Gayatri Shenoy

The Time is right…

2010-09-30T03:11:00.000-07:00

The rich heritage and culture of India is eminent to this day and brings a great deal of pride to every Indian citizen. We are proud to belong to the land that produced great, learned people such as Chanakya, Gautam Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Babsaheb Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri and so many more. There is so much to learn, such a lot of wisdom to gain from them. So many religions have flourished in our country since ages, so many beautiful learning to be derived from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Sikhism, and so many more.

Then why do we let some vested interests take advantage of us, take advantage of certain situations for their selfish interests? We have had enough of destruction and bloodshed. We should put our foot down and not be made a fool by political parties who want to take advantage of people’s religious sentiments. We should give a fitting reply by showing these heartless, corrupt politicians that we will not fall prey to their evil schemes, we will not get brain washed by religious ideologies; we will not turn into a fanatic.

The time is right to show that we will not get carried away in the name of religion and personal beliefs. Those vested interests will not be successful in brainwashing us about trivial matters such a presence or absence of a structure built by human beings ages ago. It is time to be pragmatic and mature, to channel our energies in resolving greater challenges faced by today’s society such as – Extreme corruption, Poverty, Crime.

The day we will be able to proactively do something to eliminate the corruption, poverty and crime existing in today’s society, only then can we truly say – Today I built my Mandir / Masjid / Church. Today I built the temple / mosque / church of devotion for my God.

I broke down all the debris of Hatred and Prejudice.

I built a temple on the strong foundation of Love, Tolerance and Peace. I built it in a place – no one can destroy, I built it in my ‘Soul’…

The Time is right to stand up and say - I am not a Fool and I will no longer be fooled by these political parties and other vested interests. I have a steady head on my shoulders and the true learning of the Lord in my Heart.

“My soul is my temple,

The Lord resides in my heart

I do not seek any destruction or bloodshed

I don’t want to rip the society apart.

Peace and rational thinking is my anthem

Which I will forever truly abide

I will only stand up for love and peace

Sweeping all hatred and prejudice aside.”

On Love marriages & mixed marriages

2010-06-26T01:38:00.000-07:00

"'I met a little guy about four feet small,
Who fell in love with Annie who was eight feet tall!
Every time I see 'em comin' down the street,
I know true love just can't be beat!

Cause love makes the world go 'round and around.
Love makes the world go 'round!
Your pulse will beat and your heart will pound,
'Cause love makes the world go 'round! "

- Perry Como 'Love Makes The World Go round'

Thanks to a lot of social networking sites we get to meet plenty of our old, long lost friends. Lots of reunions and reminiscences, Another thing that strikes you then is 'Hey almost everyone is getting married these days or engaged or have already got married' Which is a wonderful thing. To share and feel truly happy for someone, really adds the topping to all the camaraderie.

You ponder on it further, considering your own marriage and a smile dawns on your face. You can see a wonderful combination of love marriages and mixed marriages everywhere. The combinations are so varied and unique - you are presented with a refreshing version of National Integration. National or Global integration with such a depth that no Text book or Constitution can amend or preach.

And the wine that binds all this together is a sweet little word which we all know as 'Love'. I've always held deep admiration for such love and friendships which broke all barriers of man-made regions, states, caste, religions, languages. And watching all this wonderful bonds being created my faith in 'things always turn out for the better' is affirmed.

As time passes, everything changes, and for the good. As time passes by, all man made barriers are and will be broken down. Our own thoughts, opinions, prejudices will be razed down and new thoughts, new ideas will be reconstructed with a stronger foundation to support it. Love truly makes the world go around and this time around, it is helping mend broken relations, history, communal disharmony and bringing in a new wave of National integration generously sprinkled with Love.

Mahatma Gandhi said, "Let us forget all thoughts of, I am a Hindu, you are a Muslim or I am a Gujarati, you are a Madrasi, let us think, I and mine in a common Indian nationality, we shall be free only when a large number of our people are determined to swim or sink together."

- © Shenoy, Gayatri

Invisible bonds, Enduring ties

2009-06-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

The hullabaloo doesn’t seem to diffuse even on the next day after the wedding celebrations. Everyone is up and about Roy’s ancestral house, chattering away merrily. There are beautiful flower arrangements all around (even though they are close to wilting at end of day – they still look pretty). I settle myself on the teak jhoola, which looks quite inviting. It’s been quite an eventful evening, followed by a hearty dinner. Some more time rocking on this swing and I shall be soon induced into slumber.

“Pssssstttttt!!!” I hear a small voice murmur to me from somewhere nearby. I look around to identify who it is but can’t see anybody. Then I sense someone tugging at my sari. I look to see Roy’s little nephew standing behind the jhoola, grinning at me impishly. “Oh it’s you Siddharth!” I exclaim “I was wondering who…” He doesn’t let me complete my sentence. He skips about and stands before me, all of 2 feet, a skinny lad with bright eyes and long lashes. “Maami!!” He speaks out in his baby lisp, “I have something for you!” He hands me a wilted yet pretty pink rose. “Awww! Thanks baby!” I am pleasantly surprised “Where did you get it from?” “It was lying on the floor…I liked it so I took it…” He speaks in all his innocence. I can’t help smiling. “Thanks a lot dear. I liked your gift a lot!”

Frankly speaking, it was quite amusing (and unexpected!) becoming a Maami to all these tiny tots (Roy’s nieces & nephews). Roy is amused as well to see the kids totally enamoured by the new addition to their family. He complains in jest that the kids have forgotten their Maama. Gifts for ‘Maami’ range from – wilted flowers to their share of chocolates (sometimes even half-eaten), from hairclips (borrowed from their mother’s dressing tables) to interesting insects found in our garden!! They will not leave their new Maami alone for even a minute. Siesta time is now taken over by story telling sessions, evenings are a round of carom or snakes-n-ladders.

Life brings so many new and worth experiencing changes into your life. I had never even imagined getting married would mean so many new things. The bonds and relations formed bring so many wonderful experiences your way. The love and affection they shower is so genuine & pure, you want to savour each memory and each gift they present you - may it be a sweet kiss on the cheek or a lil’ catterpillar!

“…Our castle stands atop the hills
And offers strength of spirit
Place your hand little one unto mine
And I shall lead you to it.

The family castle is now your home
The stones grow ever stronger
For the castle’s built on love and hope
Alone you are no longer…”

(Poem - The Family Castle, By Nancy Rakovszky)

What a wonderful world

2009-06-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

“Somewhere over the rainbow,
Way up high,
There’s a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow,
Skies are blue;
And the dreams that you dare to dream of,
Really do come true…”

…coos Norah Jones through my iPod as I trudge my way home. Nothing beats golden jazz to help you unwind after a hectic day at work. It is springtime in the UK, and there is lush greenery everywhere. I spot a gang of local teenagers coming up on the same footpath as I am on. They are about 16 or 17 years old , on their way to some pub. Physically they appear older than me being taller and well-built. As they approach nearer, they block the whole footpath such that there is no room for me to pass by and I will have to get down from the footpath if I have to walk by. I turn off my iPod and pocket it. I assume on approaching nearer they would make way for me as all other pedestrians do. But they don’t.

They are snickering over something; two of the guys have beer cans in their hands. When we are finally face to face, I try to walk on the edge of the footpath lest I bump into any of them. One of the guys brushes his elbow against mine (on purpose) and tries to act as though I elbowed him hard and spills his beer can on the road. The girls start giggling out loud. The guys start abusing me “You f___ spastic…you dumb retard Paki…” The horrible words assail my ears. I don’t turn back and just continue walking. One of them throws an empty can at me, which doesn’t hit me but falls nearby.

I am amazed at my own passivity. I don’t turn back and just keep on walking. Deep inside I am quite shaken by the whole incident, trivial as it may seem. I come home and just crash down on the bed…I put on my earphones again…

“Well I see trees are Green and Red roses too…
I watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world…

I see skies are blue and I see clouds are white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark …and I think to myself
What a wonderful world…”

I reflect about the discrimination against people belonging to various castes, religions and regions back at home. All those misgivings, reservations and prejudice some people have to live with - day in and day out. And then I think about this racism rampant in many countries. Many people having gone through much worse, more humiliating and even life threatening.

Why is that little tear drop coming out of my eye…and then there is another one…and another…and before I know there are more coursing down both cheeks…

“The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, I…I love you

I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,
They’ll learn much more
Than we’ll ever know…
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world…”

An Awakening of the heart

2009-04-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ajji had come to live with us even before I was born. Ajji is my maternal grandmother, my Ajja, maternal grandfather, had expired few years before I was born. My paternal grandparents had expired when my Dad was in his teens. So Ajji is the only grandparent I had ever seen or lived with. My uncle was not married at that time and constantly on move throughout India due to his job. Ajji preferred to live with us in Bombay and go over to meet her relatives occasionally.

