Standing up

Letting evil thrive : 

from here

I am thinking about the numerous times I have ignored guys (sometimes guy-friends) indulging in blatant objectification of women. I also have close guy-friends using the term 'RAPE' lightly around women. I have ignored that too. Instead of ignoring I think I could have spoken up and shown my irritation/anger over such objectionable behavior. Of course, saying all such talkers are repressed psychopaths is a harsh judgement but not taking anything related to RAPE or women's respect and privacy and space seriously, seems even more judgmental to myself.

I hope we make topics of taboo a point of discussion. I hope no girl sees her any weaker. I hope sexuality is not repressed but willingly accepted. I hope families treat girls and boys as equal. I hope boys are taught to respect women and their space by example. 

I hope the victims heal. But we as people heal better and faster.

I hope we become more proactive and thus have the need to be less reactive.

the super star movie experience

I *lurve* watching movies! From the amount of my life I have spent in watching movies, I now have pretty toned instincts about various movies (upcoming or the one's that skipped my vision). By instincts which are toned, I mean I have become cautious with where I spend my anticipation and energy in. Well, that's not really being a 'real' movie watcher, but when you realize you do not really have a lot of time and have to figure out a way to fit in the awesome stuff, then this is the only strategy which has worked for me. And you have to believe me, I have watched really crappy movies. Really really.

Anywho, plus these days its a pop cultural phenomenon, sharing a movie watching experience with a bunch of fans and creating detached shared memories. I have watched chick flicks in downtown Chicago theatre (sex and the city, judge you may, but I had come to liking the series during that phase in life). Recently I caught The dark knight rises in a theatre full of Bane chants and batman tees. (I had missed The Dark Knight experience!). Among many such the only modern day movie watching adventure I had missed was watching a 'Salman Khan' movie. Yes, I missed Dabang and Wanted when they were huge hits here in India. So when 'Ek tha Tiger' first day first show tickets were to be booked, I immediately volunteered for the experience. I wanted to see what exactly happens on the big screen, when Salman Khan takes over.

So if you want a review of the movie, I will not be giving any. Because, this is about the movie watching experience than about how the movie was.
Anywho, my first disappointment came because it was an early morning show i.e. 8.45 am and that's not when really crazy salman khan fans must be watching the movie. The whistles, laughter, claps, uproar etc were down 5 notches, considering only money saving crowd (like me) was present. So tip for next time - watch a prime time show. That's when people have really high energy levels.

I will not talk of any more disappointments, as they deal with the script and how some things were utterly stupid in the movie. The high point of any Salman Khan movie I think is, how he owns the character (not talking about his earlier movies, like MPK, baagi, love, patthar ke phool, when he was adorable and vulnerable). The most cliched thing said about him is how larger than life he is. Apart from that, I admire his nonchalance about becoming a character. Instead he remains himself and lets you think 'imagine so and so is Salman Khan in the movie'. Yes that grin of his or that kick of his or that dance step of him (imagine any way you like).

And another slightly related note, I am appalled at *how much* money is wasted in making our movies. The unnecessary location shoots which must cost a bomb, the poor execution of technology, which is like wasted moolah. Slowly, in my head I am thinking of productive ways of saving/using money for them (:P). 

Anyway, all said and done, its tough being a super star in any field in India. The amount of criticism, expectations, hopes pinned on you, but the sheer pressure of it all! Insane. That's the only word that comes to my mind. Also, my instincts in picking the right movie and time for a Salman Khan movie have been honed as well, so that next time the experience is more enjoyable!

~nightflier

P.S. the last salman khan movie I watched in a theater was salaam-e-ishq!!!

Happy Gudi Padwa (In Pictures)

Happy New Year/Navreh/Nowruz/Ugadi etc etc to everyone :)
Wonderful how different parts of the world welcome the new season (spring) during the same time of the year :)


Maharashtrians erect a Gudi (as in the pictures) outside their homes, a symbol of prosperity, growth, one which wards off evil. 
Funny thing, I was giving sweets to the maid, in a bitter-feelings-inside-my-head mood, and she said in her blessings, 'may everything you wish for come true'. I instantly switched off my brain.
Who knows, what part of the blessing may come true :)


~nightflier

My world cup story

So when I hear my father's generation raving about *those special times* I have always wanted to feel how it must have felt. To be part of *that* 

I think today I got my story. The story of my (26 years) life.

Now on, everyone born after 2nd april, 2011 will get to hear this story in moments of happiness and misery, confidence and doubt, hope and giving up. No but I don't think I will wait for any such morally appropriate moments. I will anyway tell my world cup story. I will gloat and then bloat.
India won the Cricket World Cup today. WHEEEEEEEEE!


