Magical Mantras

Timelessness

2011-02-20T10:36:00.000+05:30

Never did I realise the importance of time as I have done so now
I know now what "being hard pressed for time" means

Never did I know what extreme fatigue was
I know now what "being dead to the world" means

Never did I know what timelessness meant
I know now what "work life balance" means

It's a new phase, a new period, a new part of life
But, it is consuming every waking minute and sleep...errr...what's that?

Never have I given up and never will I,
Work it out I will, till the balance is achieved!

Desire vs Deserve

2010-11-10T20:59:00.000+05:30

"God does not give us what we desire but gives us what we need."

I read need as deserve here. It's true. We think we know it all. In reality we know nothing.

Sometimes, you feel like that little pup that chases every moving car and gets to...nothing. Right?

Sometimes, you are just barking up the wrong tree. Correct?

Sometimes, you think this is what you should be doing. No?

Sometimes, you are so full of questions which you think you have answers to. Really?

Sometimes, its best just to take a deep breath and wait. True?

Shubh Deepavali!

2010-11-07T14:13:00.000+05:30

I love Diwali....the lights, the colours, the air of festivity!

I hate the sounds, the crackers, the pollution, the futility of it all!

I have never burst crackers after we had a slide show in school when I was in 2nd grade on the poor lives of the children of Sivakasi. It moved me to tears and I vowed never again to light another cracker in my life and I never did.

Diwali is the festival of lights. It all about ringing in the new. Its about happiness and spreading cheer.

I love the whole early morning bathing ritual and doing the rounds of all the temples in Matunga(suburb) in Mumbai which is also known as little Madras.

I love the process of putting up fairy lights. I love painting dozens of diyas in vagaries of colours and styles. It is such a relaxing and fun exercise.

I am OCD about cleanliness. So, Diwali is a legitimate excuse to spring clean and how. I love lighting aroma scented candles in sparkling clean and prettily lit up house!

It has lit up my face with a grin so huge.I'm loving it!

Shubh Deepavali folks!

Shalom!

2010-11-07T13:45:00.001+05:30

Sundays are generally super lazy. It's the day when even God decided to rest. Sabbath.

Wake up at a leisurely pace. Head for a nice long drive stopping en route Madras Cafe or Mysore Cafe for super piping "dabra coffee" and set dosa with white butter. Yumilicious!

Today was no different. A little boy with a bugle in his hand was playing it loud and clear and off key for our brunch enjoyment. His parents were squirming and looked visibly embarrassed yet proud at the same time. You know the " oh my poor little brilliant child" look that parents generally have:)

Suddenly, something really funny caught my eye. The bugle boy's t-shirt.

"I have my dad's looks and my mom's brains" it read!

An MCP would say "that explains the behaviour"

A feminist would say "that's great. Is already showing signs of genius"

For me, I was just tickled. My funny bone was laughing its marrow out.

Great start to a Sunday funday I say!

Self poem for someone special!

2010-11-03T13:56:00.003+05:30

Someone supremely special inspired the following thoughts :

I was walking, when I tripped.

I was talking, when I looked.

I was jiving, when I dropped.

I was miming, when I thawed.

I was laughing, when I gasped.

I was gazing, when I reeled.

I was searching, when I grappled.

I was escaping, when I stumbled.

I was trying, when I cried.

I was giving up, when I discovered.

- Samyukta Ganesh

03/11/2010

Thanks for being so wonderful!
You are always an inspiration!
Thanks for your undying love and support!

God bless you!

Eat pray love

2010-10-28T13:40:00.000+05:30

"If you don't pray

You worry

If you pray

You don't worry"

I am no fanatic. But I do believe that there is a force somewhere that governs all of us. Someone who controls life and living when things seem to be going out of hand despite putting your best forward or even superbly right without lifting your little finger.

That someone has scripted out our lives for us and we are cruising along trying to decipher all the little signals that come our way to lead us onward.

It's important therefore to be spiritual and pray. Rather than being overtly religious or a total atheist.

So, dont forget to say that little prayer daily...create your own prayer for yourself and reach out...

What do you think?

Something to think about...

2010-10-07T20:24:00.000+05:30

Friendship is not about how much you know but about how much you care!

What are your views on the same?

When things go wrong

2010-09-29T09:52:00.000+05:30

Sometimes, you try very hard...a bit too hard perhaps to put the whole show together.

You check and recheck every minute aspect and hope for the best.

But, that one dreaded little thing which had caused that little nagging voice in your head to beware...does emerge like Medusa's snake filled head to destroy the mountain pile of hardwork put in.

