Ami Gemini!

From the moment I've grown up enough to try and understand the world....I've always wondered why I am the way I am and have never come up with the right answer or explanation except one- I am a Gemini!

I have been amongst those who don't really believe in zodiac signs and astronomy, predictions and at times even the existence of God. But whenever life was turning upside down and there was no way to understand what was happening with me, I found solace in reading the behavioral traits of my zodiac sign!

Gemini- The 3rd astrological sign of the zodiac is shown by a symbol of twins!
June is the Geminian month , also happens to be my favorite month!

When I read Linda Goodman's book, I found Gemini's to be the most interesting of all the zodiac's.

For one, I have a dual personality, sometimes even more than 2. I can very well "act" to be 2 totally different types of people in the same day, back to back
- 1- a very shy, quiet, sari clad Indian woman and
2- a very extrovert, giggling , outgoing modern girl!

I'll go out for a function at 7 pm in a sari and at 10pm I'll be in some club dancing away the night!
In real I may not have been any one, at times I am true to both these characters- it all depends on the mood and the situation I suppose.

The worst outcome of being a Gemini is the fact that people find it difficult to understand and comprehend a Geminian. Especially the opposite sex. If you have a Geminian girl friend, that too one brought up with a free soul ( combined with the fact that Gemini is an air sign) you are doomed! One day she will be happy beyond measure , and there might not be even a reason for her happiness. The next day her mood is completely off, that too might be for no apparent reason!

The best thing about having a Geminian Girlfriend, they say, is that you get many for 1! You might not have an idea about how versatile a Geminian woman can be- Flirtatious, shy, traditional, modern, intellectual- she's all in one!

In my personal experience, I go along well with fellow Geminians. In general, Most Scorpions are my trusted friends- there are other zodiac signs but I don't have too much experience beyond just 1 person in each of those zodiac's who happen to be my close pals!

It takes me great difficulty to get along with Capricorn's and Libran's! ( My sister happens to be a Capricorn and it's tough on both of us to come to an agreeable platform!)

In short here's how I get along with different zodiacs:

Capricorn: Diagonally opposite to my sign. Opposites attract but this is a lethal combination! Stay out! :-)

Aquarius: Most astrology books say gemini's are perfect for Aquarius and vice-versa and I've seen this combination work for a friend of mine.... personally I've got along well with a few of them.

Pisces: We are cool!

Aries: We are cool but might need a mediator!

Taurus: The bull is fine with me as long as I don't mess with it, if I do, it sure kicks! ;-)

Gemini: My species! I understand them well, they understand me well! But when we both have the same things on our minds- disaster spells!

Cancer: Ummm.......We both want different things out of life, so it's best to keep safe distance!

Leo: I get along well with them as long as I let the lion walk the way he likes, and I've never crossed them so they are quite protective and nice to me!


Virgo: I don't understand them quite well to get too close!

Libra: They always like to keep the balance and I'm always out of balance, we can't stand on the same plane unless one of us is okay  falling off!

Scorpio: My buddies! They are quiet, listening types, understanding, good friends, very trustable! Supposed to be a very flirtatious sign but with me they are always friendly!

Sagittarius: Blunt and frank! I like these people cause they speak their minds and they never show you what they are not.




If your life is dull, boring and monotonous, go find a Gemini!
They always have something or the other on their minds!

If you want to learn more about human psychology and the working of a human brain, then I think a Geminian can just show you how difficult the task is!

I remember 1 song that can describe me best being a Gemini: And I'll end this post with it, It's a song by Nelly Furtado and it's called " I am like a bird".

You're beautiful...
That's for sure
You'll never ever fade...
You're lovely...
But it's not for sure
That I won't ever change
And though my love is rare...
Though my love is true...
I'm like a bird
I'll only fly away
I don't know where my soul is
I don't know where my home is

Your faith in me brings me to tears
Even after all these years...
And it pains me so much to tell
That you don't know me that well...

It's not that I wanna say goodbye...
It's just that every time you try...
To tell me that you love me...
Each and every single day I know...
I'm going to have to eventually give you away...

http://www.layoutchef.com/Images/Zodiac_Comments/Gemini/images/gemini.bmp

On my Birthday...

Isn't it boring to simply do the same things on your every Birthday?
The same friends and family- a few new one's here and there but overall it's the same gathering!
The same menu- chicken, pulao,fruit salad- somethings change, but overall it remains the same!
The same cake cutting ceremony, and as you grow up you don't even play games...you simply sit around and chat.....

As families grow and new members are added, every month you have a birthday to attend and it's all done in the same manner every year!
Birthday's are the most boring occasions to attend on my list now!

And I didn't want mine to be the same.

A few years back I decided I would make sure I travel on my birthday since I love travelling! And this year I decided I will spend my time the way I love it most- amidst nature!

I've often spoken about Netravali. This is some place I've been visiting for the past couple of years- whether it is for camps or just a quick get away. Being only an hours drive from Margao, Netravali is the closest destination I've found for relaxation and rejuvenation!

With a few close friends who love to trek and a few family members, we started early morning for Netravali on the 13th. Monsoons make Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary even a more beautiful place. And from the moment we started our drive, it had started raining!

Monsoon treks have an excitement of their own! Since we were trekking towards the Mainapi waterfall, the entire way is full of rocks , slippery , curvy, and full of dangerous rocks! Of course, I did not want to break a bone on my birthday but I did fall, as everyone else did!

I wished I could put up some snaps here, but my friend in the north has them all captured on his SLR and as and when I get them I'll surely put them up.

There was no lunch on this birthday, since the 6 hour trek that started at 10 am in the morning took all our time. Lunch consisted of some biscuits, chocolates, banana chips etc. The greatest form of joy came through the magnificent waterfall, the fact that we got all our privacy and we could practice diving and swimming in the deep green waters!

When I was back to the base camp- The Tanshikar house was ready with simple home made food and an Alphonso mango and loads of Ice cream!

The peace and the joy I experienced on this birthday was like none other I've ever experienced!

My apologies to all my friends and family who called on my birthday but either couldn't get through the call or I could not speak to them. Thank you for all your wishes and blessings!

But now on it's going to be a bit different... For the past several years I've had parties, lots of eating,playing, dancing and drinking and good clothes and make up! Now on it's going to be about dirtied and soiled clothes, no make up , no good food but lots and lots and lots of joy and inner peace and tranquility!

Try it....I am sure you'll like it too!

This year I turned 25!
A bit more mature, more understanding, more serious???

Naah!

This 25th Birthday I make a promise to myself, as I get older, I'll get wackier, Crazier , gutsier and braver. I will do more, live more, laugh more and feel more!

Reading "The Fountainhead!" ( Part 1)

I have been thinking of writing a post about something all these days but I haven't been able to concentrate on anything because I am reading "The Fountainhead!"

It's a big book and I've just started, but every page, every dialogue brings a storm in my thinking head!

After reading the first 100 pages I was simply awed, and asked myself, Why didn't I read this book all these years?  It looks like "The Book" I had been searching for, waiting for! 

I am still just reading it, so it will be better to say anything about it only when I finish!

But I couldn't keep away from blogging, Gosh I've missed this space and I don't like the heading " Why I killed Gandhi" all over my blog for such a long time.....it's time to move on to the next topic.....Gandhi is dead and so is Nathuram....so let's talk about happier times...or anything else...

Before I sign off, the dialogues that touched my soul:

"Don't you know that most people take most things because that's what's given to them, and they have no opinion whatever? Do you wish to be guided by what they expect you to think they think ,or by your own judgment?"



