beauty beyond imagination
I happened to hear this from a discourse yesterday – A beautiful life is just an imagination, but life is more beautiful than your imaginations. We may not ponder about…
Incremental Progress: Small Steps to a Better You
Have you ever felt that your to-do list is so overwhelming that you don’t know where to start? That you’re stuck in a rut and can’t find the energy to…
the inward path
Once upon a time, a man found himself in a new situation. He had purchased a cow, but he was not familiar with the ways of cows. As he was…
treasuring authenticity
One day at a time, immersed in Ehan’s world. “The moment you realize that you aren’t creating a cut-and-paste version of yourself, but rather nurturing a stunningly unique individual with…
limitless scribbles
As I gaze upon the picture of my 2-year-old son drawing with crayons for the first time, I can’t help but feel a sense of wonder and awe. In that…
selfless connections
“True love begins when nothing is looked for in return. “ – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The search for true love is often a pursuit filled with misconceptions. Many people interpret…
inner reflection
The quest for self-discovery is an essential component of human life. To truly awaken to our own potential, we must delve within the depths of our heart. Until we do…
life of gratitude
The significance of gratitude cannot be overstated. While expressing gratitude for the good things in life may seem like a natural occurrence for many, it does not come easily to…
be the dreamer.
To make the little world surrounding you a better place, start by being the change you want to see. All great achievements start with a dreamer. Keep in mind that…
effortless connection
Genuine love allows you to be yourself without anxiety. The people blessed with this nature accepts you with all your peculiarities and flaws, regardless of your status, appearance, or behavior….
mindful distraction
“It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes your happy or unhappy. It is what you think about….
seeds of passion
The art of gardening and decorating has always had a special place in my heart. I I remember a journey that intensified and deepened my zeal, a trip to a…
tapestry unfolding
Today while driving to work, I was listening some podcast and the person mentioned something very profound. If you turn back and look at milestones or events that you feel…
deeper roots
Just like storms can help trees take deeper roots, challenges and obstacles in life can help us grow as individuals. It is often during tough times that we are forced…
dexterity
When I first held Ehan in my arms, his tiny hands were just little nubs that could barely wrap around my finger. But now, watching him as he confidently reaches…
weight of impermanence
Today, I attended the funeral service of a colleague who passed away while having a heart attack in a football ground. He was 24 years old and had only started…
beyond the grand endings
Perhaps our affection will not be like the portrayals in cinema. It may not conclude with a grand finale, a dash to the airport, or a lengthy embrace where declarations…
the bus was always coming.
Once upon a time, in a land far away, a group of young friends were waiting at a bus stop. They had been waiting for what seemed like an eternity,…
transcendent truth
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived a young man named Emaan. He was a seeker of truth, and had devoted his life to the path of…
eternal present
It’s worthwhile to ponder the nature of time and its relationship to life. As quoted above, Bill Bailey and Jim Rohn both observed that life is not just the passing…
infinite wonders
It’s time to add a slice into the Ponder Series. As we journey through life, we often take for granted the complexities and wonders that make us who we are….
veracity’s verse
Authenticity in writing is a rare gem in the digital age, where the proliferation of clickbait and affiliate links has muddled the waters of online content. The personal blog domain…
peaceful glide
The little betta fish that I recently added to my desk is a true beauty, with its bright red color and white fin ends. It’s a half-moon type and as…
attention abundance
A topic that I’ve pondered a lot on crafting several portions of this blog is undivided attention and its grace. Attention, in its purest form, is an act of generosity…
elusive knowledge
As I delved into the writings of a theologian from the 8th century , I stumbled upon a passage that struck a chord within me. The author, whose work can…
little invocations
As a parent, it is always a heartwarming and humbling experience to witness your child start to pay attention to the things you do. For me, one of the most…
power of presence
As the sun sets over the city, I find myself sitting on the balcony of my apartment, lost in thought. I have always been fascinated by the concept of attention,…
ethereal repose
As I journey through life, I am learning the value of patience. I am learning to let go of my rush to control every aspect of my existence, and to…
snowy symphony
This is a memory from a travel to Georgia in 2017. As I embarked upon my journey through the Gudauri snow mountains in Georgia, I was filled with a sense…
elevated greenery
As I surveyed my cramped abode, my potted companions and I seemed to have reached the limits of our cohabitation. But then, a glimmer of an idea dawned upon me…
slow bliss
As we hurtle through the ceaseless churn of life, it is all too easy to become ensnared in the unforgiving gears of progress. We are told that we must ascend…
timeless touch
As I sit here holding my baby’s tiny hand in mine, I am struck by the realization of just how fast time passes. It seems like just yesterday that this…
lessons from the current
Time, like a flowing river, is a force we cannot halt or contain. Each moment that passes is irretrievable, a current that moves ever onward, leaving us behind. Thus, if…
a time capsule
“..I had books. Reading them is like travelling to other places. Being other people. Livnig their lives..” ― Liz Braswell, As Old as Time Reading personal blogs is like taking…
sky full of stories
As I glance from my open balcony, I am filled with gratitude for the breathtaking view that stretches out before me. It’s like having a front row seat to a…
rekindling ponder series
If you’re a long time reader here, you’d remember “Ponder Series,” I am excited to announce that I will be rekindling this project on my website. The purpose of this…
divine design
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of difficulty and wondered why these things were happening to you? It’s natural to feel frustrated and stressed when things don’t go…
photographic couture
Working behind the scenes of The Border of a Mind blog, I am always looking for new and exciting projects to take on. That’s why I was thrilled when my…
aquatic oasis
After moving into my new apartment, I realized that the aquarium setup was in need of a bit of an overhaul. The plants were overgrown and the layout wasn’t quite…
shift perspective
When life feels chaotic, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and lost. But sometimes, the simplest and most effective solution is to shift your perspective. We all have the…
“Koko”
As I watched my little son play with our cleaning robot, affectionately nicknamed by him as “Koko,” I was struck by the intense curiosity in his eyes. He was fascinated…
glimmer of hope
Pay attention to whatever it is that brings you joy, whatever it is that gives you a moment of peace, a glimmer of hope. Hold on to it and make…
nurturing gratitude
True love is not found, it is built and cultivated. How you nurture and cultivate your connections with others has a significant impact on your own happiness as well as…
before you’re ready
Life will say to you, “here’s a sorrow, let me teach you about strength,” before you are ready. Life will say to you before you are ready, “Here is failure,…
accepting divine destiny
In order to live a peaceful and sincere life, it is important to maintain an even tempered demeanour and graceful attitude towards events and encounters in life, no matter how…
persistence
Failure is only a temporary setback on the road to success, as long as you have the courage and ambition to keep trying. Persistence is the key to victory. We…
seasons of happiness
It’s incredibly magical how, as we become older, our definitions and perspectives broaden and deepen. As I approach my mid-30s, I’m contemplating a lot about fulfillment and what it means…
magic of artifacts
The survival of human-made objects from the past holds a certain magic. A piece of jewelry, a cup, a sword, or a sandal that has survived the passage of time…
the degree of trust
I’m presently reading a really well-written book, and the old story of a samurai that was mentioned in it piqued my interest, so I’d like to share it here. A…
personal vision
Let me start by saying that this is not another “discover your passion” cliché post telling you to quit your work and pursue something different. This is a gentle breeze…
home within you
We may assume that living life to the fullest entails seeing every place on the planet, leaving our jobs on the spur of the moment, and falling madly in love,…
relishing this second.