It's a domino effect and like a passing bystander you watch as the whole thing crumbles like a flimsy pack of cards leaving you so utterly helpless and lost...why? oh! why?

I guess, on hindsight, we emerge stronger and a tad wiser on the other side. Sometime later, perhaps, we are even able to laugh about it!

Still. I wish to goodness such things don't happen to anyone of us...My fingers are crossed:)

Till then, "When things go wrong as they sometimes will, when the road you are trudging seems all uphill, don't you quit."

Thought for the day...

2010-09-27T17:47:00.000+05:30

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional!

My question is...Why grow up?

Dream On...

2010-09-23T20:34:00.001+05:30

Man shapes his own destiny...right?

We all have dreams. Some of us try to live them up and some of us continue dreaming...

There can be nothing more miraculous or precious like a dream being realised in reality.

Sometimes, we try very hard to get what we want...we often end up getting something else which is probably what we deserve and that brings in bouts of joy as well...

Sometimes things take forever or atleast it feels like forever before any change happens.

The day you stop dreaming, you stop living and merely start existing.

The soul wanders during our dreams and it is imperative to make it happy...

The universe shall conspire to make it all come true but it can't happen overnight.

The 4 Ps are handled by the big boss up there who shall deliver the right product at the right price in the right place with the right promotions required for the same.

So, continue dreaming and working hard towards it but don't doubt the Big Guy up there even for a second.

Confide in him and completely surrender...it shall happen.

Here's wishing everyone" Happy Dreaming"

DIY- Do It Yourself

2010-08-31T02:23:00.001+05:30

(The picture was taken on a sojourn to a far flung location in India)

It's important you give yourself the space, the freedom and the dignity you deserve.

Only you can do. Someone else cannot do it for you.

It's important not to allow people to encroach on your territory and you mark it lucidly.

Only you can give yourself the gift of self respect and love. Someone else will not.

It's important to remain sane and calm under the more trying circumstances and live it up.

Only you can do that for yourself and you jolly well must. Someone else will not bother.

Eternal Presence

2010-08-30T22:57:00.000+05:30

There are certain times when you think you have it all figured out, right?

When out of the blue, you realise you haven't actually.

There are certain decisions you make and you then got to stick by, right?

When suddenly, you just wish you didn't want have to anymore.

There are certain phases when you are sure of every step you take, right?

When out of nowhere, you don't know about the very next one actually.

There are these flashes of moments when its all so clear, right?

When unexpectedly, you can't see a non cloudy one anymore.

There are these epochs of knowledge and understanding, right?

When hastily, begin the era of cluelessness in its absolute sense actually.

There are these nanoseconds, where you forget, right?

When repentantly, you begin to never quite forget him anymore.

Two Sides

2010-08-23T11:21:00.000+05:30

A coin has two sides. Gemini has 2 faces. A glass could be half full or half empty.Every life has two halves. There is a soulmate for each one of us(parents,siblings,spouse,friend).A balance sheet has 2 statements - profit and loss.

Everything seems to be boiling doing to a half at the end. Why?

Was it meant to be that way? God created the left brain and right brain with two distinct abilities. Newton said every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

We are either sad or happy. We are either black or white. We are positive or negative. We are telling the truth or lying. The world has good people or bad people. There are optimists or pessimists. There are two sides to every story.

So, its always about 2 very clear and precise possibilities. A situation could be analysed in numerous ways. But it always boils down to the last two ideas.

We are constantly faced with the dilema of choosing. Its about making that right decision. it could be right, it could be wrong. It could be wrong and easy! or right and tough!

The road less travelled is always one option. The question is how many of us choose to walk down that lane?

Brand New Day!

2010-08-16T19:56:00.000+05:30

It's been a long long time since I last visited my space here...I missed this space and the freedom of expression and thought that it offers.

It was heartening to note that my posts were being missed! Thank you.

News update : My write - up on the "bindi" was published on the website of a renowned market research agency in Mumbai. Check it out - https://www.lumieresolutions.com/Blog/file.axd?file=Bindi+Blog+Final.pdf

Life has changed in more ways than one. I moved back to my hometown Mumbai. I love this city...a true blue Mumbaikar as is evident!

I got hitched and its been an interesting and crazy journey so far!

What we take for granted all our lives , is, suddenly such a big deal.

Moving home , setting it up , running it is no meagre deal. Its like brand building.

It needs a sound mind to effectively handle the new brand that we are creating , give it attributes , a personality , an identity and a strong powerful entity.

It also involves financial mastery. An IT background could help. Oh yes , how could I forget the logistics and supply chain? Running a home requires 360 management ability. You are the CEO and you are in charge.

I have spent quality time catching up on all the reading I missed. Including business magazines and marketing text books !

