Insights

This is what True Love is all about

2007-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Another touching story forwarded through email. Whether it is true or not, it certainly has a message……

”It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 a.m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him look at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer' s Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is." I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life.

"True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there are some that come along that have an important message, and this is one of those kind. Just had to share it with you all.”

So close to home!!

2007-02-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

These are the days, when the leaves would leave their branches and drift down elegantly, swaying in the breeze, landing softly on the ground below.

A school girl, in her school uniform, her bag on her back, returning from school; happy that yet again another day of school is over. She would choose the brownest and the biggest ones, gleeful when she heard the crisp sound of dry leaves.

The school girl, though now grown-up, is back again. In a new country, new surroundings, in her backyard, looking for the brownest and the driest of the mango leaves, gleeful to hear the familiar crisp sound. She is close to home, so close!

Of failed attempts and disappointments!!

2007-01-31T14:34:00.000-08:00

Are the High Commissions and Consulates here to help people or to trouble them?

With hope I went to them, permission to visit their country. To enjoy the nature, to appreciate it's beauty. Just a few days of leisure and pleasure, of new place and people of that land.

But it was not to be. Terror unleashed in the world prevented it. No more simple pleasures of travelling. It's a time of rejections and dejections.

Would I had been a bird - which boundary could stop me?
Would I had been a river, would I stop flowing across borders?
Would I have been the wind, would I be stopped from blowing?

Alas! to be a human.

What lies beyond?!!

2006-03-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

A friend had forwarded this beautiful mail. I want to share it with you all.....

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough."

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT !!!!!

Who is mightier?!!

2006-03-09T15:09:00.000-08:00

Neither the Pen nor the Sword.

The mightiest one is the ‘Nature’. Yes, it can make or break destinies.

Nature is its own master, no one can control it, not even the Supreme Power or ‘God’ as some might say.

It can cause Earthquakes or Tsunami Waves, Floods or Draughts…..nothing or no one can stop the nature.

And to be fair, nature warns. Only we choose not to hear.

Don’t mess with it. We will only harm ourselves. Leave it alone, respect it and we will be fine.

How Farheen was saved…

2006-03-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

It was a regular day. Back from work and the students were already waiting. Freshened up, had something to eat and started teaching. Everything was as usual, giving lessons, checking homework, etc.

Suddenly in the hum of children’s voice came a shrill shrieking sound. I froze, the sound was full of terror!! I heard it again, this time calling my mom…”Bhaaabbbhiiiiiiiiii”

We rushed out, to the neighbour’s. She was holding her baby, little Farheen, almost lifeless, limp in her arms. “What happened?” my mom asked her. She talked incoherently. Tears flowing non-stop, looking at her child turning blue…..

He grabbed the baby from neighbour’s arms, my brother. Wrapped the baby in blanket, clutched her to his chest and ran down the staircase, barefeet.

Others were too stunned to react. After my brother was gone, some talked “too late”, “she won’t survive” and so on….

The lady, when she came back to her senses walked with my mom to the Doctor.

Farheen survived, brother said she gasped as he was running down the staircase, maybe all that hugging and running had opened up her lungs. “A little more delay and she wouldn’t have survived” were the doctor’s words.

She was playing in the washroom as her mother was doing the washing. Children are fascinated with water, almost always without exception. She was too, playing with her hands in the bucket full of water.

Suddenly, there was an eerie silence. Her mother sensed something and looked behind where Farheen was playing. She could see her two tiny legs pointing out of the bucket!! Bubbles rising up to the surface!!!

She hauled her out of the water with her legs, but she wasn’t conscious. Was already turning blue and hence the shriek……

Farheen had to be hospitalized for a week, to be kept under observation in case she developed any complications belatedly.

Quick thinking saved her life. The new lease of life has made her more livelier and she is growing up into a chatterbox.

Mother India!!

2006-03-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

No, I hadn’t watched the movie then, but I loved the song since the moment I had heard it play in our school hall. I was asked to participate in Independence Day celebration function, one of the dancers in a group. The practice started, the song played again and again to perfect the steps.

On the D-Day, we were dressed in traditional Indian attire, rural to be precise.

Miniature people, girls dressed as men with pagadis and women in ghagra cholis and flowing dupattas. A riot of colours, red green yellow white brown…..

The music started and adrenaline rushed through us as we made an entry, with perfect movements and synchronization. Faces glowing, eyes lively, bodies vibrant …..enjoying every moment on the stage.

Our performance earned a torrent of applause. I was hooked.

I heard the song after a long time today morning, on AIR….

dukh bhare din beetey re bhaiyaa ab sukh aayo re
rang jeevan mein naya laayo re -2
hoy hoy dukh bhare din beete re bhaiyaa, beete re bhaiyaa

dekh re ghataa ghirake aayi ras bhar-bhar lai - 2
o ghataa ghirake aai, ho
chhed le gori man ki beena rimjhim rut chhai - 2
o ghataa ghirake aai
prem ki gaagar laae re baadar bekal moraa jiyaa hoy - 2
dukh bhare din beete re bhaiyaa ...

madhur-madhur manvaa gaaye apne bhi din aaye - 2
o madhur manvaa gaaye, ho
saavan ke sang aaye jawani saavan ke sang jaaye, o - 2
o madhur manvaa gaaye, ho
aaj to jii bhar naach le paagal kal na jaane re kyaa hoye - 2
dukh bhare din beete re bhaiyaa ...

I relived my childhood :)

And then it was too late!!

2006-03-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Guilt?!! Conscience?!!

Whatever it is, she has to live with it her whole life.

She was caring as a child, helping her grandmother. Pressing her legs, rubbing her heart to relieve the pain.

But she changed as she was growing up. Her gran was genuinely unwell and she thought it was an act. Why was she mistaken?

Gran was dying and she didn’t do anything to lessen her suffering. And then it was too late!!

Examination Blues…

2006-02-27T14:23:00.000-08:00

They called it Paper I, but the subjects were two…..bahut na insaafi hai yeh!!!

Anyways, an enlightened soul about 2000 years ago penned down 195 verses of Yoga Sutras, and that too in Sanskrit (he could have used an easier language like Hindi or English!!)

2000 years later, an un-enlightened mortal being (that would be me), had to study those 195 Sutras and remember them too!

The second subject in Paper I was called Psychodynamics of Yoga! It took me a while even to memorise the spelling of ‘Psychodynamics’ :-P But honestly the topic WAS interesting!

Next in the line was Paper II, again two different subjects. One was Gheranda Samhita (treatise on Yoga). I must say, these Yogis must have worked really hard to produce such amazing work on yoga!! And other part was theory on Yogic practices, ie Asanas and Pranayamas, which we did in practical sessions every day anyways and hence no sweat really (and literally…hehe).

But wait, this was not the end…..there were two more exams Paper III and Paper IV. How tough can life get!!

And then followed another week juggling between work pressure and books…..

After completing the school (which was quite some years back), I was smug with the thought “Ah! No more science for me”. But life has a way of having it’s quota of fun, and it did at my expense!!

One part of Paper III was on Structure and Functions of Human Body!!! Aw God, not again!!! But study I did, Digestive System, Circulatory System, Nervous System, etc etc. followed by an interesting aspect of human beings, their subtle bodies like Chakras, Nadis, Kundalini, etc., which was the second part of the paper.

The toughest one was Paper IV which had again two different subjects being Yoga and Mental Health and Yoga and Value Synthesis. Believe me, I had studied the notes related to these topics but what I could reproduce on the day of exam was nowhere close to what I had read. I am sure, the examiner would discover atleast one new theory from what I had written and friends, be prepared to see my name being flashed on News Channels, Newspaper etc. as next genius on Indian turf….. ;-)

Having said that, my fingers are crossed, praying that I atleast pass the exams.…..for the only reason that I can’t go through re-examinations! In fact, I think I won’t touch a study book even with a 5 feet long pole for another 3-4 months.

2006-02-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

Why would anyone get an impression which could be drastically opposite? Me, a ‘Scholar’?!!

Really, I didn’t do anything to give this impression in my yoga classes. Far from it, I had rarely reached on time for any of the lectures. Beyond me why my batchmates mistake me for being studious?!!

A lady sitting in the same line in next row, during examination seemed so happy to have me next to her.

“I will copy from your answer sheet!!”.

Surprised, “okay, but let me warn you, I haven’t done much studying.”

“Oh, you will come first in the class I know.”

(Yeah sure, if only I would)

A guy sitting a couple of benches ahead of me in the next row was trying to catch my eye…finally I heard psst, psst…..I still didn’t look at him. Again, now desperately PSST, PSST….

“What?”

“Just wanted to confirm what was the status of women in ancient India? Good or Bad?”

(Dude, I wasn’t there in ancient India, why confirm with me?!!)

Anyways I said, “Good”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, yes very sure”

Hehe…..the illusion will continue till our results are out on 10th March.

PS: How come examiners go blind and deaf when others have to clarify their doubts, and only when I need some help (which is always), they are ready to pounce on me even if I look up from my answersheet!!

Another thought....

2006-02-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Are all the bosses Morons?!!

Just a thought...

2006-02-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

Why thorns with roses?!!

