 3 friends me, rd and guns who decide to live together in a flat and enjoy the last year of our collge life.. do check it out and leave ur super worthy comments:) http://www.rdgunsyaz.blogspot.com

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  26. I really admire your language and may be your guts to a lesser extent. Please use less of bra straps to tie you phone. Otherwise you have a terrific flow...I will keep reading...

    http://georgiandreams.blogspot.com/

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  27. hmmmm...am new to your blog...there s some obscurity in this blog of urs that intrigues me.. !!

    if u r bored..do chk ,

    http://surajallsmiles.blogspot.com/

    cheers !

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  28. Seems, everyone was missing you/your blog too much..

    A very weird idea too tie up your cell phone with a bra strap!!!

    Though, a creative idea :D you can seel this idea to any BRA company for their advertisements...

    Keep blogging:)

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  29. a little late to make a bra strap comment as i see a few already. really Em, a writer has to be a bit more creative.
    a word for shoe girl: criticism makes a writer better. come on, you really think someone would use a bra strap? go check out some flip open phones if you havent seen any.

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  30. Aha to all those people who DONT know EM as well as I do, eat your hearts out, she really did use a bra strap and really not just masala blog fodder.
    But then that's EM for you, always so blatantly honest.
    As far as people who think anything to do with bra's or bra straps is all that scandalous, well REALLY?!

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  31. good luck with ur jc....ya i gt myself an i phone too....love it

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  32. To randomrobin, Guys have an inherent obsession to boobs, so anything related to that is bound to bring up some comments. guess em is aware of this.

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  33. well......good way of expressin ur ideas...hope u got out of ur writers block syndrome...

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  34. oh man! It's about time the bra strap discussion ended!! What say, people?! You gotta move on!!!!!

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  35. Bra strap?!!? Heh. I remember seeing it in the scrunchied position :P (when it nearly went flying out of the rick)

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  36. Well, itsnt it you who said this in one of your earlier blogs - actually it appears in the same page just a couple of posts below this one.

    ;) I know dogs have their day!

    -------------8<-------------
    "Pleh. And meh. And other noises to signify lack of blogging content

    You know that thing bloggers often say to explain lack of blogging? "Real life happened"? I always think of that as the most pointless excuse. I mean, whenever REAL real life happens, I always have lots and lots to blog about, as opposed to having days of happy harmony (mostly) when there's really nothing very much to say."

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  37. Hope all's still good with you and JC. :)

    You're tagged, by the way.

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  38. Whoaa! Coincidence! I jus got a 6500 too n got the Grey's anatomy tune too. Super blog, first time am readin it. Guess I'm gonna become a compulsive reader :D cheers!

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  39. I'm the anonymous who commented on bra strap and masala thing. And i didn't realise then that my post will drive so many people to comment upon it. Forget it folks. It's not such a big deal!

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  40. I loved the following expression. “I've just been in an un-blogging state of mind.” And the way the blogger expressed her illness which resulted in this unblogging state of mind. There are some clichéd expressions, but that is her style. Look at the way she prceeds with a natural flow of a born writer. I have known her father as a well-known Malayalam writer, but not read anything. I need to. I need to know where the gene comes from. So I comment better.

    I have a minor blog started a month ago about the happenings in my SIMPLE LIFE…Please go through it and comment.

    http://georgiandreams.blogspot.com/

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  41. So now i suppose that not much is going on in your 'life' huh? Cmon girl, we are waiting for your next post!

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  42. u hav a very sexy language which make me addict to ur blog

    http://dailytechnoapps.blogspot.com/

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  43. Which 'Mahiya' is this? The one from 'Awaarapan'?

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  44. wow!!!! love thy guts!!!!LOVE IT!!!

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  45. wat guts? wat are these people saying? I read your book and i thought it was crap. I have read parts of your blog, and i think your life is very average, very normal and very boring. You exploited the whole 'indian girls don't talk bout sex bit' and god knows how got a book deal with penguin. You have no intelligence, You CANNOT write for nuts, you don't have any thoughts worth saying out loud, and god knows you are screwed up.

    Horny Indian men look at your blog and jerk off. Indian women who have brains the size of almonds gush over your blog.

    At the end of it, not one smart woman, with an air of actual independence, of real intelligence would ever commend your writing.

    eM I think you have a good life, and you are obviously enjoying your freedom and exploring men and alcohol. But extra ordinary you are not. A good writer, not at all. And the face of the new Indian Woman. Hahahahahahahahhahahahah

    I pity JC. and I pity poor Shobha De who had to lie about that pathetic column of yours.

    Give up writing. Become a whore.

    Enjoy your life. Good luck eM. Put a leash around JC, he won't be around for long.

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  46. This is an answer to the 'anonymous' who spread venom on this page.

    If you don't like the blog, it is your right to express your views, but not spew such abusive and filthy language on a person. Please don't make our country, a land of hypocritical morality and intolerant to the views of other people. it is a very cowardly act and therefore, please stop doing this. If you don't like her writing, it is well and good but answer her by writing something which is superior.

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  47. This is an answer to the 'anonymous' who spread venom on this page.

    If you don't like the blog, it is your right to express your views, but not spew such abusive and filthy language on a person. Please don't make our country, a land of hypocritical morality and intolerant to the views of other people. it is a very cowardly act and therefore, please stop doing this. If you don't like her writing, it is well and good but answer her by writing something which is superior.

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