Vishwas Gaitonde

Guest column | The surprising health benefits of natural light exposure Sunlight can have positive effects on your sleep, mood, metabolic health and more. Here’s how much exposure you need to see benefits, and how to get it safely.

Natural light from the sun offers a range of physical, mental and behavioral benefits. Even an extra 5 to 10 minutes of sunlight each day can help regulate your sleep, mood and more.

Here are five ways natural light may boost well-being:

Marriages seemingly made in heaven can very well end up like hell on earth
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"Ghost Baby" - a short story of love & upheaval
medium.com/@weareji/gho...
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#shortstory #fiction #literary #India #marriage #MarriedLife #traditions #bloodline #relationships

The English Rendition of The Thirukkural 1330 YouTube video by Weareji

My remarks on undertaking the English rendition of The Thirukkural 1330 (குறளிசைக்காவியம்) at the public launch of Vol 6 of Lydian Nadhaswaram & Amirthavarshini's magisterial epic creation - the Thirukkural set to music
youtu.be/LzwrzHS-y9A
Broadway Theatre, Catford, London
17 Jan 2026
#Thirukkural #Music

"Long Live the Old Year"
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As we approach the end of one year & the beginning of the next, a reflection on the old/new years, and on history, culture & meaning
medium.com/counterarts/...
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#Clocks #Calendars #HappyNewYear2026 #NewYear #Time #Transition #Cultures #Timekeepers #Hogmanay

On the Death of an Elephant The wider implications of a pregnant elephant’s death in India

On the Death of an Elephant
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The wider implications of the killing of an elephant in Kerala, India, and of humans who have issues on sharing our planet with animals
medium.com/contemplate/...
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#wildlife #habitat #nature #deforestation #animalrightsmatter #AnimalCruelty #nature

A great reading at Bull City Press house reading series at a private residence in Durham on Saturday. Signed books, had some interesting convos
Group pic: Curators Ashley Nissler & Ross White (@rosswhite.com), Readers Xhenet Aliu, yours truly, Matt Poindexter & Tim O'Keefe
#WritingCommunity #books

How I Changed My Mind About Shakespeare I once thought him overrated before I discovered his genius

At school, I had thought that Shakespeare, despite his brilliance, was overrated. Then, during the summer holidays when I was in Standard 8, something made me recognize Shakespeare for the genius that he was

Here's that story:
medium.com/@weareji/how...
#Shakespeare #Literature #Education

Pictures from my book signing at Barnes & Noble in Cary, North Carolina. The neighborhood turned out in force, and I was so appreciative and gratified.

Some of the good people who came to my author event on Sep 5 at Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, NC.
Judging by the audience reaction, the reading was well received. It's always nice when that happens.

Event at HubCityBookshop, Spartanburg SC, on the 23rd was interesting.
I read while seated in a comfy chair. Some walked out on me but then one gentleman took copious notes, & had many questions. And I signed the store's 'Author Wall' like the others who had read before me.

A momentous occasion! Sep 21, 2025. The launch of my 1st book of fiction 'On Earth As It Is In Heaven' at Malaprop's bookstore in Asheville, NC, hosted by OrisonBooks& the Great Smokies Writing Program.
My reading (excerpts from 4 stories in the book) was well received.

These ladies in the audience are members of a book club, and they're going to collectively read & discuss the stories in my book along with other members of their club. So this is my first entry into a book club!

These ladies in the audience are members of a book club, and they're going to collectively read & discuss the stories in my book along with other members of their club. So this is my first entry into a book club!

Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91 Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

"I was terribly jealous of Tarzan's Jane. I thought she was a wimp and I'd have been much better as a mate for Tarzan myself — which is true. I would have been."
~ Jane Goodall

The famed primatologist & conservationist Jane Goodall has passed on. #RIP
www.npr.org/2025/10/01/4...

'Millions of books are published each year. Why should readers be interested in yours?'
I answer this & other questions on The Authors Show: wnbnetworkwest.com/channel/6
Available today (Oct 1) in the US, & int Oct 2 in Europe, India, Aus & NZ
Then it will be archived, with another access link

Thank you! It sure does feel great.