Not to hurt anyone, but to protect roses!!

ding ding ding ding ding ding ding.....

2006-01-31T16:41:00.001-08:00

ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding

thodisi dhuul meri dharti ki mere watan ki

thodisi Khushbuu baurai se mast pavan ki

thodisi dhondhane waali dhak-dhak dhak-dhak dhak-dhak saansein

jin mein ho junoon junoon voh boonde laal lahuu ki

yeh sab tuu mila mila le phir rang tuu khila khila le

aur mohe tuu rang de basanti yaara

mohe tuu rang de basanti

Mind blowing....after a long time a movie which could touch many hearts!!!
When I saw the promos, I thought what a bunch of wastrel.....spoilt rich brats of Delhi, boozing and zooming around on mean machines....but when I watched the movie, I couldn’t help fall in love with them.

The concept is unique in the sense that it isn’t a patriotic movie, but somehow it still is!! How do you explain that?!!

Rakesh Mehra has delivered a thoughtful entertainer. The movie can be identified by the old as well as the young. The flashbacks to Shahid Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev and other freedom fighters would take elderly folks down the nostalgic lane....

The carefree, chillax attitude of the youngsters is also well captured. Aimless, frustrated, disillusioned and yet responsible!!!

The best thing about the movie is how both the past and the present has been blended together so well, producing a delicious treat for our hearts.....

Even the music blends so well with the movie, every song portrays the emotion of that particular scene so beautifully. The Pathshala song is so full masti, range de basanti song makes you want to dance with the colourful bhangra dancers, the Luka Chuppi song makes you feel grateful that your loved ones are still with you, safe and sound....

Without preaching, the movie sends across a message that the human emotions remain the same, even if the circumstances change. We react in the same manner that our ancestors reacted, for something which we feel passionate about.

RDB also gives a clear message that in our country one can get away with any kind of crime, even mass murders....but if you harm a politician, there is no saving you!!!

Hopefully, this movie may succeed in awakening the conscience of those who are responsible for making vital decisions on which the lives of so many young and innocent pilots depend. Ready they are to lay their lives for our nation, but dying pointlessly during routine exercise is a loss not only to the families of these young men but also to the entire nation.

Watch this movie friends, don’t miss it even for a million bucks!!!

She had a baby!!!

2006-01-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

Can’t believe she actually had a baby…..I mean she still looks like one herself!!! My best friend.

Her angel looked like a baby doll. I held her for some time and she snuggled so comfortably in my arms. It felt so nice holding her, so delicate and fragile. I could feel her breathing, her slight body moving as she did. Sleeping peacefully, still innocent and trusting.

May God bless her innocent and trusting heart with all the happiness that is possible in this world!!

Mission : “Stealing Kairees”

2006-01-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Summer vacations were the time when we kids loved to freak out and freak others!!

We would wake up late in the mornings, actually bundled into the bathroom straight out of bed and soaked with water…..to make us fully awake.

That year the Mango tree in front of our building had quite a good bloom. We watched the flowers break into small pea-sized green mangoes and waited patiently till they would grow bigger. Usually, they would fall off the branches even before growing much big. But that year, we could see medium sized Kairees (Raw Mangoes) tantalizingly hanging from the branches, tempting us to reach out and pluck them. Only we were on the 2nd floor and couldn’t stretch our hands too far without the risk of landing straight on the ground below.

Necessity is the mother of all inventions!! One bright afternoon, a brilliant mind came up with an idea of plucking those Kairees without giving up our lives.

The search began for a big, reliable bamboo. We found one. We made a crack at one end, just enough for a thin branch to enter and stay trapped. We went up to the terrace and one daring soul decided to lie flat on the parapet to get maximum leverage. The bamboo was handed over to him. Mission-I had begun.

Slowly the crack in the bamboo trapped the delicate branches and with a slight twist snapped from the tree, our Kairees safely hanging at the end. We could collect quite a few and just when the Mission-I was accomplished and we were about to move towards Mission_II, the Raw Mangoes safely cuddled in our arms, one guy (who claimed the Mango tree belonged to his family) suddenly appeared out of thin air. The thief in us made us blush pink and red and the guy smelt something fishy. Ofcourse he couldn’t prove the Kairess were from his (supposedly) tree since all the evidence (bamboo) had been professionally disposed off. So without much trouble we could manage to brush him off, after all he too was only a kid. And off we moved on to Mission-II with a minor interference.

Knifes were taken out, red chilli powder and coconut oil was ready to be used. Kairees were cut into nice little cubes, chilli powder sprinkled and only a little coconut oil added for smoothness. All the pieces were tossed together to ensure that the masala mixed properly. Pop……a spicy tangy piece went into the mouth…..sluuuurrrpppppppp

BLISS!!!!

Believe me, the Kairees somehow taste yummier when you steal them!!

Restless mind seeking peace

2006-01-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

Restless mind seeking peace
Is it losing faith?

What is right? How does one know?
Can’t they have faith too?
Other’s suffered, learn from their mistakes!!
What about my faith?
Will it not protect me?

What about love?
Why only talk about love gone wrong?
Why not the ones which escalate above the ordinary mortels?
To reach the heights not imaginable by doubting minds!!!

Summer of 2000!!

2006-01-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

Her sister said ‘A swimming camp is being held in IIT campus during May for 15 days, what say?’

She was delighted!!....Ah great, lets enroll, we will learn to swim finally. But do they allow non-IITians?!! For the uninitiated, the world for IITians is divided into two; IITians and Non-IITians.

Sis said “yes, we aliens are allowed to enroll too!!”. So they organized for their fees and ICards. The lessons would be held in the IIT swimming pool, a good 20 minutes walk from their Main Gate, located in an isolated corner surrounded by jungle (okay, not quite....but lot of wilderness really).

The first day they woke up even before the Sun was up!!! At 4am it was still dark and they left home after freshening up, with their bag packed with swimsuits, water bottle, slippers and bananas (they were told after swimming one feels very hungry, hence the bananas!!). They walked from their home to the swimming club in IIT, with not a soul (human) visible on their way, other than few vehicles zipping past us. Ofcourse the dogs were present as usual, escorting them from their building gate to the compound gate. Inside the IIT complex especially, it was very scary since it was so secluded. Fortunately, the Leopards hadn’t discovered IIT as their hunting grounds yet. Finally they reached the venue, eager to discover the joys of splashing in the swimming pool (without drowning!!).

They were introduced to the couch and their batchmates. A group of about 30 people in every size and shape. Only 5 girls in the group include her and sis!!

Soon they were gathered around the pool. Their lessons started, not in the pool but around it, having to jog few rounds followed by some stretches including climbing up and down the stairs, close to the pool!! By the time they were done with the warm ups, they were indeed very warm :) finally it was the time to enter the pool. They were asked to change into their swimwear and get into the pool (smaller one). In the shower (they had to before entering the pool!!), water felt cold against warm bodies....brrrrrrrrrrrrr. Yes, even during the hottest month of May, you will find water chilled in the early morning especially if it is coming from an open pond surrounded by huge trees. They walked to the pool and took the plunge. Not literally!! Actually, they had to climb down the stairs (those little steel ones) into the pool!!! Again the shock of cool water, though a mild one.

The first lesson was to breath in, dip under the water and try to hold breath for as long as we could and then break the surface to gulp more air. This was relatively easy and fun. They were made to walk in the water too, in circles, clockwise and anti-clockwise. Mind you, it was not easy to walk in chest deep water!!!

Next, they were shown how to glide in the water. Stand against the wall, your palms together in boat shape stretched ahead and push one of your legs against the wall, gliding forward, snake like....

One after the other, they started to glide, everyone managed, ofcourse not perfectly, but they did. Only she lost her footing when she pushed her leg against the side wall and instead of gliding on the surface sank straight to the bottom of the pool!!!

She tried to stand up, but couldn’t....there was no support to hold on to. Under the water, her hands were flailing to hold on to something, to find firm ground under her, but she couldn’t find any!! She couldn’t hold her breath any longer and opened her mouth to gulp air....water entered her lungs!!! She broke the surface once but immediately went under again....gulping more water.....

A thought came to her, ‘end of my life?!!’. At the same time she was wondering why no one came to her help?!! Finally, she felt a hand....grabbing her and pulling her out of water....and she was on her feet, spluttering and coughing water out of her lungs....her eyes were burning....she was alive!!! The couch was concerned but she was more embarrassed than scarred. She wanted to continue with the lessons and did manage to glide on her second attempt :)

That summer she saw Titanic, a guy who invariably sank whenever he tried to swim and Godzilla, a guy who would suddenly rise up from the middle of the pool like the giant lizard....

She had a good time in the swimming camp that summer......atleast she learnt to float on water ;-) She loved floating on her back (even if that meant bumping her head into the wall, Ouch!!!). It felt wonderful to float on her back, looking up at the sky changing colour from twilight to dawn.

The summer of 2000 could have been the end of her but she had to live, to love....to love the one waiting for her, her soulmate!!

2005-12-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

Why does the alarm has to go off exactly when you feel the most coziest in your bed?