Since my parents were working, Ajji looked after me and my sister during the day. She would cook for us and feed us. Tell us lots of stories and play “house-house” with us. Being the eldest, I was very naughty and always getting into trouble. Be it catching kittens by their tails, stealing flowers from our neighbor’s gardens, bossing over all our colony kids and my younger sister, breaking window panes, ringing door bells and running away, the list was endless. And so was the list of complaints my Ajji passed on to my Mum when she came home from work in the evening. “Today Gundu did this…today Gundu did that…”

I started detesting my granny for that because these “Gundu’s Karamatein” (Gundu’s antics) sessions would be followed with a good scolding and many a times sound pasting from my Mum depending on the degree of monkey business I had indulged in. As we grew up and entered our teens, things between my Ajji and me became a tad bit more unfriendly. She would pass sarcastic comment on my Clothes – which she found always too short, my music – which she found always too loud, that I was watching MTV – which was an offensive channel to her for it had people clad in undergarments dancing about vulgarly, the time I spent away from studies reading comics hidden inside textbooks and practically every other thing a teenager indulges in.

I was too young and naive to understand the fundas of generation gap differences, seeing from an elder’s perspective and all that. We would have squabbles over every other thing under the sun! With my Mum siding with my Ajji and myself on the receiving end. My goodie-good sister always went Scot-free. There would be comparisons drawn between both of us and I would be oft rebuked to mend my ways. I would go to the extent of drawing caricatures of a she-devil in my school books and label it ‘Ajji’. Which when discovered by my Mum would mean another earful about not showing respect to elders.

The teen angst years passed by, and then came college, higher education and work.Once on to a job, I found myself constantly traveling and moving about all over India and the world. That was the first time I realized how much I missed my family…and how much I loved them. I would try to keep in touch with everyone once every few days on Phone and Chat. I would spend a lot of time shopping gifts for everyone. When I would come home, I would be treated royally. Gone were the days of Gundu’s Karamatein, now I had more respect in the house due to my academic record and job. Everyone pampered and doted on me and I was really happy. Then due to work pressures I would not find time to speak regularly on phone. Many a times I would be bored and just mutter ‘Hmmm…Hmmm’s to my mum’s complains about my Dad, my Ajji’s in detail account of the day’s cooking, my Dad’s advice to me for every other thing. I was not really listening and busy absorbed in my own world.

Then came the day, when my Uncle announced his plans to move back to our ancestral home in our native place. His wife had passed away shortly after getting married and he has no offspring. He is alone and wants his mother to come live with him. My granny was delighted on the thought of having to have to spend her last days in her native place and her son. She would miss us a lot and loved it here in Mumbai but she had not seen her village for many years and wants to spend some time with her son. My mother is very unhappy to see her go but she wants her Mother to spend her last few years as per her wishes and happiness. Ajji promised to come visit us often and that we would go to visit her there as well. In spite of all her naggings and complains, we kids had come to love our Ajji.

We know in our hearts the people who matter the most to us, the people who we love the most, nonetheless we always tend to take them for granted. When she was with us, I didn’t take time to sit down and talk my hearts content to her. I didn’t take the time to admit how much I love her. But now that she is going away, I think about her all the time. I call her up without fail everyday, I enquire about her health, what she cooked and is she taking her medicines. I plan to meet her every month and have her at my place as frequently as possible. Why is it that we realize true worth of our parents when it dawns on us that they may not be there with us forever? I curse myself for being so ignorant. But I vow to treat everyone much better and with much more love, care and affection. I no longer wish to sit until I lose them completely and then realize what a grave mistake I did. It is not that I live for them, but whatever I am today is all thanks to them. They make my life…every day – worth living!

The Nightmare

2009-04-03T01:29:00.000-07:00

It was around half past ten when we all trudged back to our college Hostel. The nine of us (Yes, we had a big gang ) had been out for a Romantic Comedy “50 First Dates”, followed by hearty dinner at a local eatery and thus had managed to cross the 10 pm deadline set by our “khadoos” Girls Hostel warden Vimlaji. The watchman, Bahadur Kaka was our pal, so he let us in with smile. He was used to our mischievous activities. Slowly each one of us tiptoed up the staircase and into our rooms, lest we awake the monster warden. Once inside, we let out a huge sigh of relief “Whew! That was quite close. I’m happy that monster didn’t wakeup” I said to my room-mates. “I swear!” replied Shreya “I didn’t want to spoil the after-taste of a fantastic movie and dinner after bumping into the Big Bhootni of our Hostel!” Everyone broke into laughter at Shreya’s comment but soon hushed up at the thought of waking up Vimlaji with all that noise.

As we prepared for bed, the movie was evidently still running on our minds. “Hey Anu!” Preeta broke my train of thoughts “How did you find the movie? Adam Sandler is so cute, isn’t he?” “The movie was funny” I replied “But I’m not a big fan of Sandler and his humour. Give me Jerry Seinfeld or Matthew Perry anytime! ” “Hmmm so Anu would prefer Chandler over Sandler ha!” Shreya chirped in. After some more banter and gossiping, we all fell asleep. It had been quite an enjoyable evening.

I don’t quite remember how it all started. I was deep asleep, when all of a sudden I felt someone touching my forehead. I couldn’t actual decipher the touch, but it was as though someone was patting on my forehead – as though lulling me to sleep. My first reaction was irritation on being woken up like this. But as much as I tried I just couldn’t get my eyes to open. I tried to move my hands but to no avail. I was flabbergasted! I was not able to move my hands, nor my legs, could not even open my eyes. Some kind of invisible power had paralyzed me all over. It was the most frightening thing that could ever happen to me. To add to it there was that feeling of some hand patting on my forehead. I started saying all the prayers that I knew – the Ganesha stotra, Hanuman chalisa…even the Our Father in Heaven! Sounds funny, doesn’t it? But at that moment of time only I knew what I was going through. I don’t know when I fell asleep again. I guess that bizarre event stopped in a short while and I was induced into a dreamless slumber.

When I woke up the next morning, I was still shaken by the previous night’s incident and spoke about it to my friends. “Hey Anu, don’t worry!” my friends consoled me “Must have been some bad dream. Just forget it.” Thinking it was the best to forget it all, I washed my hands off that incident as a nightmare. A few months later when I was home during vacation, it happened again. One afternoon, during siesta I felt that hand patting my head again, touching my neck. My mother was sleeping next to me. I tried to call out to her, but was just not able to neither open my mouth nor move. I willed my eyes to open with all the courage I could muster. And then in a few minutes, it all stopped! I woke my mum up and told her about it all. “Goodness Anuradha!!” mum exclaimed, “Why didn’t you tell me all this before? Hey bhagwaan! This is not a normal thing. I will have to take you to Guruji as soon as possible.” She frightened me even further with more old wives tales.

I didn’t believe in all these Gurujis and Babajis, but for the sake of my mother’s faith I went along with her. Even I was curious to know what he had to say on this. This particular Guruji was an educated, middle class guy who was sans all the garbs of a Sadhu but he was melodramatic nonetheless. “Bum bum bole!” he muttered after listening to my mother’s narration, “Anuradha beti, you have been struck by an Evil eye – Boori Nazar!! This all has happened because of that Boora Saaya(Evil shadow)!” My mother got scared, “Guruji please save my daughter! Is there anything we can do to end that Boori Nazar” “Don’t worry Behenji” he replied after a dramatic pause “I will give her a Taveez (amulet) to wear which will ward off all evil eyes! I will also perform a small pooja if you don’t mind, which will make sure your daughter is protected from all kinds of evil!” My mum was happy “Don’t worry about money Guruji! Please conduct that pooja at the earliest!” I wasn’t very happy with this, but there was no point in reasoning it out with my mum – she just wouldn’t listen. We had the pooja conducted soon and I got a ‘blessed’ Taveez tied to my arm.

After some days, I removed it and threw it away. After reading so much, I wasn’t satisfied with all this hog wash. I wanted to know the real reason behind what had happened to me. I knew what I had experienced and it was something “surreal”. I wanted to get to the root of this and the Guruji’s boori nazar story was as bogus as could get. One of my friend’s brothers was a practicing neurosurgeon and I went over to his place to find out more.
On hearing my tale, the first thing he asked me was “Anu, how do you sleep?”
I smiled “Just like everyone else! Do you mean to say how do I position myself?”
“Yes, that’s right I want to know whether you sleep face down, sideways, face up,…”
“I usually sleep with my face upwards!” I replied.

“Hmmm…and do you use a good pillow?” he asked me.“No. As a matter of fact, I don’t use a pillow at all. Don’t find it comfortable!”
“That explains it…” He said with a smile.“Ok! So you understand why this could be happening?” I asked him.
“Yes, I think it’s quite simple. What you’ve been through is a mild version of something termed as ‘Sleep Paralysis’. It has got nothing to do with evil eyes or ears.”I was curious, “Is it something serious?”
“In your case, I don’t think there is anything to be afraid of. I would suggest you to change your sleeping position. Preferably sleep sideways. And try to use a small pillow in order to support your head when you are asleep. ”
“Why is that required?” I was interested to know further.
“When you tend to sleep without a pillow and that too face up, the oxygen supply to your brain gets cut off; which results in a temporary paralysis often accompanied by hallucinations. Like in your case you felt a hand on your head. Avoid sleeping face up, do not indulge in excessive caffeine or smoking, do not eat large quantities of food before you sleep. Stress levels can also be a factor that causes it. But in your case it is just the wrong sleeping position”

“Okay, I will try to avoid that from now on” I nodded my head.
“Does this ever happen again I would suggest you try to break off it. Try to move some body part with your will, like a finger or a toe or even your eyelids. The moment you move a body part – the sleep paralysis will cease instantly! If sometimes you are unable to do so try to imagine you are moving your head or fingers and your mind will become active and the sleep paralysis episode will end.”
“That sounds interesting! I will surely go ahead and attempt that.” I felt better.
“See Anuradha, You are a brave lass. Don’t let such small things get you down. Medical science has advanced by leaps and bounds. It is time for everyone to sit up and think rationally.”
His words made a lot more sense then all those superstitious stories. I followed his advice and it worked.