" What do you want? Perfection?"
" - or nothing. So , you see, I take the nothing!"
" That doesn't make sense."
"I take the only desire one can really permit oneself. Freedom, Alvah freedom!"
" You call that Freedom?"
" To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing!"


Awesome!
Hats off to Ayn Rand!

Why I KIlled Gandhi?

Got this amazing fwd! It is my humble request to all the readers to read this piece because it has that rare part of our history that is so important but is shunned all the time and is treated as a taboo. I've maintained the original format of the mail. WHY I KILLED GANDHI!!! NATHURAM GODSE 'S ADDRESS IN COURT* *Gandhiji Assassin: Nathuram Godse's Final Address to the Court*. Nathuram Godse was arrested immediately after he assassinated Gandhiji, based on a F. I. R. filed by Nandlal Mehta at the Tughlak Road Police station at Delhi . *The trial, which was held in camera, began on 27th May 1948 and concluded on 10th February 1949. He was sentenced to death..* An appeal to the Punjab High Court, then in session at Simla, did not find favourable and the sentence was upheld. *The statement that you are about to read is the last made by Godse before the Court on the 5th of May 1949**. * *Such was the power and eloquence of this statement that one of the judges, G. D. Khosla, later wrote, "I have, however, no doubt that had the audience of that day been constituted into a jury and entrusted with the task of deciding Godse's appeal, they would have brought a verdict of 'not Guilty' by an overwhelming majority"** * *WHY I KILLED GANDHI* "Born in a devotional Brahmin family, I instinctively came to revere Hindu religion, Hindu history, and Hindu culture. *I had, therefore, been intensely proud of Hinduism as a whole. * As I grew up I developed a tendency to free thinking unfettered by any superstitious allegiance to any isms, political or religious. *That is why I worked actively for the eradication of untouchables and the caste system based on birth alone. I openly joined RSS wing of anti-caste movements and maintained that all Hindus were of equal status as to rights, social, and religious and should be considered high or low on merit alone and not through the accident of birth in a particular caste or profession. * I used publicly to take part in organized anti-caste dinners in which thousands of Hindus, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Chamars and Bhangis participated. *We broke the caste rules and dined in the company of each other. I have read the speeches and writings of Ravana, Chanakiya, Dadabhai Naoroji, Vivekanand, Gokhale, Tilak, along with the books of ancient and modern history of India* and some prominent countries like England , France , America , and Russia . Moreover I studied the tenets of Socialism and Marxism. But above all *I studied very closely whatever Veer Savarkar and Gandhiji had written and spoken, as to my mind these two ideologies have contributed more to the molding of the thought and action of the Indian people during the last thirty years* or so, than any other single factor has done. All this reading and thinking led me to believe it was my first duty to serve Hinduism and Hindus both as a patriot and as a world citizen. *To secure the freedom and to safeguard the just interests of some thirty crores (300 million) of Hindus would automatically constitute the freedom and the well-being of all India , one fifth of human race. This conviction led me naturally to devote myself to the Hindu Sanghtanist ideology and program, which alone, I came to believe, could win and preserve the national independence of Hindustan , my Motherland, and enable her to render true service to humanity as well. * *Since the year 1920, that is, after the demise of Lokamanya Tilak, Gandhiji's influence in the Congress first increased and then became supreme *. His activities for public awakening were phenomenal in their intensity *and were reinforced by the slogan of truth and non-violence* which he paraded ostentatiously before the country. No sensible or enlightened person could object to those slogans. In fact there is nothing new or original in them. They are implicit in every constitutional public movement. But it is nothing but a mere dream if you imagine that the bulk of mankind is, or can ever become, capable of scrupulous adherence to these lofty principles in its normal life from day to day. In fact, honour, duty, and love of one's own kith and kin and country might often compel us to disregard non-violence and to use force. *I could never conceive that an armed resistance to an aggression is unjust*. I would consider it a religious and moral duty to resist and, if possible, to overpower such an enemy by use of force. *[In the Ramayana] Rama killed Ravana* in a tumultuous fight and relieved Sita.. [In the Mahabharata] , * Krishna** killed Kansa *to end his wickedness; and Arjuna had to fight and slay quite a number of his friends and relations including the revered Bhishma because the latter was on the side of the aggressor. It is my firm belief that in dubbing Rama, Krishna , and Arjuna as guilty of violence, the *Mahatma betrayed a total ignorance* of the springs of human action. *In more recent history, it was the heroic fight put up by Chhatrapati Shivaji that first checked and eventually destroyed the Muslim tyranny in India* . It was absolutely essentially for Shivaji to overpower and kill an aggressive Afzal Khan, failing which he would have lost his own life. In condemning history's *towering warriors like Shivaji, Rana Pratap and Guru Gobind Singh as misguided patriots, Gandhiji has merely exposed his self-conceit. * He was, paradoxical as it may appear a violent pacifist who brought untold calamities on the country in the name of truth and non-violence, while Rana Pratap, Shivaji, and the Guru will remain enshrined in the hearts of their countrymen for ever for the freedom they brought to them. The accumulating provocation of thirty-two years, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, at last goaded me to the conclusion that the existence of Gandhi should be brought to an end immediately. *Gandhi had done very well in South Africa to uphold the rights and well-being of the Indian community there. But when he finally returned to India he developed a subjective mentality under which he alone was to be the final judge of what was right or wrong. If the country wanted his leadership, it had to accept his infallibility; if it did not, he would stand aloof from the Congress and carry on his own way. * Against such an attitude there can be no halfway house. *Either Congress had to surrender its will to his and had to be content* with playing second fiddle to all his eccentricity, whimsicality, metaphysics and primitive vision, *or it had to carry on without him.* *He alone was the Judge of everyone and every thing*; he was the master brain guiding the civil disobedience movement; no other could know the technique of that movement. He alone knew when to begin and when to withdraw it. The movement might succeed or fail, it might bring untold disaster, and political reverses but that could make no difference to the Mahatma's infallibility. 'A Satyagrahi can never fail' was his formula for declaring his own infallibility and nobody except himself knew what a Satyagrahi is. *Thus, the Mahatma became the judge and jury in his own cause. These childish insanities and obstinacies, coupled with a most severe austerity of life, ceaseless work and lofty character made Gandhi formidable and irresistible. * Many people thought that his politics were irrational but they had either to withdraw from the Congress or place their intelligence at his feet to do with as he liked. *In a position of such absolute irresponsibility Gandhi was guilty of blunder after blunder, failure after failure, disaster after disaster. Gandhi's pro-Muslim policy is blatantly in his perverse attitude on the question of the national language of India .* It is quite obvious that Hindi has the most prior claim to be accepted as the premier language. In the beginning of his career in India , Gandhi *gave a great impetus to Hindi but as he found that the Muslims did not like it, he became a champion of what is called Hindustani.. Everybody in India knows that there is no language called Hindustani;* it has no grammar; it has no vocabulary. It is a mere dialect, it is spoken, but not written. It is a bastard tongue and cross-breed between Hindi and Urdu, and not even the Mahatma's sophistry could make it popular. But in his desire *to please the Muslims he insisted that Hindustani alone should be the national language of India .* His blind followers, of course, supported him and the so-called hybrid language began to be used. The charm and purity of the Hindi language was to be prostituted to please the Muslims. All his experiments were at the expense of the Hindus. >*From August 1946 onwards the private armies of the Muslim League began a massacre of the Hindus. The then Viceroy, Lord Wavell, though distressed at what was happening, would not use his powers under the Government of India Act of 1935 to prevent the rape, murder and arson. The Hindu blood began to flow from Bengal to Karachi with some retaliation by the Hindus. The Interim Government formed in September was sabotaged by its Muslim League member right from its inception, *but the more they became disloyal and treasonable to the government of which they were a part, the greater was Gandhi's infatuation for them.* Lord Wavell had to resign as he could not bring about a settlement and he was succeeded by Lord Mountbatten. King Log was followed by King Stork. *The Congress which had boasted of its nationalism and socialism secretly accepted Pakistan literally at the point of the bayonet and abjectly surrendered to Jinnah. India was vivisected and one-third of the Indian territory became foreign land to us from August 15, 1947.* Lord Mount batten came to be described in Congress circles as the greatest Viceroy and Governor-General this country ever had. The official date for handing over power was fixed for June 30, 1948, *but Mount batten with his ruthless surgery gave us a gift of vivisected India ten months in advance. This is what Gandhi had achieved after thirty years of undisputed dictatorship and this is what Congress party calls 'freedom' and 'peaceful transfer of power'. The Hindu-Muslim unity bubble was finally burst and a the ocratic state was established with the consent of Nehru and his crowd and they have called 'freedom won by them with sacrifice' - whose sacrifice? When top leaders of Congress, with the consent of Gandhi, divided and tore the country - which we consider a deity of worship - my mind was filled with direful anger. * One of the conditions imposed by Gandhi for his breaking of the fast unto death related to the mosques in Delhi occupied by the Hindu refugees. But when Hindus in Pakistan were subjected to violent attacks he did not so much as utter a single word to protest and censure the Pakistan Government or the Muslims concerned. Gandhi was shrewd enough to know that while undertaking a fast unto death, had he imposed for its break some condition on the Muslims in Pakistan , there would have been found hardly any Muslims who could have shown some grief if the fast had ended in his death. It was for this reason that he purposely avoided imposing any condition on the Muslims. He was fully aware of from the experience that Jinnah was not at all perturbed or influenced by his fast and the Muslim League hardly attached any value to the inner voice of Gandhi. Gandhi is being referred to as the Father of the Nation. *But if that is so, he had failed his paternal duty in as much as he has acted very treacherously to the nation by his consenting to the partitioning of it. I stoutly maintain that Gandhi has failed in his duty*. *He has proved to be the Father of Pakistan*. His inner-voice, his spiritual power and his doctrine of non-violence of which so much is made of, all crumbled before Jinnah's iron will, and proved to be powerless. Briefly speaking, I thought to myself and foresaw I shall be totally ruined, and the only thing I could expect from the people would be nothing but hatred and that I shall have lost my entire honor, even more valuable than my life, if I were to kill Gandhiji. *But at the same time I felt that the Indian politics in the absence of Gandhiji would surely be proved practical, able to retaliate, and would be powerful with armed forces. No doubt, my own future would be totally ruined, but the nation would be saved from the inroads of Pakistan . *People may even call me and dub me as devoid of any sense or foolish, but the nation would be free to follow the course founded on the reason which *I consider to be necessary for sound nation-building. * After having fully considered the question, I took the final decision in the matter, but I did not speak about it to anyone whatsoever. I took courage in both my hands and I did fire the shots at Gandhiji on 30th January 1948, on the prayer-grounds of Birla House. *I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had brought rack and ruin and destruction to millions of Hindus. There was no legal machinery by which such an offender could be brought to book and for this reason I fired those fatal shots. I bear no ill will towards anyone individually but I do say that I had no respect for* the present government owing to their policy which was unfairly favorable towards the Muslims. But at the same time I could clearly see that the policy was entirely due to the presence of Gandhi. *I have to say with great regret that Primes Minister Nehru quite forgets that his preaching's and deeds are at times at variances with each other when he talks about India as a secular state in season and out of season, because it is significant to note that Nehru has played a leading role in the establishment of the theocratic state of Pakistan,* and his job was made easier by Gandhi's persistent policy of appeasement towards the Muslims. I now stand before the court to accept the full share of my responsibility for what I have done and the judge would, of course, pass against me such orders of sentence as may be considered proper. *But I would like to add that I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me, nor do I wish that anyone else should beg for mercy on my behalf. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism leveled against it on all sides. I have no doubt that honest writers of history will weighs my act and find the true value thereof some day in future.* ? NOW YOU DECIDE HOW HISTORY SHOULD JUDGE ME? JAI HIND

