Friends....

Some killer aadmi said-A Bond Of Love,A medal of trust,a shoulder in sadness,a hand in darkness,a special relation to hold,an ear where secrets can be told,is called friendship.Very true.A friend is someone very special.Someone who is always there for you,and the person who is there with u only when they need you…well,they are not exactly what you would call friends.They’re..well I would like to replace it with a really great swear word,but I really don’t want to spoil my blog on some of my very special friends with any abusive language…..so here goes,in ( I think) chronological order:
SP: SP has been my good friend ever since we were in the 6th grade till…well,till now,and probably forever.We last saw each other about 7 years back,when we were two roly poly eighth graders,still too innocent about the various ways of life.We had our private jokes ( mostly on all teachers and some real snobby girls in our class who were way too grown up for their age and stuff/..)We first met in our House Activity class,where,being from the same class,we sat together in the first bench and heard the teacher read a poem about a great whale,while led us both to burst into peals of laughter,which we carefully controlled.Then while tlking to each other,we found that we were from the same place-Delhi,and hence our delhi topic continued,and with one thing abd the other,how,where when and why we formed a firm friendship.Then I left school and never saw her again.But we still remain in touch,thanks to our social networking sites and more importantly,our choice,of wanting to be in touch with each other.I think its choices,more than abilities , which matter.And it is indeed true. There’s no compulsion for us to be friends.It could have been easily avoided,citing problems like more time on the internet and telephone bills etc.But no.We made it survive( thank God….).Now when we chat,we go on and on about old stuff,and reminisce ‘ the good ol’ days’ and still go around bitching about other people ( cumon,we are girls,we cant help it can we;)??)Most importantly,I m indebted to her for introducing me to the world of chicklits ( thanks SP for Princess Diaries!!)And it brings back our schooldays,and the fun we had,and most importantly,our rockstrong friendship.So here’s 2 u,SP….may u always have whatever you wish for in this life,as well as the next !!!
DL:School friends will remain school friends,no matter what.DL was my good friend from class 8 ( till when,need I specify??Isnt it sorta obvs??).Though both DL and SP were my school frnds( albeit from different cities and different schools),there was a lot of difference between the both of them.If SP taught me how to be confident and assertive and gave me suggestions on chicklits,DL taught me how life was not all hahaheehee and introduced me to the world of classics-Leo Tolstoy,Viictor Hugo,Anton Chekhov and also indirectly, Jane Austen. Her abridged version of Pride and prejudice inspired me to read the unabridged version,and it remains my favourite book.The coincidences were amazing-she was so much like Jane,while I was ( and am) a lot like Lizzy.DL brought a different way of thinking,which brought a great deal of maturity in the thoughts of a featherbrained 15 yr old,and which helped me to grow into a better human being.We became friends because we had quite a lot in common on our first day of 8th grade-we both were d only ‘outcasts’ whose skirts were way way below our knees and had socks rolled upto d knees,such that our legs weren’t seen at all.In addition to that,our hair was duly oiled and we used to come to school sans kajal,which seemed to be a total fashion disaster.In addition to that,we were not great lookers either,just your ordinary schoolgirl type-one with waist length hair braided into two pigtails,while the other with short bushy hair,which rather resembled a bird’s nest.But our appearances didn’t matter to each other as long as we were together.Those long walks in the sun in winter,that playing dodgeball in d games period wid a grp of 13 girls ( d othr gals were too ‘grown up’ to play ),that frantic searching for novels in the library…those days were simply wonderful.Now she’s somewhere in Kerala and I m here ,way North,but we are still in touch.We still call each other on our birthdays and talk like the old times,without any hesitation or anything.so DL,,if u r reading this,have a great life ahead,chillax….God bless…
NY: okay you’ve heard of school friends,college friends,bus friends,colony friends…what all and what not.But what abt penfriends?And that too in this age and time.?Well I can truthfully say that NY is my penfriend.The last time we ‘met’ each other was when I was,what,10 mths and she was 9 months( due to our dads being college friends).And we started talking in the 9th grade,though our mails became much more frequent in 12th grade and go on till now.We are so alike that one calls the other their twin.Everything about us is similar-we like the same singers,the same movies,the same books,the same seasons…everything is so uncannily similar that sometimes we feel as though we were friends long before we were even born!!Even though she is my penfriend,we are as close as I m to either SP and DL.One thing is that wid NY,I never had to learn anything.She is so much like me that its just like I am talking to myself,and I can be myself and relax and have great fun!!We have discussed and dissected almost every facet of Princee Diaries and God knows what other books.We have also undergone training in the same genre of music for the same time and have the same tempers,disposition and all.!!!And whenever we chat online, we bring the house down,wid our jokes and our habit of chattering non stop,sometimes about the most non sensensical of stuff!! We also thought how nice it would be if both of us were roomies in college,sadly whoch did not happen,and lotsa other stuff.The only aspect we differ in is probably our appearance,which is so totally secondary….Hey NY,my twin…hope u have a great life ahead…enjoy every moment an may u get whatever you wish for!!!
MK: okay so he’s only one of the two guys who figure on the list of my good friends,and u will soon know why( the other one has a post already dedicated to him elsewhere;I THINK HE’LLL KNOW WHY…SOME THINGS ARE TOO PRIVATE ;)).You might say that it is impossible for two one guy and a gal to remain purely Platonic friends,but I totally disagree.If SP and DL were my friends in school and NY ws a pen friend,MK became my much better friend after we had passed out from school,and he is still a good friend of mine.He is sweet though,in a scatterbrained sorta way.His personality is eons away from any of the above mentioned people.He is funny most of the times,and is rarely serious,but that does not mean that he doesn’t know where his priorities lie.He is always joking and pulling your leg half of the time,but u know when ur in trouble that u can really count on him.When he is outta his scatterbrained ways and not taking the mickey outta someone,u will find that he is very trustworthy,and like a true Leo,he is also very loyal and fiercely protective of his friends.Even now,when we are in different colleges,we still are lucky that we get to talk to each other,coz we are in the same city.And when we talk,its mostly me pulling his leg,taking full advantage of his gallantry towards girls.In his own words ‘ Main kisi ladki ko kuch nh kehta that is why main tujhe bhi kuch nh kehraha’.I continue to pull his leg and he goes on talking with a speed that rivals Rajdhani express,that I’m like ‘ Hello??could u repeat wat u just said a bit slowly and a bit loudly’ and that comprises about half of our conversation.here are some dead skeletons in his closet which I wud definitely love to reveal,but, all things are not meant to be revealed.All I can say is that he is not what he appears to be.Talk to .him really seriously and then you know how he really is ( for that u have to overlook SOME of his flaws,but that’s easy since his good qualities outshine the flaws).Well,here’s to u,MK…may u get what u r presently searching for ( or for whom ur presently searching fr),and have a long and happy life ahead.
5th – I know who you are,and you know who you are and of what importance to me.So forgive me for not writing about u in dis post,since it is too small for you.Have Fun,enjoy,and may u have a bright future and a long ,never ending life…
So here’s to all u beautiful people…may u always be with me in times of happiness and sorrow,and may I always be wid u…ending this blog,fr the first time,in a song…

So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even
your year, but

{Chorus}

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cause you're there for me too

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast so far, things are going great
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees, and

{Chorus}

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Since you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with
Make it through all the best with
Someone who always laughs at
Even when I'm at my worst, I'm best with you
Yeah!
(A special Thanks to The Rembrandts for this track and o F.R.I.E.N.D.S for making it immensely popular!

It happens only in India....

Right now,my prep holidays are going on ( which are more like holidays and less of preparation).As usual,my exams start after the rest of the world completes theirs ( yes,I know my university is a stupid one,but that’s another topic;lets not deviate from the original point.) and are getting ready for their training( or have probably joined in their training).And,as though it is the latest fashion or something,everyone’s going abroad!!I just spoke to friend of mine who was going to Switzerland for a student exchange programme,and would,in that process,get to go to Italy,France and where not!!I could practically hear my mind whizzing:see the Castel Sant Angelo(n if that’s the right spellin),the Eiffel Tower,take the Da Vinci and Angel and Demon tour ( the former is definitely available,but I have no idea about the latter!),go to Nice,Tuscany,lounge on the beach in Cannes(if u go in time for the Cannes Film Festival,u miht also get to see Aishwarya Rai shopping in D&G or any such hsop)and even La Aquila( just to see how the earthquake victims have recovered);dine on French cheese and wine ( u have many more options if u are a non vegetarian and/or love seafood),on Italian pizzas,spaghetti,pastas,gelato and whatnot.With great difficulty I restrained and waited for her chats,in which she asked about my GPA and fussed about hers and asked about DE and EMT( as if!!However interesting I find electronics,it loses its shine in front of say,Louvre and the Colosseum.Whatever.) .I must admit,I was sort of envious,for I was desperate to visit all those places about which I apparently knew more than her.( I hope that she isnt reading this;bt den,how will she??I havent given her the site!!!)