I think I will start the story with Sachin. No I think I will start with the young boys, who held their nerves. Chuck. I will start with Sachin only.
The most important thing is I will use these anecdotes for as long as I live now. phhhbttt!


I will end my excitement with what sidin said on Twitter - 'Staying positive is so tiring. Never doubted. Never doubted.'


Congratulations everyone!


~nightflier


P.S. due to non availability of internet connection delay in publishing my excitement. But guess it can never be too late in this case ;)

I belong to the cricketing nation!

I never call myself a cricket fan. Never have I understood the game in its full technicalities. I don't remember names of players except if I have a crush on them. I don't even care about the turn or the dead-ness of the pitch.

I lived outside India for 2 years sans cricket. I tried my hand at a lot of sports I did not fully understand or know before. We would sometimes watch the NBA or super bowl with friends. People of different nationalities trying to make home out of another country by accepting its culture. (I don't consider such people being show offs, I think trying to adapt to a countries' sports is very open minded) Something always felt amiss. Not in terms of differences but the feeling of belonging.

Now I have come back and trying to find my place here. I miss life back there. I sometimes feel like living in a cultural exile. You know trying to be at two places at the same time ?

Having been exposed to cricket from a very early age, thanks to overenthusiastic father and brother, who can watch any cricket game, old or live, and give you gyaan; not knowing cricket as I stated earlier, seems ridiculous. Moreover I did not turn out to be a devout India (or any team) supporter, in terms of knowledge, stats or talk. I have always felt left out somehow.

Today as the big India-Australia game unfolded, the three of us, I, pregnant friend and the baby (he/she) in her belly, shifted the entire house in front of the television set. Lunch happened way before 2.30 pm as we wanted to finish every related chore and be at peace while watching the match. Both of us on previous occasions have generously cursed the length of the game FYI. Today was going to be different, may be. We talked cricket, we discussed powerplays, the team selection, technicalities, statistics, the pitch, the crowd. In short we had opinion about every move of the Indian team. Unknowingly we were the very epitome of cricket fan-dom the country is proud of and famous for.

When things were not looking so bright, after the Gambhir run out, I even indulged in some small talk with the tv. With chants of 'Steady Bhuvan. Steady' and 'I will not move to pee until India reaches 200' the match progressed. In some other world the twitter time line was bursting with emotions. Every second of it. I would hastily snatch away the laptop from the friend who was working on a remote desktop and see how people were coping with the pressure.

And then the realization dawned. Even though I know not a single player's bio or the real stuff, the very obligation to have an opinion about cricket, without being asked for, makes me belong. To the cricketing nation. Sachin Tendulkar must be the very basic first reason. So much that, I indulge in bargains with the cricket god, fix matches sitting at home by offering the players a share of my awesome lauki (kaddu/doodhi) paratha, swear and curse (inside my head), gasp, do a little jig and duck when the watchman notices me, ...

The brother calls exactly 5 seconds after Yuvraj has hit a boundary. We congratulate each other (quite the filmy ones) and cut the call. A part of the self imposed (?) cultural exile seems to loosen itself. I feel like finding a connecting thread.

~nightflier

the entrepreneurial bug

This post is about some remarkable people/professions I have come across in the past few days.


I met the first 2 on field trips with another best friend for her March wedding. I could not help but think more about them and the professions they have chosen. And hence the post follows.


Small beauty parlors, specially the one's run by females for females are a specialty of India. Pardon me, but the US offered mostly unisex salons and hence that pretty much forms the world for me. May be other countries also have such salons, but I haven't visited, hence don't know and hence can't comment. Got the drift ? ;-) (convenient generalization) The point is these ladies amaze me. Because I personally think beauty treatment is a precarious business, with a varied and equally challenging customer set each of them wanting to look/feel the best when they get out of that parlor. So the whole business kind of runs on customer satisfaction, no ? Well, if you have a really good knack of what you are doing i.e. gentle ways to cut hair or do eyebrows even waxing/facial/bleaching for that matter, all this should not be difficult right ? But for that one needs practice, experience, good customer feedback to thrive. So we are running in a circle it seems. Plus the market is not very lucrative, most of the middle class (a major proportion of the client base) in India does not want to spend lots at such places. So the prices have to be very competitive so as not to lose a segment of customer just because you wanted to compete with bigger more professional names. 
But these days there are institutions which offer certified courses which add to the credibility in this really high risk business. Think about it, a hair cut gone wrong and not only do you lose a customer, but also a referral chain thereby. It sustains on word of mouth marketing. So I really really commend these ladies who day after day not only get things done properly in such a personal space (I remember if my hair cut used to go even slightly haywire I would refuse to get out of the house for at least 7 days :P) for every individual and make people feel better about themselves by changing a few aspects of their personality every once in a while.
[From personal experience more than once a hair cut or a visit to the parlor has pepped me up]