The Story of the BIG LIFE MALL!

( Please Note: This article is open for interpretation. Please let me know your views by posting your comments. )

This is the first time I am visiting this mall! And it is huge, beautiful with interesting decorations hanging from a ceiling so high, you can hardly see from where they come! The entire mall is bright , and its walls and panels are shiny white! It looks so clean, so neat , so pure!

It has these huge gates of gold. The combination of white and gold glitters everywhere in every form of this mall's existence! It's decorations, theme and even it's executives are dressed in white fabric and gold!

I approach the huge gates and a security guard checks me with a metal detector.

" Good Morning! Welcome to the " Big Life Mall ". In order to enter , you would have to choose a costume which will be your identity for the rest of your time in this mall. It helps us track you down, to help you whenever you need us. The "Previledge costumes" come with " Previledge Service" , such as we entertain help calls from "Previledge costumes" 1st before any other! These costumes are costlier , designed with the best material - so they are beautiful ( laughs) that goes without saying but they are delicate, but they can adapt to different situations faster!"

" What about the other Costumes?"

" We also have the "Dominating Costumes" , they help you move around faster, they are stronger and are made with comparitively more rough material, they have lesser functions in comparison to Previledge Costumes and cost less."

" And what else do you have?"

" Other all Costumes come under the category of " Risk Costumes"!

" Risk Costumes? That's kind of a scary name! What's up with these Costumes?"

"Hmm..... They combine the qualities of Previledge Costumes and Dominating Costumes in smaller or bigger quantities.......So no 2 costumes in this category are same. Some are strong and Beautiful at the same time , others are fast and have many other functions which are left to the imagination of the wearer of such costumes. We call it the Risk Costume because not all our customers have liked them so far, many of them complain far too much , others leave our Mall sooner because they find these Costumes very uncomfortable! So we don't usually recommend them."

" Why don't you take it off from the mall then?"

" There's a very small number of customers who specifically ask for these Costumes.....!"

" Ohh I see!"

" So which Costume would you like?"

" I would like to have a look, Can I?"

" Yes sure! But you would have to swipe your card for us to read how much Balance you have before you enter. since we don't let people with low balance enter the previledge section! "


So I swipe my card, I have the required balance and I enter the Risk section first. This section is definately meant for those with different tastes, the style of this costume is difficult to understand. I lose interest within a few minutes of entering this section . As they say only people with a developed taste can appreciate an art! This section is no less than a museum to my eyes!

So I go on to the next level, that is the " Dominating Costumes" section. These Costumes have lots of takers it seems, there's a general rush and at the end of this section there's a huge cue to enter the previledge section. Some are fighting because they've been barred from entering due to their low Balance. I quickly join the line , and get past the check post into what truly seems the continuation of the mall- The Previledge section! It has long flowing, soft flowery costumes! It has mild gentle fruity smell all around the place! Why would someone not choose these costumes? I go through each one of them carefully and stop before a medium length light pink Costume! It is very soft to touch, and has a very attractive smell and look! While I am just about to pick it up, someone says in my ear-
" Careful!"
I turn back to see another Previledge customer!
" Excuse me?"
" The more delicate a Costume, more difficult is its handling!"
" But it's so beautiful! I cannot resist trying it on!"
" Haven't you been told? You can't try out costumes here. You choose one- take as much time as you like, but once you wear it- it fits you anyway, and then you have to carry it- whether you like it or not!"