2005-12-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

How does it feel to be stranded in a foreign country with all your money, credit cards, flight tickets and passport stolen? With not a friend with you, all alone in an alien land!!! I must say she is one brave girl. Yes, she did manage to get back home.

2005-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

How does one manage to keep their eyes open when their eyelids feel like lead?

2005-12-13T01:49:00.000-08:00

I Love Magic!!!

2005-12-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

When Harry Potter enters their tent at the International Quiddich Stadium (In the Goblet of Fire), he is amazed by the room space created in such a tiny area with the help of Magic. And this is what he says "I Love Magic".

Well who doesn't??

Honestly, so many times in my life I had wished I could alter situations to suit my needs and what do I say? "I wish I knew magic".

When in school I spent the entire day playing with friends and the next day when it was time to submit homework (which hasn't been done!!), I wished "God, please get my homework done by some magic". But nothing happened, only the whipping sound of the slimest cane whacking my upturned palm. Ooouuccchhhhh!!!

Wouldn't I want to have a magic wand too?!! You bet. A swosh of my wand and my Boss turns into a Kangaroo, hopping on 2 legs. Ha ha...a sight to behold!!

Imagine too flying on a broomstick, zooming all around the town in seconds. No traffic, no potholes, no toxic fumes and no honking.

I wish I knew magic!!

Enjoy the comfort of coming home...

2005-12-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Lux's favourite movie of the year.....

2005-12-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

KYON KI.....

......It's Salman Khan
......It's Kareena Kapoor
......It's Rimi Sen

Har har har har......eahhhhaahhaaaaaaa

Haven't teased her in ages.......God, how I miss my lil sister!!

The Mystery of Missing Chappal....

2005-12-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

I know there are no ghosts in YWCA hostel, Colaba.....or are there???

No, they have never troubled me before. But a strange thing happened today morning.

While going for my morning yoga class at 5.45, I had changed from my bathroom slippers into my floaters. I remember having properly pushed the pair of slippers under my bed so that my roommates dont trip on them (even though they leave their pairs lying all around the room).

When I returned from my class, a little later than usual since some enthusiasts just wouldnt stop asking questions of our instructor, I looked for my slippers so that I can go for my shower. To my surprise only one of the pair was lying near my bed. The other was nowhere to be seen. Though I could see the others slippers lying in the middle of the room as usual. I searched and searched for my missing pair, even under other girls beds, picking up the newspapers, their clothes, their sandals, but no.....the other pair was nowhere to be seen. If you are wondering where my roommates were when my search was on, the two among three girls had already left for work and the third one was not in the room.

Hey wait, I just saw a glimpse. I know that colour, the edge of my slipper!!! I went down on my knees to look under one of the dressing tables and presto! there it was, the missing pair, tucked snuggly under it. Was I happy to have both the pairs of my slippers?

Now, how did my slipper reach under the dressing table. It certainly wouldn't walk on its own and hide under there, not a chance. The only two explainations my logical mind would give me are;
(1) The ghosts have re-appeared after a sabatical of one month (my duration of stay in hostel) and are in a mood for pranks
(2) One of my roommates has fallen in love with me (this one is a sarcastic remark for those like Dim character).

How do I solve this mystery??!! Any clues??

Random thoughts!!!!

2005-11-30T17:05:00.000-08:00

Not really!!!

These are some lines I had noted down when I was reading books. They could be from different books or the same one. I dont even remember now. But these words had touched my heart and hence am sharing them with you.

"Love is not an abstraction but an actual enerygy, or spectrum of energies, which you can 'create' and maintain in your being. Just be loving. You are beginning to touch God within yourself. Feel loving. Express your love."

"Love dissolves fear. You cannot be afraid when you are feeling love. Since everything is energy and love emcompasses all energies, all is love. This is a strong clue to the nature of God."

"When you are loving and unafraid, you can forgive. You can forgive others, and you can forgive yourself."

"Intellect is important inthe three-dimensional world, but intuition is more important."

"Remember to hope."

"Is a rose ashamed of its thorns?"

"Loving is not an option. It is a necessity."

"When allowed to flow freely, love overcomes all obstacles."

That's all for now friends. More notings and more postings will happen as and when they happen :)

Bloom as often as you can...

2005-11-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

W A T C H T H E M O O N R I S E....

2005-11-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai :) Aaj phir marne ka erada hai!!!

2005-11-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

Life is Beautiful….

Nah, this is not a movie review. Here I am talking of our lives, every life.

What would be a day without night for it’s the darkness that makes us appreciate the light, what would be happiness without sadness, hope without despair, achievement without failure, joy without disappointment, companionship without loneliness....

Every downslide only means an upward incline ahead....so keep walking, for the experience you gather on your way in life will decide whether you reach your destination richer or poorer....

Explore the world around you....

2005-11-22T12:01:00.000-08:00

All I need is the rythm divine!!

2005-11-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

Music is the flowing energy which enlivens even the most depraved soul.

“Nach Baliye” is the most watchable and enjoyable telecast on TV these days, and not only coz it is a unique concept in that the television celebrity couples compete with each other in dance competition leading to only one winner couple but also the chemistry that some of them share is amazing.

My favourite would be Parmeet Sethi and Archana Puran Singh, hands down. They are so fine tuned with each other, so much sychronised with each other, so much in love with each other. They just love what they do and it reflects in their performances. Yeah, even after ten years of marriage and two kids, their love is like blooming rose, still fresh.

Sachin and Supriya are another example of a couple made for each other. They rock together. Be it folk, western, filmi, their love for dance and for each other comes through so clearly.

The third on my list would be Rajeshwari and Varun. It’s no secret that Rajeshwari is an excellent dancer, but what is more endearing about this couple is the efforts that Varun puts in to live up to Rajeshwari’s dance talents and that’s what makes their performance so unique. They make one charming couple too.

The rest of the couples also share a good rapport with each other but they look like they have to work hard to generate that chemistry. They are yet to experience the rythm divine.

Be Calm... Quiet... Tranquil....

2005-11-21T11:59:00.000-08:00

“Feeling” – the language of Soul....

2005-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Did you get a feeling before something important happened in your life? How often do we take them seriously, our feelings? Why do we get feelings? What are feelings?

Feelings are the communication our soul is trying to have with our mind. Our soul, which has transcendented many centuries, galaxies and universes carrying with it the knowledge of ultimate truth, the truth which our mind in it’s material pursuit tends to ignore.

When you are at a juncture of making major decisions of your life, look at how you are feeling about it. Very often, our mind which is so taken in by ego finds it difficult to acknowledge the feelings, yet our deepest feelings have highest truth.

Listen to the communication of your soul. Listen to your feelings.

The most Magnificent Feeling is that feeling which we call love :)

Born Procrastinating!!!!

2005-11-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, it was June of 1975. There were no rains the previous two years. He was already overdue, past nine months. The day he finally decided to make an entry into this world, it was pouring....no, not cats and dogs but elephants and dinosaurs. The roads were flooded, no cabs in sight to reach the hospital. His grandfather, misty eyed, managed somehow to hail a cab, pleading with the cabbie for a ride to the hospital, which was fortunately closer to home. The cabbie reluctantly agreed, looking at the to be mother in great pain.

The cabbie dropped them outside the hostipal and drove away. They managed somehow to reach the hostipal foyer....but the hospital was spread with disinfectant and was closed for a few days!!!!! A desperate search began for another cab....a couple of fisherwomen were just about to board a cab when the grandfather pleaded with the cabbie to take them to a hospital instead. The cabbie, good soul that he was, refused the wisherwomen and drove the would be mother to another hospital. Finally he arrived, on a most inappropriate day in monsoon, about ten days later than he was due.

He would never reach on time to school, to college and now even to work....he was born procrastinating and it still continues....

Of waking up early and staying awake!!

2005-10-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Beep beep beep beep.......

Aw!!! already 5am......it still looks like midnight outside. Others are sleeping so blissfully. No switching on lights, dont want to disturb others. Yeah, groping in darkness. Handwash, toothbrush and face wash. Change into yoga clothes (trackpants and tshirt). Bag kept ready the previous evening.

5.45am: Walking the dark corridor. Down the winding staircase, fortunately lit. The ground floor, the gates are shut....wait, no lock!!! push the sliding iron gates aside (exercise already started ;-). Walked out into the main foyer. What!! again sliding iron gates....and locked too. Phew!! the security guard is around, maybe he has the keys. Excuse me, security sir, can you please open the gates?? Surprise!!! (from him). NO!! the gates can open only at 6am. #X$@.

Please, I have to go to yoga classes. Where? (from him). Marine Drive. Okay, opening the gates today....take permission from the warden later, right?? Yes sir, securityman :)

Bus Stop right outside the hostel.....hmmm.....only two busses passing from here to ???? dont know where.....

Walking to Churchgate station. People sleeping yet again, on the pavement. Ha!!! entrepreneurship......chaiwallas with kettle with steaming hot chai and bun and maska.....fisherwomen, shift workers, enjoying their first cup of tea.....slurrrppppp, what relish!!

06:08am train, yes very good. Climbed into the train.....no passengers!!! Train moved, cool breeze......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......oops!! almost missed Charni Road station. Its getting brighter now.

