Thursday, February 14, 2008
Food I Never Gets Tired Of..
Every morning I do a herculean task - The task is 'thinking' what to pack for lunch. Normal course is one curry (gravy) , one thoran (dry dish) and then rice mixed with curd. This menu varies depending on the time I wake up, the availability of vegetables in the house and of course my mood to cook. So some days it will be very elaborate lunch with all these items but some days it will be just one dish, either dry or gravy. Also there are days where I just make some colored rice or even pack a portion of my breakfast itself!! But whenever there is rice , it would invariably be mixed with curd. This is true even if there are other dishes as well. I don't follow the traditional course where you eat the curd and rice only in the end. I have survived many a years with only curd and rice (as vegetables spoils the taste of curd :P ) until one day I had to be rushed to the hospital with a dangerously low Hb count. So although I started eating vegetables from then on curd still remained as an indispensable item. And what's surprising me is I don't mind eating curd 365 days a year where as if it's any other dish I don't like repeating it the next day rather a while,for that matter(That's why 'thinking' what to make every day became a herculean task if that's what you were wondering). So what about you? Do you have any such "never get tired of" foods?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
My Pandora Box
My room has a wall sized rack and a shelf where I used to store all my belongings while in school and college. These were kind of untouched ever since I moved to Bangalore. So last time when I was home for a longer duration, I decided to check the same. And what I found there was quite interesting. It was like diving into my past and unveil the life of that silly little girl who treasured anything and everything.. Would you also be interested in having a peek?
First, a box full of 'manjadikkuru' and 'kunnikkuru'(abrus seeds). As a small kid, these colorful little seeds really fascinated me and I just loved collecting them.. The main source for this collection was Guruvayoor temple. There is a big vessel where these seeds are kept and children are made to play with it. It is supposed to make the children naughty just like Srikrishna! I still don't understand why parents invite such headaches deliberately! Anyway coming to the point, these used to be very sticky (as it will be filled with sweats of so many people) and so one or two would always stick to your hands which would eventually fall off in the pradakshina vazhi. I used to collect those spilled ones (of course with lot of scoldings from mom for picking up things from ground :P ) to come home and fill my jar.My manjadi collection grew with every visit to the temple. Kunnikkuru came from one more source. Near my grand mom's house this plant was there and these seeds used to be scattered all over the place. We didn't know the location of this plant and so had to satisfy ourselves by collecting the fallen ones. It was fun to run around to collect them and also our petty fights in the process. We even used to play different games with that. These seeds are so cute that I never felt like throwing them away even though I outgrew the games long back..
Next a box of Valappottu (Broken bangles). As small girls, we used to play a game with the broken bangles. We would shuffle a bunch of them with different colors and spread it over the floor. You need to pair two similar ones, draw a line in between and strike without disturbing others. Whoever collects the maximum number was the winner. I never had the habit of wearing bangles and so was always the one who contributed the least feedstock for the game. Since you tend to collect anything rarely available, this also became a collection although I have no idea from where or how I collected them!
Then I have a colorful plastic phone in the shape of a house. The house is green in color, the red phone handles would be resting on the roof of the house, then the white dial is in the front. I saw it in a shop and asked for it thinking I can replace the dull black instrument at home with this one! But then it turned out to be a 'kudukka'(a piggy bank) with a small opening at the back. My parents took that as an opportunity to implant some saving habit in me (Wondering why it never stayed but) and explained to me how I should use it. Anyway although I was disappointed by the fact that we should still use the plain old phone for making calls, I was excited with the thought that this little phone when filled would give me money to buy anything that I want.. But though I counted the coins every day, my phone was never full and I used to be desperate. Those were not the days were kids got lots of pocket money (at least not the 6 year olds) and so it was real hard for me to fill the box. The deal was if I find any loose coins in the house , I can take it and fill my kudukka. But most of the times I used to go to dad and ask for some coins. The generous person he was, he used to give me all the small changes and BINGO my bank used to be full :)
I guess it was in my second or third standard that we had to write a composition about "My Hobbies". Instead of making the students write it themselves, we had a ready made composition that we had to mug up (possibly this is the way it happens in all convent schools). The composition was quite detailed and gave step by step information about how to take the stamp out from the envelope without damaging it, how to store it properly, how to expand your collection and so on. Anyway end of it I realized I have a hobby called stamp collection without a single stamp in possession!!! Think like all kids in that age, I was also experimental and decided to try it out from then on .. Any letter that came home went under my careful surgical procedure. Luckily those were the time of snail mails and so I didn't have any problems for my collection to grow. Slowly as I grew older I took it little more seriously and expanded the collection by exchanging with like minded friends as well. But this died a peaceful death once I left school.