While you glance at these lines at this very second, look at your life for one second and see how sophesticated and magical it is. Stop hunting for the next…
keep going
Sometimes it feels that nothing remarkable is occurring in your life, while the rest of the world appears to be on a perpetual vacation in beautiful, unusual, foreign places. So…
art | Maker
The beauty of a skillfully crafted product reflects the beauty of the craftsmanship. The beauty of the craftsmanship alludes to the beauty of the name, which was the root of…
be a bird
This is another scenario where I read or watch something related to a recent notion that has been on my mind. I was reading and pondering recently about giving someone…
triumphing defeat
There isn’t one of us who hasn’t accepted defeat in some capacity. It might be conceived on several levels. What matters is how we perceive and channel adversity. Defeat is…
weave
“Begin to weave and divine will provide the thread “ – Old Proverb
unfathomable
Life is very brief than we think. Living our best life does not simply imply traveling and acquiring expensive goods. It also means living up to our potential, which means…
the fleeting dream
For a moment, assume you’re relaxing on the banks of a river on a beautiful spring day. Consider how a gentle wind cools and refreshes the air. Can you hear…
softer embrace
I hope for those associated with me on any level to live their lives to the fullest, and finest of their abilities. The best pathway in my policy to faciliate…
growing within
Life is designed to be lived. I’ve always felt the need to pursue the things that pique our interest. We must engage in activities that offer us delight, how hard…
functional disintegration
This has always been my approach to most of my professional work and analytics based personal projects. It’s a joy to read someone articulating and casting aspersions on how my…
subtle unfoldings
If you’re going to commit your efforts to anything, it could be a good idea to focus on something that already works. To people who already love you, to promising…
lamp of hope
Life is, to put it mildly, uncertain. It is a beautiful and one-of-a-kind gift to everyone of us. We don’t give ourselves enough credit for enduring adversity and conquering challenging…
hopeful fortitude
I often discuss with Netta on coping with uncertainity. We are meticulous planners by nature and often it requires robust emotional strength to cope up with the smallest uncertainity in…
bruvver’s dubai
My brother took a short visit to Dubai last year. I had some brief sequences and graphics that I wanted to edit and work on in order to relish in…
cadence of memories
The concept of “past” is derived from information stored in our memories.Because of the recommendations we get, we believe we live in three distinct periods of time known as the…
cushions of cream
Tea would arrive, the cakes squatting on cushions of cream, toast in a melting shawl of butter, cups agleam and a faint wisp of steam rising from the teapot shawl….
Loose yourself
“Lose yourself in books, in art, in the haze of new horizons. Lose yourself in curiosity, in knowledge, in passion. Lose yourself in feeling it all… You are your own…
lofty spirits
From an early age, society shapes us to fit in. To blend in, avoid doing anything out of the norm. That, by definition, involves neglecting chances and opportunities to try…
pecuniary harmony
I occurred to recall something I read a few years ago about money. Kent Nerburn, if I recall correctly, was the author. I don’t recall the precise wording, but it was something about delineating the state of one’s financial health. People who measure their money against their wants will never be satisfied since another desire will always entice them. People who assess their money in relation to their…
delight within
I just completed an art piece based on the idea of a pleasant admonition to be contented with oneself. Allowing yourself the freedom to be who you really are and…
un-rushed
The pace of the world has slowed from within through a gradual change in perspective. I’ve mirrored the same. I’ve made more time to listen—to my heart, to the new…
intangible sway
You may believe you have no influence in this world. Yet, someone hears a tune on the radio that makes them think of you. Someone has been lost in the…
gradualist gains
I’ve always experienced and perceived that organic and holistic growth is always incremental and gradual instead of a sporadic leap. Incremental, constant progress over a long time frame is the…
percipience of mortality
The transient nature of our short life in this world is a recurring theme that I usually write about here. In an earnest effort to keep my thoughts and spirits…
home is a story of who we are
Attempted some modest newfangled indoor space arrangement with a bamboo ladder added to the mix and some hanging plant installations. Right time with the right vibe enables the visual poet…
Up,up and away.
Wisdom is no more relegated to the places we desginate them from. You know, sometimes, wise words would overpour from unexpected placed, like a toddler’s scroll book. Moments to cherish…
place in the world
My mind these days typically revolve around the lil one and the experiences to be kindled. If he’s the earth, I’m the satellite of moon around him. Often as we…
encrust
23 Apr 2022 – Time flies. It’s been one year. The little one who used to lie down with a smile on the craddle is now crawling and moving around….
envelope
Right in the periphery of where I’m staying currently, there’re a lot of new buildings propping up every other month. Recollecting Peter Zumthor‘s words from his book Thinking Architecture, “Architecture…
momentous imprints
This is a humble effort to chronicle an endeavor to freeze a part of the time, a moment to reflect later. The hands and feet of my son cast at…
knowing to wait.
“Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait” told Leo Tolstoy once.This is a very profound statement on exercising patience and unravelling the beauty of persistence. This…
gleam
This is an art installation that I have recently worked on. I’m calling it gleam. ..“Don’t dissolve, but gleamwith the beauty of what’s in your heart.” ― Rafy Rohaan
serenity haven
Been quite a while that a video project has taken shape. Here’s something. ..“Take a break to listen to the song of the wind, talk to the whispering trees, feel…
nurture.
you become the butterfly,only when you nurture thecaterpillar in you.
un-coax
“I wouldn’t coax the plant if I were you. Such watchful nursing may do it harm. Let the soil rest from so much digging And wait until it’s dry before…
comfort bubbles.
“Comfort is a drug. Once you get used to it, it becomes addicting. Give a weak person consistent stimulation, good food, cheap entertainment and they’ll throw their ambitions right out…
nourishing the craft.
Delving deep into the inner depths of a creative process has always been my piece of cake. I get thoroughly excited by souls who put that extra effort to have…
irrigating passion
Lately, I have been thoroughly pondering on the aspect of irrigating the mind. Experiences and my reads have encompassed me with the discernment that the soul has to be irrigated…
Morning Sands
It’s been quite a while that I’ve worked on video projects. Here’s something from an early morning stroll to the desert to take a glimpse at a majestic sunrise. ..“I…
You’ll only take what you’ve given.
Really liked this post. It’s always good to have reality checks to alleviate the rushness we’re driven through. The post was originally written in French. I’m sharing it in English….
wanderlust.
It’s with much desolation that I read the news that Mr Vijayan is no more. He’s a tea seller from Kerala, India who travelled the world with his wife. Copybook…
uplift.
I always appreciate minds that inspire with their vision, words, actions and life. In a noisy world, I look forward to such minds that permeate a good adulation of positivity…
purpose.
I’m an admirer of films by Thai director Thanonchai Sornsriwichai. All his ad films have a warmth to them and is a very unique style in advertising in my opinion….
fabric of the world
Love these lines gushing with solace! There’s a beautiful kind of calm disposition on complete reliance to divine will. Should you not gain your wants, my soul, then be not…
beauty in gratitude.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a…
breathing profundity
This would be a slice into the Ponder Series When I say that we’ve a lot of blessings that we don’t notice, it might appear poetic & looks like another…
unfolding thoughts
I recollect reading somewhere that if we need to bring about changes in our lives, the first step would be to change our thoughts about our life. If you would…
intractable
Although not perfectly recollected in many situations, deep down I truly believe that gratitude and calmness are key to many peaceful delights in this world. Writing in awareness of all…
Amber Horizons
It’s one of the greatest privileges and reminiscences that I affirm with lot of gratitude is to have a balcony facing the West side without any major obstruction like buildings…
reclusive vibes
When your thoughts resonate well with someone else, that’s a beautiful moment. I was listening to the thoughts of a very famous singer’s view on privacy and how precious it…
Beam of Crescent Moon
So long that I have worked on video projects here. While relishing the moments of little one around me, I made this with lots of love and gratitude to Almighty….
subtle trials
” No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility….
human libraries
I recently read about “human libraries” that is common in Denmark. The concept is interesting. There are libraries there where you can “borrow” a person instead of a book and…
level of thought
..Whatever we hold at the level of thought, emotion, and spirit translates directly into experiences of either happiness and peace or chaos and dissatisfaction. ..Eiman Al Zaabi
a coffee parable.
