A String of Pearls

More Adventures Back Home - Shopping In India

2012-02-05T08:18:00.015-05:00

In addition to all the time and money we spent eating in India, the husband and I decided to also spend some time and money on things that we could not shove down our throats. The husband began by being a more reluctant shopper and always insisted that he already had way too many of whatever it is you were offering to buy him. I, on the other hand was thrilled no end at the opportunity to pick up clothes at the fashion streets in Delhi/Mumbai, or paintings, gem earrings, pottery at Rajasthan. As it turned out things soon changed.

So we started at Udaipur, at a government run fair called Shilpa Gram. My mother in law who had come us on our trip to Rajasthan was also with us on this day. Shilpa Gram charges a small entry fee and so is able to provide the craftsmen with shop space free of cost. Inside, there were performing artists who danced and sang for all the visitors, painters and potters who explained their craft, huts built in the style of villages. I was afraid that it might be a little too touristy but I really enjoyed myself and would highly recommend the place to all.

As we ambled in and started to take in the shops, I shooed away my husband. Armed with a digital SLR camera with all the bells and whistles including a change of lens and three filters, I thought he would hurt our chances of getting a good price. After expressing his indignation and hurt with mock anger and sad faces, he walked off more than a little happy to be free of the talk about bandhini sarees and unglazed pottery. In fact, the next time I turned around, he had put a suspiciously large distance between us. He was well out of hearing range while being within visual range. He smiled and waved charmingly at us and looked happier than I have ever seen him look at a shopping expedition with me.

I, on the other hand, was following my mother-in-law around in the saree stalls area and was awed at how this sweet spoken lady was able to bargain with the most experienced of shopkeepers without ever being even slightly impolite. Year after year of shopping at malls has left me rather unprepared for the deft exchanges that I watched my mother-in-law exchange with the shopkeepers.

Determined nevertheless to try, I walked over to a line of pottery shops and stared intently at the pots. The women tending the stores took one look at me and seemed to disregard me almost instantly as a potential customer. But as soon my mil walked over to join me, there was a swarm of activity around her as all the potters clamored for her attention. I tried valiantly not to let there estimation of me discourage me and managed to find the one potter who had missed my mil's arrival. Fortunately, he was bored enough to show me a few of pots and I bought a couple things to take back with me.

We had a few more minutes before the place closed for the evening and in this time my mil picked up a couple of sarees and my husband came back with a gorgeous scroll painting. We all left Shilpa Gram rather contentedly.

My husband still smarting under the insult that had been heaped at his cameras ability to drive up prices was very proud of his bargain.

"He wanted 450 for the painting and I was able to talk him down to 200"

My mil on the other hand had also bought a couple of sarees for almost 40% less than what the shopkeeper had wanted.

Husband looked pointedly at my bags and said

"What did you buy?"

"I bought a pot for dahi and a terracotta water pot."

"What did you pay for it?"

"100 rupees."

"That's a good buy. What did he want for it?"

"110"

A stifled giggle later - "Well, at least you did not give him 120."

Hmph!!

Edited to Add-

I wanted to add a few pictures of Shilpa Gram - the pictures are courtesy the camera toting husband.

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And this continued for the rest of the trip. At Palika Bazaar in Delhi this exchange took place between my husband and a belt seller.

"Ye belt kithne ka hai?"

As usual, on spotting a well fed couple armed with a touristy DSLR camera, the man promptly replied -

"Only 450 saar."

Then he proceeded to twist and turn the belt to show us how indestructible it was.

I had been told to counter at 50 to 60 percent of quoted price. But after seeing the feats the belt could perform had decided that 350 was a very good price for it. I was about to whisper my suggestion to my husband when-

"100 doonga."

The man looked aghast, insulted, almost speechless.

"Kya saar. First class belt hai."

He then took out a lighter and showed us that even fire was unable to damage this prince among belts.

"100"

In the meanwhile, I started looking around to try and map the clearest route to the exit so that if the poor shopkeeper decided to resort to violence to counter my husband's insulting bid, I would be able to get away relatively unscathed. Clearly early success had gone to his head.

Three minutes later, husband had the belt tucked into his backpack after paying shopkeeper 100 bucks, who is now smiling almost guiltily at my husband.

After we walk away from the shop, husband turned around and confronted me - "You realize you took a step away from me when I was bargaining with him. Were you going to run away?"

No, no honey I would never do that. I would have walked confidently into the crowd and pretended that I did not know you :).

Thoughts On a Winter Day

2012-01-31T08:11:00.005-05:00

It is a sunny winter day in New Jersey almost like the days in New Delhi. When the glow of the sunshine belies how cold it is. The similarity ends there. What strikes me is the sensory deprivation I am experiencing. After the crowds, the opinions, the busy streets - the organized lives of my peers here seems too tame. Like a controlled space where life is being allowed to enter in small controlled bursts.

When I landed in the United States 7 years ago, it was a bit of lark. I wanted to study and see a new place. It was about new experiences and opening my horizons. I liked what I saw. I felt free, independent and motivated. 7 years later I feel a little trapped, in a rut and a lot less inspired. On the other hand a trip to India has left me feeling more positive and motivated than I have in some time.

If I did not know better, I would think I am using major life events as stimuli to keep the drama in my life going. If I'd only listen to myself when I say that source of inspiration must come from within ;).

A Trip Back Home

2012-01-30T05:54:00.006-05:00

I am back from a 4 week long trip. The trip which included visits to Mumbai, Rajasthan, New Delhi and Singapore was among the most fun I have had in some time. This, despite the fact that my husband and I have a decent vacation budget. Even as you find us reaching for the recesses of bottom shelf for the cheapest in department stores, vacations and bars are where we like to see our monies going waste. So that, at the end of it all, we have nothing but a sun tan and a hangover to call our own (hmm maybe we need to revisit our fiscal strategy).

