V A I D E H I R A J U

LGBT and flights

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:21:00 +0000

Have you ever had that feeling where you're sitting in one place and your surrounding keeps moving? That moment when your stomach curls and butterflies turn into gigantic elephants? All you can only see and understand is the ever growing feeling inside you... to throw up! Yes, you guessed it.

Motion sickness.

This piece is totally going to be about how it ruined my chance at Bollywood. Confused much? I'll tell you how..

SCENE 1:

God's own country - a place where bananas are fried and leaves are eaten upon. Where queues in front of the bar are longer than those in front of banks. Having enjoyed an impromptu vacation for a couple of days, it was time for me to return. Apart from the fact that I love travelling, I'm a huge subscriber of something that comes with the baggage, i.e. motion sickness. Love it, hate it, but it never lets me ignore it. Mindful not to fall sick 40,000 feet above the ground, amidst the beautiful sky and clouds, I popped a pill supposedly assigned to make me feel better.

SCENE 2:

Did the pill make me shut my mouth?(pun intended)

DAMN YES because now I was drowsy and felt like I'd just been tranquillised.

I'm a big sucker for window seats and hence made sure I got one on the plane. A few mins later, a Blondie in his mid 50s sat next to me. Another few mins later his Indian friend came and sat next to him. They seemed to be dressed like in a band. Long hair, leather jackets and swag face.

As the flight started taking off, suddenly, Blondie clutched Indie's hand and intertwined their fingers. He shut his eyes tightly like a small child afraid of planes and tightened the grip of his hand. It was one of the most heartwarming scenes of my 2016.

Welcome to India 2016 where a new age queer couple is travelling and taking life just like the rest.

The pill was starting to act in all its glory and I dozed off by the time we started seeing the clouds. I woke up wanting to click a picture of their hands but just then, yay i fell asleep again. (P.S. they kept holding hands till we landed) :)

SCENE 3:

We landed in Pune and I asked the cute Indie to help me with my bag.

(Okay, please wait for the climax)

SCENE 4:

Days after that, I was awake one midnight as usual, watching videos on YouTube. On the side bar, I saw something. No, I saw someone in a video. Familiar and unable to recollect. Who is he? Kaun hai woh? I opened the video and it was an interview with Kareena Kappor Khan.

I was busy looking at the host and... DAMN!!! He's the Indie!!!

Apparently, I slept off sitting next to the Indie who is a popular Bollywood figure in terms of anchoring, story writing and screenplay writing for another Bollywood director with similar 'tastes' as his.

Made me wonder... why is his relationship status single to the world? You have a beautiful relation Indie, and with the most lovely person. It doesn't matter if you both are the same sex. We need more beautiful souls like you. Ones who can just love; without reason and compulsion. Seeing you both made my heart melt.. there I was, sitting next you, at the window seat, being the quintessentially 'normally' oriented person by Indian standards and all I could hold on to was my book when the plane took off :)

Much love to all who find love irrespective of sex, colour, age, caste, time and religion. As an ode to Indie and Blondie, I shall soon be writing more about the most overused word in our dictionaries - Love.

And damn you, medications! You cost me my Bollywood debut! :D

Bitter half makeovers

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 15:20:00 +0000

Like any normal day, I was incessantly switching from multiple social networks to find something to grab my attention, and boy, how it did!
I came across a few similar posts which read "XYZ's shocking transformation after breakup!" "ABC does not look like this anymore after divorce!" Wondering if they had gotten themselves a plastic surgery done, I curiously opened the damn link! So that's how social media marketing is done... HMMM.
Anyway, I was directed to an actress's makeover pictures after an ugly divorce following a very abusive marriage. She was the same - just shorter hair, a new tattoo on her hand quoting philosophy and holiday pictures by the beach. This got me thinking. Why had she waited all this long to cut her hair short? Or just go away on vacation? Bigger question, why was all this shocking to people?

Preach as you may please, but we are heavily dependant on others to validate our happiness. We breed on acceptance from peers and loved ones like holding onto a ventilator pumping happiness into us. We were not moulded this way and we need to know this is wrong.

First things first, there is no greater love than thyself.
How?
Like this: When highly stressed, getting a pedicure on your feet or the nasty neighbour's feet makes you feel better?

Secondly, nobody stays forever.
P.S. yes I'm being a mood killer now.
How?
Like this: You're born alone and till the last breath, you are pretty much the only person who stays with you for so long. The rest come n go as they please.

Relationships are not for neglecting yourself.
How?
Like this: Big revelation, I know. But it is a relationship only if you love and accept yourself first. The sparks fizzle out when people do not treat themselves like they did at the beginning. Who will love you if you don't?

