Wednesday, December 28, 2011

DOGGY-EAR YOUR YEAR

My 100th blog ... dedicated to all those wonderful people who've read this 'twisted chillies' .


Especially to Booboo ; Suruchi Hotness ; Chotti mirchi ; "P"friend ; Saumya hotty ; Yaaaaa ; The cancerian ; Siggi Biggi ; Ubla Anda ; Rolum ; Katta ; Wihelmina ; Dhanno Mateshwari ; Shishyaa ;Gayathri ma'am ; Linda ; Huzi ; Achyut ( Ok ... Now my memory is running short )
And all those awesome people who've made 2011 an AWESOME year . Love you guys <3 





Another year come to a close
And another one shall begin
As millions have passed before us
And many more will flow in ….


In this infinite universe , what are we ?
A fraction of a second , a speck of dust
And yet we revolve and dance around our axes
Trying to make a mark , doing what we must .


 
The pages of our years that keep flipping
Will one day end , the book shall close
But till then , keep doggy earing your pages
That mark the joys of life ,and the woes …

Those little things that made “sense”
Those tiny events that made you smile
Those misty eyed nights when you felt lost
Those hands which kept you steady all the while .

Decades,centuries and ages shall pass
Pages will crumble to dust and perish
In the end ,none of our lives might matter
But it’s those ‘doggy ears’ we must cherish …
                         Those doggy ears we must cherish :)





Monday, December 12, 2011

Hathon mein sahejta hoon..




Haathon mein kas ke saheje hue
Ye panne dhundle lagte hai
Ek maadak si sugandh samete
Ye kagaz sunahre lagte hai

Palat palat ke dekhta hoon inhe
Ki inki kahaniyan na bhool jaoon
Kahin syaahi dhoomil ho gayi hai
Kahin panne swaym dhool saman

Us bhishan dhoop mein syaahi sookhi thi
Kabhi seene se laga varsha se bachaya tha
Kuch kahaniyan kamal patron par likh baha di
Kuch devtaon ,apsaraon ki kreeda
.. Kuch par rakt pipasi aghoriyon ka saaya tha .

Kuch panne swaym maine bhasm kiye
Kuch panne kuch aur logon ke naam
Kuch panne kore hi saheje hai
Ki unki kahaniyan syaahi ki mohtaaj nahi

Kabhi asha thi ki ek kitaab bana doonga
Ki piro kar inhe kavitayein likhoonga
Par bikhare ,dhundhle panne pade kaun ?
Bas haothon mein kas ke sahejta hoon main
                              Kas ke sahejta hoon main



Saturday, December 10, 2011

A northie's guide to Chennai Public Transport ;-)



*Dedicated to the first auto-wallah who fleeced me for 300 bucks . Poi saavu naai !*

Yes , it’s Sunday . and you wana go out SOMEWHERE in Chennai .
Somewhere matlab , anywhere ! ( Where you can be with your hindi yaar-dost , speak at full volume . And in some weird way , feel better about getting EVEN with Chennai ) ;-)
The trouble is , how to get there ! Tension venda da , here’s what you do :


1.Catch a share auto 
Awesome ! It’s so cheap . Sometimes ,you’ll feel guilty about cheating the guy for money .
But only until those tamil mamis , their tiny tots , kaam-wali bai , lungi-clad hair sprouting uncleji , the shy salvaar suit spectacle wearing chick ( who looks at you with such suspicious eyes and demeaning looks ) come and cramp you muscles .
And then the auto wallah turns around and says “Konjum thalli ukarangu sir” .
Add to that , a radio playing ‘osthe maamey’ full volume .And sudden breaks which make you feel like throwing up .
Suddenly , your feeling of guilt seems like ‘chutiyaap’ !

Advice : If you are a guy , try grabbing the seat next to the driver . Keep your nose utside ( towards fresh air) and hold on to that archaeological artifact for your dear life ( Yes , the auto meter macha ! )



2.The local train 
You’ll feel more at home here anyday .
The entire hindi SRM crowd ,and side mein romance karte couples .
Kind of makes up for the crowd , the aroma of human excretions in the air and the stumbling over luggage on the floor .

