The Cookie Monster

I am in love. He has given me reason to live. . He gives me a reason to get up every morning and a reason to smile throughout my day. Yes I’m in love all over again – With him – the cookie in my jar.

Lately I have been obsessed with cookies. A cookie while watching the TV, another while I read blog posts, and yet another in-between house hold chores..and so on and so forth. It has come to such a state where my family has started having serious discussions whether my name should officially be changed to Cookie Monster.

I don't know what it is about cookies, but I am literally in love with them ! Homemade cookies are life. Especially when they are still fresh and warm from the oven..

White chocolate macadamia nut cookies, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, jam thumbprint cookies, sugar cookies, mint chocolate chip cookies, coconut cookies...

I'm so in love with cookies that I honestly believe I'll die with a cookie in my mouth some day. I love all types of cookies except Oreos. I simply hate Oreos !!
What are your favorite cookies ?

The Smell Of Hope

Sometimes when it rains

I just feel so safe

The world a see through veil

Of quiet - Erik Hassle

It has been raining in Pune for the past one week. An on and off drizzle that has washed off the city, leaving it clean, refreshed and green. I love the feel of rain on my skin, making me feel strangely alive. The sound of the raindrops drowning out the voices in my head, clearing the chaos of everyday thoughts, leaving me feeling calm and peaceful. 

Everything feels clean and new, the air smells of hope.

An awesome video to define what I feel :)

Airports And Railway Stations

I love airports and railways stations. I know it may sound weird to most people but I do love these places. I love the smell, the noise and the whole atmosphere. I love seeing the people rushing around tugging their luggage, while others browse books at book-stands or buy food and drinks.

Airports and railway stations are places that echo with memories. Memories of tearful goodbyes and happy reunions.

I love watching people there. I watch those who are leaving for vacations and I see the excitement, the anticipation, and the thrill of adventure on their face.  I look at those who have come back from some other place bringing back memories - some good ones, some not so good. I love witnessing the joyful reunions of family members or friends - the husband returning home to his wife, the joy of a grandparent hugging the grandchild, or friends connecting again after a long time.

Yes, I get to see the separations too - the worried parents sending their children away to study or get jobs, the wives waving goodbye to husbands with tears in their eyes, the parents who watch their daughters, who after marriage leave with their husbands.

Yes, I love watching people. I'm deeply intrigued by them. I love trying to guess what brought them to the same place in life that I am, who they are, what the rest of their life is like, etc. I like trying to pick up on clues to this in the way they dress, the way they talk, the things they have with them, bits of conversations I overhear, etc.

I feel one can learn so much at airports and railway stations about someone without even speaking a word to them. There is so much you can feel and learn from just being there, en route to your next destination.

अलाव (Alaaw)

I am a big fan of Gulzar Sahab - a poet par excellence. Every-time I listen to him recite his poems I get so mesmerized by his voice.He is a magician of words. His soul stirring poetry never fails to evoke unknown dormant sentiments..

रात भर सर्द हवा चलती रही

रात भर हमने अलाव तापा

मैंने माज़ी से कई खुश्क सी शाखें काटी

तुमने भी गुज़रे हुए लम्हों के पत्ते तोड़े

मैंने जेबों से निकाली सभी सूखी नज़्में

तुमने भी हाथों से मुरझाए हुए खत खोले

अपनी इन आँखों से मैंने कई मांझे तोड़े

और हाथों से कई बासी लकीरें फेंकी

तुमने पलकों पे नमी सूख गयी थी सो गिरा दी

रात भर जो भी मिला उगते बदन पर हमको

काट कर डाल दिया जलते अलावों में  उसे 

रात भर फूकों से हर लौ को जगाये रखा

और दो जिस्मों के ईंधन को जलाये रखा 

रात भर बुझते हुए रिश्तों को तापा हमने..... 

        

Picnics And Family Bonding

A family that eats together stays together

When I talk of family, the words that come to my mind are – love, laughter, bonding and sharing meals. 