It must not take a heartbreak or a tragedy for one to realise that self love comes above all.
Been wanting to get that pixie crop? Get one today! Go ahead with that beautiful little tattoo you've been wanting to get done. If you feel like re-doing your room with fairy lights or going on a road trip with your besties, do it today. Dress for yourself and find work that makes you happy. Your eulogies won't mention the pretty shoes and how much you strived at making others happy. For life is short as you know, and with each passing day its getting even more shorter for you to while away the little precious time becoming history each minute.

Better half or not, you definitely don't need them or anyone to make you fall in or out of love... with yourself!

Run 'Baby' Run!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 06:55:00 +0000

Dear Mr. Aamir Khan,

Namaste! I woke up day before to the sight of newspapers flashing the headline news of your wife contemplating about leaving India in order to find a 'safer' haven for your family. Good one, by the way! Could you tell us what specific intolerance have you come across in the past year? What exactly alarmed you more than 1984 riots, 1993 attacks, 26/11 or Nirbhaya rape case? Quoting Mr. Anupam Kher, "Incredible India to Intolerant India in 7 months?" On one hand, you gave us 'Satyameva Jayate' and instilled in us, hope and faith for a better tomorrow; and on the other, you talk about making conditions better by leaving the country just because you're alarmed now that you've suddenly realized that Indians have become intolerant! What exactly is the point you're trying to make?

Dear Mr. Khan you are a celebrity and the undeniable creme de la creme of our motherland. Chances of you facing corruption, poverty, abuse, exploitation, atrocities, inflation, etc. on a daily basis are lesser than rarity. The common man of India faces at least one of the above mentioned issues on a daily basis. Does that mean people here relocate to 'safer' havens? If that had to be the case, I'll just say that India would definitely not be the second largest populated democracy in the world. Does this scare your wife?

Mr. Perfectionist as they call you, were you born perfect? Were all the movies that you were associated with, an instant box office record breaker? NO. We could have comfortably boycotted all your movies after the 1990's; a time when most of your movies tanked disastrously. Instead, we kept patience till you worked your way up to be one of the superstars of our nation! Is this scary?

India has faced brutal terrorism in various parts of the nation including Mumbai, where you peacefully resided for the past 50 years. Does the peace haunt you?

Speaking of intolerance, if India had to be intolerant indeed, all rapists, criminals and terrorists would face public executions and castrations on a daily basis. How many of those have you witnessed here? Terrorists wouldn't be relaxing in jails with VIP security and biryani meals; corrupt officials would no longer hold onto their jobs; roadways and railways would have been perfect; there would no longer be any atrocities; no price hikes and no exploitation. BUT... We're a tolerant lot, DAMN! That is scary now, isn't it?

None of the Bollywood movies would have gained profit if each citizen of India first cross checked their caste with the actor's and then decided which one to watch. But what can we do, we turn out to be tolerant! I presume the box office success of your movies also makes you scared.

Talking about your defense statement, Mr. Khan, speaking like an ignorant foreign visitor about your motherland which made you one of the most influential people of this generation does not make you a patriot. Are you really saying this about a democracy which has the LARGEST youth population in the WORLD? Yes, if you speak against India, we WILL rebel. Weren't you rebellious enough as well in your youth? By Bollywood standards, you're still 'young' and thus, rebelling! In simple words, you cannot slap someone in public and then expect them to shut up, praise and admire your deeds. If you are exercising your freedom of speech and expression entitled to you, then so are we.

Being an international and influential celebrity that you 'were' did you forget how your statements could paint a totally different picture about our 'Incredible India' to the world? The one you publicized so much about? People went crazy with humble news like 'Aamir Khan will be wearing a skirt in PK' or ' Aamir Khan has gained weight for Dangal'. What really made you think that statements such as these would not cause scandals? Nothing proved your point Mr. Khan, not even your statement of defense. You may either choose to keep your wife's silly statements to yourself or be ready to face the consequences of repeating her babbles in public. As our ancestors have rightly advised, "Ghar ki kuch baatein chaar diwaron tak hi rakha karo"!

Though I can proudly say that India has not faced such brutality as other nations, we truly believe in 'Athithi Devo Bhava' and you are free to leave the country after the pleasant stay! We Indians will be more than happy and overwhelmed to organize your farewell to other 'safer havens' than India that you deem 'perfect'. But make sure to not come back when you face worse things there. Really, saying and doing are entirely two different things. Even your movies were made for profit so you cannot garner sympathy by naming how much good you have 'acted' in them. This profession was entirely your choice. I wonder what values you are meaning to instill in your little child by running away from his motherland.

