Sunday, September 29, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
I'll meet you there!
Beyond the ideas of
Wrongdoing and rightdoing
There is a field
I'll meet you there!
Some lines just stay with you for no specific reason.
They make you smile, a mystic smile that gives away nothing.
They are not to be discussed and dissected and understood, but just felt :-)
Wrongdoing and rightdoing
There is a field
I'll meet you there!
Some lines just stay with you for no specific reason.
They make you smile, a mystic smile that gives away nothing.
They are not to be discussed and dissected and understood, but just felt :-)
Friday, July 12, 2013
I wish I was a li'l different!
One of those embarassing moments when you wish the earth beneath you cracked open and you could just disappear into the rumbles.
One of those eye-opener moments when you realize how different you really are from what you think you are.
Its sad how such an insignificant event or experience can have an overwhelming impact questioning everything you thought you knew about yourself.
aahhh....its stupid me again whining and rambling about absolutely nothing...time to shut the beep up!
One of those eye-opener moments when you realize how different you really are from what you think you are.
Its sad how such an insignificant event or experience can have an overwhelming impact questioning everything you thought you knew about yourself.
aahhh....its stupid me again whining and rambling about absolutely nothing...time to shut the beep up!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
I don't know
Life would have been so much simpler if someone could make choices for us. We didn't have to worry if it was the right choice, but just live on like that was the only option. When you think of it, there was a time when others did make decisions for us and we coudn't wait to grow up and take control of our lives. I'm not sure what is better. To be able to be in control of what's happening in your life and be responsible for your decisions or just go with the flow letting external factors take control and believe that things are not really in your control. I don't know.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
last one!
This is my last post in the series of one-post-a-day. I am pretty glad and proud to have blogged continously for seven days. I hope this has brought by blog back to life and will try my best to keep this going. Thank you for your visits. Do leave a note. I would love to know what you like and dont like about what I write.
Life is going to be exciting and happening for the next one month. I have been dreaming about mysore roads for the last 2-3 days :)
Will be back soon with stories from incredible india with incredible family and friends.
Until then, miss me and keep this space alive with your visits and comments.
Life is going to be exciting and happening for the next one month. I have been dreaming about mysore roads for the last 2-3 days :)
Will be back soon with stories from incredible india with incredible family and friends.
Until then, miss me and keep this space alive with your visits and comments.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Dutch
Few weeks ago, there was this phase when I very badly wanted to speak dutch. Having lived in Holland for more than two years, it's a shame if you cannot do simple conversations in local language. With a lot of enthu, I started learning dutch on the new application that Mahesh had found on iTunes called Earworm. We bought just the first volume and started playing those lessons almost all the time on my phone. The lesson was very interesting and refreshing with addictive music playing in the background. The first volume was all about basic conversations like, to order for something, ask directions, numbers, etc. After a week of repeated listening, I finally felt I was ready :)
Pramod and I went to the Douwe-Egberts cafe at the Amstelveen stadshart. There were two guys, one taking the order (cute guy) and the other preparing the order (handsome guy). Though it sounds easy, I was very apprehensive to start. I only could speak few words/phrases and I wasn't sure if I'll be able to follow what thr other person says. Anyway, it was my turn to order.
Me(very slowly with a lot of errsss and mmmm.s): Kan ik een klein 'lungo' en een klein 'cappucino' hebben alsjeblieft?
(Can I have one small lungo and one small cappucino please)
The cute guy had a big smile on his face cos he could see I was struggling, still trying. Meanwhile, the other guy also heard me and he also joind the cute guy at the counter and both started smiling at me and Pramod.
Cute Guy: something something something...5 euro 99 cents...oops sorry....fijf euro negenennegentig cents
After I paid,
Handsome Guy: lungo with milk?...oops sorry met melk?
Me: Met melk en suiker
We picked our cups.
Me: Dank u wel...Fijn Avond
The Guys: Graag Gedaan...Fijn Avond
The moment we left, I was yelling at Pramod that I did it. I felt like I achieved something :D:D I know it sounds stupid and funny. It was a very short conversation. But you should have seen the look and smile on the faces of those guys. They just couldn't stop smiling all the time. I will never forget this interaction. My first all-dutch successful conversation :-)
The craze has gone now, but enthu still in tact. Goal is to be able to speak and converse in dutch in one year. Wish me all the best!
Pramod and I went to the Douwe-Egberts cafe at the Amstelveen stadshart. There were two guys, one taking the order (cute guy) and the other preparing the order (handsome guy). Though it sounds easy, I was very apprehensive to start. I only could speak few words/phrases and I wasn't sure if I'll be able to follow what thr other person says. Anyway, it was my turn to order.
Me(very slowly with a lot of errsss and mmmm.s): Kan ik een klein 'lungo' en een klein 'cappucino' hebben alsjeblieft?
(Can I have one small lungo and one small cappucino please)
The cute guy had a big smile on his face cos he could see I was struggling, still trying. Meanwhile, the other guy also heard me and he also joind the cute guy at the counter and both started smiling at me and Pramod.
Cute Guy: something something something...5 euro 99 cents...oops sorry....fijf euro negenennegentig cents
After I paid,
Handsome Guy: lungo with milk?...oops sorry met melk?
Me: Met melk en suiker
We picked our cups.
Me: Dank u wel...Fijn Avond
The Guys: Graag Gedaan...Fijn Avond
The moment we left, I was yelling at Pramod that I did it. I felt like I achieved something :D:D I know it sounds stupid and funny. It was a very short conversation. But you should have seen the look and smile on the faces of those guys. They just couldn't stop smiling all the time. I will never forget this interaction. My first all-dutch successful conversation :-)
The craze has gone now, but enthu still in tact. Goal is to be able to speak and converse in dutch in one year. Wish me all the best!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Dhobi Ghat
A friend of mine recently watched the movie "Dhobi Ghat" and she asked me what was my reaction to the climax of the movie. She felt the ending was not apt or maybe it was intentional to let the audience come up with their own versions.
