Blah, Blah, Blah!

Three weeks since I left Chennai…assorted stuff has been happening…I was too tempted to get inspired and name this post as “General Bakwas” from my friend’s blog…I somehow liked that phrase…but then dropped the idea of “getting inspired”!

So here are the assorted happenings going on with me in the past three weeks: -

Spent the first week in Mumbai…Coming back to Mumbai always feels good…known place, known language…you simply feel comfortable! Though this time my stay in Mumbai was more of a social-catching-up rather than work…the work domain included only to walk in the office, inquire about any project opportunities and getting nothing close to a positive response J So after this chore, I met my friends from office, VMS, parents’ of my friends, etc., etc., etc… Enjoyed my weekend with the VMS kids…happy to realize that few of the kids recognized me! All others joined in after I left for US so couldn’t blame them…met the Slumdog Millionaire star of VMS: Sidhdhesh PAtil…am so excited to know that one of my students actually acted in this movie that’s been appreciated worlwide! The weekend went great with these kids…though I found myself amidst a GK quiz when a group of 6-7 answer-us-else-you’ll-bear-the-consequences surrounded me and started shooting questions! History, Geography, Science, Movies, Sports…you think of a topic and there was a question about it!! I guess I scored pretty decent…maybe an 8/10! J one of the kids asked me New Zealand’s capital and I was completely blank!! Not good, right!? But it actually happened! Another kid had a fascination for Australia! He wanted to know everything about the place, the language, currency, sports, and last but not the least…”the number of cities”! few other questions included: How many rivers and states are there in USA, who are the top actor and actresses in Hollywood, currency of Australia, China, etc. National sport of US, how are volcanoes formed, weather condition of places where I stayed in US, how do people manage in the snow, the list is endless….I just wished my kids to be as inquisitive as these guys!! No harm in wishing…ain’t it!?

Had another interesting experience…I boarded a local from Andheri to Borivali on the 2nd day of my stay in Mumbai…as I got in the ladies compartment, my glance met the eyes of a dame…smart and pretty…holding one of my favorite books…Shantaram…maybe I was biased, but I immediately grew fond of this gal. we just exchanged smiles and the journey began. HOLD ON! Don’t you guys dare to rush your thoughts in the Dostana direction!! The fondness and smiles were VERY MUCH straight! :D anyways, back to the story… More and more people got in the train at each station. A scarf wearing girl got in my compartment at Goregaon…there was something very peculiar about this girl, and her actions made her all the more to-be–noticed kinds. She simply rushed in the compartment and threw her bagpack on the shelf above and ran back towards the gate…the train hadn’t started by this time…I was noticing her, and after her bagpack-throwing-in-the-shelf action, I missed a heartbeat…at this moment my eyes met the eyes of Shantram-holding-girl and we saw the same fear in each other’s eyes…the next moment both of us were frantically searching for that girl in the pool of women standing with a thousand thoughts going in our minds…a couple of minutes after the train started, we finally saw that gal standing at the door...we saw her, felt kind of relaxed and smiled back at each other…this whole incident happened in a span of not more than 4-5 minutes, but the adrenaline rush was something that I experienced for the first time. That incident shook me, for the fear, for the helplessness, for the universal nature of these feelings…and more than everything else, it shook me for the naked fact that how presumed we have become about things, to how much extent our notions and concepts have been preconceived with the past incidents! Wish the world becomes a peaceful place to live in…

Watched Oscars and it was great to see ARR and Rasool to get a worlwide recognition for their amazing work! More than for Slumdog, I feel this Oscar should be seen as more of a tribute to ARR for his amazing work all these years! He ROCKS!

Watched Delhi 6 with my friends…liked the movie despite a few loopholes here n’ there …I loved the songs…Dil gira dafatan is my fav…I instantly fell in love with the word “dafatan”…its’ just so beautiful! I loved Abhishek…didn’t notice his accent that people are complaining about…I was lost in his eyes….(long sigh)….and the sweet romance b/w Roshan and Bittu…it was suchcha pleasant change to see the subtle romance which is not-so-common these days! Infact I loved the line that Bittu says after Roshan proposes her…”mujhe laga tum yeh kabhi nahi bologe…”! (I thought you would never say that…)hayyy! So sweet! For a more professional review visit http://atleespeak.blogspot.com/2009/02/dilli-35.html