Nonetheless, happy packing and sayonara, Mr. Khan! Bon voyage to you! Send us a postcard when you reach the haven! :)
P.S: Mars seems like a good option now that Nasa has found water there! Moreover, never heard of aliens having intolerance issues either. Couldn't be more safe :) *just a thought* *also kidding*

P.P.S: To the people of India, please refrain from tarnishing the image of Snapdeal, Titan, Samsung, Coke, Emami, Tata Sky, Godrej, etc. just because Aamir Khan is the brand ambassador. They are equally scandalized by his statements and they sure didn't see this coming when he was signed. They signed the celebrity superstar and not his vague thoughts and ideas. They are innocent and have incurred enough wrath in the past 48 hours for nothing they have done. Also, what major difference would it make to India if 'he' really relocated? India has better things to focus upon. Let's stand by the sensible ones, people.

All I want to say is, everyone has an opinion, but the impact of sharing it changes with power.

Peace, Jai Hind..

Dream Catchers

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 17:20:00 +0000

So it's been a while since I've been working on something that we can now call a public secret. It all started around a year back when the writing bug caught me and I was hooked to my laptop, typing like a maniac all day and night. Additional/essential encouragement was made available in plenty from dear/extremely patient friends. The actual publishing will take some time (duhh)! But here's a little something to look forward to! I humbly present-

DREAM CATCHERS

Based in New Linford, the story begins with the protagonist Carrie and her best friends Joe, Agnette, Derek and Zylen. Frustrated with mundane routines and time-bound schedules, they decide to undertake a road trip to relax themselves by un-following diets and gormandizing sinful treats. Each one of the gang decides to accomplish a personal goal while on the trip. Though unknowingly, it is set to change their lives forever.

Why do they plan the trip? What happens at each pitstop? Do they reach their destination and what is all this leading them into?

The five embark on a journey of love, friendship, danger and mystery as destiny leads them to unlock something bigger than anticipated. Like dream catchers, do they dare to see the good dreams and trap the bad ones out?

Phew!! For that, we'll have to wait and watch this space for more! Tell me what you think and I'll give you an insight by posting some excerpts straight from chapter 1 asap! :)

The Gospel Truths of Auntyji!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 11:39:00 +0000

He is obviously the coolest of Gods when he manages to get you and the entire familia an off right in the middle of the week. That sounds so much more dramatic than mid week, by the way.

*Ganpati Bappa Morya! Mangal Murti Morya!* 

                So the family was home, enjoying a usual lunch together; but on a weekday, which was very unusual. For the seventh time this month, sambar was made at home; though fortunately, in a much smaller proportion this time and mommy dearest finally starts praising it in the hope that we would assume it was biryani and devour it all. Thankfully, the bird's eye chilly and shallot chutney is an all time conventional favorite knight in glistening coconut oil armor that saves the grace. 

P.S. But the sambar today was actually good. 

                In the middle of the lunch, some unexpected guests (read old friends) decide to  drop by. It is the mommy's girl gang! Mid-aged women now (I hope they do not read that) but head turners back in the day (I hope this makes up) and now thriving on weekly gossip sessions come over. As I am yet to finish my lunch, I decide to sit in the living room and continue eating. 

After the usual hey and hi and some unimportant banter about their kids having office even today, our main auntyji here starts the mandatory session of gospel truths (read gossiping). Mommy gets some aerated beverages and snacks for them to begin. That's when Auntyji notices that I am around and realizes that I was going to take time to finish eating. Hence, she performs the quintessential 'mommies/aunties think kids never understand eye signalling act' and goes on to produce an unnamed Gospel session. As I am visibly not a thumb suckling tot and still very much in my senses, I realize this was going to be fun. So this is how it goes...

Topic: An actress, who they presumed had adopted a baby some years ago.

Auntyji goes like, "We came to give you some very important news. You know about that actress who adopted? That baby is not adopted at all! It's her own child!"

The others bewildered, "What? Who said?"

Auntyji: "Someone related to the actress related to me (I didn't quite catch the relation there) told me. They knew it all along! But news takes time to travel and reach Pune, you see."

"Really? But she wasn't pregnant, right?" curiosity inside one of them shooting up higher than Alps.

Auntyji continues, "No! She wasn't. They took 'this' from her, and 'that' from him... you know her lover, and mixed it to put it into someone else!"

I'm now struggling with all my might to keep my laughter compressed inside. I guessed some yoga that I did a few months ago, helped me keep the poker face in control.

Impressed by her new discovery, they go, "Oh mine! And all this time we thought the baby was adopted!" they say, looking flabbergasted.

                    It doesn't stop here. Another enthusiast had her curiosity well above the Everest by now "Who is the guy?" she asked.

Auntyji: "Who knows? Some say that he is an actor and some say he was a cricketer. It seems like the man was already married and his wife didn't leave him. I'll get the name next time! Bollywood celebs do all this so publicly (read surrogacy). But this actress chose to tell the world that her own baby is not hers and is adopted."

