Wish for the day!!

Just another wonderful day!! After the very hot days Bangalore was getting a little better with rains…..today it was at its best with a beautiful and pleasant weather which was cool and cloudy!!

Some fresh pieces of music for the ear, a hot cup of coffee, gushing- green trees around, moving clouds, cool breeze...nature had just bestowed its luxury for me to relax, But this was short-lived as I was to get back to my workstation after my coffee break. However, I had run up to the cafeteria for both my coffee breaks and also a couple of times just to enjoy the breeze.

For the weather I was tempted to have a quick lunch too. While we ate my colleague and I decided to treat ourselves with an ice cream, by the end of our lunch we had a few more colleagues join us for this ice cream. I decided to go n get the ice cream, for this act I needed a vehicle. Then I went up to another friend at work who usually ends up lending his vehicle for all my out of the box quick wishes during work hours. I call him Destruction (for various reasons).

I took his vehicle with my friend as a pillion and drove away from work to find a clear road leading to the ice cream parlor. I could feel the slight drizzle with the cool breeze on my face and drove a few meters with my eyes closed. I was as well not using the helmet that made things better and the experience more memorable. Reached the ice cream shop and picked up four Cornetto’s (Chocolate) and my friend who came along picked up a vanilla cone which she could not resist and decided to eat immediately.  

As I drove back she was busy behind enjoying her ice cream, it started to melt quickly and she could not match the speed to finish it…..it actually got mess in her hands and spilled over her dress to. Looking around and at her I had a hearty laugh.

Getting back to office I called all my colleagues who had decided to eat the ice cream from the reception and ran up to the cafeteria to enjoy the wish for the day. Slurp slurp…we finished our ice creams with tit bits of chat.  

Memories to cherish!! :)

Just recollecting my childhood feels like it’s been a generation. Just about 10-15years ago, I can recollect playing with my friends who lived in the neighborhood. A video game to be rented was a privilege and that too only during summer holidays. ‘Weekends’ was a word that I had never heard of, as on today it’s the most happening word in my life!! :P  

I remember I had no one to train me ride a cycle, It was only friends all around me who would help me balance my huge cycle(for kids older than I was) which dad gifted me for my 10th birthday. My loud cries when I fell off my cycle and was hurt badly, I still have a few scars of hurt on my elbow that have remained which now bring a smile on my face.  Before I owned a cycle, I rented a cycle from the corner cycle shop to learn how to ride for 1rupee an hour. And when I finally when I learnt to ride the cycle, I can recollect the pride I had on my face.

I was given my schedules for my TV watching which included dekh bhai dekh, tehekikath, reporter, malgudi days, turning point, surabhi etc. I recollect requesting my dad for some post cards to write back to ‘surabhi’ and ‘turning point’ the answers to their weekly questions.

Buying an audio tape was such a hazel and involved so much of convincing mom, and scoring the right marks just for a audio tape………on a comparison to today where I have among the high end phones, uploaded with the latest music, a collection of movie cds, for any of which I don’t need to convince it is just an information or may be an advise I ask for.

 ‘Champak’ the weekly magazine I got was the best reads for me, which I always wanted to finish the day I received. I strived to read and finish it in the dim bed light of my room and when caught, I’d not get it back for a week from there.  Dining out with parents was only on birthdays and anniversaries which I always waited for, we being a family of three we had three birthdays and one anniversary . I had never known of Coffee days or any of the coffee lounge that we go to today. With friends it would be the nearest bakery or an ice cream shop, which would be possible after we have safe guarded all the one rupee coins we collected.

I had my play hour where I would go and play to my heart’s content with friends in the neighborhood till the street lights were on, the street lights signaled my deadline to get back home and start my homework.  Coming back home with clothes full of dirt, pockets full of marbles, shells n stones….what a memory!

Getting drenched in the rain with some reasons to give my mom and bitter tablets to swallow. Going to school was a pleasure and never wanted to miss a day! Discussing with friends about our teachers and voting out one to be our favorite. It would be the best of days when a teacher would be on leave and we would have nothing to do. Fighting with friends on tiny issues, a chance to sing in the school choir, dancing in the school day function wearing the best attire and make up possible, trying to open our eyes while everyone else meditated ……wonderful memories!

