Don't worry...be happy :)

Nothing is wrong with the world.... The sun rose from the east around 6-6.30 AM... the sunflowers opened up in the sun's direction, the grass is still green in colour, the rivers are flowing brimming with water, rain still wets people, birds got up and left on time in search of food, the rooster gave its morning call on time, there's mist on mountain tops, snow looks as pure as ever, water spray from sea waves feels good on your face, it feels nice to walk beside the sea, children are in school and happy and naughty....

.....Everything is right with the world.... :))

Don't worry about anything :)

Be Happy.... Keep Smiling...

:(

I am very sad...very very very sad :(
(pout)

Piya haji Ali, piya haji ali...

Some background info: Haji Ali is a mosque & dargah located off the coast of Worli in Mumbai. From a distance it looks like it's floating on the water, but it actually has a narrow causeway leading to it from Mahalaxmi. During high tide, this path gets submerged in the water and so you can reach the dargah only during low tide. Till last May, I had not even heard of this place and today it is part of one of my most treasured memories.

29th May, 2006: After a long wait (for the tide to go down) we walked along this long path towards the mosque. There are no railings on either side and even at low tide the waves were pretty strong. Walking barefoot on that narrow path just seemed so right. It does not matter whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim, the place will leave you in awe. You just get a very humbling feeling (don't ask me why...). You will find beggarly children and aged men/women lining the path, hoping that you will drop a humble coin into their bowl; oblivious to the large waves which drench them to the skin. Maybe it was this sight that makes you humble and thank the Powers Upstairs for whatever little you have. By the time we reached the main entrance, we were just feeling blissful; having thoroughly enjoyed the sudden sprays of water. The walk till the mosque was the highlight of the whole visit.

25th July, 2007: Saw the monument again at night. It is shadowed in bright green lights and the entire path is lit up with lamps. One glimpse; and my heart skips a beat. I keep peering out of the window till the stupid taxi turns the corner and it is no longer visible. Never thought I could get senti over a monument...(shake of head)...never mind.

Dream a little dream for me...

No, it's not gonna be that simple. She has to strive harder, has to put in all her efforts to find a way out. Maybe using logic would help, she thinks- isn't that the answer to most problems? But hey, this is not so simple and it's anyways her own fault that she's landed up here- so it's not gonna be that easy now...

"it's ok...don't worry....take deep breaths..don't panic...! Everything's gonna be alrite..."

Gathering up all her stamina, she tries to start afresh, "things could have been worse, I'll manage this.." How long is long enough to get out? She's sure someday the Power will pity her and free her from these shackles...this web of emotions that has entangled her...desperate to get out, she is hitting out at anything possible, anything that has even the remotest chance of hurting her...that big monster creeping up behind her has come closer and she is not even half-way out of this mess..."Oh my God, don't let me die like this...pleeeaaaaaasssssee!!"

"Why is it so dark in here? Wat's happening...! Someone please help me...somebody...anybody....HELP...HAAAALLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP.....omygod omygod...no no NO NOOOO.....pls no..."

Silence.

10 steps to pampering yourself over the weekend :)

1. Land up in an expensive resort in the outskirts of Mumbai
2. Get a room with an amazing view of palm trees (never take pool side!)
3. Sit by the poolside in the late night with the stars winking at you and a small moon peeking out of the clouds
4. Fill the bath tub with HOT water and just soak yourself in it; play some music and chat with an old friend over the phone
5. Go for an early morning massage (use the expensive options like almond or cashew nut oil as opposed to coconut or olive oil)
6. Get a 10 minute champi done~ for the uninitiated, it means a good tel maalish on the head :)
7. Enjoy the steam room in your privacy (it will be crowded in the day time) and ask for some eucalyptus oil in the steam :P
8. Go for a looonnnngg bath and shampoo and feel your inner glow :D
9. Take time out to go to the beach (it helps if the beach is clean and private)
10. Eat good food :)

Red balls of dough in sugar syrup...