I can barely control my laugh any longer (side-effects of stopping yoga along with a complimentary paunch).

"That's so shocking and surprising at the same time!" another concludes.

I gobble up the remaining lunch and run to the kitchen to laugh my senses out. Finally relieved that the 'baby' (me) is no longer in the room, Auntyji says, "These women today... no morals. They make babies but not marriage! How will that child grow up without a father?" she says nodding her head in disbelief. And just as I return, they start smiling like teenage boys just hit on them.
As they get ready to leave, mommy does the formality of asking "Leaving already? Sit for sometime more." And her badass comeback being, "Nah nah... Stock over for now. I'll come with more news next time!" which finally led me to losing all control over my giggles .

I realized, they were more relieved assuming I never caught what 'this' of the heroine and 'that' of her lover was, which got mixed up to put into somebody else.

Ignoring our potential knowledge in all these crucial fields, gives our parents and their generation some kind of unexplained, overrated bliss. So much for birds and bees, I sigh. Here's hoping India's sex education does improve! I wonder if we could have a festival every year where age old myths and beliefs were submerged into water, which would make way for new ones. Until then,

Jai Hind and Ganpati Bappa Morya!

The Indian crème de la..... dèbris!!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 13:59:00 +0000

Blogging on a weekday feels like you're on paid vacation. Think of vacations and the first thing that comes to your mind is clean white sand beaches, picturesque landscapes and all things good, clean and 'firangi' especially. Every time you ask an Indian about their travel dreams, you are ought to hear, "I want to travel the world... not India!" (Heard of Shimla, Kerala, Rajasthan, Punjab, Pondicherry... etc. etc..??)

HELLO!!

Why not India? If the choices are Bhopal or Nepal, I'm sure the majority will root for the latter destination.

WHAT? REALLY? WHY? Oh wait, wait.. Let's save the drama for some other day and find out why.

Sharp. Blunt. Grim. Honest.

This will entertain you till the end.

This article is addressed to the dirtiest part of our nation, the quintessential litterbugs of our dear and unclean motherland. One national issue finally where people, irrespective of caste, faith and religion unite... but yes, for something gruesome.

NOTE: A litterbug is someone who

Spits in public
Pees in public
Defecates in public (sorry Mrs. Vidya Balan, people still turn a deaf ear to your advice)
Litters the surroundings
Rapes
Terrorizes
Brings down trees and plants
Smokes in public.......... and all that we civilized counterparts are ashamed of you people doing.

-Picture THIS:

A new place that you are wanting to explore on the next vacation sounds like....

Dirty roads
Stinky toilets
Unhygienic places
Monuments/Heritages in sorry state
Garbage disposal in the open
Nobody is ever safe (except foreign Presidents)
Flies and other insect infested eateries
Defecated surroundings even outside malls
People eager to litter for every chance they get

Would you go to this place? NEVER. Not in a 100 years!

But you know what?? You LIVE here. I have just described the beauty of one of the largest democracies in the world, India. Feel free to read them again!

Why is it so? Well, you say.......

-Firstly, India is dirty.

CORRECTION: You dirtied India.

Yes, face it. From throwing a small piece of gum wrapper or a bus ticket to teaching us special modern art made on our heritages using 'paan', you are the supreme architect. Now who likes vacation pictures amidst such dirty surroundings, right?

-Indian heritages have lost its sheen.

CORRECTION: You played a big role in that. *Slow claps*

So yes, you and your better half are 'Heer-Ranjha', 'Romeo-Juliet' and all that, but our heritages are definitely NOT your canvas to let the world know how much you love each other. You have Twitter, Facebook, Face time, Whatsapp, BlackBerry Messenger and many more platforms to declare your undying love. Spare the dying monuments.

-Fellow Indians are unhygienic.

CORRECTION: Surprisingly, that's what people opine about you too.

Indians have an amazing skill that people nowhere around the world can even think of boasting: The sheer talent of flying spittle and blowing noses while driving on the roads. Yes, it's only acceptable when they do it themselves.

-Biogas and garbage disposal is very rural.

CORRECTION: Well then, your mentality is stone-age.

The biggest irony is that it takes doctors, engineers, lawyers, architects and other highly educated professional/corporate bigwigs to litter their surroundings. The lesser educated rural India is doing much better with biogas plants and organic methods of waste disposal.

Every other day, people upload pictures of their participation in the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' holding broomsticks bigger than Harry Potter's! It's a win-win situation for them anyway..

One: People think you are humble, good and willing to work for the society.

Two: Publicity.