This trip to India was my first in three years and I was a more than a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Back home is, unfortunately, not just a physical space but also a space in time. And, I did not want to go back to India and find myself unhappy or bored. I was worried that I would forever taint the memories of my childhood and youth. I was afraid the place would have changed too much, the my relatives would no longer feel a bond with me, the my friends would have no time for me, that I would be an outsider in my own country.

As it turns out, India had no time to notice that I had changed. Apart from me, nobody else seemed to notice that I was gone for three years. I had the most fabulous time. The streets, the people, the food. I loved how when my husband and I pulled to the side of a street and asked for directions, people would argue among themselves before telling us the "besht way" to a place. At one point we found ourselves stuck in our car in an extremely narrow road that was probably two wheeler only. Stuck in the front of a traffic jam with everybody behind us honking away, the pedestrians actually smiled and pulled the parked bikes on the side of the road out of the way and then guided us out of the street. I have not felt more at home in a very long time.

I also spent quality time visiting some friends and relatives, chatting up my cousins and annoying my ma by leaving the wet towel on the bed. Just like old times.

And the food. Oh the food!!. The husband and I ignored all warnings and spent all our time there eating street food for almost every meal (that we could manage over the constant protests of his parents and my mother). And with such food available constantly and so cheaply, I am surprised that everybody there does not weigh a 100 kg. The highlights were - vada pav in Bombay, samosa and kesar kulfi in Rajasthan, tikki and golgappa in Delhi.

In the last week of my trip away, I spent a few days in Singapore visiting with my brother. Singapore is a beautiful, friendly city that I really enjoyed visiting. My brother and I also spent some time catching up. Our bonding, apart from chatter over large drinks served in marmalade jars ( courtesy very nice bar called Nueva Cuba with live music in Clarke Quay) , consisted of shared stories about the disturbingly similar aches and pains that we had both noticed - clearly a result of the defective genes that our parents had managed to pass on to us in a predictably consistent fashion. I am a couple of years older than my brother and while I seemed to have missed out on the genes that makes my brother a successful, socially well adjusted, confident young man I do seem to share those that resulted in flat feet and flawed skin. My brother seemed to view my physical ailments as his future. Somehow, I found it in my heart to push aside the obvious insult in that and warned him gravely about how his body was about to let him down. Being an older sister is a tough job but someone has to do it :).

I came back yesterday and miss India ,my mother and tikki quite badly. I also feel a new energy and a certain lightness that I have not felt in a long time. The husband and I are going to have to start shopping in the dollar store - so we can make room in our budget for more trips to India and cocktails served in jars.

Game day and gender wars

2011-11-10T07:41:00.009-05:00

This incident occurred about 6 months ago and only came to my mind yesterday during a chance conversation. The husband and I had been invited to a game day type thing at a friends house. The Indian cricket team was in the quarter finals and things looked rather promising. The cricket match was held overseas, started at 5 am local time and stretched into the afternoon. It was us and four other couples in the house with the best cable package. We had all trickled in starting at 4:45 am on a work day to watch match.

After a few hours the Indian team's chances looked very good and it was decided that the drinking should commence since it was 5 pm somewhere in the world.And in fact it was close to 5pm in the stadium where the match was being played. So the margaritas were rolled out.

Tequila!! My nemesis!! I like drinking as much as the next boozer but I have more than met my match in Tequila. Tequila and I are not friends. We eye each other warily, pretend for the sake of company that all is well. I will take a tentative sip and smile. The Tequila for its part will slide down my gullet, warm my insides and pretend like it will make me feel better. But I know better than to be fooled. Well, I know better now. Since the couple of nights I did not know better, are remarkable in that I do not remember large parts of them. What I do remember are the mornings after. So to cut a long story short Tequila and I are not friends.

So after a couple of sips so nobody was the wiser about our tenuous past, I decided to call it a day. My husband not suffering from a similar experience with tequila (his nemesis for a while was brandy) polished off his margarita with much gusto. Day time drinking on what should be a work day while the Indian cricket team was doing everything right.. it was the stuff that dreams are made off.

The wives and husbands still in various makeshift beds, since the early hour that the match had started at had warranted blankets, comforters and pillows. All this and more were piled in front of the TV. The mood was one of contentment and cautious excitement. The sun streamed into the room as the day progressed. The early rising coupled with the margaritas and the afternoon sun was making everyone just a little drowsy. The Indian victory seemed imminent.

Watching my husband put his glass down, I thought I would volunteer to be the designated driver on the way back. So I poked him with my finger to get his attention and said "Feel free to drink up , I can drive us back today".

The husband looked delighted for a moment and then probably realizing that it was still only 11 am reluctantly said "It's fine I think the one was enough for me. "

And suddenly, just like that, all hell broke loose.

"See she lets him drink when he wants to. Even drives him home after."

"He knows when to say no. I don' t see you turning down a second one."

"I don't see her nagging him about it."

"He probably doesn't drink at every given opportunity."

I and the husband, sidelined by this time just gaped at one other. I, for one, secretly felt just a twinge of pride that our degenerate ways coupled with enabling each others vices was finally paying off, even if it was for only a little while.

And well, the rest of them cheered up soon too after the pizza arrived to soothe our Tequila tummies and the Indian team delivered a much anticipated victory.

Lights Off

2011-10-11T06:07:00.010-04:00

This is an exercise in telling a story with just dialogue.

Do help me get into the bath. Can you please make sure the little waterproof pillow is nearby, and my magazine rack?

Yes Ann.

Hold my hand now. I hope you dried your hand love. Cold hands give me the creeps.

I dried my hands Ann. In fact I am wearing these fleece gloves. Don't worry.

Aah, the water feels lovely though the bath water is a just a little cold. Thanks you. Oh don't go away. Dim the lights and just put the remote next to me? Also can you get place my towels near the foot. Thank you so much. Turn on the fragrance diffuser also for me. That is perfect

Are you comfortable now?

Yes thank you very much. So nice to see you around home.

