For many years visitors coming home would stare curiously at a corner of the entrance, where they saw an old-fashioned umbrella with a handle looking quite guilty as it faced downwards, twisted and out of shape, “Twisted umbrella handle!” I tell the curious lookers, and grin. It was a bit…
Robert Clements is a journalist and newspaper columnist. With an estimated 6 million readership, his column, Bob’s Banter is published in over 30 newspapers and magazines in nearly every state in India, as well as in the top newspapers of Bangladesh, London and Dubai and is also translated into Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
When You Go Home..!
And as the bodies of those killed in Manipur waited to be buried, choir after choir sang for the memorial of the martyrs, and the words rang in my ears, “When you go Home, tell them about us!” Yes, Florence and Olivia, you two who were stripped, raped, and killed,…
Let Peace Begin With Me..!
I still remember a drive through Kentucky when suddenly my eye was caught by miles and miles of stonewalls alongside the road, “Built by slaves!” said my brother and I stared at the walls. “Stop the car!” I whispered and as I looked at those flat stones placed roughly one…
Gandhi’s Amazing Spectacles..!
Indulge me today! I’d like to dream that a rich Indian has purchased Gandhiji’s spectacles and flies home with it to a rousing reception at the Delhi airport. A naval band is there to greet the hero buyer as he walks down the airplane ramp. All the political leaders are…
Bringing Mountaintops to the Valley Below..!
A few years ago, in a high-rise building, close to where I live, a mother, who’s married daughter returned to the US, climbed to the terrace the night after her daughter left and threw herself down. I heard she’d enjoyed the time spent with her daughter and grandchildren but couldn’t…
Remaining Anonymous..!
For many years I opened the morning paper and stared fascinated at pictures of film stars spending time with cancer patients, destitute children and others less fortunate than themselves, giving gifts or handing out large cheques with figures written in giant letters. Something bothered me though, “How were photographers and…
Protest to Protect People..!
As I write this piece, my wife is off to join a protest, “For Manipur?” I ask looking up. “No!” she says, “But against atrocities committed against all Indian women!” I nod, and know who will be there; women from all communities, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and all those shocked and…
When We Show Mercy..!
My thoughts go to an incident that took place some time ago in the society I live in: A gardener was employed by my colony to trim the trees, as a branch had fallen on a car during the heavy rains. As he was doing so the police arrived. “You…
Anchor and Suicides..!
Since I use the magnificent sea link in Mumbai very often, I was saddened to hear that yesterday another businessman had jumped into the Arabian Sea, from the bridge. As usual, it was someone who felt he had failed in business and seemed to have decided to end his life!…
Shooting the Messenger..!
A few years ago, a news item appearing in Indian newspapers mentioned that people had found out that blankets offered by the Indian Railways to its passengers for their overnight journeys were washed only once in two months! Which meant, realized horrified passengers that they had slept in the sweat…
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.