Another set of ladies who really amazed me during these field trips were the Bridal Mehendi (henna) putting ones. The set I met were Devrani-Jethani from a Marwari family. They use the really basic skills that they have without any training (apart from practice) to start a small business sitting right out of their home. The Jethani indulges in the bridal henna whereas the Devrani does the other hands, as we have it in normal Indian weddings during the Mehendi ceremony. And for your reference they provide the satisfied ex-customer's catalog in the form of pictures taken on their cell phones. Very tech savvy. I instantly like them. To be self employed in such a diverse Indian culture, using some of your basic skills to fit in and maintaining the customer relationships through sheer warm conversations, is really appreciable no ?


The last remarkable lady I came across is the house maid who comes at brother's place. She is from a well to do family, owns her own place, has her children studying in colleges. The only reason she works - I don't want to sit at home. Pretty difficult to digest considering all the above facts. But her logic is whatever 4000-5000 Rs. (I am still not used to the new rupee symbol) she earns, add to her two daughters' wedding fund, so that she will be able to give them more gold (a symbol of prosperity and good investment in times of need in most Indian homes) than intended. I like her industriousness. She is in a very strange way passionate about her work and respects it. 


I have seen people not being happy with what they do or crib about a lack of respect for the work. I think all the above mentioned ladies are a very good example. 
Of being the ideal employee of one self.


~nightflier

a little pilgrimage

Since the 4 of us (family) are hardly together, the moment brother announced his around new year's eve trip, we planned a little excursion to Shegaon (the karmabhumi of Gajanan Maharaj)


My views/thoughts about god are still evolving. Or so I think. And I have strictly no opinions about any religion. It always fails me why people get so instigated. To each his own I say, but then life/world would be too simple and there won't be any fun. For some. Anywhoo I digress.


What caught my eye the moment I stepped in the temple premises was the simplicity, the tidiness and the discipline. The darshan was arranged in such a way that it causes least problems to the bhakt. Even the wait in the queues (which are extremely well organized) seems easygoing on special days (like thursdays, weekends and public holidays). 


Later baba (dad) and mama (mom's brother) told us that the Sansthan (organization) which takes care of all the temple related activities has remained free of politics for the past 100 years and more (since the time it came into being). So the management remains less cluttered. Everyone is given an equal opportunity as a visitor. There is no VIP treatment given to anyone. I think that is a win-win. When people know there is no option but to wait in the queues, patience and discipline don't remain obligatory. Moreover the sevaks (volunteers) who work there for free are people from nearby villages, who come there in groups and are trained. They are really polite, patient and helpful. Even the food that is served to the bhakt/visitors is made everyday on a fresh basis with no (its not an understatement) mess anywhere. The plates that we were served in and the vessels that we were served from were impeccably clean (From whatever my eyes could catch from the distance). The coupon, serving and sitting system are so efficient that there are hardly any questions to be raised. Even about the food quality. The entire transactions of the Sansthan run on a no profit-no loss basis, so costs for anything and everything are so less that the trip doesn't end up being a financial burden for the common man.


I was mighty impressed with all these facts streaming in. So its not that difficult to run an efficient organization on the basis of good values and with the help of people. This can definitely form a really great case study for management students. From where many of our administrators can also learn. May be. :)


~nightflier

un-tag me please?

So the most annoying question doing the rounds these days (owe it to the high levels of socializing) is 'Oh so you lived in the US for 2 years ?? Doesn't feel like it!' (mostly followed by a smirk, I like to imagine that its a smile of appreciation, but how much can one fool one's pretty sharp brain ?) 


I proudly admit that I stayed there for 2 years and don't have the usual accent issues, don't like to show off that I am a foreign returned for that matter even foreign educated, like it if the limelight isn't on me all the time.
And I am super duper mighty proud of the fact that I returned to work here. Of course those who read the blog know that, I would have loved to work there, thinking of the education loa(d)n and fulfilling all other small desires. But I am happy that with my adaptability and flexibility reducing a little, I took the decision earlier than later.


And for my own knowledge I would really like to know how one is supposed to behave/act to make sure that one looks/feels like a foreign returned ?
But for all the irritating people stated above, I would really like them to see my fiercely independent side, may be that will prove a lot of things! :P


Anywhooo, moral of the story is for the sake of gossip its ok to attach tags to people, but constantly expecting that tag like behavior is kind of stupid.


~nightflier

:-O :-O

read this as a friend's status on facebook!!!!!