I have started doing my riyaaz everyday which transports me literally to another world.

My morning walks by the sea are a must now that revives me for yet another new wonderful day God has created.

I almost forgot to share something beautiful...my travel to one of the most enchanting countries the universe has to offer! ... Switzerland!

It is so small, yet so rich. I am so charmed by the fact that it is encased between France, Germany and Italy. The influence of each of these countries onto the one in question makes it so delightful.

The sights, the sounds, the smells … in short it’s a treat for all the human senses including the sixth one!

I could safely term it as God’s own country. What is nature gifted and manmade is equally charming and wonderful.

The Swiss are a delightful lot, warm and welcoming just like their country.

The gourmet is a gastronomic delight.

One of my personal favourites was this petite lakeside village called Epesses.

The water so pristine, the mountains so magnificent and snow capped, the air so fresh, the vineyards so luscious and green, the delightful red windows against the chocolate brown chalets, the cows so pleasant grazing peacefully, the lilting sound of the cow bells so clear and lovely, the greeting horn of the little yachts passing on the Lac Luhman (for the natives) a.k.a. Lake Geneva, the gorgeous flora in vagaries of shapes and colours in self exotic arrangement against the bay area , the walls protecting the little boats , the heather growing in abundance by the quay…I am short of breath with excitement.

I grew up devouring Enid Blyton tales- five find outers, famous five…I could understand perfectly why she would have become a writer. I wished at that moment, I could paint the vast expanse of visual treat.

I also wished I could compose a poem right then and set it to music and play in on the mandarin.

“What is this life full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”.

I stared so long and hard in the hope that the beauty of that enchanting place remains etched in a special place in my memory for eternity.

Twilight Troubles

2010-04-10T23:52:00.002+05:30

(The twilight zone captured by me at an upcountry location in Maharashtra)

Craving for the warm toasty feel of a new book. The smell that envelopes you when you open the book for the first time. Yum. The feel of the pages.Crispy.The tingling sense of excitement when you are about to dive right into it.Exhilaration.

I was dying to revisit this familiar headrush. Finally, during the evening twilight hour, I raced to the only "befitting" bookstore in Mysuru.

I so miss my Landmarks and my Crosswords. The sections were pretty clearcut-Fiction and Non-Fiction. Well, I thought thats a start. It had less of books and more of fancy stationary stuff,greeting cards,stuffed toys...the works. Anyway there were some 7-8 civilians my age group more or else getting into each others way and peering at every hard back copy on the shelves.

Suddenly, there was this quiet wail somewhere. I turned around in time to spot a young damsel in distress. She ranted about the dismal array of books around. This got me thinking.

I had spent a good 30 minutes in there and had found nothing worth picking up so far! I was downright indignant about the fact that the only noteworthy topic seemed to be an IIM or an IIT grad's story. Every author in the bookspace was doing a Chetan Bhagat. He should seriously be flattered for isn't imitation the best form of flattery?

Come on, give it a break Aren't there millions of other things for an interesting tete a tete and not just rambling tales about campus life.

And then there were a lot of our old classics. Thank heavens for those.Bless their dear souls. I picked up one of my favourites- PG Wodehouse and walked out all smug and yet a tad sad that there would never quite be another one like him.

Is there no contemporary author out there whose works I will read and re read gleefully till eternity comes?

So, that was the Mumbaikar penning down her grievances from the royal city of Mysore.

The saturday night fever has begun...

Say a little prayer

2010-03-31T00:55:00.000+05:30

(I kneel down in prayer like this goat in the picture shot at Mallavali,Karnataka)

Lord, the ways of your Maya are unusual, unpredictable and uncanny.

Unaware,unsuspecting and unfortunately embedded in its stranglehold.

Everything seems so unflinchingly ugly.

Untouched,I am not.

Unbecoming of me to take the stand that I cannot.

Unforgiving I carry on this mighty load.

Unintentionally, I chose this path.

Its time now for a not so unflattering aftermath.

Lord, I seek support in the untiring warmth of your afterglow.

My favourite poem

2010-03-28T21:31:00.000+05:30

(Picture was shot at Baroda during Uttarayan festival)

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

Whe he might have captured the victor's cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out -

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

You can't go back and make a new beginning but you can start now and make a new ending!

2010-03-28T21:11:00.000+05:30

Take a close look at the amazing sight I witnessed at a palace in Srirangapatnam. Aeons ago -mode of transportation : Carriage. Today : automobile. What are we talking about?

Change. The word itself is so disconcerting. Natural impulse is to resist it. Pretty violently at that!

Sometimes change is welcome and arrives like a soothing gust of breeze on a hot sultry day!