Dad getting transferred to places, me and mom moving where ever he was….new school, new friends, a new home that me and mom use to set up. Collecting addresses and contact numbers of friends before I left the old place, writing to them a letter about my new school updating them with my contact number and address, and then finally waiting for their response by post. Just had no emails but we still were in touch and the joy to receive a letter from an old friend was an over-whelming experience in itself. To re-read those letters today is so beautiful and treasure that I hold very close to myself.

It was a carefree life………on the roads, never had the means of communication and still stayed in touch with friends, just a tiny part of the big bad world with the best around!!

Beautiful!! It was and is as a memory to relish for a life time!!  :) :) :) :) :) 

Summer rains!

I hear Thunder, I hear Thunder,
Oh don’t you ? Oh, don’t you ?
Pitter-patter raindrops,
Pitter-Patter raindrops
I’m wet through,
I’m wet through.

It’s raining!!After suffering all the heat....the rains have bought a smile again! 

As the weather grew windy, I started to look at the window. I smelled fresh wet mud as it started to drizzle. This for me is among the most beautiful feelings every monsoon. I instantly smiled at myself as I saw it rain. I moved up to the terrace to see the rains with my little world around. It was wonderful, just all of sudden the trees looked greener, Vehicles moved with the headlights on and they moved slower, the movement of people was slowly reducing as it signaled heavy rains, the wish list discussion among my colleagues had begun, ice creams to hot bonds, cigarettes, some coffee(which was available) and the list goes on. Just then a lightning struck, it was a dangerous one but just too beautiful to be missed, which was then followed by a thunder.

 I just love the rains…..feeling the rain on my face is just marvelous….but with all my colleagues around, I was reminded that I was now a working adult L, I have the responsibility of taking care of myself and staying healthy.

The least I could do was to feel the rain on my palms and I realized it was raining hailstones. A hot sunny day it had turned to a cool rainy day. It was 4.45pm, but looked 6.45pm. For once it felt everything had turned upside down the dusk had already set in.

Most people always associate the summer with the brighter side of life, bright emotions, longer days, bright colors etc. But it is also true that rains are refreshing and add to the beauty of the brighter side of life.

 ‘Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain'.

Rain has always been an epitome of charged emotions; whether it is love and romance or the hidden tears of sorrow!

Truly, there is nothing as pretty and refreshing as a much awaited 'summer rain'. This was it!

And I now await the beautiful rainbows!

The English Girl!

I was a little more cautious and woke up in time and was quick enough to get things going. However to my bad luck I had some external factors that affected my timing again.

We (my colleague and me), like yesterday followed the routine breakfast and also the routine route to reach the work place. At work it was a light day, with a few business interactions. After this we were having an argument, or call it a discussion on endless topics and to end all the talking music was the saviour, as we drove back to our hotel. 

We were back early, so decided to explore the city. We could not see most of the tourist attractions as it was quite late for any of it to remain open. But just a market place was open where the driver advised us to take a stroll around. This was an interesting place and all thanks to the driver. It was a local sight with all its common 'janta' around, with manual rickshaw pullers who were transporting people, local stalls selling food, street vendors screaming to sell, shop-keepers inviting us to their shops and give them more business. I was enjoying the local environment around me.  

Just while I was moving around, there was this small little girl who came running behind me to sell some fashion accessories to me. To my surprise, she started talking to me in English. I was astonished to see this 10year old girl to be speaking in English so well, with no much of accent or grammatical errors. She gave me an accessory and priced it 10Rs. and told me that the money would help her with her needs related to her school. However my colleague immediately commented, 'hey, she is lying just to make some money out of you.' before I could respond to my colleague, she instantly replied to him, 'sir, I am not lying I go to school from 7am to 2pm and then sell in the market till night to help myself'. He dint have words to respond to her. I handed her the money, picked my stuff and wished her luck. 