" I don't see why I wouldn't like it!"
" This is my 2nd time in this mall and the 1st time too I picked up something as beautiful as this one, of course as the time is passing, they are truly coming with more beautiful pieces! But.........
I had the most beautiful costume in the whole mall.......it felt great!"

I was looking at 'the one', and could truly feel the description - I was lost in my own dreams, how good I would look with this costume? Ohh everyone would be so jealous of me!

" But then the reality started sinking in on me. I was pulled and pushed all the time by those who wear the Dominating Costume......I don't know what is wrong with them? It's either that they wanted the previledge costume that they couldn't have or that they want to show how good their costume is!! huh! As if I care!"

The One looked at the Pink costume again!

" Ohh It was a pain handling this costly delicate thing. It would tear and hurt all the time, someone or the other would always push or dash on me- they all are so fast, but these are so slow!!"

The One looked with a firm gaze at me!

" It's a deception, you see? The name Previledge is a deception you get lost into. It tests our selfish nature and greediness. None of us want to settle down for anything less. We want the best- we want all the Previledge! and so we have to pay the price!"

" But if I do have the required balance to pay for it, why not?"

" My dear , I am not talking about affording this Costume! Affording this costume is the easiest part of this story, the reality seeps in only when you enter the mall!"

" Why? Isn't the mall as beautiful as this?"

" Now that's another huge deception!" the One laughs!

I am confused, " Why ? What's wrong with the mall?"

" I wouldn't spoil the mystery. You are here for the first time. Take it all with a pinch of salt......It's nice , it's fun , it has lots of beauty in it! But most of us are so used to all goodness that we can not appreciate the beauty of negative emotions as well!"

" Err...What? Negative what?"

" Exactly....remember 1 thing, this is going to be the best journey you've ever had. And whether you like it or not, at the end of it you would definately recommend this mall to anybody who asks you! That's the spice in this mall that you would find nowhere else!"

The One winks at me and leaves..



And the rest as they say is history!

I chose the costume I am in today!

In different sections of the mall, they call each costume by a different name but nobody calls them as - Previledge, Dominating and Risky ( these are hard to spot- strangely! Becasue they were the most prominent in their wardrobes! Life's funny!)

As The One had said, I encountered Dominating One's trying to push me around....but what the One had not told me is that some Dominating one's can compliment me, they've been extremely generous in offering me their support which has made my time in the mall not just easy but lots more fun!

The idea, it seems, is to have the best time one possibly can , while you are in this mall! To see as much as you can, to experience as much as you can- and to connect to as many customers and learn from them! Because One Costume is not enough to get the whole experience of the BIG LIFE MALL!

Those old school days...

I inherited all my school textbooks from Di.
Di's books were an example of how a book could be used and still looked as if it hadn't been used!

I was and am totally against this mentality! I love to leave behind my mark - ("Yes! I have read this text!") on books and benches ( not on tourist places!) .

Since I was least interested in what went on in class, I would put my heart and soul into decorating my textbooks! My favorites were language books- hindi, English etc. Because they had stories and pictures of human beings whom I could turn into demons by drawing two horns and a long tongue! And 1 subject I hated to study but on whose textbook I spent maximum time was Sanskrit! Sanskrit textbooks were filled with drawings of Kings and Queens, and I not only turned them into demons but also put thought bubbles in front of their mouths and filled it with funny dialogues!

I sat on the very 1st bench, right below the teacher's nose. Another of my classroom time pass was to give to the teacher whatever she required before anybody else could! I really don't understand today, what was the whole excitement about? But there were some others like me who gave me competition , so yes, that activity must have been interesting! In that event of being the first to give, we would fall- sometimes at the teacher's feet and hit each other to be the first and often get back on the bench with taunts from the teacher like - " I wished you had fought that hard for marks!"

So once our Sanskrit teacher asked for the textbook and "Jhataak" I gave it in her hands! And then it occurred to me that other than textbooks, I could give anybody anything! She opened the book and went through the pages, closed it and looked at the cover-

" Is this your textbook Janaki? What is this?"

Err...... Textbook it was, with my creativity all over the pages!

The teacher couldn't stop at that. She could not read that text book - fine, throw it back at me, you don't need to lecture me in front of the class, especially with those silly boys giggling behind!

"How old are you now? This is what is expected out of a 14 year old girl?"

- I never understand such dialogues- what do you mean by "this is not expected out of a so and so year old boy or girl?" Oh come on, what we do is all human...not that I am the first girl in the world to do that!
But when it was my turn to teach- I said the exact same dialogues to confused teenagers!

" Get out of the class and erase all that right now!"

ERASE?? Erase what? I wanted to tell her, the kings are no more kings- they are demons! Either they will live on my text as demons or nothing!

But I was put to the task right away!

My poor little frail textbook!


First, it was 3 years old ( my sister's) ,
secondly I had mishandled it,
Thirdly I drew all my pictures with 4B or 2B pencils, and had carved out my drawings so deeply that the original picture could hardly be seen!

I did not know how to start, from where to start! Finally I decided it would be the horns! The first stroke of the eraser and the page got torn!

Chalo , ho gaya kaam!

Thankfully the school bell rang and I was out of the school building even before the teacher came out of the class.

Unfortunately now, in my text , there are no pictures, no humans , no animals! It's just boring alphabets! All I can do is mark important sections with glitter pens and markers for some fun- but that's it!

For all this and so much more, I miss those old school days.....

Rebellious!! Who me??

One thing that almost all of us want to stay far away from is any kind of controversy!

And those who make controversies now a days are more of cheap attention hungry people!

We don't agree with many things that are happening around us, but we rather not questions the set norms than to attract the wrath of the society!

I say being Rebellious is good!

Rebellion which is done for a positive act is most needed in a society.

We need to stay away from the rebellion which is only done for the name sake!

Unfortunately what is happening is quite the opposite, people who should have shut their mouths are most vocal- there are many examples- Rakhi Sawant is the biggest Rebellious attention seeking woman I've seen on Indian television, closely followed by Mallika Sheravat ( who's not much heard of now a days) and the most rebellious woman of India- Shobha De!

Nothing or very little positive effect has ever come out of such people's actions- but they dare to be different, make their statements and hog our attention!

Are we getting used to such cheap useless rebels?
Are we really a thinking society? Do we have a higher awareness that we boast of?

Who was the last positive Rebellious person?
Who dared to speak the truth and stand up for what he/ she believed in??

Are rebellious people only found in history?

Aren't there enough reasons to start a rebellion anymore?

"Am I rebellious?
Would I like to change things?"

Rebellious!!
Who me??

Rare Specimen!

Here's something we don't hear a Brit say!

Remember Me !

I saw the trailer of the film when I was watching Iron Man 2!

Iron Man , is like any other action Hollywood film!
It's like a mutual fund- there's no risk, you know you will at least be entertained by their special effects if not anything else!

Other categories such as this one "Remember Me", which is a drama, is a bit risky....especially for the Indian audience, because we might or might not understand their sensibilities!

Now, the trailer of the film doesn't really tell you anything except for the fact that the film has - OO La la - Robert Pattinson in the lead role and Peirce Brosnan playing his father!

So I blindly knew I wanted to watch this film!

This is a refreshing take on 9/11!

I loved the screenplay and the gentle flow of the film, the treatment- and especially the ending!