  

Family life for me is all about making memories and I feel a family that eats, laughs and spends quality time together creates such memories ..Sometimes magical moments just happen, the family gatherings, the merry making, the friendly banter etc. get stored away, to be treasured and cherished forever..and sometimes, a little thought and planning are required to make those special moments.

I feel picnics are a great way to spend quality time together and strengthen family bonds. I love the family picnics that I plan every few months. The excitement of cooking/packing of food to take along, the drive out, the giggling children, the laughter..the sharing of those moments..it’s what families are all about. 

Unfortunately, these days I see a lot of people around me who are so caught up in their fast paced lives that though they live under the same roof, they have no time for each other..and the rare free weekends are spent at shopping malls staring at products and strangers, having loveless meals prepared by professionals at food courts. It saddens me.

I would much rather spend a day out in the country side surrounded by nature, or on a beach with my family, away from the crowds, away from the cell phones, computers and technology in general..a day of relaxation, a day of family bonding.

When was the last time your family enjoyed a picnic together ?

If A Tree Falls In A Forest...

There has been an ongoing everlasting debate on the philosophical thought that “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound ?”. The internet is full of all sorts of theories regarding this question. I truly believe that yes it does make a sound, it’s just that there is no one there to hear or react to it.

Sometimes I feel as though I am like that tree. I make the noise, but no one is there to hear it.

A Refreshed Soul

"Some people feel the rain, others just get wet."-Bob Dylan.

Its raining today in Pune. I love the rain. I love it in all its moods, be it the soft drizzle that whispers mysteriously..the gentle drops that fall on my face like soft cool kisses, or the heavy downpour accompanied by thunder..beating against my window pane..creating a music and beat of its own.

It washes away all my fears and tears, cleanses my mind, quenches my emotional thirst, and renews my tired soul...

इस दश्त में एक शहर था वो क्या हुआ ...

Lately I’ve realized that as I grow older, the passion, the excitement, and that enthusiasm that I had regarding things or situations or life in general is ebbing.  The 'been there, done that' attitude is slowly taking over. No, I’m not going through a mid-life crisis, neither does my age bother me. .On the contrary, I feel I am more at peace with myself and the world now. Experience has made me wiser and I feel after all the struggles I have faced in life, I have earned my wisdom. I am more comfortable in my skin.

But what I do miss is the ability to be exited at small things, I miss the innocence (yes with age we become somewhat cynical towards life). I miss the joy in small things, and most of all I guess I miss the imagination of the youth..with age, the material world closes in and the realm of imagination takes a backstage…

The poet Mohsin Naqvi expressed it well:  इस दश्त में एक शहर था वो क्या हुआ ...आवारगी ....

वो फिर नहीं आते... वो फिर नहीं आते ...

It takes a lot of courage to face your past and to admit your failures.. and however much we may want to, it can never be possible to go back in time and do things differently. The past remains just what it is meant to be – the past. All we can do is learn from it and move on. I’m reminded of Kishore Da’s song:

सुबह आती है , शाम जाती है 

वक़्त चलता ही रहता है रुकता नहीं 

एक पल में ये आगे निकल जाता है 

आदमी ठीक से देख पाता नहीं 

और परदे का मंज़र बदल जाता है 

एक बार चले जाते है जो दिन -रात सुबह -शाम 

वो  फिर नहीं आते ... वो फिर नहीं आते ... 

ज़िंदगी के सफर में गुज़र जाते है जो मक़ाम 

वो फिर नहीं आते... वो फिर नहीं आते ... 

Even This Shall Pass Away

Often when I feel low, I end up reading Theodore Tilton’s poem “Even This shall Pass Away”. It always gives me the strength to go through the difficult times in life. I guess once we realize and accept the fact that nothing in this life is permanent, life and its ups and downs become easier to deal with.

What is life ? The life and world as we see it is an illusion. Nothing is permanent. Climates change, our body changes with time, the material things or possessions in our life increase or decrease, success and failure come and go, people in our life come and go. We cling on to our possessions, our youth and our relationships, which ultimately causes suffering.

Happiness is the acceptance of impermanence, for we need to understand that we are made of nothing, created by nothing, and have come from nothing. Life is nothing and death is nothing. Our thoughts, our body, our surroundings are ever changing. Nothing in life is permanent.