She was confident of what she was speaking, smiling, and also could read the buyers mind quite well. She said she was going to school and attended 3^rd standard. It was a commendable interaction with her I felt, a girl who might have been just 12years old, had such acquaintance of the business she held and the people with whom she was dealing. While I returned I clicked a few pictures of her and smiled at her. A few of her friends also came along to bid goodbye to me. My friend gave them all a few bucks to buy some ice creams.

After having bid them, we drove around the city and tried some Kolkata food for dinner. I could see some horse riders around finishing their business and discussing their day among themselves. 

We finally ended our day with some delicious pan, a speciality in Kolkata (beetle leaf). However, my thoughts about the little girl did not end with my day, she really inspired me and I remember her as 'The English Girl'. 

Day one!

I got up late just by 10mins but the challenge was that I dint have my mom to run behind me or my dad to shout at to help me reach my work place. All set and done I was actually ready on time for my breakfast. Now the breakfast had some flakes and fruits, it also included some south Indian dishes, Dose, Idli etc. But as always I chose to have something that looked and smelled new to me.

At the breakfast table I was noticing people around me. I saw a young girl come in to carry some food back home(parcel), she placed her order and was waiting to receive it during which there was an elderly woman who visited the place for similar reasons. As the young girl noticed this woman, she walked up to her quickly and bowed down to touch her feet for blessings. This elderly woman to my understanding was just an acquaintance to her.

Having had a light breakfast, we headed to the car which was waiting for us. Travelling across the city, our friend from Kolkata (Mr.Biswajith) pointed to us a lot of famous places around the city, beginning from the ITS Sonar Bangla, the Science City, Eden Garden , Hanging bridge(Over the Hoogly river), etc. The travel from our stay place to our work place was an approximate of an hour. The old buildings the yellow taxis, Bengali hoardings and boards, green auto rickshaws, garbage all around, the police out here were in Blues and Whites and not in Khakis, they were trying their best to avoid traffic jams in the city(Kolkata is known for its hour long jams). Kolkata being a very un-clean place there were a lot of mosquitoes even inside the car we were travelling in, and my friend was bitten by many of them and me by a few. With this he decided to shoo them out of the window…..however the success rate is confidential and is known only to him. :P

Crossing the Santragachi railway station we reached the out skirts of the city where I observed tiny garages, tiny village like scenes at the out skirts of the city, barber shops and tea corners in bamboo huts, open jeeps to transport people, also some unique transport to accommodate and reach people short distances.

We finally reached the college, well before we further, my colleague (Rana) had requested our bong friend to help him find a waist belt for himself while we were getting into the car from the hotel. The time was about 9.30am, we had not found a belt till we reached the college. So now is the belt hunt. Rana, placed his request again and this time it was a little tricky to people around as the place (college) we were in was in the outskirts of the city and the chances were tough. So the people in charge took a call and sent with us a person who lived in the same vicinity to help Rana. I decided to join them and for me it was a joy ride!! J

On the way to the Belt hunt, I found bullock rickshaws commuting people to their nearby destinations…this was a very unique thing that I found, a small little motor vehicle in the front and attached to it was a wooden plank board supported by two wheels. These bullock rickshaws transported nearly 10-12 people at a time.

There were tiny huts with small shops were we just could not anticipate to get a belt. However, we took a ride around and dint find the required. However, Rana being a determined person and also being very conscious about his looks dint give up on his belt hunt. Luckily, He found a belt and we returned to the work place in time to start with our work for the day.

A usual day went by at work and it being the first day we had a lot of preparation for the following days and the day ended with a continental dinner and an Ice Cream! J

Bangalore to Kolkata!!!

The Flight – 

I love to say this and I say it again “I Love travelling!!” So this time my privilege was to travel to Kolkata. Now this was through my work place to hire a few young techies from their campus. Me and my colleague started from Bangalore at 6.45pm on the 2^nd March and flew Kingfisher via Hyderabad to reach Kolkata by 10.45pm. We had a warm welcome by the respective delegates. The weather was humid and I was sure to sweat out during the next few days. However, after having guided us to our respective rooms they took leave and now was time to just sleep and snore away to glory. 

Mouth watering!! yum....yum.......yum!!!