Advantage : 1.Super cheap !
2.runs on time .
3.Free ka romance bey … what more do you want ? :P


3. The MTC buses 
Ah ! I’ve already appraised the charms of Chennai bus travels previously . For now , we’ll limit ourselves to the precautions :

A . Start two hours in advance . Idhu Chennai traffic macha ! what if Amma is going out saree shopping or on a rally . You never know ;)
B.  Grab a seat ( on the RIGHT side ) as soon as you see one . Try sitting on the left side , and get ready to be humiliated , “Enna pa . Idhu ladies seat .Pudusa vaa ? mudula time poriya nee ? Teriliya ? Po po “
C. If standing , grab hold of a seat and look outside . Trust me , you DO NOT want to stand next to someone holding the railings with one hand and their armpits in your face .
D. Know you bus stop . The  conductor is NEVER free .He just might ‘forget’ to tell you that your spot has gone past .
E. Do not get trapped in the ‘ticket passing’ line . You’ll have no idea where di the ticket go and the old paathi will keep pulling your t-shirt “Ayyo .. paisa enga pa ? “
F. Feel no guilt when you push . Darwin named it “survival of the fittest” :D




4. THE AUTO *mrindangam in the background*
Yes , they are plenty . They are always available . They drivers are so courteous and almost jump out of their brown shirts to help you .
Someone once told me ,”The richest people in Chennai travel in autos “
True that . If you know tamil , be ready for a 200 bucks increase ( and 15 mins. of fighting )
If you do not know tamil , be ready for 600 bucks and half-n-hour debate .
Shake your head , wave your hand . Tell them , there’s always traffic everywhere in Chennai .
Or just show them your wallet ( remove everything except 100 bucks ) and make a sad face , “Kaas illae anna” ;-)
The advantage is , they’ll get you anywhere in time .
 The fastest means to travel in Chennai anyday .And an excellent opportunity to learn tamil swear words
You want a u-turn in the middle of the road ? or get past a huge traffic jam ? Or race down someone ?
Onu prcahanne illae da .Just ask the macha up-front .
Caution : DO NOT discuss movies or politics .Trust me , you don’t want to :P


   
5 Get a call taxi .
If you are one of those ‘posh’ machas . Or if 5 of you are getting stuffed inside one ( and can divide the money ) go ahead !
Advantages – The taxi guy will usually know the way .
You do not need to pay extra/haggle with him over money .
It’s usually on time .
( But you’ll still keep eyeing the metre for good measures . ‘Imaandaari’ is nowhere these days bey ! ) :-)


Happy Travelling . Namma Chennai rocks :D







Friday, November 18, 2011

A northie's guide to attending south Indian weddings ;-)



Dedicated to all North Indians who visited a Chennai marriage and kept thinking all the while , “Where’s the actual marriage bey ? “

Ok ,let’s get this straight .
North Indian marriages are all about dance , drinking and checking out ‘maal’ .
South Indian marriages are all about hogging ,hogging and hogging .

So , when you did receive the decorated marriage card ,the first question in your mind would be “What to wear “
Seriously ,who cares .
If you wana look ‘different’ , wear something ‘non-white’
( Just put on a white shirt or kurta and you’d be lost between all those uncles with STARCH white vetti-satta , well oiled moustaches and the gold chains . )


You might also wana take sun goggles . All that kanjeevaram silk  ( tamil mamis brigade ) , the shimmeing salwar-suits and the gold chains can cause a bit of glare in the light ;-)

So , my advice is .. put on something decent and (hopefully) plain .
 ( yes my dear , all your glittering sherwanis , achkans and ‘baraat’ suits can take a back seat please .In south , you need to be looking decent macha )

