Change of residence

This blogger has decided to shift her residence to another locality called wordpress.com. The reason for this shift is being tempted by the attractive features of the new locality, especially the great templates.

All of you are cordially invited to visit her new home by clicking here.

The blogger sadly leaves her home for the last 4 months......

Monday blues

Mondays are meant for feeling blue,
So do people say,
Much has been said about this day,
But I have felt like that
Only on very few a Monday;

However, today is different,
I am just back from a holiday,
Poor me is back in a confined space
After a week of freedom,
Back to the usual routine
After a 7-day vacation,
Back to my home
From the land of Chennai.

Back amidst familiar faces
Back amidst known voices,
Back after laughs and hugs and tears
Chitchat and gossip,
And roller coasters of emotions;

There is a load of work to do,
But my mind wanders,
I yearn for the lost freedom,
I wish I could have filled in
More enjoyment into these few days;

I wish to go back
And do all the things I didn’t,
I missed out on a lot of things,
Visits to relatives’,
The usual visit to the beach,
The shopping spree
And the dining out in glee,
The long hours of sleep and rest,
The books I meant to read,
The movies I meant to see,
All the things I had planned to,
But didn’t do
Due to constraints like time and health.

I am just back from a trip
And my heart longs for another,
But I know I cannot do that,
That makes this Monday bluer than ever,
Hence this poem I write
To let out my pain,
On my dear blog
I let my grief be etched.

:-((

For my friends

Friends are special guardian angels that God made to walk the path of life with us. They are with us through thick and thin. They laugh with us in our joy and are there to lend a shoulder for us to cry on when we are sad. They make certain situations tolerable and certain moments all the more beautiful just by being there. And, we almost always forget to say a little 'thank you' to these people. So, on this friendship day, here's my note of thanks to those special people called friends who have been there in my life and have helped me survive! :-)

My mom - One of my bestest of friends, with whom I can share anything. She has been there with me through trying situations and in my achievements. Thanks a lot mom, for the wonderful relationship that we share!

Family - A special note of thanks to Shuba Chitti, Priya Bhabhi and Vidhya Bhabhi for being great friends. Thanks a lot for all that you've done for me! :-) Also, thanks to all my arunda vaalu cousins! :-)

School day friends - I have lost touch with most of these guys, except for Rushvi, Kunjan, Dolly and Honey.

Rushvi is my friend since kindergarten, who is soon getting married. We have shared some fun moments together and made our moms wild! :-)

Kunjan, Dolly, and Honey, I met when I was in high school and we grew to be great friends. Though I am not much in contact with Kunjan and Dolly now, I can never forget the beautiful times we shared in school. Weren't we quite a foursome in school? :-)

As for Honey, she requires a special note of thanks here. Thanks dear, for all the times you dropped in just to cheer me up. Thanks for all the support and love you have given over the years. Thanks for all the times you were there for me just within reach of a message or a phone call when I needed you. It has been 10 years, can you believe it? :-) Ya, ya, I know you'll get mad that I've mentioned your original name here and not your new name Srushti here. You know I'll never call you that, don't you, HONEY? :-)

College friends (grad and postgrad) - Well, I'm not in touch with any of these guys now, but I still remember the great days we had together. These friends made sure that even boring lectures were fun! :-)

Apartment friends - The only person I can mention here is Neha, who lives in the samd apartment as me. We have known each other for almost 20 years now. We know each other in and out. We started out as playmates and then grew to become the closest of friends. There have been days when we've practically lived together, terrorising our moms! :-) She has been a great support and source of confidence in my bad times. Thanks for being there, dear!

Office friends (Past and present) - Dear colleagues Khushi, Annu, Shefali, Indu, Uttara and Shyama, thanks for being there! :-) You guys made those boring medical files worth listening to. Thanks a lot for the great times we had! We had a great team of ladies! :-)

Well, that was about my past job. In my current job, I would specially like to thank Manmeet and Shilpi. Thanks for being there with me through some trying situations. (You know what I'm talking about, don't you?) Thanks for those daily dosages of IMs, mails and messages that make work life bearable. Thanks for reading and commenting on the inane blatherings that I put up on my blog. And most of all, thanks for acting as doctors and taking care of me! How can I ever forget the way you reminded me to take my medicines, the glasses of glucose that you brought for me and the bandages you helped me tie when I sprained my arm?

I would also like to mention the names of Pooja and Silviya, who used to work with me.

Blog buddies - Thanks to all you blog buddies who take the time to read my scribblings and comment. You guys keep me going. A special note of thanks to Niths and Sharan, who have been the siblings I never had. Thanks guys! :-)

Thanks all of you for being a part of my life! :-)

A letter to a friend

Dear friend,

I met you as a stranger and treated you like a friend. You, for all this, gave me a beautiful gift in return. A stab in the back. You left me in the darkness when I expected you to lead the way.

Maybe you had your own reasons for doing what you did. I don’t know. I had somehow expected you to be different, but you turned out to be just like the other ordinary mortals of the world. That hurt, because I had trusted you. Maybe I expected too much?

Ironically, you turned out to be exactly one of those people whom you claimed to hate. But this is not to crib or point out your flaws. This is to thank you. Thanks for doing what you did. It made an invaluable contribution in my life. Yes, it shook my faith in humanity for a while, but it increased my inner strength and will a thousand times. My faith in myself and in Him is greater than ever before. And, this could not have been possible without your help.