It’s philosophy time. I read this interesting exemplum recently. It’s the example of a coffee as outlined below. If we extend it to a broader realm, experiences work the same…
full moon.
That’s probably the longest hiatus that I might have taken after starting writing here. Mostly due to medical reasons, I was lacking the frame of mind that I need to…
experience roadmap
..“Life has a tendency to provide a person with what they need in order to grow. Our beliefs, what we value in life, provide the roadmap for the type of…
blank canvas
An abstract piece that I worked on recently. ““In the fear of creating something normal, he stared at that blank canvas for a very long time with a brush in…
Memory Museums
This piece of art is inspired by a theme that I’ve always pondered on. The museum of our “minds”. Albeit it sounds poetic, each of us are museums of memories….
place in your head
“Writing is a job, a talent, but it’s also the place to go in your head. It is the imaginary friend you drink your tea with, in the afternoon.” Ann…
Preparing for joy
Often, all sort of sorrows, anxieties, hardships, and turmoil is to prepare us and to put a pathway for joy. As a famous Persian poet puts it, sorrow violently sweeps…
Influencing choices
Quotes from this book resonate well. I have thought about this previously and it’s good to see somebody articulate it well. Often the best ideas albeit not making any rational…
gaze from the teacup
Back here after a pretty long hiatus. Worked on this piece of art wherein we’re putting Netta in a teacup. As they say magic exists for people who believe in…
Moments of Shadow
Here’s a decor slice with a pinch of photo edit powered by artificial intelligence and with some shadow art. I’ve been tinkering around with Luminar AI, which is an AI-powered…
In Pursuit of Obscure Waters
So long that I’ve worked on a video : ) This is a visual version of a recent mountain trail with Netta.
unfolding narrative
Had an interesting trail in Khorfakkan and in the vicinity of Hajar mountains. Planning to craft a video soon on this endevaour. ..“We are now in the mountains and they…
the invisible fulfillment
This is an illustration inspired by a product that I had designed as part of my job for an engineering application for use in an infrastructure project. Although not technically…
Lantern in the clouds
The quality of this photograph is not in line with the usual standards that we look up to, but I wanted to record this beautiful moment that I experienced at…
art color life
There are visual treats that come with exploring unknown spaces. The slice of time from an early morning walk with the sun warming up the sky and the buildings gleaming…
new storylines
From an early morning trail. The rising sun is creating the perfect silhouette on the horizon. “Part of what makes roads, trails and paths so unique as built structures is…
glances with intention
..“The really magical things are the ones that happen right in front of you. A lot of the time you keep looking for beauty, but it is already there. And…
thoughts like footsteps
This piece of illustrative art is inpired from a recent beach trail. Thoughts have always been perceived as an imprint. More so, thoughts transformed into a plan of action would…
convergence of faculties
This photograph would easily be one of my recent favorites in terms of framing. I was staying on a traffic lane and the car just stopped at this beautiful frame…
lacuna
Lacuna refers to an unfilled gap. I’m extending it to the scenario now wherein I’m back here in this space from a considerably long hiatus. I was actually moving my…
memories like desserts!
Remember our culinary series? ‘Culinary Experiences’ is a series of visual stories that we started on our website for journaling some of our best ambrosial culinary experiences, be it the…
countenance
Trying some product photography with layering effects ! : )
how your story begins
Tinkering edits with Pixlr. Not remembering where I photographed this from. Probably from Quilon, Kerala. “Each day is born with a sunriseand ends in a sunset, the same way weopen…
the lab of dreams
This work of art was inspired during a visit to Netta’s work laboratory in a university in Dubai. Although I worked on it pretty in the instant, I liked the…
Secret Mountains
Out of blue moon, I recollected an old trek to Wadi Al Helo with dear friend MHP a couple of years back and I had some visuals and photographs from…
organic eminence
Like me, you should also be remembering instances and encounters from your life where you were blown away by the quality or passion with which you’d find a person would…
seekers of stillness
Yes, back here after a short hiatus. The art used in this post is inspired by one of my favorite moving image slices I’ve ever produced. Remember “Membranes of Memories“?…
roots and branches
Around 5 months back or so, I had written on the theme of realizing roots. We talked about trees with their branches spreading through the air and producing fruits &…
writing magic.
Writing and the connection achieved by it sometimes have a transformative effect that’s often magical. It’s often how you discover your true tribe. “Writing, if nothing else, is a bridge…
intangible transience
Every aspect, object elucidates a story woven with transience. The flowers in the garden, the plants in the office, the wrinkles on your face, dried tree trunks, broken glass pans,…
universe within.
“Closed in a room, my imagination becomes the universe, and the rest of the world is missing out.” ― Criss Jami, Diotima, Battery, Electric Personality.” Remember when we spoke of…
Underwater Dreams
It’s been a while that I’ve crafted a visual sauce. Recently, we had added some new fishes into the little aqua tank we’ve. Have a peek!
peacefulness!
When you renounce the world, the world comes to you. When you don’t expect something, it comes to you. “Peace is not always easy to grasp or keep close. In…
a gauging pause.
I’m very ardent and passionate about learning things online. Whatever little skills that I count on, including building this very website you see here are self-taught. Over the past several…
What isn’t being said
I wrote about Jordyn’s films in an earlier blog post. She has put in another short film on “What isn’t being said” correlating several normal day visuals and touches upon…
river unfolding
I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.” ― John O’Donohue
to the mountains
An old saying goes by the note that everyone would like to live on top of the mountain, but all the experience, joy, and growth would be acquired in the…
brand storytelling
I am really fond of storytelling when it comes to marketing materials on any product or service. I do come across a lot of them and I fondly read them….
time fences
“Much of what we assume are “natural” units of time are really fences our ancestors constructed in order to corral time. Seconds, hours, and weeks are all human inventions.” ― Daniel…
great passions
“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” -Denis Diderot More art? Photographs & art – corpus
fortitude
Impatience leads to resistance. Trust in divine timing. “Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.” ― David G….
Rainbow metaphor
Everybody views rainbows differently. The person right next to you is seeing it from a set of water droplets that are different from the water droplets that are creating the…
Jordyn’s stories
I came to know about this new filmmaker on the block Jordyn Dunseath through one of Peter Mckinnon‘s film making competitions and I’m impressed by the soulfulness and art in…
bird’s eye.
I always have this fantasy of flying high up in the air and having a bird’s eye view of places. I had numerous childhood dreams of just flying about in…
embrace reflection
“Beauty is not who you are on the outside, it is the wisdom and time you gave away to save another struggling soul like you.” ― Shannon L. Alder
the poem you want to be.
“You read and write and sing and experience, thinking that one day these things will build the character you admire to live as. You love and lose and bleed best…
neuron highways!