Dhobi ghat is a very special movie for me. I still remember the day I watched it for the first time (yes..I've seen it a lot many times after that :-)). I was in India for vacation and saw this movie in a multiplex at ahmedabad. The 30 mins drive back home from the multiplex was more an emotional journey. It was totally overwhelming. I cannot specifically say what aspect of the movie made me feel so emotional and vulnerable at that moment. This is one of those few movies which makes you feel sad when it ends and makes you want more.I was silent all through the drive enjoying the cool breeze, gazing at the full moon with almost no thoughts and a constant smile on my face.
After a while, when I came back to this world, this was what I updated on FB.
watching this movie was a beautiful romantic experience,
like a walk on the beach on a moon-lit night....
loved every bit of dhobi ghat...
Yasmin's innocence, Arun's unexpressed love, Shai's longing, Munna's smile....
every shot is a painting,
awesome soundtrack that conveys more than words can...
must-watch for anyone who likes to get lost in the sea of emotions....
Getting back to your question Kavi, I feel no ending is apt for this movie. It's like life. Whatever happens, life just continues. There is no story in the movie. Its just the life of four people beautifully and artistically shown on big screen. It's about what people want, what they need, what they feel, what they long for. It's about how people feel incomplete in spite of having everything they need.
I personally feel it was a brave attempt to make a movie like this in bollywood. Call it experimental or off-the-beat or art movie. The fact that the movie was made by a first time director was incredible.
As I am writing this, I can think of a couple of other movies in bollywood which I think were also brave attempts with fine results. movies that can leave you pondering, have a long lasting impact on you. Do watch "That Girl in Yellow boots" by Anurag Kashyap and "hazaron khwahishen aisi" by Sudhir Mishra and let me know what you think :)
Dhobi ghat is a very special movie for me. I still remember the day I watched it for the first time (yes..I've seen it a lot many times after that :-)). I was in India for vacation and saw this movie in a multiplex at ahmedabad. The 30 mins drive back home from the multiplex was more an emotional journey. It was totally overwhelming. I cannot specifically say what aspect of the movie made me feel so emotional and vulnerable at that moment. This is one of those few movies which makes you feel sad when it ends and makes you want more.I was silent all through the drive enjoying the cool breeze, gazing at the full moon with almost no thoughts and a constant smile on my face.
After a while, when I came back to this world, this was what I updated on FB.
watching this movie was a beautiful romantic experience,
like a walk on the beach on a moon-lit night....
loved every bit of dhobi ghat...
Yasmin's innocence, Arun's unexpressed love, Shai's longing, Munna's smile....
every shot is a painting,
awesome soundtrack that conveys more than words can...
must-watch for anyone who likes to get lost in the sea of emotions....
Getting back to your question Kavi, I feel no ending is apt for this movie. It's like life. Whatever happens, life just continues. There is no story in the movie. Its just the life of four people beautifully and artistically shown on big screen. It's about what people want, what they need, what they feel, what they long for. It's about how people feel incomplete in spite of having everything they need.
I personally feel it was a brave attempt to make a movie like this in bollywood. Call it experimental or off-the-beat or art movie. The fact that the movie was made by a first time director was incredible.
As I am writing this, I can think of a couple of other movies in bollywood which I think were also brave attempts with fine results. movies that can leave you pondering, have a long lasting impact on you. Do watch "That Girl in Yellow boots" by Anurag Kashyap and "hazaron khwahishen aisi" by Sudhir Mishra and let me know what you think :)
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
adorable autumn
what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear "autumn"?
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
until last year, the first thing that I thought about on hearing "autumn" was the scene from Mohabbatein....maple leaves scattered all around with SRK playing the signature tune in the background....it brought warm feelings....
this year, I have fallen head over heels for this season......I am obsessed with the beauty around me.....Amsterdam has never been so colorful and beautiful for me....I have been crazily trying to capture every color, every leave, every mood, every moment in my iphone camera......here are a few selected ones....
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
until last year, the first thing that I thought about on hearing "autumn" was the scene from Mohabbatein....maple leaves scattered all around with SRK playing the signature tune in the background....it brought warm feelings....
this year, I have fallen head over heels for this season......I am obsessed with the beauty around me.....Amsterdam has never been so colorful and beautiful for me....I have been crazily trying to capture every color, every leave, every mood, every moment in my iphone camera......here are a few selected ones....
Monday, November 5, 2012
countdown begins!
ok now, when I said one-post-a-day, did I forget to mention weekends not included ;-)....being totally optimistic, if someone did miss me (grin), I'm sorry....
honestly have been very busy for a while....things at work are pretty cool...no-nonsense-no-tension work....but all our time and energy is being spent on finding the right 'huismeester' to get the renovation work done at home...amidst all the drama, we finally decided to postpone the work....which means christmas will not be as exciting as I dreamt it to be :-(
but what IS exciting is the fact that next week this time we will be in India after almost two long years!!!! I have no words to express how happy and excited I am...I have been even seeing the roads of mysore in my dreams....apart from the joy of wedding and meeting family & friends after so long, few other things I am looking forward to....
- ride on my style...I miss it all the time....stories with my style is a total blog material all together (first thing I do everytime I go to India is take a ride on a scooter...the sense of freedom I get is completely out of this world)
- visit chamundi by road and steps, during dawn, dusk and in the night
- watch the palace put on its glorious glittering yellow piece of cloth from atop chamundi
- have delhi happala, mallige idli and fish fry in the dasara exhibition
- go for a walk in the rain (its a completely different experience in mysore)
- got a big list of churmuri, special masal puri, masala dosa, paper dosa, gobi manchurian, tropical iceberg and etc etc at a lot of specific places
- this one has been recently added to my list...visit national handloom cafeteria in ahmedabad, heaven for chat lovers....