Once in Persia reigned a king,

Who upon his signet ring

Graved a maxim true and wise,

Which, if held before his eyes,

Gave him counsel at a glance

Fit for every change and chance.

Solemn words, and these are they,

“Even this shall pass away.”

Trains of camels through the sand

Brought him gems from Samarcand;

Fleets of galleys through the seas

Brought him pearls to match with these;

But he counted not his gain

Treasures of the mine or main;

“What is wealth?” the king would say;

“Even this shall pass away.”

‘Mid the revels of his court,

At the zenith of his sport,

When the palms of all his guests

Burned with clapping at his jests,

He, amid his figs and wine,

Cried, “O loving friends of mine;

Pleasures come, but not to stay,

‘Even this shall pass away.”

Lady, fairest ever seen,

Was the bride he crowned his queen.

Pillowed on his marriage bed,

Softly to his soul he said:

“Though no bridegroom ever pressed

Fairer bosom to his breast,

Mortal flesh must come to clay

Even this shall pass away.”

Fighting on a furious field,

Once a javelin pierced his shield;

Soldiers, with a loud lament,

Bore him bleeding to his tent.

Groaning from his tortured side,

“ Pain is hard to bear,” he cried;

“ But with patience, day by day,

Even this shall pass away.”

Towering in the public square,

Twenty cubits in the air,

Rose his statue, carved in stone.

Then the king, disguised, unknown,

Stood before his sculptured name,

Musing meekly: “What is fame?

Fame is but a slow decay,

Even this shall pass away.”

Struck with palsy, sore and old,

Waiting at the Gates of Gold,

Said he with his dying breath,

“Life is done, but what is Death?”

Then, in answer to the king,

Fell a sunbeam on his ring,

Showing by a heavenly ray,

“Even this shall pass away.”

- Theodore Tilton

The Beauty Funda

“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a Woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows.” ― Audrey Hepburn.

While shopping yesterday, I came across a new beauty product. A sun block cream for the nails. I was like “huh..? Didn't I read somewhere that nails are dead already..so why would they need a sun block cream ??” First there was a sun block lotion for the face, than came one for the body, than a sun block lip balm and now nails?!!

The cosmetic industry has become very innovative in its marketing ways. Earlier the products were simple with names of the ingredients we could understand e.g. Almond oil, Aloe Vera, Lime etc.
Now the cosmetic companies have come up with new marketing formulas. There is the scientific formula where products come with ingredient names like stem cells, hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed collagen and SPF 50+ UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum.

And then there is the medical formula with ingredients like bi molecular eye cream, micro technology bio active foundation, pro-collagen serum, micro smoothing face serum, and a bio-stimulating night cream with micro lift.

And of course there is the herbal line of cosmetics with ingredients like  Tea Tree and Rosemary, Orchid and Coconut Milk, Acai Berries and Satin, Coco Mango and Pearls, Honeyed Pear and Silk. In fact, one of the scrub I recently bought boasts of having pearl extracts and diamond dust ! The thought of washing my face with diamond dust was very tempting (though I have no idea what the stuff even looks like !) And there is another product that claims to have French Lavender with Jade Extracts and Caribbean Frost (gasp..faints in ecstasy) I mean just imagine to what lengths the company went to give us that perfect glow :P

On a serious note, ladies please be careful about the cosmetics that you buy. Taking care of your skin is important and I do not deny that, but do not get carried away with all these fancy exotic sounding names. It is great to have healthy glowing skin but a healthy diet, exercise,  good sleep, and staying happy can do a lot more than most of these cosmetics can.

And let’s not forget - Outer beauty pleases the EYE. Inner beauty captivates the HEART. So stay healthy and stay beautiful inside and out :)

Pamper Therapy

Today, while going through my belongings, I came across a pair of silver payal (anklets). As I held them in my hands, the small silver bells made that soft sweet tinkling sound..taking me back in time..

I remember the first few years of my marriage. I loved wearing payal..I loved the soft melodious tinkling sound they made as I went about the house doing my work. Around than I had a variety of payal, the traditional thick ones, the golden multicolored ones, the delicate chain ones…how I loved wearing them !