I don't have anything to complain about it, because I went in with no expectations!
Don't want to say too much about the story, because movies are an experience and this one was really nice! It made me laugh, it made me sigh, it made me cry- it touched me deeply, I can't really explain why!

If you are amongst those who only like action films- this film is probably not meant for you!
Most of my friends liked this film, So I can safely say it has a general appeal!

My Rating : ****/ 4 Star

My Rating Might be slightly on the higher side...but it's definitely above 3 and a half stars ( I don't know how the professional critics have judged it).


My Fav. Quote in this film:

"Gandhi said that whatever you do in life will be insignificant. But it's very important that you do it."

You understand the meaning of this only when you watch the film,

So Please, Do watch it!

The Day We Met!

It's the first rains of 2010......And I have been working till late in the office. It's 9 pm, the Bus stop is crowded with people stranded due to the unexpected showers! Lightning and strong winds are making it impossible to keep myself dry!

I only wish to get into the last volvo to take me home! I spot my bus, and walk towards it as fast as I can and suddenly 'she' came in my way.......... " Shyam, Where had you been? I've been searching you everywhere on the Bus stand! How can you be so careless Shyam? I was so shit worried.....and look at me now, I am fully drenched!"

(I have been looking at her from the first second she appeared in front of me from nowhere! There's not a dearth of doubt in my mind that this is the first time I am looking at this girl! Because girls as beautiful as her don't cross your eyesight often, and definitely don't come to you and talk! I am lost for words.......She's fair, blue eyed and is wearing a full sleeve white churidaar that is clinging to her perfectly sculpted body! Is she an angel? )

" Now give me that jacket, fast!People are looking at me! .....Will you hurry up mister?"

I look around, the men around me are looking with complete disbelief! They must be wondering, "What a fool! He's got this beauty with him and he doesn't even know how to take care of her!! What a waste!"

I start to remove my jacket and suddenly I am reminded of the fact that I am not Shyam after all! I nevertheless hand over the jacket to her!

" Madam, I am not Shyam!"
"And Mister, I am not Nisha! Now lets go!" She gives me a naughty smile and holds my hand and pulls me in the opposite direction from my bus!

" Then, who are you?"

We stop!
People are looking at us now.... She looks at me with disbelief, then looks around at people!
" Shyam, Baby, it's 9.30 pm....it's getting late!"

" Okay enough! You are pretty and all that, but Miss , I am not your Shyam! You are clearly mistaken okay?"

" I don't like this prank!"

" Nor do I like yours!"

We stand in the middle of the platform looking at each other. I hate to do this to her, Damn! She is attractive! And now I see her eyes shining with little tears.....

" Okay, Look Miss...I can drop you where you want to go. Are you lost? You don't need to worry. There's a police station down this road, I'll come with you if you want!"

" Oh yeah? You come home and I'll show you who's lost!"

(She's clearly angry, but I seriously don't know how to react to this situation! How would you react huh? The most beautiful girl you've seen in your life is standing in front of you, but she thinks you are someone else!.........Clearly something's wrong here! ......Clearly she's out of her mind........Out of her mind..........Is she mad?? Beautiful girls always have some problem- maybe this is hers! Oh God! What to do now? )

"And where is it you stay? Tell me?"
( How can I tell a mad girl where I stay?)

" I stay in IndiraNagar!"
( I lie!)

" Is it? "
(She is thinking...........probably about how to prove her point!)

" Then let me see your identity card! Everything will be clear to you!"
( I can't show her my ID card!)

" I cant show you my ID card! No way!"

"Why not?"

" So that you come and follow me?"

She sighs!

" Your name is Shyam Patel! You work for Accenture as a senior Developer! You are 28 years old, and I knew you were a little crazy , but didn't know you were completely off your hook! And in case you are wondering who I am? I am Nisha Patel, your wife!"

Our conversation has by now become a public entertainment forum for passerby's! There's a crowd gathering around us, and clearly people seem to believe her more than me!

"And now to bring the show to an end, please take out your ID, and show it to the public!"

(I don't believe the conviction of this girl! I mean wohh! Is this Bakra day or what? )

"Shyam, No sorry, whoever you are, take out your ID and show it.....not to me, if you don't want to, but to the expecting crowd at least!"

(Why should I ? Who the hell is she to force me to show my ID card to the world? The best thing right now ........................is to turn away and run!)

Run, Run...................I start running for my life, as fast as I can!

"Oh my god Shyam........stop..............stop him!"

The crowd is all by her side......I am trying as hard as possible to break free from their clutches , but it's too many against one! Somebody is forcing open my bag, "Let us see your Id" they say!

" Don't....don't mishandle him! Are you okay Shyam? What's wrong with you?"
( She is looking at me with a worried expression, and I see tears rolling down!)

" Shyam Patel.......That's him...she's right! What an idiot!" The people mumble under the breath, and let go of me.

I sit on the wet platform, unable to believe what happened in the past half an hour. My life was completely fine until she came in......My life......in ................in.........what city is this? Wait.....where was I going? My home is in.........wait......my house is located ........

"Shyam........Shyam....look at me dear!"

"You don't touch me! You've messed my life here! What had I done to you? Why did you do this to me?"

I reach out for the ID which is in her hands, and have a look- Shyam Patel, that's my photograph there! Unbelievable!

I look up at her slowly......" What's happening to me Nisha? Help me, please help me I don't remember anything!" She comes and hugs me, as I shudder with disbelief..... "Everything will be alright Shyam, I am here for you! Let's go home....everything will be fine!"

As I get up, things are getting worse, it's as if my mind is shutting down......My eyes are seeing a world completely new to me...and my brain is not taking in the information the senses are giving it! I cling to her, with her I feel safe....like how the child holds on to his mother............


That was a strange Rainy Day, and it completely changed my life! It's amazing how a stranger co incidentally comes in your life and shows you who you really are!

I am under treatment now.....And she's the one taking care of me.....she asks me every day, "Shyam, do you remember the day we met for the first time? That was a very special day!"

"Yes!" I tell her!

" On the platform on the rainy day!"

And she just puts down her head and cries.......always, she cries!

If I were....

Came across a blog ''A Whimsical Bohemian" , and I found a very interesting post!

I am filling up my details, I would love to read your answers too!

If I were a Month, I would be June ;

If I were a Day, I would be Wednesday ;

If I were a time of the day, I would be Dusk ;

If I were a Direction, I would be West ;

If I were an Element, I would be Mercury ;

If I were a Liquid, I would be Water ;

If I were a gemstone, I would be a Diamond ;

If I were a Tree, I would be a Mango Tree ;

If I were a Bird, I would be an Eagle ;

If I were a tool, I would be a swiss knife ;

If I were a pair of shoes, I would be a pair of floaters ;

If I were a color, I would be Yellow ;

If I were an emotion, I would be Happy ;

If I were a Fruit, I would be An Apple ;

If I were a Sound, I would be Laughter ;

If I were a car, I would be A SUV ;

If I were a Food, I would be A Salad ;

If I were a Taste, I would be Sweet ;

If I were a place, I would be an Island ;

If I were a Material, I would be Lycra ;

If I were a Body Part, I would be the soul ;

If I were Music, I would be Instrumental ;

If I were a Dance, I would be Contemporary ;

If I were an Animal, I would be a Monkey ;

If I were a gift , I would be anything Hand Made ;

If I were an Element Of Earth, I would be the Air ;

If I were a Historical Figure, I would be Jhansi Ki Raani ( :-) ;

If I were A Famous Actor, I would be Meg Ryan ;

If I were a Book, I would be Anne Frank's Diary ;

If I were a Poem, I would be " Even This Shall Pass Away" ;

If I were a Room of the House, I would be The Study Room .