Came home, always feels good to be back…unpacked my bags “yet-another-time” not knowing when would I need to pack it again…getting lectures from aai on the ocean of stuff I possess! [she’s still not aware of the 25-30 books that I couldn’t carry with myself from Chennai due to the weight restrictions on the flight!! ;) ]…anyways, apart from that its’ just complete absolute vellagiri happening…ma and pa leave for their jobs and follow a disciplined routine…as for me, I am waiting to get allocated to a project, pass my time with TV, movies, books, cooking and search-for-a-project…tough one at this time! And becomes all the more difficult to maintain your patience and keep your cool when there’s recession all around, and when you get the news from all directions about people being laid off from the company, its’ just a cherry on the cake!! …but then, a-pat-on-my-back…m doing a pretty decent job on this front…though I had almost lost it the day before…infact I have been thinking all the what-if options! :) not a bad time to pursue your ambitions, hobbies and change in your professional profile! Well, in my case, I can go bagpacking to some place, or try my hands on that white-chef-cap in some restaurant, or start writing something more structured and disciplined! Infact, had I got a boyfriend handy, I actually would have thought of getting married and play the role-of-a-homemaker! ;)) there’s no harm in thinking, ain’t it!? On a more serious note, I am trying to find some opportunity so that I can start working ASAP…compulsive vellagiri is strictly not my types! :D

Watched Filmfare tonite…must say IK and RK did a pretty decent job…pleasant change sans dirty jokes, dark humor and sarcasm…though SRK was as always I-am-present kinds…liked Priyanka’s eye make-up…Aishwarya looked pleasant with her simple look, especially the small bindi…flanked by AB Sr. and AB Jr. just helped her catch all the more eyes! ;) Jodha Akbar was overhyped! Shockingly “A Wednesday” didn’t get awards it deserved…loved ARR for his modesty and simplicity…and the thank-you-speech of Manjot Singh for his Best Actor Critic Award was really cute and genuine!

And to end it, this pop up seems to be apt! The iconic fashion doll Barbie turned 50 today! Though she doesn’t look 50, but then she doesn’t look like a doll either! I never liked her anyways! Check out this quotation by Paris Hilton: "One of my heroes has always been Barbie. She may not do anything, but she always looks amazing doing it." so typically Paris Hilltonish!!

falling in love again...with Mumbai!!

Last week was one the best weeks I’ve had after coming to India….especially after coming to Chennai!! All family getting together at Bhai’s place… felt good…still remember Bhai as that stupid little kid who was supposed to hold my hand wherever we used to go…markets, b’day parties, picnic …and suddenly you realize that kid brothers are no longer kid brothers…they are grown up adults…and then BANG!! You realize that you have grown old! Moreover when you celebrate your 28th b’day with everyone around younger than you; the realization is nothing but stronger! Wearing a b’day cap or cutting a cake or people around putting icing on your face do not hold good enough to make you forget that you are growing old…GOSH! I sound so old!! J but I did feel this…not that my 28th b’day will make me stop doing certain things, but there’s no harm to accept your age! Isn’t it!?
But apart from turning 28, the week had lots more in its’ kitty! Nothing can make you feel better than a big family get together!! Mum n’ dad…uncle n’ aunt…grandma n’ grandpa all around…you actually don’t do anything specific; but just being with them is something you can cherish anytime! And just to put an icing on the cake, my vacation was concluded with a trip to Mumbai!! Aamchi Mumbai!! And believe me, I fell in love with that place…all over again!! Most of the times, I get pretty nostalgic about Mumbai…great city, greater friends, memories…all are a part of the nostalgia…but this time, it was just about “being in Mumbai”…I just felt so much at home! My love for Dewas/ Indore will always remain…for the mere fact that my family’s there, I have grown up there…but my affair with Mumbai is on a completely different plane it seems! All the while I was travelling in Mumbai, I had this subtle smile on my face…not because I was nostalgic, the smile owed only to a mere fact that I was in “Mumbai”!! Sheenu was finding it really funny to see me in this form where after every 15 minutes, half an hour I repeated “I love Mumbai”! maybe I was going overboard but that was how I felt! Infact, m seriously thinking to find a Mumbaite ;) but apart from all these things, I had much more important reasons to be in Mumbai and be happy about it…Neha and Sunny’s engagement was one the best things I have ever been a part of…!! It looked just SO destined! There are times when your heart is so happy and content…when all your doubts about “love”…about “finding the right person” take a backseat…when your heart is least bothered about the heartbreaks you’ve had…Neha-Sunny’s engagement was one such moment for me…watching them together makes you believe in love, gives you the courage to fall in love again…yet another time…! I owe a special thanks to Sheenu this time, for being a link to connect me and Neha, and then Neha connecting me with Sunny, Atul, Neha’s family, Sunny’s mum!! At times with so many amazing people around, you just feel lucky…but my connection with amazing people in Mumbai has been an old story…this trip was a combination of both…nothing makes you feel better than catching up with old pals…meeting my Sanu popat was one such thing…!! I met her after almost two years; and the best part was…when we met and hugged each other, it never felt as if it was after two years! That’s the most beautiful thing a friendship can ever have!! Picking it up from the same point you had left…I love ya Popat…and I miss ya! But I know certain things would never change…and I pray they don’t…Amen!! Its’ been almost a week I came back to Chennai and I am still in the Mumbai hangover and its’ pretty obvious! I am trying to get back to my “Yeppedierkinga” mode for sometime at least (‘coz I know its’ only for sometime!) ;) as for my heart…it’ll always be with my home Dewas/ Indore and my second home aamchi Mumbai!! :D