And at most other times , it lurks in the shadows and casts its evil spell on an unsuspecting poor prey!

The earth is spinning on its axis and also around the sun. Every nanosecond , it is changing. How do we then expect the tiny little dots(human race) that reside in it to remain unchanged?

A baby matures into an adult , a sapling into a tree ...constant change.

Fashion statements keep changing. What is the norm today become meaningless and obsolete tomorrow. Day after the original statement gets back into vogue. Thats another constant factor about change. The fact that it always comes one full cycle and tends to keep repeating itself sporadically or otherwise.

Apparently , when a butterfly flaps its wings in India , that teeny weeny speck of change can give rise to a tornado miles away! Yet another addition to the multifaceted"change". The fact that its a chain reaction.

More often than not , change occurs without any prior intimation and tends to throw everything around it off gear. The feeling is unsettling and scary. Gradually , you get accustomed to it and then you imbibe it. Soon , it becomes a part of you.

And that my friend brings us to the most important dimension of this multifaceted"change"...the fact that it remains the undisputed constant factor of life!

So, the key to change...is to let go of fear and embrace it bravely.

Cheers to that!

Tough times don't last,tough people do!

2010-03-28T01:52:00.000+05:30

Life is a roller coaster. Life is a sinusoidal wave. Life is all about trials and tribulations. Life is about give and take. Yes, life is a trade off.

Its always about making choices. Its about sacrificing and letting go. It teaches you to explore your inner dormant strength and helps you do things that you thought you were utterly incapable off!

People say , these are the experiences that shape your personality and make you stronger and bolder to face the world.

Its important they say, to stumble and fall just when everything seemed so good and happy. That speedbraker throws you completely off guard and you are left grappling with a sheer sense of incomprehension!

Alone time for me has always been important. "My space" is precious to me. But, too much of a good thing sort of negates the whole effect. Kind of kills the whole aura.

As human beings , the survival of the fittest holds true and that makes us sail through the toughest of phases well and emerge intact and better than ever before.

The ashes are there now. The phoenix is slowly painfully reviving itself. Day by day . Definitely so. Soon it will emerge in a form more glorious and bedazzling than ever before.

God Bless!

Magical Mantras: Hinterland Tales

2009-12-30T17:31:00.000+05:30

Magical Mantras: Hinterland Tales

Hinterland Tales

2009-12-29T16:09:00.002+05:30

Been in central Hindustan for a good 10 days now. Back to dear ol' Mumbai. Travelling helps you develop a perspective thats unparalleled.

Even more so when you do it in solidarity. Like my trip to Indore. A lovely nawabi place. Where even the Hindi dialect has a lilt of its own. The poha and jalebi combo is its speciality and a killer one at that.

Its commercial and everyone has some business of their own. I seem to have this very uncanny carmic connection to this city. When I was last here , it poured so much , that I was stranded at the airport for 6 hours and had to go hunting for accomodation at 1 in the night as my flight got cancelled.

This time around , in the middle of winter , as I was entering a dealer counter , the clouds burst open in a furious shower coupled with hail for a good 40 minutes. My sales team looked at me in complete bewilderment and pronounced that I must have been the reigning queen of Indore in some past life as I seem to bringing in unprecedented showers each time I went there! Hmm...now thats an interesting thought:)

Then , proceeded to Dilli. Visited my aunt , uncle and cousin. It was great fun catching up with them. The winter spell that enveloped me in Indore grew stronger manifold here. It was good fun crawling into the comforter into the cold cold night.

Suddenly the trip metamorphosed into a group activity as the entire division(at office) conglomerated to travel together for a conference at Khajuraho.

It was a lovely journey. Delhi-Varanasi-Khajuraho. To state that Khajuraho was cold. Now that would be an understatement of sorts.

It was freezing. I was suited up and layered up to the core.It was a great experience. Very hectic but interspersed with a lot of fun.

I witnessed 3 sunrises , visited the "famed" temple , did the jungle safari ,had a rendezvous with the samba deer, prowled in the river lodge while gorging down authentic "kullad" food cooked in earthen ware on clay ovens , sat around loads of bonfires , partied a night away dancing to loads of "desi beats"...all this and more...

The Samba deer is a weird animal. The male have antlers and the females do not. They have a beard! Their expressions are to die for. It is the most indescribable feeling in the world.

It has a tiny face and a huge body. Huge flappy ears, droopy eyes and a nuzzly nose. The expression , if I may attempt to describe it is a mix of" I am so bored" to " Wassup" to " Leave me alone" to "Get me out of this jungle"...okay , I give up. I remember back in school we had an entire chapter on the dancing deer. Turns out it was our dear deer(pun intended) in question!