Dear friend, you brought me face to face with reality. I would probably not have realized the perils lurking there in the world for me if you hadn’t pointed them out to me with your actions. You made me open my eyes wide. Now my path is clearer, thanks to you.

Thank you for bringing to home the fact that I yet have a lot to learn in life.

Thank you for the good times that I shared with you.

May people like you keep hurting the ones who trust them. For, it strengthens them in a way probably very few other things can do.

I do not wish to settle scores with you, for I know there is someone up high above who does that. That is not my job. He, the master accountant, has the debits and credits of everyone neatly registered in his books. He follows you, wherever you go. He makes note of all the minute things you do. And when he feels the time is right, He repays you for your doings, in his own special way. And I trust that hand more than anything.

I don’t know if it is your loss or mine that we are no longer friends, but I know for sure that you have lost the high respect that I had for you as a person. I believe losing respect in someone’s eyes is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. But I am not so sure if you can feel that now.

Goodbye. Nice having known you. Thanks for everything.

A true quote

People laugh because I am different....

And I laugh because they are all the same.

Glad to be back!!!!!

After a brief hiatus from the blog world, I am back again!!!!! This time with some Hindi poetry by yours truly....




Haath hamare utthe dua mein,


Kisine hum se poocha,


Khuda se kya apne liye khushi maangi?

Humne kaha, haan,


Humne unke hothon ki hansi maangi...


Translation:


My hands went up in prayer,
And someone asked me,
"Did you ask the lord for your happiness?"
I said, "Yes, I asked him
That a smile always rest on my loved one's lips."





Ae khuda, humein lambi umr ki kaamna nahi,

Bas itni tamanna hai,

Ki kuch lamhe aise hon


Jinme zindagi samayi ho.....



Translation:

O Lord, I do not desire for a long life,
But I have one small wish,
Just give me a few moments
Which are full of life.....

Another excerpt from Coelho

I am back with Coelho again! Can't seem to help it! :-) This is one of his best articles in the book "Like the flowing river". Many must have already read it before, but it is something that I would like to preserve and read again and again. Hence this post. Here goes:

The Story of the Pencil

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter.
At one point, he asked:
‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is
it a story about me?’

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said
to her grandson:
‘I am writing about you, actually, but more important
than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you
will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t
seem very special.

‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five
qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, will
make you a person who is always at peace with the
world.

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but
you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your
steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us
according to His will.

‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing
and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a
little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too,
must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because
they will make you a better person.

‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an
eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting
something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it
helps to keep us on the road to justice.

‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not
its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always
pay attention to what is happening inside you.

‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a
mark. In just the same way, you should know that
everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be
conscious of that in your every action.’

An excerpt from Coelho

This is an excerpt from Coelho's famous book 'Like the flowing river' that I think I would like to remember for ever. So I am typing it out. It is from the article 'The Art Of Trying'. I know my blog is looking like a Coelho book of late, but I can't help it. His writing is captivating and thought-provoking, at the same time being simple and understandable. I can truly relate to his philosophy. I read this piece and I could only say 'Wow'! Here goes:

When we decide to act, some excesses may occur. An old culinary adage says : "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs." It is also natural that unexpected conflicts should arise, and it is natural that wounds may be inflicted during those conflicts. The wounds pass, and only the scars remain.

This is a blessing. These scars stay with us throughout our life and are very helpful. If, at some point - simply because it would make our life easier, or for whatever other reason - the desire to return to the past becomes very great, we need only look at those scars. They are the marks left by our handcuffs, and will remind us of the horrors of prison, and we will keep walking straight ahead.

So, relax. Let the universe move around you and discover the joy of surprising yourself. "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise," says St. Paul.

A warrior of light often finds that certain moments repeat themselves. He is often faced by the same problems and situations and, seeing these difficult situations return, he grows depressed, thinking that he is incapable of making progress in life.

"I've been through all this before," he says to his heart.

"Yes, you've been through all this before," replies his heart. "But you have never been beyond it."

Then the warrior realises that these repeated experiences have but one aim : to teach him what he has not yet learned. He always finds a different solution for each repeated battle, and he does not consider his failures to be mistakes but, rather, as steps along the path to a meeting with himself.

Realisations

My arms feel heavy,
My legs feel leaden,
My eyes feel weary,
My heart feels wooden,
There is an emptiness
Where there should be happiness,
I feel unfulfilled
In the midst of plenty;

I look around me
And find
I have been carrying
The carcass of my dreams
For too long,
I have not mourned
The death of my hopes
For too long,
I have been existing
Without living
For too long,
I have not allowed my eyes
To cleanse my heart
For too long....

A fable on love

I read this beautiful fable in "Like the flowing river" by Paulo Coelho. I found very sweet and touching, so I am posting it on my blog:


The Cloud and the sand dune

A young cloud was born in the midst of a great storm over the Mediterranean Sea, but he did not even have time to grow up there, for a strong wind pushed all the clouds over towards Africa.


As soon as the clouds reached the continent, the climate changed. A bright sun was shining in the sky and, stretched out between them, lay the golden sands of the Sahara. Since it almost never rains in the desert, the wind continued pushing the clouds towards the forests in the south.