I don’t know when or why I stopped wearing them. Maybe as I grew older it just seemed a bit of a mature thing to do..? But than what does age have to do with wearing what one likes ? Why give up something due to age ? These days a lot of the women I know don’t wear them..some would probably love to but their office dress code does not allow them to and some because they find it old fashioned and uncomfortable or boring.

I feel payal not only makes our feet look more beautiful, they add that sensual and feminine touch too. Age be damned, I’m going to pamper myself today by having a pedicure and then I’ll wear my payal and walk around hearing that long forgotten “chan chan” !!

Once Upon A Time...

I am a member of a library that provides the option of books delivered to your home. While going through its website to choose the books I wanted, I ended up ordering a book of fairy tales.

Hubby upon seeing the book: You’re reading fairy tales now ?!!
Me: (mumbling) Yeah..just thought I’d read the stories again..
He rolls his eyes and leaves me to my reading.

Yes, even at this age, I love reading fairy tales. I love the magic they create. The moment I read the words “Once upon a time…in a place far far away…” the magic kicks in. The castles, the prince and the princess, the evil witch, the fairies, the magic wands…all those childhood tales still have a hold on me.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad would tell me stories (most of which he made up) where I would be the one who saves the world by slaying the evil monsters or dragons.
My holidays were spent at my grandparent’s place where my grandma would tell me religious stories of Krishna and Sudama etc. which in turn I narrate to my grandchild Aayushi, who like me, absolutely loves fairy tales. I feel the art of storytelling is a wonderful legacy that grandparents leave us.

I guess deep down most people love fairy tales. Fairy tales give us this alternate world where anything can happen. Or if the stories are personalized (like dad’s were) they give us a chance to be triumphant, they let us be what we secretly wished to be. I always did dream of being a princess with long hair, with a wardrobe full of  satin, silk and velvet dresses, glass slippers… the one whom the prince pines for (haha).

I loved them for their concepts that love conquers all and the good always overcomes the evil.
Call me naive and mushy but I loved them for their happy endings.
My favorite ones were:

Snow White And The Red Rose
Cinderella
Beauty And The Beast
Hansel And Gretel

What are your favorite stories ?

Nostalgic moments

Change is often good... and yet....

These days we get to see/hear non-stop songs 24/7 on TV
A variety of music channels and FM radio
But I miss my week long wait for that half hour of Chitrahaar and Binaca Geetmala…

These days there are malls with all kinds of branded clothes
Unlimited choices, and shopping all year around
But I miss excitement of the days when Diwali meant one set of new clothes…

Winters mean Raymonds, Monte Carlo, Benneton and the likes
Overcoats, blazers, sweatshirts and jackets
But I miss the warmth of mom’s handmade blue color sweater…

Comics now are named Iron Man, Hulk, Bone, and Calvin and Hobbes
And children mostly read them on the internet
But I miss my Chacha Chaudhary, Chanda Mama and Nagraaj…

Books have now gone digital and become “e-books”
To be downloaded as PDF or read on Kindle or I-Pad
But I miss my old favorite books that smelled like a loyal and trusted friends…

For kids today holidays mean packaged tours and Disney worlds
Time spent on the Internet, play station or playing games on the mobile
But I miss my holidays playing chupa-chuppi, gilli-danda, spinning lattus and flying kites with cousins...

Meeting friends and relatives now means phone calls and prior appointments
Gatherings are planned and parties are arranged
But I miss the unannounced visits of friends who would raid the kitchen and the hearty laughter that followed…

Change is often good... and yet....

My New Friends

Made some new friends on my trip to Pavana Dam - Lonavala.

Rajasthan Mharo Rajasthan

Rajasthan Anthem - Here's one for all us Rajasthanis out there..we rock !!

Ek Cup Chai Ho Jaye

Every time I cross Café Coffee Day, I read its caption “A lot can happen over coffee”.  It’s a good ad line, a catchy one.