-get mehandi done from the guy from DD Urs road.
- if possible, squeeze in a trek for a day with friends
this is going to be a never ending list..i better stop now..got to go.....exactly 5 days to board the flight...more updates in the coming days.....
here is an old pic of me on my style :)
honestly have been very busy for a while....things at work are pretty cool...no-nonsense-no-tension work....but all our time and energy is being spent on finding the right 'huismeester' to get the renovation work done at home...amidst all the drama, we finally decided to postpone the work....which means christmas will not be as exciting as I dreamt it to be :-(
but what IS exciting is the fact that next week this time we will be in India after almost two long years!!!! I have no words to express how happy and excited I am...I have been even seeing the roads of mysore in my dreams....apart from the joy of wedding and meeting family & friends after so long, few other things I am looking forward to....
- ride on my style...I miss it all the time....stories with my style is a total blog material all together (first thing I do everytime I go to India is take a ride on a scooter...the sense of freedom I get is completely out of this world)
- visit chamundi by road and steps, during dawn, dusk and in the night
- watch the palace put on its glorious glittering yellow piece of cloth from atop chamundi
- have delhi happala, mallige idli and fish fry in the dasara exhibition
- go for a walk in the rain (its a completely different experience in mysore)
- got a big list of churmuri, special masal puri, masala dosa, paper dosa, gobi manchurian, tropical iceberg and etc etc at a lot of specific places
- this one has been recently added to my list...visit national handloom cafeteria in ahmedabad, heaven for chat lovers....
-get mehandi done from the guy from DD Urs road.
- if possible, squeeze in a trek for a day with friends
this is going to be a never ending list..i better stop now..got to go.....exactly 5 days to board the flight...more updates in the coming days.....
here is an old pic of me on my style :)
Friday, November 2, 2012
Beyond Time!
25 Dec 2012, 8:00 AM
Nina got out of her bed with a heavy head. She hadn’t slept all night. Christmas has always been a day filled with sorrow and regret for her since the big fight with her mom ten years ago. The day that changed her life forever.
After a quick shower, she got dressed and packed all the necessary documents. She put on her red jacket, mom’s favourite color. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She said to herself, ‘Mom, I look so much like you, pretty and polished’. The door bell rang bringing her back to this world. The man with a grumpy voice said, Maám, your cab is here.
When Nina mentioned terminal T , the driver raised his eyebrows, ‘are you sure, maam’. As she drove towards the airport, she imagined how it would feel to see her mom, to touch her, to talk to her, to listen to her. Nina has spent the last five years working really hard and saving every penny she earned to be able to make this journey. She has spent her nights thinking about what she would say to her mom when they meet. And the day has finally come. She was both excited and worried.
25 Dec 2002, 5:00 PM
Nina’s mother: Hey sweetie. Merry Christmas!
Nina: Merry christmas mom.
Mother: Don’t you want to know what your christmas gift is?
Nina (Rolling her eyes): Moooom….I’m not a child anymore.
Mother (with a frown): How I wish you were
Nina: OK now. What is it?
Mother: Here. I think you’ll love it.
Nina: Let me see (opens the packet)….aaah jacket…thanks.
Mother: Aren’t you gonna try it on?
Nina: err..not today, I’m running late. Arush will be here any moment to pick me. How do I look?
Mother: you are going out now…not staying for dinner?
Nina: I’ve made plans with Arush.
Mother: sweetie, are you sure about Arush….I don’t have a good feeling about him
Nina: Moooom…I told you I’m not a child anymore…I can take my own decisions…stop worrying about me….
Mother: he doesn’t love you nina….you are his trophy….he is just a proud man with the prettiest girlfriend in his group…
Nina: Just because dad left you, doesn’t mean every other guy is an evil man with an hidden agenda to hurt his girl.…
Mother: but Nina…
Nina: you always think I’m wrong….everything I say….everything I do…. Mother: no sweetie…I just want you to be happy….
Nina: I don’t want to talk to you anymore…stop meddling with my life….I hate you
25 Dec 2012, 10:00 AM
“We’ve reached terminal T. It’s 1500”.
Nina entered the terminal and walked towards the ticketing section. She tore the coupon from the machine. It said, ‘Number 160. Wait time of 30 minutes’. She took a seat in the waiting area.
‘I’m sorry mom. I’m sorry for being a rude, adamant, ungrateful, selfish daughter. You were right about Arush. He doesn’t love me. He never did. I wish I had listened to you. I didn’t have to learn it the hard way. I’m sorry mom and I love you’
The display flashed and beeped “Number 160 please”
A smartly dressed lady behind the counter gave a pleasant smile.
Lady: Good morning maám…how may I help you?
Nina: I would like to buy a ticket for one.
Lady: Sure. Ticket to?
Nina: 2002
Lady: OK, date and time of arrival and departure please
Nina: 25 Dec 5:00 PM till 7:00 PM
Lady: Let me check. Yes possible. I will have to ask you some questions
Nina: Sure
Lady: Reason for travel
Nina: I want to meet my mother
Lady: OK, is your mother with you
Nina: No, she is dead
Lady: I’m sorry. Date and cause of death?
Nina: 25 Dec, 2002. She was one of the victims of the church attack by the local rebel group.
Lady: I am obligated to warn you that you will not be authorized or allowed to make any changes in the past that would propogate an impact or change in the consequences.
Nina: Yes. I am aware
Lady: Where would you like to land on your return.
