Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Sun salutations, chai tales and the nanny

  1. Finally getting the hang of the Surya Namaskar. Its a yogasana combining 12 steps and exercises most major muscles. I still can't do it perfectly, but I atleast know what I need to do better and how. The last time I did it, I had no clue what came when!
  2. No tea spewed out by any vending machine can ever match up to real chai - not even the tetley tea bag dipped thick milk whitener added tea... Tea powder should be boiled, preferrably with the milk and sugar added, and with some ginger (some people like to add cardamom too, but I don't like it that much). That's the perfect chai... the caterers at work have started serving chai in the afternoon at tea time, and though its a little too sweet for me, I still prefer it to the vending machine tea.
  3. Watching 'The Nanny'. I especially like the way the outrageous nanny laughs.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Tender, tonic for the soul and pretty change

  1. The rose plant has tender new leaves - all shiny and reddish purple - evidence that the plant has accepted its new home and is taking root.
  2. Its been a long, tiring day. As I set out for home, I'm moving and driving solely on will. As if on cue, all the radio channels start playing beautiful songs. There's something of a tonic in the music and when I reach home, I'm feeling much better.
  3. I remember a friend who used to be a tom-boy in school. She's changed so drastically since she got married. Every time she posts new pictures on Orkut I'm freshly (and pleasantly) surprised. I see a pretty, feminine girl looking back at me from the photographs.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Customer Service, Smooth and Yellow Chillies

  1. A top that I bought a few does ago isn't fitting me all too well and want to exchange it. The catch - I've lost the bill, though the tags are still hanging on. I go to the mall, prepared for war, but I'm surprised. The girl at the customer service desk is helpful and says she'll change it for me if I find something in the same brand and at the same price. Luckily I do.
  2. After the servicing, there's a noticeable change in the driving experience. I never thought my car was not smooth, until this evening when I realized how smooth it suddenly seemed!
  3. A new restaurant's opened in KP - Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chillies. The master chef's restaurant lives up to our expectations in terms of the culinary and dining experience - the 'Lalla Musa Daal' as they call it (more commonly known as kaali daal or daal makhni) is exceptional. The mocktails are refreshing too...

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Absurd mind in a house of bheegi ladki, far away...

There are times, when you see everything around you moving along perfectly well, without your dependence. On such days, you are well placed to spend a lazy day at work. Such a day was today.

1. Experimenting mind games

My first round of experimentation has ended, without any casualty. I found it hard to implement initially, but now slowly after much deliberation, I find it rather amusing. There are more interesting things to follow. One learning - 'Always keep them guessing'. More to come in future.

2. Absurd Chit-Chat

There is an old friend, with whom my conversations haven't changed in any manner, for the last 9 years. Post graduations, jobs, her marriage have miserably failed to change the tone. It breaks new records of cheekiness and absurdity each time. Obviously having an hour long chat like that has never harmed anybody.

3. Looking forward to a House of Cards

The fact that I am going to watch another thrilling and suave episode of 'House of cards' after I finish writing this- makes it hard to go on writing. An elegant and extremely well written script of a classic political thriller. You know it, even if it was not from the accent, when you watch something made by the British. I have found no form of Literature or Art more intriguing (consistently over the years) than, what comes out of England. Highly recommended.

4. Whiling away...

Whiling away time... listening to old songs from 'Chalti ka naam gaadi'. One of those movies, where each song is a gem. I love this movie.

5. 'Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si'

Since we are talking about 'Chalti ka naam gaadi' let's also talk about the most famous song from it. I remember listening, singing, whistling to this song... so many times. This happened to be one of my favorite songs to sing, back in college. We even had a medley of 4-5 songs, which used to start with me whistling to the tunes of this song. This song has a cult following in India. Is it surprising that it features the super beauty queen (Madhubala) in a wet saari and one of the most diverse artists India has ever seen (Kishore Kumar). The pair derive their amazing chemistry in the movie, from a real life romance which soon tied them in matrimony, after the movie.

Here it goes - YouTube Video


Ik ladki bhigi bhagi siSoti raaton mein jaagi siMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmm



(Dil hi dil mein chali jaati hainBighdi bighdi chali aati hain) -2Doondh laut ti huwi balka ti huwiSaawan ke suni raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat haiHmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si..



(Daagmag daagmag lehki lehkiBhooli badh ki behki behki) -2Machli machli gharse nikhliPaghli si kali raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si..



(Tan bheega hai sar geela haiUs kaa koyi pech bhi dheela hai) -2Tan ti jhukti chalti ruktiNikli andheri raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si

Friday, August 22, 2008

No noise, curd and free bird

  1. My current favourite song, Khuda Jaane, is being played on the radio, so I roll up the car's windows to cut out the noise of the traffic.
  2. There's thick white fresh curd for lunch. Even looking at it lying in angular lumps in the bowl is such a pleasure. And it tastes even better than it looks. There's no need to add any salt or sugar to it.
  3. As I come home at night, the streets are free of traffic and I can cruise along happily, enjoying the feeling of freedom and loving every minute of it

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Neat and tidy, towards better health and prankster

My internet connection is playing the traunt, hence the irregular posting. I hope to be back online soon!