Our brain has about 100 billion neurons in them. When you read this blog now, or when you smell the fragrance you wear, when you hear sounds, in short, when…
memories pieced together
Did you know that memories that we have are often like piece-together-pictures than accurate photographic information? In the same token, recalling a skill requires you to return to the state…
lanterns
Beautiful decor inside a prayer hall in Sharjah. Besides the beautiful lantern style lamps, there’s natural light diffusing out of the colored window panes at the top. Remember mosaic lamp…
traveling within
Quick art inspiration from an afternoon tea with Netta. Wherever you go, east, west, north or south, think of it as a journey into yourself! The one who travels into…
pliable
“A man is born gentle and weak; at his death, he is hard and stiff. All things, including the grass and trees, are soft and pliable in life; dry and…
Soul in a volume
I believe the below is true with any form of art or work. In the same adaptation coherent with the below quote, every slice of what you see here from…
the art apologue
Explore original fine art crafted with love. “You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.” ― George Bernard Shaw, Back…
endless horizons
That’s about five days of some writers block here and we’re back with endless horizons. That’s the merriment of a canvas with infinite possibilities of creative expression with brushes and…
Beach gaze
An early morning stroll near the waters at Vadakara with Netta’s dad. ExploreNovel NemosNeon GemsSerene PasturesShadow LightsDwellingSeeds SownThe WoodlandInnocenceThe Circle – Drone ExpeditionEthereal EuphoriaPonder SeriesFluvial ZealFragments of PathwaysBirds to ChennaiAqua…
the memory of odours
I remember my childhood names for grasses and secret flowers. I remember where a toad may live and what time the birds awaken in the summer — and what trees…
farsight
I was reading a Persian tradition, and it speaks about a beautiful way of improving perspectives and regulating outlook both during suffering and joy. It says that in any event…
Tetra gardens
Removed wood and added a stone for decor. Couldn’t effectively control the algae growth on the wooden block inside. Have to figure that out. Until then, let’s give more room…
veiled luxuries
It’s not a 23-course buffet menu that is merriment. It’s often in those simple luxuries concealed under the veil of unadorned ordinaries. For me, it can be in some ghee…
enrapturing bloom
Every single bit of art you see here, there’s a reflection in my mind, a theme that I contemplate when I work on it with my heart. If you didn’t…
is it a dream?
When you dream, everything looks real until you exit that dream.When you’re in the dream, you never know that you’re within a dream.What makes you so sure that you’re not…
indelible footprints
“If therefore you shall be remembered for what you did with what you had more than what you had, use what you have to do something distinctive now and leave…
one thing, really really well
Today’s theme is something on the premise of doing one thing really really well. I’m not sure if this is popping on my head as I’m getting older, but I’ve…
implanted beauty
A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the…
The “world” is inside you 🙂
The title of the post might make you puzzled. But I would like to take you through a small journey of thoughts and discover the secret embodied in the title!…
Novel Nemos
We have some new friends on the block. Our old Half moon betta is no more and I decided to opt-in for fishes that are less territorial in nature. So…
the hourglass
“The sand in the hourglass runs from one compartment to the other, marking the passage of moments with something constant and tangible. If you watch the flowing sand, you might…
Maker’s time
When you read something that absolutely resonates with what we have to express, that’s an aha moment. Now, I’m in such a pleasant disposition after reading a good essay and…
every grain of sand
Every grain of sand brushing our feat weaves a story. This poster is inspired by beautiful moments pulling into our memory time machine, sort of like how the moon pulls…
beholden quarantine
Like most of us these days, there’s every likelihood that you also would be overwhelmed by the influx of information and statistics on COVID 19 and the lockdown situation prevailing…
corona tea
These days, we are drowning in COVID-19 information in all spheres. I don’t think a single day passes without us hearing some tally of people infected, recovered, and passed away….
vibe tribes
The theme behind this poster graphics is a reflection to have our own vibes to find our tribes. Be it photography, art, writing, engineering, philosophy, sociology, you name it, the…
alchemy of yearning
Sunrise, beach, clear skies. They’re a perfect alchemy of yearning. “With a bound, the sun of a molten fiery red cam above the horizon, and immediately thousands of little birds…
aqua blends
Bright red and plant green blends to form a piece of art. If you love aqua-scaping, skim through Story de’aquatics. I have also written a detailed article on Planted aquariums – How…
blissful sunshine
“With a little heartache;Gone with the time,Are certain memories,Intricately designed.To call & narrateA story of blissful sunshine.”― Somya Kedia Light is one of our favorite themes. Delve in more.Slipping to the…
wander
“A person does not grow from the ground like a vine or a tree, one is not part of a plot of land. Mankind has legs so it can wander.”― Roman…
mango choc – Ep6
Yes, that’s right. A weird combo of fresh mango juice sprinkled with white chocolate. Let’s file this into ‘Culinary Experiences’ , a series of visual stories that we started on our…
Payyoli coastlines
This is a photograph from a couple of years ago that’s really close to my heart. When I had traveled to Netta’s place during the initial years, I was not…
re-scaping tank
After over 6 months, I decided to do a deep clean of our little tank and re-scape the entire foundation of the tank. Took more than 3 hours from the…
slicing moments
An old photograph of AR. “All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this…
Prelude to ‘Kuttikanam’
I took this photograph from a place called Kuttikanam, a hill station in Idukki district of Kerala, Southern India. That’s my brother having a phone call gazing at that splendid…
slipping to the dusk
It’s one of my favorite divertissements to scroll through old Google Photos archives, spice up old photos and just wonder about the times back in those days. When I first…
Dum Biriyani – Ep 5
I’ve been thinking of resurrecting our series on Culinary Experiences, in case you remember the existence of such a series : ) Since there are a lot of new readers…
Shine.
While watching a documentary film recently, I came across this track called Shine. I really love this genre of music which has a calm and inspiring aura to it and…
metaphor of sun
I photographed this with Netta from the Andaman Islands. What I like the most about this photograph is how the sun rising is spreading its light across everything. From the…
Neon Gems
Have you seen Neon tetra fishes torching at you with blue lights? Well, now you can 🙂 Read: Story de’aquatics and Fluvial Zeal Planted aquariums – How to make them last…
perceiving time | ponder series
I couldn’t write for the past few days due to my frame of mind, not in the beautiful space I need to be in, to put my heart into what…
realizing roots.
Illustrated by: The Border Of a Mind. There are many intricacies that often stay in the realm of thoughts that is yearning our awe. Think of the trees with their…
dormant cobwebs
A beautiful cobweb style rooftop that I found somewhere near Abudhabi many years back (atleast six!). I’m unable to recollect the exact place, but I remember how the sunset hues…
nurturing dreams.
illustrated by The Border Of a Mind Studios. “Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the…
reliant traveler of the desert
A slice of photographic memory from a desert goes well with a story that I read recently. “Someone who makes a journey through the deserts of Arabia has to travel…
Amble out.
“Arise from sleep, old cat, And with great yawns and stretchings… Amble out for love” ― Issa, Japanese Haiku photographed from Istanbul, 2014.
32
Netta’s first cake. Explore culinary experiences
undream | fine art
More Fine Art: Build with the mind “forsaken steps” in objet trouvé concept. Humble Life Paint with Light Choosing the Circus Mind Vessel Dreaming Beyond Mirror Done in Love Enigmatic…
Vicky.
While looking at some old notes from 2016 that I wrote when I watched this short video in 2016, I can see that I had left a note in a…
clouds of fire.
“The blue of daylight fades and chills as the sun sinks beneath clouds of fire.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes Captured by Netta. Retouched by yours truly.
mind magnet
I have read somewhere that mind is akin to a magnet in a certain sense. It’s concomitant of the thoughts espoused within. If we put our thoughts about blessings, the…
cross-purposes
“Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we…
Serene Pastures
A montage of some indoor plants. “No matter the state of the world, or how dark the shadow that has fallen on our city, I find it curiously comforting to…
plant tread.