The author Vishwas Gaitonde holding up a copy of his book 'On Earth As It Is In Heaven'

After years of hard work and waiting, and then working some more, THAT day has come
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Publication day!
vishwasgaitonde.com/works.htm
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My first book of fiction, the prize-winning story collection 'On Earth As It Is In Heaven' has been published today.
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#WritingCommunity #amwriting

Finding Madras in Chennai To celebrate Madras Day, a look at the city of Chennai through its street names

Hey Madras! Live long and prosper!
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In celebration of Madras Day (Aug 22, Chennai's 386th birthday), my essay "Finding Madras in Chennai," published in Counter Arts magazine on Medium

medium.com/counterarts/...

#History #India #Chennai #Madras #madrasday #BritishRaj #streetnames

My short story collection, 'On Earth as It Is in Heaven' releasing Sep 2 now available for pre-order from
Amazon: amazon.com/Earth-as-Hea...
Barnes & Noble: barnesandnoble.com/w/on-earth-a...
Publisher:
: orisonbooks.com/product-page...
Winner, Orison Fiction Prize
#Books #fiction #literary #writer

Beyond India’s Stonewall Moment The unfolding of India’s LGBT movement

'Beyond India's Stonewall Moment'
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To mark #PrideMonth, my feature in Counter Arts on
Medium, tracing the recent history of India's #LGBTQ movement from Section 377 repeal to gay marriage
medium.com/counterarts/...
#India #Equality #Gaypride2025 #GayIndia

Parents Versus Teachers A ballad about a class of unruly students and a timid teacher

Parents versus Teachers
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A timid teacher in an unruly class leads to a situation that rapidly escalates... My ballad in light verse in MuddyUm on
Medium
medium.com/muddyum/pare...
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#poetry #verse #humor #education #school #teacherstudent #discipline #administration #literary

The Hidden Sounds of Plague A devastating disease from centuries past is coded into children’s rhymes & ballads

The Hidden Sounds of Plague
A devastating disease from centuries past is coded into children’s rhymes & ballads. My essay in Contemplate magazine on Medium
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medium.com/contemplate/...
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#plague #language #history #childhood #poetry #epidemics #coping #literature #Rhymes

Narnia Through Hindu Eyes What if the Christian allegories in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ are examined under a Hindu lens?

'Narnia Through Hindu Eyes'
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What if the Christian allegories in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ are examined under a Hindu lens?
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My essay published in Counter Arts on Medium
medium.com/counterarts/...
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#Narnia #Literature #Christianity #Hinduism #literatura #religion #books #religion #philosophy

An Ecological Movement Sprouts From Literature To mark Earth Day, a story of reforestation

To observe & honor #EarthDay -
'An Ecological Movement Sprouts from Literature'
My feature article
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medium.com/@weareji/an-...
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The scale of #deforestation is truly frightening, but isolated incidents of #reforestation are inspiring, & must be encouraged to proliferate
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#environment #literature

The Real Names of Jesus and His Disciples During the Holy Week, a look at the names of the apostles and their leader through linguistics

The Real Names of Jesus & His Disciples
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During the Christian Holy Week, a look at the names of the apostles & their leader through the lens of linguistics
medium.com/@weareji/the...
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#language #linguistics #Easter #Bible #Jesus #Apostles #Disciples #Christianity #HolyWeek #GoodFriday #PalmSunday

'Happy Days with Perry Mason'
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My 'slice of memoir' from childhood days has been published in Gargoyle Magazine.
gargoylemagazine.com/vishwas-r-ga...
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#PerryMason #squirrel #Ramayana #India #animals #pets #Chennai #Madras #childhood #nostalgia

The Battle Royal of Kittipup How a kingdom was rescued from a dragon’s wrath

The Battle Royal of Kittipup
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How a kingdom was rescued from the clutches of a fierce dragon
medium.com/@weareji/the...
My ballad in light verse
#poetry #storytelling #dragons #bravery #heroism

How A Schoolboy’s Punishment Benefited America A mischievous Thurgood Marshall was given an unusual punishment by his schoolteacher

'How A Schoolboy's Punishment Benefited America'
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The teacher who punished Thurgood Marshall at school had no idea how that punishment would one day change the social landscape of the United States
medium.com/@weareji/how...
#history #Constitution #ThurgoodMarshall #SCOTUS #race #segregation

Red Shoes From popes to fairy tales to movies, the allure of red shoes

Red Shoes
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From popes walking the hallowed Vatican halls to fairy tales to movies, red shoes have always held an allure
medium.com/@weareji/red...
My piece, published in Medium, which brings the three together into one picture
#pope #Fairytale #shoes #history #movies #PopeFrancis #Vatican