The Son et Lumière show was a let down. For a city that has such a high influx of tourist populace this ought to have had a more advanced system in place to popularise and increase its saleable value.

On the whole its been a lovely forthnight. We literally lived upto the "We work hard , we party harder" thumb rule and voila it was magic:)

Alls well that ends well. Now its back to business and lots more of it...which reminds me I need to catch up on 3 idiots!

All is well:)

Orange City

2009-12-09T11:29:00.008+05:30

Finally experienced some yummy sarson da saag and makki di roti and cold wintry nights:)

I am back from my official tour to Nagpur. I realised every place in India has such a rich culture and history to talk about.

Nagpur at one time was the capital of the Central Province. It borders Chattisgarh and has a huge naxalite belt there.

The trip was extremely interesting as I met so many different people. It was a pleasant surprise to realise that unlike rest of Vidarbha , this place is not filled with poor farmers dependent on the natural forces for a good crop but instead is filled with a strong business community.

It was as cosmopolitan as it could get since it was full of Jains , Boris and Sindhis who had made this home for generations now.

Having lived in Gujarat for a year and studied in a Sindhi college for 3 years helped me break the ice with the natives.

I experienced what it felt like to live next to the airport and to watch flights take off and land all day long.

It was a small , yet big place. Getting the big city way , yet retaining all the charms of a small town.

The locals were a little upset about the fact that the farmers in Vidarbha had no irrigation facilities. They were upset about the power cuts despite being the power supplier for the state. I can only pray that this city which was neglected for such a long period of time by the government finally gets its due.

The old part of the city was full of little bylanes , eateries , wholesale markets like Itwari selling everything under the sun.

Multi coloured decorated cycle rickshwas were still in vogue.

Loads of excitement around project MIHAN , the SEZ which is going to be the next best thing there and is going to provide hi tech aviation solutions to the country at large.

The orange burfi from Haldiram's is to die for.

The icing on the cake was the sight of two old men seated side by side on the footpath right outside one of our paint counters in the middle of the afternoon , sipping their cutting chai and reading the newspaper.

Now thats what I call living it up!

Monday morning blues

2009-11-30T12:54:00.005+05:30

Its true...it happens...to all of us...

I hate Mondays...Sundays are so not enough to gain enough respite and energy to start afresh on the next day.

I have been sort of off colour all week through. I know its a phase and this too shall pass , still its an annoying gnawing feeling that refuses to leave me alone. It feels like a wet blanket on my head. I cant seem to shrug it off. I guess I shall do the next best thing...leave it alone. Let it deal with itself and go when it feels like it :(

I saw this crazy movie " new in town ". Sort of reminded me of my days in a new city all by myself with no one to call my own. Seriously recommended therapy to totally toughen you up. Coz I most certainly did come back transformed into a brave new independent soul.

I am back to reading Mary Higgins Clark. Just takes you totally off reality for a bit. The characters and the settings are pretty much similar across stories but the mystery bit is thrilling.

I am done watching 3 seasons of " How I met your mother". Its the best thing thats happened to me after " Friends". Hilarious.

I was honoured to have met a very wonderful elderly person yesterday. She was so charming and warm. She totally made my day when she commented on the slight puff sleeves on my tee delightedly and exclaimed " We used to wear puff sleeve Bengali style blouses during our times. It was a fashion rage. See its back in vogue now!"

The reminder of this little rendezvous just put a smile on my face. I am happy again:)

Writer's bloc?

2009-11-28T23:39:00.003+05:30

Naah...no such thing...au contraire..November was a crazy crazy month filled with many an interesting moments!

Why the one month sabbatical , one may wonder...to be honest it was just one of those things which happen in life while you are busy making plans...as I mentioned repeatedly in my previous post a month ago...randomly:)

I realised a few things:

1. My city - Mumbai is HOTTT(literally and figuratively)...wish we had winters:(

2. A new hairdo is even better than retail therapy...yaay!

3. The only person who can motivate you is you , yourself! As Swami Vivekananda said " Save yourself by yourself "

4. Being a pushover works - like a charm

5. Finally , the only thing that really matters in life - " attitude"

This pretty much sums up the month gone by.

An individual who has inspired me and taught me many an important lessons in life(including the importance of maintaining a blogspace) has undergone a knee surgery. I pray for your speedy recovery Iyer Sir so that you may continue to impart your priceless knowledge and words of wisdom to all of us who have been blessed to be associated with you. Thanks Sir for everything.

The order in the randomness...

2009-10-28T13:04:00.005+05:30

So much of life it seems to me is defined by pure randomness.