Remember those days where we passionately spoke of Golden pothos propagation craft and the flora shelf. Finally ticking a long term pending list scroll, I potted some money plants and…
vitreous worlds
It’s about having the eye to see the internal within the external. It’s to probe purpose and beauty in chaos and noise. It requires patience, intention, and humility. “Intellect is…
round pegs in square holes.
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And…
exhortation of the dawn.
“Listen to the exhortation of the dawn! Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities…
reboot
It’s been more than 3-4 years that I played around the appearance of the page. I’ve been lately researching a lot on stripping down all the noise and bringing everything…
dandelion dreams.
Well, there’s all probability that you’ve stumbled across a cliche dandelion shot like this. This one is that I took from a journey through some farms in Yerevan, Armenia. I’ve…
intangible
This resonates well with my take on it. Remember when we talked about the vision? I had written that this space is a virtual studio of arts, ideas and minds…
furnishing head.
Decor and lights are something that always steers me to explore my old archives. “I’m more preoccupied with furnishing my head than the place where I live. The most beautiful…
excellence
“Let excellence be your brand. When you’re excellent you become unforgettable. Doing the right thing, even when nobody knows you’re doing the right thing will always bring the right thing…
heart
Found this at some store a few years back.
flowers enriched
“Lord, make me now As happy as the field. With flowers enriched…” ― Eileen Soper
The document may be read-only or encrypted
For a difference, this is a tech how-to post. A little over two week back or so, due to COVID 19 situation, I had started to work remotely. I’ve been…
articulative eloquence.
A photograph of an early morning stroll at Kala Pathar Beach, Havelock Islands captured by Netta. Today, the theme is about words and articulation. “10% of conflict is due to…
Spirit of the Stairway
This is a photograph that I took from a museum at Yerevan. The title of the post is based on the same notes from a French phrase. “ People in…
repletion.
“There is a difference between dining and eating. Dining is an art. When you eat to get most out of your meal, to please the palate, just as well as…
about the storm.
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over….
Shadow Lights
A visual montage story from the Sharjah Light Festival in 2020. The Sharjah Light Festival invites internationally renowned artists to celebrate science, creativity, and heritage in a display of lights…
wandering clouds.
A snap from the Sultanate of Muweilah. “Wandering clouds— Short spells of rain, Ah Poetry!” ― Meeta Ahluwalia
stories unpacked
Sara Sheridan once wrote, “To me, reading through old letters and journals is like treasure hunting. Somewhere in those faded, handwritten lines, there is a story that has been packed…
seeds sown.
“I grow plants for many reasons: to please my eye or to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty or for nostalgia, but…
mind streets.
A street from Istanbul photographed in 2014. The building seen in the backdrop is a part of the famous Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as the “Blue Mosque”. Built somewhere…
stories & tea.
We’re holistically themed on rediscovering the extraordinary in the ordinary by vision. Let’s compliment with a little poster from an afternoon tea with Netta. “Who would then deny that when…
to be the eyes of a dove.
The title of this post is inspired by a beautiful poem written by the Serbian poet Dejan Stojanovic. Saw this lonely bird on the office gates after a day from…
The woodland.
Here is a video update to the tank. The ferns have spread across the woods and the Hydrocotyle has really grown well with its deep roots. Probably, I would have…
flower seller.
This is a photograph from 2014. While we were hanging out at a coffee shop in Istanbul, there came this ethereal little flower-seller selling flower bouquets to the cafe market. There…
innocence
When I put forward my vision for The Border of a Mind Studios, I had written: “Au fond, this is my vision of a virtual studio of arts, ideas and…
mosaic lamp eloquence
All of us who have traveled through the wider Middle East in all probability would have stumbled across one of these beautiful lights. These are Turkish mosaic lamps. Turkish lamps…
“The Circle” – Drone Expedition
We spoke of our drone expeditions recently with AR’O’Dynamics (That’s just a fancy name I made up for dear friend AR who is the pilot of these videos). Both of…
wholly alive.
There’s a toll with superfluous consistency in writing. At times, it can slither from its very intent. It’s imperative to be wholly alive. “The most solid advice for a writer…
panda cram.
It’s one of my favourite pastimes to graze through old photo archives and to relish and hark back to the stories and memories that evoked them. Recently, I discovered a…
filling frame.
This is a photograph from a visit to Princess Islands in Turkey sometime in 2014. It’s a frame that still fills and imbue my mind. Grateful to Almighty for such…
ornate blossoms
Petals are something I’m sort of eccentrically inquisitive about. In some of our earlier writings, we’ve wondered about their ethereal quality and have read on how beautifully they edify a…
scurry home.
The charm of sunset makes me want to scurry home.” ― Tara Estacaan Location: Corbin’s Cove, 2018.
build with the mind | fine art
“Create with the heart; build with the mind.” ― Criss Jami, Killosophy Original Fine Art: “forsaken steps” in objet trouvé concept. Humble Life Paint with Light Choosing the Circus Mind…
pliable.
“A man is born gentle and weak; at his death, he is hard and stiff. All things, including the grass and trees, are soft and pliable in life; dry and…
ethereal euphoria
More cinematics to explore :Aerial AuraPonder Series | Visual NarrativeFluvial ZealFragments of PathwaysBirds to ChennaiAqua CaperTraffic Blur | Recollecting “Sonder”Membranes of Memories
objet trouvé – “forsaken steps”
During a drone expedition with captain AR recently, I came across this abandoned shoe on the field. I felt an artistic texture and shade on it the moment I glanced…
machines skyward
“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” ―…
motor bird apologue
I went with AR for another round of drone trials early morning. While the motor bird was flying, I was engrossed with some silhouette moments. Stay tuned as we plan…
Hope is a Ferris wheel.
“Hope is a Ferris wheel- It takes Low and High; And when you reach the Top, It’s like you can touch The Sky! And when it takes you Down- Hope…
humble life | illustration
Got inspired by this & there comes this cake toasted from our studio!
boundless sky.
“I love to soar in the boundless sky. In the vast emptiness of the blue, my soul rejoices listening to the soundless music of the wind.” ― Banani Ray, The…
the details.
I’m sort of a detail-obsessed guy and some photographs like this are only for enjoying the randomness and the little details in them. If we look at a leaf branching…
melt!
Wanted a smile that melts you down right now? This sweet little angel appeared when I was on a bus while on a visit to Istanbul in 2014 and this…
a slow tea.
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
aerial visual experiences.
Last week, I was able to experience drone flights with Afeef. I’m really fond of aerial photography and we were talking of the different visual perspectives that we can craft…
Armenian herbal tea
This would be chapter 3 of our series – ‘Culinary Experiences’ for journaling some of the best ambrosial culinary experiences, be it the finest cordon bleu delights of a master…
Warmia – Snapseed filter / preset #1
In an earlier post, I had explained on how to use QR presets on Snapseed. I’m planning to share some of the presets that I’ve made over the past few…
Using QR presets/filters in Snapseed – Step by Step method
Google’s Snapseed ( iPhone | Android ) is unarguably one of the most popular mobile photo editors available for free and is known for its ease of use, simplicity and the array…
netta’s alchemy
Netta, the first lady of this kingdom has her page released. Tagged as the “millennial experimentalist“, she’s intending to feature slices of memories from her alchemy of thoughts. She’s a…
Nthree
This is Ep 2 of our new series – ‘Culinary Experiences’ crafted with an unpresuming intention for journaling some of the best ambrosial culinary experiences, be it the finest cordon…
the burning man
An illustration of “The burning man” sculpture by Ukranian artist Alexander Milov. I got inspired by it and here’s my artistic take of the same sculpture.
flora shelf.