Reached destination well before time :D

Session started. Sit erect, close your eyes. Pay attention to your breathing. Pay attention to your body. Travel internally from the top of your head to your toes. Be aware of changes you feel in your body. Ah!! such soothing voice.....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

A Portion of Thyself.......

2005-10-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Someone had said “The only gift is a portion of Thyself”.

Project Rainbow is the name of the initiative taken by HLL with the help of Doorstep school, an NGO working towards informal education of street and slum children.

Few workshops were planned to teach the kids some life enhancing skills like card making, lamp painting, paper lantern making and making paper bags. Just to help them earn a decent livelihood.

The initial response from volunteers was overwhelming. About 40 of them had confirmed their willingness to contribute to the cause in any way they can. Well, all we had to do was spend some time with these kids, to make them aware of a better way of living, about hygiene, about the country of their birth and its culture. Was it asking for too much??

Yes, it seems like it was very difficult to make time for someone in today’s fast paced life, especially when there is not much for you to gain. So only 5 of us reached the venue of the programme.

And friends, was I in for a surprise?!! You bet!! Though these children lack in formal education, they are rich with experiences that they have learnt from life at such a young age. They were a bunch of bright and enthusiastic kids, innocent and honest, eager to learn and absorb.

All the kids were given a kit consisting of card paper, gold and silver colour pens, stencils and crayons and were encouraged to use their creative skills to make a Diwali Greeting Card….M F Hussians in the making ;-) heh heh. It went off well except for one boy of six who was so fascinated with the glue stick that he went on cutting every piece of paper he could lay his hands on and sticking them on the card paper…..finally I took over and did his card for him ;-)

Each one of the kids had a dream, to reach somewhere. Some wanted to be Doctors, some Engineers, some Policemen and some Teachers and yet some wanted to be Actors. One cute little girl wanted to be Preity. Yes, Priety Zinta. I have no doubt that she can and she will be an Actress like Priety Zinta, maybe a better one. She has equally cute dimples, you see ;-)

The most important lesson I learnt that day was that these kids not only need monetary support but also love and acceptance of our society. Touch their cheek, ruffle their hair or just smile at them and see them glow with happiness.

So friends, lets try and contribute towards upliftment of these kids, the future of our country, in any way we can. But remember, the best gift would be “A PORTION OF YOURSELF”.

This poem I had read somewhere sums it up so beautifully.....

Today I smiled and all at once
Things didn't look so bad.
Today I shared with someone else,
A bit of hope I had.

Today I sang a little song
And felt my heart grow light,
And walked a happy little mile,
With not a cloud in sight.

Today I worked with what I had
And longed for nothing more,
And what had seemed like only weeds,
Were flowers at my door.

Today I loved a little more
And complained a little less,
And in the giving of myself,
I forgot my weariness

My First Day!!

2005-10-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

My first day of yoga class. Had to reach Marine Drive at 6.30am from Powai. Set the alarm for 4.30am. Had tried to go to bed early the previous night but couldn’t sleep till late night due to excitement…..

The alarm rang on schedule. Got up, had packed the stuff I need to carry at night itself so it was just about freshening up and leaving home. Left at 5am. It was still dark and not a soul in sight, atleast visible ones. Not even ubiquitous dogs. As I passed my neighbouring apartment block, the memories of those who had committed suicide came to my mind. I started walking faster, saying silent prayers. The dry leaves making crunching noise under my shoes.

Reached the main road. No street lights near IIT campus. Only headlights flashing by passing vehicles. Almost got hit by a passing truck (maybe the driver was sleepy or drunk). Walked some, saw live people, milkwalas. It was still dark.

Reached the bus stop. No red buses for a long time. A lone rickshaw waiting for passenger near IIT Gate. Took the rick even though the driver was wearing white clothes (like ghosts!!). Ah!! Railway station in sight finally. Fortunately the train came in few minutes, yet again hardly any people….what’s wrong with Bombay??!! I had expected atleast the train to be full, not brimming with people but a decent enough crowd!!! Tried to doze off till Dadar, but couldn’t. Few more women got in at Kurla. One of them was ready to have an argument with anyone at slightest pretext. She wanted the fan switched on, and she did. Then she looked expectantly towards me for atleast a whimper of protest. I closed my eyes and pretended to doze off.

Took a slow train from Dadar to Charni Road. Yipppeeee!!! Reached class on time. Selected a good place for myself under a tree, yes the sessions will be held in open space, under grey blue sky and cool breeze blowing from the sea.

Looking forward to more such sessions!!!!

The most touching moments of my life......

2005-10-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

When my mom had to carry me to the doctor (next block from our building) since I couldn’t walk due to acute stomachache. I was eleven years old and taller than her. She was half carrying me, half dragging me with her but she didn’t give up until I got medical attention....

When I saw my grandfather suddenly appearing at our college gate one rainy morning with an umbrella for me and a raincoat for my brother. He had walked all the way from home to our college (about 25 mins) in heavy rain to ensure that we reached back home safe and dry....

When I had to stay back a little longer than usual at my part time job one evening and didn’t inform home about being late. My brother and father walking the road from my home to workplace, looking for me. My mother and sisters at home, praying for my safety....

When my elder sister, who hates being hugged, hugged me close to her all night to keep me warm in freezing Himalayan mountains when I thought I was going to die of cold....

When my Prince Charming called me from a far off country on hearing that I hadn’t got admission to the course I was looking forward to since long. To share my sadness and to cheer me up....

When I felt lost and lonely just before a Talent Contest and my friend Nisha offered to help with my costume and makeup, even without me asking her.....

Interesting Conversation!!!

2005-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Hey people......not getting time at all to blog.....main bechari, kaam ke bhoj ki mari :)

well, I have this absolutely fantastic conservation forwarded to me by a friend.....

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and....

Prof: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?
Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student :Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student : From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student :Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student : No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student : No , sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelled your god? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.... But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir? (The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelled it?.....No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it, sir.. The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

Do you know who the student is.... That young man was ALBERT EINSTEIN.......

A Glorious Morning!!!

2005-10-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful morning....so foggy, just like in winters. Mild, warm sunrays trying to penetrate the fog, forming glorious patterns on dewy grass....

mmmmmm.....but i know, its not winter yet....this is just an illusion!!

Will history repeat itself???

2005-09-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

By that time she knew she was in love with him, her best friend. She was 23 then.

Freshly heartbroken because the girl he loved preferred to marry the boy of her parent's choice.

She was there for him, a shoulder to cry on, a patient ear, trying to cheer him up.

A couple of months passed. Her best friend invited her to a party. There she saw the girl for the first time, a new entrant in the group, falling all over her best friend. He looked embarassed but did not discourage her. She asked him whether she is his new girlfriend. He answered in negative. "Then why so much intimacy?" she asked. He said she's like that with all the guys. She kept quite.

After a month, he introduced his new girlfriend to her, the same girl from the party. She let go of her best friend.

She is 31 now and in love again. Will history repeat itself??

Does it sound like "Bridget Jones Diary"??!!

Listen to your intuition!!!

2005-09-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

My rainy sandals were looking at me longingly…..my umbrella was trying to catch my attention. But I just ignored them. Had to leave immediately to reach office on time. My mind was nudging me, pick up your umbrella, but I ignored that too.

Was dozing in the train when the lady next to me said “Thank God I am carrying an umbrella today”. I opened my eyes to see heavy clouds pregnant with rain, just ready to deliver. I cursed under my breath and at the same time it started pouring…..

Reached VT station to be stranded among 500 other commuters who were not smart enough to carry an umbrella, just like me…..the rain just wouldn’t let up for another half an hour…..finally when it got bored of harassing his unsuspecting victims, it stopped….

Moral of the story is LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION!!! Even if you are late to work!!

Love or Obsession??!!

2005-09-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my brother was watching a Japanese movie with dubbed English sub-titles. I have no clue what the movie was about. Only I could catch the last shot where the lead actor, a General in some Imperial army is asking the lead actress, a warrior in the enemy camp to go away with him…..to be free as the wind…..

She does not reply, stands quietly with her head bent. The General waits for a few minutes, then gallops away on his horse…..away and away he goes, through jungle, through open fields and woods….and then he halts….just waiting there….

The actress is still standing with her head bent, then raises her head with determination, mounts her horse and follows the General…..through jungle, through open fields and woods….. she is so close to reaching her love when suddenly……a knife coming her way, aimed at her heart. She is alerted on time, uses her sword to divert the knife, succeeds….but alas!! There were two and not one knife…..one reaches the target, right on the heart….

She stumbles and falls off her horse….gasping for breath…..injured and bleeding….

Her attacker appears…..looks at her struggling to her feet and says “why were you going to him? You know that I love you. If you cant be mine, you can not be with anybody else either.”

The General turns back on his path…..galloping with wind, trying to reach his beloved. He finds her, almost dead!!! He holds her close to him, trying to talk to her, to revive her…..she whispers in his ears “turn around, behind your back”…..the same person tries to attack him with his sword but the General is quick to defend himself…..he understands the scenario……and asks the attacker “If you love her why kill her?”

Indeed!!! What is love?? How do we interpret love?? What is the essence of love??

