I believe that we make finest decisions of our lives on an impulse. Well at least some of them. And getting tattooed is one of them. Okay, hold you horses it isn’t myself I am referring to (I am quite content with the fours, at the moment) but a dear friend.

For months she had been lingering over the tattooed thought – fickle minded is what I tagged her as. But (last evening) surprise surprise, she narrowed in on her ‘the one’. And in matter of two hours her arm, a blank canvas transformed into an arty blend of black, blue and white.

Pictures tell a better story and here is a snippet of a friend’s journey into the world of body art.

Click here to continue reading ‘Tattooed (Finally)’

The question of pre-marital HIV testing has been debated on this blog. The answer, well we still are searching for a balance between:

A) A nation’s effort in curbing a dreaded disease
B) Freeing the society of its prejudices/taboos
C) An individual’s right to protect what is ultimately a private and confidential matter regarding his/her health

And while we are fighting this battle, there are causalities like this 29-year-old woman from Satara.

The woman said she was infected with the HIV virus from her husband, who had been suffering from the disease before their marriage which took place in 1997. Their child who was born in 2000, she said, was also diagnosed as HIV positive.

Her only hope was of course the judiciary, but just yesterday, that door too has been shut. The Bombay High Court rejected her plea stating that her applications under sections 498 (a) (dowry harassment) and 420 (willful cheating) of IPC does not hold, because these laws are only meant for property-related matters.

Click here to continue reading ‘HIV+ By Marriage’

While the three other metropolitan cities of India had the Gay Pride, Mumbai’s non participation was definitely a subject of much debate and bewilderment.

I mean, if Delhi could have it, then how come the most recognized city on the Indian map, the city of dreams, the fabled city of chill and chic, didn’t?

‘Hypocrisy’ is the one-word answer I got when I posed this question to a Gay friend. Apparently, there is much infighting and lack of unity among the various Gay groups and NGOs in the city. The divides runs deep between the classes and the masses, and never the twain shall meet - or so he said.

Click here to continue reading ‘No Pride But Gay’