Nina: My apartment and the address is in my passport.
Lady: Have a pleasant trip. This way ma’am
Nina: Thank you!
25 Dec 2002, 5:00 PM
Nina’s mother: Hey sweetie. Merry Christmas!
Nina: Merry christmas mom.
Mother: Don’t you want to know what your christmas gift is?
Nina (Rolling her eyes): Moooom….I’m not a child anymore.
Mother (with a frown): How I wish you were
Nina: OK now. What is it?
Mother: Here. I think you’ll love it.
Nina: Let me see (opens the packet)….aaah jacket…thanks.
Mother: Aren’t you gonna try it on?
Nina: errrr ok…wow it looks lovely…I always wanted a red jacket.....thanks mom….Arush will be here any moment to pick me.
Mother: you are going out now…not staying for dinner?
Nina: I’ve made plans with Arush.
Mother: sweetie, are you sure about Arush….I don’t have a good feeling about him
Nina: Moooom…I told you I’m not a child anymore…
Mother: he doesn’t love you nina….you are his trophy….he is just a proud man with the prettiest girlfriend in his group…
Nina: trust me mom…I know what I’m doing…. I love spending time with him….he makes me feel like a princess….
Mother: but Nina…
Nina: I know you love me mom and you want me to be happy…but please let me make my choices….
Mother: ok sweetie….but always remember that I love you and I will be there for you. No matter what….have a nice time…..and take care
Nina: I love you mom….see you later…byeee
25 Dec 2012, 11:00 AM
Nina woke up in her bed. She felt at peace. For some reason, she felt extremely happy and peaceful. Maybe because it’s christmas, she thought. She screamed “Merry Christmas” and jumped out of her bed all set to celebrate the festival of love and joy
Nina got out of her bed with a heavy head. She hadn’t slept all night. Christmas has always been a day filled with sorrow and regret for her since the big fight with her mom ten years ago. The day that changed her life forever.
After a quick shower, she got dressed and packed all the necessary documents. She put on her red jacket, mom’s favourite color. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She said to herself, ‘Mom, I look so much like you, pretty and polished’. The door bell rang bringing her back to this world. The man with a grumpy voice said, Maám, your cab is here.
When Nina mentioned terminal T , the driver raised his eyebrows, ‘are you sure, maam’. As she drove towards the airport, she imagined how it would feel to see her mom, to touch her, to talk to her, to listen to her. Nina has spent the last five years working really hard and saving every penny she earned to be able to make this journey. She has spent her nights thinking about what she would say to her mom when they meet. And the day has finally come. She was both excited and worried.
25 Dec 2002, 5:00 PM
Nina’s mother: Hey sweetie. Merry Christmas!
Nina: Merry christmas mom.
Mother: Don’t you want to know what your christmas gift is?
Nina (Rolling her eyes): Moooom….I’m not a child anymore.
Mother (with a frown): How I wish you were
Nina: OK now. What is it?
Mother: Here. I think you’ll love it.
Nina: Let me see (opens the packet)….aaah jacket…thanks.
Mother: Aren’t you gonna try it on?
Nina: err..not today, I’m running late. Arush will be here any moment to pick me. How do I look?
Mother: you are going out now…not staying for dinner?
Nina: I’ve made plans with Arush.
Mother: sweetie, are you sure about Arush….I don’t have a good feeling about him
Nina: Moooom…I told you I’m not a child anymore…I can take my own decisions…stop worrying about me….
Mother: he doesn’t love you nina….you are his trophy….he is just a proud man with the prettiest girlfriend in his group…
Nina: Just because dad left you, doesn’t mean every other guy is an evil man with an hidden agenda to hurt his girl.…
Mother: but Nina…
Nina: you always think I’m wrong….everything I say….everything I do…. Mother: no sweetie…I just want you to be happy….
Nina: I don’t want to talk to you anymore…stop meddling with my life….I hate you
25 Dec 2012, 10:00 AM
“We’ve reached terminal T. It’s 1500”.
Nina entered the terminal and walked towards the ticketing section. She tore the coupon from the machine. It said, ‘Number 160. Wait time of 30 minutes’. She took a seat in the waiting area.
‘I’m sorry mom. I’m sorry for being a rude, adamant, ungrateful, selfish daughter. You were right about Arush. He doesn’t love me. He never did. I wish I had listened to you. I didn’t have to learn it the hard way. I’m sorry mom and I love you’
The display flashed and beeped “Number 160 please”
A smartly dressed lady behind the counter gave a pleasant smile.
Lady: Good morning maám…how may I help you?
Nina: I would like to buy a ticket for one.
Lady: Sure. Ticket to?
Nina: 2002
Lady: OK, date and time of arrival and departure please
Nina: 25 Dec 5:00 PM till 7:00 PM
Lady: Let me check. Yes possible. I will have to ask you some questions
Nina: Sure
Lady: Reason for travel
Nina: I want to meet my mother
Lady: OK, is your mother with you
Nina: No, she is dead
Lady: I’m sorry. Date and cause of death?
Nina: 25 Dec, 2002. She was one of the victims of the church attack by the local rebel group.
Lady: I am obligated to warn you that you will not be authorized or allowed to make any changes in the past that would propogate an impact or change in the consequences.
Nina: Yes. I am aware
Lady: Where would you like to land on your return.
Nina: My apartment and the address is in my passport.
Lady: Have a pleasant trip. This way ma’am
Nina: Thank you!
25 Dec 2002, 5:00 PM
Nina’s mother: Hey sweetie. Merry Christmas!
Nina: Merry christmas mom.
Mother: Don’t you want to know what your christmas gift is?
Nina (Rolling her eyes): Moooom….I’m not a child anymore.
Mother (with a frown): How I wish you were
Nina: OK now. What is it?