The arrangement of the vertical garden is tuned to give a dense feeling. All plants are brought to the shelf including the newly populated money plants (also called Golden Pothos)….
flow.
Don’t force anything. What flows will flow. What’s meant for you will be for you. Above photograph captured by Netta from Pondicherry beach, 2017. Red mermaid Netta in the above…
pull of the peaks.
“Although I deeply love oceans, deserts, and other wild landscapes, it is only mountains that beckon me with that sort of painful magnetic pull to walk deeper and deeper into…
paint with light | fine art
Explore other themes in fine art Choosing the Circus Mind Vessel Dreaming Beyond Mirror Done in Love Enigmatic Tranquil Parallel worlds Book of beautiful moments Swayed In
kite sky.
A photograph of my father glancing at some kites on a clear sky, Quilon beach, circa 2014 Explore our photography themes.
keepsake.
From a souvenir shop in Istanbul, circa 2014. Explore our photographic themes.
conversations.
A photograph from a street at Yerevan, Armenia. ” When was the last time you listened to someone? Really listened, without thinking about what you wanted to say next,…
aerial aura
Dear friend AR recently teased with a glimpse of some of his exquisite aerial shots coming straight from the vast UAE deserts terrains. The creative tiger inside AR surprises us…
passionate soulful prowess
Recently I’ve have been grazing through the videos by Chinese blogger Li Ziqi, who became an internet sensation after her videos on handicrafts, traditional cooking, and DIY from the countryside…
a piece of happiness
Thank you Molten Chocolate Cafe for crafting this elegant piece of happiness! Here we kick off Ep 1 of our new series – ‘Culinary Experiences’ for journaling some of the…
interpretive
A photograph of a world traveler that I took on a visit to Princess Islands in Istanbul. Remembering the words of Eliott Erwitt that “Color is descriptive. Black and white…
Ponder Series | Visual Narrative
Made a small visual narrative for Ponder Series. In the commencement post, I had written: Often in the rush of our routines, we fail to appreciate certain hidden subtleties and…
Ruminating on Bird Nests
This is a photograph of a nest that I captured from Al Ain Oasis in Jan 2019. Although we don’t find a bird nest so often, that’s something to reflect…
Resilio Sync – Best File Sharing Solution
I’ve been thinking of starting a new section wherein I can share some of the productive software tools that have been of tremendous use for me over the past few…
choosing the circus | fine art
“Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.” Going through a very interesting phase of reevaluation of expectations & realignment…
Planted Aquariums – Making them last!
Maintaining a planted aquarium would require care and attention that can be fueled by your passion to keep it going and a solid understanding on the different components and aspects…
Reflecting on Shadows
If you remember, we started the ponder series by a small post about perceptions. Today, we’re thinking about something very subtle that we don’t think about much – shadows. For…
fluvial zeal.
It’s a treat if we can get the graceful and dashing Redmoon Betta flaunting its beautiful feathers captured. This is the best visuals I’ve got so far. Aquatic zeal on…
moon and the boat.
Below is a capture from Al Seef in Dubai. The moon shines bright up high with all its grace and the lighted abra (a traditional wooden boat used in the…
How to create a quick 3D view on a 2D plane with ‘gradient hatch’ in AutoCAD
One of the most underrated visual features in AutoCAD is gradient hatch. On creating quick representations or illustrations for conveying a concept in sketch, instead of having an inceptive reliance…
certain tracks
I stumbled across this gem recently. There’re certain tracks that set you on that apt calm temperamental disposition to create and work passionately on what you love. This is one…
sprouting skylines
A sunset drenched view of an elegant Dubai skyline captured sometime before 2014. Sunlight is painting. “ Pilgrims from all over the world were making their way to the place…
fragments of pathways.
It’s those small moments that add up as we inch towards our new day, new destinies and new experiences. Remember when we spoke of sonder? We also revisited it recently…
garden of thoughts.
Recently I read a very interesting post on what really matters on what you build and long for. It can be anything – it can be a product, a service,…
orange creep on swirling clouds.
From a winter sky in the UAE with scattered clouds sprouting gradually after an enchanting daybreak. Thin rays of orange creep up around the office premises and that leaves me…
instating ‘themes’.
Today, The Border of a Mind announces themes, a visual cluster of all themes and categories I’ve written in the past. I hope this would significantly enhance the way the…
the flicker of leaves
My vehement fascination with petals and the art in their arrangements transcends to tree trunks and stems as well and this is what we have pulled off : ) This…
mind vessel.
“ The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled. ” ― Plutarch
stumble over pebbles.
These are some pebbles that I randomly glanced at Corbin’s Cove beach in Port Blair during a visit with Netta in 2018. It’s a beautiful palm-fringed beach with pleasant blue…
bridge bearings explained for the layman
For almost the entirety of the past decade, I’ve been associated professionally with the design and development of bridge bearings in some way or the other for my current employer…
glistening sky
Bank of clouds at the entrance of my office building inching across the sky. Bright radiant blue skies weaved with a tapestry of clouds. We find these “windows” in architectural…
birds to Chennai.
This is an addition to our moving images archive. This is a mashup of some visuals at Chennai airport. The airport shuttle bus helped to get those crispy pan shots….
dreaming beyond | fine art
An art piece inspired by a ferry ride through Buyukuda Island in Istanbul. It’s also called Princess Islands
mirror | fine art.
“Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. But you are eternity and you are the mirror.” ― Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
heart is your sky.
“The sky is the limit for the extraordinary, the universe is not even the limit for the divine.” “The world is young, the sky is old, the cosmos are ancient, but the universe…
valiance.
After recently seeing a South Indian flick revolving around the story of an army man and his valiant death in the service of the nation, I’ve been thinking of Major…
Shapr3D
Occasionally some technology comes in and just blows your mind! This is one of them. We commonly hear about engineering software slowly growing themselves into tablet and mobile platforms to…
transience.
We have spoken about fragility in the same thematic context before. I happened to read about the concept of Mono no aware frequently referred to in Japanese culture. “Mono no aware,…
awe.
Just recollected one of my old write up from 2013. Professionally, I’m a mechanical design engineer working on the design of engineering products used in offshore and infrastructure applications. There…
done in love.
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is…
enigmatic | fine art
“The frame through which I viewed the world changed too, over time. Greater than scene, I came to see, is situation. Greater than situation is implication. Greater than all of…
ethereal quality | Petals
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that the earth laughs in flowers. “The breath of wind that moved them was still chilly on this day in May; the flowers gently resisted,…
aqua caper
Today let’s add a chapter to our moving images archive. Hope you’ve read Story de’ aquatics, where we talked about, amateurish aquascaping. In the signature style of the Border of…
tranquil | fine art
“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.” (As once…
Success.
Happened to see this insightful message on Success. Couldn’t find the original author of this text, but have a glance. It’s thought-provoking and perspective-changing. For 1 year old Success is…
Six months to live | Notes
Almost two weeks went in a blink. I couldn’t pen anything for the past two weeks. My mind was overly occupied with other professional and personal stuff that didn’t yield…
Parallel worlds | fine art
I’m really fond of layering multiple exposures in digital artworks. In my opinion, It’s a convenient way of blending stories and multiple scenes in a cohesive rendering. I’m titling this…
book of beautiful moments.
” You look in the mirror and sometimes may see a mess of a human being. But you don’t see the lives you’ve touched, or the people you’ve saved. You…
“swayed in” | fine art.
a spontaneous piece that popped out of my head at this moment. Calling this “swayed in“ “Spontaneous Painting is painting intuitively without having an image or model to paint from,…
Kintsugi.