Love is about giving selflessly and not about being selfish…..about wanting the people you love to be happy and not killing them because they didn’t make you happy….

Can anyone be more sad than the person trying to confine love in his possession???

Well, if you want to know how the movie ends….the girl asks the General why has he come back?? He shouldn’t have….and the General replies “I have come back for you, my love”….the girl dies with a smile on her face, for she had found true love…..

IT WORKED!!!!

2005-09-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

It worked!!! It worked!!

No rains since Saturday....even the clouds are missing.

Ah!! the dry roads at last. The brilliance of sun shining down on happy faces (drenched in sweat....he he)!!

Blissssss!!!!!

Rain, Rain Go Away.....

2005-09-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hey buddy, its almost end of September, time for you to move on....but you are still pouring merrily as if you have just begun.

I love you friend and look forward to your arrival every June....but you know what, I am missing that sweltering heat I am so used to....give it a chance too dost!!!

My cotton clothes, which I pack away at the beginning of Monsoon are beckoning me....and my synthetic material clothes can take only so much....I mean they have faced heavy downpours, murky water splashed by passing vehicles, et al!!!

And yesterday evening was the last straw. I was carry such heavy bags (almost 10 kgs) back home from office. And what do you do?? You decide to come down in thick sheets, making it impossible for me to balance my bags and the umbrella. The visibility on roads was near zero and the poor rickshaw was trying stoically not to be blown away by your best buddy Wind, hollering his lungs out. And your other friends were keeping you company too, yeah those two Lightening and Thunder....the scene was right out of some horror flick....

Now, I cannot help empathizing with little Johnny, who would request you to go away in my nursery rythms....

As much as you love this city, you will have to bid adieu my friend, atleast for the next eight months....or the Bombayites might start a signature campaign against you....then don’t tell me I didn’t warn you!!

So long Rain bhai, be back next year!!!

The Smuggled Puppy.....

2005-09-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I saw him again yesterday, after a gap of about three years. I recognized him immediately. The same white with spots of black.

Yes, we had smuggled him from Goa to Bombay. One of the friends on our visit to Goa three years ago, in the month of August, had fallen for this pup and wanted desperately to bring it back with him to Bombay. Even then, Fraser was a quite and contemplative pup. Unlike his sister, who was very aggressive.

The question was how does one carry a pup from Goa to Bombay in a public transport. We didn’t want him to travel in a goods compartment, all alone…..neither could we afford the cost. What did we do?? He he….we packed the pup into an empty beers carton and he travelled with us in our compartment right under the nose of the Ticket Checker (TC). Ofcourse, we didn’t seal the carton, the lid was open so that we could feed him from time to time. The poor scared pup wouldn’t even whimper.

Every time the train would halt at any station, we would take the pup out for a walk and then put him back in his carton once the train started to move. Every time we were out with the pup, people around us would see us play with him and when the train was on the move, the pup would disappear!! Well, inevitably the TC got curious and when we were only a couple of hours away from Bombay, he asked to check our carton and out peeped Fraser. God! Were we scared?? Will the TC take us to police?? Will he confiscate Fraser??

Nah, he did suggest that we put Fraser in goods compartment and pay up Rs. 2000/- (imagine!!!) and Fraser can continue his journey to Bombay. But we reasoned with him that it was so small and scared, he wont survive without us, besides we were just about reaching Bombay and we didn’t have so much money on us either and so on and on we went till he agreed to let the issue rest for Rs. 150/-. Phew!!!

Fraser has grown up, tall and lean. His eyes are so wise and intelligent. A very loving and sensitive dog.

The Third Insight - "Awareness of Energy"

2005-09-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Third Insight brings a transformed understanding of the physical universe. Humans would discover a new energy, which formed the basis of and radiated outward from all things, including ourselves.

The whole of Einstein’s life’s work was to show that what we perceive as hard matter is mostly empty space with a pattern of energy running through it. This includes ourselves. The basic stuff of the universe, at its core, is looking like a kind of pure energy that is malleable to human intention and expectation in a way that defies our old mechanistic model of the universe – as though our expectation itself causes our energy to flow out into the world and affect other energy systems, which is exactly what the Third Insight would lead us to believe.

The manuscript said the human perception of this energy first begins with a heightened sensitivity to beauty. The perception of beauty is a kind of barometer telling each of us how close we are to actually perceiving the energy. This is clear because once you observe this energy, you realise it’s on the same continuum as beauty. When something strikes us as beautiful, it displays more presence and sharpness of shape and vividness of colour. It stands out. It shines. It seems almost iridescent compared to the dullness of other objects less attractive. When we focus on an object, you can see its unique beauty. It is as though first you see the objects, then you see their uniqueness and presence and then it happens, something gets amplified in the pure beauty of their physical expression, at which time you can see the energy field of that object. One can see an energy field around a person too.

Do we know to what extent does the physical universe as a whole – since it is made up of the same basic energy – respond to our expectations? To what extent do our expectations create all the things that happen to us? Think of the events in your life. The old Newtonian idea is that everything happens by chance; that one can make good decisions and be prepared, but that every event has its own line of causation independent of our attitude.

After the recent discoveries of modern physics, we may legitimately ask if the universe is more dynamic than that. Perhaps the universe runs mechanistically as a basic operation, but then also subtly responds to the mental energy, we project out into it. Why not? If we can make a plant grow faster (which is a proven experiment) by concentrating our energy on that plant, maybe we can make certain events come faster – or slower, depending on how we think.

The Third Insight elaborates on the nature of beauty, describing this perception as the one through which humans would eventually learn to observe energy fields. Once this occurred, then our understanding of the physical universe would quickly transform.

2005-09-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

Was lost in the blog world...........at work

Boss : "Pallavi get me Willy Hsu on line"

Pallavi : bloginggggggggggggg

Boss : Again "Pallavi get me Willy Hsu on line"

Pallavi : bloginggggggggggggggggggg

Boss : PALLAVI!!!!

Pallavi : 'Han??'

Boss : I will speak to Willy Hsu

Pallavi : (under her breath) phew!!!!

"Smile"....a universal language!!!

2005-09-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Smile…..a magic wand that we have been blessed with. When you say smile, what does come to your mind?? Something pleasant, doesn’t it?….. perhaps your first crush with an angelic smile or a memory of your first born baby with a toothless smile or a stranger, whose fascinating smile still hounds you…..

Such a beautiful gesture and what does it cost us? Only an effort of stretching our lips into a curve? A curve which straightens every problem in our lives….

What a way to communicate your thoughts to someone you love. Just look into their eyes and smile….wont he/she just melt :-)

Don’t know the language in a foreign country? no problem…..just smile at the person, his barriers will immediately break down….

Somebody has had a bad day and is in a foul mood, hold their face in your palms and smile into their eyes……watch the magic change their mood…..

I would like to share a poem which I had read when I was in school and which has stayed with me……..

I love to see the stars at night,
Twinkling in the deep dark sky.

I love to smell the pretty flowers,
That nod their heads, as I pass by.

I love to hear a happy bird,
Sing sweetly to its young ones.

I love to watch a mother hen,
Nestle her chicks beneath her wings.

But most of all, I love to see
My mother, as she smiles at me.

All in a day's travel.....

2005-09-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days. Mid-month and have already reached the quota of 3 late marks. Did not want to get more late marks and what happens? No bus or auto from Powai to Kanjurmarg. Finally managed to halt an auto which was trying to be invisible and fly past me. At the railway station, just missed the regular train and the next one was in no mood to follow immediately. So after about 10 minutes, the beauty from Kalyan chugs in elegantly. The crowd has swelled in the past 10 minutes and my skill of getting into the train while people are still trying to alight was put to test. Managed to get in but my water bottle had to face the brunt. I could hear the crack of plastic, checked to see few dents in the bottle but it survived, no leaks. Women of every size and shape were trying to get past me, don’t know where to. I was busy trying not to lose my foothold for the next half an hour. And also attempting to read Hanuman Chalisa at the same time. God Hanuman came to rescue and got a place to sit, fourth seat. Tried to listen to FM radio above the din of women exchanging pleasantries, the kind which you can hear only in Mumbai trains. At the Masjid Station, an Ambarnath fast passing alongside whistled at our Kalyan beauty , which had the Kalyan beauty all offended and decided not to budge for atleast 10 minutes. Finally, it crawled into VT station a good 20 minutes late. No, there was no hope of getting the regular muster today but alteast hoped to make it to office in decent time. That was really an optimistic thought because when I reached the bus stop outside VT station to catch a bus to Churchgate, a Ladies Special serpentine queue was waiting to greet me. After few more precious minutes the bus did arrive but when you are in a hurry, all the red lights conspire to work against you. As it is, there are 7 signals between VT and Churchgate, a distance of 10 minutes and every single time the bus reaches a signal it has to turn RED. Felt like screaming ‘don’t give me red’. But the conductor did not look like a kindly soul so decide to keep my mouth shut. Hopped out of the bus at my stop and broke into a sprint. Reached office a good half an hour late. Phew!!! No boss yet. Switched on my desktop and spread the important looking documents all over my desk to give a work in progress look. Got coffee from the vending machine and geared up for a day’s work ahead.