Well,my mood ( as if there was one) was ruined and I sat frustratingly with my mp3 player in hand,watching the maid mop the floor,and tried to solve my problem.What was my problem?I asked myself as I heard the 50 second song play.It wasn’t that I hated India.No.Never.I couldn’t.I wouldn’t.Then what?I was jealous,I reached the conclusion,as the faint tunes of the next sound started to play..I was jealous she was going there alone,without any parental supervision.I was jealous that she was going through her college. I was jealous as she would get to go to all the places I wanted to go.I was---

The strains of ‘ I love my India’ ( cheesy,I know,but yet very true) interrupted my flow of thought.Or rather it silenced me.For a moment I remained silent,and then smiled at my reflection in the mirror.Go where she might,she’ll also never find another India.She cannot.Yes,she’ll probably be roaming in the posh areas of Paris and Rome,but she’ll never find the satisfaction of being here,roaming around in SN market.In which country will you find a place where,once upon a long time, when Tansen sang the Deepak Raag,he set water on fire??Or where,Lord Rama was the perfect example of an ideal son,and followed the wish of his father ( or rather mother,bt…well,you gt d pt) and went for 14 yrs to live the life of an ascetic in the forest?Or a place with the world’s largest pool of scientists,doctors and engineers?Or a place where you find color and happiness and ,most importantly,chaos everywhere??Try as she might,she’ll never find a place like this.There’s only one place in the world where all the above happen,and that’s where I am,in India…

There’s more to India than just colour,doctors and snake charmers.India is probably synonymous to culture.It is one of those few places in the world which follows its age old traditions.Even today,in North India,in the month of October, a married woman fast a whole day to pray for the long life of her husband.Down South,whenever its someone’s birthday or anniversary or for any special occasion(even the advent of exam results!!),before going to the cake shop to order a cake,they visit a temple and pray to God to remove all obstacles in life.In some parts,sweet curd(dahi shakkar) is fed to the perso going for some good work,like a business trip,or for an important exam,as this is considered auspicious.Most importantly,its only in India that we touch our parent’s feet before going anywhere and after coming back..It is the only place where we find heaven in the lap of our grandmother,where we feel that any gourmet cooking is tasteless when compared with mom’s aloo ke paraanthe with achaar or/and vada-sambaar or masala dosa or even Dal dhokli,where our father is honored and respected as the head of the family,where our Guru ( not to be confused with teacher) is our second God ( the first being mom),and where we see every living thing ( in some cases even non living things-like books) as an embodiment of God.Where modern day lovers are compared not to Romeo and Juliet( God knows whether they actually existed or not),but to Heer and Ranjha,Soni-Mahiwal and Laila Majnu,who actually existed and became immortal because of their love for each other,where some lovers still wait for their love,instead of hooking up someone else.In which country does all this happen?India.

I will not give you the ‘ 80 percent hindus led by a sikh PM with catholic woman as head of the ruling party bakwaas.I trust you have had enough of that in forwarded emails.I ,for my part,receive these mails on Independence Day and Republic day.

Yes India’s not all that perfect.Well its not perfect at all.We still face high poverty,unemployment and of course,corruption.In some places we have security issues.Also women related crimes are rampant.Not a week passes without news of murder,rape,theft or honour killings.The court takes a minimum of 5 years to solve a case of murder,even with a few eyewitnesses,and where cricket is a separate religion altogether.

Still,you cant help but love India( especially if ur an Indian).Being very optimistic people,we tend to overlook the negatives and look at the positive side,which are more than the negatives,definitely ( atleast I think so)

Well,,,m not getting a proper ending for this blog....so let it be an open ended post....as for me I love my country,whatever it is,or however it is and will always love it.No Matter What…..

My Favourite Songs....

While brushing through the magazine section of the Hindu this Saturday,my eyes fell on the ‘ My Five’ column, in which enthusiastic readers and music lovers sent their five best songs.When I thought about what songs I would personally choose…well,I got more than 5.So here I am,spilling the beans on my favourite English songs( not necessarily in order of preference,they are all of various Genres…)
Green Day-Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
This is one song loved by all college goers.Even the religious Hindi song lovers have this song stored on their cellphones,Ipods,mp3 players and stuff.A hummable tune,lyrics we can relate to,and a sad song,with not quite a sad tinge to it,all makes this song a winner.
Linking Park-Numb
This enjoys the same status as Boulevard..The difference being in the lyrics.In Boulevard,the singer seems to be lonely because of what he has done to his ife,whereas in Numb,he seems to be under the pressure of someone,be it either parents or peers or whatever.It also provides a perfect vent out ,and all the frustration of the singer is shown,or rather heard,which every guy can relate to.
3.98 degrees-True to your heart
Okay,so I admit it.The first time I heard this song was during the credits of the Disney film Mulan.And what an amazing song.
4.Bryan Adams-Summer of 69
Need I say anything??The greatest song on planet earth for poor lil college students like me.Well,as much as we curse college and its administration now,they will still remain ‘ the best days of my ( our) life’!!
5.Britney Spears-Baby One More time
I personally don’t care what type of person Britney Spears is.All I care is that she has actually sung quite a few good songs.And that’s all what matters.
6.Rihanna-Shut Up And Drive
Wow…..a song full of double entrendes…written seemingly about a car,and well,not about a car at all.Probably Rihanna had enough of men’s obsession with anything on wheels.The faster,the better.The best part of the song,in addition to being the ‘ shut up and drive part’and the sirens, is the sound of a crash at the end.
7.Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens-Breaking Free
A total teenybopper song.It proves the age old statement of nothing is impossible.…and that ‘ There’s not a star in heaven that we cant be’.And its not all in all a confidence booster,its also shows the colossal amount of energy in youngsters today,and their indomitable spirit.Zac Efron’s unpolished voice and Vanessa’s highly polished voice make perfect harmony to this hit of High Schol Musical.
8.Myra-Miracles Happen
A very happy-go-lucky song,was my first reaction,in addition to an extremely danceable tune.Its enough to say’ All things will come with a lil time,when you believe..’Definitely inspires you to believe,in true walt Disney style,that indeed, miracles happen.
9.Madonna-Vogue
The title song of the Hindi movie Fashion seems to wither away in front of this song.It works as a great confidence booster,especially when you are having one of those bad hair days,or you feel fat and bloated.The lyrics simply ask you to enjoy and sway to the music,and that beauty lies deep inside you,and not in your hair,or eyes.
10.Ricky Martin-Maria
Okay,so I know this is a fairly old song,but still,it was this huge hit then,when even in fourth grade I and my friends used to dance to this song.As my college friend very recently told me,this song was sung in three languages,two being English and Spanish,and the third..well,I really don’t remember.As for what this song actually means,I don’t know.The only parts I understand are the ‘ Un Dos Tres’ and ‘ I wanna make you mine’ but I am still lost .Well,in some extraordinary songs it just don’t matter.So dance,go crazy!!!
11.Hilary Duff-Why Not
This is not a very popular song here,but it sure is a damn cool one.It flashes the simple message that life is short,and live it upto the fullest,and in the way you want to live it,and that you have to have belief in yourself.
12.Geri Halliwell-It’s raining Men
This is probably THE song for all single and ready to mingle gals out there,when and if,they see an array of all these guys on the streets.For other gals like me,it’s a song with great lyrics,what with Mother Nature being a single woman,and stuff.
13.BoyZone-Words
One of…no,actually my favourite song.Its a slow song,and the piano in the starting is too romantic for words.Its lyrics have so much meaning and if you listened to them carefully,in the middle of the night thinking about the person you love,you will find that at the end of the song,you are actually too overwhelmed for words.Simply seductive…
14.Celine Dion-My Heart Will Go On
A timeless classic,which will probably enjoyed by our children and grandchildren.Together with ‘ Words’,it almost manages to define love.Sorry,define,true love,which is a very beautiful feeling.My favourite lines are’ We’ll stay forever this way,you are safe in my heart and my hy heart will go on and on..’
15.Backstreet Boys- What makes you different
This song is dedicated to all those wonderful gys who I know who have loved women,not for their face or figure,but for their hearts.Listen guys,and you’ll know why I dedicated this song.
16.Darius-Colorblind
Feeling Blue,we have heard.But feeling yellow?Or Black?I swear,I have never heard any other singer fill up his song with almost all the colors of the rainbow and then use each of those colours to describe his feelings…wow…
17.Selena Gomez-Not what it seems
This 51 sec song,also the title track of the hit “ Wizards Of Waverly Place” is full of magic,including the almost diabolical playing of the piano.The most creepiest part,or rather the most magical part of the song is when ‘ Be careful not to mess with the balance of things”
And now to the Oldies Section….
18.BeachBoys-Kokomo
Okay I really don’t know if there’s a place called Kokomo,but this song sure makes me want to go there.I can almost feel the Hula dancers on the coast of Hawaii,and people in floral printed shirts sipping on some coconut water and lying on the sand…
19.Elvis Presley-Rock The Hula
A mixture of Hawaiian and rock music,set to a great tune,and sung by none other thab the King himself results in sheer foot tapping and wiggling of the hips,like the Hula Dancer from Honolulu
And One from the animation section……
20.Beauty and the beast-Beauty and the beast
The original version of this song was sung by Angela Lansbury,in the movie,and then remixed by Celine Dion and some other guy who’s name I don’t quite remember.Watching Belle and The Beast dance to this song makes you feel,that,not for the first time,love can cross all boundaries,and need not depend on the physical appearance.It tells the love story of Belle and the beast.For, after all, it is a,” Tale as old as time”
There are so many songs still left out.And not all these songs are chartbusters,but these are few of those songs which managed to weave their magic around me.Music is a most incredible magic.There are a few people who do not enjoy music-whatever it is,Rock,Jazz,Classical,Instrumental- whatever.And those people lead a soulless life.A person without music is like tea without sugar;one can drink it,but it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