I also have a small collection of coins. This was when my 'phone kudukka' started collecting different shaped coins rather than the small changes (Of course even these were donated by my dad). Does anyone remember the old 10 ps, 20 ps, 5 paise coins? I also had some 1 ps and 2 ps coins from my mom's time!! But this also became stagnant after some time as it was not so easy to get different coins unlike stamps. Earlier, I used to expand it(rather tried to) by adding some left over Marks, Liras or Francs after any trips. Now after the single Euro system the variety is again gone :(
I was always crazy about craft works - now and then. I never bothered to specialize, I was eager to learn all - stitching, knitting , embroidery , hand works,... (Yeh jack of all trades, master of none). When all other students used to dread the work experience class, I was always looking forward to it. We had a choice of 2-3 items out of which a student can choose one and complete it in the course of the year. But I always completed all the available choices. So one section of my rack is filled with Wall hangings, baskets , mufflers,hand embroidery works, curtains, etc etc. Also a bag full of raw craft materials like beads, pakkeesa, embroidery threads, cross stitch kit, plastic wires..
Somewhere I saw a beautiful aquarium inlaid with shells and decided one day I should also have one like that. Think that was the spark for my shell collection. My dad's ancestral house is near the coastal area and many of my relatives stay very near to the beach. So our trips to these houses were never complete without an excursion to the beach where I was busy exploring every inch in pursuit of unique and beautiful shells. Also once I started earning and traveling around, I bought many big ones as well. That way I have a decent collection of corals and shells (though I have no idea how I got those corals) big enough for a room sized aquarium. But the irony is I'm yet to have my first aquarium!!
Then a neatly filed newspaper cuttings which is a collection of news or pictures that interested me from time to time. Think I got this habit from my mom who is a readaholic and treasured even a small piece of paper. I keep fighting with her for keeping all the pile of books and papers but never realized I have also inherited the habit though to a much lesser degree. This collection also has a subsection - picture cuttings(mostly advertisements). These are the ones that impressed me and and felt that I should draw it someday. But for most of them that day never came !!! Then there are lots of story books which filled my time(not free time), school and college magazines of every year and even some of my lab records..
A box full of letters and greeting cards. Yes I treasure each n every letter that has come to me. Sometimes when I feel down I pick up those cards or letters from my friends and that invariably brings back the smile on my face. It's interesting to read these one sided letters once in a while and guess the replies I wrote or just re touch the memory that such n such incidents happened at such n such time.How I wish I wrote more often now..
I am crazy about soft toys and of late I have a good collection, most of them gifts. But my first teddy bear was when I was a teenager. I knew my parents would never allow me to buy one, but I wanted one so badly. So I was determined to get it and started saving my scholarship money and finally after 3 years I had enough savings to buy one. It is a brown teddy bear about 3 feet tall from the Chandamama collections and costed me Rs.750/- (A decade before this value was much much more than it's present value). But soon after I bought it,a sense of guilt gripped me. I did something that my parents won't like, I spend my money for something which is just not worth it. But I guess teenage is always about such fluctuations.
Then the small gifts that I got for my b'days during college days. Each one of them thoughtfully picked and reminds me of the friend who is far off. Though we may not have regular contacts now, it just connects me with them instantly.
Oh how can I forget my beloved photo albums. Any trips , any functions I used to be the one who would collect negatives from everyone and take copies from every single cam. I have lots and lots of them so much so that my mom keeps complaining that one day I might need to rent out a whole house just to keep all my albums. Luckily digital world saved me that expense ;)
Think that covered almost all corners of my rack. If anyone remembered the character Urvasi played in the Malayalam film 'Midhunam', you now know who inspired the script writer ;) And if you think my room is a big mess with all these junk, yes it is - an ordered mess :P
First, a box full of 'manjadikkuru' and 'kunnikkuru'(abrus seeds). As a small kid, these colorful little seeds really fascinated me and I just loved collecting them.. The main source for this collection was Guruvayoor temple. There is a big vessel where these seeds are kept and children are made to play with it. It is supposed to make the children naughty just like Srikrishna! I still don't understand why parents invite such headaches deliberately! Anyway coming to the point, these used to be very sticky (as it will be filled with sweats of so many people) and so one or two would always stick to your hands which would eventually fall off in the pradakshina vazhi. I used to collect those spilled ones (of course with lot of scoldings from mom for picking up things from ground :P ) to come home and fill my jar.My manjadi collection grew with every visit to the temple. Kunnikkuru came from one more source. Near my grand mom's house this plant was there and these seeds used to be scattered all over the place. We didn't know the location of this plant and so had to satisfy ourselves by collecting the fallen ones. It was fun to run around to collect them and also our petty fights in the process. We even used to play different games with that. These seeds are so cute that I never felt like throwing them away even though I outgrew the games long back..