"India is poor but Indians are not poor" says one of the Swiss bank directors. 
He says that "280 Lac Crore" of Indian money is deposited in Swiss banks which can be used for 'tax less' budget for 30 yrs. Can give 60 crore jobs to all Indians. From any village to Delhi 4 lane roads. Forever free power supply to more than 500 social projects. Every citizen can get monthly 2000/- for 60 yrs.


I guess its time for us to become the super power that we are tauted as!


~nightflier

the best friend's wedding - II

Post the shopping blues we started with the bride's grooming and packing. A week back we had a little fashion parade where she dress rehearsed for all the functions. Thereby making a huge pile of the stuff which needed altering, modifications, clarifications - we were confused how to wear a ghagra saree with peculiar design issues. So moral of the story such stories happen if you have shopped for you wedding 6 months in advance owing to living in US. Anywho these were minor issues compared to what lay ahead (exaggerating for gasps :P)


Oh and do you guys know how painful it can be to not know a lot of shopping places, those precious corner shops in the city one grew up in ? Well I hope you don't. Because the both of us were literally clueless when we needed to get matching bangle sets done. Anyways we got things done after 3 hours of hard work and arguments with each other and bangle lady. The bangle lady was obviously better equipped than us with respect to experience so we let her win all the arguments as long as we got what we wanted. We are smart that way!


And today came the time to pack the bag for the d-day. Indian weddings are elaborate. We have loads of functions strewn around the actual ceremony and almost all require a costume change. So knowing what the bride is wearing and making sure it is in place with all the matching sets and in the proper order was a pretty huge task. But our ability to crack jokes, induce double entendre s where not needed and internal jokes about stuff proved a lot helpful! Plus aunty's pampering with herbal tea and other snacks kept us going. And while we were busy packing the bride's bag, the ladies were packing the 'rukhawant/shagun'. Mighty impressed with all the creativity and efforts that they put into making things look so beautiful.


The wedding is 3 days away and I can already feel the butterflies. Of course there will be jitters, some chaos, a lot of running around. But that's what makes the big fat Indian wedding, right ? :)


~nightflier

of aaji, mamas and mamis

Since childhood we have had this tradition of meeting both sides of the family at least once an year. With baba's side all being pretty elderly and now family sizes growing with cousins getting married, and everyone dispersing and settling down, the meets are now normally confined to big family functions like weddings. Otherwise normally it used to be summers. With aai's side everyone being relatively younger and 2 of my mama's residing in the same house, the meets happen often. But with us (me and brother) growing up and moving away for education and jobs, for us the meets happen around Diwali. So this post is basically about the mother's side and the meets. The father's side and their stories for sometime later.
[Sometimes I have this compulsive need to be fair. I am pretty sure no one would have cared if the stories from father's side come or not! :D]


Ok one more fact, both sides of family are INTO food. They love cooking and indulging in the same.


So when my mama (mom's brother) saw me after more than an year, he was awed that how I am surviving by eating air - literal translation for hawa khana (remember I am infamously skinny). There are really few people with whom I don't really mind the banter on weight issues and who don't take things personally. So we immediately made plans to feed me. It started with the doodhwala, who brought us the most delicious homemade malaai wala dahi (curds). Apparently this guy has his own cow-farm and gets such delicacies on a regular basis. No wonder people go ga-ga about small towns and the fringe benefits.
I also ate with my mama in the same thali (plate) after ages! Normally I do have a habit of sharing my plate with baba at home, sometimes aai, little cousins who normally throw tantrums but eat well when sharing with an elder taai (sister), Rinku during hostel days and also when I recently visited her. It felt so wonderful to not start at the tv and eat but have a conversation with mami (mama's wife) pampering over us by serving piping hot chapatis and aaji (mom's mother) fussing over how I should eat this and then that. To tell the truth I couldn't take so much attention on a daily basis but it felt blissful during these 2 days!! :-)


We decided to make crab curry in the evening, but owing to my novice in cooking crabs, it was decided that we buy the crabs and get the curry done from someone. Now isn't this the most amazing way of cooking! :D
It was my second time eating crabs. Boy! it was such a hard work. We all were having dinner for like 1.5 hours! It seemed never ending. But crabs are the tastiest non-veg food ever! Worth all the efforts.

