JAYA MA'AM'S BLOG

THE REAL DHAK DHAK GIRL- Ashu Jain Not Just a Grandma is a page every woman—young, middle-aged, or older—needs to follow. Ashu Jain is one of us. At 57, she’s the same age as Madhuri Dixit, but unlike the icon, she probably never applied Olay night cream before bed. Her mornings were likely spent packing tiffins for her husband and children, leaving little time for yoga or morning walks. Her unstoppable fitness journey began not before 54—when she was diagnosed with hypertension and high BP. What she did next sets her apart. She refused to surrender to age. Instead, she snatched health from its clutches, proving that reverse aging is real. According to her, the body responds to movement at any age, but after 45, it's imperative to activate those muscles to ensure pain-free mobility. Today, her posts showcase her lifting weights, running marathons, and even competing in Roadies ! In a deeply ageist society, she has become a true diva . With 248K followers , she’s defy...

                                                                                                                         A  VALENTINE TALE: 25 Years later It’s just another day. Once upon a time 25 years ago, when the idea of Valentine was being sold to us, he bought it wholeheartedly. He was 22 and I was 23. He then sold it to me with a dairy milk chocolate, red roses, an Archies Card and a proposal on bent knee wearing Santy’s blue blazer. (Cringe…. Cringe….) 25 years later, he can still sell me the idea of Valentine . Gestures have changed. Dairy milk chocolate substituted with Vitamin Pills Red roses replaced wi...

                           From Rebellion to Reflection: Becoming My Father’s Daughter As a 13-year-old, the only person I wanted to impress was you. Today, 13 years after you are gone, I still seek your approval in my mind. Professo r (38 years in St. Paul’s, Calcutta; 5 years in Presidency College, Calcutta) Writer (Syndicated column in Jansatta every Sunday till your death for God knows how many years) Politician (General Secretary, Calcutta North, Communist Party of India) These were your worldly achievements—not a mean feat for a boy who left his small village near Unnao in Kanpur at the age of 14. An orator par excellence, the world listened when you spoke. They listened because you were a master storyteller, able to draw deep insights from any incident and weave them into captivating narratives. As a human being, if I had to use one word to describe you, it would be “trusting”—to the po...

                                                                                                THE RIGHT TO BE WRONG   It is a truth universally acknowledged that one tends to blindly love one’s siblings' children more than one’s own. Only the spoiling part falls under your domain; the rod-yielding is none of your concern. So, being Tanish’s Mimi is the one role I absolutely love playing. Like most mothers, my sister’s major worry has always been, “Tanish, sahi decision nahin le pata.” Over the years, I have realized that correct decision-making does not come from guidance but from experience. A child learns to choose wisely only when given the freedo...

  SOCCER MOMS Aadi played football. Mir did too. They needed to be in the football field at sometimes 5 in the morning and sometimes 5 in the evening. Harpreet would be there to drop her 10 year old Mir and I was obviously the designated driver to the son’s sporting activities. As we sat watching our kids play football, a bond was formed between us. Ferrying the budding footballer did not seem to be a chore.After all, I would get a chance to catch up with the Sardarni. Ms. Harpreet Chatha is everything I am not. Organised, meticulous and kind to a fault. She can ruffle up a lip smacking cake in a jiffy while even thinking of cooking is something which can cause palpitations in my heart. She can be trusted to be there if anyone needs her. She would always tell me,” Keep your trap shut ” while I kept harping ,” Express yourself.” I learnt from her the colour scheme of sofas,laces for dupattas and unconditional kindness and I have yet to learnt from her the "craft of presentation....