Three: Some place gets cleaner for a day (just a bonus from the above two points)

Isn't it shameful that a nation with the second highest population in the world needed a visionary leader to tell them to keep their surroundings clean? People are too busy trying for the numero uno spot perhaps! :D

The day is not far when the 'firangis' ask "Was the game 'World of goo' inspired by you people? You know it's so dirty and all everywhere!" OR

"Hey! Do you play treasure hunts in public toilets? Nobody goes in there anyway! It's like Google's page number 20. Nobody bothers going so far.. They get things done way before that."

Cut the crap people! Dirtying your house and singing praises of your neighbor's home doesn't make you any cool.

Undeniably, you are the the title of this article! The filth of India and the prime reason we do not make substantial progress. Sensible people have hated you, do have and always will.

This post is so much 'halla bol' it almost seems like a typical Madhur Bhandarkar movie script! ;)

Ending on a filmy note, a scene from a famous Bollywood movie depicts the protagonist saying, "Agar Bapu aaj yaha hota, toh kehta ki iss desh ki toh vaat lag gayi hain boss!"

True that.

Jai Hind.

The 'Mummyji-Behenji' ideologies...

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 10:51:00 +0000

Sometimes you just want to write something and nothing good comes up.. and sometimes when you're not even trying, something amazing crops up!

This post here is dedicated to all men (if you qualify being one), boys, guys, babas and all things male.

What news do we compulsarily wake up to every morning?

Physical/domestic/mental abuse and rapes are a staple diet that our leading newspapers provide us with every morning. No, I'm not being a sadist! But life is not always sugar, spice and everything nice right?

HEY! Why is it not like that? Where does all this start? Do we really choose to ignore the subtle ones? WHY???

So this warm afternoon, my whatsapp beeps (well it beeps all the time :D)

My dear friend here texts me saying, "Some creeps saw my picture and i heard them comment about it!! They used such foul language! But it was such a decent picture! Why do all guys have to be jerks?!! Why target me?!??"

Ok yes she's a little hyper and all.. but wait a minute. She has a point somewhere.

Stop searching! She's a woman! The message is obviously hidden! :P

Let's decode a bit... (yes technical language... blame the IT project I'm ignoring right now... Stop staring you minimized window!!)

In this age of selfies and social networking, where people tell you from what they had for breakfast to where they went grocery shopping, how wrong is it for a girl/woman to upload a simple picture of hers? Yes just the 'Naari Shakti'.. haven't heard of men going through this "struggle" yet!

I have friends who upload pictures of celebrities and animals as their profile pictures (you don't look like either of them :/ ) fearing the above mentioned creeps.

And why do women fear them? OH read on!! It just gets funnier from here ;)

So MEN... not all, but SOME pathetic ones have pre-decided stereotypes for women!

Psst!! We women don't even have pre-decided clothes for a day! :O :/

Let's try to list a few......

-She is good looking........ She has boyfriendS! (Note the plurality)

-She drinks alcohol.......... She is a s**t!

-She talk to boys............. She is easy!

-She wears shorts............ She is of a very loose character!

-She goes out at night...... She definitely sleeps with guys!

-She wears a short dress.. She has a bad upbringing!

-She meets friends........... She has nothing better in life to do!

-She has guy friends........ She is sleeping with them all!

-She does make up.......... She just wants to lure every guy she sees!

-She is fun....................... She is just a "gone case"!

-She shows skin.............. She has to sleep with me!

OK stop... because it's like a woman's shopping list... IT JUST NEVER ENDS!

Every girl who reads this will know that nothing is exaggerated and there is nothing to be flabbergasted about.

To every guy who thinks this is true, I have something to say to you! :)

You are living today because a WOMAN chose to give birth to you.

You are strong enough because a WOMAN cooks for you everyday.

You wear clean clothes because a WOMAN washes them for you.

You live in a well kept house because that's how a WOMAN wants you to live.

You make mistakes because a WOMAN selflessly forgives.

You love your MOTHER, you adore your SISTER, you care for your GRANDMOTHER, you love your WIFE/GIRL, you relied on a TEACHER to educate you, you let a MAID to keep your house spic and span, you pray to a GODDESS to ace your exams.... and so many more roles..

If you can't live without them, least I'd suggest you learn to respect them!

Yes we are women, we have lady parts, we are beautiful and none of these mean that you own us.

If you think otherwise, it's your BLUNDER, not ours.

Calm your hormones, if you ogle at our body parts, somebody will ogle at your female-related-closely-to-you's body parts! It's a simple give and take karma.

This post is to all those boys (yes, you aren't MEN yet) out there who think a woman's dignity is based on what you think it should be.

It's not. It just makes it easier for us to differentiate between adolescent boys, barking dogs and true gentlemen! :) (thanks for the silly help by the way!!)