Next a box of Valappottu (Broken bangles). As small girls, we used to play a game with the broken bangles. We would shuffle a bunch of them with different colors and spread it over the floor. You need to pair two similar ones, draw a line in between and strike without disturbing others. Whoever collects the maximum number was the winner. I never had the habit of wearing bangles and so was always the one who contributed the least feedstock for the game. Since you tend to collect anything rarely available, this also became a collection although I have no idea from where or how I collected them!
Then I have a colorful plastic phone in the shape of a house. The house is green in color, the red phone handles would be resting on the roof of the house, then the white dial is in the front. I saw it in a shop and asked for it thinking I can replace the dull black instrument at home with this one! But then it turned out to be a 'kudukka'(a piggy bank) with a small opening at the back. My parents took that as an opportunity to implant some saving habit in me (Wondering why it never stayed but) and explained to me how I should use it. Anyway although I was disappointed by the fact that we should still use the plain old phone for making calls, I was excited with the thought that this little phone when filled would give me money to buy anything that I want.. But though I counted the coins every day, my phone was never full and I used to be desperate. Those were not the days were kids got lots of pocket money (at least not the 6 year olds) and so it was real hard for me to fill the box. The deal was if I find any loose coins in the house , I can take it and fill my kudukka. But most of the times I used to go to dad and ask for some coins. The generous person he was, he used to give me all the small changes and BINGO my bank used to be full :)
I guess it was in my second or third standard that we had to write a composition about "My Hobbies". Instead of making the students write it themselves, we had a ready made composition that we had to mug up (possibly this is the way it happens in all convent schools). The composition was quite detailed and gave step by step information about how to take the stamp out from the envelope without damaging it, how to store it properly, how to expand your collection and so on. Anyway end of it I realized I have a hobby called stamp collection without a single stamp in possession!!! Think like all kids in that age, I was also experimental and decided to try it out from then on .. Any letter that came home went under my careful surgical procedure. Luckily those were the time of snail mails and so I didn't have any problems for my collection to grow. Slowly as I grew older I took it little more seriously and expanded the collection by exchanging with like minded friends as well. But this died a peaceful death once I left school.
I also have a small collection of coins. This was when my 'phone kudukka' started collecting different shaped coins rather than the small changes (Of course even these were donated by my dad). Does anyone remember the old 10 ps, 20 ps, 5 paise coins? I also had some 1 ps and 2 ps coins from my mom's time!! But this also became stagnant after some time as it was not so easy to get different coins unlike stamps. Earlier, I used to expand it(rather tried to) by adding some left over Marks, Liras or Francs after any trips. Now after the single Euro system the variety is again gone :(
I was always crazy about craft works - now and then. I never bothered to specialize, I was eager to learn all - stitching, knitting , embroidery , hand works,... (Yeh jack of all trades, master of none). When all other students used to dread the work experience class, I was always looking forward to it. We had a choice of 2-3 items out of which a student can choose one and complete it in the course of the year. But I always completed all the available choices. So one section of my rack is filled with Wall hangings, baskets , mufflers,hand embroidery works, curtains, etc etc. Also a bag full of raw craft materials like beads, pakkeesa, embroidery threads, cross stitch kit, plastic wires..
Somewhere I saw a beautiful aquarium inlaid with shells and decided one day I should also have one like that. Think that was the spark for my shell collection. My dad's ancestral house is near the coastal area and many of my relatives stay very near to the beach. So our trips to these houses were never complete without an excursion to the beach where I was busy exploring every inch in pursuit of unique and beautiful shells. Also once I started earning and traveling around, I bought many big ones as well. That way I have a decent collection of corals and shells (though I have no idea how I got those corals) big enough for a room sized aquarium. But the irony is I'm yet to have my first aquarium!!
Then a neatly filed newspaper cuttings which is a collection of news or pictures that interested me from time to time. Think I got this habit from my mom who is a readaholic and treasured even a small piece of paper. I keep fighting with her for keeping all the pile of books and papers but never realized I have also inherited the habit though to a much lesser degree. This collection also has a subsection - picture cuttings(mostly advertisements). These are the ones that impressed me and and felt that I should draw it someday. But for most of them that day never came !!! Then there are lots of story books which filled my time(not free time), school and college magazines of every year and even some of my lab records..