What would you be, If you were....... ??

Anything different than what is listed that describes you better?

Let me know :-)


Here's some more I picked from Sharvani

If I were a smell, I would be the smell of fresh Cucumber ( closely followed by the smell of earth after the first rains) ;-) ;
If I were a Dessert, I'd be a Roshogulla,
If I were a Clothing, I would be an Elegant cotton- pastel shade saaree;
If I were a Gadget, I'd be a Camera;

Some More from me:

If I were a film, I would be " Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi";
If I were a game, I would be "Monopoly";
And,
If I were some other common person other than me,








Naah!
I always want to be me! :-)

Just when it's time to study...

There seems to be a close connection between studies and creative thinking!
There also seems to be a close connection between studies and important events and experiences!

For every time I sit down to study, I get so many wonderful ideas to write a story, or blog about something interesting, or any hobby I should cultivate. Rest of the time, when I really have nothing to do- my brain is switched off!

My exams are a month away, I know nothing about accounts or taxation which I should know in order to pass, I open the book and look in, and "Bam" - some characters, some stories float away in my mind that I just cannot ignore! That too comparing it to those boring taxes?? No way!

And I always wish, " I should have started studying earlier, I could have got even more stories!"

But you cannot fool yourself! The urgency, and tension seems to be the cause of all the creative thinking! And it will never come if I study 3 months in advance!

I can understand this connection , but what about all the unwanted drama happening in my life right at the time of exams?

1. My close girl friend breaks up with her boy friend a week before my exams!
2. I get a call to join a company which is listed as my "Dream Job" , just 5 days before the exams!
3. Some XYZ group announces its trekking expedition in Leh Ladakh for 15 days , only for Rs.15 K a week before I answer!
4. I have a major fight with someone close and important!

All this and so much like this which sends my mind into a toss! How can I not day dream and in stead concentrate in those boring studies??

But studies seems to be the reason for all the excitement and ideas! Both - creative thinking and studies seem to be inter dependent in order to function well!

I don't know for how long I can keep studying....in order to be creative!
But WTH? There's so much in life that I can never run out of topics to study!

Ooty In Pictures!

Am not much of a photographer, I wonder what pictures one could click in a location like Ooty if he has the right skill and the right camera, because the possibilities are many!

I had visited Ooty as a child, and this was my 2nd visit after more than a decade, and what I saw of it completely broke my heart!

Ooty or Udagamandalam, has beautiful weather and is rich in natural beauty! It is one of those places God makes with great care........unfortunately, our Indian brethren has not respected this god's creation!






I saw these boards at every place I visited! Does our Government think that putting up such warning Boards excuse them of their responsibility to clean up the area in a country like India, where more than half of its population cannot read and write in their own native language and especially in a state like Tamil Nadu where people don't understand English??














This is supposed to be a pine forest! Look at the plastic thrown around. Those Boards were put up in the left side of the road, you turn right and you see this!
























This is the same Pine Forest! And people sell all sort of things wrapped in plastic!

















Dustbins of International Standards ! It's open from underneath! No wonder nobody threw any waste inside. Why bother when the strong winds will blow out everything within seconds??















Tibetan Market packed with people!

Summer being a season, Ooty is packed with Indian tourists! If you are amongst those who hate crowds and pollution- do not visit Ooty during summers, I don't know what it's status is during other seasons!

The main town is filthy with gutter water flowing everywhere! We Indians just don't deserve anything beautiful!! We have absolutely no civic sense, we care about nothing other than our great Traditions, that teach us to do Honour Killings!!


I wonder, are we Humans or Vultures killing and destroying our own species??

Anyway, on a lighter note, Udagamandalam is still a very beautiful place. Just stay away from the crowds and the main city, and go trekking in the woods- you'll find peace immediately! The local people are very friendly and accommodating!



These young fellas helped me find my trail while trekking in the woods!














Lovely location for a dream house!












A formation at a lake in summers when the water level drops!













A View from my Hotel Window!























It is frustrating to see a place as beautiful as Ooty dying a slow death just like many other places in India. How come we Indians act so carelessly in our motherland and the same "us" when we go abroad, are at the best of our civility?


How many more decades till we see a change in this careless Indian attitude?

Etiquette Of Eating A Mankurad Amo!

You don't just buy one, you have to earn one!!


Okay, I stole that line from Cadbury Bournville Ad! But that's the best way to convey my sentiments about the Mankurad Amo! Now for the non Goan folks, "Amo" means a Mango, and "Mankurad" is the Goan variety or specialty!

They call the Mango the king of fruits, then Mankurad is the king of Mangoes! ( I know each Mango growing state will want to debate that with the best they have, only because they haven't yet tasted the Mankurad!!.......I bet you try one and then debate on this issue, no one can eat just one!! ( Okay, I stole this tag line too..... :-) )

From what I've heard, Mankurad was originally grown in Portugal, and a sapling was transported to their colony in Goa, and today Goa is the only state in the whole wide world to grow this species of Mangoes! Even Portugal doesn't have it anymore. ( Anyone else who knows any other story , you are welcome to share it!)

Mancurado or Malcurado means "poor color".... I don't know who the hell named this species to mean that! I read some Goan lady say, "How can a mango, which when eaten, transports one straight to heaven, be called malcurado which means poor colour ?"....so true!!!

Anyway, if you anytime are honored with this mango, then there are ways or etiquette to eat it! You don't just pick one and eat it!!

First you pick it up and smell it!

No ! Wait! First, you smile......before picking up the Mankurad , you smile.........though that is very natural to all Goans , others have to strictly do it to please the very Mankurad that you are going to eat! ( In my case I simply hop and jump around, especially now that I stay in Bengaluru and I don't get to eat a Mankurad everyday!! )

Step 2: You cut it into neat slices! Remember not to smudge or disturb the pulp!

Step 3: You smell it one's again!

You see, Mankurad is to be eaten at leisure, for that you need to give lots of time, it's not something you gulp down to just finish the task!!

You take small bites, and chew it slowly .......preferably close your eyes while you eat it!

Only after you are done with the slices can you go for the main seed! And you have to eat the seed till the color turns from yellow to white!! Waste nothing my friend!! Waste Nothing!!

You cannot plant the seed after you are done with it and expect it to bear you a Mankurad! You need a graft of Mankurad if you want to grow one, and you need to be in Goa to grow one!

This season, if any of your Goan friends are visiting home, the only thing to ask them to get back when they come is a Mankurad Amo! Each Mankurad should be carefully wrapped in a paper and then all of them put together in a bag....

Well! I hope you follow the rules when you get to eat the Mankurad! If I was in Goa, I would have said all are welcome to come home and have one, but here I treasure each Mankurad that I get!! So sorry, no invitations here! ( This can be another etiquette! You may not want to share a Mankurad, and it's perfectly understood!)

Scary Movie??? Phoonk 2 Experience!

Yesterday night me and my friends finally agreed to go and watch a scary movie. Last month "Click" was released and though we spoke about it, we didn't make it to the theaters. Another reason being most of us had watched the original film " Shutter" from which "Click" is supposedly copied!

"Phoonk 2" was on my mind for quite some time! I knew before watching the film that it's not going to be great......nevertheless it's been too long since I watched a scary movie on a big screen. And all I ever want to do is to get that thrill, to get scared and scream! ( I love to scream!!) The last I watched was 'Darna Mana Hai', and before that I'd watched 'Bhoot'- which was a good film.