2008--a recap

The last day of 2008 is here.Finally.I thought this year would never end, what with a terrible climax, and….well I don’t remember what the starting was like(for further details, refer to the newspapers of 31st and 1st,they don’t have much news except the recap of the last year!).But, first things first, before I go off into one of my digressions AGAIN……..
2008 was a year filled with disasters (trust me, I m trying to rack my brains to try and remember something really great that happened in 2008, but in vain).It all started with the Bihar floods, sometime May. And what floods they were!’ Kosi’s Fury’ became too fiery for her own good and bam! It ended up wrecking every village in sight, like a wild, mad bull. Everyone appealed for help, and the chief minister even decided to take the help of the BSF.They came, and they went.Period.God only knows how many people were killed, and how many left homeless. The Aerial pictures showed Bihar’s vast landscape half buried in water. But the floods soon became a topic of GD for all the politicians, and thus it became a blame game,sadly,like all other issues of importance, and political parties made it apparently on the ‘ top’ of their election manifestos.Let's see if it's still there.....
Somewhere in the middle started the nuclear deal, and the whole country talking about it-everyone from the chaiwallah to the lazy government officer, and in that confusion, people like me were left wondering what exactly the nuke deal was all about!!(m still in the process of figuring it out; will write a detailed post when I actually figure out the intricate details!!!)
Surprisingly, the Bihar floods paved way for the whole Bihar-MNS fight (better not talk too much on this topic, lest I find myself banned from entering Bombay { yes,Bombay} for life, which I definitely DO NOT want!).Candidates appearing for the Railway recruitment exam were stoned,hit,and whatnot. People of North Indian descent were attacked, and in some cases, thrown out of local trains. It sparked out a whole get-the-North Indian-outta- Bombay campaign, of which no one was a part, except….well, You Know Who ( obviously not Lord Voldemort, but in my opinion, no less crazy!!)
While on one side this whole MNS hullabaloo was taking place, the Beijing Olympics had started, and thus ‘ India Shining’ literally took place. We had players performing much beyond their ability, and thus we managed to win 3 medals, including one gold in shooting, bringing our medal haul to a personal record of 3.And the other players didn’t disappoint either.Saina Nehwal almost made it, playing spectacularly reaching the quarterfinal.
When we are talking about sports, we can’t exactly forget about cricket. Cricket underwent numerous transformations, from Tests, to one dayers,and now 20-20.Still reeling under India’s win in the 20-20 world cup, a cricket league, somewhat similar to European football leagues, was formed, and everyone, from Shah Rukh Khan to Mukesh Ambani had a team of their own. Cricket underwent another transformation of sorts, from a religion to a business, with publicity, brand ambassadors and cheerleaders of its own.2008 was also the year which the once invincible Aussies were finally met defeat in the hands of South Africa and India. This year also included the famous incident of Symonds putting up a case against our very own Bhajji for calling him a ‘ monkey’. We know what Bhajji actually said, don’t we;)?
2008 will also probably go down as the year in which the crude oil prices increased to their peak rapidly, and decreased at the same rate( from approx $145 to $39 a barrel i.e approx 19 L).The stock market fluctuated faster than ever, and sent hi-fi firms like Merrill Lynch running for cover and the global meltdown. Job lay offs In the US reached its highest point since 92’.That time the IT industry saved them…now what? We,till now, maintain our stand that our economy is fine, thanks to our strong foundation, thank God.
Amidst the recession, a black man was on his way to create American history, with his motto ‘ Change, We Can’.Barack Husein Obama defeated big shots like Hilary Clinton and John McCain, and ran away with the coveted position of President elect of the United States. We can’t wait till his swearing-in ceremony this year…..
With the fluctuating markets on one side, our space scientists were busy sending a PSLV to moon, which took off successfully in November. The next few days were a great milestone in India’s space history, as we tracked the progress of the satellite as it went on its path.Now, after the success of Chandrayaan-1 comes the new mission to Mars. Hope it takes off well….
Just as we were thinking that November was going to be a great month ahead and that we would have a Merry Christmas, we heard about the firing in Bombay. What started as a ‘ firing in CST station and outside Cama Hospital’ led to a full fledged war between 10 terrorists and Bombay police, later accompanied by NSG, lasting 3 days and at various locations like Nariman house, Taj Palace and Trident Hotel. We really didn’t care if the TRPs of the channels broke all previous records. All we cared was about our fellow countrymen in the grip of the terrorists.Finally,after the 3 day war,NSG commandos emerged from Trident smiling,having killed 9 terrorists and captured one alive.
But sadness & insecurity still remained in the air, as all mumbaikars shed tears for all the hundreds of innocent people who lost their lives. The images of the dead and injured still lay fresh in our minds. Hundreds of peoples from every walk of life congregated near Gateway of India, right opposite Taj Palace, and demanded justice for the victims. For not the first time, we Indians demanded a solution for terrorism and wondered how our security forces had failed to spot a gaping hole in the plan. The shouts from Bombay echoed in the ears of Delhi, and our country decided to sever all ties with Pakistan.They, on a tit-for-tat move, arrested an Indian national, apparently responsible for a suicide blast. Till now,mumbaikars are left with questions on their lips, and hurt in their eyes, and are unable to get rid of the image of the dome of the majestic Taj burning away………..
Let’s erase all this hate and violence. Let’s try to provide ointment to the hurt, and not aggravate their already hurt feelings. Let’s join hands with each other, and with the scars of the past fresh in our minds, proceed towards the future. Let’s spread the message of love and friendship, because it’s only love that can totally cure hatred and pent up anger.
In our daily hectic lives, let us take some time off each day to talk. To whom, you ask? To our friends, or parents or relatives, or even that someone special. that’s the only way you can shower your love on the other person.Chocolates,candies, flowers, all are probably good enough for a day or two, at the most, but you will always remember the talks you’ve had with people, and they are the only things that can give you happiness. Even if that person is far, far away from you, the plain fact that you remember the talks you had shows that you still love him/her. Also make sure you tell your family that you love them. Try to spill some love into your life, and automatically the world is filed with love and happiness…..
With these thoughts, and tears in my eyes, I wish my family, friends, whoever is reading this article, and last,but not at all the least, my someone special, wherever he is,
A VERY VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2009!!!!
May God Bless You all with health,wealth,peace and prosperity,and always shower you with all His blessings….

Newspaper and coffee

‘ There are two things a South Indian cannot do without in the morning.One is The Hindu newspaper,and second is his cup of coffee”.This was a phrase in book which I recently read , and I couldn’t stop laughing hysterically for the next 5 minutes,whixh caused my parents to wonder if their daughter needed to visit the psychiatric ward in the nearest hospital( Many people have wondered the same thing often,so it wasn’t a huge insult to me!!),being all too-accustomed to this particular scene for the last 15 years atleast.I am sure many other ‘ southies’ like myself are,too.

First,about the newspaper.Reading is a habit which was( and is) not entirely new in our family,but,on the other hand,it is a habit which was bequeathed to a select few,my grandmother being one,den my dad,and then me.Every morning,my dad picks up the newspaper and settles down in the veranda.Precisely 15 minutes later,my mother comes in with the tray of two mugs of hot,steaming,’filter’ coffee,while I continue to wait for my chance of getting the newspaper.In my grandfather’s time,my mother used to bring a –well,not cup,but coffee in a glass,in a steel bowl(.I never actually understood the significance of the bowl for a very long time)There was no ‘ wait’ for the newspaper then,as my grandfather used to subscribe to the regional newspaper,and at that time,I am ashamed to say,I was illiterate in my mother tongue.

I must admit,there is some sort of affinity between southies and The Hindu newspaper .Every person I have seen who subscribes for Hindu is a southie who is away from his hometown.I never really understood this significance of the hindu in particular.Its probably because of the fact that The Hindu covers the whole country completely,especially south India,and doesn’t waste precious space on what I call ‘ glitterati’ journalism.It provides all essential information and is straight to the point.And of course,the other wonderful fact about the Hindu is its editorial.I tell you,it is near impossible to read any one article completely without referring to a dictionary,especially for someone like me,whose vocab skills are not something to be proud of!Nevertheless,the articles in the editorial are illuminating and enlightening,and make for a good read early in the morning.the other great thing about Hindu is that it doesn’t need any censoring .I remember this peculiar incident when I saw my aunt used to scan the newspaper( which was obviously not The Hindu!)and remove the magazine section which contained all obscene pictures of these heroines and then handover the paper to my brothers,who then used to get to read the paper.The magazine sections would then be utilized for their excellent oil-absorbing ability,and predictably,the breakfast for the next morning would be vada sambar!

