I dream of a .......................

OK that whole conversation and the very in depth talks about Mumbai screwed up my sub-conscious mind or my un-conscious mind very badly.

Talking away about such a lovely topic at insane hours in the night can give you very weird dreams. Even when you are not prone to the idea of having such weird dreams.

Thankfully I have now been introduced to the phenomenon of I-dream-about-what-I-think-about-deeply-before-going-to-sleep!!! (This kind of syndrome does exist. I say so. So it exists. Also coz I have experienced it very often lately.)

So here is what happened……………I happily dream about a day when I would get to meet Mr. Suketu Mehta the writer of my current fav book Maximum City. The meeting gets scheduled in his house.

So here I am all set to meet him; all armed with his address and everything I go to meet him. But there is a bit of a problem…

I am supposed to meet him in the day and when I am outside his house its pitch dark!!!!!! DAMN!!!! I couldn’t understand what was going on!

(All this thinking business about the prevalence of darkness in daytime, why would it happen in Mumbai, this phenomenon happens only in places like Scotland, Antarctica, etc. had already started in my head which was in a very deep state of a dream.)

Neways, I still enter this apartment which was unfortunately a very New York like place!! To be precise, try and remember the streets that Ally Mcbeal walked when she was alone and the houses that could be seen in the background?? That’s what I am talking about. Houses, which had a basement, a ground floor which was accessible only if you climb a series of steps and a first floor.

So after scrutinizing the house I climb the step to go to the ground floor of the house. Knock the door. Forgot who opened it and allowed me in. But I remember that I had ended up in the basement!!! (How did that happen, I cant figure out.)

The room was cramped. It had furniture of all wrong dimensions as compared to the room size. Hence navigating through the room was a problem. Your legs always ended up hitting something or the other! This room also had a beautifully carved teakwood bracket on either sides of a pseudo window. Unfortunately there was too much of dust lodged in the carving and cobwebs had a gala time making various patterns of web over it. I also spotted antique furniture (in excellent condition) in pure teakwood in the room.

But what I spotted later was even more fascinating. I was not alone in the room. Suketu Mehta’s mom had kindly descended (descended from where?? I still haven’t figured!! ) in the room to keep me company or maybe stop me from stealing the antiques!!! (Why would I want to steal such heavy pieces of furniture is still a mystery to me!!)

Now his mom was wearing distinctly Parsi clothes!!! And they were beautiful. I don’t remember the color of her clothes. (Maybe I had a black and white dream and in my dream I had happily converted the Mehta’s from being Gujaratis to now being Parsi!!! Heheheheh…….)
I sit on one of the antiques without uttering a word. Nor does she speak to me. No one tells me that the woman sitting across me is, his mom. I just know. No one ever speaks in my dreams.

And now I just knew. I knew that as I would now get up and turn towards the door from which she had descended, I would meet Mr. Suketu Mehta.

So happily I turn, eager to meet him and I end up hearing this…………..

“ Manasi, kinetic che kagad patra ani chavi kuthe ahhe??????? ”

DAMN………………..DAMN…………..PLEASE NOOOOOO…………..

This is what my father chooses to ask me at 5 in the morning!!!!!

Nothing can be more disappointing than this!!

This was my only chance of meeting the writer and now that too has vanished!!! Now if someone tells me that you go meet his in your dreams, I will shoot him / her!!!!

MAXIMUM CITY - MUMBAI LOST AND FOUND

I read this book ( written by SUKETU MEHTA) long ago. I was simply waiting for someone else to read to it so that I could have a discussion with that person about this book. And finally today the chance came.

Neha called up yesterday night and as usual I started yapping about how cool my little bro is and she stated agreeing with me wholeheartedly.

I also showed-off by saying that
“ Neha I think its high time that you all started listening to different kind of music!!!”
To which she very happily replied that
“ I agree that I may not understand the music that your talking about but I definitely understand I have now got the maturity to Try and appreciate different things. I am not at the age in which I would have ended up ridiculing music or even making fun of it.”

Point very correctly made and also well taken Neha!!!!!

So as our conversation continued, well actually we flew from one topic to another, she suddenly remembered her real purpose of calling. And the purpose was to discuss the book Maximum City!!!!! Yippee!!!!!

So here is our conversation. I have tried to recollect each and every word that we both said. And here it is:

Neha : I really didn’t like the book when I had earlier read it . Right now I have finished reading it till underworld. I think kaphi sara padhliya maine. And u know what, I simply love the book!!!!! Earlier I thought that it was such cynically written. Everything about Mumbai was negative. I was completely in a state of denial about this city, I mean the way its described in the book. But now, I simply love the book!!!!!