A box full of letters and greeting cards. Yes I treasure each n every letter that has come to me. Sometimes when I feel down I pick up those cards or letters from my friends and that invariably brings back the smile on my face. It's interesting to read these one sided letters once in a while and guess the replies I wrote or just re touch the memory that such n such incidents happened at such n such time.How I wish I wrote more often now..
I am crazy about soft toys and of late I have a good collection, most of them gifts. But my first teddy bear was when I was a teenager. I knew my parents would never allow me to buy one, but I wanted one so badly. So I was determined to get it and started saving my scholarship money and finally after 3 years I had enough savings to buy one. It is a brown teddy bear about 3 feet tall from the Chandamama collections and costed me Rs.750/- (A decade before this value was much much more than it's present value). But soon after I bought it,a sense of guilt gripped me. I did something that my parents won't like, I spend my money for something which is just not worth it. But I guess teenage is always about such fluctuations.
Then the small gifts that I got for my b'days during college days. Each one of them thoughtfully picked and reminds me of the friend who is far off. Though we may not have regular contacts now, it just connects me with them instantly.
Oh how can I forget my beloved photo albums. Any trips , any functions I used to be the one who would collect negatives from everyone and take copies from every single cam. I have lots and lots of them so much so that my mom keeps complaining that one day I might need to rent out a whole house just to keep all my albums. Luckily digital world saved me that expense ;)
Think that covered almost all corners of my rack. If anyone remembered the character Urvasi played in the Malayalam film 'Midhunam', you now know who inspired the script writer ;) And if you think my room is a big mess with all these junk, yes it is - an ordered mess :P
Sunday, January 06, 2008
taare zameen par
I am not a movie buff and so hardly keep track of the latest releases, forget watching them. But "Taare Zameen Par" did arise my curiosity mainly because it deals with a dyslexic child. I was also interested to see how Aamir Khan,who is a perfectionist, would deal with the subject. So this weekend I made sure I watched the movie and I am quite happy that I did. Hats off to Amir Khan for handling the subject with supreme sensitivity and to Darsheel for portraying the child's world so brilliantly. No I am not here to write a review about this movie. I would leave that to the talented lot out there. But I would recommend you to watch the movie (if you haven't yet). You can relate it to your life and the lives around you. It would also change the way you look at your kids and would enhance our sensitivity towards children..
Sunday, December 16, 2007
What's their crime?
They could have been like any other children but for one reason – they are refugees from Sri Lanka. These are students of IGIA and should I add a school that barely manages to survive.. 370 kids, most of them orphans, live and study in the same place. Lunch is provided by ISCON but breakfast and dinner is always a question mark. They don't have electricity for years (they owe 10 lakhs to BESCOM!!) They are even discouraged from talking with anyone from outside or venturing out..The gates remain locked.. Like any other kids of their age they would also have dreams about life after school, hopes of a better future.. But the only thing I see in their eyes is a sense of frustration and longing.. When will their miseries end?
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Remembrances of Times Past...
I love photographs and can easily get lost in the pile of photo albums that I have.. I used to spend hours and hours looking, arranging and rearranging them, much to the annoyance of my mom.. These are the photographs of my childhood, of old friends, of school and college, of family functions, of exciting vacations, of beautiful places,.. The moment I pick an album, I will be taken back to that exact place and time,recollect the beautiful moments, recalling fond memories, replaying conversations, smelling the fresh air,..
There are some of my childhood snaps - the old black and white ones taken in studio or by a photographer who was called home. And there I was with a toothless smile, or with the corners of my mouth curved down and eyes clouded with tears, or with a smug grin on the face (probably coz of the new dress).. I can also see my grandparents who are no more now and remember the stories they told me, the special dishes grandma used to make,.. The carefree days..
Then there was a gap as I had mentioned before. I have very few personal snaps during this time..Still there are some snaps from the family functions where I'll be with my kutti cousin gang, all in pretty frocks and hair full of jasmine flowers arranged as a bow and of course everyone beaming at the camera.. Or the school photo where all the 90 teenagers (yes we were that many in one class) in blue skirt and white shirt, with hair neatly platted on either sides, trying to look serious.. Then the colorful college days, light moments with friends , joyful class trips , excitement and turmoil of a first timer in a Saree , the painful send off parties ,.. Each of those photographs speak volumes..