Meanwhile, as it happens with young humans too, the young cloud decided to leave his parents and his older friends in order to discover the world.



"What are you doing?," cried the wind. "The desert's the same all over. Rejoin the other clouds, and we'll go to Central Africa where there are amazing mountains and trees!"



But the young cloud, a natural rebel, refused to obey, and, gradually, he dropped down until he found a gentle, generous breeze that allowed him to hover over the golden sands. After much toing and froing, he noticed that one of the dunes was smiling at him.



He saw that the dune was also young, newly formed by the wind that had just passed over. He
fell in love with her golden hair right there and then.

"Good morning," he said. "What's life like down there?"

"I have the company of the other dunes, of the sun and the wind, and of the caravans that occasionally pass through here. Sometimes it's really hot, but it's still bearable. What's life like up there?"


"We have the sun and wind too, but the good thing is that I can travel across the sky and see more things."


"For me," said the dune, "life is short. When the wind returns from the forests, I will disappear."


"And does that make you sad?"


"It makes me feel that I have no purpose in life."


"I feel the same. As soon as another wind comes along, I'll go south and be transformed into rain; but that is my destiny."


The dune hesitated for a moment, then said:


"Did you know that here in the desert, we call the rain paradise?"


"I had no idea I could ever be that important," said the cloud proudly.

"I've heard that older dunes tell stories about the rain. They say that, after the rain, we are all covered with grass and flowers. But I'll never experience that, because in the desert it rains so rarely."

It was the cloud's turn to hesitate now. Then he smiled broadly and said:


"If you like, I could rain on you now. I know I've only just got here, but I love you, and I'd like to stay here for ever."

"When I first saw you up in the sky, I fell in love with you too," said the dune. "But if you transform your lovely white hair into rain, you will die."


"Love never dies," said the dune. "It is transformed, and, besides, I want to show you what paradise is like."


And he began to caress the dune with little drops of rain, so that they could stay together for longer, until a rainbow appeared.


The following day, the little dune was covered in flowers. Other clouds that passed over, heading for Africa, thought that it must be part of the forest they were looking for and scattered more rain. Twenty years later, the dune had been transformed into an oasis that refreshed travellers with the shade of its trees.

And, all because, one day, a cloud fell in love, and was not afraid to give his life for that love.


A beautiful way of expressing that true love is selfless and it transforms....

True friendship

A beautiful quote on friendship that I came across on the net. How true this is! A true friend is one with whom you can discuss anything, with complete trust and ease. Without fear that you will be misinterpreted. One with whom you can be your true self, without wearing a mask. And yet be sure that you are loved...

The K world

This post is about the K world, the oh-so-famous world of Ektaa Kapoor's K serials. Well, I've never had the privilege (?) of watching these sagas of emotions that are world-famous and that go on for years and years together. I just sometimes happen to catch a glimpse of these dramas, as the home manager and her other companions in the family watch them on a regular basis. I must say, coming up with a number of K titles is an innovative task. However, some things never change in these serials. My humble observations on the working of the K world:

1) Generations may come and generations may go, but the grand old lady of the house goes on for ever. Would love to know the secret of her long life!!!!!!!!

2) The hero and the heroine do not like each other, but it is always circumstances that cause them to get married. And after marriage, they discover that they are soulmates.

3) The heroine's past lover always enters her happy married life. And he always finds a way to befriend the heroine's husband and comes to live with them in their house.

4) However middle class a family might be, the heroine always has money to spend on clothes of the latest fashion and matching jewellery.

5) The ladies will always be perfectly made up, irrespective of sickness or grief. Even when the heroine is in hospital, she will have eyeliner and lipstick and rouge on. She goes to bed looking pretty and wakes up looking pretty. Not even her lipstick is smudged.

6) Most of the people have their own signature style of dressing. They are always found dressed in that style. Heard of Shanti bindi, Kashish salwar kameez and so on?

7) You can know that a certain person is the bad guy/girl by the eerie music playing in the background when he/she makes an entry. The bad girl can also be identified on the basis of her makeup. She is the one with long nails painted in scarlet and garish, silvery eyeshadow.

8) Any little occasion in the house and it is time for a grand party!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9) When a person grows older, there is no change in his/her skin or posture. A few patches of grey appear in the hair and spectacles are added.

10) Bollywood film songs can play in the background at any time, any place!!!!!!!!

11) A lady can have 2-3 kids and still slim, trim and beautiful!

12) Each single festival and each single Pooja has to be celebrated lavishly in the family!

Certain scenes and dialogues in these serials are such that one cannot help but LOL! But, Ektaa Kapoor does rock in a majority of the homes in India. So, for now, the sagas continue........

Waiting for liberation

O Lord of the Universe,

Hear my plea,

I have no one to turn to

But for thee,

My soul is weary,

Liberate me,

It pains my heart to see

The pain of my sisters,

Little, cherubic angels

Abandoned in the cold world,

To fight it alone,

Left in the wide, wide world

To fend for themselves,

Little angels like me

Snuffed out in their mother's womb,

Denied a life which is but their due right,

Disallowed to see the light of day,

My sisters ill treated,

Abused, scorned,

Forced to strip

To show their grief,

O great Lord of the Universe,

This I ask of thee,

Lord, sow the seeds of compassion

In people's minds,

Lord, let there be justice,

Let there be light,

Lord, let there be a smile

On the faces of all angels,

Lord, let there be true liberation

For the girl child.