Take a Quarter teaspoon of Courage and a Quarter teaspoon of Will power, Add half a spoon of Proper Counselling and Guidance and you will be able to chase all your nightmares away.
Say Goodbye to all Taveez, Babajis and Boori Nazar!!

The legend of the Shaniwar wada fort

2009-04-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

The city of Pune used to be the political hub of the Maratha Empire. Most of us may have read about the History of the Maratha Empire during our school days. During my early days in Pune, my friends and I planned a day out visiting all of Pune’s historical monuments. One of those remarkable monuments we visited was the Shaniwar wada fort.

The Shaniwar Wada Fort is a palace fort situated in the heart of Pune city. Shaniwar Wada in Marathi means a Saturday residential complex, mainly because the foundation ceremony for this fort was carried out on an auspicious Saturday by Peshwa Bajirao I on 10th January, 1730. Baji Rao I was a noted General of Emperor Chhatrapati Shahu. This fort is open to general public all through the year between 9 am and 6 pm. The entrance fee is minimal and there are tour guides available who try their best to tell you the tragedies the walls of this fort have witnessed. The magnificent Dilli Darwaza, stone walls, manicured green lawns, the Nagarkhana, 9 towers, Mastani Darwaja,…all lie still…mute witnesses of 4 generations of Peshwas and the gory history behind each.

I had heard tales from the locals that the Shaniwar wada is haunted. Many plays in Marathi theatre have been based on this same folk lore and we were inquisitive to know more. On asking our tour guide about it, he took us to one a particular section of the fort. It appeared as an ordinary fort section, a kind of a Darwaza (door) with passages adjacent to both sides leading to stairways. History has it that, after the death of Madhav Rao Peshwa, his younger brother Narayan Rao succeeded him who was only thirteen years old. Since Narayan Rao was still a minor his uncle Raghunathrao became his guardian and started acting as the regent. As days passed by Raghunathrao became greedy and ambitious to become the Peshwa himself. He plotted along with his scheming and cunning wife Anandibai.

In 1773, when Narayan Rao was only fourteen years old, his uncle sent his guards to catch Narayan Rao and bring him. Legend has it that, the Uncle had sent a message to his guards ‘Narayan Rao la dharaa’ (which means in marathi - capture Narayan Rao) but his wily wife changed the message to ‘Narayan Rao la maaraa’ (which means – kill Narayan Rao). Thus Anandibai went down in history for changing ‘dha’ to ‘maa’ and abetting the killing of the young prince. On seeing the guards coming after him the young prince fled inside the fort towards his Uncle’s place Badami Mahal crying “Kaka! Mala vachva!” (Uncle! Please save me!) But no one came to his rescue. His uncle stood and watched Narayan Rao being killed. Narayan Rao was hacked into so many pieces that it had to be carried in a vessel through the door.

Raghunathrao was awarded the Death sentence for abetting this gruesome crime. Locals say that on specific nights of the year you can still hear Narayan Rao’s cry for help “Kaka! Mala vachva!” They think it is his distressed soul still seeking help. We left the fort with our minds still imagining these historical incidents. The present day tranquility of this place is only marred with couples hobnobbing in hidden passages of the fort who are shooed off by the guards at regular intervals, “Raju loves Pinki” and other lovelorn graffiti scribbled unjustly into the walls of this historical beauty. The distressed soul of Narayan Rao Peshwa is certainly the last thing on their minds for sure. Even though all these tales built upon the actual historical events could be just a farce but no one can deny the actual history of any place.

Indian history does have a lot more interesting stories then the ones we glanced at in our History textbooks

Some Unusual Places in India

2009-04-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This post is not shared here with the intention to encourage any kind of blind or superstitious beliefs or belief in the paranormal, etc. It is a general post and discretion of the readers is requested in order to perceive the article.

Give below are some of Unusual Places of visit in India.
Courtesy a site I came across.

If in case any of our fellow bloggers have been to any of these places , please feel free to share your experiences and shed light on the mystery behind these places.

Place: Gujarat - Surat – Dumas
It is said that if you walk towards the ocean at night in Dumas you tend to hear noises that will tell you go home, don’t go forward etc. Dogs start chasing you sometimes but they say that the dogs run because they are trying to get away from that place as well. This all happens because the Hindus cremate their dead at this site and some souls are said to linger in this place.

Place: Hyderabad - Ramoji Film City
It is a big film city in Hyderabad. The hotels in Ramoji film city are said to be haunted. They say that the film city is built on war grounds of the Nizam sultans. Witnesses report the lights kept on top keep falling off, the light men- who sit with the lights on top have been pushed so many times and many have had grievous injuries. The food left in rooms also gets scattered around the room and strange marks are left on the mirror. The Spirits are said to create a lot of havoc. Many preventive measures have been taken to prevent haunting but all in vain.

Place: Lonavala - Maharashtra - Raj Kiran hotel
Reports of bed sheets being pulled off and continue to be pulled even after the guest is woken up. This room is in the corner and at the backside of the reception on the ground floor itself. The Hotel authorities have now closed that particular section of the building.

Place: Pune - Shaniwarwada Fort
When Peshwas ruled the western Indian province, Narayan the heir of the kingdom was assassinated on his uncle Madhavrao’s wife’s orders. Narayan was chased by his assassins across the entire fort. It was said that while running for his life he cried out “Uncle save me”, and even today locals say that they hear his cries for help at midnights on new moon day.

Place: Rajasthan - Alwar / Bhangarh - Ajabgarh - Bhangarh ruins
Bhangarh is a place on way from Jaipur to Alwar city in Rajasthan state of India. Today Bhangarh is known for its ruins where nobody dares to stay after sunset. As per historical legends, this town was established by Madho Singh, younger brother of King Akbar’s General Man Singh, in 1631. But the city seems to have been abandoned in a hurry some centuries later. As per local folks, due to some curse the whole town was vacated overnight.

According to this curse it was also said that if the town was ever rediscovered, the township would not be found, but only temples would show up. True to the story, only temples dot the landscape and even far up on the mountains only shrines can be seen. People say that anyone who stays after dark never returns. The biggest thing is that as per Govt. of India a rule states that there has to be an office of Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) beside every historical structure in India. But even Government authorities couldn’t dare to open an office there and they opened their office about one kilometer away from the ruins of Bhangarh. Also ASI has put a signboard at Bhangarh saying, “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area.” People who visit this place out of tourist interest say that there is a strange feeling in the atmosphere of Bhangarh, which causes sort of anxiety and restlessness.

Place: West Bengal - Kurseong - Dow-Hill
The forests are said to have an uncanny feeling about them. It is very damp, cold and sometimes dark. People up here tend to be depressed and countless murders have taken place. On the stretch between Dow-Hill road and the Forest Office, wood cutters returning in the evenings have sited a young boy walking head-less for several yards and then walk away from the road into the woods. Other than this, footsteps are heard in the corridors of the Victoria Boys School when the school is closed for long holidays from December to March.

Place: Delhi - Delhi cantonment
People have reported having seen a lady standing in a white dress asking for lift. If they drive through her she is said to run as fast as the car runs & people reported her sitting there.
—————-
Just a light hearted post on the occasion of All Fool’s Day :-)
If in case any of our fellow bloggers have been to any of these places , please feel free to share your experiences and shed light on the mystery behind these places

Of Human Instincts & Emotions

2009-03-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

This happened last year in Pune. My mother was over at my place for the weekend and we both were out shopping. On our way back home, we decided to visit one of Pune’s famous temples dedicated to my favourite deity Lord Ganesha Dag dusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple located in the heart of Pune city and very close to historical Shaniwar Wada fort, which was the administrative headquarters of the Peshwas of Maratha Empire. There are many an interesting folklores about the fort, which I would like to share in my future posts, but getting back to the current topic.

My mother and I were purchasing flower garlands to be offered inside the temple when I spotted a woman with a child wandering about listlessly. What caught my attention was the contrasting appearances of the woman and the child. That woman was huge, dark complexioned, swarthy, with coarse matted hair, wearing a tattered & dirty sari, her feet were chapped and bruised, around 40 years old or so. You could easily make out she was from an economically deprived background given her shabby appearance. But the child was remarkably good looking and bonny, with a fair and rosy complexion, glossy hair and healthy body. She was around 3-4 years and was clad in clean underwear. That woman was dragging the child by her hand, hence her feet were dirty – but you could make out from the child’s appearance that she came from a better home as compared to the woman who was clutching her hand.

I do not know how the readers will comprehend this – but when I spotted them I felt a jolt inside me – some kind of internal instinct. That child did not belong to that lady. An unexplainable unease took over me and I told my mom about it. But by then the woman and the child seemed to have disappeared into the crowd. There is a Police station just next to the Temple and I told my mom, we need to go and report this. My Mother calmed me down and advised that without actually catching anyone or getting their location a report would be of no use. But I was adamant; I felt that if we reported this matter at least the cops in the vicinity would be alert. We found a constable standing outside the premises of the temple and told him about the woman. He said he will keep an eye out for her.

