Category: Personal stories

  • The Best Purchase I Ever Made 

    The Best Purchase I Ever Made 

    What is the best purchase you have ever made?

    If someone asked me ten years ago, “What’s the best purchase you’ve ever made?” I probably would have said something sensible. Maybe jewellery. Maybe a good mixer grinder. (Let’s be honest, we all go through that phase.)

    Today, my answer is surprisingly simple.

    My iPad Pro.

    Now, before you roll your eyes and think, “Oh great, another person obsessed with gadgets,” hear me out.

    I didn’t buy it because I wanted to look cool. I bought it because I wanted to draw. Little did I know that this sleek piece of technology would quietly become my therapist, my sketchbook, my entertainment system, and occasionally, the reason for family arguments.

    A few years ago, I was going through a difficult phase. I was quite unwell, and there were days when I didn’t feel like doing much of anything. When you’re sick for a long time, even your favourite hobbies begin to feel distant. That’s when my iPad stepped in.

    Whenever I had a little energy, I picked up my Apple Pencil and started illustrating.

    Something magical happened.

    For those few hours, I wasn’t thinking about medicines, doctor’s appointments, or how miserable I felt. I was choosing colours, drawing outfits, creating faces, and getting completely lost in my own little world. It didn’t cure me, of course, but it certainly made the difficult days much easier to live through.

    Even today, if someone in my family can’t find me, they don’t bother searching the entire house.

    They simply look for the glowing rectangle.

    There I am.

    Drawing.

    Experimenting with new brushes.

    Or confidently telling myself, “Just five more minutes.”

    We all know how that story ends.

    Three hours later, I’m still sitting in exactly the same place.

    My iPad has another important responsibility too.

    It hosts our family Ludo matches.

    Now, if you’ve never fought with your loved ones over someone sending your token back to the starting point, have you really experienced family bonding? We laugh, we argue, we accuse each other of cheating, and then we immediately start another game.

    It’s become a family tradition.

    Looking back, I realise I didn’t just buy a device.

    I bought countless hours of creativity, laughter, distraction, and comfort.

    Some purchases lose their excitement after a few weeks.

    This one somehow became more valuable with time.

    If I had to choose just one thing, my iPad Pro would always be the best purchase I ever made.

    Without a doubt, my iPad Pro has been the best purchase I’ve ever made.

    And yes… every other thing I’ve ever bought is probably feeling a little jealous.

    .

    Until the next whisper,

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • I Had No Seat… Until a Stranger Gave Me His✨

    I Had No Seat… Until a Stranger Gave Me His✨

    Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.

    To the strangers I never thanked… this is for you.

    I didn’t have a seat.
    Not even the “adjust a little” kind.

    Holiday rush. Train packed like everyone suddenly remembered they have a home.

    And me?
    Standing there with my bag… and the consequences of my last-minute confidence.

    There was a group on the side lower berth.
    I stood nearby, pretending I was fine…
    while mentally negotiating with the universe for 2 inches of space.

    One of them noticed.

    No speech. No drama.
    Just “Sit.”

    That small space felt like an achievement.

    And then, later that night…
    they did something I didn’t expect.

    They gave up their seat so I could sleep.
    And one of them spent the night near the door.

    No introductions.
    No “remember us.”
    Nothing.

    Just help… given like it was normal.

    And the strange part?
    I didn’t even say thank you.

    But then I thought
    this wasn’t the only time.

    There have been so many strangers
    who showed up quietly, helped without asking,
    and disappeared before I could even process it.

    So this is for all of them.

    Not the loud ones.
    The quiet ones.

    The ones who make space…
    without making it a big deal.

    I hope
    you never need help like that.

    But if you ever do,
    I hope someone shows up for you
    the way you did for me.

    Without thinking twice.

    .

    A crowded train compartment with a backpack on a seat and a note reading “Thank you, stranger,” under a handwritten title about a stranger offering their seat.
    A seat I didn’t have… and a kindness I won’t forget.

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • ** What’s Your Favorite Thing to Cook (And do women ever truly have one?)**

    ** What’s Your Favorite Thing to Cook (And do women ever truly have one?)**

    What’s your favorite thing to cook?