Manasi: Yup I no exactly what you are saying. Have gone through that stage completely. So I can totally relate with what you’re saying. And you see, I relate to Suketu Mehta’s point of view about the way be has to adapt back in Mumbai. And you know what, the part of the book in which he writes about the riots, I was soo shocked!!! It maybe because I was not witness to them and did not even remember this event affecting my life.

Neha : Arre pan malahikahi aathavat nahi. I simply remember not going to school during that time. That’s all!!! And also whatever the newspapers reported.

Manasi: Ya true, but I didn’t even experience that until like recently when I really came to know what all gruesome things took place and how bad things were. Maximum City was an eye opener !!!!

And then here is the best part!!!!

Neha : That’s what, I never can really say when I started coming out of the state of denial………

Manasi : WAIT…..WAIT…………….lemme say what you want to say………
This book in the beginning makes you feel sick. You feel offended coz the author has obviously written all possible negative things about this city. You then started thinking that this is the most cynical way of writing. You hate him for painting such a sorry picture of the city that we all love. You also think that this bloody author spent his youth living a well cushioned life in the States and he would now happily paint a sorry picture of this city.
Why is it that people like him always wanted to show “poor India and hungry India”???
All this while we are completely in a state of denial.
THIS IS JUST NOT THE CITY THAT WE LOVE!!!!!
But as the book progresses, this state of denial slowly and steadily turns into a state of acceptance!!!! You are like; Yeah my city is like that. So what!!!!! These maybe THE very reasons why we love the city. Actually these maybe truly the only reasons why we love the city so much.
And you know Neha, at the end of the book, you simply can’t say when and were the transition of your thoughts happened, but your glad it did. Bottom-line, you end up loving the book and this city even more!!!!!!!



For the next half hour we both discussed endlessly about the things that we love about the city and how this city has helped us find our own identity. You may enter this city as a person with the most unpleasant feeling of anticipation for it, you will, I promise, curse this city for all the time that you would spend here. But you will realize its importance in your life only when you’re away from it. This city has indeed lived upto its name of City of Dreams.

And the only way for one to find out the wonderful and also not so pleasant things about this city is to live in it for as long as you can, to simply curse it for its traffic, its ques, its endless need and thirst to run behind things irrespective of the day and time and so on and so forth. It surely would be the only possible way of discovering the true Mumbai and what’s it like to live in such a vibrant city.

So this post is dedicated to Mumbai and all those people who would never want to move out of this city. And also to those whose future is embedded in the very foundations of the city. May we all live in harmony and peace.

Here’s to the City of Dreams – Mumbai.

CROMA..........aaahhhhhhh......

Croma was supposed to be opened today in great style and with loads of advertisement. Granted that being the first of its kind in India it would need to be an OTT store with even an OTT opening. And so, it did get what it deserved!!

But what the heck, just because you open a new store, the owners or the event management guys did not need to gift wrap the WHOLE DAMN building in a red- ribbon. Bit of a Valentine’s Day hangover shall we say?

Now if that was the silliest part of the event, here is the most stupid and the ridiculously funny part of it. In the process of gift-wrapping the whole building they went over board in using the ribbon. The ends of the red ribbon (which went from the front to the back and even the sides of the building) needed to end in a perfect bow. And man, they had a hell of time trying to even straighten the ribbon, forgetting even tying it because of the winds!!!!!

It was total time pass to watch 6-7 people struggle with the ribbons. Next time I am sure this interesting job would be passed on to some unsuspecting junior who would have fun navigating the ribbon.

I seriously wish they had used that piece of cloth as a tapestry. It would have looked cool and someone even could have used it to make a grand entry for the opening of the event! Reminds me terribly of Rush Hour……………heheehehhe…maybe the honors of this grand entry could be reserved for the chief guest. Am sure that would have made a huge statement rather than using the boring ribbons as, well…ribbons………if only they had used it…

MY BROTHER NACHI

Since the day my little brother was born I have always been very protective about him. To the point that I always ended up asking people to get lost even if they joked about talking him away from me and my house. I still hate them for joking about the topic which is soo dear to me.

It hence would go without saying that I have always very tactfully being a mother hen for my little brother. Be it reserving a seat for him in the school bus or just keeping an eye on him during his early days of schooling. I have done it all!!!!

But in all these years that went by, I never can really pin-point when and how suddenly this equation changed.

I can no more protect him and don’t even feel the need to do so!!! Its he who does it for me. He has now become my very trusted bouncer, financer, a very loyal friend, punching bag, pillow to cry on and also a tissue who would wipe away my tears and make me laugh again. Hey, how can I forget, for all these 5 years of architecture he has also been my model maker and a source of inspiration to push myself to the limit to work.

Beyond doubt he has helped me clear up my confused mind and also been at my side when he saw the slightest chance of me losing my grip over things.