The very entrance can confuse you .
Instead of the “Pinky weds Tinku  “ glow signs that you are accustomed to , you’ll find huge posters with ( maybe ) the bride and groom’s picture somewhere .
The rest of the poster will be covered with macho looking musclemen type uncles . Please do not get confused , they are not from either of the families .
 And that old uncleji on the wheelchair  with huge goggles on .. yeah , he’s definitely NOT the great-grandfather .
And sometimes ,the docile omnipresent Amma will be welcoming you with folded hands too ( BEAT that Air India ! )



Inside , as your eyes will instinctively search for the ‘bar’ and the ‘disco floor’ . You might be a tad bit disappointed :P
Instead , look around . There will be a classical singer somewhere ( if it’s a good enough marriage ) , and ( I hate to stress the point again) no ! she’s also not one of the relatives .It’s not one of our marriages where the mami/chachi/bua/mausi will jump to the stage to show off their *cough* talents !

Go ahead ,on the stage .
Now THAT will look familiar . Stand , click a few photos .
Your friend ( bride or groom ) will be looking extra happy , permanent smile fixed on their faces and shaking hands as if you just gave them their dream job  !


So , when you come down and get over the light flashing in your eye you’ll be like “bhai , ab kya ?”
Look around ,you’ll see a huge crowd moving in one direction . go on , follow it !
The insides of the hall ( with it’s long parallel tables and people eating like there’s no tomorrow ) just might remind you of Hogwarts main hall .
That is , If you can replace stew with ‘kolambu’ , Pumpkin juice with ‘butter milk’ and Cornish pasties with ‘mysore paak’  ;-)

Just sit down and wait for the banana to appear . Ask for as much as you want . And tension mat le , they’ll WAIT for you to finish before rolling the paper .
The best bio-degradable enviourment friendly method ever !
No dirty plates , no fighting over buffet ( but trust me , there is no greater pleasure than pushing through a throng of hungry people and grab that last piece of paneer on your plate )
But like I said , in south people are decent yaa :D
*for more rules of eating , refer to the last blog * !

With that done , you might as well walk out quietly .
The bride and groom will still be standing in the same position ,no use going and saying “Bye da . Enjoy panna “ ;-)
Or give any other dirty advices that you have in mind .
Actually , chuck that . Think of yourself in that position one day and you’ll turn around on your heels asap !
But …
They’ll catch you at the door . Don’t get frightened . You didn’t do anything .
( It’s NOT that hot girl’s dad whom you were checking out desperately )
Just an innocent ‘return gift’ ( as if you hadn’t stuffed well enough already ).
Smile at that unknown uncleji .
He’ll hug you ,smiling full on all the time . Ask you if you want more packets ( Don’t be besharam .. Control your freeloader instincts for once  )

And then before you know , Amma is bidding you bye-bye again ! :D



Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A northie's guide to visiting a South Indian household ;-)



*Dedicated to all those north Indians who visited their friends for pongal and left with a weird feeling inside * :D

Let’s make it clear at the outset :  visiting a South Indian household is not like going over to your Pammi Aunty ; Bittu uncle or your chachi /mami / ‘apna yaar’ ka ghar .

If Sarvanan/Arun/Ganesh/Karthik/Karthikeyan/Murugan/Bala pats you on the back and says , “Aye vaa da .. come over to my house machi”

Or any mixture of Lakshmi and Priya ( cumon … LakshmiPriya ; Hjaripriya ; maniPriya ; KanthaPriya ; SriLakshmi ; PriyaDarshini ; DhanaLakshmi ) peer through their glasses and coyly ask you ,
“Vaangu pls . My amma is making Sakar pongal . You will like it very much “

You are in for a test of your character , discipline , sincerity , manners and your ability to stuff your “amit”ness in your mouth .