As for the coffee,I guess most South Indians are caffeine addicts.At first I thought it was only in my family that everyone demanded their cups of coffee as soon as they were out of the shower,but then,thanks to the influence of the television and inputs from other friends,I began to realize that this was not a habit,but characteristic of South Indians.

Thanks to this,I got exposed to coffee at a very young age,and was ( and actually am,still!) addicted to the smell of coffee powder,but my mother never actually liked the idea of me drinking coffee( she still doesn’t!).I never intended to,either,atleast not til there was Horlicks in a big,blue jar on the shelf!I was under this imression that I coffee was for ‘grown-ups’.when I decided that I was grown up enough,I couldn’t wait any more.I rushed into the Nescafe outlet at college and instantly ordered a cuppa,and I was lost in the taste.I loved the taste of my first coffee,and after I came home,I asked my mother to make me some more coffee.My mother,after a few disgusted glances at me,prepared a proper filtered coffee,and to top it all,she gave me her coffee ,which was sugarless!As you can imagine,this coffee was not enchanting at all! I stopped drinking homemade coffee altogether and vowed never to replace my Horlicks with a cup of filter coffee!Then I later realized that the Nescafe guy was cheating me by adding more water than milk,and I quit Nescafe coffee too.Now I don’t drink coffee at all, but I still love the smell !

.Like vada-sambar,bread-butter,and tea-biscuits, Coffee and newspaper have a special relationship,and one does not,under any circumstances.look good without the other.Especially if its early in the morning,and you are in the verandah with the newspaper in one hand and a steaming hot cup/steel glass of coffee in the other,with soft music playing in the background ,the wind blowing softly and the smell of burning wood in the air………………………. iHindu newsaper

M.S.......My Favourite Singer

My all time favourite singer is M.S.Subbulakshmi.My childhood was entirely clouded with music,art and spirituality( Infact quite a lot of my youth is, too!!).Those were the days when studies could afford to take a backseat .My weekends were typical South Indian weekends,with dosa for breakfast and temple.It started with Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam,which,I am pleased to say,All India Radio faithfully played( and continues to) every Sunday morning.Till class 5,I only knew M.S as the lady who sang the Suprabhatam, Bhaja Govindam and Vishnu Sahasranamam.The latter two later joined in thanks to the perseverance of my Gurus,who insisted I learn both and also to the cassette company,which released the cassette in this order.Thanks to them,M.S entered my life,to print a lasting impact on me and change my life forever.

The first ‘song’ I actually heard M.S sing was the famous Annamayya keertana “Srimann Narayana”.This was when I was eleven,and this song practically took in to a trance,where everything was blissful.I started listening to more of M.S,thanks to the five cassette set my parents bought me for …well I don’t remember the occasion.I just remember how excited I was,and from that day onwards,M.S’s “ Srimann Narayana’ would play everyday at six o clock sharp,and then continue with other songs like “Dolayam”,” Ksheerabdi Kanyakaku” and” Deva Devam Bhaje”.The first cassette enthralled me so much that I spent most of my time listening to it,while the other four lay,neatly packed in the box.I could barely understand the songs,even though they were in my mother tongue,but the music,and most importantly,M.S’s voice.There was something magical about that voice,which made all other voices seem weak,although I didn’t know what it was then.I was still too young(or too stupid) to understand the true meaning of Bhakti.As the years flew by,I slowly got diverted from M.S’s songs,but never let go of the Suprabhatam.It had become sort of mandatory for me to atleast listen to her voice in the morning.Over the suprabhatam,I would get dressed,sneak in my five minutes of prayer,eat my breakfast and rush into the auto for school.

After the passage of time,I got more preoccupied into schoolwork and other stuff,and totally drifted away from M.S.The cassette,after years of repeated playing,probably got chaffed with me,and one day the tape snapped into two,rendering me without M.S’s suprabhatam for quite some time.The same suprabhatam,albeit sung by some other singer,was played .It was the suprabhatam,mom said,that was important,not the singer.But for me,the singer was equally,or actually more important.For the first thing when you hear is the voice,then the song and its meaning starts to sink in.But I let this new singer sing her suprabhatam,and thus M.S was totally out of my system,except for a rare appearance at a function or two,that too in the background,very faintly.

Four years proceeded in quite the same manner,only in a different city.I grew from a boisterous eleven year old to a bashful 15 year old,and had reached the crucial tenth grade.One day,while exploring through the cassette shelf for a cassette,my eyes fell upon a cardboard box,which evidently contained the cassettes.Mind you,I was bashful as well as inquisitive,so i instantly opened the box to find the remaining four cassettes neatly placed.Instinctively,I picked the third cassette and played it.The house was quiet,and M.S.’s voice rang with Ganesha Pancharatnam,as clear as a bell,again sending me into a trance.But the thing that delighted me the most was Hanuman Chalisa,sang in such a way that I could never forget it again.I religiously read Hanuman chalisa everyday,in the same tune as M.S,with the cassette playing side by side.That was the happiest year of my life,till I heard of M.S’s death in December,which shocked me for quite some time.

Again,I don’t know what happened in the next two years.M.S. cut off totally from me again,or rather I cut off from her.Those two years were the most miserable years of my life.After my 12^th grade exams,I was sent away for coaching classes to my cousin's home.I grew quite miserable there and took to accessing the net more than studying,which clearly reflected in my results.While surfing on the net,I suddenly had this irresistible urge to do a Google search on M.S.And from then I entered a world where music was everything,especially Carnatic classical.I learnt that as a singer,it was not the quality of my voice that mattered the most,it was the bhaav or the feeling.For there were probably many singers who had a better voice than M.S ( I don’t believe it,but still.....),but no one could bring that bhaav like her.She could assume the part of Meera as easily as that of Annamayya,and both the songs would come out in excellent shape.Her Tamil songs were as enthralling as her Telugu songs,and I am hooked on to them too.

Now M.S is a part of my life.Instead of whiling away my time in the bus listening to nonsensical songs over the radio or gossip from brainless people,I listen to M.S.Even if it means repeating them.They bring a sense of calmness and refresh the mind.Whatever my mood is,the songs manage to soothe me,and I am not sorry for being the only person in the bus getting down with a fresh face and clear mind.

Although every song of M.S’s is as unique as the other,I do have my favourites.One being “ Jagadhodharana”.But the songs which I really love are “ Kurai Onrum Illai” and “ More Toh Giridhar Gopala”.Both are a classic example of pure devotion,though written in different languauges and different centuries.” Kurai Onrum Illai”is a composition of Rajaji,and it is praising Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati.The thing which makes this song unique is that,unlike other songs in which the poet expresses his dissatisfaction,the poet thanks God for what all He has bestowed upon him and expresses his satisfaction and desires nothing more than to serve Him for the rest of his life.As mentioned before,I couldn’t quite understand the song,but the music was enough for me to get the lyrics and meaning.As they say,” Where there’s a will,there’s a way”

As for “ More Toh…”,it is enough for me to say it is a Meera bhajan.That itself tells that it must be fully drenched in bhakti.As many of us know,Meera’s devotion for Lord Krishna was immense,and bordered on love.In this bhajan,Meera says that Krishna is everything for her,and that she has no one in the world to call her own,except Him.The best part of the song are the lines” Asuvan jal seench seenc,prem bel boi/Daasi Meera prabhu lagan lagi,honi ho so hoi”which translates into “ By watering it with my tears,I grew a creeper of love/this was to happen to the slave Meera,so be it”.The way in which M.S sings carelessly “ honi ko so hoi” is remarkable.For a minute I wonder if M.S is actually Meera…

There’s another little known song called Entamaatramuna,which is an Annamayya song.Few know about Annamayya,and the remaining who know him are either from Andhra or are M.S fans,or both.The poet bring to the universal fact that God is one,even though He is worshipped by the Vaishnavites as Lord Vishnu and by Shaivites as Lord Shiva.He infact questions God about this fact.

Even my entire lifetime is not enough for me to elucidate on each of M.S’s krithis.Listening to her songs is not merely listening,it is an experience.An experience that must be experienced by everyone who loves music,and believes in God.

M.S has entered my life once again,and I hope she stays on forever this time.

News in the Holi week........