I feel kind of foolish not to have take a pic of
the original one.
*courtesy - google

But the highlight of the trip was the barbequed chicken curry that we made today! Shaukeen that my mamas are, they have a chullah (a movable one unlike in the pic) in the first story backyard. In their old house they had a permanent one and I can tell you stories about how we cousins used to fight over who should fire it and who should sit by it or help aajoba roast eggplants/papad. The connoisseurs of Indian food can appreciate the importance of the chullah and the taste food cooked on it gets.And even if you haven't eaten anything cooked on it I can guarantee you that its very different and super tasty! So our grand preparations started with getting the masala (blend of spices) right! We decided to go all rustic and be minimalistic with stuff and depend on the chullah's magical cooking for the taste! So we used all basic spices like daalchini, black pepper, badi ilaaychi, cloves first roasted with onions, dhaniya and dried coconut and then ground in a coarse paste. Firing the chullah and getting the right flame was the toughest task. Took us 15 minutes to make sure the flame was getting evenly spread and was not too smoky. Aai also helped us in coating a layer of wet soil over the cooking pan to make sure it does not burn. We roasted the masala in sufficient oil for almost 30-45 minutes, with a sprinkle of water from time to time (to make sure the masala did not burn or stick to the pan). Then the chicken was added and we let it cook for another 30-35 minutes, with occasional mixing and stirring. Then copious amount of water was added to get the not too thick gravy. Getting that consistency right is proof that how close one gets to the minimal and rustic theme. End results were super delicious! All worth the hard work. (again have no pics to share :-/)


And thus my hog-till-you-get-tired weekend came to an end. I have realized eating great food is *happiness*. And if you have the most jolly, fun, sarcastic company then the ride just gets better!


~nightflier

Hum aapke hain kaun and after that...

It doesn't take much to make me nostalgic. Sometimes even a song playing on the radio or aai's cooking is enough! (Sometimes I think I get it from my parents, as they keep on talking about their childhood a lot!)


So when I get down to write about Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the 2 icons of my childhood, I am not sure how to articulate. But I am going to ramble nevertheless.
Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (HAHK) released when I was in 5th standard. From whatever few promos that Chitrahaar/super hit muqabla (DD National ?)/all the best (DD metro) used to air I had made secret pacts with myself that I have to make aai-baba take me for this one! I think as a 10 year old only Madhuri Dixit, the playful banter between her and Salman, the amazing music appealed to my sensibilities. As things turned out my Mavshi (mom's sister) got engaged to be married the same year. The wedding was planned for summer and most of such family entertainers (I had no clue of this term then) released in India in summers. So during the release time we were going to be super busy with the wedding preparations and shopping. The movie was a smash hit everywhere! It was almost impossible to be able to watch the movie before school started. Biggest worry on my mind was 'how would I bear my friends who had already watched the movie!' (yes brutally honest, thats being a 10 year old for you!)
Then a really cute thing happened. Once on a shopping trip my kaka (aunt's then fiance) suggested that we all go for this movie. Unfortunately we got only 2 tickets. And don't know how but me and Mavshi ended up in the theater! God's miracle ? :D
This is just the story of how god saved me from the disgrace of not watching the most amazing movie of my childhood. The re-runs kept on happening. Every time it felt like a special experience. It left me awed. Madhuri, Salman, Lakshmikant Berde, Renuka Shahane, and all the ensemble star cast still feels like family to me. All these memories came rushing while watching it for the gazillionth time on tv today! Thankfully I am not the only mad person around to love the movie so much. It is always fun to discuss all these memories and tiny tit-bits of trivia with fellow hahk lovers.


For posterity I am going to share some seemingly stupid stories related to the same movie.
The same year I read an article in a newspaper about Madhuri Dixit which also had her address at the end of it. I immediately drafted a letter for her birthday (sometime in May I guess?) and sent it to the said address. If it was the true address, if it was ever received and read by her remain a mystery. Devil may care. But there! I have shared it on the blog and am now open to judgments!
In school gathering the next year we performed a dance on 'Maye na maye'. Our school had this weird rule of allowing only decent hindi movie songs. Dunno how one can decide that. Anywhooo for all the girls involved the highest point of the extravaganza was getting to wear Madhuri Dixit style Ghagra! The endless practice sessions, getting the expressions like MD, dress rehearsals! 


All these very happy memories are attached to the movie in a way. May be that's why despite its much approved and acclaimed greatness, its still so dear to me. I shall leave KKHH for some other time. Got any such childhood connections ? Remember nostalgia is very much welcome on this blog :)


~nightflier

More from India!