I don't know what the makers of this film were thinking when they made this film...... rather, did they think at all before or while making the film?

All that the film offers you are sound effects- big, scary and disturbing one's- at unwanted places....It looks like the guy responsible for putting the sound effects put all that he had in 1 go! ( May be he too was bored of watching the film so he just randomly picked up scenes and put the effects!) The end result is that there's no connection between the video and the audio! Someone's going to sleep and there's a sudden loud scary sound effect!! The visual does nothing to compliment the sound effects!

while you wait patiently and expectantly for something to happen , the night falls...... and........and..........suddenly it's a day! ( tai tai fish!)

I don't understand...in fact I am quite sure nobody understood the flow of the film! There's no progression in the storyline.....no connection between 1 scene to the next. Throughout, it's the same mood! From the 1st scene to the last scene , the film maker tries to scare you and finally succeeds at nothing!

Is it that the film maker was scared to scare the audience? I couldn't understand!

Anyway, I had a good time trying to scare friends who are too scared to watch a scary movie, and the rest of the times commenting on the film.......and a few rare times, screaming... ( Though my sound effects did compliment the film- at least I screamed at the right places!)

Please don't waste your time and money on this film! However if you simply want to hang out with your friends, comment and have a good laugh- then please go!

This film can bond you to your friends , will sharpen your wit and your tongue, can give you lots of opportunities to laugh out loud, will disgust you!! But what it won't do - is scare you!!

A big Cheers to Indian Scary movies......they are in a class of it's own! A genre you can't call thrillers, scary films, comedy ....for that matter nothing!

Rating: Sorry, What was it I watched yesterday??

LOL

The Changing face of Indian Television!

Rishta.Com

This is a new hindi serial on sony Tv .It aired it's first episode on 3rd Jan 2010.

The very 1st look will tell you that it's a different serial!

I've never been a regular viewer so I don't catch any of their shows, but I did in my free time watch a few episodes on youtube and found it very entertaining!

It's anytime better than those totally senseless melodramatic saas bahu serials!

The Plot:

It is the story of two contrasting individuals namely Isha and Rahul who open a matrimonial agency. But while accomplishing the most challenging job, they encounter extreme cases, and illogical requests of their clients.

It is a Yash Raj Production and is an extremely innovative and fresh concept!

Rishta.com Timings:

Monday: 1.30 pm

Tuesday: 9am

Wednesday 11pm

As you notice, the timings of this show are so awkward that it's not been able to catch its target audience- which is obviously young, modern and urban class! So the TRP's are supposedly very low and the producers are thinking of taking it off the air!

So some people are trying to save the show by starting an online petition called Save Rishta.Com Petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/Rcom4evr/petition.html!( Sign it if you want more sensible shows to come to Indian Television- I did!)

What more? It's been written and directed by Rishabh Seth, who is the younger brother of the main female cast- Shruti Seth!( Who's standing in that photograph there!)

So try to catch an episode, such shows are definitely welcome as they will hopefully change the face of Indian Television for the better!

About: Interesting blogs !

Over the last couple of months I've been writing less and reading more of what other bloggers are writing!

And here's a list of blogs I thoroughly enjoy reading: And I recommend you to try them out!

( Most of them are links Mr Kiran Rao puts as update messages! So thanks to him for that!)

1. http://neoindian.org/

2. http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/

3. http://thetimepassofindia.blogspot.com/

4. http://poomanam.blogspot.com/

5. http://www.hopehorizons.in/

6. http://therestlessquill.blogspot.com

7. http://www.chronicwriter.com/ ( Funny)

8. http://spicyipindia.blogspot.com/ ( Legal writing)

9. http://di-space.blogspot.com/ ( My sister's blog! Writes rarely, but writes very well!)

10. http://deadlykali.blogspot.com/

11. http://harryjerry.com/

12. http://chandni.wordpress.com/blog/

Any blogs you have come across that's worth a read, then please leave the link in the comments section!

Enjoy Madi!

No place like home!

This time when I visited Goa, I learnt more about her beauty then I ever had before!!

I'd always hated Goan summers because they are hot and humid and sweaty! But at least the sweat protects your skin and keeps the body cool- it doesn't burn like here in Bengaluru!

No restaurants or cooks in Bengaluru can ever match up to my mum's food! I'd almost lost my appetite in the last week before I left for Goa! And all I could dream of at nights were the simple "bhaji's" and "toys" ( It's a variety of daal tadka. Not pronounced as 'toy' meaning a child's toy...it's pronounced....well! Forget it! There are so many words in Indian languages that English can never help in pronunciation- this is one of them! )

The calmness and peace that surrounds Goa is refreshing! And I just trekked in the evergreen forests of Netravali and had a dip in one of its several cool waterfalls- That my friends, is a heavenly experience!!

Goa , to me, is To hear the songs of birds every morning when I wake up!
And to see the happiness in the eyes of my pets when they see me!

Goa is walking any street and meeting people you know ( and occasionally having to face a comment or two!)

It's the freedom to take the bike or the car anywhere I like, without having to worry about the time and the place!

And speeding- yes! Goa is the place ( especially at nights) to speed your vehicle!

Goa- is everything you ever need!

The only problem area is lack of opportunities , especially career wise!
Another major problem is dirty politics which will eventually kill this beautiful state!
And at  last, an orthodox society which vehemently refuses to grow up and walk with the times!

The first rains in Bengaluru

It's my first "Rains" in Bengaluru!


Yesterday late evening I went to drop my  brother on the bus stand along with my sister. It was around 8.30 pm and we both ( me and my sis) were still stuck on the bus stand , waiting for a volvo to take us back home. It was already windy by then! And within a few minutes it started raining!

My first reaction to every first rain is to go out and drench myself in it! I hate to hide myself when it rains.....that too for silly reasons like "my dress will get wet!" (It gets wet when you wash it anyway!)

But I didn't run out in the rains this time,
First:  It was late and my sis had already got hyper about not getting a Volvo to go back home! I can imagine what would happen if I had drenched myself.......
a. she would catch me by my ear and hit me with the only frail umbrella that we were carrying!
b. Swear that she wouldn't allow me to step inside 'her' home!
c. Pack my bags and send me back to Goa, probably by the same bus that my bro was traveling!

Since I didn't want to be beaten up in the middle of a major bus stand, nor wanted to take the risk of having to sleep outside in the rains nor did I want to go back to Goa- So I resisted stepping out, and enjoyed the showers by only passing under it in the pretext of checking out the buses!

The reason I love rains so much is probably because I was born on a rainy day! I remember each and every birthday of mine used to be so wet! For Every birthday party, I would tell my friends to carry 2 pairs of clothes! The first party wear for the cake cutting ceremony ( till their parents dropped them at my place and left!) and second ( rainy wear!) .

One of our major games used to be "Adventures under the Tunnel!" . We have an old Portuguese house in Goa, and a big tunnel ( for water drainage) runs under the front yard of our house! This tunnel carries the water from the Mont Hill, which is situated at the back of our house or rather my house is at the foot hills of the Mont!

By the time I was celebrating my birthday by mid June , the tunnel used to be filled with water and even tiny fishes! Me and my friends loved splashing in this water or simply trekking through the tunnel from our house to the Mont! There used to be many challenges while we trekked in there- big frogs- And by big I mean really biiiig! The goal of the game was to trek till the Mont- so we had to overcome every difficulty in the way!

Water varied in its depths at some points - so many friends would even take a full dip! There were stories about water snakes being there in the tunnels too........though personally I never saw one, at every game, somebody would scream on top of their voices " Snaaaakkkke!"  and everybody would run for their lives!