After we left that place, that memory haunted me for days together. I do not know whether the cops found that woman again or established the identity of the child. Some of my friends laughed it off saying the woman’s spouse must be good looking hence the child was pretty. But that does not explain the cleanliness and unmarked appearance of the child when the woman’s appearance was the exact opposite. I may be wrong, but god forbid – if that child was stolen - I pray to God that woman is caught and that child is reunited with her parents. I’m glad I alerted the Constable. But I am hoping there are more alert citizens around us who report such suspicous characters.

I often read news reports of missing children, children stolen from outside their homes, children abused by their family members and known ones, children forced into flesh trade and what not…I’m left with an inexorable sadness. I perceive crime against children as the highest form of cruelty and inhuman behavior. The crime and law governing bodies of India need to enforce strict rules and laws to ensure no child’s life is snuffed out cruelly. I do not aim to lecture anybody but would certainly like to say that - we as law abiding citizens and above all – human beings - certainly need to be more alert and proactive in reporting crimes or suspicious incidents.

But I would like to leave my readers with an after thought that – Of all the beautiful things created by God on earth, the most beautiful are children. Let us all strive to give children their deserved childhood

‘Aami aar Feluda’ :: Feluda & I

2009-03-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

‘Aami aar Feluda’ :: Feluda & I

My first encounter with Feluda was when I was 12 years old and he was about 27 years old. His real name was Pradosh Chandra Mitter, Feluda was his nickname. Feluda was about 6ft tall with a good athletic physique, and sharp features. But he used his physical prowess only when required. Feluda believed in the might of brain over brawn. We both shared a lot of hobbies. He too had a voracious appetite for books and General Knowledge. He was fond of playing chess, solving puzzles and riddles and never left any challenge unturned which would exercise his brain. He smoked cigarettes, Charminar being his favorite brand (I’m sure he must have stopped smoking by now). Apart from that one bad habit, he took care of himself really well. Getting up early in morning to do Yoga, going for walks and staying fit.

Feluda worked as a Private Detective and lived at Rajani Sen Road, Ballygunj, Calcutta (Kolkatta). In his house, there also lived his cousin Tapesh, fondly called ‘Topshe’, who was about 16 years old. Topshe used to write for magazines and also assisted Feluda in his work. They had friend Lalmohan Ganguly, also known as Jatayu, who also accompanied them on all their adventures. Laluda was about 35 years, plump and with a bald pate and very jovial by nature.

Feluda first appeared in a Bengali Children’s magazine called ‘Sandesh’ in 1965. Obviously I wasn’t around at that time, but was lucky enough to be presented ‘The Danger in Darjeeling’ (Feludar Goendagiri in Bengali) on my 12th birthday decades later. And that was the start of my timeless friendship with Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu.

For all those, who haven’t heard about Feluda, he is a fictional crime investigator who has starred in a series of brilliant short stories penned by none other then one of India’s priceless gems, the great Film director and writer Satyajit Ray. Feluda’s detective stories were written keeping the young readers in mind, especially age group 10-18. They were clean devoid of any unusual melodrama, sexual content, violence or any kind of profanity. Feluda’s stories became so popular that not only young children and teenagers but everyone right from ages 8 to 80 got addicted to them. Satyajit Ray was an admirer of Sherlock Holmes. Feluda also considers Holmes as his Guru. There is a very Holmes-like charm to all the stories, which are creative and authentic in their own right.

Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu traveled all over Bengal and India solving baffling mysteries in their unique way and keeping us thoroughly entertained.
After Danger in Darjeeling (Feludar Goendagiri) came
- The Emperor’s ring (Badshahi Aangti) followed by
- Kailash Chaudhary’s Jewel (Kailash Chowdhury’r Pathar),
- The Anubis Mystery (Sheyal Debota Rahasya),
- Trouble in Gangtok (Gangtokey Gandogol),
- The Golden Fortress (Sonar Kella)
And many more such brilliant pieces of mystery fiction.
The Magical Mystery (Indrajal Rahasya) was the Last in this series of works and was published after the sad demise of Ray. I was heartbroken to learn that there would be no more mysteries of Feluda after this.

Bengali readers had the privilege of getting to read these original works in Bengali. But thanks to Chitrita Banerjee and Gopa Majumdar, we now have these stories translated into English as well. The plot of the stories may not be extra-ordinary but the sharp screenplay like writing will keep your imagination mesmerized. One can actually imagine all the events taking place in front of us while reading these stories.

Many of Feluda’s stories have been made into Bengali movies. I have watched Sonar Kella and Joi Baba Felunath directed by none other then the master director Satyajit Ray. It had the Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee starring as Feluda. Recently, Satyajit Ray’s son Sandip Ray has given us some more Feluda movies Bombaiyer Bombete, Kailashey Kelekari and Tintorettor Jishu. Years pass by, but Feluda’s stories never cease to amaze his readers. His detective techniques may seem outdated given present day forensic science and crime detection advancement. But he will always be fondly remembered in the hearts of all his fans forever.

Abhayam (Shelter)

2009-03-04T02:33:00.000-08:00

I am back to one of my ardent interests – Cinema – I would like to pen a few lines on some of the remarkable children’s movies produced in India. The credit for producing these unforgettable children’s movies goes undoubtedly to the CFSI.

Thanks to this website, I was able to muse over some very creative and heart touching children’s movies I had watched on Doordarshan years ago. Here is an excerpt on one of my favorites …

Movie Title: Abhayam (Shelter)
Year: 1991

Director: Sivan
Script: Shibu Chakravarthy
Camera: Santosh Sivan
Cast: Master Tarun, Baby Ambili, Madhu, Ramachandran, Parvathy

Synopsis:
I saw this movie in Malayalam, with English subtitles, when I was in 5th or 6th grade at my aunt’s place during the summer vacations. I do not know Malayalam but I recollect of having been able to comprehend the whole movie due its sheer simplicity and skill, even without glancing at the subtitles.

The story revolves around the life of little Vinu (Master Tarun) who is around 8 or 9 years of age. He is city born and bred with well-to-do parents and all luxuries of life. But Vinu prefers to live in his own dreamland and is more inclined towards the world of Arts and Nature rather then bookish studies and all the entrappings of urban lifestyle. His parents do not have any patience for Vinu’s idyllic way of life. They opine dealing with children in a strict and disciplinarian manner is for the best interests of the child. Due to which Vinu starts getting unhappy and restless. He imagines he has become a prisoner of time when his parents set up daily chores for him to do.

The only comfort Vinu finds is in dreaming about his Grandfather who lives in a village in Kerala. He dreams about visiting the village and meeting his grandfather. So one day he runs away from home in order to achieve the same.

Set against the backdrop of the scenic Kerala backwaters, Vinu’s journey to meet his grandfather, even though he doesn’t have any money or resources - makes a wonderful watch. He follows his memory of an earlier childhood visit to his village and sets about accordingly. He encounters and experiences unusual adventures during the journey. And finally one day he reaches his grandfather’s house :-)

I still recollect Vinu’s sweet and innocent face, sitting on a boat dreaming about his grandfather’s house. If I am able to get hold of this movie, I would definitely like to watch it again and archive it for my movie collection.

Katha

2009-02-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

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Katha (1982)

Another creative and refreshing movie belonging to the down-to-earth, heart touching cinema genre is 'Katha'. These are some of those movies which were made even before we were born, belonging to an all-together different generation, but never failing to attract their select audience even after decades. I was and still am fascinated by these movies because I can relate to them even in this day & age. I had already become a Fan of Sai Paranjape after watching 'Chashme Baddoor', but it was Katha that made me realise her true genius.

Katha, literally meaning a story or a tale, is based on the children’s fable of the race between a Hare and a Tortoise, adapted for a modern day background with human characters portraying animals from the fable. In the original, an over confident and conceited Hare is defeated by a slow but humble and persistent tortoise. Given our present day scenario, we very well know that smooth talking, diplomacy and flattery can take us places that an honest, straight-forward and genuine attitude will not - how on earth then will this ‘slow & steady wins the race’ theory hold true? And that is what forms the main premise of this story.

The tortoise of our tale is ‘Rajaram Purushottam Joshi’, an Average Joe and a Simpleton, but just like Raja Ram the Purushottam ‘a man of principles’ brilliantly portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah. Naseer manages to crawl under the skin of the character so well, that every time I watch Naseer I am always remember the character ‘Rajaram ji’ (that and the character of a Parsi guy in the movie Pestonji). Rajaram resides in a lower middle class residential area known as a ‘chawl’ in Mumbai. A chawl is a sea of humanity in its own right, with people belonging to various religions and regions living under one roof, in economically deprived circumstances, but as one big family – always together - come grief, sorrow, happiness, fights or laughter. Rajaram is head over heels in love with his neighbour Sandhya (the charming Deepti Naval). But it is what is called as ‘One-way traffic’ or ‘one-sided love’. He works as a clerk in a Shoe manufacturing company and has been recently confirmed as a ‘permanent’ employee in his firm.

His life goes for a toss when his old friend , the Hare of our tale, the dashing and suave Vasudev (Farooque Shaikh) comes one day uninvited and unexpected at Rajaram’s home for a ‘few days’. The simpleton Rajaram cannot say ‘no’ to his old friend and becomes a mute spectator to Washu’s(as Vasudev prefers people calling him) game of lies and deceit. Washu’s slick talking charm wins over all the chawl’s residents and to add to Rajaram’s misery, even Sandhya’s heart. Washu cons his way into Rajaram’s office and even manages to win over Rajaram’s Boss, office colleagues, Boss’ wife and daughter. Rajaram wears his frustration helplessly as he is not able to convey neither his disdain nor admiration about how Washu can get to places which he was not able to achieve this entire long.