Okay,so the media is filled with only three topics this week:one,Holi,the festival of lights;two:the recently held fashion week and the third and the most common ,cricket.
Don’t get me started about the fashion week.Every newspaper/magazine is filled with these stick thin anorexic models,sashaying down the ramp,looking thoroughly ill and unfed,in these horrible clothes that any woman with a brain will never wear,for two reasons.One: These are too expensive and uncomfy and two:Lets face it gals,we attract attention on the roads in our normal clothes,what’ll happen if we start wearing these ‘ sheer fabric’type clothes ;)?( As for the sheer fabric stuff,does that actually suit the..err..less-than-pleasant Indian summer??And instead of covering up a wardrobe malfunction maintaining the dignity of the poor model,the media tends to hype it up.You know,add a little bit of mirch masala,like we do so in our food.Only difference is that spicy food mostly does taste good,whereas spicy 'news' does not!!I am not saying fashion is a bad thing or something ( and since this my blog,I don’t think I need to give any justifications,but nevertheless….!1),but..well each of us had our own individual definition of fashion. This ‘ in-fashion’ stuff that we are seeing right now is actually unbearable.In the last season,it was proclaimed ( by God knows whom) that shirt dresses paired up with leotard tights actually are ‘ in vogue’,and from the next day onwards-BOOM!!Every girl is seen to be wearing leotards and shirt dresses!The worst part is that there seems to be only three colors of the stripes of the shirt-dress available in the local market-brown,pink and blue! The season before it was low waist jeans,paired with tees which looked as though ‘ they had been bought when the wearer( who were all in their late teens) was in kindergarten’( as one of my friends rightly put it!) and ,to cut a short story short,which showed everything( this will probably take up another post!!)…and the season before that it was kurtis.And by the time I went to the market to buy some kurtis for myself,I saw the shopkeeper literally giving away the set of amazing kurtis,muttering darkly about’ kurti ab fashion me nhi hai’ …

Fashion is not about blindly following trends in the market.It is about wearing clothes which actually look good on you,and most importantly,the way in which you carry these clothes.Basically it is believed that if a woman looks good,she also feels good and this feeling translates into the glow onto her face.And that is what more important-a happy and confident woman,irrespective of her size 10 or size 0!!Also the usage of these anorexic models-why don’t our fashion designers understand that there are actually very few anorexic girls in our country and that Indian woman are more of the curvaceous and healthy type than the stick thin European models??I was so happy today when I saw the picture and interview of a size 10 model in the newspaper recently.It gave me immense satisfaction to see a normal healthy girl walking down the ramp,and I really hoped to see many more such faces.

As for Holi,well……everything is suddenly ‘ Holi Special’,be it serials,trains or even news!Yes,unbelievable as it seems,I found myself watchin a Holi special news programme,which,much to my disgust ,involved these reporters splashed head to toe in color,interviewing politicians and film actors on their holi plans!I mean,cumon people,its holi,and not Valentine’s Day,and obviously it will be celebrated in more or less the same way everywhere!!It has actually made me feel disgusted at the very thought of Holi.I am actually sick and tired of holi( who wouldn’t be,what with the advent of these programmes two weeks before the main festival!!)We never think about coloring up anyone’s life,the only thing we can think about is coloring…oops sorry..pouring grease and in sum pathetic cases,eggs on the other person,thus causing him to look black and smell rotten for the naxt three days atleast!!

Cricket-do I actually hafta say anything else??We’ve sold TVs,clothes,petrol,cars,and now we proceed to sell our cricketers.Mr X,one crore,Mr Y,3 crore,so on and so forth…

And amongst this buying and selling of cricketers , we have the usual controversies-sum senior cricketer saying something abut a junior player,the junior retaliating,stuff and nonsense….sometimes cricket appears to be a miniature version of politics.Soon,the youth brigade will follow-X’s son,Y’s son and stuff..and also elections….and cricket,the politician-cum-gentleman’s name,is still,disgustingly getting much more importance than the hockey team,which ,sadly cums into focus only when they lose a crucial game,like we did recently,thus failing to qualify for the Beijing Olympics….

Sigh!!No wonder people know more about wardrobe malfunction than China Tibet issue!!!!

15th February 2007

Feb 15th 2007:This date will forever remained etched in my memory.For this was the day when my school finally decided to bid me and my 200-odd classmates goodbye,officially.The unofficial farewell ‘ party’ as one might call it,had been hosted by our juniors,who were probably pretty glad to see us,probably the most non controversial batch in the entire history of the school,finally get out.Maybe for them it was fun,but for me it was no less than traumatic.I still remember how I felt that day.It was so hard to say goodbye to school life;to all your friends , to all teachers ( yes,I must’ve cursed every one of them behind their backs but still….),to all the memories….sigh….and today I see the same juniors ,clutching the souvenir books and meeting up with their friends for what might be the last time.Its not like we don’t get to meet our schoolfriends later in life,its just that the magic of the friendship sort of fades once we are out of the school premises.We are too much into our own world,in which school ,which once occupied a main position in our mind,now takes a backseat .Our world now consists of college,college friends,professors,lectures,bunks etc.But our attachment to school is still far greater than our attachment to college.How can the enjoyment of four years match up to the enjoyment and goofing ups of twelve whole years?
I know a lot of people,many amongt my own friends,will disagree with me.But school life still holds a special place in my life.It is only after we go to college that we realize how simple and enjoyable school life was.For in school,there are no politic games played at every corner,like in college,where,even for a simple audition,you need to have a set of ‘ useful contacts’.School life had that sorta innocent charm that still appeals to us even now.
As I write this article,various images of my school life keep popping in front of my eyes,thus causing me to smile and think how dumb I was at that time,and how innocent.The sneers and taunts about my two plaits,which were considered a fashion disaster in 8th grade and which once pained me,now cause me to laugh at myself,imagining up the whole scenario.The eventful time when I was made the monitor of the class and the only useful thing I did was to improve my writing skills by writing about the activities of one particular classmate of mine,who,needless to say was a very mischievious character and then getting him into a row with the class teacher,who,luckily for me,totally believed whatever I said!The time when I and my classmate were sprayed with acid in the chem. Lab during an experiment,the times in the library,the long walks in the playground,the times when,as 5th graders,we used to go to the bookshop and secretly buy those fancy pen pencils,d time wen we escaped from the school gates without the guards knowledge………..wow,those times were simply great. And,like all great times,they will never come again.Only the memories remain………..
Its not that I never go to school now.Since I have the added advantage of having a school close to my home,I visit it pretty often,though mostly after the school hours,alone,( since my friends, being less attached to school,find this tour of mine boring )hoping that I get a feel of my own schooldays.But,sadly,even that feel is gone.Gone forever,never to return again.I meet my school friends even now,sometimes in school or even on the roads,but we are never able to connect in the way we used to at school.Somehow at school,we had so many things to talk about and now the only thing we both can talk about is my college,her college,her friends , my friends,her boyfriend( who,by the way,never existed in school life,or even if he did,he was just ignored maybe),my latest crushes ( if any,coz I happen to be boyfriend-free and have lost count of my crushes!)etc etc…………
And now,the only thing I do whenever I see any kid going to school on a cold frosty morning,especially if it’s a fat,frumpy girl with long oiled hair,buried under the weight of her bag striding towards school,is to reminisce,and think….aah…those good old days!!!

Well,today after a period of almost a month,I am writing in my blog.Well,what with college work and stuff,one does tend to get busy.And also there was no particular topic for me to write on.I have written blogs on my favourite serials (in Hindi;the English list is likely to come up in a week or two,when,predictably,I will be out of topics again!)
My topic for today’s is something which usually floods all the national newspapers every year at this particular time of the year,every time.No,its not the advent of spring ( spring??Whats that?The whole country is surprisingly freezing this year!)..its , as you must have guessed by now,Valentine’s Day.
Now don’t get me wrong.Its not that I am not a supporter of love or something,its just that anything overhyped is a total no-no for me ( well,anything excludes books).And come Feb 14th( not exactly Feb 14th;it actually starts from the week before,i.e Feb 7th),the whole world is drowned in pink or red or even worse,both.The day when,according to tradition,Cupid strikes his arrow on his victims,is a great day of business for florists ( everyone from the posh florist down your lane to the wholesalers at Baba Kharak Singh Marg!) ,confectioners and gift shop owners.The florist sells the rose you bought for teacher’s day for Rs 5 at Rs 50.And everyone,predictably,and not surprisingly,has the color red included in their wardrobe that day,be it anything-a red sweater,a red hankerchief ( yuck!) or even red earrings.Even guys are seen in tight pink T-shirts ( some guys never realize that the color pink suits very few guys like Hrithik Roshan.On girls,well no other color looked better!)The gift shop put away all their birthday and anniversary and birthday cards and put only Valentine’s Day cards on display,with pictures so predictable ( there are only two designs: a kid of abt 8 yrs old,kissing another kid with a flower in her hand and the second of a couple walikn hand in hand at a beachside in the sunset!)and words so cheesy that you feel that your valentine will instantly faint after reading them!!The newspapers,in addition to remindng you everyday that there are only ‘ four’ days left for the (horror)V-day,also gives you some totally useless tips ( like how to impress your boyfriend/husband by getting a total makeover done at CVFH salon,or how to get your husband/boyfriend away from the girl he likes,or/and keeps comparing you to .A piece of advice to all the girls who’ll actually fall for the latter;one,girls,you need to get away from a guy who compares you to other girls and doesn’t appreciate you for what you are worth,and two,….this is just an example..dont get your hopes up thinking that you can finally get your husband/boyfriend away from that totally hot girl he seems to have fallen for!!!!).
The television doesn’t help .It airs special ‘ Valentine’s day’ programmes.The news channels get in some astrologer,who will ‘ predict’ how the year will be for your love life.The entertainment channels will show how some real-life reel couples are celebrating their valentine’s day ( as if we care!).Some movie channels will screen three flop love story movies in the day time,and think that they can make up for all the horror in the day by screening a hit movie in the night,which no one watches.Even the saas bahu actors are not to be left behind.Even for the special Valentine day programmes,they do not shed their ‘ unnaturally good girl’ image,and the long streak of sindoor ( the unmarried ones;the married ones can keep their sindoor on!).Only the color of their saree changes to-yes , you guesed it right---Red.
Red is after all not a bad color,but come Feb 14th,you feel as though you have been made to see everything through red sunglasses.Even the dogs ( the posh homebred ones) are made to wear red coats ( no offence ppl!!)
Its not that I am anti-valentine’s day or something.Its just that my idea of valentine’s day is not exactly candlelight dinners,salsas on the dance floor in the arms of someone tall and dark and handsome ( as is the vision of the perfect guy for every gal),while the stars glow above in the deep blue velvety sky.My idea of valentine’s day is something like Thanksgiving.Yeah,I no this sounds funny and odd,but still.I think its most important to thank your valentine- can be anyone-your lover,the person you love( yes there is a difference between the two!),your friend,your siblings or even your parents!-for being there for you in your times of need and difficulty.Valentine’s day for me is a day where I try ( note the word try!)to be nice to people and bring a smile on every person I talk to.In short it’s a day when I don’t allow my mood to go wrong,whatever happens.And what do we do on Thanksgiving?well that’s not exactly an issue,as most people don’t even know when Thanksgiving is.Funny right?We somehow manage to copy the concept of valentine’s day from the West,but forget Thanksgiving!!And you don’t exactly need a particular day to profess your love to someone…u can say the three magical words any time of the year………….
Another Valentine’s Day will fly past without any ‘proper’ valentine for me,and I know that it’ll not be my last solitary V-Day.But if not a valentine,I have many more people to shower my love on-my parents,my friends,my 2-year old brothers ( one of them was my valentine the previous year;he gave me his red balloon from McD!!).Maybe I wont be able to give them any roses or any chocolates,but I can definitely give them laughter and happiness-for the rest of their lives.For roses do wither and chocolates never last more than a week.I intend to give them an everlasting glow on their faces and wish them happiness forever……………
My plans for the day are not much;go to college,have a blast with friends , try to decipher what the prof is trying to say,consider bunkin a class or two and having a cup of hot chocolate from Nescafe while walking with my friends in the cold wind near the buses and coming home in the bus,listening to some romantic songs and trying very hard to write legibly in my diary.I’ll probably be dressed in red too( I never said no to dress in red!)….but most of all,I’ll be happy ,satisfied with life and content to know that in addition to my loving family and friends, someone special loves me too and will continue to do so.And as for how my ideal valentine’s day should be---well I m not likely to spill the beans here,on a public site for everyone to see right;)??
Last of all: A very happy valentine’s day to all you people out there!