Am discussing "How to make Gulab Jamuns" with a guy sitting in Canada at 9am..! Why? Coz we had to come to office early today~ L&T's Chairmain is coming to our office...the office has actually been painted for this great occasion...hahahah :)
Well, back to gulab jamuns~ I know this guy through a mutual friend; have met him only once in my entire life and have done the cursory hi-hellos a few times...and yet I am talking about gulab jamuns (and actually writing about them also :D)!!! Waise gulab jamuns also remind me of a certain visit to a certain restaurant, where I was at my flirtatious best with a French guy :) Even though I don't eat sweets, I ordered for a couple of gulab jamuns and persuaded/coerced him into trying some of India's most favoured mithais... :)
And since we are on the topic, I might as well mention that my taiji (Dad's elder bro's wife) makes the best mini gulab jamuns in the world. My fondest memory is of Urvi (my little niece) stuffing herself with a bowl full of these little red "balls of dough consisting mainly of milk solids, (often including double cream and a little flour) in a sugar syrup flavored with cardamom seeds and rosewater or saffron" (the last bit was copied from wikipedia :D)

Of bosses and lunches and cars...

Yesterday I had the chance to go out for a nice lunch with my top-boss. Sat in his nice silver Chevrolet, drove to Sion and ate at a very nice place :) The food and the company were both good. Conversation flowed well...discussed various things like campus life, office, music, cars...just about anything...overall I would say that the purpose of the outing was accomplished~ getting to know your team members outside of the work place, gelling well with your boss etc etc.

Got late for an important meeting in the afternoon. My other boss, DD had already left :(
Chevrolet se seedhey auto ki aukaad pe pahunch gaya :D Hehehehee... :)
Got a lift back in his black Honda City, and I realised how much i miss sitting in a nice AC car! Auto and train ke jhatke kha kha ke pakk gaya hai...Maybe I should take a small loan and buy a car? It's another matter that dad would completely freak out... :P Or better yet, I should ask him to buy me one :D

Enough of this now...not that I'm really busy...considering that all the bosses have gone to Lonavala for 2 days for (ahem!) a seminar... :)

Aye dil-e-nadaan

Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Arzoo Kya Hai?
Justuju Kya Hai?
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Arzoo Kya Hai?
Justuju Kya Hai?
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan...

Hum Bhatakte Hai,
Kyon Bhatakte Hai
Dasht-o-Sahara Mein?
Aisa Lagta Hai,
Mauj Pyaasi Hai,
Apni Dariya Mein.
Kaisi Uljhan Hai?
Kyon Yeh Uljhan Hai?
Ek Saaya Sa
Ru-Ba-Ru Kya Hai?
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Aye Dil-e-Nadaan
Arzoo Kya Hai?
Justuju Kya Hai?

Some blabbering about Life

Life is a completely different ball game. You think its a piece of cake and you can manage it...but No - the moment you take your eyes of the ball...WHAM!! It hits you right where it hurts; and it hits hard! You are suddenly shaken out of the comfort zone that you had quietly crawled into, and the peace is shattered like a big piece of glass thrown wildly out of the window.

And you have to start afresh; build the comfort cocoon around you bit by bit and hope that it lasts relatively longer this time 'round. Before the wild storm comes and blows the shelter off your head again, and leaves you stranded on the roads; with the rains lashing your body and the cold wind biting into your skin...

Twelve o'clock.
Along the reaches of the street
Held in a lunar synthesis,
Whispering lunar incantations
Dissolve the floors of memory
And all its clear relations,
Its divisions and precisions,
Every street lamp that I pass
Beats like a fatalistic drum,
And through the spaces of the dark
Midnight shakes the memory
As a madman shakes a dead geranium

Am back

The whole of last week, I didn't write anything. I decided to make my blog open only for private viewing (for whatever god forsaken reason) and I did not want the world to read me or my blog so easily...