So today, was a very proud day for me. I was actually being given a crash course in the various taals that have made Indian classical music the way it is. Each and every nuance of the taals and their beauty in structuring the whole yatra was being very patiently explained to me by him. [We had been to a concert dedicated in the memory of Abbaji. Hence it all had to do with percussion, which is indeed very hard to follow if you have not learned it.]

Just sitting there and getting tutored by him gave a very surreal experience that I still cannot find words to describe it. I certainly can’t say that it’s a sense of achievement coz he still has a very long way to go.

But I knew one thing for sure though. My kiddo bro is no more a kiddo. He has definitely grown up. And grown up splendidly.

There is now really no need to reserve a seat for him. He will do it himself. If he gets the window seat, I know for sure that he would give it up for me. Nowadays, he is the one who actually keeps a watchful eye for me, you know just in case.

The only appropriate words for these feeling are that I hero-worship my younger brother.
Yup, that’s pretty much it.


P.S. The real reason why I was suddenly able to write down these things was due to a telephonic conversation with Neha. Just a few minutes ago, I again went ga-ga about my bro while speaking with her. Neha then reminded me how every time that I speak about my little bro I always speak with this passion and a sense of hero- worship. Neha your soo correct!!! Indeed I do that! Don’t u too………hehehehhehheheh

P.S.S. This post was meant to be posted 3 days ago. But in the meantime, something new happened!!! And it took me all these days to let the fact sink in. Nachi is, I can proudly say that, the youngest graduate in our house!!!!!! Damn da guy, he even beat me to this!!!!! He now is a tabla visharad. And I so love him!!!!

ON BEING TWENTY - SOMETHING

I guess most of us will be able to relate to what’s written here !!
This is actually an email forward. Njoy!!

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis."

It is when you stop going along with the crowd andstart realizing that there are many things aboutyourself that you didn't know and may not like.


You start feeling insecure and wonder where you willbe in a year or two, but then get scared because youbarely know where you are now.


You start realizing that people are selfish and that,maybe, those friends that you thought you were soclose to aren't exactly the greatest people you have evermet, and the people you have lost touch with are someof the lost important ones.


What you don't recognize is that they are realizingthat too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere,but that they are as confused as you.


You look at your job... and it is not even close towhat you thought you would be doing, or maybe you arelooking for a job and realizing that you are going tohave to start at the bottom and that scares you.


Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see whatothers are doing and find yourself judging more than usualbecause suddenly you realize that you have certainboundaries in your life and are constantly addingthings to your list of what is acceptable and whatisn't.


One minute, you are insecure and then the next,secure.You laugh and cry with the greatest force of yourlife.You feel alone and scared and confused.

Suddenly,change is the enemy and you try and cling on to thepast with dear life, but soon realize that the past isdrifting further and further away, and there is nothing to dobut stay where you are or move forward.


You get your heart broken and wonder how someone youloved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bedand wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that
you want to get to know better.


Or maybe you love someone but love someone else tooand cannot figure out why you are doing this because youknow that you aren't a bad person.


One night stands and random hook ups start to lookcheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot startsto look pathetic. You go through the same emotions andquestions over and over, and talk with your friends about the sametopics because you cannot seem to make a decision.


You worry about loans, money, the future and making alife for yourself... and while winning the race wouldbe great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!


What you may not realize is that everyone reading thisrelates to it. We are in our best of times and ourworst of times, trying as hard as we can to figurethis whole thing out.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,enough trials to make you strong,enough sorrow to keep you human,enough hope to make you happy.

HOME TRUTHS.........

MY LIFE....................

MY PRESENT...................

MY FUTURE............................

MR. DILBERT SAYS IT ALL !!!!!!

WHAT SAY.....FELLOW ARCHITECTS ??!!!!

Republic Day

It was pathetic to hear aunties on air, happily claiming that today is ur Independence day!!!!!
It pathetic with a capital "P".

So here is our flag along with the significane of the colours that are used in it. Hope its a little enlightening.

This pic is courtesy another blog!!!

Life..........

I and Deeksha sat outside the closed gala, waiting for dear Mr. Bindra to come and open the place. We had to measure that place and work was to be quickly completed.

Both of us were miserable. Me, coz I missed my morning walk and she, coz it ws way too early for her. And to make matters worst our dear Mr. Bindra seemed to have just woken up after we called him from outside the gala.

So now, what do we do???? We had to kill time. The answer was simple. But a packet of Gems and kill the time.

So both of us armed with packet of Gems each sat outside the gala and were relishing our early morning treat.

And then comes a man in front of us and ask us money coz he has not eaten in 2 days and he wants money only for 1 vada pav.

We both refuse.

We end up thinking of the same thing................we never give money to these people coz we dont no who really needs the money and who is going to miss use it.