You are welcome Ann.

Sooo. Where were you last night? It is not safe to go all over town in that little car. Someone should know your whereabouts you know. You could tell me. So, I can call someone god forbid something happens.

I only went to pick up your prescriptions Ann. You were all out of the pills. The ones I just gave you.

Oh ! Thank you. I was beginning to worry about you. Will you sit read a book or something in the bedroom outside so I can chat with you?

Sure Ann. I am sitting on the bed. I can hear your every word.

It has been a while since you had any time. And you have been so quite since you got back. After all that travelling for 6 months when you came back I had so many plans. But there you were pottering in the shed, driving off at odd times.I was so relieved to see you up this morning making coffee. And just delighted when you stayed in today.

Yes Ann, I wrapped up all I had to do. Just a few remaining items and that's it.

Well, I am glad. I only want your happiness you know. But spending all your time, your money and your energy chasing what is past!!! Paying detectives, late night meeting, trips to ends of the world. You are just putting yourself through hell for nothing. If they wanted you in their life they would not have made it so hard.

Yes Ann.

What does that say about she just upped and moved like that without an address or any contact information. And to do it when you had gone to meet physicians for that ... child.

My child Ann.

Your adopted child!! And all that time you used to spend with that child and the doctors. Oh don't be mad with me. You were always wonderful with him. If he had stayed, if she had let him stay you would have done your best I am sure and the child would have been the best.. for what he was I am sure. But as it stands you can live again. They miss you at work you know.

MY child was autistic and he was diagnosed late because of all the time we spent at work. We did not pay enough attention. I should have known better. Work gets along just fine without me.

Fine, fine!! Fine is not what you wanted before, you know. When your parents and I opened that restaurant we did not want fine either. We wanted the best. And what do we have now - 7 restaurants and growing. Each serving only the very best. And when they died ,you stepped up and learnt everything almost overnight. We were great together. Even with that stroke I would have never left if I did not have you to take over. Well, it is never too late. Now that the search is over we can all go back.

Ann I am selling them. I am selling all the restaurants.

Selling them. What are you talking about? What is wrong with you? With the two of them gone we need to move on. We will be each others strength. You can move in next door again. I have so many ideas for the business. And you can help me and we can build something your parents would have been proud off.

My parents would have been proud if I had taken care of my son.

That boy again. Well it isn't as if you did not try with him when they were here. And you also tried to find them after they left. What will you do for a job if you sell the restaurants? And you know you cannot sell without my consent.

I am opening a bakery Ann. In Cochin.

In Cochin?? Cochin?? Wait why did you come back from your trip? What is going on? What are going to do? You think you know everything. You know nothing. You must not believe everything she says.

I know Ann. I know you promised my wife that my son would get all your share if they went away. I know you told them that the business would fall apart without me working everyday at your precious restaurants. That you showed them papers that claimed we would go under in a 6 short months. When it was not true Ann. I gave you my 15 years of my life Ann and you took my family from me. You told her that I would not be able to support them if I continued to spend time with my son. That the costs would be too much. You took advantage of a woman half out of her wits with worry. And she believed you. But how did you think that it would last? In a previous life she was our best manager. She wrote me a month ago Ann. You knew they went to Cochin?

Yes I knew. I sent them all those checks didn't I? Well, I am sorry to have cared. Leave your future and go to Cochin but you are not selling any of my restaurants. If you are too blind to see what you are doing wrong, I cannot help you. And where do you think you are going to have the money for the bakery. I need to get out of this bathtub. Don't bother helping me. I can do this on my own. This is a self sufficient house you know.You are not needed. I can take care of myself and the restaurants on my own. Where is that stupid remote for the lights. There it is. Let me get out and I can shut the door behind ...

I will sell the restaurants Ann and my son will get your money. We will open a bakery in Cochin. I set up remote to short made easy when handled in a tub full of water. I only got to it this morning. But, I did not expect you oblige me so promptly Ann.

Made changes after some sharp critiquing by "friend".

Calling Out

2011-08-19T05:38:00.003-04:00

Participating in Friday Fiction 221. The idea came to me almost immediately but I found this quite hard to write..

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Raghu sat there a stone throw away from the top of the hill with this ankle nestled in his hands. The pain shot through this ankle and through his feet and toes as he tried to flex his foot. In addition to the pain in his ankle he felt another wave of misery sweep through his insides. This had been a terrible idea.

Three years ago today he had lost his wife to a road accident. It had been the worst three years of his life. Three years ago he was a whole man. A man with a job, ideas, hobbies, friends and a wife that he had loved, who had loved him. His two children were grown and settled abroad. He had made trips with his wife to visit them every alternate year and they had visited the other years.

The death had caught him unprepared. As a child who had lost parents rather early he had always felt that he had already paid his dues. And his wife, his wife. What is left to be said about shared domesticity. It had not been high highs and low lows as his wife liked to say. They had always been a calm couple. Married young, they seemed to fit together well, well enough. And after his initial reluctance to love anyone who could die on him he had opened up.

They had weaved their daily routines, hobbies, friends in out around each other for the past 35 years - a great giant banyan tree of a relationship. And her death had caught him with his guard down. Taken his breath away. Sitting on top of the sparse hill he took a deep breath. It felt like the first one after a very long time.

This had been his first hike after... In the three years in between life had been so hard. Simple things. Getting up, getting dressed, going to work, not screaming out in pain, eating lunch, coming home, eating dinner, going to bed. Maintaining this simple routine seemed to take all that he had to offer. He had dared not introduce any variations with the fear that everything would come tumbling down.

To begin with friends had called, his children had called almost everyday but one by one all had dropped off. His children still called him once every week at the weekend but for the rest of time he was alone. Alone just barely managing to keep up his routine. He figured sooner or later the routine would get easier and then he could start reintroducing all of the other people, experiences into his life again.