Katha projects real life situations brilliantly with a dash of satirical yet endearing humour. Each character has been sculpted brilliantly under Sai’s special touch, which is why they are so engaging and heart touching. The depiction of life in a chawl has been executed exceptionally and as it is. The biggest reason why one must watch this movie apart from the brilliant performances, creative story, engaging screenplay is because as a common man, we can relate to those people and find ourselves laughing at situations which we ourselves might have gone through.

All the hustle & bustle in a chawl, forms an enjoyable backdrop for the main characters of the movie. Children playing cricket in the yard and breaking window panes, their ball accidentally landing in people’s kitchen and starting fights between families, waiting early morning for water to be collected and stored in hordes of pipes and drums, neighbours asking for incessant favours from each other like borrowing money, sugar, milk, etc; a family proudly showing off their newly made furniture to their guests and contents of their Fridge & Colour TV (as a fridge or colour TV was a rarity and privileged commodity in those days); parents of eligible girl trying to woe eligible bachelors in their chawl by cooking them yummy snacks.

Each character in this chawl adds a special flavour to the story. What makes Katha a great watch is the way the residents of this microcosm have been portrayed and their interactions. The performances by the principle characters of this movie are exceptional. Naseer, Farooque and Deepti do incomparable justice to their characters. You would love to hate Washu, sympathise with Rajaram and get bowled over by Deepti.

This utterly delightful movie ends on a brilliantly satirical note, which is what makes it ‘worth a watch’.

Mirch Masala

2009-02-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Indian cinema has been successfully churning out brilliant movies right since its inception. Catering to millions with varied tastes and choices worldwide, Indian cinema is undoubtedly home to many brilliant artists. I would like to pen down reviews of a few select movies that touched me to the core and would undoubtedly figure in the list of best movies I have ever seen. One such movie is ‘Mirch Masala’(1985).

The main premise of this movie is a topic close to my heart, empowerment of women in India. There might have been numerous instances where we might have encountered news articles related to rape, humiliation and repression of women in various parts of India, even in this day and age. Mirch Masala is a tale set in the pre-Independence era, which touches sensitive topics like morality, human mentality and suppression of sorts. This perceptive movie is set in rural areas of Gujarat (Kathiawad area) and is beautifully directed by Ketan Mehta. Son Bai (portrayed by the gifted actress Late Smita Patil) is a childless woman residing in a village with her jobless husband played by Raj Babbar.

Son Bai is dusky, sensuously beautiful, extremely confident and strong willed. She is at no point promiscuous or unfaithful to her spouse, in spite of having many men drooling after her and trying to vie for her attention in the village. She manages all the work at home and at a Chilli grinding factory nearby as well as keeping lecherous men at bay single-handedly while her husband is out of town in search of work.

Things get worse when a tyrannical and wicked Subhedar (the versatile Naseeruddin Shah) turns up in their village as a tax collector. One day at the river while Son Bai is filling her pots, the Subhedar sights upon her and is besotted immediately. He approaches Son Bai for a drink and makes his intention to bed her clear - on which Son Bai administers him a tight slap as her reply in midst of nosy onlookers.

The Subhedar is highly enraged at the audacity of this chit of a woman and vows to teach her a lesson. He is malevolent and oppressive and has a band of soldiers to carry out his bidding. The Subhedar won’t take such an insult lying down. He shakes up the entire village and the weak village Sarpanch (village head played by Suresh Oberoi, who is only capable of flexing his dominating muscles against his timid wife played by Deepti Naval ) to bring Son Bai down on her knees and into his chamber. On beign deserted by the village people, Son Bai flees to the Chilli factory she works for as a refuge. There is tremendous pressure on her from the village elders to let go of her modesty and comply with the wishes of the Subhedar for the ‘better interests’ of the whole village.

The gripping narrative explores human mentality, weaknesses and moral dilemnas brilliantly. The questions this movie touches upon are worth pondering even in this day and age. How the guard of the Chilli factory Abu Miyaan (portrayed by the talented genius Om Puri) and her co-workers stand up against and fight the social evil in form of the Subhedar is what makes this movie truly worth watching. Ketan Mehta has creatively used the metaphor of Mirch Masala (meaning Chillies and Spices) to symbolise the fiery strength of a woman and above all a human being against all forms of oppression.

The star cast includes many talented actors such as Mohan Gokhale, Dina Pathak, Supriya Pathak, Ratna Pathak-Shah, Soni Razdan, Paresh Rawal, Benjamin Gilani and many others. Naseer’s portrayal of the malevolent Subhedaar is mind blowing. The actor who steals the show is the Late Smita Patil. Her portrayal of the feisty and fiery, uncompromising and strong willed Son Bai who fights to save her dignity against all odds will be etched into the memories of cine-goers forever.

Mirch Masala is yet another classic masterpiece in the legion of beautifully directed realistic movies of India.

Chashm-e-Buddoor

2009-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

Courtesy a nice, comfy long weekend, I had the opportunity to watch one of my all time favourite movies once again (must have watched this one at least a zillion times :-) ) I would like to think of ‘Chashm-e-Buddoor’ as one of the sweetest and most refreshing movies in the Romantic Comedy Genre. No unnecessary drama, violence, song-n-dance sequences, vulgarity or over-the-top comedy. Chashm-e-Buddoor is truly a jewel embedded in the crown of 1980s Indian cinema.

The first time I watched this movie, back in school days, I was struck by the simplicity and sweetness of this creative movie. Written and Directed by the versatile and immensely gifted Sai Paranjape, the delightful comedy and brimming innocence this movie exudes has touched the hearts of many a cine-goer.

The story revolves around 3 young lads Siddharth (Farooque Shaikh), Omi (Rakesh Bedi) and Jai (Ravi Vaswani) who are room-mates, rivals and the best of friends at the same time. They are having a hard time trying to finish off their studies at the Delhi university, with the exception of studious n dilligent Siddharth. Sai presents a very humorous yet realistic view on student bachelors making the most of their youth without any worry or tension of tomorrow. Thanks to repeated unsuccessful attempts to pass their exams, the lads are always short of money and high on debts. Omi and Jai prefer running after pretty girls, listening to latest music, smoking and doing everything else except work or studies. The story may not sound extra-ordinary, but the screenplay makes it really worth watching. The witty dialogues, excellent acting by the entire cast always manages to bring a smile to my face whenever I watch it.

A new girl moves into their colony, ‘Neha‘ (such a sweet name) portrayed by the brilliant and beautiful Deepti Naval. It is love at first sight for Omi and Jai who are busy checking out girls from their balcony. They place a bet amongst themselves as to who will win Neha’s heart. The shy and modest Sidharth who hasn’t seen the girl yet, will not have any of it, and asks the lads to spare him from their juvenile antics. What follows then, is worth a dekho. The hillarious escapades of Omi and Jai to woe Neha and the different story they cook up and tell as a ‘flashback’ at home will have you in splits.

Coming to the most innocent and romantic part of this movie Neha and Siddharth’s first scene together. Neha is going about the colony, door-to-door advertising ‘Chamko’ washing powder manufactured by her Dad’s firm, in an attempt to earn her own pocket money. She comes knocking unexpectedly at these trio’s flat. Sidharth is alone at home and very much at unease while talking to girls. Neha gets him talking. Their shy interaction, Neha giving a demo of Chamko detergent powder(on a clean towel provided by Sidharth), Sidharth’s innocence , Neha’s sweet demeanour will leave a wonderful imprint of a genuine and clean romance we hardly get to see nowadays.

Neha and Sidharth end up falling in love with each other, much to Omi and Jai’s consternation. Omi and Jai turn green with jealousy, on seeing the simpleton Sidharth land up the girl they were after. They try their level best to break the couple apart by cooking up malicious stories about Neha and almost succeed in creating a wrong impression of her in Sidharth’s mind. But a hillarious climax, spoofing scenes from some of Bollywood’s famous potboilers, reunites the couple.

Throw in excellent cameos by Saeed Jaffrey as Lalan Miyaan the local Pan shop owner where the lads have an ever increasing Udhaari (debt) account, Leela Mishra as Neha’s Naani Ma. Sai succeeds in creating a genuinely funny comedy and in bringing immense sweetness and sensitivity to each character.

To all those romantic comedy cinema lovers, this one is a must watch.

BooBoo’s first birthday

2008-04-23T02:25:00.000-07:00

BooBoo’s first birthday

Few weeks ago my nephew BooBoo celebrated his first birthday
It was a real fun-filled-family affair!!
We decided to have the party at my brother’s place instead of in a party hall, which seems to be quite a trend these days. Parents splurge lavishly on their baby’s first birthdays in party halls organized by event managers!! with a Music DJ and Continental cuisine to boot
Early in the morning we cleant the garden and put out the lights. We had invited only choicest close family members and friends along with their children. We wanted to make sure BooBoo had the time of his life…a very special close-knit birthday party!

Our sweet lil’ BooBoo’s first birthday…
To add an even more special personal touch I baked a pretty cake for my bonny nephew….
I was quite apprehensive at first, as my earlier cake baking experiments had not turned out quite…um….well but I had to get it right for BooBoo’s Birthday Bash!
And look….