I always used to think as a child that life is so unfair!! Why do some people have to struggle for one small portion of meal ??

As I grew, I knew that I would never give money to them coz the money I would be giving away is not even really mine. Its my dad's. He has slogged for it and I am not gonna give it to anyone who is simply asking me for it.

But now, I am even in a bigger dilema. I still agree with my earlier statements that life is unfair for them. But now this sentiment even applies to me.

Because today even if I chose to give a person something that I can afford to, I simply dont know who really needs it. Inturn, I maybe depriving even the needy.

That day, refusing to give that man money was miserable thing to do. But I had made my choice.

I could not eat my Gems after that. The small round things which were giving me such pleasure were now reduced to object which I was mechanically consuming coz i had nothing to do.

Life is so unfair........either which way you see it.

And i am definately not proud of my choice.

Prelude........of the Visa, Cancellations, Davang Patel....and Agent Smith!!!!!!!

What a life I have!!!!!!I actually can boast about it. The start of this year had being a joyride!!!!! Complete with the darshan of GOD himself. And to think that just a few days ago I was thinking that missing the first day of the New Year would be a miserable thing to happen!!!!!!!!!

How wrong I was!!!! If only I had known………………hehehehheehehh……..


(Btw this post is made so that many of my friends would simply leave me alone when I get da chance to meet them!!!! Coz then, they would already no the details of my trip!!!!
I almost lost my voice talking about my vacation with my office people. But it still doesn’t mean that I will shut up abt meeting the GOD himself!!!! Hehehehehehe…)

So here is a detailed post about my trip…but before I start the real post…. please note one point of disclosure.

Through out the trip and even before it started I was the butt of everyone’s jokes, which eventually followed by incredible amount of leg-pulling. The only reason being that all-possible problems in the world were related to me. But none of the problems were result of my actions. Will write abt it as the post goes on. Only then the real reason of my frustration will be understood!!!!!



Just 2 -3 weeks before our departure, we discovered that MY visa had holes punched in them. And if that visa page was held up in the mirror…u could actually read it as CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS WAS NOT MY MISTAKE!!!!!

But I was subjected to immense leg pulling. Finally to sort out the problem we had to apply for a fresh American visa. This set back my shopping budget by $120…………………..and I WAS MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hence for a new visa, I had to give an interview at the embassy………….but it was again a hilarious incident!!!!!!!

The entire embassy was filled with people (obviously…. what da hell was I expecting????? dinosaurs???) But the entire embassy was filled with Gujjus.

I had never seen so many Gujjus gathered in one space!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And they came in all shapes and sizes……….but here is the best part…………. they all seem to have the same name and that is ………………DEVANG PATEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


When they first called out for a certain DEVANG PATEL………….I was laughing my ass-off…wht kind of a name is it????

Which parents in their right minds would name their child DEVANG PATEL. As if that video albumwalla DEVANG PATEL was not enough…. they have just 1 new DEVANG PATEL in here. So damn funny!!!! And so I thought………..

But a few seconds later…another Devang Patel was called and this time he was called along with his family!!!!!

Few minutes later…another of that Devang Patel was called!!!!!! Actually, it was funny in da beginning, but as the number of Devang Patels increased I started getting freaked out!!!!! I didn’t no that our country has soooo many Devang Patels who are desperate to go to USA. At the end of it, I even lost the count of how many Devang Patels were actually called for the interview!!!!!!

And imagine my surprise that in an AMERICAN Embassy…………..they started making announcements for the Gujju people in gujju!!!!!! Man…. I had a hell of a time in da embassy………


Then came the part about my interview………………I could see 4 different American people taking interviews and out of them there was only 1 guy. For some very weird reason this guy seemed very familiar. Now I am fairly sure that I have never met this but then there was always this irritation that I have seen this guy!!!!!!!! BuT WER???? That question was killing me…………….

So as luck would have it………..this guy calls my number and he is now the one who would take my interview.

Theek hai………………I will answer his question patiently and try not to be arrogant to him. I actually had little patience left coz this goof up was not my fault and me and my whole family had to so through unnecessary trouble of applying for a new visa. Not to forget the $ 120 ka daan, which we had to do!!!!!!!

(My parents were very scared that I might say something that would ruin my chances of getting back my visa……….again they made fun of me by imaging what kind of question I would be asked and how arrogantly I would answer them…hmmmmmph…)

I answered the question fairly OK. They were not really questions though, just a very stupid conversation. But still at the back of my mind…I couldn’t figure it… wer have I seen this guy???????

Interview over. I got my visa. (Big deal….I was as it is gonna get it so whts da big deal…..) But still no recollection of that face………wer did I see it????