My Favourite Serials ( Hindi)

Surprised to see this post after that entire hullabaloo on Hindi serials? Well, every case has its exceptions and it’s the same in this one. I don’t blame you for being so confused though, coz I know that I did go a lil bit overboard with my criticism of saas bahu serials.
Well, coming to the main point-my favorite Hindi serial is Baa Bahoo and Baby. I never miss an episode if I can help it. Many people still feel that it’s a saas bahu serial. Well it is-but not like the ones I so lovingly criticized. It is a serial that everyone can relate to, especially if you know what it is like being in a huge joint family. There is something different about this serial which makes it so endearing. Maybe it is the fact that all the characters of the serial actually look their age .Maybe it is because this is one serial which is purely entertaining, and none of the characters are either evil or schematic ( no, not even the sisters-in-laws of the bahoos!).Or maybe it is because this is one big family who loves each other dearly and is not ashamed to show it. Whatever it may be, the basic fact is that this is sheer fun for anyone who loves their family dearly.
There is no ‘ main’ character of this serial. Every character is equally important, The head of the family is Godavari Thakkar,a powerful yet kind woman with a drunkard for a husband, who has been through many hardships like poverty and corruption to bring up her children as good human beings with good values. Her elder son ,the most conservative of all the brothers Arvind is a total mama’s boy ( or in this case,Baa’s boy!),and wouldn’t listen to anything against her.This quite vexes his wife Leela,a former TV actress,who has to check herself twice before talking about Baa to Arvind.Their son Jigar is a doctor whereas daughter Dimple , who is a little younger than Arvind’s youngest polio affected sister,Baby( whose real name is Radhika!),is a bride.The second brother is Harshad,a well-to-do doctor,who had once left his family for his job but returns back to them due to his Baa’s love and affection.His is probably the most normal family,Then comes Praveen,a total comedian-businessman,who is so stingy that he refuses to contribute to the monthly expenses with the other brothers .His wife Praveena died last year,and so he is a single parent to his kids ,with occasional help from his sister in law,Devaki.The next brother is Subodh,a playwright in his dad’s theater company and his wife Meenakshi,who is extra extra sensitive and burst into tears everytime she sees something remotely touching.Somehow she is the only one who manages to laugh at all of Tushar Kumar’s ( the elder son-in-law ,husband of Charubala,Baa’s snobby daughter!)sick,not-at-all-funny,or in better words,poor jokes!!Next in line is ( I forgot his name;dey r soo many that I cant remember all of them.Readers and avid watchers of BBB…please help and forgive me!)…….called Mafatlal by Praveen who fiancée is this Punjabi girl named,aptly,Gurinder Chadha.And lastly,the most loved character,Gattu,the mentally unstable brother who is the thread binding this lovely family together……..
This is one family which loves each other and is united from every front,despite their differences.This is one family that makes you laugh and not make you thank god for the fact that there love and trust even amongst hatred and evil.
The other hindi serials which I like are Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai,which is hilariously funny.Its about Indravadan ‘ Indu’ sarabhai and his wife Maya,who stay in one of the most posh areas of Mumbai and are a regular art connoisseurs,like many other Page 3 celebrities.Their elder son Sahil, a doctor,shocks Maya by marrying a typical Punjabi middle class girl,Manisha ( whose name is changed by Maya to Monisha,as Manisha is hysterically middle class according to maya!).Monisha and Maya are as different from each other as,well,…there are no words to describe how dissimilar they are from each other.If one holds a book reading session with cocktails in their house,the other buys off antique raddi from the raddiwala!!To top it all is Rosesh,sahil’s brother, a total slave to Maya’s wishes and not to mention,a …err….poet……!!!Their family brings in loads of laughs and hence do good for all people,especially high blood pressure patients.At the end of nearly every episode,the viewers are in splits!!
I think that our producer should dedicate the entire primetime slot to comedy rather than serious saas bahu serials. People nowadays have no time for themselves or their family, and instead of spending the remaining time either grumbling at each other or watching some lousy soaps, they should either talk to each other or at least laugh with each other.Coz, even though we have everything we need in life today, we have no time for some of the most important things in life-like family, love and most importantly-laughter…..

BEAUTY:OUTER OR INNER????

The other day,I was reading this novel ( Anything For You,Maam,by Tushar Raheja),and all was fine till I reached the point where he recollects his first meeting with his to-be love ( will not use the word ‘ girlfriend’ here,as any reader of the book will quite easily comprehend!),Shreya..and the same stereotype ‘ She had beautiful hair,eyes touched up with the slightest hint of kaajal on them’so on and so forth.In short-this was another ‘ pretty’ heroine..Then this question came into my overactive, evercontemplating, inquisitive mind-why cant any heroine of any novel be bespectacled, moderately fat ( or atleast overweight),and hair neatly oiled and plaited?And why does the heroine have to have kohl-rimmed eyes?As many beauty analysts will tell,kohl doesn’t exactly suit everyone.Its just this sort of fad that every girl blindly follows ( remember the 90s,when the eyeliner was oh so in fad,and made every girl look either anorexic or malnourished.).And what about those poor girls whose tradition doesn’t allow them to apply kohl on their eyes without the presence of a bindi ( believed to ward off evil spirits),no matter how gorgeous they look with it?I mean,girls cant go on putting a bindi with denims,can they?But this is another story,which will occupy another post…..
Coming back from that minor( yet extremely important) digression,look at any book-FPS( Neha was beautiful,with waist length hair,left open…),One Night…( Ditto Priyanka,minus the long hair!) and blah blah blah….why doesn’t the heroine ever have a bad hair day,or acne ( okay,acne is too much..but a pimple would suffice!)??Yes,I must admit that Indian women are one of the most gorgeous women on the face of earth,but we do have anomalies….well,why isn’t a Konkona Sen as important as an Aishwarya Rai??Isnt Does this mean that girls who are plump,have bad texture of hair,and eyes minus kohl but moderately good looking,will not get the much coveted postion of a heroine in a novel, or do they just remain ‘ good friends ‘ with the hero??( I m sure I am probably being labeled as a ‘ spoilsport’ by all the male readers at this point!!)And if all is said about the heroines,then wait-I’ve not even started on the heroes.In both the above mentioned books,the hero( shyam and Hari;well I am actually reluctant to call Hari the ‘ hero’ of FPS!!) is depicted as this confused, fumbling,totally lost ,but nevertheless sweet guy.I really pity the poor Indian man-he is shown to be weak everywhere-first on television,where his whole world revolves around two woman –his mom and his wife…the more similarities they have ,the better,but again here the wife is as different as the mom as cheese is from chalk!!And now in the novels!!( I must put in a good word for Tushar Raheja;atleast Tejas was not a Shyam or a Hari,even though he showed a few characteristics!!)
And you know the strange part-this,I have seen , is a phenomenon seen in mostly books authored by Indian authors!! For example in this novel ,the hero falls for this heroine who is a size ten( as opposed to the model size 6.Or wait a minute,,was it a size 2?? ),has dry red hair,and is bespectacled with thick framed specs…!!!The hero was just an ordinary average looking guy .And they both end up being happily married!!!
So this comes up to another facet of the Indian man ( this is one topic which will take up not one,but many posts in a blog!!)-they are totally obsessed with the physical aspect of a woman and have considerations as to how her persona is!!
But,you know what,this is also a result of the average Indian mentality.We teach our girls methods to enhance their outer beauty which is totally impermenent,but not once have we taught them to enhance their inner beauty which is permanent.Not once do we think telling a girl how to behave in a pooja,but we think ten times before deciding which sari to purchase for the occasion……………….
Well,there are exceptions in every case.And coming back from another digression ( god!I seem to be getting into a lot of them in this post!!) to the initial topic,I cannot name a book though,but I do know men personally who rely more on the eternal inner beauty of a woman rather than the external and I must say that I am really grateful to have seen such men in my life;they are almost an extinct species now….which shows another important point-let facts be fact and fiction be fiction!!!!