Randomly you pick up a book and happen to chance upon something that will change your life. Forever.

Randomly you venture out for a stroll and bump into an old acquaintance.

Randomly you gaze out of your window and spot an eagle chancing upon its prey.

Randomly you meet someone and you hit it off like you have known each other forever.

Randomly you get nostalgic and reminisce.

Randomly events happen and you experience a sense of deja vu.

Randomly you get a whiff of your favourite delicacy and you can virtually experience the flavours.

Randomly you see a little child selling flowers at the signal and you say a little prayer for her.

Randomly you smile at complete strangers and spread cheer around.

Randomly you get jostled in the Mumbai local trains and you squabble like there's no tomorrow.

Randomly you have this burning desire to hit the flea market and you have the time of your life haggling on the streets.

Randomly you pick up the phone and dial the first number that comes to your head.

Randomly you surprise someone and make their day.

As John Lennon so aptly put it "life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans."

Albeit ; randomly , I say :)

Of monologues , travellogues and dialogues...

2009-09-25T11:06:00.007+05:30

On This auspicious note, I commence my monologue about my travelogue...I have been traversing quite a bit in the past year. These are some snapshots of the same.

The smells, the tastes, the sounds of every place is so unique and different. Every city has a story to tell. The culture, the social mores, and the dialect everything is so different yet so similar.

It amazes me to see the countryside and then the metropolis. The cuisine reveals so much about the hand that is cooking it.

I utilise a lot of my travel time in devouring books.

I did something I love doing. Pondering time.

So I armed myself with the book I am currently reading – The alchemy of desire: Tarun Tejpal, my i pod and off I went to Carter Road.

Sat by the sea, listening to music, reading my book. Also spent a considerable amount of time standing and staring at everything around me. It was awesome since I kept oscillating between reality and fiction. I was there yet I wasn’t when I chose otherwise. Silence is such a comforter sometimes.

A wave of calmness swept over me. I was at peace with myself and the rest of the world. Amen. Bismillah.

My friend came over to the CCD overlooking the promenade. I hopped to the other to join her over a cuppa. Digging into a yummy brownie and sipping a frappe, we yakked over everything and nothing. The icing on the cake was her gift to me... a goody of books. Yipee!

Sigh! Watte fun!

The KISS rule

2009-09-21T15:01:00.005+05:30

More often than not, we miss out on the little pleasures that life has to offer us; in our obsessive compulsive desire to chase something bigger, something better.

There’s no redemption then, it’s then a case of crying of spilt milk. Notice the small; so called inconsequential things around you and life is such a pretty picture!

I am consciously trying to follow the KISS principle in my life now...keep it simple and short.

No dilly dallying. No jumping the gun. Living and loving every moment that life has to offer.

I observed the display in a men’s salon. The salon offered manicure, pedicure, facial et al.

It was funny however to see that all the brands and the product range on display were meant for the fairer sex.

Why can’t we have more cosmetic products specifically manufactured for male species?

The trend of the metrosexual man sure has been on the upsurge. Garnier does have a specially formulated men’s fairness cream. Parachute has some special hair gel for men. But nothing else that is specifically male.

The skin tone , texture , type for a guy is very different from that of a woman...why not make separate lotions , creams , moisturisers, sun screen lotions, scrubs...the works...bring it on...make all the potions and tonics suitable for a man.

Brew it all and make a heady concoction that will make his skin shine and glow and so entrapped will he be in his own beauty that Narcissa’s love for himself will pale (literally and figuratively) in comparison!

The answer my friend is blowing in the wind...

2009-09-18T13:22:00.006+05:30

How many years can a mountain existbefore it’s washed to the sea?

Yes, n how many years can some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

Yes, n how many times can a man turn his head,

Pretending he just doesn’t see?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind,

The answer is blowing in the wind.

These beautiful lyrics keep singing in my head. This multilayered song has so much of subtleties hidden deep within it.

Nothing is immortal. Nothing lasts forever. Change is inevitable. Change is indeed the only constant in life.

Here today, gone tomorrow.

We are never caught in a time warp. At this moment, millions of things are slowly stirring and a change is happening, unnoticed, unwaveringly.

The only person who can see it all, who knows it all is the wind – that current of air that sweeps across the universe.

Vāyu (Sanskrit: वायु,) is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman. He is also known as Vāta (वात), Pavana (पवन, the Purifier), and sometimes Prāna (प्राण, the breath).

One of the 5 elements of the universe, he races across continents, planets, oceans, space ages and time ages. He has seen it all .He knows it all.

More often than not, we end up visiting astrologers, tarot card readers, numerologists, fakirs, sadhus and babas lure us with glorious promises of showing us our future through the crystal ball.