Mother: Here. I think you’ll love it.
Nina: Let me see (opens the packet)….aaah jacket…thanks.
Mother: Aren’t you gonna try it on?
Nina: errrr ok…wow it looks lovely…I always wanted a red jacket.....thanks mom….Arush will be here any moment to pick me.
Mother: you are going out now…not staying for dinner?
Nina: I’ve made plans with Arush.
Mother: sweetie, are you sure about Arush….I don’t have a good feeling about him
Nina: Moooom…I told you I’m not a child anymore…
Mother: he doesn’t love you nina….you are his trophy….he is just a proud man with the prettiest girlfriend in his group…
Nina: trust me mom…I know what I’m doing…. I love spending time with him….he makes me feel like a princess….
Mother: but Nina…
Nina: I know you love me mom and you want me to be happy…but please let me make my choices….
Mother: ok sweetie….but always remember that I love you and I will be there for you. No matter what….have a nice time…..and take care
Nina: I love you mom….see you later…byeee
25 Dec 2012, 11:00 AM
Nina woke up in her bed. She felt at peace. For some reason, she felt extremely happy and peaceful. Maybe because it’s christmas, she thought. She screamed “Merry Christmas” and jumped out of her bed all set to celebrate the festival of love and joy
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Gang :-)
Inspired by posts from a young blogger, I have taken up this challenge of one-post-a-day for ten days starting today. I honestly hope to keep up with this. While I was wondering what to write about, I found this post I had written long back and hadn't published. So here it goes.
"The gang" was in mysore last sat. Meeting up with them has always been a pleasure. It's amazing how our relationship has evolved from them being Jof's friends to Aysh's friends to "my" friends. What more can you ask for when you find friends who value relationships as much as you do and maybe more than that. I cherish every moment spent with each one of them whether its hanging out at coffee day or barista, drives from Bangalore or to Chamundi, walks on KD road or MG road, and offcourse countless trips to our very own bengaluru international airport :)
I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to know all of you. You guys are wonderful. Love you all!
"The gang" was in mysore last sat. Meeting up with them has always been a pleasure. It's amazing how our relationship has evolved from them being Jof's friends to Aysh's friends to "my" friends. What more can you ask for when you find friends who value relationships as much as you do and maybe more than that. I cherish every moment spent with each one of them whether its hanging out at coffee day or barista, drives from Bangalore or to Chamundi, walks on KD road or MG road, and offcourse countless trips to our very own bengaluru international airport :)
I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to know all of you. You guys are wonderful. Love you all!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
A night in the airport
It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Nashua....it had rained all night....Saturday had been wonderful with the trip to the snow clad mountains, I don’t rem the name of the place though....we had plans to visit a few places in Boston today....I had a flight to catch at 4 in the evening and I would be back in Chicago by 6....though the start was not so great, I have been enjoying this trip……we had to leave the house by 8....but by now, it had started pouring..the guy on the television was talking about this cyclone in the east coast....worst ever in the past few years in the united states...they forecasted the weather conditions to be pretty bad for the next 4-5 days...our plan for the day was cancelled......we decided to leave the house at 12, it would take us at least 4 hours to reach the airport by road in this weather....it didn't occur to either of us that we should check the flight status ....it was pretty late when I realized it...I still called them only to hear that all flights from Boston have been cancelled due to bad weather.......only next available flight to Chicago was on next Thursday.....I had no idea what was happening...all I could think of was somehow I need to get to Chicago....the lady on the phone was kind...she asked if I would mind taking a flight from Rhode islands....I had no idea where Rhode islands was.....I checked with him...he thought for a moment and then asked me to confirm the ticket....flight was at 6 and it would take 5 hours to reach the airport......it was already 11.30...we had no time to waste....we just rushed to the car and he realized that he needs a map....his gprs had stopped working....quickly went to his office, got the print out and we started.....it was raining cats and dogs....visibility was very poor....road was blocked at a stretch due to couple of accidents....I couldn’t see the road at all...I wonder how he drove that day.....it was already 4 and we hadn't even covered half the way....I was hoping that the flight is delayed.....most of the flights with american airlines generally get delayed...I was only counting on that...we reached the airport at 5....it was a pretty small airport....I ran to the AA counter while he went to park the car...I found no one in the counter....the guy next to me knew I was running late, he helped me screen my baggage fast and checked it in...I still see no one in the counter....its 5.40.....I run to the adjacent counters, but no one has any clue about the guys in this counter.....here comes this fat guy..the airport staff....he asks me to calm down....he gets my flight details....after a long pause he tells me...you can’t take that flight....we have only two member staff from AA...they first issue the boarding pass and then get into the flight to help the passengers...it’s too late now and I cannot get them out to issue your boarding pass........so what do I do now....I just stood there for about five minutes trying to think of other options...and suddenly I realized that I have checked my baggage in....I again ran to the counter and they say I can collect the bag at Chicago because the flight has already left...shit man....what’s happening with me...by then he had parked the car and joined me....I explained him the situation...I had missed my flight...my bag was gone....next available flight was only after 2 days and I had to report to office the next day...I checked all other airlines and fortunately there was one last seat available in the flight to Chicago run by southwest airlines and the flight was scheduled to leave at 7, the next morning....I had no other choice....I bought the ticket paying 400 bucks while I had got a two way ticket earlier for 250 USD which was not valid anymore....I was kind of relieved...I had a confirmed ticket and the flight was in the morning.....we started discussing about what do we do now...it was 7.30 and going back to nashua wouldn't make sense....while we were discussing this, my mind was only thinking about my bag....I didn’t have a receipt or a boarding pass or anything to prove that my bag was checked in....I was a li'l worried.....I again went to AA staff to check how I can collect my bag....they asked me to check at the baggage counter downstairs....I got to know from the guy at the baggage section about an orphaned suitcase which was wrongly checked in and was not loaded into the AA flight....but he had no clue where the bag was...I ran back to the AA counter only to be sent to missing baggage section....after running up and down for about 3-4 times, I found a black suitcase lying outside the baggage section.....was that mine...yes it was...