I had written on this page about Kintsugi. It’s a very interesting Japanese concept. It’s widely used in art and pottery but what’s even more enthralling is its philosophic extension…
Vehicle blocking your way in UAE parking spaces/roads? Don’t worry. Have it removed in less than 15 minutes!
I thought of sharing it here in case if this could help some of you in the UAE. There can be situations when you’ve to go somewhere urgently and you…
traffic blur | recollecting ‘sonder’.
Last year, we talked about sonder. sonder n. “The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends,…
anamnesis.
/ˌanəmˈniːsɪs/. The title of this post is from the late 16th-century Greek word anamnēsis related to ‘remembrance’. Clouds and sunset light playing a symphony of art in a winter evening…
Story de’ aquatics.
I’m a hobbyist aquarist and used to maintain and curate fish bowls many years back. In the first fish bowls, I started with plastic accessories and pebbles. Over time, I…
the golden lamp.
Roman Payne famously told that sunrise is the most precious gold to be found on earth. It’s a luxury that every one of us can peek at regardless of where…
Google Photos – Geeky Uses!
Google Photos definitely is an industry game-changer. Over the past few years, it has completely revolutionized the way in which people organize and curate their photo archives. Powered by world-class…
incremental fruition
I happened to read this share from Netta recently. We can easily relate instances wherein *boredom* sets in and sabotages a goal we had. This can often permeate for short…
Membranes of Memories.
When we go somewhere, between all the rush and the hustle and bustle are those sweet little moments in time that’d be chiseled in our memories. I and Netta traveled…
“Golden Ratio” | Ponder Series
Before I start, let’s see this beautiful video “Nature by Numbers” by Cristóbal Vila. I first saw this almost 9 years back and it helped discover a lot of amazing…
digitize better.
We are living in a world wherein documentations are increasingly handled digitally and governments and institutions are pacing swiftly towards a paperless future. Every one of us has important documents…
kindness.
I happened to see this interesting message in a forum and thought of sharing it with readers. My firm conviction is that a little restraint, patience and calmness in dealing…
Elegant bridges.
As a part of my job, I do engage with the design of lots of structural components used on bridges like bridge bearings. The literature and work-related adherences normally intimidate…
fine art.
There are days when Almighty helps to consummate those little trivial novel longings we nurture in the back of our hearts. Yesterday was such a day. I’ve had a little…
Lunar Silhouette
This Illustration is based on an original photograph by dear friend MHP. This was taken when we strolled into some of the beautiful inner desert ranges in the Emirate of Sharjah,…
divine timing.
“God opens millions of flowers without forcing the buds, reminding us not to force our way but to wait for things to happen perfectly in time.” says a beautiful quote….
Quality | indelible objectivity
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”, said Benjamin Franklin or Aldo Gucci. This is something that’s cemented in my thought process…
Vision | Pondering on the intricacies
Today’s disposition is to write something into our ponder series. For new readers who aren’t aware of these series, below is the thematic intention of this initiative that I mentioned…
ostentatious culinary illusion
I tried my hands on creating a menu for Genie’s cove. It’s actually sort of like a sobriquet for the den we inhabit and is indirectly a poem of the…
change | influence | build
In my recent article “Instilling Compassionate Prudence“, I had touched upon the theme of giving the extra effort and aspiring to emboss our signature and professional acumen in any kind…
Happiness in the ordinary.
We are living in a time where all the talk is about happiness. Governments put up initiatives to enhance the happiness of citizens, employers trying to introduce policies to enhance…
instrument.
“If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it’s already a lot. The instrument is not the camera but the…
The Parable of Mexican Fisherman
The parable of Mexican fisherman is a very famous read on the internet and the way it bespeaks perspective and purpose is indeed ardently profound. I came across this couple…
Garden
” Every garden scheme should have a backbone, a central idea beautifully phrased. Every wall, path, stone, and flower should have its relationship to the central idea. ” – Edwin…
Small Business – Lines of thought
A busy shopping street in Istanbul,…
Instilling Compassionate Prudence
I always dream of this societal framework everywhere wherein, every person gives his best in whatever they do. Even if he/she’s a novice, I truly believe one can perfect his…
Outlast
“The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts life. Life is like a cash register, in that every account, every thought, every deed, like every…
Virtual Reality(VR) Spiel
I got my first hands-on experience with a professional VR system last August. The set I tried was an HTC vive. I had assembled a classic Google Cardboard system couple…
Invisible Strings!
“ Joy is like pure clear water; wherever it flows, wondrous blossoms grow. Sorrow is like a black flood; wherever it flows it wilts the blossoms. The universe is a…
Picture in the brain.
Interesting conversation with Dave Howells, advertising photographer, and ex-photojournalist as he’d love to call himself. He explains how he creates his signature frames and his experiences photographing famous people in…
Eyes – Windows to the Heart
The title seems to bemuse on the outset, but that’s exactly what came to my mind when I happened to read about Google’s new AI algorithm that would predict heart…
Igniting Dreams!
A beautifully done tribute to late former Indian president and aerospace scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Beautifully shot by Matt Shaw and directed by Senthil Kumar, the video gracefully walks through…
‘Golden Pothos’ – Propagation Craft
I am really fond of money plants and try to grow them in literally every container I get my hands on to an extent that Netta on getting an empty bottle…
Beauty
❝ Why should you think that beauty, which is the most precious thing in the world, lies like a stone on the beach for the careless passer-by to pick up idly?…
Cerebral Vent
“The studio is a laboratory, not a factory. An exhibition is the result of your experiments, but the process is never-ending. So an exhibition is not a conclusion.” – Chris Ofili…
Living embellishments!
Here is another slice into the ponder series of The Border of a Mind. To rehash the theme, these chapters are an effort to take our minds through subtle sub-layer…
Encompassing’ art.
“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe…
‘Manuscript-ion’!
I have a childhood penchant of curating fountain pens. My father used to use fountain pens a lot when I was a kid and I have this childhood evocation kindled…
‘Tale of Compassion’
Few days back, I happened to watch Ambili. This is not a formal review of the movie per se, but my thoughts on the overall craft. At the end of…
oeuvre papyrus!
The title is inspired from the late 19th-century French word oeuvre which broadly refers to the body of work of a painter, composer, or author is normally a work of…
Emptiness of the blue
“I love to soar in the boundless sky. In the vast emptiness of the blue, my soul rejoices listening to the soundless music of the wind.” Banani Ray, World Peace:…
Tea’ Key!
“Tea is the magic key to the vault where my brain is kept.” ― Frances Hardinge Tea is wealth itself, because there is nothing that cannot be lost, no problem that…
Receptive Canvas.
“Social counterpoints can be a shrieking reality. But life may nevertheless become a colorful canvas with an array of opportunities, allowing us to escape from the suffocation of our enclosure…
‘Damsel’
Digital illustration inspired by an old childhood photo of my better half. I’m calling this piece of art “Damsel”.
Tastes of home
I had written previously about a beautiful ad titled “bucket”. As modern life becomes so convenient and advanced in China, local specialties treasured by China’s rural communities are often under-appreciated…
Windows.
“Because forgiveness is like this: a room can be dank because you have closed the windows, you’ve closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is…
Mountains
..“Everybody wants to reach the peak, but there is no growth on the top of a mountain. It is in the valley that we slog through the lush grass and…
90s memory blithe’
Stumbled across this old video aired by Doordarshan (For those who are not aware, it is India’s public service broadcaster) somewhere in the 90s. This ad came as a part…
Silent Growth
Instagram insight while pruning some indoor plants today =)
Calm
reminiscence! and thought of the day.