It was indeed quite a sight!!
Booboo was ecstatic and gurgling-n-babbling with glee,
Thank God my nephew is a happy baby! he just loves people!
He was clapping his hands and blowing spit balloons at the sight of so many guests
specially at Colonel Uncle who liked pinching BooBoo’s cheeks!
The house was filled with ‘Happy Birthday’ and other soft melodies…
The tables were laden with the choicest of cookies, sweetmeats and savouries.
The guests also brought along so many gifts that our house was overflowing (if it wasn’t already!) Ahhhh! BooBoo’s delight knew no bounds!
We made him sit on his throne (a cute polka doted high chair) in front of the cake
and were about to light the candle
when…
SPLATTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

SPLATTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

SPLATTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!
Naughty lil’ BooBoo wanted to checkout the cake his dear Aunt had so painstickingly baked for him well in advance before the candles were lit or blown for that matter

Ummmmmm! Thanku aunty that was delicious!!! Smack!!!
Muahhh :-* love you !!!
BooBoo giggled with glee…all the guests broke into peals of laughter seeing the state of BooBoo and his birthday cake!!
But BooBoo really didn’t bother, he was happy splatting the cake about
full of happiness!!

Wish you again Many Happy Returns of the day my darling!!
May God bless you with a happy love & laughter filled long life!

Where has love gone?

2007-01-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

This always happens to people who bare out their heart in open...you can always hear people saying "Aise kaise kisi par bhi bharosa kar lete ho?!" they often rebuke...So I can't help but wonder, is it wrong to put your heart and your soul into everything you do?? Why can't you speak out every emotion in your heart and trust everybody to be a nice person as well? What you give is what you get, isnt it? Then why are you tagged as naive and foolish?

At times some really reckless people trample your heart..crush it into peices ruthlessly, but you live again today, don't you?...love again...Life is such a beautiful vast thing. You survive...the gloomy clouds of hurt and misery soon pass by. You really can't do much about things that have already happened. People don't change, they are as they are. Most people are practical, they weigh money, wealth, status above everything else.

Wasn't love meant to accept the beauty of togetherness and that lovely bond as it is without considering all these worldly things like money and status???

Yeah right..to live we have to eat, and need a roof over our head..there are our families to consider...families! families!...how will we manage/cope with them?!...Ah an afterthought...why don't you think of such things before??

Were you fast asleep all this while?? Didn't you know what you wanted in life and where your road was turning?? How could you have such a wavering and unsteady mind??

For people at the receiving end. God is there at your side, You are much stronger and wiser person today then you were yesterday. You will find success, new bonds once again. You will mould something having a stronger foundation, that of good and trustworthy friendship. You will soar like an eagle, walk with a Lioness stride. You will be happy and content with your life. What you give is what you get ~ You give so much trust and dedication, you will get it all back one day soon...maybe not from the same source, job or person, but from someone or something who is really worthy of you.

Where has love gone? If you ask me, I'll say..Nowhere! it was always here...always here...And you'll find it sooner or later.

Live...Love...Laugh...

God Bless everyone.

Meanderings

2006-11-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

People are the most funniest creatures on earth. I too am a part of this big jamboree :-) Each thinks that the whole world revolves around him or her. And that only he/she can judge people correctly and do the right thing. I am like that, we all are like that. In amidst all fo that...we forget what we all truly are - Human beings...we lose our sense of Humanity, consciously we lose our conscience, about doing the right thing.

The other day I was reading few excerpts from Buddhist preachings, when I came across 3 beautiful and thought-provoking lines.You must have...
*****Respect for your self
*****Respect for others around you
*****Responsibilty of your own actions

If we truly imbibe these simple lines in our lives, life would be so much more better and simpler than it already is.
Sometimes, I'm really down due to problems with Room-mate, Landlords, Office Colleagues, friends problems, Sibling issues and stuff, And I lament that why people can't be a little bit more thoughtful and humane.
Then I realised, I have to become the change I want to see. I can't change these people, I can't change their attitude, but I can certainly try and change myself.
Then I can go to sleep with light mind every night....

A few of my favorite things

2006-11-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

Raindrops on noses and cute, chubby puppies
Warm, comfy sweatshirts and pizzas with toppings
Curly glossy hair tied up in ribbons
These are a few of my favorite things

Children with their innocence smiles and their babble
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Colorful butterflies that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Mist that stays on my nose and eyelashes
Lovely blue summer, and a dip in the springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the mosquito bites
When someone acts nasty
And there is too much politics everywhere
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad!!

http://meandmysoulasylum.blogspot.com/2007/04/alices-rumblings.html

Little Men

2005-09-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

CLANG!! CRASH!!
"Aiy-Aiyyo!!Venkatramana!!" Ajji cursed vehemently"These boys will be the death of me!!"
She ran into the kitchen to find the dabba filled with rava laddoos all scattered on the floor. Only yesterday Ajji along with the help of Sakubai, the house-maid, had prepared a dabba full of delicious rava laddoos made with pure homemade ghee. Little Gundu and Mithu had been hovering around the kitchen constantly ever since the house was engulfed with the smell of the laddoos.

"Gundu!!Mithu!!" Ajji had lost her cool after seeing her hard work lying in heaps on the floor "Come here at once and clean up this mess!! Where are you two rascals!!"
"We have gone out to play Ajji!"piped up Mithu from underneath the dining table.
"Gone outside to play indeed!!You little imps!!"saying so Ajji extracted the two boys by their ears from underneath the table.
"Ouch!Ouch My earrrr.."squeaked Gundu"Sorry Ajji let us go..."
"Ajji!!!!"Mithu was greatly agitated"You say your eyesight has become weak and make us write your postcards and now you have found us from our hiding location. You are a liar!You can see everything! Leave us at once!!"
"Oh-ho!!Am I liar??Wait till your mother calls up!!" threatened Ajji"I will tell her about all your doings!"
"We are not scared..."Gundu put up bravely.
"Oh is that so!"Ajji spanked their respective bottoms with her hands but in that process she had to let go of their ears and that was a good oppurtunity for the two devils to escape.

Zoooom they both ran out of the kitchen and soon out of the house as well. They knew Ajji didnt have the strength to follow them outside the house.
They ran with their tiny legs and their tiny lungis flapping about them. In his mind, Mithu was imagining how he would run when the next time Mrs Jain's Pomenarian came after him, he just wouldnt let that ogre bite him again!
Gundu was imagining he was running in his school's sports day. Ah! today he was running even faster then Krishna Patel, the 1st prize winner.
"Hey Wait!" the boys stopped their marathon race and stopped to see who had called them. Sonu, Jai and Das were sitting on their buildings compound wall. They were Gundu's classmates and playmates. "Hey Gundu!" called out Jai "Where are you off too? Arent you coming to play cricket?" "Oh you guys are planning to play cricket here?" asked Gundu.
"Not here! we are planning to join those guys from that Jolly Jeevan Apartments. Are you coming?"
"Yeah! Of course! " Gundu seemed happy at the thought of a day full of Cricket.
"I am also coming." Mithu put in.
He was met with Sonu, Jai and Das' stony gaze.
"Little boys are not allowed in our game." said Jai.
"I also want to play!" spoke Mithu.
"Go home and play with your Grandma!"mocked Sonu.
"I dont want to play with Grandma! Her games are so boring!"
"Sorry! we cant take you! Ask your granny to tell you a story."
"No Ajji keeps telling the same stories about Gods and Demons again & again. I want to play with you people!"
"We dont play with Kaccha Limbus! You'll have to grow up first before playing with us"
"Gundu! please tell them to take me also!!" Mithu was almost in tears.
"No Mithu" Gundu pacified him " These games are for grown up boys like me. You will get hurt then Ajji will beat me. You go home now,ok? dont be a pest..."
"Hey Gundu! we dont have time to waste. we are going, you wanna come you come and leave this tadpole behind!" saying so the trio jumped down the wall and ran to the next building. Gundu took off after them.
Mithu tried to follow but the older boys were too fast for him.
Humpty-dumpty tears started pouring down his chubby cheeks. Why didnt Gundu and the boys take him along with them?? He was a grown up boy too!! he would be joining the Senior Kindergarten in a month's time. He would also be donning the new uniform with the checked collar. Wow! Mithu couldnt wait until the schools re-opened.

"Ajji!!" Mithu called out to his grandma frm the front door" Open the door!"
"Why should I?" asked Ajji from inside" Open it the same way you did when you both had run out!"
"But Gundu had opened it that time!" Mithu's voice was choked with the tears, he still hadnt gotten over the fact that Gundu had left him and run away with the older boys "Open the door Ajji!!"
Ajji opened the door, to find the tiny tot with his cheeks tear-stained, her heart melted and she swooped down and took Mithu in her arms "What happened my little angel! why have you been crying?"
"That wicked Gundu left me and ran away with his friends!!"wailed Mithu.
"Aiyyo!!That Gundu!!" Ajji wiped Mithu's face with the pallu of her Saree" I will scold him when he comes! Dont cry my baby...come we both will play Doll-house, we dont need Gundu"
"But Gundu says that only girls play with dolls!" protested Mithu.
"Bah! what does that Gundu know?" said Ajji " You dont bother about him..."