ok everything is fine now... flight...ticket...bag...there were three options for me to spend the night....go back to his place or rent a room in a hotel or stay back in the airport..going back to his place was ruled out, it just didn’t make sense....I wasn't comfortable renting a room alone in that place....I thought the best option would be to stay back in the airport....I told him I would stay back.....and I also insisted that he should leave because it was still raining and it’s not safe to drive late in the night.....he just smiled….I can take care of myself...of course I can....we had dinner in the nearby Mac'D and then he left...
I came back to the airport....took a closer look....it was a small airport...but very neat and tidy....there were two floors....ground floor had 'mayihelpyou', baggage section and the arrivals.....first floor was bigger than the ground floor....with all the ticketing sections and departure....the 'mayihelpyou' counter had a huge yacht model made of fabric I guess which stood tall reaching the first floor...I came to the first floor and sat on one of the metal chairs in the waiting section....there were about 15-20 people around me...the elevator in front of me caught my attention....it was a transparent one completely made of glass...one could see the machine and the metal inside...it looked pretty cool....I clicked a snap on my mobile....I wanted to share the pic with aysh, I thought she would love it.....called up mom and told her that the trip was really nice..surprisingly and thankfully she didn’t specifically ask me where I was.... she probably assumed that I would be back by then....made a few more calls...by the time I was done with the call, I realized that I was alone and all others had left in the last flight for the night....most of the lights were switched off and a very few dim lights were glowing....that's when I realized it was a bad decision....in Mumbai airport, you cannot say if its 3 am or pm...it’s always crowded and buzzing with people....how would I know that the stupid airport I was in closes down after the last flight........while I was waiting there, I realized that my mobile battery was almost dead....I very badly needed to charge it...that was the only device I had to connect me to my world....except alol no one had a clue where I was that night...I went around looking for a plug point...I found one in the rest room......I put my mobile for charging and sat on a stone slab just beside the mirror with my two bags with me....it was a long and tiring day so far and I was feeling very sleepy...I dozed off and woke up to realize that I was there for pretty long...it was 2 am in the night.....now this is the most interesting part of the story..I got out of the rest room with my bags and the airport was completely deserted....it was cold and windy and I could see lots of papers and other stuff flying around.....I walked a little further and saw two cops walking towards me and were yelling at me.....I was still sleepy and was finding it difficult to understand what they were trying to say....I just gave them a dumb look and told them I had a flight to catch in the morning....all they wanted to know was how I got there and I wasn't saying anything....one guy got pissed off and he walked past me to check if there were more people in there....our conversation was something like this....hey who are you and how the hell did you get here.....I have been here since last night..have a flight to Chicago in the morning....we have cleared this area, where exactly were you......I was in the rest room.....how long were you in there......I was charging my mobile, but why are you questioning me.....lady, all flights are cancelled and the airport is shut down indefinitely, one of the airport walls has collapsed due to rains.....but I have a flight in the morning....madam do you understand when I say that the airport is shut down...no flights are operating..now please get to the ground floor immediately....as I climb down the escalator, all eyes were on me....there were a bunch of cops and airport staff on both sides of the escalator wondering how did I get to the first floor when the complete airport was cleared off the passengers long time back....there were ambulances, fire engines, cops (trust me these guys are hugely built and very scary and its worse when they yell at you)....
I went down...ignored everyone around me....went to a corner which was quiet and a little dark....kept my bags....first thing I did was called up the southwest airlines.....I told them the condition at the airport and asked them for any other flight from a nearby airport....she sounded confused...she was repeatedly telling me that they are not informed of any such mishaps and the flight is still as scheduled......I explained once and twice and the third time I lost it.....I had no idea what I was saying....I just shouted at her....I am bloody stranded here at 3 in the morning nowhere to go...know nothing about the place and this female is waiting for a formal announcement of the shutdown to reissue my ticket.....she finally looked for other flights to Chicago and offered me a ticket for the flight from new Manchester to Chicago at 3 pm.....I asked her to confirm the ticket and hung up....I sat on the baggage conveyor...I had tears rolling down my cheeks....and in few seconds I was crying uncontrollably.....I had no idea where new Manchester was, how far was it from here or how to get there....thought of calling alol...but didn't feel like...I had to deal with this myself....I enquired a couple of cops...I had to take a train to Boston and then a bus to new Manchester....
how do I get to the metro station....there was not a single passenger in the airport....I could only see cops and ground staff running around to fix up things..not a single cab in the vicinity of the airport...and it was still pouring like hell making it impossible to walk out of the airport....I just sat there waiting for the dawn...it was not safe to go out at this time of the night....at arounnd 6, when it started getting a little brighter, I ventured out of the airport and fortunately I found a taxi...I ran up to him and asked him if he could take me to the nearest metro station...he was a little reluctant and over that I did not have cash on me...I asked him if he will accept debit card..he was silent for a moment, looked at me and said Indian with a question mark on his face...I said yes...he asked me to get in the cab.....we left the airport...we started talking....I told him I had to get to the new Manchester airport..he suggested not to go by train to Boston. because there are chances that tracks are blocked due to rain...instead he said if I can pay him 50 dollars, he can drop me to the bus stop which is in the outskirts of the city and I would get a bus to new Manchester...I wasn't sure if I should trust this guy....but I had to take this risk...I knew anything could happen, but my instincts told me I should trust him....I agreed to go to the bus station....we had an interesting conversation on our way to the bus station....cab drivers generally prefer not to strike conversations with the customers....but this person (I guess his name was mike) was an exception....he asked me if I was a student and was surprised to know that I was working and had come all the way from India to pursue a job here...I explained to him the model and how I’m not an employee of a US based company and was here only for an assignment.....he still had that appreciative look which made me feel good..we also talked about India and I was surprised to know that he had actually heard about a place called mysore in India........every time someone asked me which part of India I was from, I always try to give a reference to blore...but to my surprise, people over here have heard more about Mysore than Bangalore.....Mysore is quite popular mostly for yoga and of course the world famous palace....I was shocked when one of my colleagues in chicago asked me if I knew Mr. puttur narasimhachar who lived in vijayanagar in Mysore!....having lived all my life in Mysore and having loved this place so much, I should definitely feel proud about this...