Hope!!! That's the name of the game.....

2005-09-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about dancing in the rain

Someday someone might come into your life and love you the way you've always wanted.
If your someday was yesterday, learn.
If your someday is tomorrow, hope.
If your someday is today, cherish.

12500 ft above sealevel......the beginning!!

2005-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Where do I start from??? Okay, from the very beginning...

It was February 2004...life was so mechanical...office to home to office to home....was bored of the routine, wanted to take a break....very badly. That’s when I got a call, “Pulse, how about going for a Nature Trek? YHAI conducts various treks in summer, maybe we can make it to one of them” said Jen. I just needed an excuse and jumped at the idea. Called YHAI at their Parel office and got their website address. Checked their website and was impressed by the no. of treks conducted by them in Himachal (and other parts of India). I was more keen on Himachal for one; it has Himalayan mountains, second - wanted to experience snow and third, was always fascinated by pictures of Himachal Pradesh.

One fine day I went to YHAI office and collected membership forms. Yes, they said we need to be a member of their organization to join any of the treks. Jen couldn’t make it coz she got engaged around that time. Finally, it was me and my 2 sisters on our way to Himachal. We started planning our trip from first week of March. The trek was to happen in end April. So it started...the planning, shopping, booking tickets, gathering stuff/advices from friends for the trip.

Finally, the day of departure arrived, 24th of April. We left for Chandigarh by Paschim Express. The train departed at it’s scheduled time 11.30am from Bandra Terminus. Our compartment was shared first by a Punjabi couple with their two kids, a boy and a girl. They were travelling till Baroda. Their son, Deep was a friendly kid and wanted to share his jokes with us. Next, got in a Tamil couple with their two kids, both boys and was there chaos after that?? Mayhem!! Both the kids were howling for their Appa (father) constantly. Their parents were one harried couple. And so were we, hassled during the night by constant howling by the Appa’s younger son. Next came a Gujarati couple with their two kids, a boy and a girl again. These kids were well behaved (thank God for small mercies). Reached Chandigarh the next evening at around 4pm.

First task after reaching Chandigarh was to book bus tickets for Manali. We got into a jhintak autorichaw just outside the station which took us to a Travel Agency owned by Lt. Col. K.S.Gill(Retd.) and was he one cranky guy? but as honest as they come. We were given student discount on the bus fare (he he he). The bus was to leave only at 8 in the night so we thought of checking out Chandigarh in the meantime. That jhintak auto was still around so on we went painting the town red...first we were taken to Rose Garden, which was honestly ‘thakela’....then went to Rock Garden, which was quite innovative I would say, and then to a lake, which was no different from Powai lake back home. Anyway, Chandigarh is very interesting in the sense that it is very well planned, neat, clean, spaced out and well maintained. Even the people there come across as well educated and well behaved. Had Punjabi dinner and geared up for the journey (8 hours) ahead. The bus was comfortable and we were eager to reach base camp Seobag in Kullu. As the bus started gaining altitude, the breeze was getting chillier...brrrrr. Had to wear our jackets to keep warm and tried to catch a wink. Glanced out of the window once when the bus was navigating a pin-bend and that was my last attempt to look out. I mean I wouldn’t dare to imagine how the driver managed to still stay on land inspite of the dark, narrow roads he was driving on (to one side was a deep gorge and even a slight slip would mean ta ta bye bye forever…) Time passed without any mishap and just when I thought I could sleep comfortably, the conductor said we have reached Seobag. Out of the bus we climbed with lock, stock and barrel and it was only 5.15am. The morning was freezing as it had rained there the previous night and it was still dark. We three were shivering inspite of warm clothes. Anyway, to our chagrin, that was not the base camp for Chanderkhani Pass (the camp we were supposed to report to). The bus had dropped us at Babeli Base Camp, which was a camp for families. Thanks to our stars again, the keeper there was a kind soul and let us in We got freshened up (in freezing water) and were served hot tea (God bless that man). After tea we started walking, with our heavy luggage, towards our base camp at Seobag which was a good 3km away from Babeli. The view was breathtaking though and the walk seemed pleasant. We walked for sometime along the river and saw a bus approaching. Waved the bus to a halt, which dropped us to Ramshila Bridge. Another auto tarried us from the bridge straight to our base camp.

Some of our batchmates (from Bombay) had already reached the base camp. We waved to them. The camp leader, Mr. Pramod Kant (PK) was not very pleased with our gesture. He forever had a pissed off expression plastered on his face. We filled up our admit forms. It was 7 in the morning. We were feeling fresh inspite of two days journey (by train, bus and auto). We were part of the camp finally and full of anticipation. The previous batch, ie., CP1 was back from exercise and I waved at Vikram who was all smiles. Breakfast was announced at 7.30am. Mitali, Mansi and Chaitashree, girls from Bombay were already settled in our tent (no. 9). Dumped our bags in same tent, fished out our plates and mugs and off we went to our first meal in the base camp. People from CP1 were friendly and started chatting up with us.

First day was meant for rest. We could go sightseeing or shopping to Kullu or Manali but were expected back at the camp by 5pm. We had enough traveling for two days and hence decided to explore the place around base camp. After breakfast, we went wandering towards river Beas, which was in full flow. Watching the river flowing serenely was a contrast to the flow of traffic in Mumbai. We sat on a platform near the river and just enjoyed the cool breeze for some time. We went exploring the road that runs straight along the base camp. Saw apple trees for the first time in my life. Some strange trees with beautiful flowers were scattered all around. Suddenly, three children in school uniform came running down a nearby hill. They were so comfortable climbing down that steep hill that we just stood there watching them, amazed. They were carrying school bags as well as a bag of roses, probably delivering them to someone. They looked so happy and carefree. Climbing up for some time made us feel tired, so just sat on a huge rock by the road side. That’s when we saw a girl carrying a rucksack coming up from the other side. We took a guess that she could be one of the trekkers in our group. She passed us even without a glance. Was probably very tired and wanted to reach the base camp as soon as possible. We later introduced ourselves at the camp. Her name was Sudha and she was from Delhi. In the afternoon we had our bath, in freezing cold water. Then got busy getting rid of insects (entipedes) crawling all over our tent, but to no avail. They seemed to be appearing from thin air. Finally, we moved our dhera to Tent no. 10.

A whistle announced lunch at 1pm. Lunch was delicious. Rotis, vegetable, dal and rice. After lunch we were lazing in our tent, all girls, 7 of us, when slumber started taking over. When I woke up around 3pm, Padmaja was fast asleep and Lux was nowhere to be seen. Padmaja woke up soon after and suggested we go to make a phone call to mom. We asked for permission from PK who said we should be back by 4.30pm. By the time we got some money from Chaitu (Lux had disappeared with the money purse) and left the base camp for nearby village it was 3.30pm. Our first trek had begun (almost). It was half an hour walk one way to reach an STD booth. Called up home, Mom wasn’t home. She had gone to cast her vote (it was election time in Bombay). Anyway, left a message for Mom that we have reached safely and are doing well. On our way back to base camp (uphill), we met two people with rucksacks. They were Piyush and his wife Nehal from Baroda who asked us for directions to the base camp. We started a conversation with them on our way back. Nehal would also share our tent. Finally we were 8 girls in CP2 batch.

Tea was served in the evening at 5pm with hot pakoras. After tea, we played some games. At 7.30pm, it was time for dinner. Dinner again was yummy. Camp fire at 8.30pm but unfortunately no fire. We had campfire with electric lamps (conservation of woods, you see). We were two batches on the first day, CP1 and CP2. CP1 had put up a good show since it was their turn that night to perform at the campfire. Quite a talented lot they were. Bournvita was making the rounds for those who liked to have milk before going to bed. Campfire was over by 9.30pm. Bed time was 10, meaning lights would go off at 10pm sharp.

That night was a lil scary, thinking about the insects getting into our blankets and crawling all over us. Chaitashree, especially was hyper coz all the insects seemed to get attracted only to her. But surprisingly we had a very good night’s sleep. Woke up the next morning at 5.15 to the announcement of bed tea. We were to assemble for morning exercise at 6. But PK started blowing his whistle right from 5.45. This had everyone scrambling around looking for their towels, getting rid of toothbrushes, getting into their shoes, etc. So at 6am sharp we started jogging on the road outside our camp and alongside the river. Was it refreshing or what!!! The sunrays had still not reached the east bank of the river and the breeze was still chilled. Me, as usual was not able to keep up with other joggers and lagged behind. Anyway, caught up with them when they had to halt for stretching exercise. Stretching part was good since I was used to more rigorous stretches in SDIPA (that’s Shaimak Davar’s Institute of Performing Arts, for the uninitiated). Back to camp at 7am followed by camp cleaning session, which was to pick up wrappers and such and put them in the wastebasket. Breakfast again at 7.30. This time they had served yummy dalia along with the breakfast. This was our day of acclimatization. We were given a rucksack each and a pair of blankets the previous evening and also checked our weight. We were to pack our rucksacks with those two blankets, a bottle of water and get ready to leave for acclimatization and orientation at 8am sharp. CP1 had their acclimatization the previous day and today they were going for rock climbing and rappelling.