First lesson , you know how you usually walk up to your bed and sometimes just fall asleep with your shoes hanging by the side of the bed ?
Ok , not allowed . You will see a pile of shoes outside the house . Keep them there .
Your friend won’t say anything . But he/she will do it themselves and then slowly walk in , very slowly .
And don’t worry , nobody will steal them ( it will take time getting used to that )

Step two , you will probably be introduced to the grandmother first .
Bend at your waist and do a proper ‘vankaam paathi’ or just fall at her feet .
She’ll scoop your face in her hands and talk something  in tamil , all the while smiling at you . Just nod and smile back and say “ama ama .. nalla irikae . Nandri paathi”
Then she’ll wave her hand at the dinning table , DO NOT go there first . Let your friend lead you .

You’ll be introduced to other family members next . All of them will be so nice and polite to you and shower you with such attention that you’ll begin to feel suspicious .
( Remember how your friend’s mum back home would shout at your friend first . But she’ll throw accusing angry glances at you ?)

The dad will ask you about ,
“How is studies going ?” .Say good
“How are you liking Chennai ? “ . Say good .
“How is everyone back home  ?” .Say good .


Tell aunty , “Rangoli is very nice aunty” ( Before that , CHECK whether they made it that day or not )

BROWNIE POINT : Bow your head before the temple in the house . The paathi will LOVE you :D
Then when you are finally in your friend’s room , you can breathe a sigh of relief .
But remember , not too loudly .
Yes , the very fact that people are not shouting from one room to another can be a BIT unnerving for a north Indian . But you’ll get used to that .

Five mins. in your friend’s room and you’ll be called over to eat .


RULES OF EATING A MEAL :
1.Everyone will be staring at you and smiling . Don’t feel creeped out .
2.Don’t ask for a spoon , unless it’s been kept . Everyone will go about as if India declared an emergency , and you’ll feel guilty .
Plus , they’ll give you a new spoon for every course from then on .
3.Let aunty or your friend serve you for the FIRST time . Make it clear that you DO not want their help . It will come handy later .
4.Mix whatever is given with the rice . Save rasam for the last and crush the ‘aplam’ ( yes , the thing that looks like ‘paapad’ ) over the rice .
5.The uncle/dad/grandfather will give you some advice about how to eat what . just follow it .
6.When you ask for a second helping , tell aunty to STOP when you see have your fill .
Trust me , feeding a guest is like showing affection in the household .
And with that much of affection , one might puke :D
7.Never praise a dish to the skies . It’s automatically assumed that you have been starved of that delicacy since your childhood .
And they’ll compensate for all those years during that one dinner :D

Once you survive the eating exercise , be happy .
You’ve just been accepted as a part of the household . The granny feels happy that her duty has been done .
And aunty feels happy that you haven’t felt the ‘lack’ of anything !
And uncle feels awesome that he has taught you a few south Indian customs .

While going out , follow the entry procedures ( reverse order ) . Say “thanks” as many times as you can .
And keep the smile going . You have emerged a hero ! :-D





Thursday, November 10, 2011

Of RaOne , temples and marekting ..

Yes , the deep connecting thread between RaOne ; Vellore’s golden temple and life .
( so much for the opening line suspense . Chetan bhagat would’ve been so proud ! )

I have said this before , I’ll say it again .
Shahrukh Khan is THE best salesman India has ( we’ll omit any discussion about his acting skills for now )
He’s ruthless ,smart ,manipulative , swift with the tongue , dosen’t give a damn about being a “superstar” and will go to any limits to sell whatever he wants to .
I was in Vellore this diwali .. and while surfing through channels , I chance upon SRK on JAYA TV !
Talking on and on about how he loves can’t wait to work in tamil movies , and how the most talented people come from this state and how Rajni sir is the biggest superstar we have .
And how he wanted to pay a ‘tribute’ to Chitti in the movie !

Needless to say , the movie turned out to be ‘below expectations’  ( if you carried your brains into the theatre , that is )
The so called ‘tribute’ turned out to be a 1 minute something scene .
North Indians found it funny ( cumon …there was a vaccum after the Rajni jokes went out of fashion ) and bought tickets …
South Indians flocked to the theatre ( at least the first weekend ) to see him and money flowed in ..
Who cares if the movie was C.R.A.P ?
Selling tactic ? You bet my gluteus maximus !