Mike safely took me to the bus station and waited patiently while I got cash from the cash machine inside the bus station....after all the 'thank you’s and 'all the best's and 'nice meeting you’s and 'good bye's, he left and I entered the bus station....by now I had a very positive feeling and was kind of sure that nothing can go wrong now...I bought a ticket to new Manchester...I had to change the bus at Boston......Boston bus station was huge and amazing....I changed my bus at Boston and finally reached new Manchester bus station at 10....the shuttle to airport had just left and the next one was at 11...no problems..I had my 'god of small things' with me as always....this is one book I don’t mind reading any number of times…...I can just open any page and continue to read and will never get lost..rahel and estha are so very part of my life :)....
I got into the shuttle and reached the airport at 11.30...I got my tickets and checked in the luggage.....flight was at 3 pm...I had plenty of time to explore the airport...it was pretty huge...I bought three chotu model airplanes...one for myself and one each for Nik and Shikha....we had this habit of getting something for all three of us whenever we went out of Chicago...this time it was a plane so that they would rem my story every time they see this model....I reached Chicago midway airport at 5 pm....took red line and got down at the canal street stop......I started walking… canal street, Clarke street and west Madison street.....I don't have words to explain what I felt when I entered the street...never was I so happy to see the four tall towers that stood in the middle of the Madison street....after all I was home.....after a really long, tiring, scary, unpredictable, thrilling journey....the gal who had never dared to venture out of Mysore alone all her life had successfully completed this trip from Chicago-Boston-Nashua-Rhode Island-Boston-New Manchester-Chicago...wow...it was an experience in itself....I can never forget this wonderful trip in my life... :)
the passport saga
I was waiting for my turn at the Indian embassy in Chicago. I was feeling much better though I had a lot of questions for which I had no clear answers. How much time would it take to get a new passport, would I get a new project in Chicago or will I have to shift, if I have to shift what about the accommodation, what will I tell mom why I need to stay back for some more time, how on earth could I be so careless and so on. I had already made thousand phone calls and two trips to police station the previous day. I was too tired to even feel bad about anything. I reached the counter when they called my number. There was one lady sitting just behind the counter and a few others a little away behind the counter immersed in files and general chat. I explained to the lady sitting in counter how I lost my passport and wanted to apply for a new one. She stared at me for two seconds and said ‘your name?’. The moment I said Rashmi, everyone behind the counter looked at me and they started whispering. I could only hear ‘rashmi’ between the conversations. Someone called someone and he ran and got someone and finally a lady came to me with a navy blue pouch. It looked familiar. It actually took me a few seconds to realize that it was the same pouch that I had left in the cab and the moment I did, I was literally jumping. I stupidly thanked almost everyone at the embassy who was staring at me :D. I couldn’t believe that I was holding my passport. Everything had changed in a few seconds. When I fished through the pouch. I found a small little note along with my passport and flight tickets. The note had name, phone number, pick up point and destination on it. I immediately called up the number. It was the cab driver. He had handed over the passport to the embassy the previous day. I couldn't thank him enough. I had no words to express my gratitude. One thoughtful act of him had saved me from a lot of pain that I would have to go through for the next few weeks. This is yet another excerpt from my life where a mountain had turned into an anthill :D
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Special Day
Aug 9 2004: I had just entered the Mysore Infosys campus the previous night and was amazed by everything inside. It was a proud moment to sit in the huge MG auditorium and watch ThisIsMyInfy video. There has been a steady gradual change in my ‘understanding and perception’ of the company since then. Nevertheless that special ‘feeling’ is still alive for more than one reason.
Aug 9 2008: I landed at Schiphol airport. I was excited and equally tensed. Though we had known each other for quite sometime by now, this was the first time I was going to meet him. I was not sure what to expect. I was hoping to find him as soon as I come out of the arrivals. But was disappointed not to see him. He was late. I was waiting for him with a friend at the Juggle juice bar when I saw him walking towards me. He had hurt his knee and was limping. I ran to him. We just exchanged smiles. We were too happy to say anything.
Aug 9 2009: His family visited our home in Mysore. The worst of the storm had passed and everything had suddenly fallen in place in a strange and surprising way. There was no room for uncertainty and unhappiness anymore. My life has been ‘all smiles’ since then.
Aug 9th also happens to be my best friend’s dad’s b’day and the day when a close friend of mine got engaged.
A very special day for me for a lot of beautiful reasons.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Home?!!
31 July 9.30 PM.
Just moved in to the newly rented apartment.
Feeling terrible.
Going to sleep with my fingers crossed hoping against hopes to wake up in our cozy little bedroom at Bos en Vaartlaan.
Just moved in to the newly rented apartment.
Feeling terrible.
Going to sleep with my fingers crossed hoping against hopes to wake up in our cozy little bedroom at Bos en Vaartlaan.
Friday, July 2, 2010
who is to be blamed?