This hike in fact was a variation. The last two years on this day he had waited patiently for his children to call and then once it was over had fallen apart over a bottle of wine. It was in fact the only day of the year that he allowed himself any alcohol. With his perceived predilection for alcohol, he had been terrified to drink at all after she had died.

As he sat alone with a sense of despair growing Raghu realised almost for the first time that it was never going to get easier. He tried to stand up and get moving but realised that the pain was just too much for him even to limp with most of his weight on his other leg. He sat down again and check his phone, there was only a tiny bit of charge left. Raghu did not have anyone to call who would willingly drop everything and come and get him. There were still a few friends who would do it with some private grumbling but the thought filled Raghu with despair. They would do it because they pitied him.

This was exactly what he was hoping to avoid with his unwavering routine. This feeling of helplessness, of despair, of rage at the unfairness of it all. If he let everything in he was not sure he could cope.

He lay back against a bare rock and looked up at the sky. The mountains cleared his head slowly. As the breeze rose he felt himself start to breathe deeply. He closed his eyes and the exhaustion from all the emotions made his muscles go limp. He made up his mind and picked up the phone and dialed.

It rang and went to voicemail
" Hi this is Malini Raghu. I am not available at the moment but please leave your name and number and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Have a great day"

For the first time in all the time he had listened to her voice he smiled a little at his dirty little secret. Continuing to pay her mobile bill had been an indulgence to begin with but off late he felt guilt and shame at his inability to move on. Maybe he should have made a little more of a scene, cried more, drank more, been a bigger disaster. Maybe then three years would not have found him on a hike alone with no one to call.

He sat up and decided to wait for the two youngsters that had been in front of him through the hike. They had reached the top and had gone on further to visit the waterfall. The thought of inconveniencing strangers did not fill him with dread at the moment. He would make a scene. And when he got home he would call his children, cry some more, take a vacation, let it hurt some more.

Kalaivani

2011-08-12T06:02:00.004-04:00

My first ever attempt at fiction. I am attempting Fiction Friday Challenge 220.
Be gentle its my first time. :)

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It was a typical day in June in Delhi. At 10 am the heat was already unbearable. I was 11 years old, it was my summer vacation and the last thing I wanted to do was stand in a queue outside the Saraswati temple. We were here for my dance classes. Although I was a disappointment to my parents in almost every other way I still redeemed myself by being somewhat of a prodigy when it came to Bharatnatyam. We were here to enroll me in special dance classes offered by Dr Parthasarathy. Dr Parthasarathy was a retired DRDO scientist who had a passion for dance. After 35 years of brilliant work at the DRDO he was now a retired man who worked as the priest at the Saraswati temple.

In addition to being a brilliant scientist and a learned priest he was also a highly sought after dance teacher with many gifted disciples. And he was accepting students for this year. So my family along with dozen others were queued up outside the Saraswati temple so he could choose one or two of us and accept us as his disciples.

In a fit of rebellion I had worn my pink shorts and an Aerosmith t shirt. Although it served the purpose of infuriating my parents I felt miserable now as I watched all the pretty older girls in their salwar kameez. As much as I wanted to annoy my parents I also really enjoyed dancing. Although I had heard my parents talking about how traditional and strict Dr Parthasarathy was I had also heard about how he had made gifted children into brilliant dancers. He was known to give a special soul to dance performances that he choreographed.

So now miserable in my pink shorts I felt I had no chance against this pantheon of teenage girls all of whom seemed like a better pick than younger, smaller me in my pink shorts.

The queue wound from the rear entrance of the temple to the beginning of the parking lot. There was commotion at the parking lot that was getting louder and louder. It seemed some of the street children had captured a black cat and had tried to set the cat on fire using a magnifying glass. Although some of the parents from the queue had interfered to rescue the cat they were since then throwing things at the cat to shoo it away. A black cat was considered a bad omen and they did not want the cat anywhere near their pretty, perfect daughters. The cat stupidly was standing its ground.

My eyes filled with tears as I watched the cat shrink into a ball. And though none of the parents were hurting the cat it was clear that the cat was terrified. My parents who had been standing with their backs to me to show how mad they were now moved closer to me. One of them put their arm over my shoulder as I continued to watch the cat. It must have been the anticipation of rejection, along with a feeling of camaraderie with that cornered cat but tears started rolling down my cheeks.

After what seemed like forever my father finally sighed. "Come, lets go get the poor thing". A wave of relief swept over me as we walked past the parents who by now had begun to ignore the cat. My father picked the animal up and finding a collar around its neck said " Its a house cat. Shame on them."

The cat seemed to sense it was safe and uncurled itself and let itself be patted. My father was always good with animals. I found myself blurting. " I am sorry about the clothes, Dad. Maybe I will get in next time. Really sorry dad."

My father looked up and grinned at me. "Don't worry chotu. You are a great dancer. And I think our chances just improved." Through my tears I now saw what my father was looking at. A tiny ring attached to the collar of the cat with the inscription.

"Kalaivani - C/0 Dr Parthasarathy".

Time for a change already?

2011-08-07T05:44:00.007-04:00

Seasons are like life in that when you have one you crave for another.

Being a girl whose heart will always belong to Delhi I adore winters. Winters in Delhi are the most beautiful thing. The warm sunshine trying to cut through foggy mornings. Winter is when the plants get a respite from the sweltering heat and all the gardens come alive with flowers. Sweaters come out and my ma will start dressing in layers equal to 5 or above. There are small impromptu bonfires. Apples find there way to the shops, also pahadi alu and special red carrots that end up in large pots of gajar halwa.

But winter in New Jersey is another thing altogether. The trees are barren, the sky is overcast, the snow on the ground that is so dreamlike when it first falls turns a dirty brown color and stays on the ground until the spring melt. My two old cars sputter and threaten to die, the roads are treacherous. The produce section in stores dwindles to a colorless mass as the season progresses. I took to jogging in the morning this winter, anything to feel heat in my limbs but snow on the ground and cold needles against my face was more than I could withstand on a daily basis. I finally understand why summer a season much maligned in a tropical county is so revered in North America.