ANNE OF THE GREEN GABLES

Author: L.M.Montgomery
Published By: Puffin Books 1997(First Edition by Harrap 1925)

A heartwarming story about a young girl Anne (spelled with an 'e', as she specifies innumerable number of times in the book!!), who, though initially unwanted, later becomes the life and soul of Green Gables, a farm in Avonlea, where the Cuthberts reside. The story bears an uncanny resemblance to ‘Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm’ (even the title is similar!), but Anne has something which Rebecca doesn’t- the gift of the gab! Anne is known for her incessant chatter, much to the delight of Matthew Cuthbert and despair of Marilla Cuthbert! Anne is how a normal girl is supposed to be-bubbly, full of life, bustling with energy, and almost, always knee deep in trouble, unlike the prim and propah Rebecca,who,had the age of 13,had a maturity way beyond her years! Anne has the same problems every girl faces in their tweens—their woes about their appearance and most importantly, their frustration at being treated as a child when they consider themselves ‘young ladies’ at the age of 13 or 14….there’s no need to hide that fact. Every girl fumbles through their early teens, probably the toughest times in a girl’s life…I smile as I remember my own early teens and my parents’ woes at being unable to suddenly having to handle a quiet, introvert girl, as opposed to the chatterbox before!!!This book has quite a lot of segments that has actually made me laugh out aloud, much to the alarm of the people sitting next to me! There are two things (especially in a book) that can make the reader laugh-one is pure situational/slapstick comedy and the other is innocence. In this story, however, it is the innocence of the 11 year old Anne when she tells a ‘falsehood’ about a crime which she has never committed in order to go to a picnic, or when, using her extraordinary imagination, she pretends that her old ugly yellowish white wincey dress is actually a pale blue silk or that her much dreaded red hair was actually raven black!!! Imagination is one of those inborn gifts God bestows to us ,but by the time we grow up, some of realize that it is not much use to us, and discard it, whereas some others never realize that they had something in them called imagination, and by the time they realize it, its too late. Some eccentric people ( like me) still continue to treat imagination as our best friend, and escape into these trances in which the world is a slave to our wishes, which help us find happiness in the smallest of things, and never keep us brooding for long and some of the best category of all, convert their imagination into print. And that’s where we get these great books from!!! And you know what the fun part is? Any wish, truly wished from the bottom of your heart, does come true...….i am living proof to this statement …Okay, that’s enough diversion from the main story.This book deals with the first few years of Anne at Green Gables, from the age of 11 to 16 and a half, after which the story proceeds to Anne’s becoming a teacher at the Avonlea School.
Anne’s friends are equally entertaining. Her best or rather ‘bosom’ friend, Diana, without whom Anne, at the age of 12 proclaims to the much surprised Marilla, cannot ‘live’, her other friends at school-Jane, Ruby and her nemesis, Gilbert Blythe and the most arrogant of all her friends, Josie Pye, for whom entire Avonlea shared a deep dislike….all reminders of how our friends and enemies (if we ever knew the exact meaning of that word at the age of 11!!) from our childhood. Every little incident in Anne’s preteen life is a startling resemblance to ours as a child-the fear of being unloved by anybody, the fear of being teased by so-and-so for some ‘ faults’ in our appearance and most importantly, being unable to forgive that so-and-so for apparently ‘ humiliating’ us! It all makes us laugh now for our folly, but at that time it was no laughing matter!!
Anne’s story also brings about the transition of a girl into a young lady. The childlike characteristics, like impatience and her constant chatter seem to fade away as she steps into college, miles away from her home. But the only thing that remains constant in Anne’s life is her innocence-a word that has lost use nowadays. It is her innocence that endears her to the reader and has them captivated, in the frame of not only Anne’s but also their own childhood. As the author said ‘I thought girls in their teens might like it. But grandparents, school and college boys, old pioneers in the Australian bush, girls in India, missionaries in China, monks in remote monasteries, premiers of Great Britain and red headed people all over the world have written to me to tell me how they loved Anne and her successors ‘…….

BLUE SPARK SISTERS

Author: Chrissie Glazebrook
Published By: Arrow Books 2003, United Kingdom
The reason I picked up this book from the shelf in the library after picking up a few other classics was because it seemed like a chick lit by reading the storyline of the back flap and would hence do good for light reading (read: reading done without having to consult the dictionary, so unlike the reading of a classic, where at least 5 words per sentence have to be looked up in a dictionary!).But as I delved deeper into the novel, I realized the true meaning of the phrase ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ (or in this case, by the mini-review on its back flap!).Yes, a female reader can relate to the protagonist more than the male reader, but its not a total chick lit like, say, Princess Diaries, which only a girl can relate to, since it is all about the feelings of Mia Thermopolis….but, coming back to this book, it can be read by male and female readers alike.
Now, coming to the plot of the novel. The story starts when 16 year old, perpetually-yellow latex miniskirt-and black-shirt and tights clad Rowena Vincent escapes from her Newcastle home to Dublin, Ireland, in order to search for her father, who deserted her. The catch (or one of the initial catches??) in the seemingly simple story? She has a photograph of three men, among whom one is her dad, and she doesn’t know which one he is!! To top it all, she suffers from some sort of a personality disorder( or was it an overdose of Vodka??) which makes her stutter, or talk nonsensically, or occasionally, totally puke out at, well, lets say, not the best of times or occasions. She is escorted all the way to Dublin by Herald ‘Hefty’O’Hara (who lives up to his name of Hefty!),believed to be this huge ‘ Big Man’ of Newcastle in every sense of the phrase. He totally takes good care of her, giving her free accommodation and stuff ,and thus helps her find a friend in the waitress of the Hotel, Teresa‘ Texy’ Maguire. But she, who thinks that Hefty is in this huge flesh trade gang, flees from him too, this time accompanied by Texy, who becomes her best friend to Ballyloony, somewhere in rural Ireland. She befriends the barman of the hotel, Matty, who has the hots for Texy and another local ‘Ballyloonite’ as he may be called, Joe.She and Texy visit Hefty’s aunt on Hefty’s insistence (much to Rowena’s reluctance) and Texy’s grandpa, Bobbo, who sees to have taken a liking for Rowena and they also visit a nunvent, where Rowena has one of her PD fits again, and claims to see her father within the clouds in the sky!!!!
However one day, stumbling upon the fact that there was no money with either her or Texy, Rowena decides to go job-hunting. Upon contemplation (read: drooling on the bed with some vodka in her head!) she decides to go to the Nunvent, where, despite her attire, she is accepted. She starts working for Enda in the Cleanliness Deptt. of the Nunvent. The nuns began to look upon her as a reincarnation of St.Vincenza of Verona ,due to their seemingly striking point of view,not to mention the above PD fits of seeing her father( which the nuns mistake as to seeing their father,Jesus Christ!),and some other incidents,which some how make Rowena’s antics get divine interpretations from one and all.Now comes the real twist of it all:She is to act as St.Vicenza at the bicentenary( pronounced as bison teenery by Rowena throughout!!) of St.Vicenza,which coincides on Rowena’s birthday…and the saint was supposedly stoned to death!!With all these freakish events going around in her life,how will she find her dad????Will she even remain alive at the end of it all???And why are the nuns called ‘ The Blue Spark Sisters’??
This book is funny,upto the extent of hysterisis at some points.The style of writing is extremely informal,somewhat like that of writing a personal diary.Rowena possesses all the ingredients of a funny heroine-confusion,delirium and the ( not so)occasional display of madness and hatred for all things ‘ girly’ , something, I am sure which all girls have faced in their teens ( and in some cases,pre teens!) …all in all,which makes her a very lovable heroine……and also the fact that she finds her Mr.Perfect in Joe, a guy who has one blue eye and the one brown one on a partly scarred face shatters our image of the ideal guy having these huge biceps and looks to kill for….it shows that even Rowena, for all her foolhardiness, has her heart in the right place, and chooses a guy who has a heart, instead of a heartless, insensitive hunk!! The story ends with Rowena having found her true home and family----in the most (un)likeliest of places!!