It is really painful to see the society still bound by old traditions, customs and beliefs in these modern times when everything is changing. It is painful to hear about the plight of some young girls and ladies even today, whose only fault was that they were born a girl.

Read this and this and this.

Dearly beloved

Pata nahi kyon, kuch kuch dard sa hai,

Shayad unhe kahin thokar lagi hai....

Happy moments!

A lazy, dull Sunday afternoon. One of those days when you feel like doing nothing at all. Absolutely nothing. When you are bored out of your mind.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings and a few of your relatives drop in. They have decided to pay you a surprise visit. A short time later, a few of your friends also drop in.

In a few moments, voices fill the bleak confines of the home. Idle chit chat and laughter drift in the air. Everyone wants to share in the fun. No one wants to be left out. Everyone congregates at the same place and everybody says something. There is an uproar, but no one complains. Everyone shouts at a higher pitch to be heard above the din.

A kid starts crying. There is a lot of cooing and cuddling. A feeding bottle is prepared instantly.

Someone switches on the TV. Patti's 'Sunday Samayal' continues in the backdrop along with the discussions on various subjects.

Cups of tea are made and shared. Packets of snacks pass on from one hand to another.

Old family snapshots are brought out and there is much laughter and excitement. Statements like 'Oh! How cute!' and 'Where am I at the time of your wedding, amma?' are heard among the din.

Marriage ceremony CDs are played and everyone huddles together to watch the couple being united in the holy bond of matrimony on the computer screen for the umpteenth time. Again, there is a lot of oohing and aahing.

The house is in the state of pleasant confusion. The house that is usually spic and span is all in chaos. A shoe here, a sock there. A teether here, a ball there. Someone's purse lying on the bed. Someone's cell and keys lying on the table.

There is a lot of hullabaloo all around. But the house is very much alive. And happy. The normally silent walls of the house seem to be smiling too!

Connecting with myself

My mind full of questions,
My world full of chaos,
Whom do I turn to?
What do I ask?

Then I recall
‘All lies within me',
And I turn to myself
To guide me on the right path.

I drop away from my surroundings
Am surrounded by peace,
I listen to what my soul has to say
And connect with a power higher than me.

I am lost to the world,
Nothing, nobody now exists,
I can hear
Only my inner voice.

Some quiet time passes by
I mull over what I want,
What troubles me?
What will make me happy?

Slowly, one by one,
All answers come to me,
My mind is now less clouded,
The path I need to walk much clearer…

Conveying death

The Gujaratis have the habit of saying ‘off ho gaye’ ('off thai gaya' in Gujarati) when someone passes away, meaning that the person went off, similar to the action of a light being switched off. Like when someone’s grandmother passes away, the person will say, ‘dadima off ho gaye’, that is ‘grandma went off’. I find it a strange way of expression. A light switch flicked off by God, never to be switched on again? I just hope the process of death could be as painless and effortless as the process of a light being switched off…

Fond memories

Alone she was and smiling,

Her eyes said she was lost

In a faraway land,

Someone asked her,

"Why are you smiling alone?,"

And she replied,

With shyness and love in her voice,

Sweeter than a thousand silver bells,

As only a woman in love can say,

"I have my beloved in my heart

And thoughts of him

In my mind,

Where am I alone?"

My first tag

I have been tagged for the first time in my blogger-life by Niths.

Incidentally, this is my 75th post! So double bonanza dhan! :-)

The topic of the tag is 'books'. So here goes:

Books that changed my life

Most of the Enid Blyton books and 'Gokulam' that I used to read when I was a kid a long, long time ago. These books sowed the seed of creative writing in me and in a way 'changed my life'.

The other books that touched me were Chicken Soup for the Soul and Who Moved My Cheese. These books always inspire me.

One other book that I could truly relate to was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I had expected a mind-blowing complicated book, but what I found was a simple story that depicted the profound truths of life. I could relate to the central character of the story, Santiago, very well. This book touched me a lot.

Well, 'changed my life' would be an exxageration, all these were books that inspired and touched me in one way or the other.

Books that I have read more than once

The Collection of Classic short stories from Readers' Digest
Chicken Soup for the Soul
All it takes is family by Sharon De Vita
Bride of my heart by Rebecca Winters
The Fraudulent Fiancee by Muriel Jensen

The last three are Mills & Boons' that I loved :-)

A book that I would take to a desert island

The Fraudulent Fiancee again! :-) On second thoughts, I would rather take something like 'How to survive alone on a desert island' ! :-)

Books that made you laugh

Tintin books
Hot Water by PG Wodehouse

Books that made you cry

Undoubtedly, it has got to be Chicken Soup for the Soul. Other books that made me emotional were The Fraudulent Fiancee and All It takes is family.