So now you know it doesn't really make that much of a difference as you thought it does.. (self-obsession i tell you!)

So get over yourself. We don't respect you, we just pity your level of intelligence :)

And THANK YOU! It would have been an otherwise boring weekend for me... but making this post was simply FUN!! :D

P.S.: I'm definitely very very very "Oh Not sorry" for what I wrote :D

A woman sacrifices for a man much more than he could possibly think of. So give respect and take some back!

Hope this makes it easier for you boys to find out which category you fit into! (Girls really root for the Men... maybe that's your hint!) ;)

and P.P.S.: The title is a little censored... it's trying to be nice :) :D

Red Velvet Dreams...

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 07:36:00 +0000

So it seems weird to be back after soo long! Especially when Google says please confirm it is you by logging in with details fit enough to sign you up for any potential matrimonial sites. Anyway! This login would have taken much longer had it not been for my lovely girl Trishala (Yes Google, that's her name. I haven't misspelt that. Now stop underlining it with that red ink for heaven sake!)
So, back to the blog.. This has been on my mind since quite some days now!
I wonder how many people are actually happy with the decisions they have taken in life. No seriously!! I see people slogging their guts off to complete projects and match deadlines where weekends sounds like the ultimate "Sanjivani booti' (Ohhh engg gives you a shot of that!! My life now makes sense :/ ). Sadly a case of 'this happens only in India' syndrome gets the most of us. If I hadn't been affected by it too, i'd rather be a writer who owns a designer boutique and travels the world :D ( now THAT would be my Red Velvet Dream! )
We are most often bogged down by societal pressures in the way of finding our true calling. Goes like..... "Sharma uncle ki beti ne engineering mein admission li hai...." OR "Gupta aunty ke bete ne MBBS kia hai"... "tumhe bhi karna chaiye."
Oh and btw, Sharma uncle ki beti ka chakkar dudhwale ke sath chal raha hai! What say now?????????????? :@ :D
As I'm nearing graduation, it hits me hard in the head to realize that i no longer know where i'm headed to! I'm like Alice now and my wonderland doesn't seem to end anywhere near :P
Talking about other things, they decide from what you wear to whom you marry to where you live to what you must do. Pretty much like 'Survival of the fittest'.
But hey, what if you had a chance to change the way things are?!?! (yeah that sounds adventurous.... I mean skipping your mom's belans and dad's chappals.. but think of it!)
Have you ever thought what you would have been doing today if you were given the opportunity to decide for yourself? Maybe then we'd have lesser suicides and depressed people unhappy about their lives.
Who are you scared of disappointing? OK lets do a checklist (ignore the software language..!!)

RELATIVES/SOCIETY:
-Let me define this for you. These are those species that will call you only those number of times which equals the number of your semesters. They are often seen using sentences and phrases like, "Beta, result kya aya??"
Once you start working, nobody bothers to call and ask "Beta project kaise chal raha hai? Khush ho?? Kuch paise dedu?"
So why in the name of God do you wanna live your life on their terms (trust me, nobody cares unless you are paying them half your salary every month :D )
-Again, they tell you whom to marry, not how to stay happy with random strangers for the rest of your life (WHATTT..!! Arranged marriages now seem creepy :O )
-When it comes to mistreating women, they want to put us girls in a burqa but not their boys on a leash (Ohhh u SADIST people!!! :@ )
-If you are nice to the opposite sex.... Kuch toh chakkar hai (Like the ACP in CID says "Kuch toh gadbad hai Daya!" Instead of "Daya, darwaza tod do.." I wish I could say, "Daya, muh toh do!" :D :P )
and so on and on...............

There are so many things to be listed, but then the blog wouldn't end.
My moral of the story here is, follow your dreams.... No matter what. In the end its you who is going to face the consequences of it. NOT your padosi ki aunty ki beti ke potey ka bua! Phewww!! :P
Once you're done with obeying them, believe me nobody cares if you're happy or sad, dead or alive.
Go ahead, have a 'Plan B' in life. Take up a long lost hobby or an activity you enjoy. Switch jobs to where you find your dreams taking shape...
If it seems right or gets a smile on your face, DO IT! You'll only regret the decisions you didn't take and the opportunities you didn't seize when you could.
And finally be with and around people who make your only journey down here worthwhile :) (unless of course you believe in Egyptian mummies and rebirths ;) :D )
So the next time you come back to read something here, I hope something must have changed! I hope u'd be nearer to your Red Velvet Dream..!! :)
XOXOXOX!! :)