I tell you all this because I have been craving cold weather lately. Maybe it is that as a fat child I have always found comfort in layers, maybe it is the string of festivals I associate with cold winter air. Whatever it is I am looking out already for fall, the first nip in the air, sweaters, hot stews, pies .... all that.

Word a day.

2011-07-28T08:12:00.007-04:00

With age and a relatively mature endocrine system ( cos my pimples would have me believe otherwise) I find I am pretty positive person. In comparison to my teen years when I was a cynical, know-it-all (thank you Ma for tolerating me without any bloodshed) I am Mary Poppins herself. In fact I find I slowly drift away from people who are constantly negative.

And this word a day I have been getting this week has inspired me to start learning Spanish since it looks like the biggest buzz kill of them all is the English language itself

hircine - Of or relating to a goat, having a strong odor, lustful; lewd.
porcine- Of or related to swine, piggish: greedy; sloppy; boorish.
anserine - Of or relating to a goose. stupid; silly.
bovine - Of or relating to cattle, especially a cow, dull; sluggish; stupid.

What is this asinine need to take the perceived negative in all animals and then use it to describe people? Oh ... Oops.

Ironic?

2011-06-24T07:12:00.002-04:00

The SlutWalks was started in Canada to protest against a comment by a police officer about how women should dress to avoid attack. There is to be a Slut Walk in Delhi at the end of July.

For me the issue is important. There should be very clear demarcation about where the responsibility lies in case of any crime against women. This is not just about what she wears but also about how a woman behaves. For me it is about being allowed to be. To do what I want, when I want , how I want and to not have to factor in how men or anybody else feel about it.

The media attention on this issue in India so far is a little distressing. Instead of highlighting that crimes against women is on the rise and that society needs to take responsibility about how women are treated in our country, the attention has shifted yet again to what women will wear. Ironic? Sad? Frustrating? All of the above?

Articles in media here, here.

He knows too much!!

2011-06-06T10:42:00.004-04:00

Me : "I discovered this new show that I really like on Netflix. It is about this guy who is a therapist and it is rather funny. Very insightful"

Hubby : (Looks at the TV where the show is paused) "This one?"

Me : "Wanna watch?" (switching the show to play again)

Hubby : "Ha! I know why you like this show!!"

Me : "Yeah!! I just told you he is a therapist, it is funny and insightful..."

Hubby ( interrupting rudely) : "What, You find this guy hot. That's why you like this show. This is same guy in ....." ( names the other show where I reportedly checked out this guy)

Me : "Whoa!!! Really?? Is it the same guy?" ( Look at the screen closely and then check IMDB) "I think you are right. But that is not why I like the show!!!"

Hubby ( gives me a look ) : "I know all the guys you find cute. "( walks away proudly)

As my husband and I grow together we know each other better, we understand when the other person is sad, happy, what the other person finds funny, likes for breakfast and so on and so forth. But now I think he might know too much!!!!

Note to self - stop using so many exclamation marks!! Maybe large bold capital letters or red to indicate emphasis. OR WILL THAT be even more ANNOYING!!!

Right Now

2011-06-04T05:51:00.001-04:00

It a beautiful sunny afternoon. It was only two weeks ago that I could not believe my good fortune on being able to sit outside in the sun on a weekday. And two weeks later I am sitting indoors in front of a book or a laptop on a bright sunny afternoon. The AHA moment that I got when I quit job has started fading and I am getting plagued with same fear and doubts that I have had for all my life.

I find myself pouncing at all examples of people who had taken some time off and then found their way back. I revisit my decision and think about if I could have somehow stayed at that job a little while longer. I reassure myself and set internal deadlines.

And today after a few days of relative fogginess it hit me that this was what got me where I am in the first place. What do I want to do in life is a very big question. But what do I want to do NOW is not. Yet I seldom ask myself that and fewer times follow through.

Here, present, right now what do I want? Our lives are full of tales of the caution for the people who don't plan for the future. Life lessons not learnt not first hand but handed down like a sacred text.

If I did not know any of these lessons, if I knew nobody else who quit their job, if I knew nobody who liked chocolate, what would I want to do?

And to start with what would I want to do right now with no thought to the future. For I am sure the secret to the bigger question lies in an answer to that.

Thank you Shubha for a related thought.

I wrote this a week back and almost didnt post it. This morning I got up again with doubts and anxiety and when I read this I feel some relative clarity come back into my thoughts...

More empty spaces

2011-06-01T12:01:00.001-04:00

Since I am still working on delivering on my promises to self to write more in this blog, I decided to go ahead and open another space that I could neglect. I opened a blog space to update stuff about food, garden and other random things I do in my life.
So please visit
http://bhooklagihai.blogspot.com/

Blue and Black Thumb

2011-05-26T15:34:00.006-04:00

Three years ago I packed all my bags and moved all the across the vast land mass of the United States of America from Portland, Oregon to New Jersey. Portland the city of roses has a milder winter full of rains and a summer blessed with long sunny days, being farther away from the equator. New Jersey on the other hand has relatively cold winters with snowfall that has increased every passing winter, followed by a rainy spring, a short fleeting summer, a surprisingly cold fall and then quickly back to the increased snow that I was talking about. So needless to add that the very summer I got here I decided to utilize the whole 4 and half months of warm weather we get to start gardening

Gardening is a pastime of the retired, people who enjoy a slower pace. You spend long hours out in the sun pottering with plants, while your pretty neighbour lady in a summery frock picnics in the lawn and waves to you. The plants which you picked after much consideration thrive under all your attention. And in return for all these sunny days, your house is full of fresh produce and fragrant beautiful cut flowers.

Or so they would have you believe. After three long seasons (before anyone jumps to any conclusions they were long only in my head the sunshine was beautiful but very brief), the one thing I have learnt is that whoever came up with gardening or maybe it was the maker of those weirdly expensive gardening gloves I see all over the place (24.99 for gloves that I am going to stick in mud, I don't think so) was very, very good at PR.

