Mother’s Day Without My Mom – The Unscheduled Love

A special episode recorded on a day that holds two truths for me: my mother’s 76th birthday, and Mother’s Day.

Two years ago, on this very day, I was dancing for my mother - celebrating her life with joy. A few months later, she left me and my siblings forever. The last eight weeks of her life became the most meaningful weeks of mine, as we cared for her round the clock with love, devotion, and presence.

Since then, I have not been able to return to my radio shows or record my customary Mother’s Day episode. I couldn’t look at photos from 2024. I couldn’t find my voice.

This year, something shifted. Not because the grief is gone but because the love is louder.

This episode is for anyone navigating Mother’s Day without their mom. For anyone carrying love that has nowhere to go. For anyone whose grief does not fit into a single day, a single ritual, or a single definition.

Grief is personal. Love is unscheduled. And healing begins only when the heart is ready.

Thank you for listening to this tribute, this remembering, and this quiet conversation between my heart and yours.

Today when Asha Bhosle left us, I felt a quiet grief - the kind that comes from losing a voice woven into your life. In this episode, I share how her music traveled to me through my mother, how I witnessed her final concert outside India, and how singing her song “Jawani Janeman” won me the Karaoke Queen title in 2006. This is my reflection on a legend, a mother’s influence, and the music that still lives inside.

Today April 2. 2026 we are celebrating Hanuman Jayanti by singing Sri Hanuman Chalisa in a new tune.

“Courage Has No Borders” explores why the story of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev still matters even from thousands of miles away. In this TandoorChats episode, Trisha reflects on Shaheed Diwas, the universal fight for dignity, and her own experiences navigating racism and choosing courage in the United States.

This is a conversation about:

• ordinary people shaping the world

• standing tall in the face of injustice

• the quiet power of dignity

• and why courage is a human language, not a national one

If you’ve ever had to speak up, stand your ground, or hold your truth gently but firmly, this episode will meet you where you are.

TandoorChats - where stories travel, identities breathe, and courage is always welcome.

In this intimate Holi monologue, I return to the colors of my childhood when being a fauji kid (growing up in a military childhood) meant new cities, new friends, and the same familiar joy of spring. From the laughter of cantonment quarters to the quiet distances of diaspora life, this episode traces how festivals travel with us, change with us, and remind us who we are.

It’s a story of memory, migration, and the longing to belong that is told through the colors that never quite leave our hands.

This World Mother Language Day, I’m honouring my mother - a Bengali woman who picked up fifteen Indian languages simply by living, listening, and moving across the country of Bharat as a fauji wife.

Her voice taught me that language isn’t decoration; it’s dignity, connection, and a way of showing respect. This episode is my tribute to her, and to every person who keeps their mother tongue alive in everyday life, not through grand gestures, but through the simple act of speaking and passing it on.

In this episode, I share my own chanting of the sacred Shri Rudrashtakam. This beautiful hymn was composed in the 16th century by Goswami Tulsidas, the same saint who wrote the Ramcharitmanas. The Rudrashtakam appears in the Uttara Kāṇḍa of the Ramcharitmanas, where it is offered as a heartfelt praise to Lord Shiva- the infinite, compassionate force who removes ignorance and guides us toward inner peace.

The essence of this mantra lies in the complete surrender. Tulsidas describes Shiva as beyond form, beyond time, and beyond duality - the ultimate refuge for anyone seeking clarity, strength, and liberation. Chanting it brings a sense of grounding and stillness, and I wanted to share that experience with you.

I am learning this chant as part of my own practice, to improve my pronunciation, deepen my understanding, and nurture my love for the Sanskrit language. Recording it in my own voice helps me stay consistent and connected, and I hope listening to it brings you a moment of calm and devotion.

I recorded the Hanuman Chalisa as part of my own daily practice to check my pronunciation, reconnect with the Devanagari script, and return to a rhythm of devotion that feels grounding and honest.

The Hanuman Chalisa is made up of 40 chaupais (verses) and 2 dohas - one opening and one closing. Goswami Tulsidas composed it in the 16th century in the Awadhi language, and over time it has come to be widely read and taught in the Devanagari script, making it accessible for learners everywhere.

For listeners who may be new to this tradition: Shri Hanuman is one of the most revered figures in Sanatan Dharma who is celebrated for his strength, devotion, courage, and unwavering service to Shri Ram. Many traditions also regard him as an incarnation (avatar) of Lord Shiva, mainly a Rudravatar, symbolizing divine protection and inner resilience.

The hymn draws from the Ramayana and the Ramcharitmanas tradition, honoring the grace, power, and devotion of Shri Hanuman.

If you’re learning, practicing, or simply seeking a moment of grounding, I hope this recording supports your journey just as it supports mine.

A simple late‑night moment turned unforgettable.

Just as I was about to sleep in the US, a call came from India and suddenly, I found myself speaking to Vinod Kambli, a former cricketer I admired growing up. In his voice, I heard warmth, resilience, and a spark that refuses to fade.

When I told him I’m a soldier’s daughter, he instantly saluted my father. And when I said I’d love to interview him someday when he feels in good health, he replied with full enthusiasm:

“I’m doing great… see you soon.”

This episode is a reminder that strength isn’t loud. Strength is consistent. And showing up is victory.

If you’re struggling or rebuilding, let this moment remind you: never give up on yourself. Just show up.

Story of Love That Makes Us is a heartfelt reflection on the many forms of love that shaped who I am today.

From my mother’s unconditional love, the kind of love that makes you feel found even before you know you’re lost to my father’s quiet, steady presence that still holds all four of his children.From the chaotic, protective affection of my three siblings, my original “goon squad”To over many decades of partnership with my high‑school sweetheart - not soulmates or dream lovers or any of that, just two people with infinite differences and one constant that’s held us together: love.To the intentional love I’m learning to build with my two children.

This episode explores love as a practice, a discipline, and a choice we make every single day especially on the days when it doesn’t come easily.

If you have ever wondered about the love that shaped you, challenged you, protected you, or carried you forward, this episode is for you.

Love is not something you wait for. Love is something you practice. Love is something you choose. Love is something you become.