A book you wish had been written

A book on the life of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Books that you wish had never been written

Love Story by Eric Segal. It was a bestseller, yes, but somehow, failed to touch me. Dunno why!
When the stars shine down by Sidney Sheldon

Books you are currently reading

The Painter of signs by RK Narayan
Excerpts from Gitanjali by Tagore

Books you've been meaning to read

This is one long list. Dunno when, how and if I will do it, but I have been meaning to read these books:
1) Like the flowing river by Paulo Coelho
2) Veronika decides to die by Paulo Coelho
3) By the river Piedra I sat and wept by Paulo Coelho
4) The Zahir by Paulo Coelho
5) How Opal Mehta got kissed, got wild and got a life by Kavya Vishwanathan
6) A walk to remember by Nicholas Sparks
7) The curious incident of the dog in the night time by Mark Haddon
8) The God of small things by Arundhati Roy
9) The works of O' Henry
10) The works of William Somerset Maugham
11) If tomorrow never comes by Sidney Sheldon
12) Swamy and friends by RK Narayan
13) The Bible (or atleast excerpts)
14) The Quoran (or atleast excerpts)
15) The Bhagwad Geeta (or atleast excerpts)
16) I moved your cheese
17) Simple steps to impossible dreams by Steven Scott
18) My experiments with truth by MK Gandhi
19) One night at the call centre by Chetan Bhagat
20) Harry Potter
21) Alice in Wonderland
22) The Wizard of Oz
23) Arabian nights
24) The wishing chair, I think it was by Enid Blyton, am not sure. Read it long, long ago.
The last few are kiddo books, but I would love to read them all the same. :-)

Now, I hereby tag Karthik. :-)

Thanks, Niths. Enjoyed doing this! :-)

The old tree

I was a lush tree once,
Beautiful to look at,
With green, green leaves
And strong boughs,
The birds used to nest in me
And sing me beautiful songs,
My heart was filled
With gaiety and cheer.


Today I am all dried up,
My beauty all gone,
I cannot bear the sun's heat
And my dry limbs are cracking,
My trunk is turning hollow
My leaves are yellowing
And falling off
One by one.


The birds no longer
Perch atop my branches,
They no longer talk to me
As they used to,
My heart is filled
With loneliness,
My only companions being
Other withered trees like me.


Many a storms
I have weathered,
But now my roots are weak,
I can weather no more,
I await desperately
That one big storm
That will fell me
To the earth...

How the French Bean got its fiber

An attempt at writing a story for children. Read at your own risk. Any kind of damage to the reader on reading this story will not be considered the blogger's responsibility. :-)

Once upon a time, in a land called Sabjiland, all the vegetables lived together. One day, all of them got very bored. They got together and decided to have a party the coming weekend. They all agreed to participate in organizing the party. They agreed that they would have a lot of fun together. There would be music, dance, food, games, everything.

The idea excited the vegetables greatly. Arrangements were made, food was cooked, beautiful decorations were made and the Town Hall was made ready for the party. Invitations were printed and distributed to all in Sabjiland. Each and every vegetable was invited – the onion, the tomato, the chilly, the potato, the French bean, the capsicum, the cabbage, the brinjal, the lady finger, all and sundry. No one was left out.

Excitement grew as the occasion drew nearer and nearer. Every one had been asked to perform something to exhibit their talent. Everybody was eagerly awaiting the D-day.

Finally, the day of the great event arrived. All the vegetables arrived at the Town Hall, dressed in their best clothes. There was noise and laughter all around. The vegetables danced together. Loud music blared out of Town Hall. Then food was served. The vegetables enjoyed the various delicacies.

Then the time came for the best part of the party – the talent search. Each vegetable presented an item. The tomato sang a nice, hip song which had all the vegetables rocking on their feet. The lady finger mimicked a famous actor of the yesteryears, which had everyone oohing and aahing. The chilly and the potato presented a witty drama. The capsicum recited a beautiful poem. The cabbage said a story that it had written on its own.

Then it was the turn of the rotund brinjal to present something. It had decided to present a dance before the other vegetables. The musicians started playing and the brinjal started dancing with great gusto. It was a fast number and the brinjal was performing wonderfully. All the vegetables were fully immersed in watching the dance.

Suddenly, the satin robe that the brinjal was wearing got under its feet. It slipped and fell. It tried to right itself, but could not. It fell on the stage with a loud thud.

At this, the French bean burst out laughing. The other vegetables told it to hush, that it sounded very rude to laugh at someone who had fallen, but the French bean could not control itself. It laughed and laughed and laughed till it fell off its seat.

It laughed so much that it split its sides. The town tailor was called urgently and its sides were stitched.

The brinjal was furious that the French bean had laughed at it. It said to the French bean, “You laughed at me when I had fallen down. It serves you right that your sides burst open. Now you will always have these stitches throughout your life. They will remind you never to laugh at someone in difficulty.”

The French bean apologized profusely to the brinjal, but the brinjal refused to take back its words.

Since then, the French bean has always had the fiber at its sides.

Am I a human being?

Earlier today in office, I was reading some articles on the net. I was trying to open an article when I received the following message:

"In order to allow you to view this page, we need to verify that you are a real human being. Please enter the code given below in the box alongside to confirm."


?????????????????????????

Couldn't help but LOL at this....

For your information, it was proved that I indeed am a human being.:-)

The decision

Lakshmi took out the wooden box almost fearfully from beneath the mounds of clothes in the cupboard, where she had hidden it out of sight. Her hands lingered over the latch for a moment before she opened it and emptied it on the table. ‘I hope I have enough,’ she thought ‘I want it so badly.’