Things you should know when you start:

- When the seed company guarantees that a seed will work, if you provide not too much or too little water, not too much or too little sunshine, no squirrels (I hate squirrels but that is an another entry), no birds, the appropriate nutrients in the appropriate quantity, the appropriate drainage, the correct container size... And no they will not put all that on the back of the packet because that would leave less place for the bold 100 % guarantee that they like to display there.

- Squirrels/birds do not like the hedge plants that were mass produced by Lowe's and planted by your apartment complex a couple of feet away from the Thai basil plant that you have grown from seed. They like your 4 class teacher know what to get at to make you cry. To my 4 class teacher - thank god you had to go on long vacation half way through that year. I would never have made it without that break. I never asked why you went away because I was just so glad to be rid of you and thought I would jinx it if asked too many questions.

- If you water your plants thoroughly before a vacation it will rain all the time you are not there and you will come back to water clogged plants. If your do not water your plants there will be a heat wave that will break records and your heart.

- You will never remember what you planted what seed no matter how good your memory is. All containers with seeds must be labeled. Since I have always been told I have a mind like a sieve I am not sure why I made that mistake.

- It is very important to pick produce at the right time. That is when they taste the best and provide maximum nutrition. What is the right time to pick produce? - The week you were working late in office with takeout Greek food or the week you went for the vacation that you planned 6 months ago. Those two weeks and the week you were down with flu.

- Keeping your seedlings in the "slightly" warm oven to accelerate growth is an accident waiting to happen.

- Despite twisted backs, chipped nails, grazed knees I keep hearing about tennis elbows, golf elbows, runners' knee and not one whisper about any gardening related injuries. They are very real. Be careful and please garden while making loud noises about how hard it is with a considerate husband within earshot.

- Visit nurseries after steeling yourself against plants that will be twice the size of your plant and also will have been grown organically from an heirloom seed passed down for generations in the family of the nursery owner. Your little plant may have taken more of your time and effort and maybe from a seed that you picked in a catalogue but at least it costs more money than it would to buy this plant (wait that doesn't sound right).

Despite all this gardening is a very rewarding hobby and first thing I look at every morning are my stunted, overpriced beauties. It is indeed a hobby fit for royalty- you know with all the help they can hire...

Enjoy

All iz well

2011-05-22T07:14:00.003-04:00

I got up earlier than usual this morning with a smile on my lips. It is a Sunday with crisp, cold spring air that helped drive away any remaining sleep from my eyes. So I checked my plants, which are flourishing courtesy all this attention they are getting, made an aromatic cup of coffee and sat down with my laptop.
Read Ratan Tata's interview which upset me a little since here is a man to be respected speaking with little regard for work life balance. The article has some eye catching headline about Mukesh Ambani but what caught my attention was Ratan Tata's views on calling meetings at the end of the day. I got a little mad and sat down and put my anger down on paper. But in doing so lost my anger. I feel a little of my peace come back to me these last weeks. So I do not want to send out judgement and opinion into the world this early in the day.
Instead here is a picture of some spinach and lettuce from my patio full of pots. The lettuce was lovely in a salad yesterday.

A Year Wiser

2011-05-16T13:35:00.004-04:00

It has been a crazy year. I have grown a year older, hopefully also a year wiser. I have found it difficult to write this past year. I have had much less time to myself. But the real reason was the place I found myself in life.

Writing for me, even when I write jokes involves a moment of introspection. That is why writing makes me just a little calmer, just a little happier. The process gives me an excuse to collect my thoughts and look at life. Even if it just to pick something from my life to write about.

This past year however my life could not stand up to any introspection. I found myself in a job I did not enjoy at the end of commute that took time away from anything else which would have made the job worthwhile. I have been angry, frustrated and defeated. I have thought about what I should do rather than what I want and in doing so what I want has become hazier and hazier. I have been trying to fit in and have failed miserably.

A week ago, I finally quit my well paying job. I am unemployed yet I feel strangely free. I am just beginning to feel like myself again. I still panic every other day and feel a flood of fear and confusion. All my thoughts are clouded once again with the immediate. But once the first wave of fear has subsided, all the reasons why I am here come back. I have no idea what I am going to do next but in finding myself here I feel more alive than I have felt in a long time. My life can once again stand up to some examination and that alone is a step forward.

Today

2011-03-11T09:26:00.001-05:00

It is one of those days. I have been having more and more of these.

I have the day off. The day stretches ahead with no plans, no to-dos, nothing to be accomplished, no place to be, nobody to meet, nothing to enjoy. Just time, with all of its possibilities. No running away from my thoughts. No filling the day with repeats of yesterday. A blank slate - at least for the day.

I have to unlearn so much to finally start learning again.

Teen Saal Baad

2011-03-06T12:53:00.005-05:00

After three years of marriage, the husband and I may not finish each others sentences but have gotten to know each other very very well. Once in while this level of comfort is rather amusing.

For example I am notoriously clumsy. I am not sure how but in a matter of seconds I can wreak havoc. To a stranger the resulting damage would seem quite disproportionate to what caused the accident and the whole thing would look like a freak accident. But I know better than to write off any accident that I am a part of as a freak one.

This morning I was in the kitchen making an omelette and husband was on the phone with his father making small talk. At one point I turned around to find that the kitchen towel that was lying on the counter had caught fire and was burning at a rather alarming rate. After spending a few more seconds panicking and being useless I finally picked it up and dropped it on the very combustible floor mat.

The fire continued to burn and now had begun to blacken floor mat. I now tried to put the fire out with some oily cloth hand mittens ( because I am like that). While I was busy making a smoky mess in the kitchen, I noticed the husband had walked over to kitchen to stare at what I was doing with a amused grin on his face. And without interrupting the conversation about weather and car trouble gestured that I should drop the burning towel on the floor instead of the mat.