Around the same time , I went for a Vellore sightseeing tour .
Have you ever been to the Jalakanteswarar temple in Vellore fort ? Do go .
It stands old ,strong and proud .The inner sanctrum so serene , lined by huge statues , the central ‘shivling’ and an aura of inner peace .
It smells of stones so ancient that you can easily imagine Tamil kings praying homage to Siva and ‘devdasis’ dancing in those halls .

On the other hand have you been to the Golden ‘temple’ ?
If you even happen to go there .. carry your lunch box/music system/Frisbees or whatever you usually carry to resorts or picnic places .
The place is ( forgive my lack of diplomacy ) an obscenity in the name of temple !
Flowing gardens , music and mantras playing , huge adorned pillars , ticket counters , hospitality that can beat Air India’s air hostesses any day .
Chuck that … a huge inner temple entirely GOLD plated !
( It was like , Bappi Lahiri’s dream house come true )
But was it a temple ? no .

Then again , who cares ?
The guy who runs it has his photos everywhere . People come , donate money , gape in wonder and put their faith in the self proclaimed incarnation ‘gruruji’ and the Goddess .


My great-grandmom used to pray in her ‘pooja ghar’ . It was nothing but one half of a store-room with old faded photos of Gods and a few bronze statues .
But the way I felt God in there , I’ve never felt it anywhere else .

Bottom line ?
Is that what we have come to ?
Publicity ? Show off ? Materialism at it’s pinnacle ?
Maybe it’s time God should hire a publicity or HR agent .

Before people ‘invest’ incorrectly In faith ..



Monday, October 24, 2011

The Next Time ...




“Virendra.. ”
Radha fumbled around with her fingers .
The cold heavy alarm clock , the half opened tablets , the glass with her dentures and finally her cold rimmed spectacles .

She held them gingerly , almost lovingly . Folded her legs and sat up , her hand weighing down the hard flat pillow .
She put them on . The entire world becoming clear .. almost clear . The left glass had cracked a few days back .
Mr.sharma had such a bad habit. He’d put his walking stick on the table , and this time it landed on her spectacles .

Never mind , she repeated her “Hare Rama Hare Rama” and got up from the bed .
Her knees were sore , thanks to arthritis .

Last time Virendra had come , they had gone to this doctor .
 Her family doctor in Shimla . He told her they’ll do some surgery something .. but then , if Virendra wasn’t there . Who’d be there to take care of her ?

She put the dentures in ..and quietly walked around the bed .
The view from the window was breath taking … at least that’s what anyone new would think .
To her , it were the same hills . The ones in Dehra , Shimla , Chamba .
But somehow Virendra had liked this room . So she stayed .
And the last time he came , he bought those blue curtains too .

Blue curtains .. blue skies . ‘Winters are approaching’ ,she thought .
And wrapped herself in a shawl .
At this age , it’s always winter .
The shawl smelt so faintly of Virendra . He had wrapped her in this when they came here last time .
And Jenny had given her this wool cap . Swiss , she had said .

It’s too cold to take a bath . She decided , as she settled down in front of the mini temple in her room .
The Krishna idol , Virendra loved it so much .
He and his father had bought it together .
Some simple village Janmashtami fair , he had fed Him laddoo for years .
And this time , when Jenny and he’ll come , she’ll make sure the chhotu feeds Krishna too .

Her hands on her knees and clutching the cupboard next to her , she finally got up.
Raising her hand to the top most shelf , she fumbled around till she found the old box .
It was not so tiny , actually Virendra’s painting box .
He used to keep his brush and paint and what not in it !
And so many prizes he’ll bring when he was In college .
‘I wonder , if he still paints ? I must ask him the  next time he comes ‘
Inside it , was an old painting brush , a “Mothers’ day” card , an old faded photograph of a small kid in the arms of his mother ( the black and white ones you take in old photo studios ) .
And a coloured photo of a tall 30s something Indian guy , a blonde and a baby in their arms .
She looked at it lovingly , running her fingers over it . As if touching it .
“I must learn this e-mail soon “ , she kept the box back .