But,everything is pre decided. God has a plan for each one of his children.

The universe is constantly whispering things to you, be intuitive, sharpen your 6^th sense and the answers will come to you from within. From the soul.

Allow the wind to caress you, dance in the rain, soak in the warmth of the sun, roll on the green valleys, look towards the sky on a starry night all starry eyed.

As Shakespeare put it “The world is my stage and we are all the actors in it”.

I would take this a step further and say that the Director is the almighty who is closely listening, watching and protecting us. It is his manuscript, his blue print that we are all leading.

But the game of life is not that simple – at every stage we encounter cross roads.

Choices are hurled at us, there is one distinct path that always seems easy – “pathli gal li”, and one that seems full of thorns and obstacles.

More often than not, the road less travelled is the one full of trials and tribulations. Strangely it also culminates into immensely satisfying jubilations in the long haul.

Life’s like that. We love it .We hate it. With or without it, we cease to exist.

It’s ironic, despite everything; we always have a mental bucket list, without which life seems so mirthless.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.....

We have no time to stand and stare...

2009-09-17T16:58:00.006+05:30

Sabbath - the day that even God ordained as the day to put your feet up in the air and rest.

Tuck into bed quickly on Saturday night, so that I can wake up early in the morning to the sounds of the chirping birds, the feel of the dewy mist in the grass, the sweet unpolluted air, the vision of a spectacular sunrise.

It’s just 6:30 a.m. I have an entire day to myself.

Shall head back home and prepare myself a yummy feast of hot cocoa, rava upma and tomato onion chutney.

I shall read the paper along with all the “crap gossip “columns “(which we all enjoy by the way!) page to page.

Shall steam and oil my tresses, have a lovely leisurely Cleopatra bath with lavender oil and bath salts.

Slipping into a pair of baggy cargos and a light tee and osho chappals, I am now headed towards Cinemax to catch the latest flick, matinee show hai boss!

Plonking myself on the back aisle seat, I shall enjoy the flick with lovely caramel popcorn to go with it.

Hop into the AC bus and get off at town.

Destination one would be: NCPA in order to pick up tickets for the evening show of the play that I have been dying to watch.

Destination two: Head straight to Status and have yummy Gujju thali. (After a year in Gujarat such cravings are but natural)

Destination three: Head to Prince of Wales Museum

Destination four: Grab a couple of books from Asiatic library, settle down under its huge white high ceiling fans for a leisurely read.

Destination five: Meet up with the gang at Colaba Causeway. Scrounge, haggle and load myself with lots of colourful knick knacks.

Destination six: Head to Marine Drive, and watch the sun go down into the lovely Arabian sea.

Destination seven : Lovely walk to NCPA and rush in as the doors are shutting in.

Destination eight : Not just Jazz by the way , indulge in some karaoke , good food , awesome view of the starry night and the waters below.

Destination nine: Head back home by our local lifeline – Trains. We talk our heads of , finally get off wave good bye and reach home.

Sleep and happily tired, I snuggle into bed with my favourite book, soothing music and waft off into a beautiful dreamy land siesta.

Sunday – where art thou?

My favourite song...

2009-09-17T14:46:00.003+05:30

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Toothy Grin

2009-09-16T10:32:00.003+05:30

I had completely forgotten how it feels like to sit with your mouth open , jaws open and some weird machine being drilled across your molars , canines and pre molars.

Its downright uncomfortable and annoying. Its been a long long time since I last went to a dentist. So , yesterday I experienced a sense of deja vu. Uneasy and Queasy.

I can now empathise with the little uni celled amoeba thats perpetually squirming under the human pupil's microscopic gaze.

The 30 minutes on the chair felt like eternity , it felt like I was caught in a time warp.

My ordeal ended and I dashed out of the door faster than Usain Bolt and away I ran into the night with my pearly white teeth!

What's cooking?

2009-09-15T10:18:00.003+05:30

Too many cooks spoil the broth... an oft used adage.

Aeons old and wise like a good ol' bottle of wine.

Contrary to the same , we have always been taught the art of teamwork , the camaraderie of a joint venture whether it was sharing your lunch sandwich in pre school or involving everyone in a game of hide -n-seek or work much later in life.

It was and has always been about the " we " and not so much about the " I ".

But , the " I " is important. There are certain things in life that you need to do alone.

Where an external intervention will seriously mess it all up.

The road less travelled is often lonely and depressing.

Sometimes the solitude is exhilarating and divine.

I touched divinity when I saw the sun set over the brilliant gorges of the grand canynon and it took my breath away!