BOOK REVIEW: THE GHOSTS OF VASU MASTER

Author: Githa Hariharan
Published by: Penguin Books India 1994
This book achieves the rare status of what may be called,in short--a beautiful story. Human emotions are articulately expressed through the life of Vasu Master, an English teacher in P.G.Boys’ School, Elipettai.The profession of teaching, said to be one of the most noble of professions, also has the added advantage of being a lifelong profession. The story starts with Vasu Master’s retirement from the school, and the first few chapters describe the school, an overbearing Headmaster, and of course, the students and their (occasional) unruly behavior. This is a sort of an autobiography of Vasu master, and how his life changes when he is offered to teach a slow learner, Mani, who is ridiculed by the whole town. Vasu master takes this up as a sort of challenge, and in the process of teaching Mani about the values of life, actually relives his own memories-right from childhood (where he was almost controlled by his authoritarian vaidya father and his grandmother who, in her entire life, managed to learn only one word of English, and that was what she called Vasu-Nuisance!!) to his adolescence (when he had a huge crush on a foreign model on a pin-up calendar!)to his decision of becoming an English teacher, to his marriage to Mangala, to the subsequent birth of his sons…..everything in his almost monotonous life helped him to teach Mani.
This book definitely reminded me of the Panchatantra stories-the usage of plants and animals to explain a point to children. Almost everyone must have heard the Panchatantra or the Jataka tales. Here, Vasu Master uses the same philosophy while teaching Mani when he realizes that Mani is impatient and irritated with pens, pencils and notebooks. And so the fictitious tale of the Grey Mouse and his neighbor the Crow, the Blue Bottle fly and the other characters. Through the stories, Vasu master not only teaches Mani, but also us. He teaches us the true meaning and the different perspectives of the ‘words’ intellect and love, amongst others. This is in fact a very touching and philosophical take on the persona of a teacher. It has made me look at my teachers as not only the people whose only job is to drill facts into our heads, but also as the people who have their own lives and feelings .It has made me take back every reproach I ever uttered about any teacher of mine and it will make me think twice before I utter anything against my teachers.Coz, believe it or not, every teacher has contributed something to shape a students’ personality, either knowingly or unconsciously.
This story also has a bit of Taare Zameen Par within it, especially when Vasu Master discovers that Mani, who cannot talk properly, expresses himself beautiful through rough and hasty, yet decipherable sketches in which he views everything through a black veil. Vasu master helps Mani remove the black veil and makes him see the world in its true colors...
Philosophical, enchanting and lyrical-these are only few of the many adjectives which can be used to describe this book……….It starts with Vasu master trying to sum up his entire life in a notebook presented to him by his students and ends with him preparing a question paper, not unlike the one a teacher prepares at the end of a year, but only with seemingly simple, yet thought provoking questions about human thoughts and actions and their consequences.

The perfect Gentleman in a gentlemen's game!!!

Unassuming,modest and yet so amazingly talented-that’s how I’d like to describe Anil Kumble.Born in Bangalore, a mechanical engineer by education and by profession, a bowler,this is one player who is one of the real ‘ gentleman’ in this gentlemen’s game of cricket. He is probably the best Test captain we have ever had and is a true Indian- converts all his frustration into his passion while playing,and thus maintains a cool exterior.Doesnt get easily excited,as can be seen when Australia lost its last wicket( in the Sydney Test),hence giving the Indian team its first test win against the Aussies after a period of 5 long years.His joy gives him some sort of an inner radiance,which slowly shines through his face.It is his unassuming charm,which in fact makes him more attractive than the much hyped Dhoni or the much linked up Yuvraj Singh.I mean,they are good players in their own right,but none actually have the grace of Kumble.Dravid comes closest in the charm aspect,but he too has been said to be aggressive on the field,as could be seen during the Indo-Pak series in Pak.Also,Dravid is seen to be impulsive.Kumble keeps his cool and relies on logic rather than emotions , especially when it comes to dealing with issues like match fixing,or the much more recent wrong umpiring.An impulsive player would have decided to boycott the next matches to protest against the unfairness of it all,but Kumble decided that it was time for quiet revenge.And not only him,even the other team members seemed to keep their cool during the Sydney test.It was great to see a much more mature game.Perhaps the Aussies also decided to take a leaf out of Kumble’s book…???
And to those critics who said or rather predicted that captaincy would affect Kumble’s form…….need I say anything more??Kumble has already silenced his critics by taking his 600th wicket at Sydney.Take my advice critics,and find some other player to criticize.Or even better,stop criticizing the Indian team for some time.I have this feeling that they will all silence your pen,for once and all.!!!
At the age of 38,which spells ‘ retirement ‘ for some players,Kumble is still going strong………….so go on, Mr.Kumble….YOU ROCK!!!!!

Pongal

D harvest festival,best celebrated in South India is here.And d worst ordeal for me is being a south indian away from south india.The celebrations go on here,btr widout d same magic as cam be felt down south.For d payasam ( kheer) which is traditionally supposed to be cooked on a ( sort of)bonfire,is now cooking on d gas stove and in sum un fortunate households,its nt being cooked at all!D rangoli ( called by different names in diff areas!)which,once upon a time,was made by zestful little girls in half sarees and pattu pavadai using rice powder,is now drawn,or rather sketched hastily on d floor,n in sum cases,a new ' sticker'is pasted on the floor,which gives pleasure to neither the beholder nor the person who stuck it!There is sumthin missing in d air....perhaps d smell of d wood burnin,d cuckooing of d birds,d excitement of d full family ( yes,everyone from d 90 yr old grandpa to d 9 yr old kid!)looking forward to d festivities,n nt to forget,the payasam!!!

As much as we try to bring d festivities to our homes,we fail.As much as we get up before sunrise n take a headbath,we miss the massaging of our hair using''homemade' oil by grandmothers who do d dual job of commenting and advising us on our hair conditions as well as massaging.Even though we try ( and I did try dis year,breakin d chalk rule!) n make d rangoli wid freshly grounded rice powder,it looks dull widout n e ppl steppin over it by mistake!!
This all problly dusnt make n e sense...bt n e one wid a passion for dese tttly traditional stuffwill know wat i mean.....n e way,Happy Pongal!!!

Hindi Serials

So, its 1.30 p.m on a cold wintry thursday aftrnoon in india...n , due 2 d lack of n e thin betr 2 do ( for now!) n nt habituated 2 do n e thin else at dis odd tym of d day ( esplly a holiday!),I switch on d television..lo n behold!I have intruded upon d lost territory of saas-bahu sagas!!AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!Disgustedly,i change d channel,bt it figures tat i m stuck wid only 2 more alternatives-one,to watch sum sensational news ( lyk sum xyz actor's alleged break up wid sum abc actress,or sumthin abt how sum jkl person murdered his wife or brother for money...stuff which cn problly take up another topic on my blog!).And d 2nd alternative?To watch dis really huge flop movie( sumtyms,if i have dis really baad luck, dey r dese dubbed telugu/tamil movies.To watch d original movie is one thing, n 2 watch d dubbed one is another!!) starring dese two ttly unknown actors n actresses on a stereotypical love story......I'd ratr go back 2 d saas bahu sagas....maybe i shud try watchin one for a change,and sit watchin a serial in which a lady,who wudnt luk half bad widout make-up bt nevertheless puts on sum,n nt to mention a long snakelike bindi ( i had herd of snakelike hair,bt snakelike bindi??),evilly scheming against her daughter -in -law,who's d very embodiment of truth n sweetness...n tat apparently,accordin 2 d saas , is d bahu's biggest fault....!!Quite used 2 an atmosphere whr d saas treats d bahu as her own daughter,i m unable 2 c dis evil lady ( who,btw luks younger tan her own bahu; do dose anti aging creams actlly work??OPr do d producers think tat der audiences r dese real big fools who wont realise tat a 20 somethin is tryin 2 play a 50,problly even 60 yr old lady!!)plottin against her bahu....I flick d channel n here cums another daily soap...abt dis really ' good ' gal,who does all d housework n is her daddy's favourite ,n how she ends up makin sacrifices for her families,n her family quite fails to understand her!!n den it is revealed tat her husband's ex girlfrnd is tryin 2 ' snatch' d husband frm dis daddy's fav daughter..n tat her mom in law is also involved in dis plan(surprise,surprise!)!!Another saas bahu serial in d makin!!!flick!!another channel appears,andthis really takes d cake-one bahu kills her saas n d 2nd bahu,who,incidentally is d heroine( did i actlly hafta write tat??) is arrested.The serial den takes a few years leap n we c d heroine of d serial lookin d same as she was , 20 yrs back ( in d serial) except for a few gray hairs here n der( with a lil help frm baby powder!)..n she cums back 2 take revenge frm her family..n ends up helpin dem!!Dese serials really scare me 2 death coz of d fact tat one day i might be a bahu,so maybe i will hafta strt all my prayers for a gud saas frm now itself...n d instnt i becum a bahu,i'll hafta strt prayin for a gud bahu,so tat wen i turn into a saas , i dnt hafta sit at home,fearin for my lyf.And maybe i shud strt collecting dose anti-aging creams n hair dyes n stuff.And also-
Well what d heck,I have a betr option.
Click.D television is switched off,n so is my mind!!!