Then while going home on the express highway……….I saw this cute little girl in a rickshaw. She seemed to be talking to me and doing some action with her hands. I simply looked over and tried to check if my dupatta was stuck outside or something like that. But everything seemed fine. So I looked up at her.

Still the same reactions. Pointing and wording something, which I was unable to understand. So I thought ki forget it…………..and happily went back to thinking about the face…kidhar dekha tha usko?????? It’s so irritating if u can’t place a face that u think is vaguely familiar.

But then the girl started again…talking and pointing. But this time I realized that this girl was probably talking to herself. So told my dad about this and we both laughed at it.

Moments later I simply thought that if u see certain scenes of Matrix without the sound……….it would be the same experience as I had right now. Like when they have to speak with people in their craft…. they simply mouth the words…..only if u have seen the movie from beginning that u understand ki they have an ear piece which connects them………………..so on and so forth…………..

And that’s when it hit me………………I NOW THAT FACE!!!!!!!!!!!

It was the face of Agent Smith!!!!!!!!!!!

No wonder it was sooooo familiar…. as if I had met the guy!!!!

Yup !!!! Thts him !!!! Thts agent Smith from Matrix, only this Agent Smith was not christened as Agent Smith, he was a much kinder and cuter looking agent and he had the most freakily brushed hair possible. Not a single hair out of place.

Finally a happy end to my trail of thoughts!!! I could now proceed to think about other non-sense things. Relieved finally!!!!!!

So my trip to the American Embassy was very fruitful one indeed. I saw sooo many DEVANG PATELs that I don’t ever wish to meet one ever in my entire lifetime. And then again I met Agent Smith ka duplicate.

Wah……..wah………. what a rocking day !!!!!!

And such was the prelude to my wonderful trip!!!!!

Updates about the trip would be coming up ahead!!!!! Keep reading!!!!!

I

To 2007..................

Its been wonderful journey, an eye opener to be precise.I have had many dreams for you. The time that flew by was spent in thinking and dreaming of making you more pleasant and beautiful and sometimes even sureal. Hopefully my plans, for you, would work out the way I thought it would be.

I hope that you would look back at me with the most affectionate and passionate memories that you could ever have. If u dont then, You try and give it to those who follow by making new ones. May this year be the year of happiness and joy, that would hence, sooth away any worries and trouble that would come your way.

Heres wishing you and everyone who would be blessed to read this page ( and the wishes are spread to even those who may never read this page ) a very honest and a prosperous new year. May all your efforts give you the results that you desire. And may you live everyday, in this new year, to its fullest extent.

And yes........ pass this, and many such warm and heart felt messages to those who would follow.


With Love,

2006

Dear 'Goddess',

Why have principles that you don't or can't follow?

Why contradict your words by displaying exactly the oppposite actions and emotions?

Why stick to certain rules when you don't want to?

Why show modesty when your cheeks are swelling with pride?

Why deny something when you know, that we know, that you know??

Gurl, if you like the guy, admit it, and save us all the miss-goody-two shoes nausea.

your,
manasi



P.s. thnks yashada for allowing me to post ur post on my blog!!!!!

MA................NA..........SHEEEEEEEEEEE....

A perfect way to start ,wht is left of your, weekend!!!!

My bosses 1.2 year old kid just manage to speak out my name!!!!!


She goes precisely like this........maaa....na.........sheeeeeeeeee..............


and its sooooooooooo sweeeeeetttttttttttttttttt !!!!!!!!!!

I, along wid her ,had almost lost my head due to the excitement!!!!!

I lost it coz i heard my name being said by her........and she lost it, because she hd never seen any grown-up behave in such a childish manner!!!!!!!!! LOlzzz......

A perfect way to start, wht is left of your weekend!!!!!

Five point promises..................

“ If Alok makes it through this, I will write a book about our crazy days. I really will…….” I swore. It is the kind of absurd promise that you make to yourself when your seriously messed up in the head and you had not slept for 50 days straight.


The above passage is taken from the prologue of Chetan Bhagat’s ‘ Five point someone’. For some very weird reason I always happen to enjoy the prologue more than the book. I have been through many situations like these, though now that I look back, the reasons for my desperation were as kiddish as it could possibly be. Some of them even make me laugh on myself.

However, what has remained very strong is the feeling of desperation, when nothing works as per your calculation. The feeling of being let down and you know that it’s all your stupidity but not necessarily your fault.

And also the absurd promises that you would end up making.

Things like……

God, if pass in this exam I will………
Please let this person pull through…my friend deserves better…it this happens, I will………….

I had made such absurd promises, which I now intent to keep. And thankfully I did manage to keep the only promise that ever made to myself .

I never thought that I could.

But I just did it!!!!!!

This is my........whtever u wanna call it......heheheheheheheh

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything. You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life. You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace. You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life. Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you. You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others. You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

I never ever believed in such stuff. But now, i cant deny that da above written crap is pretty intresting!!!!!!!!!