So Mithu settled down with Ajji to play Doll house. He cooked rice and curry for the doll's lunch and Ajji and her doll dropped by for lunch. They all ate, cracked jokes, sang devotional songs (Mithu wondered why didnt they sing Film songs? but Ajji insisted they sing only devotional songs) and slept for few minutes. They had a lot of fun.
"Khana tayyaar hai Mithu baba!(The food is ready master Mithu)"poked in Sakubai. So granny and Mithu sat down to feast on the real lunch prepared by Sakubai.
Gundu came in afterawhile, dirty and disheveled, with a cycle tyre in his hand. "See what i got!!" he danced the tyre in front of Mithu's eyes."Ta-ta-da! I am going to make this my car and play with it!!"
"Oh you rascal! Let the boy eat!" scolded Ajji "Which gutter have you scourged that tyre from?? Go throw it out at once!! I will tell your father in the evening!"
"Wow!" Mithu's eyes were filled with the wonderment of playing with the cycle tyre. "Show me!"
But Gundu had run inside their room by then.
Mithu jumped off the dining chair leaving his lunch half-eaten and followed his elder brother inside.
"Arre Mithu baby! first finish off your lunch atleast!"called out Ajji.
After getting fascinated by the cycle tyre, Mithu had forgotten that he had vowed never to run after Gundu again.

Ek Din Achanak...

2005-09-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

Ek Din Achanak...
(One day suddenly...)

4.00 pm Lands End, BandStand

The waves seemed to get feircer every minute...the sea more black...the tide lashed salty sprinkles all over Uma...her hair,her face,her clothes..salty sea water drenching her from head to toe. And all Uma did was just sit and gaze..gaze beyond that far away horizon where the sea seemed to meet the sky above...The sky was pregnant with dark clouds, it would begin raining any minute...and then she would get more drenched...if she was not drenched enough already..

'Oye Kya Kar Rahi hai!!(What are you upto!) ' some urchin yelled out to her ' Pagal ho gayi hai kya??!!' Those words didnt seem to have any effect on her. She seemed to have gone into some kind of deep trance, watching the wicked sea dance...

Until yesterday Uma Chaudhury had been prancing about in merry abundant, shopping for this and that...so, so very happy!!! "Koi good news hai kya?(Any good news?)" her colleagues teased.."Ah that seems like the blush of someone in love" her close friends commented. And then all of a sudden...out of nowhere..."Kissi Ki Burri Nazar Lag Gayi"(someone has cast their evil eye)..."Hey Bhagwan!! Yeh kya ho gaya??!!"(Good Lord, how did this happen?) "Aise Kaise Hua yaar??...(How did this all happen...One Day suddenly!!??)
Ek Din Achanak??"

11.30 am Ashreya Nivas

"Rohaaannn!!!Arre Oh Rohan!!" Leela Aunty's shriek voice filled the hallway... " Kahan gaya kalmuha!!" (where is the rascal gone!) A youth in his late twenties leaned out of the first floor window. " Kya hua Aunty??"(What happened Aunty?)

"Abe Aunty ke bacche! Yeh Rohan Ka Kuch Ataa-pataa hai??!! Na jaane kal se kahaan gayab hai!"(You good-for-nothing, do you have any idea where Rohan has gone. Havent seen him since yesterday.) Leela aunty sounded exremely worried.

"Arre ho ga yaheen kahin!"(Must be around somewhere) the lad replied "Aapne uske room pe dekha?"(Did you check out his room?)

"Subah se darwaza khat-khatake mere haath toot gaye, leking andar se koi jawab nahi!"(I'm banging his door since morning but there has been no reply)

"Tension Kahe ko leti ho Aunty? So raha ho ga, jaag jayega to darwaza khol ke bahar aa jayega...ab mujhe mera kaam karne do!"(Why are you getting worried unnecessarily, Aunty? Must be asleep, he'll open the door when he wakes up.) saying so the lad went in.

"Hey Bhagwan!" Leela aunty exclaimed "Yeh aaj kal ke ladke dus gyaarah baje tak kaise so sakte hain??!!" (Good Lord!! These young lads!! how can they sleep until 10-11 o'clock??!!)

6.00 am Ashreya Nivas, Rohan's bedroom

"Yes"
"Yeah"
"No"
"Yeah Uma"
"Yes dear"
"I'm fine!!"
"Okay Babes!!"
"I'm telling you I'm Fine!!"
"Everything is alright, I swear!!"
"Common sweetie, give me a break!! If something was wrong I would tell you first..before anybody else, and you know that..."
"I told you a hundred times before and I'm telling you again...I had gone to that clinic to collect test reports for a friend!"
"It was an HIV clinic dammit!! any guy would feel embarassed to go there. You know how our society treats HIV +ve people!!! we have to support our friends in times like these!"
" I am not hiding anything from you sweetie!.."
"Yeah..yeahh..I know..."
"I am Happy..I swear I'm happy that we are going to have a baby!!"
"What do you want me to do at 6 am in the morning to prove that??!!"
"Dont get into that fishwife routine!!"
"You know what lets meet later..."
"Yeah.."
"I'll Call you..love you sweetie..give my love to our baby..."
"I'll call man!! whats got into you??!!"
"What do you mean I'll never call again??"
"Hello???!!...Helllooo??..."
"Umaaa!"
Bang
"Shit!"

Those smiling eyes...

2005-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

I got out of the evening office shuttle, and treaded towards my apartment with heavy feet...as usual, the daily office routine, project deliveries, deadlines, expenses and other thoughts clouded my mind...i was caught in a fog of my own thoughts..in my own world, without a clue of what was happening around me...I just couldnt wait to get home, get out of those clothes and throw myself on the bed...and then fall into a deep slumber, my only relaxation...only to wake up the next day and follow that whole circus all over again...

"Hi !" a sweet voice piped up from nowhere. I looked around in vain to see from where on earth did that voice come from. "Hi!" it said again. I was at my door by then, and the cute cooing was coming from the house beyond the corridor. I went across there to gaze at a pair of eyes twinkling back at me from a door half open and a little head half stuck out.

"Hi" it said again. Despite the fatigue I couldnt help but smile and replied " Hi there! how are you?" ."I'm fine"those twinkling eyes replied in a shy voice " You look tired" "Yes dear" I said " Lot of things to do. whats your name?" I asked. "Maya..." it sweetly said. "Well Maya, your name is as sweet as your voice" I told her(presuming since Maya is a female name in India)
And then, those twinkling eyes peering at me through the half opened door just lit up into two beautiful stars!! I could actually see that child smile...so purely and beautifully through her eyes...the way only children could...And then she softly closed her door and I made way to mine...

From then on, whenever I returned from office, Maya would be there to greet me with her sweet voice and those adorable smiling eyes...the very sight of those would lift my spirits and give my mind some relief from all the turmoil it was going through. And she would be there everyday..no matter if I returned home late at 9 or 11. The door would softly half open and softly close after greeting me.

Then one day as I was trying the key to my lock,I turned aroung and said "Do come to meet me sometimes sweetie" "Can I come now??" she piped. "Yeah honey" I smiled" Youre welcome anytime" and then she came out from the half open door and stood before me, my pretty friend...about 6 years old and smiling so endearingly displaying a gap in her front teeth which seemed to have left her company only recently.

As days passed, Maya began paying me visit on weekends and when I was at home. Helping me with my cooking and chores around the house. Or just sitting beside me when I was emersed in a book or on my PC. Tiny feet and chubby ankles padding about my apartment in faded shorts and t-shirts with Japanese dolls on them...glossy curly hair fastened with a pretty head-band peering at my fish-tank...trying on my hiarbrush, my sneakers,my makeup...snuggling close to me while I took a seista on Sunday afternoons after a sumptous meal...

She became my sweet little friend and aide and I came to love and care for her deeply...What would I do without her I wondered? I became so attached to that sweet child looking upto me with those smiling eyes, she was my little darling.

The caring grew even more when I learnt one day...a painful truth from her mum. I had carelessly, teasingly enquired her mother why Maya never had homework to do on evenings and weekends...and her Mum replied that Maya did not attend school. "Why not?"
The harsh reality had struck them about a year and half ago, when Maya wouldnt go to her kindergarten class complaining of severe pain in her chest and ribs. Her parents were terrified and took her to the best child specialist they could find. What had started as chest and rib pain for Maya was actually pain from leukemia.Until now she had been off treatment for about 6 months, they even went as far as to have had the port in her chest removed.

The coming week Maya was scheduled for surgery to replace the central line with a metaport. Her family was very nervous and scared yet happy to do this. Ithad been over a year since she was diagnosed (ALL). About 3 months ago the Dr.s attempted this surgery and she suddenly had a fever of 104.... She was doing very well now and was very excited about having the "tubies" out. She thought once the "tubies" comes out, she would be all-better. Little does she know had another 20 months to go!I asked May once before her surgery what did she want to do after having the "tubies" out. Her response was to take all the dressing changes and throw them out the window...What a brave child!! Maya was my inspiration. And I would pray night and day to the Lord to reduce her pain and for her to live a healthy,happy, full life soon.

Maya's folks moved abroad for Maya's treatment. And we stayed in touch through phone and mails. Once Maya sent me a cute cartoon sketched by her on Ms Paint of a child and her friend sittign and reading books...And one day Maya's father called...Maya had left for her Heavenly abode, the place where she would be free of pain and suffering....