Disclaimer : These are random observations. Indian friends living away/abroad (you know who you are) kindly do not feel homesick or jealous :D


* Since coming back I am using a Bsnl (bharat sanchar nigam limited - India's at&t ?) sim card. Well its aai's as I have been too lazy to get myself a brand new number. The thing is one has so much choice here, that I feel the need to do some research which is ongoing for the past month now. And since I am the great Indian consumer the only private service which impresses me is Vodafone. Their new ads are so senti and touching. Great advertising team they have!  The other open options are, as Vodafone I have heard have bad customer service, Idea as baba and bro use it and Airtel as I think they have good internet packages. Btw new in the market is Docomo (tata) and Uninor (some Norwegian giant), but I hardly feel like going for something brand new this time around.
Anyways, I ramble and digress. So BSNL sends these free messages which has numbers of CBI (central bureau of investigation) and ACB (anti corruption bureau) using which you can report crimes by public/government servants anonymously. Super liked it! Such a subtle way of carrying out system cleansing. I hope people participate. More power to everyone!


* We have such long wait-lists for vehicles in here. To buy a simple bike like Activa baba has now waited for more than 2 months. And the wait keeps on increasing owing to various festivals. Wonder how the demand-supply mapping takes place inside the companies ? I have heard its worse for 4 wheelers. Sometimes the wait can be more than 6 months. My god! I toh will drop the idea only :P


* These days I have a feeling that in some parallel universe life for the alternate me is going at the most superlative degree one can find for speed. Then what can be the reason that time doesn't seem to move forward here in this universe for me ? :-|
Dear alternate me in parallel universe please slow down! Or let's exchange positions if possible. That would be more convenient :P


* So much free time has made me a compulsive reader. I had no idea that my mailbox had so much of stacked treasure in the form of IEEE magazines and conference papers. Yeah! Yeah! call me names, but just reading novels and fiction can be pretty boring.


* And one of my closest and oldest (the relationship's age wise duh!) friend gets married next month. It was maha exciting to meet her parents (Oh we are from the same city!) and get all the details from aunty! My first and foremost task is to try to get as many friends as possible for the wedding. At which I am doing pretty fine I think. Next tasks aunty said will start after Diwali. Can't wait!
Normally weddings give me creeps. But this one isn't. Guess I have grown up :D


~nightflier

Home encounters!

1. Aai is finally bugged of the whole daughter-staying-away-from-home-for-past-eight-years-finally-back-home pampering. OK. More than pampering she gets annoyed if I present the same line in a dramatic tone when asked to do anything mundane. Its superrr fun :D
But I commend her spirits when everyday without fail she asks me so what subji (vegetable) would you like for lunch/dinner ? And I like a famished denizen from Amreeka reply, 'kuch bhi bana lo..sab amrit jaisa hai' (Make anything as all tastes like nectar(??!!)). Sorry Indian friends staying outside India, I don't have the slightest notion of making you jealous.


2. But today I indulged in a lot of homely activities. I and dad vacuumed the entire living room, cleaned all the showcases and fancy stuff, did some drilling work to fix age old carpentry tasks. Mother India was super impressed. She now really believes that people actually do all these things by themselves in the US as well. (1. should make clear why she believed otherwise). And since I was so super enthusiastic about cleaning today, I also changed the pictures in all the frames that we have at home. Boy what fun it was to rummage through all the old albums and laugh at how silly I used to look!


3. It rained so heavily in the afternoon that 5-6 hours ke liye power cut ho gaya! And then the intercom started buzzing with innocent queries like what happened, when will it get fixed, which elevators to operate on inverters, when will electricity come, etc (Baba (dad) is the society secretary). Then I really felt like I am in India. Totally. :D (The electrical engineer inside me really feels bad for the power cut btw!)


4. So over no electricity me, aai and baba indulged in a sorta debate over brother's wedding. (No its not decided, not even the girl per say)
Baba (the principled sort that he is) - I think we should have no give-take stuff in weddings. (In Indian weddings people normally get you gifts, clothes etc and then you also present them with clothes, gifts etc)
Aai (the mellow sort that she is) - But we co-exist within the society and certain norms cannot be gotten rid of. Not at least for close family members.
Me - Our home is so cozy and warm. I really like it (!!??##)
After much thought it was decided that I made sense and rest of the stuff must be left to my brother. 


5. My new dentist is really cool. She is from Pune and she knows COEP (my undergraduate college). I love her already! Btw she also taught me how to brush teeth properly. I dont think I will ever perfect it. After all I could not for 25 years. Sigh.. 
Waise isn't it quite embarrassing that such stuff needs to be taught to a 25 year old girl ??? Please say NO.


So Hindustan Times wrap their Home section. Until we meet again!