Together we managed to put the fire out. After which the husband ( still on the phone) wet the embers of the burning cloth to prevent all further mishaps and cleaned up the kitchen floor.

And apart from a wisecrack much later ( if you knew him you would know that though he is a good man, he cannot hold wisecracks in) there was no other exchange about what had happened.

I will Ramble now

2010-02-14T13:17:00.002-05:00

Once blogging crept into my life I have found it to be a rather hard thing to let go. I started blogging for me and the point was to just write. I worked from home and suffered from limited human interaction. The blogging helped. The internet helped my new imaginary friend flourish.

However, what is rather tiresome is that despite my blog life not being paramount to me it is always there at the back of my mind. So as the months passed by without a single written word this blog just became an item in my to do list that remains unchecked. What was meant to be relaxing and a kind of relief has become a task. To offset this and make blogging fun again I have decided to ramble more and write less. If all that sounded to you like an excuse for poor writing, mediocre anecdotes, more self absorption - pat yourself on the back, you are bang on target because that is exactly what it is.

Reading blogs on the other hand is far more relaxing, a simple task with ample rewards. When I discover a new blog that I like I feel the same pleasure I feel when I accidently find a good book without a recommendation, a random act that resulted in a pleasurable discovery. Small pleasures when unexpected are the best.

As much as I like all the blogs in my reader list, a little weariness sets in. Reminiscent of late last year when after a month Graham Greene and E M Forster ( another to do list I was checking off) it was decided that it would be best if I limited my reading to books that did not pan 3 months forward in time when an overseas trip was mentioned. One with kitchen appliances that are operate at button press, one where there is less fan waving, meaningful glances and more undressing when a love scene arrives.

So after about a year of pretty much a constant reading list give or take a few I have decided to expand. Not as important as the inorganic growth of Google who seems to be bursting at the seams. (Also those who knew that inorganic growth meant growth by acquisition more back patting but please let’s reign in the gloating if you don't mind, husband ... uhh I mean people.)

After spending the last week poring over the world wide web, ok the last few days, oh all right a few hours this morning. Fine so I pretty much scanned some lists on my favourite subjects and added them to my reading list.

Some fashion blogs since I now work in the city and need to take it up a notch with the clothes. By which of course I mean I own formal pants with seams intact and I try not to use layering to hide food stains.

1. DC goodwill fashion blog

2. The Budget Fashionista

Travel blogs

1. Abby's blog

Random

The Floating Sheep

I am still working on my list. On a sunny beautiful day, I have the good fortune of being ill enough to have a valid excuse for not being out but not so ill that I cannot spend the after reading, and eating. Morning went past with uttapams and watching Mutalik's face being blackened. I will now make some groaning noises and take a nap and that should be just right for waking up for the batch of egg-less cookies my husband is working on. Always about the small small pleasures.

Cranberries and my teen angst

2009-12-12T06:04:00.004-05:00

About a month ago I had the good fortune of attending a concert by one of my teen idols. I was your typical teenager - confused yet brim full of very definitive and strong opinions, happy yet brooding, lost yet snooty. Like any other teenager out there it was a time full of extremes.

I look back at my teen years somewhat reluctantly. I was an awkward kid, with awkward ways. OK reluctance does not begin to cover it - I look back at teen years with embarrassment and a very selective memory. In fact most of the times I like to pretend I was never that person :).

This brings me back to the concert. I attended a concert by Cranberries. They make great music and in addition have a lead female vocalist who wears pants and sings with passion and strength. They are a lovely band but I always chalked my devotion to them to -- well being a teenager. Life then seemed to full of absolutes. And I absolutely loved the cranberries.

However, a lot of things and people have lost their sheen in the grown up world and to be fair I have also grown to appreciate a good many other people/ideas ( Like my ma - I don’t want to tell her but I think I rather like the old lady). When I do feel strongly about something I am somewhat embarrassed by how attached I can get to an idea. It might be me but it seems the world of adults is world of greys. Not grey to indicate boredom but grey to indicate complexity. And in this complex world absolutes with very few exceptions have very little space.

I bought the tickets because I can and the group was touring after years and years. I expected a night of entertainment and maybe a night with more embarrassing shoulder shrugs where I explain that I was just a silly kid who had loved this silly band. In turn what did happen was that the cranberries took my breath away. Dolores the lead singer is still a charismatic personality. The rest of the band performed beautifully. As I listened to them sing boat loads of memories associated with my teen years rushed through my mind. My heart raced. To my surprise I remembered all the words. It was a rather fleeting hour and a half and they left me wanting more. And did I mention she keeps her pants on while she performs? Oh I did... Well it’s a point worth making twice!!.

It lead me to do a lot of thinking (yeah, no surprises there I do live in my head quite a bit). It seems I need not be embarrassed by all of my teen life. I was a passionate kid but perhaps I should be a passionate adult. I was so sure about what I wanted. Reality has stepped in and made my life a combination of what I want and what I can have. But I think I have let reality get at more than what can happen, I have let it get at what I want. So I have a brand new year resolution. Yep, number one is still loose 10 pounds but there can be only so much self awareness and gyan at one time.

My New Year resolution is to do more things I enjoy and not just things I am good at. And not to sound AA but I would like the ability to tell the difference.

Wish I Had Written This

2009-11-27T16:43:00.002-05:00

Thing have been a little crazy of late. Too many changes, too many things to plan. I am completely unable to write.. :).

But even at my most prolific here are a couple of entries that I wish I had the courage to write. These issues are close to my heart and I could never put it out there .

I can however provide links :)

http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/sindoor-tali-and-mangalsutra/

http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/international-mens-day/

A Breath Of Fresh Air

2009-10-10T21:20:00.003-04:00

Remember this? I like most people fantasized about other jobs even as I plodded through my own day job. There are however people that do not stop with fantasies. They do not blog about their thoughts and actually manage to get something done.. Who would have thought it ??!!!