Deeply moved by the news of 26 CRPF men killed in a naxal attack at Chattisgarh, I googled "CRPF jawans killed". The results were shocking. Below is a summary of naxal attacks on CRPF men for the past few years. This is not all, but just what I could gather from internet. Interestingly, in spite of similar strategies being adopted for the attacks, the enemies have been able to successfully carry out their operations for the past 4-5 years.
Post-mortem of this incident is in progress on all the news channels for the past couple of days. Few key points that are being discussed are
CRPF is ill-equipped while the opponents have access to advanced and highly sophisticated weapons.
There is no clear strategy for the CRPF deployment in these sensitive regions.
The most important fact is that the government is not clear about actions to be taken against naxals due to disagreement between political parties. Though the CRPF is deployed in these areas, there is no plan of action whatsoever.
While the government is busy playing the blame-game, it's heart wrenching to see the families cry their heart out in front of the mutilated bodies of the jawans.
When do we learn to value lives :(
Facts:
30 Jun 2010, Chattisgarh: Twenty six CRPF jawans were killed and seven injured in a major Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
4 Jun 2010, Lalgarh: 4 CRPF jawans, deputy commandant killed in Lalgarh landmine explosion.
19 May 2010, Lalgarh: Four Central Reserve Police Force personnel were on Wednesday killed and two injured in an Improvised Explosive Device blast triggered by Naxals at Lalgarh in West Bengal on the second day of their bandh called in five state.
8 May 2010, Chattisgarh: Eight CRPF jawans were killed when Naxals blew up a bullet-proof vehicle in Bijapur district of Chhhattisgarh in the first major attack.
6 Apr 2010, Chattisgarh: At least 73 CRPF personnel have been killed in a deadly Maoist attack in the jungles of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
29 Sep 2009, Srinagar: Srinagar Militants strike at a crowded bus stand in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town on Tuesday evening, killing three CRPF jawans.
9 July 2008, Assam: DHD (Jewel) militants opened fire at a CRPF patrol party at Maibong in Karbi Anglong district at around 0730 hours, killing two CRPF jawans.
2 Nov 2007, Assam: Seven CRPF jawans were killed in an ambush by DHD miliatnts in Thai Jawari area near village Longting under Umrongsho police station in the North Cachar Hills district.
1 Jun 2005, Chattisgarh: Six CRPF personnel, including a Deputy Sub Inspector, were killed today and 14 security personnel injured, in two land-mine blasts and firing by Maoists in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh
Thursday, July 1, 2010
bloemkool manchurian!!
Date: 23-6-10
I'm not a great cook. Nor am I one of those who click a snap of every dish they make and publish it. But I'm very excited about this one and hence the blog :-)
This one is dedicated to kavi who inspired me to try this dish at home and also gave me the recipe based on her personal experience :D
Special thanks to aysh n sush for always being my source of inspiration :D:D
Last but not the least, thanks to my dear husband who always tries and appreciates my culinary capabilities ;)
Here is what I made. Presenting the most popular Indian appetizer 'Gobi Manchurian' :))))))))
I'm not a great cook. Nor am I one of those who click a snap of every dish they make and publish it. But I'm very excited about this one and hence the blog :-)
This one is dedicated to kavi who inspired me to try this dish at home and also gave me the recipe based on her personal experience :D
Special thanks to aysh n sush for always being my source of inspiration :D:D
Last but not the least, thanks to my dear husband who always tries and appreciates my culinary capabilities ;)
Here is what I made. Presenting the most popular Indian appetizer 'Gobi Manchurian' :))))))))
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Love you!
Why does it hurt so much? It's stupid. I know I'm going only for two weeks. I have my tickets for return. Still, why does it feel like it's gonna be forever. The moment he left the airport, the feeling is unexplainable. I felt like suddenly it's all over and my life has come to a standstill. My mind was blank for a few seconds and then tears started rolling down. I cldnt stop my tears although I was laughing at myself for being so stupid. It's crazy :-).
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Texel
After a really long time, I could feel the mysterious connection with nature again. Everything was just too perfect. The narrow path, the trees, the meadows in various shades of green, the lazy sheep, the cozy little houses with beautiful gardens, the drizzle, the lovely breeze. It was serene. It was picture perfect. It was romantic. I was completely lost in this mesmerizing beauty.
The 12 km bicycle ride from our camping site to the Paracentrum and back. This was the best part of our weekend trip to Texel, a beautiful island near Amsterdam.
It was an amazing weekend. Our first time camping experience together. Our first weekend outing after a long break. It was fun, it was relaxing, it was beautiful.
The sad part was that we could not accomplish the main objective of the trip - tandem jump. Just when I was almost going to tick one of the items in my bucket list, weather had to get worse. It has been my dream for the past 3 years. I have been planning in vain since my days in Chicago and every time something has to go wrong. I’m not gonna give up on this one. Come what may, I will do it this summer!
http://picasaweb.google.com/rash.pb/Texel?authkey=Gv1sRgCNOrpcGm1taZNQ#
The 12 km bicycle ride from our camping site to the Paracentrum and back. This was the best part of our weekend trip to Texel, a beautiful island near Amsterdam.
It was an amazing weekend. Our first time camping experience together. Our first weekend outing after a long break. It was fun, it was relaxing, it was beautiful.
The sad part was that we could not accomplish the main objective of the trip - tandem jump. Just when I was almost going to tick one of the items in my bucket list, weather had to get worse. It has been my dream for the past 3 years. I have been planning in vain since my days in Chicago and every time something has to go wrong. I’m not gonna give up on this one. Come what may, I will do it this summer!
http://picasaweb.google.com/rash.pb/Texel?authkey=Gv1sRgCNOrpcGm1taZNQ#
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