I bought my first camera after I passed from school. And the shutterbug bit me and it bit me too hard.. I wanted to capture anything and everything around me..Yes I clicked people , places , buildings , flowers, trees,.. Now before my friends pounce on me - mine was only a very basic camera with absolutely no overrides. But it did the purpose. It helped all those moments, places,people and settings stay forever, which would have otherwise faded with time.. Yes that's the whole beauty of a photograph.. It freezes the moment from running away, making the finite eternal..
There are some of my childhood snaps - the old black and white ones taken in studio or by a photographer who was called home. And there I was with a toothless smile, or with the corners of my mouth curved down and eyes clouded with tears, or with a smug grin on the face (probably coz of the new dress).. I can also see my grandparents who are no more now and remember the stories they told me, the special dishes grandma used to make,.. The carefree days..
Then there was a gap as I had mentioned before. I have very few personal snaps during this time..Still there are some snaps from the family functions where I'll be with my kutti cousin gang, all in pretty frocks and hair full of jasmine flowers arranged as a bow and of course everyone beaming at the camera.. Or the school photo where all the 90 teenagers (yes we were that many in one class) in blue skirt and white shirt, with hair neatly platted on either sides, trying to look serious.. Then the colorful college days, light moments with friends , joyful class trips , excitement and turmoil of a first timer in a Saree , the painful send off parties ,.. Each of those photographs speak volumes..
I bought my first camera after I passed from school. And the shutterbug bit me and it bit me too hard.. I wanted to capture anything and everything around me..Yes I clicked people , places , buildings , flowers, trees,.. Now before my friends pounce on me - mine was only a very basic camera with absolutely no overrides. But it did the purpose. It helped all those moments, places,people and settings stay forever, which would have otherwise faded with time.. Yes that's the whole beauty of a photograph.. It freezes the moment from running away, making the finite eternal..
Friday, November 30, 2007
Match Making !!!
If there is one thing I hate the most, that is when people try to convince me to consider some particular guy..And I have no clue how they come up with this idea that it will be an "ideal match".These so called "abyudayakamshikal" would have no clue about the girl or the guy and their interests in life.. Some instances that I have gone through..
One evening a neighbor cum far relative comes home with three other people - a dad , mom and their son. I treated them as any other guests and finally when they were about to leave I realized that it was an official "girl seeing" that took place there. The guy was in the USA and had come down for a short vacation (read marriage). Apparently they wanted some girl who is bright so that the next generation would be brainy(genes u see). Since I had got into engineering with a decent rank, I matched their criteria of "brilliant" and fell in their radar. The funny thing was although they wanted a professional girl they didn't want the girl to take up a career and so wanted me to terminate my studies, get married and cook for him !! That time I was in my first semester and marriage was not even in my wildest dreams.. Even age wise I had just turned 18 (and this guy was 30+). Luckily my parents didn't agree for the "discontinuing studies" part and so I was saved. But my poor parents got 'galies' from whole family for not considering such a "good proposal" from such a "nice family". I have no idea how the "nice family" matters if the guy and girl don’t get along well!!
I had done my B.Tech project in VSSC, Trivandrum and so we used to take the night train for our frequent travels. We used to board the train from Thrissur at around 10.30 pm , sleep , wake at 4.30 am and get down at around 5 am. In one of those journeys we met this lady who was going to Dubai. Her flight was from Trivandrum airport. All of us ( we were 4 girls doing the project) had woken up and was waiting for the stop and this lady started chit chatting (Somehow I'm always the victim for all kathis in this world !!) . She asked me why we are traveling and I told her about the project. She hadn't heard about B.Tech and so asked me whether it is a degree course n I replied affirmatively. Then she was suddenly interested in my place, religion n caste which made me uncomfortable. Her next question was whether I can marry her brother!!! It seems he was working in Dubai and the biggest incentive that she offered me was that he'll take me to Dubai. She tried desperately to get my home phone no so that they can proceed through parents!! What astonished me was the fact that she was seeing me for the first time(that too only for 15 mins) and had absolutely no idea about me or my family or anything and still wants me to be part of her family!
And there is another place that I dread - marriage halls - especially the ones in the family. All your relatives(most of them will be seeing you for the first time) will come up with some or other prospective groom somewhere. Once I had to put up with one particular "uncle" who was hell bound in marrying me off to his nephew. He made me listen to his nephew's accomplishments for a whole 3 hours!!! After that I was so pissed off that I missed enjoying that much awaited marriage in the family..