Carefully, she counted the bunched up currency notes and the coins that she had saved. Drop by drop. The money she had saved from the amount that her husband gave her for the household expenses. She had tried to cut down unnecessary expenditure and save as much as possible. She had many a times fought the urge to buy groceries from the nearby mall, and had gone to the neighborhood fair-priced shop instead. She had resisted the temptation to buy that new set of plastic jars for the kitchen. She could always buy that later. Now, she wanted to buy that beautiful imitation jewellery set for herself – the one she had seen in the gift shop a few months ago. She hoped it would still be there and would not have been sold out. There had only been one piece available. 'Designer piece, madam,' the clerk at the shop had told her.

Lakshmi had gone to the gift shop to buy a card for her husband for his birthday. And then she had seen it. A beautiful choker necklace and matching earrings. It was beautifully crafted, exquisite. Made of white pearls and white stones, it had looked royal. She had picked it up and looked at it affectionately. She had fallen in love with it at first sight. She had run her fingers over it admiringly and looked at the price tag. Rs. 585, it had said. Her jaw had dropped open. That was too high a price. At least for her. Suddenly her heart felt heavy. She wished she could be like those ladies they show in TV serials. The ones who are always prettily dressed up and who seem to have no other job except going to kitty parties. She wished she belonged to the aristocratic class and not to the middle class. She wished she would never have to think twice before buying anything. Suddenly her name, Lakshmi, seemed ironical to her.

She knew she had been standing there and holding the jewelry box in her hands for too long when the sales clerk approached her. 'Yes madam, shall I pack it for you?,' He had asked. And she had come out of her reverie. Face to face with reality. 'No thanks. I will come later,' she had said. She had placed the box back on the shelf, throwing one last loving, lingering gaze at it. In that moment, she decided she would buy that set for herself. She would work hard at saving for it. She had paid for the card and exited the shop.

And now, she hoped she had saved enough to buy it. And she hoped with all her heart that it had not been sold. The last time she had passed by the gift shop a week ago, she had seen it in the display case. She crossed her fingers and began counting. Her savings amounted to Rs. 605. Just enough. Her face lit up and she got ready to go to the shop.

She walked down to the shop anxiously. She had barely reached the shop when she saw the set she so adored in the display case. So it had not been sold after all, she thought. Luck was on her side. Maybe it was meant for her. Waiting for her to come and buy it. Maybe it was meant to adorn her throat. She smiled at the irrational thoughts and entered the shop.

'Good afternoon madam,' the clerk at the counter wished her. She wished him back and picked up the box lovingly. Finally, she was going to buy it. It was going to be hers. A sense of joy filled her.

She was just about to ask the clerk to pack it up for her when her gaze fell on it – the leather business planner. She put the jewelry down and picked up the planner. It contained a diary, a pen holder and a visiting card holder. Just the right thing for her husband. He often complained of lost visiting cards and pens. His absent minded nature caused him to miss appointments. Sometimes his work had suffered due to this. This would be just the right gift for him. He could keep all his contacts in it and also plan out his daily schedule. She knew he had been planning to buy one for long, but had never got around to it.

She smiled. Poor thing, he would never buy anything for himself. Would always put his family first.

She looked at the price. Rs. 600, the label said.

She thought of all the love her husband had showered on her. She thought of the smile that would light up his eyes when he saw her gift. In a split second, a decision was taken. Love won over temptation.

'Please pack this planner for me,' she said to the clerk. In a few moments, she was out of the shop, clutching her precious parcel close to her heart, which was full of love and satisfaction, of a decision well taken.

Love is in the air....

Some of my favourite love songs:

Note: Don't blame me for this post. It's the weather!! :-)

Mile kisi se nazar toh

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Aahat si koi aaye

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Hothon se choo lo tum

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Tumko dekha toh ye khayal aaya

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Kiska chehra

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Hosh walon ko khabar kya

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Huzoor is kadar bhi na

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Ghar se nikalte hi

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Sambhala hai maine

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Baahon ke darmiyaan

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Janeman janeman

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Kab tak chup baithe

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Listen to 12, get the 13th one free:

Tum mile dil khile

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Beautiful thoughts

Some beautiful quotes collected from different places:

#1 If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were.

#2 You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.

#3 Love is when you don't want to go to sleep, because reality is better than a dream.

#4 Sometimes we put walls around our heart, not just to be safe from getting hurt, but to find out who cares enough to break them down. It is called love.

#5 Wanna know what i want most in life? i want someone who can

-leave me,
-live without me,
-be strong enough without me

but chooses not to..

#6 Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.

#7 People come into your life for a reason, a
season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will
know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a
REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have
come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a GOD send and they are. They are there for the
reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your
part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do
something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our
desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a
SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you
something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable
amount of joy. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime
lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid
emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and
put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and
areas of your life.

#8 When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often times we look so long at the
closed door that we don't see the one,
which has been opened for us.

#9 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
And enough money to keep you comfortable.

#10 The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch, swing with,
never saying a word and then walk away feeling like that was the best
conversation you've had.

#11 Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right
one so that when we finally meet the right person, we should know how to be
grateful for that gift.