But the very reason why I had started writing in the first place was so that I could just write whatever I felt like...and maybe give people, close to me, a glimpse of some hidden side of mine...then why do I hear people (well-wishers) tell me that this is a public forum and you should keep some things personal...or at lease write only about general stuff, but not too personal stuff...

You see the problem with me is that when I start something new and interesting, I do it with my whole heart and try and give some part of me into it...whether I write about issues that bother me or politics or friends, I try to be as candid as possible...and waise knowing myself, I don't think I'm gonna change that easily...but you might find a lil aloofness in my writing for some time...but I guess, if this blog is to run for a long time...I'll be back to normal soon :)

Bye for now :)

Kuchh meetha ho jaye :))

Someone gifted me a BIG bar of Cadburys yesterday :)

It seems like a long time ago in a place far far away when I used to get chocolates as gifts. But at that age they would be kept away by mom coz I don't think we were allowed to eat 'em...

Well then I grew up and went to college :D And again I started receiving chocolates :))
Being wooed by some of Bangalore's finest chocs at 2 am in the night...the simple Perk from the canteen from the sweet guy in the girls' hostel...Cadbury's again from a friend who saw me crying once...someone leaving chocolates on my table when I wasn't around... :) Hehehee...I seem to have got more than my fair share of chocolates, and it's funny coz most people don't even know that I don't really eat chocolates...I hate it when it sticks to your teeth :D My next door neighbours would have a great time whenever I got these li'l tokens of friendship :)

Basically the point is that I got chocolates from someone ysterday, after more than a yr, I think...and even though I know I won't eat even a piece out of it, it still feels nice to know that someone thought about you and went to that little extra effort :)

Glad that I was dragged out of bed :)

On Sunday morning I was at Marine drive at 6am...! This has to be the earliest I have ever woken up in Mumbai...only because I was rudely awakened by a friend, at 5 o'clock, saying that he was landing at my house in 15 mins and I better be there...&%@$%##@@*@ !!

But seeing Mumbai at that unearthly hour was awesome..! Seriously...the sky was a pale blue colour...not very bright, not cloudy, not sunny....just a simple light blue colour...and there was a cool breeze, making my nose go cold and red... :+)

Walking to Nariman Point was brilliant. It was one of those moments when you wished you could fly...sigh...I just wrapped my jacket closer and walked. I am not a great writer or I would have described the beauty of the scene in flowing words. But in simple language i can just say that I enjoyed the simplicity of just sitting there, feeling carefree...having the wind blow your hair all over your face...not saying much...just lying down and watching the sea...there were 2 fishermen in a small rocking boat out to bait the fish...would be great to try that out sometime...

Breakfast at Frangipani at the Oberoi was an added treat...I ended up signing the bill on behalf of my friend who had to go somewhere...but thats a long story and currently meant to be a secret...but in case I'm feeling naughty some day, the beans will spill out in this very space...so stay on a looking out. :D

P.S. Saw Anil Ambani jogging with 6 bodyguards...kya life hai man...who wants to start the day like that...running with 6 people actually surrounding you as u run...and a car following you...! I'd rather have the freedom to lie on Marine Drive with whoever and whenever I wish :))

The Part of You That No One Sees

You are balanced, peaceful, and sincere.
You're the type of person who goes along to get along.
And you're definitely afraid of rocking the boat.

Underneath it all, you fear your world falling apart.
You'll put up with a situation that you don't like in fear of changing it.
Disruptive and forceful people intimidate you - and sometimes exploit you.

p.s. I have no say in whether this is true or not. I just took some stupid quiz coz I was bored in office...

India- the country of Love?

Indians are hypocritical creatures.

Just mention the Taj and they get all pumped up about how it symbolises the true love that a Mughal king had for his dead wife. And how the Taj Mahal was all he could see from his cell window in the last years of his life. India has many love stories to boast about. Heer- Ranjha are considered India's very own Romeo-Juliet. We proudly tell stories about how Prithviraj Chauhan (considered to be the most romantic king of all times) carried off his love, Shakuntala, from the middle of her own swayamvar. And who can forget the Salim-Anarkali love story; the tale of the crown Prince falling for the insignificant courtesan.