And sometimes even friends will fall in this category.. They will try to fix you up with every other person whom "they feel" is suitable for me. And if that guy is a good friend of yours that's it. Many a times I have got his question "You both are very good friends. They why can't you consider him". Sometimes this will follow a big list of positives that I can enjoy if I marry him. I have a friend who even threated to break our friendship unless I considered this guy whom she found was "very suitable" for me. And the culmination is when my mom asked me the other day "You and X are being friends for so many years. Do you want to marry him?". I just wished a chasm had opened at my feet and I was taken in like Sita Devi.. How can I convince people that I'm not looking for a prospective groom in every guy I meet or that a friendship is far different than sharing your life with a partner. I do understand that people don't particularly like a girl staying unmarried. But I feel it's a person’s right to make a choice and everyone should respect that..
PS: You can also check this related article from one of my favorite blogger.
One evening a neighbor cum far relative comes home with three other people - a dad , mom and their son. I treated them as any other guests and finally when they were about to leave I realized that it was an official "girl seeing" that took place there. The guy was in the USA and had come down for a short vacation (read marriage). Apparently they wanted some girl who is bright so that the next generation would be brainy(genes u see). Since I had got into engineering with a decent rank, I matched their criteria of "brilliant" and fell in their radar. The funny thing was although they wanted a professional girl they didn't want the girl to take up a career and so wanted me to terminate my studies, get married and cook for him !! That time I was in my first semester and marriage was not even in my wildest dreams.. Even age wise I had just turned 18 (and this guy was 30+). Luckily my parents didn't agree for the "discontinuing studies" part and so I was saved. But my poor parents got 'galies' from whole family for not considering such a "good proposal" from such a "nice family". I have no idea how the "nice family" matters if the guy and girl don’t get along well!!
I had done my B.Tech project in VSSC, Trivandrum and so we used to take the night train for our frequent travels. We used to board the train from Thrissur at around 10.30 pm , sleep , wake at 4.30 am and get down at around 5 am. In one of those journeys we met this lady who was going to Dubai. Her flight was from Trivandrum airport. All of us ( we were 4 girls doing the project) had woken up and was waiting for the stop and this lady started chit chatting (Somehow I'm always the victim for all kathis in this world !!) . She asked me why we are traveling and I told her about the project. She hadn't heard about B.Tech and so asked me whether it is a degree course n I replied affirmatively. Then she was suddenly interested in my place, religion n caste which made me uncomfortable. Her next question was whether I can marry her brother!!! It seems he was working in Dubai and the biggest incentive that she offered me was that he'll take me to Dubai. She tried desperately to get my home phone no so that they can proceed through parents!! What astonished me was the fact that she was seeing me for the first time(that too only for 15 mins) and had absolutely no idea about me or my family or anything and still wants me to be part of her family!
And there is another place that I dread - marriage halls - especially the ones in the family. All your relatives(most of them will be seeing you for the first time) will come up with some or other prospective groom somewhere. Once I had to put up with one particular "uncle" who was hell bound in marrying me off to his nephew. He made me listen to his nephew's accomplishments for a whole 3 hours!!! After that I was so pissed off that I missed enjoying that much awaited marriage in the family..
And sometimes even friends will fall in this category.. They will try to fix you up with every other person whom "they feel" is suitable for me. And if that guy is a good friend of yours that's it. Many a times I have got his question "You both are very good friends. They why can't you consider him". Sometimes this will follow a big list of positives that I can enjoy if I marry him. I have a friend who even threated to break our friendship unless I considered this guy whom she found was "very suitable" for me. And the culmination is when my mom asked me the other day "You and X are being friends for so many years. Do you want to marry him?". I just wished a chasm had opened at my feet and I was taken in like Sita Devi.. How can I convince people that I'm not looking for a prospective groom in every guy I meet or that a friendship is far different than sharing your life with a partner. I do understand that people don't particularly like a girl staying unmarried. But I feel it's a person’s right to make a choice and everyone should respect that..
PS: You can also check this related article from one of my favorite blogger.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Travel Tales
It is no secret that the wanderlust bug nudges me from time to time.. Once a friend asked me a question "What is it that you like most in traveling?" I never gave him an answer but I did ponder the question. So here is what I discovered..
A couple of reasons
- to see new and exciting places
- to get out of my comfort zone
- to see how others live and experience their cultures
- to try out new cuisines (although I'm not very good at it)
- adventure ;)
But above all these I travel just for the love of it.. I like go on and on and wish the road never ends.. Of course the destination also adds to the excitement.. But many a times I have felt that the road traveled is much better than the destination reached.. I just like to sit at the window and watch the life outside.. It's like a film with endless casts each playing their role in their own way - children playing , women engaged in household chores , family bonding , the green trees, the vast fields, the cute tea shops, the houses , the buildings, the smells, the chaos,.. It's like a constant learning experience and has a strange liberating affect.. it makes me smile..