So on we went, all 26 of us (yes, we were a batch of 26 people) climbing up a steep hill to get the feel of what’s coming our way in the next 7 days. The walk to the hill was good, climbing up the hill proved to be very exhaustive. I was doubtful weather I would be able to manage the entire trek. Once we reached the stream, which was the end of climbing part, life was beautiful again. Water in the stream was cool and refreshing. We were given orange squash to drink and a round of introduction begun. Some were from B’bay, some from Gujarat, Delhi, Chennai, Kerala and Hyderabad. After spending about an hour there, we started back for base camp. The walk back was simply beautiful. We walked through the village, met local people, the school kids, who were happily waving at us. We reached back to the base camp on time for lunch. Again a lazy afternoon and games in the evening. That night we tried to watch Venus and Mar through the telescope but the sky was overcast with rain clouds. It was our turn to perform at the camp fire and we had only about an hour to prepare. I was forced to give a performance, actually I just read out some funny shayaris from my cellphone, which I had cleverly copied into a notebook ;-). Yes, it was clever thinking on my part (can you hear the trumphet blowing??) since we didn’t have much time. Friends, let me assure you my performance was a hit, the audience wanted more (but there was no source for me to borrow more shayaris (he he he). Next morning after exercise and breakfast, we left for rock climbing and rappelling. Rock climbing was scary. I mean you have to be an insect OR an insect to climb rocks. How else does one help but fall off it?? Sudha came to my rescue. She literally pushed me half way up that damn rock and other half way one of the guys from our group pulled me up. Phew!! Reached the top, but wait, it’s even more scary up here....one slip and no, you don’t go down, you go up....straight to heaven. Soon enough, it was my turn in rappelling. Ropes and earnest in place, I followed carefully every word uttered by the instructor, so carefully that my feet were still on the edge of the rock but my entire body was bent down (yes, I was upside down). I heard few shrieks from the crowd, especially girls. Nope, I didn’t lose the grip on my rope and propelled myself in sitting position and started sliding down. Perfect, the landing was just perfect. Again, we were back to the base camp for lunch but the afternoon was not for relaxation, it was for packing rucksacks for actual trek. We were advised to pack as less as possible, since the trek would be quite exhausting. That evening each of our rucksacks were checked (for any unwanted items) and weighed and cleared for carrying the next morning. Our luggages were locked in the store-room. Games as unsual in the evening and dinner, followed by campfire and performance by CP3 group. That night we went to bed in anticipation of excitement and adventure awaiting us the next morning....and guys, the trek was one helluva experience.

Ummm, it depends on my mood if and when I would write about the actual trek to Chanderkhani Pass. Adios till then :-)

Never Quit....

2005-09-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

I had come across this very inspiring lesson.....hope it inspires you too!!!

One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. "God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me... "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said, "In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and
gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a
challenge it could not handle."

He said to me, "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?" "I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you." "Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

He will never give up on you!

Love, Light and Peace

My Guardian Angel!!!

2005-09-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

I know him since the time I remember, the Bluff Master...few months younger to me. Parveen Babi we used to tease him because of his name and he would pretend to be upset.

A major movie buff, he used to visit our next door neighbours (in Bandra) every summer holidays. On lazy sleepy afternoons, on the staircase of our apartment building he would start his story sessions. His stories would be nowhere close to the original but he had the talent to hold audience nevertheless. He was the one who had introduced us to Rambo and Commando. He would recount the actions of Bulging muscles Sylvestor Stallone and we would be so impressed that we would make our own walkie talkies with discarded cigarette packs and crawl on the balcony floor calling each other “Alpha, Charlie, Over and Out”...

One summer afternoon we were on stealing spree...stealing flowers from any garden we would come across...our quest took us to the sprawling complex of MHADA which had beautiful garden with variety of flowers. The compound wall was pretty high for we were just kids. Anyway, 3 of us managed to scale the wall :-), me, the bluff master and my bro...others were waiting outside, keeping an eye for the watchman. We could manage to pluck only a few flowers when we heard the whistle and there was this watchman, huge and bulky, pointing his danda, charging towards us. Our Khabris outside were already biting the dust. Flowers forgotten, we tried to scale the compound wall as fast as we could and just about managed before the watchman could grab us. Phew!!! The way we ran from there, I am sure we could have won the 100 metres relay hands down. Once we were at a safe distance from the charging watchman, the bluff master started his solo act. Oh, I cant see...God, I have gone blind...ah, my eyes hurt. Did we panic? You bet, all of us could virtually experience the spanking awaiting us at our respecting homes. When we tried to check his eyes, the bluff master was giggling...he was GIGGLING!!! GRRRRRR...he got maximum kicks on his butt that day.

There were many more summers after that with many more adventures...but among all the friends, he would always be there for me. Supporting, cheering, teasing...If mom asked me to pick up some groceries, he would go with me. If I felt like visiting a temple, he would go too. Even for my first interview (a part time job), he just happened to visit my home and insisted on accompanying me. I was glad he did since though I was very confident when I left home, once I reached there I was a bundle of nerves. I was about to leave without giving any interview when my friend insisted that I go through it. Yes, yes I did get that job.

He grew up to be a tall and strong youth. I didn’t call him handsome because I still have to figure out how he actually looks. I mean I will definitely know once he stops changing his hairstyles and his designer moustache and beard. In case you guys want to know, his latest style is Mangal Pandey moustache...he he

Do you believe in Guardian Angels? I do, how can I not after knowing the Bluff Master!!!

Hindi ka Chindi!!!

2005-09-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hindi, bole to....apun ka language.

Bombay is a potpourri of cultures, melting and blending with each other. One gets to hear so many variations of Hindi here. Some are downright hilarious. People, here are some funny lines, from my personal experience.

I grew up in a Maharashtrian neighbourhood. Once when I was a kid (yeah that was once upon a time), I was holding a live coachroach with its antennae, looking for an unsuspecting victim and in came my neighbour (he was about my age) and exclaimed “Pallavi woh coachroach takun de nahi to chavega"....har har har har...coachroach forgotten, I was rolling on the floor with laughter.

The same guy, when asked why he didn’t come to play yesterday, said “Pappa ne bola ke abhyas kar nahi to pankhe pe ulta tangega”...LOL

Another neighbour from down South (yes, the ubiquitous Madrasi) was telling my mother that his wife has gone to native place in a drain....DRAIN??!!! My mom asked him ‘how can anyone go in a drain?’...Madrasi neighbour ‘but everyone goes in a drain!!!’....keep guessing guys....ROTFL"

Madrasi neighbour’s (Annachi’s) assistant comes home and asks mom for his blade....
Mom: We never borrowed your blade!!!
The assistant: Arre aunty, Annachi had sent you some idlis yesterday in our blade.
Mom: Oh!! you are asking for your PLATE...here take your plate...LOL

Annachi’s wife is asking my mom whether Ajji (grandmom) has any ‘Petis’
Mom (suspiciously): yes, she has some Petis (trunks), why??
Annachis’s wife: I have never seen her visiting Ajji, that’s why!!
Har har har har...he hehheehhheee…ha ha ha hahah ha ha ha...guys, if you haven’t guessed yet, she was asking about ‘Betis’ (daughters)...LOL

One of my Marathi friends to the Lemonade vendor...”ismein limbu barobar se pilna bhaiyya”...ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

My latest neighbour, a 3 year old kid, while watching the rain from our window...”Pallavi maushi, paaus kaisa padtai dekh”...

Hindi, the unanimous language spoken in Bombay, sounds far from the actual dialect but don’t we just love it guys....bole to....

Tomorrow Never Comes.....

2005-09-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Every morning I am woken up from my deep slumber...kick kick, time to get up, you will get late for office. Five more minutes please...KICK, you had your five minutes, now get up or I will pour cold water on you.......shit, I am already late!!!

Now which day is it? Oh, only Tuesday...4 more days to go. Bang!! Who’s in the toilet, out you @&$*#, I am already late...

Okay, who has HIDDEN my towel, search search...ah! it has to be under this debris of freshly washed clothes...I am already late...

Have breakfast!! You must be kidding, where’s the time?? I am already late...

You are always late....why don’t you get up a little earlier??

SURE, TOMORROW I WILL....

The Mean Machine

2005-09-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Thrill!!! that's what we feel when we finally master the mean machine on two slim tyres. Zoooooming the neighbourhood, scaring auntijis out of your way...... shrieking kids running helter skelter. Ah! the power of speed.....wind rippling through your hair.....your hands spread out in the famous pose of Titanic (the movie).....and then comes the speed breaker......skreeeeeeeeeeeeech, too late.....you are already face down on the street in full view of the same auntijis and kids whom you had freaked out a moment ago....you pick up your mean machine and march towards home......mommmmmy!!!

Corporate Taporis

2005-09-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

In one of the top Corporates of our country, there is a group of 6 Taporis (bhai log or rather behen log)…..they call themselves ‘Golden Gang’.

Moti - may her health increase
Armstrong - 200 tons of bone crunching muscles, man!!
KaunKaun.com - the only question in her life is ‘Kaun?’
Chuppa Rustom - for she rarely talks yet has all the inside information
I-Object - she has objection to everything that others have to say, always
Scavenger - scavenges for food from her friends plates, everyday.

