Sunday afternoons hold a special place in our household weekly routine. It is the time of the week when nothing is planned for or allotted. A loosely structured time, it is upto us to mold it like play dough. We have a very interesting routine (yes, wrong on that one- how can you call something unstructured as routine?) on these afternoons- more of unplanned things happening regularly.
Following a late lazy lunch, the time is up for grabs! So what do we do? My daughters and I find ourselves sprawled on bed with our hair let down. The news papers too have occupied every inch of the large double bed put together with another single bed. The loosely sheathed papers have found a niche of their own within the space constraint offered. We buy two newspapers, and pride ouselves on the completeness of the news thus offered. Let me describe the veracity of this fact in this post.
One is the national daily "The Hindu", which is the staid conservative daily, whose well written, balanced editorials have much impact on national policy makers and which is also the oldest newspaper in India. The Hindu is much respected amongst both the older and younger generation for its conservative outlook, well verified facts and as a great tool to increase proficiency of both written and reading skills of the English language.
The Friday supplement of the Hindu, is a big hit at home. The kids love the 'Young World' supplement rife with interesting titbits from nature, drawings and sketches and short articles from students of various schools. The well written stories with a good moral has been a positive influence on my daughters. The younger girl has always loved the crayon corner in the same.
My personal favourites are the Thursday, Friday and Sunday Supplements each carrying scientific, film and music reviews, and assorted articles on places, travel and personal opinions respectively. I have my favourite columnists in the Hindu Sunday supplement whose articles I have followed religiously for many years. V.Gangathar's "Slice of Life", Kalpana Sharma's "The other half"and Shashi Tharoor's columns have been my favourite among the favourites.
The second newspaper that we buy is the "Deccan Chronicles" which has a wider younger reader base. Its pages too are filled with news and articles from all over and covers all types of news. Then why do I buy this paper? This newspaper carries news with a very local flavour, all sorts of news about local politics, local film fraternity and gossip of as varied a theme as to why a certain politician went to Bangkok on a state visit but in reality went to get his hair weaved (!!!) glaring at you in the front page itself.
Most pages have the look of page three items. Let me remind you at this point, the peeping tom within each one of us never tires of these endless glimpses into the lives and loves of the rich, bad and beautiful.
There is the additional bonus of international gossip thrown in and you have a plethora of choice in following various hollywood stars and starlets in their visits to baby showers, hair dressers and their intimate drug histories! That coupled with various polls on "the actor who autographs best" to "the best looking baby bump" keeps you entertained as best as the reality shows on TV.
Anything for children? You may ask. Well yes, you have the riddles and quizzes much favoured by my older daughter.
So when I made a statement about the completeness of news, you bet I have it within my grasp with these two dailies! I have never regretted the choice of either of them at any point at all.
This is the way many of my sunday afternoons pass, with my nose buried in newspapers (sunday's as well the old ones which I had stashed away for this day) while the kids chatter away sitting on individual islands of newspapers with a box of crayons themselves.
Will get back with other sunday afternoon acitivities soon. Till then, keep gazing, the horizon beckons!
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