Aren't we are all suckers for love stories? All our movies have one central concept- that of love. They celebrate this feeling of elation; the little moments of happiness of a young couple deeply in love. From Mughal-e-Azam to Veer Zaara to Baghban; from Prithvi Raj Kapoor to SRK to Amitabh Bachchan; this is what Hindi cinema has been all about.

Then why does society today still look down on love marriages, why is Valentine's Day still attacked by Shiv Sena, why can't people hold hands/ hug/ kiss in public? Why do we Indians always look at any public display of affection with suspicion. Why can't we just look at them and say, "Look at that happy couple!" Loving someone cannot be against the culture of any country.
We need to break free from the shackles of age-old taboos and move forward. Next time you see a couple kissing behind an umbrella on bandstand, or just having a nice time on the park bench; don't behave like a grumpy old man...just revel in the happiness of these strangers and hope that someday you also find someone to love.

I'm never gonna dance again...

I'm never gonna dance again
guilty feet have got no rhythm
though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool

Should've known better than to cheat a friend
and waste the chance that I've been given
so I'm never gonna dance again
the way I danced with you

Dancing, for me, is therapeutic. It makes me feel alive, energetic and happy :) But these words from "careless whisper" makes one feel that the singer has lost someone very close. And the way he danced with this female made him feel extra special and I think I know what he means when he says that I'll never be able to dance again, the way I danced with you...

Dancing is not just about making the right moves on the floor or having a flexible body...I think it's about having the right partner. Someone who you are comfortable with, someone with whom you can live the songs, someone who matches you in energy and enthusiasm, someone who makes you forget where you are or the people around you, someone who makes you feel that you are the best dancer in the world :)

But, in the words of George Micheal, "I'm never gonna dance again, the way I danced with you...uu uuu............."

office office

It's not often that one gets to be the last one working in office. If you are staying back after hours in office, it could mean 3 things-
1) You are being given too much work
2) You're a slow worker and can't finish work on time
3) You want to impress your boss by staying back

The reason why I am still here, in this quiet cabin....is well, the first. But instead of being mad/pissed/irritated I am actually liking this silence. There is a different charm to this. No cell phones ringing, no loud phone conversations, not even the click of a mouse (except mine...)

But one thing that I am sure about is that I definitely don't want to make this a habit. Sure career is important and this is the age to work, blah blah blah...but this is also the age to have fun, and party and enjoy life. So I think the deadline can go screw itself and I am gonna pack up and go home :)

About the middle class and such things...

Coming to Mumbai has given me a fairly good idea of how the middle class in the country live. I have never considered myself to be "middle class". Don't ask me for explanations...but thats just how i am.

In Calicut, there was not much scope to spend large sums of money. Umm...but Mumbai was supposed to be different. It was supposed to be this really happening place, with nice restaurants and hotels and the kind of place which held promises. And I had no qualms about earning well and spending well, once I came here ;)

But, for whatever reasons, I have been trying to live life like the common man...have taken the train instead of a cab, walk instead of getting a rick..things like that. And let me tell you, its NOT nice. I seem to find that I cannot tolerate the filth and stench on the streets...cannot tolerate the muddy roads...cannot tolerate the cars drenching you with that horrible rain water...cannot tolerate sweaty people pushing and shoving in a crowd or even brushing past you on the roads.

And well, then I made the biggest faux pas of my life. I said something like, "I just feel so bloody middle class!". Sigh...well I'm sorry..I know I sound all snobbish and high-maintenance. But all I can say in my defence is that I'm not really like that. Anyone who knows me even remotely well would agree to that (I think... :D) But yes, I agree, I enjoy the finer things in life, and now that I am earning an decent amount, I don't really need to do this...

But, back to the main point of writing this post:
I must say I have seen how the middle class of the country lives and truly respect the value of money now. And, the next time I am about to splurge on something...umm..well, at least I'll think twice...thats all I can guarantee :D