My Sunny Balcony is started by a group of 4 people in Bangalore. The garden city is being eaten up ever growing concrete monstrosities and a city that was once known for idyllic weather and lovely gardens is talked about most for its traffic jams. My Sunny Balcony brings a little bit of green into the ever shrinking homes of Bangalore dwellers. A simple idea with a heart. The group works on setting up a garden in whatever space is available in Bangalore apartments. If you have a little sunshine in any corner of your house it seems they can transform it into a green haven.

Lovely work. These are pictures of their latest work that I found on Facebook.

The folks at My Sunny Balcony have this to say

"MSB is a group of garden enthusiasts dedicated to creating customized landscapes for urban environments. Want a little sunshine, a little green and lots of frEE oxygen & frEE therapy?!call us!:)"

While I was trying to plowing and planting seeds on Farmville it is good to know there are some people hard at work making the world green. And nope I cannot be shamed into quitting Farmville.

Rewarding Rhetoric

2009-10-09T12:18:00.004-04:00

I love the man. Love love love.

He is intelligent, well spoken, seems to care, funny and competent but can we please wait for him to serve a term before we start showering him with accolades....

Nobel Peace Prize????

Edited to add-

Points to Ponder

The last date for Nomination was in Feb, Days after the man had been elected to office. For a link to the selection process click here.

My first Karva Chauth

2009-10-08T11:39:00.003-04:00

Winter months approach and what makes the dwindling sunshine, the shorter days, the drooping flowers in my garden bearable is festival season. I don't think it is by accident that most of the celebrations are in the winter months. It is to cheer us up and distract us from our house arrest that all the fun festivals line up in these months. From Navarathri, Diwali, Karva Chauth, Halloween, Christmas and New Year as the flowers go away these festivals give us an excuse to put up our own decorations even as nature takes a break. My only grouse with the festival season however is all the fasting.

Each time any of the fasting festivals roll up I consider it half heartedly. With skill equaling that of insurance companies looking for loopholes in my plan I set out to look for loopholes in the fasting rituals. While they scour page after page of legal paperwork, I have it easier and submit my request to the Google God. And as it turns out the rituals are apparently better structured then our health insurance because I failed miserably in trying to find one that would keep me well fed and fasting. Perhaps the common sense laws are more effective for the common people. Anyways I digress.

So Navarathri flew past and I had done nothing apart from eat all the goodies my mil made. To top it off we went golu hopping on Saraswati Pooja day and ended up having three breakfasts all served with a sweet. I had but resigned myself to accepting defeat when along came Karva Chauth. How did I find out about this not celebrated by Tamils festival?? Husband and I relied on long distance phone calls to India for any festival type information before in laws came to visit. And now that in laws are there they multi task by reminding us, doing all the preparations for the festival and then lowering their standards for our part in it so we can meet their expectations. Well facebook of course.

So, despite having felt queasy every time yet another heroine in Hindi cinema decks up in Swarozki crystal studded lehengas, gazes with adoration at husband/ boyfriend, sips her water and then breaks out into a song I decided I would embrace this festival and fast for hubby dearest. Though in all honesty it was done for all of the family. I am not a pati vrata sthri (I like Daniel Craig too much for that) and I will not be standing between anybody and Yama mainly because if I did see Yama I would be rushing off to the nearest emergency centre to get my BP/ brain checked.

Needless to say there was no sargi since the sun rise was long gone by the time I woke up. My brain also did not awaken until I had swallowed my giant cup of tea. After which I finally awoke to realize that it was Karva Chauth and I should be fasting. So I bathed, wore some red and prayed to be forgiven for ingesting large quantities of ginger tea and set off for the vrath.

After all the drama it was relatively easy. What was hard was to be cheerful and hungry but it seemed very non spiritual to be in foul mood while fasting for your loved ones. Husband was sweet and made poori and channa and when they were made demanded I break my fast regardless of moon cos the poori was ready. I made some halwa and tried my best to perform some prayer that would not result in offending my deities.

As luck would have it, it was a cloudy day and husband and I spent a good 40 minutes after scheduled moon rise looking for the damn thing. Since the moon is not visible from our balcony I took to going out every five minutes to check. When the moon was finally visible, I hurried the husband out, sipped the water, gave the other half a hug and rushed home for a table full of food.

So my take, fasting was not bad, the praying was even better, the food was the best and I still think we have these festivals to add drama into our lives.

Aaj kal be bachche.

2009-09-27T08:56:00.003-04:00

late 1980's

Ma - If you dont behave I am going to leave you here and go home without you.

Me/my brother (either knee deep in mud, or atop a tree - putting all that inexhaustible energy to good use) - you wont!!!.

Ma - Yes I will. Nobody wants to take home a naughty child.

Us (worried looking around for dad) - Appa won't let you. You will have to take me back.

Ma - Yes he will. See he is annoyed too.

Us (looking up at Appa to see him make his obliging angry face, now very unsure) - But he/she started it.

Reluctantly walking away from whatever lovely mischief we had been upto.

2009

Overheard mother and son at a concert my husband was singing at. I was trying to get the wires taped to the floor so kids would not trip on it.

Kid - I don't want to sit here. Nobody else is sitting here.

Mother - It is right in front. We are members of this organization. We pay an annual fee. These are the best seats. Just sit down.

Kid - But everybody is sitting at the back. I want to sit at the back....

After a few minutes of this.

Mother - If you don't behave I am going to leave you here.

The kid paused and was deep in thought for a while.

Kid - (In a very deliberate voice which might indicate practicing in front of the mirror) - If you did leave me behind here, I am not sure I want to go back with you. This means you are an irresponsible parent. You are supposed to take care of me and I could report you to the authorities and you would be in trouble. They would take me home.

Mother ( deep sigh ) - Bends down to sit next to me. Can I help you with that tape?

Kids born with a sense of entitlement...