And yet it is Chai (tea) that is more popular with us Indians. There has to be a cup of Chai when we wake up, another with breakfast. You reach your work place and work starts with a cup of Chai, meetings are never complete without Chai. You get home from work and you finally have that much awaited “Ghar wali Chai”.

Exam times heighten the need for Chai, and when guests drop in there has to be a round of Chai. Chai in India is a convenient excuse for any and everything. Marriages are arranged over Chai and politics is discussed over chai, arguments about cricket matches are over Chai and distressed ones are consoled over a cup of Chai.Victories are celebrated over Chai and defeats are faced over Chai.  And let’s not forget those “cutting two by four chais” shared with friends and the sweet memories attached to them. The “Chal chai peene chalte hain” moments.

There is “mom ke hath ki bani adrak wali Chai” and “Ali ke tea-stall ki Irani Chai”. Nisha’s favorite “Elaichi wali Chai” and “Train ki kullhad wali Masala Chai”. There is “light Chai” and there is “kadak Chai”.

For us Indians, Chai is an excuse for getting together, for bonding with family and friends. There is never a reason nor a season for Chai. A lot can happen over a cup of coffee for sure but everything can happen over a cup of Chai. I value my Chai and for all those who agree with me..aaiye ek cup Chai ho jaye :)

Item Songs

Lately everywhere I go, be it a marriage function, a party, a restaurant, a hotel or even annual functions at colleges, I hear these so called “item” songs playing. Songs with lyrics that are not only offensive and vulgar but which portray women as objects of desire. Words such as “maal” and “cheez” are used to describe women.

I see people gyrating to these vulgar songs. I see small children glued to the television sets viewing these songs and wonder what effect it will have on their delicate minds. Songs that show women in skimpy clothes, winking, showing cleavage, with lecherous gangsters AND policemen (yes them too) staring, touching and dancing around them and literally drooling like hungry dogs. Songs like “Munni badnam hui”, “Halkat jawani” , “Fevicol” etc. are not only annoying to listen to but torturous to look at as well. It makes me cringe every time I hear them. I truly feel that songs endorsing brands such as Fevicol and Zandu Balm sound overly cheap and tacky.

What really amazes me is the way the leading heroines today are all falling over themselves to be an “item” girl in an “item song. They count the so called “item” songs as feathers in their caps.  I sit and wonder..why would any respectable lady be ready to be addressed as an item ?

Apart from the item songs, there are songs with the most bizarre weird lyrics. There is “Sari ke fall sa kabhi match kiya re” or “I got rocket in my pocket Oh baby come & launch it” from grand Masti, or Anarkali disco chali” or “Dhating Naach” or “Gandi Baat” etc etc. Surprisingly, a lot of these stupid songs have Sonakshi Sinha in them. I wonder if she writes them herself…

We did have an occasional weird song like “Telephone dhun mein hasne wali” or “Jab tak rahega  samosa mein aloo” earlier too but the last few years have taken the stupidity to a different level altogether.
Maybe I’m old fashioned or whatever one would like to call me but I seriously dislike these embarrassing dim-witted meaningless songs.

Thank You !!

Overwhelmed and touched by all the warm birthday wishes on FB and mail, It means a lot to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all for your love which keeps me going.

Love You All !

For The Love Of Books

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” 

― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

I love books. I have to thank my dad for introducing me to the world of books; it is the greatest gift my dad could have ever given me.

I am an avid book reader. I love to lose myself in a good book and a well-told plot. I love meeting new characters and connecting with them. I feel their joy, their pain, their triumphs and their defeats. I live and breathe with them. I feel the joy of the raindrops falling across their face, and I enjoy the warmth of the sun caressing their skin. I hear the birds chirp at dawn as they wake up, and I see the leaves as they drift lazily through the breeze while they take that solitary walk in the park. In short..stories give wings to my mind and soul.

At times I almost feel a physical connection with certain characters. I have experienced this intimate connection with the main character of Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead, I have felt and lived through his pain and understood his way of thinking.

When you read and see the world through another person's eyes, it is quite breathtaking and overwhelming. Everyone envisages and perceives things differently and to actually glimpse into another person's perspective, is fascinating.