Swapna sundari wearing maxi

Guttural manly voice :

Swapna sundari wearing maxi

Getting out of a yellow taxi

Walks into a club

Paagal ho gaye sab

Surprisingly.. she chooses me.

Squeaky high pitched female voice

Is that a pen in your pocket mister?

Or are you .. just happy to see me ??...

Lexi pens, now, in every paacket in your city

Its one of the most cheesy and slimy piece of literature that I hv ever bothered to note down…………….for the un-informed it’s the jingle of the lexi pen add which is very often played on radio.
So, as I was saying, this jingle is absolutely mindless with the most gruesome effects done to the voice of the singers………who btw should have just killed themselves before doing such a crime. Lets thank god that a cheesy video was not made to be put on TV.

Now since I have bashed-up the jingle like crazy……….am sure that u must have assumed that I hate it…but wrong ur !!!!! I absolutely enjoy this mindless piece of shit for simply standing out of da rat race!! Also for the fact that this song has made me sit-up and take notice of it, lemme also add that it is the most “different” sounding jingle on air and definitely not the conventional jingle ever made.

The male voice is well………..male but with a very diff twist to it. I cant describe it but its diff…and I don’t quite mind it………….

The female voice on the other hand…………….is the most ingeniously done artwork. It stands out, it will stay with u for the day, irritate u da entire day, but u would still end up listening very intently to the jingle.

I absolutely enjoy the jingle…………………….but here is a conversation related to the jingle which I had enjoyed even more.

One day after college, I was graciously offered a lift home, which I gladly accepted. Just a few minutes into the journey this favorite jingle of mine started playing. We both listened to it very intently…………..and heres our conversation that followed…


P : Tell me what does maxi mean????

Me: kyu????……..abhi kyu sujha yeh???!!!

P : arre…is gane main hai na………….. “Swapna sundari wearing maxi”isliye pucha maine!!!

Me: ohh……………..
( I ws secretly praying to myself ki God plz……………….i dnt want to have a discussion on this topic now…..and especially not here………..god plzzzzz…..god
plzzzzz )

P: bol na………………

Me: hmmmmmmmmm…………………….
( I absolutelt want to avoid this topic………..so wht do I talk abt????……..plz dear gal think of a good topic fast and change it………………..jaldi soch………….)

Me: Sochne de……………………………
( plz………………god help me……………wht topic should I talk abt now…………..)

so I pretend to look out of the window. Suddenly the grillwallas, fruitwallas, vegetablewalla, ghas-pus, jhopadpatti all seem very very intresting to me…………..

Me: ( still thinking hard for a diversion, it must have made me look tht I ws stoned and there came da damn voice again………)

P: Arre……..bol na……….

Me: ( my stupid pea-sized brain desereted me……..so now I would hv to answer the damn qestion………how if could throw the person out and run frm here……….towards freedom from the question………so finally I answered…….)arre……….maxi essentially means a womens night-coat!!!!!!

Me: (just get satisfied wid this answer and end da damn topic………..or I would throw myself under the bus which is stuck in da traffic besides us……………….damn u man!!!! Why do ppl ask such uncomfortable question??? )

P: ohh….aisa kya!!!!!

Me: (plz shut up………………I cant take this anymore… and I think my answer is acceptable)

P: night coat matlab kya??????

Me: ( aab meri wicket udgaye……….aab sab explanation again…shit man……but its fine……….bol deti hu aur finish kar dalti hu……..yeh sab puchneko main hi mili kya !!!!! uuuufffff………..)

Me: arre…women’s night-coat essentially means the gown re… (Which females in Mumbai shamelessly wear while goin to buy veggies and all)

P: ohh………..


Me: ( aab toh chup raho………its too embarrassing man………….aise kya puchneka……how stupid!!!! )


A moment or two passes by very peacefully. I think that my latest answer has been very smoothly accepted without any hiccups……….so 3 cheers for me for surviving such a conversation.

P: par main hamesha se yeh sochta tha ki maxi matlab long skirt!!!

Me: ( arre…kahani main twist…..isko yeh kisne bataya…..all wrong info passed on!!! )
Arre nahi……..long skirt matlab midi………….

P: arre nahi………sun……long skirt matlab…………………… maxi

Midium length matlab……………… medi

A n d……….

Short skirt matlab………………….. mini

That was a killer of an answer. Mere muh pe yeh classic answer phek ke mara……….aisa lag raha tha……this answer ensured me a very good and a hearty laugh due to which I almost chocked up………I again turned my attention towards the grillwallas, fruitwallas, vegetablewalla, ghas-pus, jhopadpatti all of them again seemed very very intresting to me…………..but this time……………I was bursting with laughter!!!!
My friend’s simple and very clear logic had stumped me and left me laughing uncontrollabaly ………..on my self and also on all the stupid and pointless thoughts that were goin on in my head!!!!!