    People often ask me,

    “What’s your favorite thing to cook?”

    It sounds so simple.

    But every married woman I know

    gives that tiny one-second pause

    before answering.

    Because slowly, gently, without any drama,

    her favourites start blending

    with the needs, moods, and cravings

    of the people she loves.

    Mornings begin with

    “What goes in my husband’s tiffin today?”

    “Kids want something crispy?”

    “Someone needs something light?”

    And in those everyday moments,

    our own choices quietly step back.

    Not out of sadness…

    just out of love.

    We women are a little like salt 🧂

    We dissolve.

    We balance.

    We blend into every flavour.

    And sometimes forget

    what our own flavour feels like.

    But still

    cooking remains our calm corner,

    our comfort,

    our softest way of caring.

    My kitchen is where my heart breathes ❤️

    Some mornings, I make

    idli–vada–sambar,

    with both onion chutney and groundnut chutney

    simple food,

    but so full of warmth.

    Vadas and dahi vadas rarely betray me.

    They turn out good most days,

    so for a few minutes

    I proudly behave like a mini MasterChef.

    (My kids already call me “Chef Mumma”

    especially when they want extra.)

    Then there are the special-effort days

    chole bhature with imli chutney,

    crispy soulful parathas,

    and of course,

    the slow-cooked love of

    rajma-rice.

    Each dish fits a mood,

    and somehow my heart knows

    which day needs which plate.

    South Indian meals — my whole kind of comfort 🌿

    My everyday favourites:

    modda pappu, rasam, poriyal, papad,

    and an entire universe of chutneys (pachadi)

    tomato, onion, okra, cabbage, Kandi pachadi, gongura, palak,

    bottlegourd,sesame and so on…

    Simple flavours.

    But deeply soothing.

    Banana Leaf — tradition, health, and a warm kind of love 🍃

    South Indian food truly feels complete

    only when served on a banana leaf.

    When hot food touches the leaf,

    a gentle natural aroma rises

    a fragrance that makes the meal feel

    a little more comforting.

    But there’s more to it.

    Banana leaves are rich in polyphenols

    (the same antioxidants as green tea),

    and when warm dishes are placed on them,

    a tiny bit of that goodness

    infuses into the food.

    A full meal

    rice, rasam, sambar, poriyal, chutneys, papad,

    and a spoon of warm kheer at the end

    feels like a small festival

    even on an ordinary day.

    Soft. Simple. Beautiful.

    Winter… and my Masala Bhat ritual ❄️🍚

    Winter in our home begins

    the day I cook

    Masala Bhat.

    Fresh seasonal vegetables,

    lightly fried,

    mixed with rice

    and my special secret masala,

    finished with a gentle drizzle of ghee

    that fills the whole house

    with a warm, cosy fragrance.

    And always

    spicy tomato–hing chutney on the side.

    It’s the kind of meal

    that wraps you in comfort…

    that makes you pause,

    smile softly,

    and feel a quiet happiness inside.

    A winter hug.

    A family ritual.

    A little moment of joy.

    Food and life… they taste similar 🍽️

    A little sweet,

    a little tangy,

    a little salty,

    a little comforting.

    Never just one flavour.

    And that’s what makes them beautiful.

    Maybe we women are like that too

    balancing everything

    with a soft, steady heart.

    So what’s my favourite thing to cook?

    Honestly?

    Anything that fits the moment.

    Anything that suits the season.

    Anything that makes the people I love

    feel cared for.

    And slowly, gently,

    I’m learning to keep a small plate

    just for myself too.

    Because food like life

    tastes complete

    only when there’s a little bit of my own heart in it. 🌿

    “A traditional Andhra meal served on a fresh banana leaf, featuring steamed rice topped with dal, spicy chutneys, poriyal, papad, curd, vada, curry varieties, and a bowl of kheer—presented in a vibrant, homely South Indian style.”
    “Warm rice, soft dal, crisp papad… and the quiet comfort only a banana leaf can hold.”