Kaacch..!! :D

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:15:00 +0000

Now... this post is gonna have some real stuff!
Not only because its about a very close friend, but also about my new SON (seemingly older than me ;D ) Well well, before any of dat sets ur minds racing, i have just adopted a fully grown 20 something Gujarati, left earlobe pierced, with a khandaani double-chin and a somewat bulging belly (wch says "all is well") :P ok now dat just sounded like the description for a jailbreak accused :D
Lets call him Kach... meaning glass.. well i cud say fragile glass (referring to how well we know him)
Too many adjectives actually to describe him... lets start wid some!! :D
* THE lame PJ devta:
yes! u can't beat him! i bet my fortune on dat :/
for exp:
>me: hey kach! how u doing?
kach: oh im awesome! coz i use cinthol!
.................. :/ seriously? X(

>(looking at my bangle)
kach: ye sone ka hai?
me: ha kyu?
kach: toh sulati kidhar tu isko??
...............aaarrgghh!!

>kach says bachpan mein main chota tha! :)
kyaa??? sorry hum toh bachpan se adult the :/
*THE troll master:
oh god i mean this! nobody troll like kach trolls :P
for exp:
if u ask him to click a picture of u, he will position the camera at u and take HIS OWN pic using the front cam :/ :D
*THE Mr. Bechara:
wen i first asked, how many has Kach dated? the answer was, "i lost count..."
OKAY! now that is the height of sarcasm EVER for Kach! this boy dsnt even know how to flirt! he keeps chatting only wid his sisters all day long! :D hez always been single :P (too rare for a love-struck romantic like him!)
now i really feel like a mother filling up for her son on a matrimony site! :|
*THE Devdas:
undebatedly, this point has to come next! tooo senti regarding just one person!
any girl... and trust me on this, just any girl wud actually KILL for a devdas like this in this age :D
well, the less said the better! :X
lets MOVE ON to the next point ;)
(i.e. if u get my POINT here :P)
*THE Weirdo:
Oooh yes! n i'll tell u why!
Kach will eat rice only with bare hands. he will never use a spoon! WHY? because then otherwise he dsnt get the feel of eating it :O
usually, people eat poha and drink tea. and then ders Kach! y waste energy doing two things? he mixes his tea along with the poha and relishes that! :O :D WWHHAATTT!!!
he loves his wafers way TOO much! Kach alone is enough to put the "Budhani Bros." out of business.
and the most weirdest thing of all, people still call this man normal :D
*THE Tansen:
he will sing to "hey shona...." all day long with dat blessed voice of his (too much, just too much sarcasm intended wid dat adjective :D ) and irritate me to bits! :P
*THE Hasmukh dikra:
yes, he can get that smile on ur face any given time! no matter what hez going through :D :)
(P.S.: that may even include some of his potentially deadly pj's!) :P
this post was promised to him eons ago :D because Kach is already too much into future planning. he says he will print this out and show it to his grand kids! :O XD
but i just needed a lil more time on the research ;) wat u read here is not even an ounce of what he really is! unless u haven't met this blonde u don't know him :P OK sorry but i know ur already gonna kill me for publishing some things here ;) but its all worth it ;)
-Love, Momma :D
hahahaha......................................... :P ;)

An ode to the lovely society..!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:36:00 +0000

Shopping in the day n blogging by night! seems like a nice Saturday to me ;)
so. sitting by the desktop, downloading songs, munching on some sago snack..(one of my FAV)! ... a scene outside catches my sight. NOTHING unusual. a bunch of "bored by the housework" aunties. no prizes for guessing the round table conference held by them is always gossiping. wonder what updates all the newsfeed! OK! so here lets make a guess. on d possible topics n scrutinize a bit ;)
AAHH! so much fun proving people wrong :P ;)
1.AFFAIRS:
This could effortlessly be labelled as the great Indian gossip stock.
Dear people, if u see a boy wid a girl or vice versa, it dsnt necessarily mean dey cud be lovers. m not saying never! but pls spare the horrifying stares :/ they cud be great friends. it gets embarrassing.
2.STUDIES:
As much as mothers like to brag abt deir children's achievements, dey also humiliate u wen somebdy asks, "beta, padhai kaise chalu hai????" LADY! u forgot to wish d kid on his birthday! how come u no forget result days?? :O and ur mother will say"arey bhabhi! usne toh padhai karna chod hi diya hai!" OMG! how much sympathy did dat just garner! :/ not dat telling people u dnt study made ur scores any better. get ur child to do wat he/she wants to. maybe then u cud hold ur head up high n say, "padhai toh achi hi chal rahi hai!"
3.WEDDINGS:
What's India without dem anyway! if der is a love match, then its upto dem to self employ demselves as detectives n find how dey met, go home n lecture their kids wat great sin it is to fall in love! REALLY? :/
n if its an arranged match, den d boy's mother is flooded wid national issues like.. how much did she get? :O OMG i really had no clue dat d bride is supposed to giv u ur desperate rags to riches story! well its mostly d later case coz in the Biggest Democratic of d world, people dnt hav the right to choose whom dey wanna spend deir life wid! giving boys a great reason to flirt around like, "babe i can date u, but i cant marry u."
4.LOVE/SEX:
Oh common! face it. i dunno why its such a taboo here?
dear aunty jis, with all due respect, if a person.. here mostly a teenager or youth talks about sex its not because dey r spoilt. its more bcoz dey are aware.
n love.. well, much has been said alrdy. a word of advice: love dsnt solely mean eloping, leaving ur family or getting pregnant.
5.SAREES/JEWELLERY/DRESSES:
Alright! now this topic is more sensitive than d above so NO COMMENTS! :X i zip.
but.. well pls do keep ur ideas to ur wardrobes. v like our jeans, leggings, trousers and occasional skirts, shorts n dresses :D it wud be great to not be judged on what u wear :|... Sincerely, Teenagers n Youth!
6.LANGUAGE/SLANG:
Well, u see... some of ur friends are still learning :P
7.USE OF MOBILES:
Honestly, nothing much to hide! v jus like talking to our friends just like you! stop suspecting v have 10 lovers n are love chatting to all! :O (random... but we do have morals. vr not d cases who go arnd flirting with any tom dick and harrys) :)