When you're happy, your food of choice could be steak or pizza or just anything you relish, when you're sad it could be ice cream or cookies, and when you're bored it could be potato chips. Food does more than fill our stomachs -- it also satisfies feelings, and when you quench those feelings with comfort food when your stomach isn't growling.

Today was among those happy days when I just wanted to treat myself and ignore all the extra pounds that I was putting on! At work we usually have a walk to the street corner to have a healthy bowl of fruits. And I wanted to have some delicious mouth watering pastry. I actually wanted to have the fruit bowl as my lunch and the pastry as my desert. The two were in different directions, time is a constraint, and the heart craves for both!!

Well I am surrounded by lovely and beautiful people among whom there was one person who assured to get me my desert for the day!! After my fruit bowl, the desert had just slipped out of my mind. I returned to my desk and just was about to begin with my work and the extension line rings…….on call was my lovely colleague who had promised me my desert for the day!! Wow…..I realize…….I hurry…..call along a couple of my friends to share……collect the desert and rush to the cafeteria.

Imagine…..a yum looking chocolate pastry, with a load of calories, and a chocolate chip on it!! Isn’t that mouth watering?? That was my pastry!! I relished it for its taste, for the company, and of course the sweet person who bought it for me.  It was among the best deserts I’ve had…..for the taste, for the people around, the good heart buying!! Well sometimes just eating is not just all that matter……..what?? from where?? from whom?? how?? And why?? Also matter to get the best out!! 

Thank you........Bhavna, Sapna, Rekha, Rajatha and Sunil!! Also my thanks and sorry to all the on-lookers, blog readers and the rest with whom I have not shared this moment and experience. 

Journey from marriage to heaven???

'LOVE'!! I would more call it "Happiness". Life is all about being happy end of it all.

Growing up with parents with their love and affection was happiness.Being with relatives(not always pleasant). Being at school........among friends.......then moving to 'college', University.....and now in a job. Life has been a roller-coaster ride. It has scared me to death but I am still alive!

For now the next level is called "Marriage".........the most important happening in lives of many friends(as well mine) these days. Many hunting for their perfect ones and many getting married. I have seen quite a few marriages for the years I have lived! A few very happy, a few adjusting, a few on the verge to kill each other etc. The happy ones I have seen are a true compliment to each other and to the institution of  "marriage" itself, and also to the quote "Marriages are made in heaven!". I have known a few couples who live their married lives like in heaven.

A few quotes on marriage -

- I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. - Rita Rudner.

- It is not a lack of love, but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. - Friedrich Nietzsche

-A good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude. - Rainer Maria Rilke.

-All weddings are similar, but the marriage is different. - John Berger

-I first learned the concepts of non-voilence in my marriage. - Mohandas Gandhi.

-Love is ideal. Marriage is real. - Goethe.

-Damn, it, Sir, it is your duty to get married. You can't be always living for pleasure. - Oscar Wilde

-To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven. - Karen Sunde

-Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along. -Rumi

A few WHY(s)??

Do people marry because its the time to get married?

Because its the right age for marriage?

Because the society say's so?

Because parents want you to get married?

And the list goes on............

But to understand your own dream, to accept another persons dream and to be ready to live them together.........is all not easy......It takes a lot! But on the other hand all that it takes is not much when you have the right person for whom you are doing it!

I am amazed at the strength that a women has. How does she at all stand strong to support one man whom she has met in life through friends, parents, or any other source.....I respect the feeling of a woman where she is ready to sacrifice 'her world'(her parents, her home, her friends.....)

 and accept the world of a man she loves. And a man who respects her for all that she initiates to do for him, promises to protect her all throughout. Most of the times on a comparison a woman forgoes her dreams for the man she loves and for his happiness.

Is this marriage?

To stimulate your dreams.....to allow you dream.......to sow his/her dreams into you......to say "We'll live them together" all happens just once. There are many people who don't get fortunate in their lives to marry their 'dreams and fantasies'!!

But why is it forced on them to marry someone else? It is easy to move on in life. Is it easy to accept and love a person who you just do not know?? Where does life lead to if you are not married?

Is it more of how the world looks at it or How you look at your world??