Elephant shoes
“Don’t ask why the elephants wear such large shoes, And why the kangaroos are reborn kidnappers, And why the sailing birds are all Romantics.” ― Robert Bly, Talking into the Ear of…
Vanished Engines
“I thought you could build a story that would function as a machine or else a complex of machines, each one moving separately, yet part of a process that ultimately…
Fruition
“Think the tree that bears nutrition: though the fruits are picked, the plant maintains fruition. So give all the love you have. Do not hold any in reserve. What is…
“Truth forever on the scaffold”
“Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne, Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his…
Student honors parents in fruit fields where they worked.
Very moving and couldn’t be happier to share this beautiful story : ) Dedicated to all selfless parents around the world.
ഏതോ മഴയിൽ
This has a charm. No wonder it’s ringing on the ears.
Containing Multitudes
This post is inspired by a quote I heard in some interview on Youtube. I’m not able to clearly recollect the video or else I could link it here. It’s…
Pondering on Birds
In front of my apartment, birds occasionally come and sit on the terrace window and chirp and spend time on that terrace. And there you go! that’s the birth of…
Waves to Home
“The waves that take you away are the same ones that carry you home.” Instagram page.
Skeuomorphism
Let’s speak of skeuomorphism today. Interaction design foundation puts the definition lucid if you aren’t familiar with this concept before. Skeuomorphism is a term most often used in graphical user interface…
‘Fog of Uncertainty’
‘Opportunity is often delivered in a fog of uncertainty’ – V.Hugo
“Sensemaking”
‘Sensemaking: The Power of the Humanities in the Age of the Algorithm‘ is an incisive book written by Christian Madsbjerg. I stumbled across this book during a spun-out wait at…
The truth that lies inside.
lovely and insightful poetry.
Precious Gold
Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth. ― Roman Payne @ La’ Mer, Dubai
Mountains
“ Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb. ” – Greg Child
Bucket
Brilliantly made.
Chapter 110119
Jan 11, 2019, Umm Al Quwain
20IX – Two Thousand Nineteen
The year started with a beautiful sunrise from the mountains of Jebel Hafeet, situated in the environs of the city of Al Ain in Eastern Arabia. Let visual illustrations tell the story.
Possession
“You only truly possess that which you cannot lose in a shipwreck.” ― أبو حامد الغزالي
23.12.2018
How often do you get a nice little hot tea in a mud cup sprinkled lavishly with saffron. Not too often ; )
Wonders of Staying Alive
“Footsteps are the wonders of staying alive to move forward” ― Munia Khan
“The Song of Sparrows”
I admire the beautiful Persian films by Majid Majidi. They’re so full of life with vivid moving visuals. The Song of Sparrows is such a gem. I saw this in…
Perceptions
I’m glad to start the “ ponder “ series with this beautiful theme. What is illustrated below is something that we don’t think deeply normally in our routines. When I’m…
“Ponder” Series
22 Dec 2018, Today I’m laying the groundwork for “ponder” series, which is a pilot project of Border of a Mind Studios arm and is aligned with the vision of this…
21.12.2018
This illustration is inspired by a photograph I took in 2013 from a beach at Fujairah.
Richer
” If you’ve a family that loves you, a few good friends, food on your table and a roof over your head, you’re richer than you think” – Unknown author…
Camels on the Horizon
This illustration is inspired by a visual that I photographed couple of years back on an afternoon in the outskirts of a desert area in Sharjah wherein I found some…
Moving to a new domain – Dec’2018
I have been migrating the website to a different host during the past few days. Took some time until the DNS cache issues got cleared. The website is up and…
“Ephemeral Pause”
I got this beautiful message forwarded. Couldn’t identify the original author online. A lovely little girl was holding two apples with both hands. Her mum came in and softly asked…
“Instrument of Intuition”
This is the old vintage film camera that my father used during my childhood days. During my previous visit to home, I took this to have it in my wondercrate….
Being a Violin
I’m really fond of violin. In one of the earlier posts titled “The Ladder to a Star“, I had shared one of my favourite violin renderings. Here is another one….
Let it Pass!
“You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing everything with logic; true power…
Tranquility
“..And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy…
Soul Relish
“Hark, now hear the sailors cry, Smell the sea, and feel the sky, Let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic.” – “Into the Mystic” , Van Morrison, “Lit…
..”What he has given away..”
“Every man goes down to his death bearing in his hands only that which he has given away,” says a Persian proverb. This video is something years old and in…
Wonder Crate
Every child, at some point in his childhood would have some sort of a chest, where he/she would store his cherished memories and treasures. For some, it may be some…
Spectacle
“There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.” Les Misérables
Crafting
When someone who knows the craft of photography & cinematography really well puts in a beautiful video for his adorable lil’ angel, it turns out to be pure visual bliss…
Perseverance
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination & hard work ” Colin Powell. “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the…
‘Job from the Heart’
“Every job from the heart is, ultimately, of equal value. The nurse injects the syringe; the writer slides the pen; the farmer plows the dirt; the comedian draws the laughter….
Spontaneous Pleasures
“Any patch of sunlight in a wood will show you something about the sun which you could never get from reading books on astronomy. These pure and spontaneous pleasures are…
Familiar Tribe
“All my life I’ve always come back to one thing, my need to feel free and the need to feel the breeze, the ride provides a freedom this gypsy needs,…
Ladder to a Star
Not different from my usual proclivity to correlate everything into quotes, this time also, it’s not an exception. As Edmond de Goncourt put it, “ A poet is a man…
Fragility
“Years vanish. Months collapse. Time is like a tall building made of playing cards. It seems orderly until a strong gust of wind comes along and blows the whole thing…
Sonder n.
I’m adopting this from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. If you think about it profoundly ,that’s absolutely remarkable. It’s detailing about those “extras” in the background of our routines and a realization…
Pondering on the Wonderland Within!
Some nuances that leave you in awe. Sharing the reading. I shall call this the ponder series wherein I could share in my readings so that we can ponder together….
Gazing at Stars
“If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I bet they’d live a lot differently. When you look into infinity, you realize there are more important things…
‘The Border of a Mind’ – Studios
This is sort of a prelude of my concept of kind of a “studio of the mind” vision, let’s put it that way for the time being. In the note…
Serenity
A mosque near university city, Sharjah that I frequent for evening walks and occasional prayers. I’m just drawn into the silence and serenity at this place during non peak hours….
Sharing & togetherness
Sharing a beautiful post by Emirati blogger Khalid Al Ameri.
Sunlight is Painting!
Couldn’t agree more =) Beams of light could be captured and crafted well to transform chores and normal subjects to be a ‘painting’ in the realm of our mind. Haven’t…
Money!
Found this interesting piece while reading. Sharing = ) ” Money rules our lives. You can rail against it. You can claim to be above it or indifferent to it….
Havelock
Flying over Andaman Islands. Havelock is literally a paradise with its white sand shores and lush, untouched landscapes. Visual treat for the soul.
Beautiful People
” The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These…
Painting Memories
“Painting picture by picture, I followed the impressions my eye took in at heightened moments. I painted only memories, adding nothing, no details that I did not see. Hence the…
Wisdom from 100 Year Olds
I believe this’d be worth your time.
Light
It’s a delight to ponder on the profundities of allegories drawing on metaphors and parables. I usually archive such writings that I go through. Here is one =) Millions of…
Mastery
Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person. Albert Einstein
Planned Obsolescence
Trying to drub planned obsolescence on electronics I own. Would try to report the findings of this in 2020, God willing. Basic software updates are to be trimmed down. Running programs…
Renascence
This is the excerpt for your very first post.