It again goes without saying that I have started enjoying this jingle even more. For the pure genius of making it the way it is and for the conversation that followed!!!!!

Two weeks that went by…………………..

……………was probably one of the most productive and satisfying periods of my life!!!!

Firstly, I got a job and that too without giving any interview. Which was actually very good coz writing my CV was proving to be very depressing!!!!!
I suddenly realized that I didn’t have any talent in me!!!!!!!!
But then I found a way around this feeling………it simply meant that I had not thought enough of my talents…….. hey I can totally gossip, I can absolutely convince confused people about things that they reassurance about, I can actually do many things that I thought that should not be mentioned in my CV but then a royal peep into other people’s CV taught me the basic rules of boasting in a CV!!!!!!!
And I can now proudly say that I have totally learned and mastered the art!!! Lol…

Secondly, I had a very beautiful realization!!!!!!!
Just 2 weeks in office has taught me sooooo much that I feel those 5 years in college has been wasted. Well not wasted exactly, coz I made gr8 friends, I have some of the best memories of sooooo many incredible incidences……………and the list will go on…. but the list comprises of mainly many personal and social experiences…………….academically zero!!!!!!!
This might be a little exaggeration ………but then this exact sentiment was echoed by one of my professors when I was in college………so I don’t think that later on I would actually want to change my statement!!!!!

Thirdly, I made a record of eating ice cream!!!!!!!
On my b’day my bosses ordered for boxes of ice cream. And since they didn’t no what flavor I liked they ordered one box of their choice and another box of chocolate almond!!!!!!!!!!!
So after lunch 5 of us took charge of the ice cream and eat more ice-cream than our lunch!!!!!! With a totally full stomach, and no 1 in a mood to work we had a gala time later…par afsos….. a deadline had to be caught-up with and work had to be resumed!!!!!!

It was soooo cool to be working on my b’day!!!! I had absolutely no problems!!!!!!! And if I get paid for my work………..it would really be fantastic month for me!!!!
[This business abt not being paid for work is what us architects face all our lives, so there is absolutely no need for anybody to get scandalized!!! We all eventually learn to live with scarcity of money and constant cribbing……heheheheheh……..hard facts of my life………]

And yes……………MY BLOG JUST TURNED 1………………my baby is 1 year old… I still can’t believe it…………..
All in all life seems to be treating me very well!!!! And with this festive season of
Diwali, how in the world can anyone feel depressed!!!!


YA……….but just 1 complain………..dnt light crackers which create tooo much of air, sound and paper pollution!!!!!

Its really bad coz I have just realized that my windowsill has a thin layer of dust collected on it………….and, which I suspect, is the residue of the gunpowder used in crackers. PLZ stop this noise. Take an oath, as some of the schools have made their students undertake it, that I would not light crackers in any form, instead would donate the money to the needy!!!!!!!!!

Now that would be a good way to start a New YEAR!!!!!

Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year!!!!!!

Matchsticks and 3-year olds!!!

How can you explain the sight of a 3-year old girl with a matchbox and happily lighting matches one-by-one, waiting patiently till each matchstick had burnt out till the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am still shocked!!!!! I had gone for a walk in the evening because it was so pleasant out-sides, but the effect turned out to be more unpleasant than ever!

Matchboxes are definitely not toys and are NEVER to be given to kids. But here was this sight, which so shocked me that I almost stood there and ended up shamelessly staring at her!!!!!

As I got over the sight I was looking around if she was accompanied by anyone. And then I spotted her…………………….her mother happily leaning on the gate and chatting in a very embarrassingly loud voice with god-only-knows-whom!!!! I seriously felt like screaming and asking that stupid woman whether she was aware with what her kid was up to!!!!

Careless women!!!!

And here is the best part……………….that little girl had such a flawless action of lighting the matchstick that you could obviously conclude that this action was regularly performed by her. To top it all she was practically throwing lighted matchsticks on road, which was liberally littered with dry leaves and paper or all the stuff, which could have easily caught fire!!

I can’t understand how could anyone allow such profanity to happen. Simply shows the lack of civic-sense in that so-called adult who obviously looked like her mother!!!!!!! The sight was so disturbing that my entire evening was practically ruined by this thought. Besides the thoughts about how efficient the girl was with lighting the matchsticks, another thought suddenly surfaced.

Last year, I happened to watch a particular episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, which highlighted the bride-burning phenomenon in India. And they showed many clips of women in hospital beds, moaning in pain and I should think practically waiting and hoping to die!!!