~nightflier

The southern sojourn

So when I was struggling to get my bearings straight on the Indian timeline, a dear friend who now lives in Chennai asked me to visit her. After the initial inertia from mom dad about the ayodhya verdict, its implications etc (which proved out to be nothing thanks to all of us maturing) they conceded :D


So off I went to Chennai for a refreshing visit to a dear friend. This was going to be my first visit to a city situated so down south in India. So my excitement kind of knew no bounds. But the hot humid airs of chennai made sure I kept myself in check. After a day's rest we embarked on an adventure reserved for every non-Rajni fan. A show of his latest flick Enthiran, in a huge theater amongst hooting, cheering crowds. What an experience! And what a movie! It is truly god level. With so many layers including the artificiality of Mrs. Bachchan, I loved it. Note to self : do not deprive yourself of such stuff in the future!


The next day was marked with visiting the real Chennai. So friend and me ventured in the killer humidity to T nagar, the market place of chennai. It seemed to me as if the entire Chennai had gathered there. We went to Pothys and did some sareee shopping. After that we visited the big daddy of Big Bazaar, the Saravana stores. Walmart guys should take a look at it before thinking of opening their branches in India. What eh spectacle this 7 story shopping store was! After such tiresome activities the time came to quench our hunger. And only typical south Indian food could do it. So we went to Murugan Idli. They serve the bestest, softest idlis I have ever eaten in my life. With 4 different equally tasty chutneys and sambhar. And seeing my liking my friend made sure that we visited them almost everyday to try all the stuff from their menu :D


Next day we visited Besant Nagar beach. A nice place to chill away from the city hustle bustle. I tried my hand at balloon shooting and got 5 on 8 targets :D

backwaters on way to Chunnambar beach

Then came the weekend and the much awaited trip to Pondicherry. Not at all overhyped. Its serene beaches and quieter townships (the french colonies) left me wanting for more. Next time I am planning a minimum 7 days trip to this place. We visited the Promenade beach and the lovely Chunnambar beach. 
Due to time constraints we could not visit Auroville. Btw we had a tough time finding a good place to eat in Pondi, as we reached pretty late. Then our driver suggested Anand Bhavan and we found it to be a really decent place to hog. Plus the fact that its situated right in the middle of the market place and french colonies made it our hang out spot for the day and half that we were there. And its on these same street side shops that I bought an H&M cotton top for Rs. 150, after much haggling though. Neha you were so right about H&M clothes! :D


On our way back to Chennai we visited Mahabalipuram. A world heritage site with amazing architecture. It was worth wrapping up a bit early in Pondi to catch Mahabalipuram. A must visit once again!


And oh on my last day in Chennai, we visited a 7 story gold jewellery's shop just for fun. No offence to anyone but MY GOD! south Indians and their love for gold! I am still amazed.


And so my impromptu southern sojourn came to an end. It was fun. I hated Chennai weather due to its humidity but loved the food and the chaos. And its always a pleasure to visit old friends and be a part of their life. So am thinking where to plan my next trip :D any suggestions ?


~nightflier


P.S. somehow I am not able to transfer pics taken from my mobile camera..would have been a better post with few local pictures.

Bapu ka birthday

People like to have opinions these days. The different it is the better they feel about standing out of the crowd. And by just reading the biased, designed somewhat for a child's psychology history books over the years they like to boast about their meager knowledge about the Mahatma. 


I could not care less but the appalling stuff hurled at him and his countless counterparts, by my generation makes me wonder whether we truly respect our freedom or independence. How deeply do we even consider what his philosophy means and conveys ? And that's why I feel bad and sometimes provoked by such people. I do NOT think having different opinions just because you could not care less to know enough is cool. History as we know will always remain biased/distorted (after all its the past and different people will have different perspectives). It is the lack of respect for people for what they were, their principles is what bothers me the most.


~nightflier

General

Was the last post tearful or did it seem that I am on the brink of doomsday ?
It did to me, in a way. Because a part of me is really sad. But then I have so many other functioning parts that the sadoo sad part feels really lonely now. Hence the happy post!

(And Neha and Mansi you both are too sweet.. but I am leaving US of A, as of now.. What I am going to do back home I have no clue :D)

Today was talking to a friend and we were discussing what I will miss the most about the US. In my humble opinion clothes from forever 21 and H&M (that was my spontaneous reply) until she made me realize the internet and guacamole.


Internet. Hmm. I think I will be able to live with broadbands. Cos I will have real people around. Tuk Tuk :P
Guacamole. Hmm. I will really miss thee :( Farmers in India please start producing avocados! You will have one dedicated consumer for sure! But then Krishna told me that they do grow/sell avocados back home. I must find out where!
I will also miss pouring 2% milk from the can and making microwaved coffee (the art which I had perfected for my taste) and drinking in the day which passed by and feeling good about the day which lies ahead. How profound. (We are into homeopathic medicines at home, and hence there is restriction on the amount of coffee I can consume on a daily basis. Plus the hot weather adds to the woes. I really hope Aai-baba read this and let me drink coffee everyday :P) Hence the deep connections :D
I will miss my comforter if I have too much baggage and can't take it home. :( Kindly don't roll your eyes. I am normally allergic to blankets back home. So my snot (allergy) free 2 years are a fond memory of the comforter. And hence the keenness on taking it back with oneself.
I will miss these crazy bunch of girls from Dallas. And grocery shopping at 12 in the night with them. I also bought myself a tinker bell tee (which prompted other 2 friends to buy one as well :D) as a souvenir to remind me of the happy days spent in Texas.