I love visiting all those new places a book describes. It is an escape of sorts I guess (not that I have anything I'm trying to escape "from" per se, but I enjoy having the opportunity to escape "into" those new worlds described in the books). I honestly feel that even if you have a great life, sometimes it’s nice to inhabit another one.

I love the smell of old books for some reason that I've never understood. Maybe it is because of the memories they evoke.. Their power to momentarily remind me and take me back to a certain point in my life amazes me. I think the attraction to the smell of old books is rooted in my love of books.

An App Anyone ??

Friend on Whatsapp: So what are you doing ?
Me: Trying to book my flight ticket and my return rail ticket for my trip..but my laptop’s acting weird. In fact, my net connection is acting weird too.
Her: But why do you want to use the laptop and the broadband for that ?
Me: (surprised) Huh..? Isn’t that how it’s done ?
Her: Use your phone and data connection to book them silly !
Me: Oh..ok..do I just google the booking site on the phone ?
Her: Download the site’s app and book..in fact there is an  IRCTC  app too that you can download.
Me: Yes but I need to recharge my account balance too…
Her: Download the Paypal app for that !

Ok…apparently, there’s an app for everything. From waking up in the morning to knowing what to have for lunch and even staying in contact with family and friends to shopping online to listening to your favorite song or viewing the news headlines – there is an app.

Many people now prefer texting to calling and befriending someone on a social network app rather than greeting them in person. A friend of mine cannot complete anything without mentioning it on Twitter and yet another cannot attend a function or holiday without taking several pictures to upload on Facebook ..all this is done through the phone (yes it seems there are apps for Twitter and Facebook too !)

Smart phones are becoming an integral part of our lives and yes to an extent they do make our lives easier, and yet, sometimes I feel that the society is on the verge of forgetting the importance of what it really means to understand and relate to another at personal level.

Sadly, we are relying far too much on our smart phones to connect with friends, manage our money, and even wake up on time. And in the process, we forget that phones can never replace human interaction.  It is pathetic to rely on an App for every this and that, from not finding our way to anywhere without a GPS or an app that “reminds” us to call our near and dear ones.

I truly feel that the phones are getting smarter while we are getting dumber.

Trip To Nighoj

I first read about Nighoj and its awesome potholes on Rajaram Sethuraman's blog http://www.placesnearpune.com/

My thanks to Rajaram for letting us know about this amazing place. I had a great time today visiting the place with my family :) 

Don't Live A Half Life

By Khalil Gibran

Do not love half lovers

Do not entertain half friends

Do not indulge in works of the half talented

Do not live half a life and do not die a half death

If you choose silence, then be silent

When you speak, do so until you are finished

Do not silence yourself to say something

And do not speak to be silent

If you accept, then express it bluntly

Do not mask it

If you refuse then be clear about it 

For an ambiguous refusal is but a weak acceptance

Do not accept half a solution

Do not believe half truths

Do not dream half a dream

Do not fantasize about half hopes

Half a drink will not quench your thirst

Half a meal will not satiate your hunger

Half the way will get you no where

Half an idea will bear you no results

Your other half is not the one you love 

It is you in another time yet in the same space

It is you when you are not

Half a life is a life you didn't live,

A word you have not said

A smile you postponed

A love you have not had

A friendship you did not know

To reach and not arrive

Work and not work

Attend only to be absent

What makes you a stranger to them closest to you

and they strangers to you

The half is a mere moment of inability

but you are able for you are not half a being

You are a whole that exists to live a life not half a life

By Kahilil Gibran: Arabic translation sent in by Jihad Harb.