The sight and the cause of their state were extremely disturbing to watch. And yesterday all of a sudden that very particular episode, complete with all the visuals and sounds [that too in minute detail] were replayed in my mind!!!!!!!!

I can’t think of a direct connection with between these two incidents, but maybe the direct relation of flame and carelessness put such thoughts in my head. Another disturbing thought put in my head, which lasted till I forced myself to stop thinking and sleep.

I sincerely hope that such acts of carelessness are never repeated. Because, god-forbid, if anything goes wrong the whole family would have to face a serious trauma besides the injured person!! And here I am not even talking about the amount of physical pain! And even if people are not bothered about such acts……….I hope that I would henceforth learn to ignore such things. To simply keep my sanity safe and sound.

Nameless and faceless children of Mumbai!!!!!!!

For the last 4 years, almost everyday, I take a bus to reach my college. Since I am fairly punctual, I always end up catching the same bus. This means that the conductor of the bus and some of the random people of the bus are familiar with me.

En-route to college, is a municipal school. I am guessing that their timings match with my college timings. Hence after certain stops the bus gets jam packed with school kids. And then the real fun starts. Every new sunshine would bring a new trick, gossip, facts, cricket scores and much more information from them to my ears.

One of the most noticeable things about this bus is the decibel level of these kids. It’s unbelievable!!! I would really like to see any self-acclaimed kumbhakaran trying to catch some sleep……………hehehehehheeh…it’s impossible!!!! And the screaming and shouting is often very interesting [only if you can understand their different accents].

The decibel thing goes like this. One kid, standing right behind the driver, would happily have a conversation with his friends standing at the rear end. A huge group of girls would be scheming to do something that they were obviously not meant to do and then they would realize that this very nosy guy, who was busy eavesdropping on them, overheard their entire plan. So then the fight would start, these girls versus the lone guy!!!! And its really not necessary to say that the guy usually got a healthy thrashing and none his friends would even attempt to help him out!!!!! And the conductor would be no less a tormentor. Everyday….mark my words…everyday he made the guys open their bags and show him their concession passes. Only then would the moron give them the tickets. I call him moron not because he asked for the passes…but because of him…I had to may times take in enough pushing and shoving of schoolbags and umbrellas, especially its sharp edges, on my shoulder and sometimes even on my face!!!!!

And the sizes of the kids………why I can swear by the fact that some of the kids are no even more than 3 feet tall but the bags that they carried were even heavier than the rest of the kids. Some of them are simply soooooo small that in a seat were 2 adults can sit…. but not very comfortably, I had the pleasure of witnessing 5 kids sitting comfortably on the seat…. and inviting the 6th one to join them. So now how small they are would be glaringly evident.

You see one way it’s actually great pleasure to see these kids make a huge effort to at least attend school. What quality of education do they receive is a very different story. But early in the morning when we all complain of not sleeping the whole night because the dogs were howling through out the night of maybe coz the AC was not working and many more reasons……………….never ever did I hear these kids complain about not getting enough sleep or dogs, cats, mosquitoes spoiling their sleep. Not even once. All that I heard was excited chatter, screams and fights.

In a way, I am actually very proud of them. I say this not because I ever taught them anything or had anything to do with them. I have seen them grow up…and yes they did grow very fast………they seem to have matured too. Some kids decided to bring with them their younger siblings, some faces I never saw again, some faces I could make out that given an opportunity would do splendid in the future, some faces told me that they were expert loafers, some simply wanted to get away for everyday life and going to school would give them that freedom, the list of reasons is endless……….but of course this is the list of reasons that I have thought of. It may not even come any way never to the real reasons. But nonetheless, these reasons are good enough for me!!!! It has actually become my hobby to associate a past with every new face that I can see and also their reason for being in that very space as me at that time.

I write this post because I feel their presence should be acknowledged in my life. These kids have provided me with entertainment and a lot of fodder to think about. Moreover, I fear that, with my graduating from the college, I might never get to see these kids progress beyond what I have seen them. The thought of not seeing new faces in the bus makes me feel bit nostalgic about my own graduation. The frequency of my traveling in that particular bus has diminished in this year, next year it will cease to exist.

So hear I take the opportunity to write about the kids, and if in some case I chose to forget them, this post would refresh me memory.

Farewell kidos………………
And never ever keep the volume down!!!!!!!!!

New pics!!!!

The only reason and justification that i can give for this picture is that ...........

there was no electricity at home, no one was home, my cell was the only source of light.........and i was hoping that someone would atleast call me.........which goes without saying that did not happen!!!!!

But i simply love the pic !!!!!! Dont u???

Does honestly have any value left????

It makes me wonder if being honest in this world is a burden or plain stupidity!!!!!

Or is it a virtue which should just be flaunted ignorantly......................it damn well confuses me!!!!