And before the list grows too long and the happy mood switches back to cold feet, I will stop.
But my mood already got spoilt when earlier today I read the extra bag charges on air india website. They should consider special cases and let people carry as much baggage as they want. I am also considering of convincing them by saying my excess baggage compensates for me being weightless. You guys think they might listen ?


Parting song of the moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oRFEiXV0zY


~nightflier

on cricket, sports etc

Its 2.20 pm in the watch. The day before an exam/interview/first date always seems to go on forever.


Again a look at the watch. Its just 2.23. Unbelievable! Sadly all the daily chores are done with. Its going to be a long day. One opens a newspaper website out of (boredom ?)


The first thing one comes across is the appalling spot fixing stuff. One isn't a religious fanatic when it comes to cricket. But one knows how much the country one belongs to is affected by such stuff. Integrity must be a myth for some people, one thinks. Must be sad for those involved. Last one heard the country was in floods, before that the infiltration and terrorism, before that the anarchy. Desperation one thinks. Must be stretching them to such extents. But what about the believers ? Isn't it a circle of life. The believer believes, the believed delivers/performs. They are kind of self fulfilling prophecy for each other. With even one weak link in the chain, it can break. Sometimes it can be welded. At other times its just a broken chain, with a great story of belief behind it.


Then one listens to SRT's interview online. One thanks god for him. Integrity doesn't seem a myth anymore. Its a legacy one has to learn about and carry forward.


Its 2.46 in the watch now. One has successfully eluded sleep. And one can get back to more meaningful work. After all when it comes to cricket and sports in India sometimes pretending to be oblivious to some obvious stuff, is the best remedy to avoid cynicism.


~nightflier

Always an Indian

Read Priya Ramani's article a long time ago (when it got published i.e.). Though people ripped her apart on twitter for being so open about her judgemental opinions, I had mixed feelings about it. 


And then Great Bong published this. Which I think is a really amazing post. He doesnt throw bricks at anyone but so aptly puts his point across.


Both articles are thought provoking. But I agree more with the latter for its democratic stance.
On a personal note, I think people everywhere are basically the same. Culture, surroundings, situations set apart their identities. May be. After all it always boils down to the conundrum of existence and identity, which is very individual to every existence. I am running in circles here, aint I ?


~nightflier

Tit for Tat

We humans are strangely social. In being so we also remain private. We build homes. With strong foundations. And we guard them fiercely, like our own private, tiny little space in the expanse of the universe, ignoring the fact that other people are eyeing our little world.

That sadly makes us a lot vulnerable. There are some twisted minds who think, they can terrorise others, out of a sick interest of ruling mankind.

What else can be the reasoning behind Pune blasts ?

Pune has been my second home, a place I love cos I have really grown up there, and I hate the blame games that have started after all this carnage.

First the cowards attack our home and then instead of trying to protect it more or protect other possible targets, we are getting involved in a blame game, which normally has no outcome. Life's just going in circles. This is what the home ministry did after the Mumbai blasts. Agreed you cannot check each and every bag pack in the city. Agreed the city is a host to a lot of outsiders. Agreed it is one of the fastest growing cosmopolitan (the 2nd tier cities). And we still sit anticipating attacks ? Aren't people inside the country itself doing enough to divide it ? Or may be we are getting really good at it, throwing away our vulnerable, weak spots and letting others exploit it. What now ? Army raj ?

This is so hopeless. Terrorism is becoming an organized crime. Or as Pritish Nandy said in his tweet a growing business ? Come on, I am not naive enough to think that there are no insiders involved in this. To attack my house, you need to know its exact weak spots and for that only an insider can help you. How about tracking down these links first ? How about making sure that such dastardly acts or even attempts are met with grave consequences. This has become all the more important now, because of the growing aloofness about such incidents amongst aam junta. We are the largest democracy in the world and not some nation ruled by chimps. Whoever did all this, our intelligence, politicians and system failed us. Lets not forget that either.

We have a long role to play in the coming days. Lets not make our tolerance our Achilles heel. Lets make our shield stronger and give these losers a Tit for Tat.

~nightflier