And I believe travel is something one either loves or hates. So if you are in the first category and is smitten by this bug, I would like to listen to your version of the answer.. And hey don't go away saying you are in the second category.. Do tell me what makes you bond with your lounge chair and the TV remote. Any secret that I don't know?
A couple of reasons
- to see new and exciting places
- to get out of my comfort zone
- to see how others live and experience their cultures
- to try out new cuisines (although I'm not very good at it)
- adventure ;)
But above all these I travel just for the love of it.. I like go on and on and wish the road never ends.. Of course the destination also adds to the excitement.. But many a times I have felt that the road traveled is much better than the destination reached.. I just like to sit at the window and watch the life outside.. It's like a film with endless casts each playing their role in their own way - children playing , women engaged in household chores , family bonding , the green trees, the vast fields, the cute tea shops, the houses , the buildings, the smells, the chaos,.. It's like a constant learning experience and has a strange liberating affect.. it makes me smile..
And I believe travel is something one either loves or hates. So if you are in the first category and is smitten by this bug, I would like to listen to your version of the answer.. And hey don't go away saying you are in the second category.. Do tell me what makes you bond with your lounge chair and the TV remote. Any secret that I don't know?
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Happy birthday, Blog!
I didn't realize it but today is the first anniversary of my blog. My Blogger profile says I've been on Blogger since December 2004, but most of my previous blogging trials were short-lived. So I’m pleasantly surprised that I’ve managed to keep this blog going for a year..
Walking down the memory lane, my first post was very naive. And it took me an entire 4 months to be brave enough to make my blog public. So most of my earlier posts were not read by anyone :) Then there are some posts which I was very skeptical but got so many responses like this b'day post or some of my random thoughts.
Anyway as time progressed, I have come out of my mind blocks like "why should I put up my thoughts on the net for all to read?" or "Why on earth would people read what I write?". I have sure made a lot of friends through this blog. Thanks to all -- I probably would have quit long ago if I hadn't felt that you were listening. It’s been fun so far, and I would like to continue this way.. :)
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Still alive..
Yeah I've been traveling most weekends and so not very active here.. Anyway this weekend I'm in Bangalore and so thought of reviving my space :) The first topic that's coming to mind is of course about the places I visited last month. No, no,.. I don't have any plans to make this a travel blog. Anyway most of my travels were small travels here and there which is not worth mentioning. This is a short writeup only about the significant places... So please bear with me :)
As I mentioned earlier our gang is obsessed with traveling. Every year once we get the holiday list, the first thing that we check is how many long weekends available or how we can make one!! This time also the same thing happened. A holiday that came on Tuesday clubbed with one day leave made it a long weekend. We decided to utilize the long weekend by going to a little far off place. The place we choose was Lonawala but decided to stay in Pune (mostly coz Pune seemed to be an easier bet for hotels). This time also the itinerary was not fixed, not because we are going there for the umpteenth time and the places doesn't matter, but coz none of us could take time out to make the detailed plan.. :( The only place that we had fixed was Lohagad Fort which was the sole inspiration for this trip. A forwarded mail and this site, both of which showcased some breathtaking pictures were reason enough for us to pack our bags.
We landed in Pune at 10.30 am on saturday as planned and checked in to the hotel (Hotel Shreyas,Apte Road). After freshening up and a quick lunch we were ready to go to Sinhagad as directed by the travel desk in the hotel. Btw, I think it would be unfair if I don't mention about the delicious meal in the hotel. We feasted ourselves with the authentic and typical Marathi tali. The best part is you don't have to rack your brains deciding what to order (That made it quick as well :P). You just seat yourself comfortably and a pre-planned menu will be served to you. You can then relish on the wide variety of dishes in front of you.. Most of them were kind of sweet, but real tasty. Even my co-travelers who were accusing me of torturing them by booking a vegetarian hotel , seemed to be satisfied :)
Sinhagad Fort seemed to be the most popular getaway for Puneits. Although the fort is mostly in ruins today, the place is blessed with picturesque scenery,lush green grass, colorful flowers, cool mountain air, and a pleasant salubrious climate. The pictures below would give you an idea.