Sanity In Insanity

“I have found both freedom and safety in my madness; the freedom of loneliness and the safety from being understood, for those who understand us enslave something in us.”
― Kahlil Gibran, The Madman

Maggi: Arnab Gosvami does not speak..he shouts !
Me: So ?
Maggi: How can you watch all his debates is beyond me !
Me: Ok so it is beyond you..so ?
Maggi: Has anyone ever told you that you are MAD ?!!
Me: Ok I’m mad..so ? (grinning)
Maggi: Slams the phone*

It’s not the first time that I've been called crazy or mad..what can I say ? I guess I have to be a little insane sometimes to keep my sanity. There was a time when I felt I had to act/speak/behave according to the expectations of the people around me. It took me a long time to realize that I didn't have to be like everyone else, that I did not always have to act as per other people’s expectations.  I am an individual with unique thoughts, goals, likes, dislikes and accomplishments. My sorrows, joys and my experiences are my own. I do not have to be a carbon copy of anyone. I am ME and I love being ME. And if I want to be crazy I will be crazy. I feel everyone should indulge in some madness sometime or the other. It puts you in a great mood and adds a spark to the otherwise boring daily routine we call life.

There used to be this Mirinda ad that went “Life mein pagalpanti bhi zaroori hai” and I’m all for it.
So people, be different. be mad, and enjoy being YOURSELF !

Flower Power

My window garden...

Chal Meri Luna

There was a time when I enjoyed going for walks. I still go for my daily walk but I now do so after saying a prayer each time I go out.  Traffic is Pune is going from bad to worse. The roads are crammed with youngsters on bikes disregarding all traffic rules. One gets to see all these fancy sleek modified bikes that wiz past at breakneck speeds. It’s a nightmare.

I remember the good old childhood days of Jodhpur when owning a Bajaj Chetak or Priya was a sign of prosperity. I wonder if Bajaj still makes those scooters. I heard somewhere they had stopped.

It used to be every youngster’s dream to own a Luna and every girl’s dream to own a Sunny..and yes let’s not forget Hero Puch. I remember there used to be a Rajdoot bike in my family too. Sunday mornings were spent cleaning the vehicles lovingly. Heck..I even loved the “Hamara Bajaj” and “Chal Meri Luna”advertisements that played on Doordarshan.

Aah…nostalgia…

Piya Tora Kesa Abhimaan

Every time I listen to this song, the lyrics, the rhythm, the voice and the music mesmerize me. This song has made me cry end number of times. The pain is so blatant..that it gets into you and stays there. I experience sadness..a deep longing for what I know not.
I love both versions of the song. The male version has been sung by Hariharan while the female one by Shubha Mudgal. As usual, Gulzar's poetry in between the female version is awesome. His lyrics explore a different emotional space...
Writing the lyrics of the song for those who may be interested.

 Piya tora kaisa abhimaan

Saghan sawan laayi kadam bahaar

Mathura se doli laaye chaaron kahaar

Nahi aaaye, Nahi aaaye

Kesariyaa balma hamaar

Angana badaa sun saan

Piya tora kaisa abhimaan...

Apne nayan se neer bahaaye

Apni jamuna khud aap hi banaave

Laakh baar usme hi nahaye

Poora na hoyi asnaan

Sukhe kesh rukhe besh

Manavaa bejaan

Piya tora kaisa abhimaan...

Bol Sakhi kahe kari saajo singhar

Na pahni ab kaanch na haar

Khali chandan lagao angmaa hamaar

Chandan garala samaan 

Gulzar's poetry:

Kisi mausam ka jhonka tha

Jo is deewar par latki hui tasveer tirchhi kar gaya hai

Gaye sawan mein yeh deeware yun sili nahi thi

Na jane is dafa kyun in mein silan aa gayi hai

Darare pad gayi hai

Aur silan is tarah behti hai 

Jaise khush gufsaro pe gile aansu chalte hain

Yeh barish gungunati thi isi chhat ke mundero par

Ye baris gungunati thi isi chhat ke mundero par

Yeh ghar ki khidkiyo ke kanch par

Ungali se likh jati thi sandeshe

Woh likhti rehati hai baithi hui aab

Bandh roshandano ke pichhe

Dopaharein aisi lagti hai

Bina moharo ke khali khane rakhe hai

Na koi khelne wala hai bazi

Aur na koi chal chalta hai

Na din hota hai aab, na raat hoti hai

Sabhi kuch ruk gaya hai

Woh kya mausam ka jhonka tha jo is deewar par

Latki hui tasveer tirchhi kar gaya hai

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you Bharati Singha for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I'm honored.