In the rush that would follow, some tried to climb up the wet slippery wall, some others lost their footwear- and they had to run downhill trying to catch their floating chappals, some others like me who knew very well there was no snake would take that opportunity to simply push people around and make them nervous!

After we all had screamed and got wet till our heart's desire we would return home to eat and dress up!

Even now when I see the tunnel filled with water, I've the desire to jump in and splash the water- but I miss my childish friends! Now everyone cares too much about their age and what people would say.........Personally, I don't think we are ever too old to play any kind of games as long as it can entertain us! Not that me and my friends have lost our fear of frogs and snakes!

As I grew up, there was only another girl who thought like me and didn't mind going wild in rains- Sharvani! For the last couple of years, every time it rains heavily, we take our bike and wear no rainy gear and go out for a long ride! There's no fun driving a car in the rains- the bike- any kind - is all you need!


"Rains" remind me of the film "Bombay" cause it starts in the rains and the love story looks more beautiful set in rains!
"Rains" also remind me of the film "Taal".
"Rains" remind me of the monsoon treks! Forests are the most exciting places to be in during rains! The greenery, the sound of small water falls , the happy birds chirping fills the atmosphere with so much freshness!  The rain drops falling on big and small leaves have their own rhythm.......all you need to do is sit quietly on a rock,  and listen and feel the monsoons!

Here in Bengaluru I miss a friend like sharvani who would just be ready for any wild activities in a matter of seconds! I miss my bike! And I miss trekking in the wild!

I've heard Karnataka has some of the best outdoors and I can't wait to explore them this monsoons!

Anybody game for some wild activities this monsoons?

On This Woman's Day

I realise, it is not only about expecting the male species to respect the woman kind and treat them well.................It is also up to each one of us- a woman, to respect what we are~!

Not to expect us to be understood and treated well by someone else outside of us, but to look within and like and understand the god's creation that we are!

Where Is The Indian?

An Incident happened today in the bus.

I just got in and took a seat, was listening to music and as always was in my own world.

The TC/conductor was collecting the money, I couldnt see him because I was on the 1st seat. So when my stop neared, I gave the money for the ticket! The TC probably thought I ignored him all this while...( in any case, why should I be paying attention to him?? But whatever...) , he refused to take the money, instead he gave me a lecture on how we North Indians think too smart of ourselves and we, the North Indians take the South Indians for granted and now a days how hoards of us are settling down in Bengaluru and spoiling the city's culture! All in all, I feel he just missed one dialogue- I was expecting him to say, " We should also have our own Shiv sena here who takes care of people like you!"

I only smiled in return and waited for my stop!

Just before getting down, I went to him and disclosed my real identity, " I am not a North Indian!"

" Then? A South Indian?", He looked shocked and worried!

" No. I am only an Indian!"

It's not his fault........now that I am not a localite, I realize how my fellow countrymen treat our own people!

When I've got angry at non Goans , I've definitely called them "Ghatis"!

We all love to divide and rule, don't we?

We Goans feel there is something different about us, some sort of class which these South Indians lack!

South Indians think we Goans only know to show our skin and get drunk!

North Indians pride themselves on their color and build!

I don't really know where I belong?

Map wise , I am a west Indian, then there are east Indians, and are people from the islands- island Indians?

Where is the Indian??

An American visited India and went back to America
Where he met his Indian friend who asked him
How did u find my Country
The American said it is a great country
With solid ancient history
And immensely rich with natural resources.
The Indian friend then asked.
How did u find Indians??

Indians??
Who Indians??
I didn't find or met a single Indian there in India.

What nonsense??
Who else could u met in India then??
The American said..
In Kashmir I met a Kashmiri
In Punjab a Panjabi
In Bihar, Maharastra, Rajasthan, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Bihari, Marathi, Marwadi, Bengali, Tamilian, Malayali

Then i met
A Hindu,
A Muslim,
A Christian,
A Jain,
A Buddhist

And many many many more
But not a single Indian did i meet

Think how serious this joke is..
The day would not be far off when indeed we would
Become a collection of nation states as some
Regional anti-national politicians want...
Fight back -
Always say I am Indian
Jai hind

My Name Is Khan Review

Here are a few reasons why you shouldn't be wasting your time and money in watching this film either in the theaters or on your laptops!

1. The story makes no sense! In short the story can be explained in 2 sentences- "My name is Khan! And I am not a terrorist!" Karan and SRK shouldn't have wasted so much of their money on these 2 statements!

2. SRK's acting is pathetic! He's said to have Asperger's syndrome, a disorder which makes it difficult for people to interact socially.......so when he meets his bhabi for the first time, he doesn't even look at her- or avoids looking at her. But the same Khan leads a group of people into aiding some Hurricane victims..........His character doesn't make any sense at all! He's shown to hate the colour 'Yellow' , so much so that he's unable to cross a road cause of yellow lines on the road! But he seems quite comfortable in the company of a big yellow pumpkin!

3. The film goes to show how much love Mr. Karan Johar has for America.
a. Almost the whole film is shot in America.
b. There are more American actors than Indian actors.
c. The film gives you information about the American History and geography.
d. Mr. Johar's love for American Presidents' is almost unbelievable!

4. 2nd half of the film will kill you!

5. It's a boring film!

Lots of other things to dislike about the film, but I wouldn't even waste more time brooding about it! Foreigners might like this film or NRI's maybe........definitely not meant for a true Indian!



What's good about the film?


1. Music is good. Actually its just about okay.

2. You get to see Kajol after a very long time. Though her acting aint anything special, nor is her character, still ......at least- you get to see her, and she looks the same, doesn't look old!

3. 1st half is watchable.

4. The woman playing Jimmy Shergil's wife's role Sonya Jehan ( Guess that's her name) is very pretty !

Any other plus points then please add on!

But that's that!

The critics on TOI ( Goa Edition) gave this film 5 stars........ I think any kind of journalism should be practiced with a lot of responsibility! The critics who've given more than 3 stars for this film - I don't know which is the likable angle in this film. Yes! As always technically the film is good- but what we want is a story!

The last film I watched which was as bad as this one was ' Chandni Chowk to China' .........that film , though pachku- was a comedy, so you could leave behind your logic! But not this one! This film doesn't deserve your sympathy nor your attention! All the hype with the Shiv Sena Controversy is only to make audiences to go and watch this film!


My Rating: * / 1 star.

( Some people might argue about the film being good, as they argued that Saawariya by Sanjay Leela Bhansali was a good film! How each person perceives a piece of art is different, how it touches each one's heart is based on his set of experiences!

Would this film ( My name is Khan) get the same critical acclaim and appreciation if it wasn't for Karan Johar's direction ? If it wasn't For Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role?

Just because it is made by 2 of countries biggest productions ( Dharma and Red Chillies) and stars the countries biggest star and everyone's favorite Kajol can't earn it 5 stars!

Would this film work without SRK in it? Or Kajol in it? Or the Karan Johar factor in it?

Would you still watch it? Would you have still liked it?

Dil to Bachcha hai Ji!

I havent heard any other melodious song in recent times! This one is just amazing from the film Ishqiya! I'm caught on to it from the moment I heard it on channel V! Its simple, no zhing pang that today's music offers, its soothing and you can sing along with it!

Vishal Bharadwaj has done a great work composing it and I'm sure it wouldnt have sounded as sweet if it wasnt for Rahat Fateh ali Khan singing it!

Go.......Hear it and enjoy! :-)