The last time he had come , they had all gone out . And Jenny was talking , she couldn’t understand .
All the accent and the english , but Virendra kept translating .
He looked so tall . He looked like his father . If only he was there , he’d be so proud of his son .
He was talking about his company , and blooming business , and some estate . And Jenny wanted her to come too .

“Where will I go at this age ? You people go ahead .. anyways you’ll be coming back from time to time . “ , and Virendra had put her hand around her .

She shuffled forward , cane in hand .
It was time for breakfast , and curse these stupid broken spectacles , the world ahead looked unclear to her  .
As she entered the hallway of ‘Care Old Age Home’ ,she wiped the glasses one more time ,
“I’ll get them repaired for sure .The next time Virendra comes …”

Saturday, October 22, 2011

My love affair with Chennai buses



There are different ways of seeing a city’s ‘crowd’ :
If you are in Delhi ,I suggest you take a walk down the ‘university area’ or ‘chandini chowk’ or just hop into a metro ..
If you are in Hamara Lucknow .. go ‘ganjing’ in the evening or drive over to Tundae Kababs ( or if u need real ENTERTAINMENT …SaharaGanj ;-) )

But if you are in Chennai …you can Go over to Marina and Besant nagar beaches /  Mylapore temples / Kalakshetra / get lsot I nthe aroma of a hot filter coffee / go catch a first day show of Thala’s movie / go shopping down Ranganathan street
OR , you can take your ipod and hop into a bus :-D

See, I was raised as a ‘delicate darling’ .
So , the only time I traveled in buses/tempo was when I was escorted by an ‘adult’ .And by the time I grew up , my activa and I had a roaring affair going on .
Or , there was always someone’s car to jump onto .
The result ?
 I realized that if I don’t travel in buses while I am in college .. I’ll never do it !

So , after 3 years of jostling/getting trampled on/running like a maniac behind buses/screaming/passing tickets/carefully evading tamil ‘mamis’ in the buses …
 I realized that I am in love with them ( not the mamis sickos … the buses ) :)

The sheer plethora of people you come about ..
The ‘macha’ with full volume ‘otha sollala’ ringtone .
The paathi carrying her big shopping bag or dozing off near the window .
The random beautiful ‘salvar kameez’ clad girl with the flowers in her hair .
The old veshti clad grandfather holding his tattered cloth bag close to him .
The “IT” guy whispering into the phone to his girl phraand ..
The construction worker/vegetable seller looking uncertainly at the bus before getting in ..wondering if she should take a “lesser priced” bus
The rare bihari/northie guy bitching full on in hindi ( ahh … music to the ears ) :D
The ‘gold laden’ tamil mami shrewdly finding seats for her entire family !
( as Achyut rightly said “They are so short , you’ll never notice them coming .only a BUM will hit you on the leg and suddenly you’ll be pushed )
The group of giggling , noisy , spectacled school girls .
And the quiet housewife checking her watch again and again .

The scene outside the window is another story in itself .
It’s like someone is playing a live movie outside and you are being given the free seat ..there is no beginning … no end  .
Just the same movie again and again  with a myriad of characters .
Early morning Chennai … the temples alive with sounds . Big cars and aged scooters and testosterone pumped bikes roaring about ( I guess that’s the typical scene anywhere .. but the smell , the effect is unique to every city )
People driving all day .Some in a hurry , some just dozing off on their steering wheels . Some running to cross the streets .
The street hawkers resting .. the nighttime closing of shops … the chaos of everyday life and the sublime tranquility beneath it all :)


There is a certain magic about being in a bus .. you are surrounded by a crowd . And yet all alone .
Fights happen .. kindness appears out of nowhere .. everyone around is lost In their own world . Trapped in something that they love .. and yet despise .
People get in ..get out .. and the bus keeps moving .
Sometimes shaky , sometimes it breaks down and has to be repaired .
But it keeps moving … and somehow , isn’t that what life is all about ? :)



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Do you BELIEVE that miracles happen ?