#12 The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they
just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

#13 A sad thing about life is that when you meet someone who means a lot to
you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be and you just
have to let go.

#14 It hurts to love someone, and not to be loved in return but what is most
painful is to love someone and never finds the courage to let the person
know how you feel.

#15 Never say goodbye when you still want to try;
Never give up when you still feel you can take it;
Never say you don't love that person anymore when you can't let go.

#16 There are things you love to hear, but you would never hear it from the
person whom you would like to hear it from, but don't be deaf to hear it
from the person who says it with his heart.

#17 Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you
back. Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts
but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

#18 Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

#19 Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have only one life
and one chance to do all the things
you want to do.

#20 The brightest future will always
be based on a forgotten past;
you can't go forward in life until
you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

#21 It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's
also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

#22 Always put yourself in other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it
probably does hurt the person too.

#23 Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have
searched and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the
importance of people who have touched their lives.

#24 When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life to the fullest so that when you die, you're smiling and
everyone around you is crying . . .

#25 Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been
disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed,
need to love those who still love, even though they've been hurt before.

#26 Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.

#27 Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.

#28 Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.

#29 The only true gift is a portion of yourself.

#30 Life Is Not The Breaths You Take. It is The Moments Which Take Your Breathe Away.

#31 The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves
and not to twist them with our own image, otherwise we love only the
reflection of ourselves we find in them.

#32 In life, there are only lessons, no failures……

#33 It is your attitude more than your aptitude that determines your altitude.

#34 Lord, don't move that mountain,
But give me the strength to climb
Lord don't take away the stumbling blocks
But lead me all around...

#35 Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking together in the same direction.

#36 When you want to see how rich you are, don't count your assets, just drop a tear and look around at the number of hands that are outstretched to catch it..

And, lastly, something I got as an SMS and touched me a lot:

"We live in a funny world because pizza reaches home faster than the ambulance..."

Rain! Rain!

Yay! Looks like monsoon has finally set in in Ahmedabad city. We had the season's first shower yesterday evening, just about an hour before I was about to start from office for home. It was beeeeeyyyyyooooootttttiiiiiiifullllll......Finally a respite from the heat...

Everybody rushed to the windows and corridors to see the rain! :-) Funny, how a spell of rain can change a busy and serious work day into chaos, fun and laughter. Soon, it started raining cats and dogs. Complete with lightning and thunder.

For once, the office didn't seem so drab. The light above my desk did not look like the one above a criminal being interrogated by a policeman in the police station. I didn't feel like dunking the punch machine in the sweet syrup that is brought in by the office boy that they call tea. I didn't feel like hitting a few selected characters in office smack on their grinning faces. For once, the egoistic attitude of certain other characters seemed bearable. Deadlines seemed achievable.

I couldn't find an auto and had to walk down home all the way! Not that I minded!!:-)The only problem was that my new leather chappals that I like a lot got soaked to the core. :-( As I walked down, I saw people thronging the 'dalwada' and 'corn on the cob' stalls on the roadside. There were literally traffic jams near these stalls! Both the customers and the stall owners were having a field day! People here sure know how to enjoy themselves to the fullest.

On the way, I noticed a poor family cooking food huddled inside a large drainage pipe, sheltering themselves from the rain. They were laughing and enjoying. Talk about contentment and making the most of what you have! Somehow, it brought a smile to my face. Yesterday was one of those days when I was grateful that I had a warm home and a family to go back to. The bowl of steaming Maggi noodles I had last night seemed heavenly after that!

It is cloudy today. Might rain. Might not. According to the newspaper, monsoons have not officially set in. :-( Full fledged rains are expected only towards the very last part of the month. A few hoardings and trees fell down and 2 people have been reported dead in yesterday's rain! Idhu trailer na real movie yepdi irrukumo!!:-) God save us!

Another busy day

6.30 A.M. Morning alarm goes off. I scramble out of bed after a sleepless night.

7.00 A.M. As per the family custom, I light the earthern lamp in the pooja room and offer my daily prayers.

7.15 A.M. The morning cup of coffee and 2 pieces of toast.

7.30 A.M. A quick glance at the morning headlines in the newspaper.

7.45 A.M. I begin preparations for cooking lunch.

9.00 A.M. I am ready to go to office.

9.15 A.M. I drive down to office listening to Himesh Reshammiya's cacophonous crooning on the local radio station.

9.30 A.M. I enter my office with a bright smile and a cheery wave and 'Good morning' to every one.

9.40 A.M. I switch on my laptop, check my inbox and my schedule for the day.

9.45 A.M. Meeting with Mr. Sharma in Software about the new software to be installed.

10.15 A.M. Interview with two candidates for the post of receptionist and Accounts assistant, who are going to leave the job soon.

11.00 A.M. Call the three prospective clients and schedule a meeting with them.

11.30 A.M. I meet with the executives in the Software division and brief them about the targets for the month.

12.00 noon: I send emails to the clients I am meeting with in the USA on Saturday.