Mumbai ki bheeed!!!!

Each time any of my friends visit my place in Mumbai…they end up saying…you don’t have the right to say that you stay in Mumbai…reason being my workplace is 5 minutes walk from my home. I don’t have to travel in locals everyday. My only share of local train journeys happen at weekends on my choice…this Saturday too I left for Mumbai Central to go to the Blind School. After the classes I left for Sidhdhi Vinayak…most of the times I visit either Mahalakshmi or Sidhdhi Vinayak Temple whenever I go to the Blind School.

But this time my visit to Sidhdhi Vinayak was a happening one! The moment I stepped out of the temple the eventful evening was waiting for me!! It started with me looking for a cab to the Dadar station for about 25 minutes…finally when I found one, the cab driver was in no mood to pass his time in a jam and asked me get down half way and then I enjoyed my LONG walk to the station in that “OH WOW!!! Whatta rain”!!! though I carried my umbrella but it wasn’t that useful…so I handed it over to an old aunty who needed it more than me and enjoyed the rains on my way to the station. The moment I reached Dadar Station…PHEWWWWWWW…all enjoyment of walking in the rains vanished like…like…how I wish I was good in writing metaphors like Abhinav!! Anyways the scene at the station seemed a bit different from the usual one…seemed like trains were delayed for some reson…at that time I got a call from my roomie saying that some colleague of hers has heard a rumor about a blast in Goregaon…I took a step back dropped the idea of taking a train…later it was announced that due to some technical fault all the trains will go only till Andheri…I somehow managed to get into the next train…the scene inside the Ladies Compartment was…I dunno what to call it…all high pitched sounds coming from everywhere…ladies screaming and shouting, trying to push and failing miserably!! There wasn’t even an IOTA of an inch to move around!! Everyone stood there with their hair pulled!! And WOW these two random firangs taking snaps from their digicam!! Quite an amusing sight for them I guess!! And yes…some of the “camera friendly” females stopped their screaming and gave a smile with their hair pulled…no choice…there wasn’t much space to move their hands and set their hair!!!


The train finally landed in Andheri…and GAWD!!! All I could see around was people, people and people!!!!! They were flooding from all directions…it took me almost 30 minutes to walk to the nearest bridge…I looked down from the bridge…nothing else but PEOPLE!!! Inside the station…outside the station…EAST and WEST…everywhere…seldom do I like to be alone…but this one was an OVERDOSE of having people around…it was getting onto me!!! more so because of the thought that there are hundreds and hundreds of people around you and still you are Alone...all alone...i think thats the best and worst thing about amchi Mumbai!!

Outside the station…buses , rickshaws all jam packed…i had no way but to go back to the station and check for the trains to Borivali…I stood there in between the flooding of people and found that a train is leaving for Borivali every 15 minutes…no scope for me getting into the first train…took a chance and dared to get into the 2nd one…but only my umbrella managed to get in…I was pulled out by some hefty lady who took my place… and there I stood in complete shock and disbelief and also the sorrow of losing my umbrella…the only PINK possession I had…by the time the 3rd train arrived …I was determined to get into it…when it arrived, AHDHERI was written in the front…people said “yeh train me mat chadho…yeh borivali nahi jayegi!!” I felt sad and stepped back…the next moment I heard some random guy shouting…”AREY YEH TRAIN BORIVALI JAYEGIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” all I realized after that was “I was into the train!!”

I met another group of girls in there who were coming from Churchgate….they offered me a seat, water to drink and some snacks! I sat there…tired and exhausted…wondering about the different people you meet in your life, good and bad, happy and sad…some pulling you and taking your place…some giving you a hand and offering you their place…I finally reached Borivali after an hour and a half…took a rick and FINALLY reached home at 11:30…I sat down feeling amused of having a “first hand” experience about Mumbai…its’ BHEED….quite an eventful day!!!