Yes , you read that right .
The big question is NOT whether miracles happen or not . 
The big question is , do you believe/see/perceive them happening ?

I was reading the chapter on complications of pregnancy .
Right from the moment a tiny sperm enters , to the moment this ‘bundle of joy’ *cough* is born … there are tons of obstacles , each one of them bent upon kicking the baby’s bum !
But even then , babies are born everyday .. (infact by the bushel in our India ) .
I consider it a miracle in itself !

The trouble is … our dear old Bollywood movies have narrowed our imagination ( which movies ALWAYS do … we’ll talk about that later ).
You only consider it a ‘chamtakaar’ if Karan Arjun come back to avenge their deaths .
Or Reena Roy sings ‘Shirid waale Sai baba’ and gets her eyesight back .
Or John Abraham actually ACTS in a movie ( oh wait … that one’s still in the pipeline )

But ,tiny things .. the fact that a plant grows fighting all odds and trauma …
Or you catch the bus you’d been running for …
Or you go upto your doctor and he tells you “aaaaal is well”
You drive on the road and come back safely every night …
Or the sheer fact that crap like ‘twilight’ actually sells …
Aren’t they all miracles in themselves ?
Insignificant ? yes . routine ? yes . But the point is …do we feel grateful for them ?
My ass !

My room caught fire last month . I wasn’t there … but from what I saw and heard later , the curtains went up in flames . So did the bed , the table , even the door to my books cupboard .
Not even ONE of my precious books caught fire .
Miracle ? Holy Jesus’ amma ! YES !

Maybe J.Krishnamurthi was right ! As we grow up , we seem to lose the open mindedness that we had when we were in booboo diapers .
We get too accustomed to society ..eager to play by their rules .. afraid of being labeled “weird” if we believe in any such phenomena .

And thereby … too tight assed to actually appreciate the ‘miracles’ .
Open the blinders on your eyes and see , my child  … and the more you’ll see , the more will come :)

Ps – God Lives In Food ! :D

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

We stopped caring ...



Remember when you were a kiddo
And everything seemed interesting
Whether the crawling of ants on the floor
Or your maid going around dusting

The jump of joy on hearing you dad come
The lump in the throat , before school
The wonder of staring through the car window
And make-believe games were so cool !

What happened when you grew up ?
Suddenly everything seems “okay”
You don’t feel sorry for the poor beggar
You don’t feel the ‘excitement’ everyday

All you care about is the same routine
And then you lie down and sleep
Curiosity has become a thing of the past
It’s all about being serious and looking deep

You go through the same motions everyday
Regardless of how people around are faring  
Some how it has become too costly to ‘feel’
Somewhere down the road .. we stopped caring
                                 …. We stopped caring

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Jockey ,huh ? I got Calvin Klein !




The above heading typically describes symptoms of what I call “Comparison syndrome”
( Yes , I have seen enough cases of this to actually declare it a syndrome ! )

So , it starts like this . Do you have a friend who turns and adjusts his/her radar as soon as you mention some earthly possession of yours ?
Example :
 “Dood , I bought a new watch/underwear/eraser/camera/ear phones”
 “I love this man … I got it for my birthday”
“Hey , look isn’t this awesome ?”
“Hey , I had an awesome day today “
“Dood … the best food I’ve ever had ! “

At this point he/she will squint their eyes at you .. raise their chin by an inch and declare
“ huh ! This ? Please dood … I got one of these signed by Paris Hilton”
“outing , huh ? I went to Pluto last month man ! To ski around … “
“Oh man …you should go to my home/my roadside stall/my personal limousine kitchen , if you wana have good food ! “

Forgive my exaggerations …but I daresay you got the idea !
I mean to say “WHY !!! WHY !!!”