Life is so much more hard and painful for some..and yet they dont complain, they dont give up...they live each day full of smiles and hope. Little beautiful Maya full of smiles and hope. Let the good Lord bless her and keep her happy and in peace wherever she is. I came across these lines penned by a heartbroken mum once...

"It is simple at times to remember your sweet eyes,
A simple stare that dusts the days frowns and headaches away,
A piece of me you are,
A piece of my own person you filled,
At your worse, I needed you.
At your best you were my Champion.
In my life I've had friends,
but the day you laid on my foot-as a baby-I knew
I had found my best friend.
You took my time and life at will,
begging for all the attention plus more,
Just remember Tonka-we tried our best.
My friend, you have left me...And I miss.
I miss so much that tears don't comprehend the pain,
My friend is gone now,And I am not whole.
My partner in pain, glory and game has returned to heaven,
Back to were she belongs.My angel, I miss you...
mama misses you,
but we will never forget those sweet eyes.
Thank you for loving us the way you did..."

Of Love & Longings: Gone With The Wind

2005-03-31T19:51:00.000-08:00

Of Love & Longings: Gone With The Wind

Reminiscences of ‘Scents’

2005-03-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

Gayatri: Monday Morning Blues

2005-03-28T22:55:00.000-08:00

Gayatri: Monday Morning Blues

Reminiscences of ‘Scents’

2005-03-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

Reminiscences of ‘Scents’

Of late, the members living in the flat exactly above mine have had a brand new addition to their family…their bundle of joy. My mornings are very hectic and I have a hard time trying to remember things. But I never fail to think about this little baby residing in the flat above mine. Early morning I have these scents of Uddis, Dhoops, Coals, Baby oil wafting through my kitchen window and bathroom panes. In India, little babies are given oil massage and steam from coals every morning before a bath. And Uddis and Dhoops a particular form of inscense sticks available here are burnt to keep the Evil spirits at bay. These scents inform me about the presence of the baby. In today’s dismal existence the knowledge of the tiny bud adds joy to my life.

I had been to a local maternity home to see this very baby. At that time I was surrounded by this spirit-dettol-anesthesia-phenyl kind of antiseptic smell. I did not even feel like going near the infant at that time. I felt like I had been to a garden full of sweet smelling flowers and been given a dose of smells like that of compost, manure and urea. Instead of taking the baby near me like usual, I had made a very diplomatic comment to the mother “He is an exact carbon copy of you!” to please her. And “ Like father, like son” to make the new Daddy happy. In return I received an extra Kesar (Saffron) Peda (Sweet) from the Happy Parents.

A baby who has just been bathed and kept in the cradle, smelling of sweet baby powder, will have cheeks smelling as sweet as a Kesar Peda, or even more. I haven’t had the good fortune to become a mother as yet, but whenever the sound of the baby crying or gurgling reach me in my flat I feel my mind thinking about the baby. The baby smells waft towards my imagination.

But how long can we really spare for such nostalgia in the hectic mornings? Soon the smell of rice being cooked in the pressure cooker, the smell of spice and oil to be added to the vegetables, that of the egg being fried on the pan, the Jasmine flowers and Bel leaves adorning the little temple in the prayer room and several such scents take over my apartment. They remind me of each step I take while accomplishing my tasks each day.As a matter of fact, I have always felt that each phase of the day has different smells associated with it. It’s just that it gets difficult to describe it and try to recollect its origins. The blazing sun during the noon, the noon during the winter, evenings during the monsoons, the creeping night, the stillness of midnight…all of them leave an impression around your senses.

I have always had an affectionate almost tender relation with scents and smells. If not the sight, sound of a particular person/thing/place, the scent always leaves behind an indelible impression. I have this inquisitive Tamil lady in my building who likes to taunt, “She may not have a pretty nose, but she is pretty good at catching scents” But then what on earth can I do, if the afore mentioned lady makes use of her nose only to pry in others private matters or look down on others. Whenever one steps into someone else’s house, the smell of the place speaks far more than the sight. And it doesn’t matter if the residents of that house are filthy rich, or the house reeks of expensive room fresheners, the ‘real smell’ of the house will not remain hidden.The icy cold touch of Death, when it has just touched a household, does not require words to tell that someone over there has passed away. You can smell it. The smell of death and that of the deceased. The scent of death speaks volumes about the departure. Anger-Greed-Fights-Strain-Tension-Compassion-Love-Jealousy-Rivalry all have different scents associated with them, which engulf a house with two or more people living in it.

On the lighter side of life, the scent of earth or soil which has been freshly showered with water…that of wet earth, smell of babies & children, of nature’s abundant treasure trove like flowers, leaves & fruits, of old clothes and childhood toys, mummy’s sarees, daddy’s shaving cream, sister’s shiny mop of hair, of pleasant smelling erasers and paper…all form an integral part of my reminiscences of scents. These scents and their stories will remain with me, in my heart, until I return one day, back to where I came from....

Monday Morning Blues

2005-03-28T21:33:00.000-08:00

Monday Morning Blues

Bandra Railway Station on Monday morning. The station is crowded with office going crowd. All the hustle and bustle around does not bother you much, all you are bothered is reaching your office at sharp 9.You have a major presentation that day. While waiting for buying the Railway Ticket at the Ticket Window, you feel a tug at your Kurta.

Turn around and you see an elderly lady, calm and serene, who asks you an impertinent question, “ Are you Uma?” I look all around to make sure this lady is talking to me. When I’m cent percent sure that she is looking straight at me with those eyes, glazed due to old age, I’m taken aback. “Are you talking to me?” I ask her in Hindi. “You are Uma, aren’t you?” she repeats in her quivering voice. “No Ma’am, I’m sorry you are mistaken! I am not Uma.” I try to make her understand.“You are not Uma, you say? How can that be?” she persists “ Aren’t you Professor Ram Chaudhary’s daughter?” By this time you are eyeing her with suspicion and wonder where this is leading. Why isn’t the damned queue moving quickly!! This old lady will bother me until I get out of here.

“ No! I’m not any Professor Chaudhary’s daughter! Please don’t bother me!” you rebuke her.At this, the old woman’s eyes well up with tears. Her voice becomes even more shaky then usual. Suddenly an image of your Late Grandmother springs up in your mind. You push that aside, and concentrate on the important presentation that you have to deliver. There are only 7 more people left, ahead of you. “Beta (Child)! Chaudhary Sahib hails from my Gaanv (village). We are distantly related…” the old lady raves, “I know no one in this big bad city! I know no one! No one I can turn to! Please help me…my daughter died today in the hospital…”By now almost everybody begins to notice the going on of this conversation. I begin to feel embarrassed. “So how can I help you?” you say in frustration “Why don’t you call someone from your Gaanv here to help you?”

“But I don’t have any money left, Beta!” she sobs, “ Every paisa was spent treating my daughter at the Hospital, but to no avail…I don’t even have money left to make a phone call to gather all my relatives…”“Oh…” is all you can mutter, suddenly feeling you have somehow wronged the old lady.“How much money do you need?” you finally ask her, knowing that you can take no more of this tamasha (drama). “Only a 100 Rupees, Beta!” her eyes light up with hope, “With that amount I can phone and call most of my close and trusted people and start making arrangement for the funeral…” You are a smart girl. You’ve never fallen for that Gag and you are too good to fall for it at this age.

“Beta!” she is tugging at your well-pressed Kurta again, “Please listen to this mother’s plea!” Phew, you give up! It’s been a crazy morning, just like all Monday mornings. Nothing makes sense anymore. You can’t tell what’s real from what’s not. Your senses reel and all you want to do is smash your head on the nearest pavement, but that’s kind of painful. So you do the next best thing.“Alright, here you go…” you gingerly leaf a 100 rupee note out of your pocket, all the time repeating to your self its for a noble (not sure about genuine) cause.“May the Good God bless you Beta! Even if you are not Uma, Professor Chaudhury’s daughter …”she blesses you in a loud, suddenly energetic voice “May the Lord Bless you, may you have a Rich Husband and Lots of Children. May the God bless you with plenty and prosperity!!!…” You feel your face suddenly aflame. People are looking at you, and some are also snickering. A pot-bellied man gives you a “What-a-fool” expression. You begin to feel “Why me????”The Good God above does indeed come to your rescue.

You’re next at the ticket counter. “ One Ticket please! First Class to Churchgate” you say. “ That will be 98 rupees Ma’am” the burly ticket vendor replies. 98 rupees? I just gave a 100-rupee note to that old lady. I have 75 rupees in change left with me. That sure won’t pay my first-class fare! “Bhai Sahib! Please cancel that First Class ticket and make it a Second Class”

“ Arre! Can’t you make up your mind?” he yells at the top of his voice, (perhaps the Monday morning Blues are getting to him too) “Cancellation charges will be 10 rupees extra!” You half-heartedly shell out 20 rupees+10 rupees for a Second Class ticket to Churchgate.The Railway Indicator indicates that the next Fast train to Churchgate is at 8.45 am. There is no way you will be able to reach your office at Nariman Point, Churchgate at sharp 9am, since it takes at least 20 minutes to get there.Now, waiting for the train to arrive, you are no longer thinking about The Monday morning Blues or about your BIG Presentation or about that old lady’s story. All that you can now think of is, how you will pacify your boss, and what excuse you will cook up for coming late…and How on earth will you survive traveling in a Second Class Compartment, which is jam-packed at Peak hours!!