12.30 P.M. Design the report about the department's performance in the last month.

2.00 P.M. I hear voices from outside my cabin. It must be time for lunch. I head towards the pantry to have lunch.

2.30 P.M. Meeting with the head of the Accounts and Marketing departments.

3.45 P.M. A cup of black coffee with colleagues.

4.00 P.M. I reply to the pending emails in my inbox.

5.15 P.M. Call up the people who had left messages, which Maria, my secretary, has so efficiently taken down.

6.00 P.M. Confirm the travel arrangements as well as the lodging for my trip to USA with Maria.

6.15 P.M. I plan out my schedule for the next day.

7.00 P.M. Time to leave for home, a place that suddenly seems empty and haunted.

7.10 P.M. Drive back home with Jagjit Singh's ghazals breaking the eerie silence in the car.

8.00 P.M. I let myself into the house and check whether the maid has done the cleaning.

8.15 P.M. I switch on the T.V. and update myself about the happenings over the world throughout the day.

8.45 P.M. I begin preparations for dinner.

9.30 P.M. Have dinner, just because it is time to do so.

9.45 P.M. Call Mom and Dad and tell them not to worry about me, that I am O.K.

10.15 P.M. Have a warm shower and slip into bed, in the hope that today, finally, sleep would fill my tired eyes so that I can be ready to face yet another busy day tomorrow.

I only wish my mind would also be as busy. So busy that I would forget everything about you. Your enchanting smile, your ringing voice, your friendly banter, your confident attitude....The memories of you, that seem to be everywhere I go. Memories that creep up in my mind at any time, without warning. I wish I could banish the love for you from my mind. The love that I felt for you once. The love that I still feel. Maybe. The love that was not reciprocated. I wish I could banish that illogical voice in my heart which tells me that you might one day realise the extent to which I loved you....

Me and appa

Dear Appa,

They say daughters are special to their fathers and sons are special to their mothers. I think this is true. You and I have shared a special bond, something which cannot be explained in words. You know what I want before I say anything and I know exactly what you are thinking, even if you don't say so.

People say my features are like you. I have got my gift of a strong intuition from you. Both of us are very similar in several aspects.

You have always been there to say a kind word, to lend a helping hand or to give me a shoulder to cry on. I know I always have your support in whatever rightful thing I do. Your steady hand was always there for me to hold when I was off-balance.

You ensured that I got good education. You ensured that I inculcated the habit of reading.

The things that you have done for our family are priceless. I cannot even begin to count the number of sacrifices you have made for the family's betterment.

You have never told us outright that you care, but I know you do. A great deal. Your actions say so. You are a family man, appa. You live for your family. You are the most loving and kind person I ever saw.

I know the storms you have weathered, the problems you have faced. You have always been cool and composed on the surface. I admire your composure in the face of problems. These storms brought us closer and strenghened our bond....

I am still the same little girl for you, aren't I? The little girl whom you used to take to the neighbourhood park. The little girl whom you used to lift and place on the baby seat to take her to school. I know you don't want me to get hurt. Rest assured, appa. I will never conciuosly allow your faith and trust in me to be shattered.

I never did express my feelings for you. How much you meant to me, how much I cared...Now I do, on this Father's Day.

Thank you, appa for all that you have done for me. Thank you for always being there when I needed you. I know 'thank you' would not be enough, but still...And, happy Father's Day. Love you.

Remember that, I'll be there for you too...always.

Your daughter.

It's Priya time!!!

Some of my favourite Priya songs:

Nasha ye pyaar ka nasha - Mann

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O Priya Priya - Dil

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Deewana deewana - Daraar

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Kaun hai jo sapnon mein - Jhuk gaya aasman

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O Priya - Kahin pyaar na ho jaaye

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The ultimate dining experience

This past weekend saw me enjoying myself thoroughly - with a childhood friend. We went out for dinner on Sunday. It was a very pleasant and happy experience because I went out for dinner after a reeaaallly, reeaaalllly long time. Moreover, I had a chance to share some fond memories with this friend after a very long time. We went to a restaurant near my place. Nothing fancy - a neat and cozy restaurant, which serves a great variety of dishes with a great taste. Both of us share the same taste in food and the same enthusiasm for life and food, so the entire thing was great fun. Time just flew!!!

The menu gave us a lot of scope for entertainment and timepass. I came to know that Panipuri is called 'Water balls' in English!!!! Moreover, I came to know that there are dishes like 'Chimp's choice' (a mocktail made up of pineapple, orange and lemon juice), 'Devil's choice' (again, a mocktail, which is made of chocolate, mint and icecream), 'Maramari' (a mixture of mosambi and pineapple juice), 'Sharp shock' (a mixture of black grape and apple juice), 'Red Alert' (a mixture of carrot and orange juice) and 'Junglee Paneer' (a sandwich consisting of paneer, cheese, mayonnaise, carrot and capsicum) and that people order and eat them too!!!! Ain't the names creative??? It sure was funny hearing, "Ek Red Alert de do."!!!!

There was a couple on the table next to ours - apparently a husband and wife. The husband held out the chair for the wife and ensured that she was comfortably seated before he had his seat. Both of them placed their order, but the husband's order was served first. He waited till his wife's order was also served and then both of them began eating together. So what is so exciting in that? Well, nothing except that both were well over their 60s. Me and my friend found it so sweet that they respected each other even after so many years of being together!!!

That is what I can an ultimate dining experience - fun, sweet memories, beautiful moments, great food and great company!!!

The effects of technology

From a forward...