We humbly accept the fact that you have a hidden treasure left behind by your ancestors ; your share of property in Swarg-Loka ; magical maps to awesome places only you know about ; your personal army of house elves …or just a  horde of hand stitched sophisticated Prada space suits .
Now please let us mortals live …

Once , it’s okay ( I mean come on…who dosen’t show off ! ) but the chronic cases of this syndrome tend to develop symptoms at every possible exposure to the “opportunity” antigen .

I mean , after a point of time…it’s just LAME .
And in your mind ,you are like “leave it…can’t help this one !”
You think twice about sharing a news ( “huh ? You sister getting married ? Mine got divorced three times already “ )
You avoid colliding with them ( “oh ! what are you wearing ? tch … I have one of these in all 7 rainbow colours )
And I’ve had several parties spoilt ( “I did this…that..those ….these )

And I’ve researched , trying to find a plausible solution … with countless hours of agony that I had to go through with .
There dosen’t seem to be any … next time you want to vaccinate someone with Comparison Syndrome
1.Be direct and tell them to lay off  ( in your face ! )
2.Avoid , if you can . Stuff your mouth with something , talk to someone else or just  discuss the weather ( unless they live in Hawai , I doubt they can exaggerate much on that topic )
3.Accquire a moderate form of the syndrome yourself and give them a dosa…oops ! dose of their own medicine .
4. Pray , it always helps :D

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Sunday, August 7, 2011

A story titled "ramyana" ..



It’s 1am and I’ve just finished 6 parts of Ramayana today .
And here I am , wide awake …replaying the entire epic in my mind

Ramayana always meant something special to me . I never saw it on tv…or read it .My entire knowledge of it ( and quite a substantial one at that ) came from what I heard from my nani’s mother …
She was frail , ancient , always wrapped in a spotless white sari . And somehow the story she narrated stuck with me . I don’t remember the words ..or the expressions ..or where did she tell it .
But the Ramayana I have always known …is her Ramayana .

So when I picked up this series ..I was excited . To see as to how much of my memory actually adhered to the main story .
Halfway through , I was lost …in an ecstasy so divine I could feel it pulsating in my brain  .
For it is a book of idealism …which shows you that if you are right …NOTHING …and I repeat ,nothing can touch you.
It is your faith in yourself and your principles that brings you victory .

Dasaratha , the ancient legendary warrior king fighting a losing battle between his ‘dharma’ and his love for his sons ( and wives )
Kaushalya , the kshatriya queen who bears it all with grace .
Kaikeyi , the warrior queen … assertive , proud , untamed . and yet a mother misled by those around her .
Manthara , the shrewd selfish cunning wielder of words ( and power )

Lakshman , the fighter ..who holds his head high . and love for his brother utmost .
Sita , the warrior princess who upholds her honour , dignity and her conviction for her husband .No matter what crosses her path !
Hanuman , the witty , all powerful  , braveheart who serves his Lord with a devotion so strong .. it manifests as his own shakti !
Jambhvan , the age old wise bear who watches it all with sad eyes and lends a hand to those lost around him .

Ravana , a maharishi in Himself . The sage…the sinner…the artist..the warrior…the just…the cunning … the master strategist ..the impulsive punisher .
Mandodhari , beautiful , serene , head-strong … knowing her place in the palace and yet ruling it all with an iron fist !
Suparnakha , the sexy lusty revengeful yaksi-rakshasi …ever on the lookout .

So many …so many more of them . Each character is a book in itself !
As you see the internal politics … the bravery ..the loyalty … the treachery ….every element of drama that unfolds …
You will realize that the book is all about how you FACE your fears . How it is easy to slip on the wrong path …and yet everyone has the inner courage to stick to what they believe is right .
How an army of puny vanars and bears went clashing against the mighty asuras .
Based on just the ove and devotion for that one figure , Rama
Read it … I am out of words to express what I want to . But you will realize it once your turn the pages …

And as far as Rama is concerned … I can’t ( or rather , won’t )describe him
For to all of us … He is what we want Him to be …
“Jai siyaram ”