Second day our destination was Matheran Hill Station. What makes this place unique is the fact that all vehicles (except emergency vehicles) are banned here. The only modes of transport are on horseback, by hand pulled rickshaw, or on foot. It's like you are taken over a hundred years back in time when there were no vehicles. I just hope they go one more step ahead and ban all plastics too (and litter as well). First half of the day we covered almost 12 km on foot but couldn't cover much view points (What else can you expect from a person like me who lacks stamina and is totally unfit). After lunch me n Sid decided to take the horse ride and cover some more view points where as the other three who felt the long walk in the morning was not enough and decided to trek over the narrow gauge railway track (Obviously the idea came from KK who was responsible for the arduous trek in Chimmony.). So we split and our trail was through the thick and shady forests. It lead to some stunning viewing points - cliffs with incredibly steep drops to the plains below.. More than that the unpolluted air, the beautiful surroundings,the magnificent panoramic views,charming forest walks,..All of them make a visit to Matheran a totally different experience in itself. You can easily classify it as "The greenest ‘green’ destination".
The last day was Lohagad. Although we had planned to leave early so as to cover the fort and also the Karla and Bhaja caves, it was not possible since we came back quie late the previous day. So we decided to cover only the fort. The surprising part is that no one knew about this place (which probably is the reason why it's still very beautiful)!! There were no sign boards, no directions, our cab driver also had no idea where this place is. We thought once we reach the village the locals can guide us. But very few knew there is a fort there !! Anyway once we reached there the place didn't disappoint. It was as stunning as it was in the photographs.. The path to the tops was not tough. There were steps and pathways except in one place.. Anyway we finished the round trip in about 3 hrs and reached back where we had some homely food in a place at the foothill (The biscuits n chocolates that we carried were taken by the monkey in the fort!!). That was the logical end of the trip(a long train journey was awaiting us still)
As I mentioned earlier our gang is obsessed with traveling. Every year once we get the holiday list, the first thing that we check is how many long weekends available or how we can make one!! This time also the same thing happened. A holiday that came on Tuesday clubbed with one day leave made it a long weekend. We decided to utilize the long weekend by going to a little far off place. The place we choose was Lonawala but decided to stay in Pune (mostly coz Pune seemed to be an easier bet for hotels). This time also the itinerary was not fixed, not because we are going there for the umpteenth time and the places doesn't matter, but coz none of us could take time out to make the detailed plan.. :( The only place that we had fixed was Lohagad Fort which was the sole inspiration for this trip. A forwarded mail and this site, both of which showcased some breathtaking pictures were reason enough for us to pack our bags.
We landed in Pune at 10.30 am on saturday as planned and checked in to the hotel (Hotel Shreyas,Apte Road). After freshening up and a quick lunch we were ready to go to Sinhagad as directed by the travel desk in the hotel. Btw, I think it would be unfair if I don't mention about the delicious meal in the hotel. We feasted ourselves with the authentic and typical Marathi tali. The best part is you don't have to rack your brains deciding what to order (That made it quick as well :P). You just seat yourself comfortably and a pre-planned menu will be served to you. You can then relish on the wide variety of dishes in front of you.. Most of them were kind of sweet, but real tasty. Even my co-travelers who were accusing me of torturing them by booking a vegetarian hotel , seemed to be satisfied :)
Sinhagad Fort seemed to be the most popular getaway for Puneits. Although the fort is mostly in ruins today, the place is blessed with picturesque scenery,lush green grass, colorful flowers, cool mountain air, and a pleasant salubrious climate. The pictures below would give you an idea.
Second day our destination was Matheran Hill Station
The last day was Lohagad. Although we had planned to leave early so as to cover the fort and also the Karla and Bhaja caves, it was not possible since we came back quie late the previous day. So we decided to cover only the fort. The surprising part is that no one knew about this place (which probably is the reason why it's still very beautiful)!! There were no sign boards, no directions, our cab driver also had no idea where this place is. We thought once we reach the village the locals can guide us. But very few knew there is a fort there !! Anyway once we reached there the place didn't disappoint. It was as stunning as it was in the photographs.. The path to the tops was not tough. There were steps and pathways except in one place.. Anyway we finished the round trip in about 3 hrs and reached back where we had some homely food in a place at the foothill (The biscuits n chocolates that we carried were taken by the monkey in the fort!!). That was the logical end of the trip(a long train journey was awaiting us still)
Monday, September 10, 2007
My Blog Rating
Saw this in JollyRoger's blog and was curious to find mine. They have rated mine as a family blog with a "G" rating. So certified that you can read my blog without any hesitation :P
This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:
* hurt (1x)
This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:
* hurt (1x)
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