  1. I come home to find the house in neat order and the dinner cooked. The rose plant has also been watered. The maid's back! Yay!
  2. Even though its too late to go to the gym by the time I'm done in the evening, I still find the time to come home and do some yogasanas.
  3. Tanmoy calls me up very gleefully to tell me about a prank that he's played on Shreerang. "Its going to drive him crazy!" I'm told with much delight.

Pending light is long wanted in Bombay meri Jaan :)

Shopping time. I have no idea why am I being so happy about it. Maybe, thats what this blog is all about.

1. Finally there is light !

Yes... I bought a table lamp finally. This happens to be one of the absolute necessary things in my life. My US experience has been so different in so many ways. Not all of them have been rocking. Not having a bed side lamp was one of the basic things missing from my life.

2. Pending no more...

There is so much personal and office work that I finished/planned. A sense of accomplishment really for a lazy bum like me.

3. Wanted

Everytime I talk to family and friends back in India- I feel so important and wanted. It is one of those rare occasions when it seems I am lucky to be alive and walk around with pride.

4. The Long Walk

I recommend this book to anybody who feels life has been unfair to them (even for a moment). SÅ‚awomir Rawicz, a Polish soldier who was arrested by Soviet occupation troops after the German-Soviet invasion of Poland. He and six others escaped and walked over 6500 km (4000 miles) south, through the Gobi desert, and over the Himalayas to India. I don't think I have even reached the part in the book, where the escape is planned. I am still in the parts where he is tortured by them after his arrest. The book's shock factor makes it a very interesting read.

5. 'Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan'

What a playful and meaningful song ! I soooo love it :)

You will find the english translation on the youtube video.

Youtube Video



Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanHa haa, ha ho ho, ho hi haa ha haaHm hm hm hm, hm hm hm , hm hm hm hm hmAye dil hai..
(Kahin building kahin traame, kahin motor kahin millMilta hai yahan sab kuchh ik milta nahin dil) Insaan ka nahin kahin naam-o-nishaanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..

(Kahin satta, kahin patta kahin chori kahin resKahin daaka, kahin phaaka kahin thokar kahin thes) Bekaaro ke hain kai kaam yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..
(Beghar ko aawara yahan kehte has hasKhud kaate gale sabke kahe isko business) Ik cheez ke hain kai naam yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..


(Bura duniya woh hai kehta aisa bhola tu na banJo hai karta woh hai bharta hai yahan ka yeh chalan) Tadbeer nahin chalne ki yahanYeh hai Bombay, yeh hai Bombay, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai aasaa jeena yahanSuno mister, suno bandhu, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Kangaroo man, not brown but still a favourite and gossip mongers

  1. When I reach office, I see a message from Gauri, saying "Rashmiiiiiiiiii! I saw a kangarooooo!" He's in Australia.
  2. Getting a parcel in the mail. Even though I've been expecting it, and I even know what's in it, I still love it. I think, more than getting the parcel, I enjoy the stir it causes among the people around... and there's a certain romance attached to getting something by mail in this age of email... "...Brown paper packages tied up with strings... these are a few of my favourite things!"
  3. Gullu has been trying to reach me desparately. When I finally do call him back, he's going to bits over some gossip that he wants to share - a friend has a job offer and after much cajoling, has almost confessed to having a girl friend, and we spend a few happy, wicked minutes discussing this and making plans of harrassing him till he gives us the whole story.

Monday, August 04, 2008

For Addy, coffee with the breeze and hard work

  1. After many days, I catch Aaoge Jab Tum on radio... And instantly, I think of Addy. She had been asking me about my favourite contemporary hindi music, and I had somehow missed this one. So Addy, this one's for you. About the song... well, just listen to it!
  2. Dipti and I carry our coffee mugs outside to the portico, for the afternoon break. Its a cloudy day with a gentle breeze, and we are both so pleased to be out in the open that we laugh easily, forgetting the closed office and the heap loads of work.
  3. When I check my watch, I find that the yoga session has actually lasted less than the alloted hour, but I'm feeling as if I've been through one gruelling length of time. Its hard work!

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Highlight, walk and Shantaram


  1. Tanmoy and Pallu are back in NY after visiting the Niagara Falls. They're awed by the majesty of it. For Tanmoy, the highlight of the trip is a full, vivid rainbow. Pallavi is unimpressed by such trivialities and instead of talking to me, they continue to bicker about it.

  2. Fed up of the depressing darkness inside office today, Kris and I go for a walk in the Magarpatta garden. For some strange reason, this is the first time I'm going there, and I'm thoroughly impressed by the sprawling, well manicured garden. It's so peaceful there, and bright and the fresh air feels like heaven...

  3. Shantaram. I started it a few days ago, and within the first 3 pages, I was hooked. The lucidity of language, the authors keen-ness of perception and of course the incredible story, all make a lethal combination. Every now and then, I am blown away with the author's unique way of feeling things and expressing them.