In the admist of scores of representatives of the human civilisation ,like a candle in the wind , I stood alone , my hands clasped in a prayer , with a song on my lips , going weak in my knees and wishing that I could hang on to that one magical moment forever and forever...

EQ vs IQ

2009-09-14T16:53:00.005+05:30

Too many cooks spoil the broth... an oft used adage. Sudden headrush...whats the more important thing?

What would qualify more as an asset?

I think for the development of the self and for general well being and longevity , it is important that a person should be emotionally very sound and balanced.

We are all leaning towards our spiritual self , an inner balance that will sort out your life for you.

Thats what we call attaining a state of nirvana , a plateau that can stir but shall not be shaken.

It is with this strong belief that I state that a person can live well with a below average IQ level , but God help you if your EQ level is not above average.

Meditate , detach , slowly but surely the inert being will stir itself from a state of inertia.

It will envelop you in a blissful hug and so engulfed shall you be , that all else will seem merely mortal and mundane.

That my friend, is the EQ equity!

Feeling Blue

2009-09-14T10:45:00.001+05:30

Nah...its not the monday morning blues for sure...I wore blue to work today...Blue is a lovely rich colour.

Turquoise blue with platinum silver is a scintillating combination that goes well with any occassion. I am not saying its the colour of the season either!

Getting back to the mental and spiritual manifestation of the hues of blues , its a movie which I saw that got me feeling really disturbed.

New York , a film by Kabir Khan starring John,Katrina and Neil. I loved the music. But the potrayal of the torture of detention as a terror suspect in the 9/11 attack was heart wrenching.

So many innocent people are in depression and suffer severe stress pangs till date.

What did they do to deserve this? Any sane human who enters the detention cell as a law abiding , nation loving citizen is bound to come out as a violent suppressed monster hungrily seeking revenge.

He has been stripped of the most fundamental right ... the right to hold his head high in society and walk on the planet as a free being. Is it asking for too much?

It got me thinking , we are in the age of kalyug , our own karma is catching up with us , we are guilty each and every one of us for creating frankensteins. Its all our own doing.

The web is getting thicker and we are getting embedded in it. Trapped. Forever.

There is no escape now. Or is there?

Parents - Indian , Kids - NRI

2009-09-10T23:21:00.001+05:30

The first thing that hit me-ABCD: American Born Confused Desi!

Its true, the poor kid has no clue-at home the parents are driving themselves crazy trying to “indianise” everything. Outside – the kids are exposed to a plethora of “firangis” with a completely “non-desi” agenda of their own!

How do these kids fit? Where do they draw the line between what is to be done and not?
What is the way forward? There are differences in every singular aspect of life-lifestyle,food,education,culture,clothes,language....the list is endless.

So who then decided for them-whats right and whats not?

Lets a take few real time examples- a recent one would be –Elesh Punjunwala-The NRI businessman from Toronto born to parents of Indian origin who travelled a million miles in order to woo Rakhi Sawant!!

Can’t get more ridiculous right? And why on earth were the parents so supportive?

Strange-perhaps because they were more than happy to see their son getting an Indian “bahu” than a “firangi” one. The lengths that human beings go sometimes to live vicariously.

As we are on the topic of Indian parents of NRI children, there is another quirk that these species possess. They are obsessed with everything Indian.

Festivals celebrated in the remotest villages of India will be celebrated with much pomp and splendour! They go ballistic over customs followed across varied religious sects of India.

They are gung-ho about Bollywood and how! Every actor and actress is taught to the NRI kids almost as feverishly as perhaps an SAT examination would be!

The kids watch all the flicks , sometimes without ever even understanding a word of what is being mouthed by our ”superstars”!

Every dance movement, every dialogue, every costume is replicated.
Bollywood dance and acting classes are a rage.

They come to India and go on this major trip showcasing ”incredible India” to the tiny tots who more often than not pretty much cant withstand the viruses and the pollution!

Now that we have got all their little craziness off our chest, lets look at the positive side of it all!

Lets admit it- NRI kids are smarter-better quality of life, better education, more worldly wise.

NRI kids are far more globalised in their outlook.

NRI kids learn the nuances of classic Indian art and traditions.

They are well versed with all our shlokas and traditions.

They are perhaps more Indian than all us “desi” bred put together.

They pretty much are conossiuers of everything Indian that they learn.

They celebrate all our festivals and spread the good word about us across the world.

So , lets put our hands together and applaud the good work. Lets appreciate the fact that they are “our ultimate brand ambassador”.

Hats off to the awesome parents who haven’t forgotten their roots and have made the world more informed of how culturally rich and diverse we Indians are.

Carry on the good work guys. Jai Ho!