This group is very popular in their office building (okay, atleast famous). They are omnipresent. Be it any occasion, any celebration, any party, Golden Gang would be present…..adding life and vitality to the events. Since they are spread all over the building (6 floors), they convene at their adda “E-Zone” managed by another Tapori, Saat Baj Gaya…..for emergency discussions or to just chilllll chilllll….

I see a bright future for this Golden Gang. Moti plans to start a Passport consultancy firm, Armstrong is the most versatile of the lot…she has so many degrees and diplomas that she is confused about her choice of career, KaunKaun.com is planning to make movies, starting with ‘Pehchan Kaun?’ (he he he), Chuppa Rustom will continue doing her present job (maybe till some ‘American from Bhayander’ sweeps her off her feet!!), I-object can run for elections since she will make very good opposition, objecting to every plan of the ruling party and scavenger plans to take up yoga for mind-control so that she can stop scavenging food from her friends plates :-)

Golden Gang rocks!!!! 3 Cheers to this gang of Taporis!!!

The Second Insight - "Conciousness"

2005-08-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Second Insight extends our consciousness of historical time. It shows us how to observe culture not just from the perspective of our own life-times but from the perspective of a whole millennium. It reveals our preoccupation (to manipulate natural resources for our own benefit, to raise our standard of living, our sense of secular and economic security in the world) to us and so lifts us above it. When you see human world now, you should see this obsessiveness, the intense preoccupation with economic progress. The problem was that our focussed, obsessive drive to conquer nature and make ourselves more comfortable had left the natural systems of the planet polluted and on the verge of collapse.

Now, however, we have spent enough time settling into the world. It’s time now to wake up from the preoccupation and reconsider our original question. What’s behind life on this planet? Why are we really here?

Aren’t we responsible towards nature?…..how much can we exploit it, where does it stop? Do we give back what we take from nature? Aren’t we disturbing the balance by taking too much? At this rate, will this planet be an ideal habitat for our future generations? THINK!!!

Do Dewane Shahar mein......

2005-08-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

I met her on my first job….it was a first for her too :-). Fresh out of college, full of enthusiasm and jest for life, we both hit it off immediately…

We are amazingly so much alike, our thoughts, views, outlook towards life….we even sound the same on phone :-) he he he….fooled our families a couple of times…

Its almost a decade now…..and the bond has only grown stronger with passage of years. We do have our tiffs, fights and disagreements at times…..hey, but that only makes us appreciate each other more….

The trip to Goa, our tiff on how to cross the road, my falling ill, and was she worried for me??…..she is always protective of me, aren’t you J??…...few months younger to me, but full of advices :-)

Those sessions of Antakshari, shared lunches, shared jokes, checking out checkable dudes ;-) , movie outings, quick picnics (remember the walk from Marine Drive to Chowpatty on a warm morning, armed with sandwiches and apples for lunch, wrapping up with a visit to Gateway of India and dinner at Aladdin??)

SALE was the magic word for us……J would say “Pulse there’s sale going on at so & so”…..zooooooom, we are already there :-) checking out best bargains…..we did pick up few bargains together. Our last visit was to Garden sale…..did she wear that saree yet??

"Four Weddings & a Funeral"…..we both had planned to watch it together, but another J (the one in mustard coloured suit….he he) also tagged along :-) I wonder whether he could understand what’s going on in the movie at all…..alright, I am being mean, but am sure she too would agree with me….he he….

Well friends, she got hitched last year :-)…..moved away to another country with her hubby….but know what? she’s still with me, close to my heart, in spirit and mind….

The First Insight - "Co-incidences"

2005-08-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Continued from The Celestine Prophecy...

The transformation is beginning with the First Insight, this insight always surfaces unconsciously at first, as a profound sense of restlessness. According to the manuscript, we are beginning to glimpse an alternative kind of experience……moments in our lives that feel somehow different, more intense and inspiring. But we don’t know what this experience is or how to make it last. We’re all looking for more fulfullment in our lives and won’t put up with something which we feel is not good enough for us. This restless searching is what’s behind the “me-first” attitude, which when comes to relationships, results in control battles and power struggles resulting in so many broken marriages and unhappy relationships. While most of society’s recent ills can be traced to this restlessness and searching, this problem is temporary and will come to an end when we fully grasp and attend the First Insight. We’re finally becoming conscious of what we are actually looking for, of what this other, more fulfilling experience really is…..

There!!!….aren’t you restless to know what the First Insight is about which I have been harping for so long….well, you have to wait no more….and here’s revealing the First Insight to you ordinary mortals….

“The First Insight occurs when we become conscious of the coincidences in our lives”

Have you ever had a hunch or intuition concerning something you wanted to do? Some course you wanted to take in your life? And wondered how it might happen? And then, after you had half forgotten about it and focused on other things, you suddenly met someone or read something or went somewhere that led to the very opportunity you envisioned? Well, these coincidences are happening more and more frequently and that, when they do, they strike us as beyond what would be expected by pure chance. They feel destined, as though our lives had been guided by some unexplained force. The experience induces a feeling of mystery and excitement and as a result, we feel more alive. This is the experience that we have glimpsed and that we are now trying to manifest all the time. More people every day are convinced that this mysterious movement is real and that it means something, that something else is going on beneath everyday life. This awareness is the First Insight.

The First Insight is a reconsideration of the inherent mystery that surrounds our individual lives on this planet. We are experiencing these mysterious coincidences and even though we don’t understand them yet, we know they are real. We are sensing again, as in childhood, that there is another side of life that we have yet to discover, some other process operating behind the scenes. The First Insight is not new. Individuals have been aware of these unexplained coincidences throughout history, this has been the perception behind many a great attempts at philosophy and religion. The transformation is occurring now because of the number of people who are conscious of such coincidences has begun to grow dramatically leading to a critical mass. Once we reach this critical mass, the entire culture will begin to take these coincidental experiences seriously. We will wonder, in mass, what mysterious process underlies human life on this planet. When a sufficient number of individuals seriously question what’s going on in life, we will begin to find out. The other insights will be revealed……..one after the other……

Coming next is the SECOND INSIGHT....

The Celestine Prophecy, by James Redfield…..

2005-08-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

“An adventure in the rain forests of Peru, an ancient manuscript has been discovered. Within its pages are 9 key insights into life itself. Insights each human being is predicted to grasp sequentially. One insight then another, as we move towards a completely spiritual culture on Earth.”

Well, when one reads the description of what’s in store, can they resist from reading the book? My odyssey with this book was not a smooth one, at times confusing and at times clear like crystal, at times stunning and at times so much familiar…..

The book is about a person’s journey in pursuit of 9 insights, which will reveal our true destiny. When we find and understand all nine of the insights, we will have an exciting new image of human life and a positive vision of how we will save this planet, its creatures and its beauty.

The Manuscript predicts that in the last decades of the twentieth century human beings will begin to grasp these insights sequentially, one insight then another, as we move from where we are now to a completely spiritual culture on this planet.

To be continued....

It started on a weekend......

2005-08-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

The week was good....few parties and celebrations.....and then came Friday, the weekend. She and a friend logged onto internet, a marriage website.....started browsing through profiles, just for fun....she came across one, felt connected, sent a contact immediately.....no response for a few days, she forgot about it....

Then it arrived....the reply. The mail brought back the connected feeling....she replied too....met the person, on internet chat the same evening, a co-incidence??....

Got closer after exchange of few more mails.....everyday she would look forward to his messages, everyday.....she did not realise when it happened, she was falling in love.....the beauty and ecstasy of being in love, the glow of fulfillment....

She made a mistake.....one which most people in love make.....she assumed....

A lovely soul that he is.....did not want her to be hurt. He made an attempt to save her the heartache, she was inevitably heading towards.....but was she wise enough to understand?? No!!

She misunderstood him....stopped contact with him, a silly girl that she is. Hey, but good sense prevailed eventually :-).....she realised how lucky she was to meet such an amazing person....

And yes, they are friends again.....

So people, it started on a weekend....her lessons in true love....to love unconditionally, freely, unassumingly.....about giving love without any expectations.....that love is the fairest flower that blooms in God's garden...

If she knows what love is, it's because of him :-))

Ahh! The coming into being of ‘Bhalla’

2005-08-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

A younger sister (sweet girl that she is!!) has some anti-social friends. One of them is an excuse for human being, named Jim (Jimpulsive, for he is very impulsive....he he he). A bully to the core. Harassing hapless girls is his full time occupation. He is also given to hallucinations….oh yes, at times he calls himself Lord Jim, at times The Evil Destroyer and many more titles he has bestowed on self….

Forgiven him all his sins…..but his last and most unforgivable folly was that he dared to distort my beautiful name. ‘Bhalla’ he calls me….and to infuriate me he tries his best…..his equal he has met, he has no idea in the lest….

So what does ‘Bhalla’ stand for?? It stands for a spirit of rebel, of success, of rising above Jimevil’s* mediocre bullying tactics. *(Jim, The Evil in case you haven't guessed yet :-) )

Jim, the original dumb…..Bhalla has striked…..