P.S.: i do not wish to claim dat all aunty jis are d same. iv seen a hell lotta cool moms n auntys. this is intended for pun! :D :P

NOW! dat feels some GOOD!!! :D
Not sure if any auntys are gonna read this, but nonetheless, a one side debate just WON! ;)
CHEERS! :D: D :D

I'm T&C applied! :/ :P

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 11:31:00 +0000

some good inspirations u could say.. the blog seems to be getting timely updates ;)

Been long since iv wanted to write on this, but never really happened. one of d most dreaded topics these days.... LOVE. well, its not actually dreaded in reality. just that people do not talk of it in public (n here even God doesn't know why!)

it is indeed a beautiful feeling,

but wait. let us go the more dreaded side of it. the break ups!

what is it? is it when u end up dating someone? no. u can go on after that too. its probably when one decides that nothing is the same.

how really do u deal with those?!

ur lover might say: its all over.

ur friends might say: forget d person, dint deserve u anyway. don't think of it.

acquaintances might say: happens.

moreover if ur big Indian family knows: i told you not to get into this! where do u listen? now sit with it. and blah blah blah and some more of it.

UFFF!

but what do YOU say? what do YOU feel?

is it that easy to change ur mind and feelings for that someone special and go ahead like nothing happened? can u move on so soon in a day? NO, you cannot. well, nobody can. that reminds me a famous movie dialogue, "when ur heart breaks, only your eyes show pain. but as a matter of fact, every part of ur body celebrates depression."

why do all these happen?

Is it because you fall for the wrong person? some say yes. but id say its not the wrong person. it is the place, time and things that go wrong.
In Ek Deewana Tha, Sachin never got over Jessie because he truly loved her even though she even had agreed to marry another guy.!

Is it because you value ur ego more than the person? perhaps. strange but true, this does happen.

you speak of the chance u once gave and comfortably forget how many uv received. how uv been forgiven every time u make them wait, made them jealous, ignored and took impulsive decisions and how they still stood by you.

there is no ego in love. well, there shouldn't be any either.

when u speak of tolerance and irritation, don't overlook what u did.

when u speak of hurt, you don't see what uv inflicted on them.

everybody makes mistakes. after all ur only human. but what is love if u do not forgive? how can u not know that u too are forgiven many times.. knowingly or unknowingly; with or without your knowledge?

come to think of it.. why do u think someone tries to save the situation despite being hurt? do they not have their ego and self respect???

well, they do. and probably more than you! it simply means they place you before all that. they cared more than u ever thought.

one of the main reasons for all this is that people do not have time.. to meet, talk, discuss or anything. maybe that's why relationships are harder these days.

don't make them fall if ur not gonna catch them! don't defeat them when they fight for you!

and wait a second.! how long do you think will they run behind you and fix up things?

some specific time,...but definetly not forever. because sometimes you just have to chill and go with the flow. you have to let things happen that are beyond your control. u have to be brave put a smile on ur face and go on.

its sad people forget the miracles, changes and happiness that happened to them.

how one silly misunderstanding or fight makes you forget the wonderful time ul have had, the amazing people ul were!

have you ever given a thought as to why they must ve reacted that way? there surely is a reason darling! :)

perhaps, to make all the efforts worthwhile! (:

you probably never think how long something u said stays in their minds...

and have u said u wanted to be good friends with somebody? Hahahaha..! oh my dear! true love never ends in just friendship. its always something more.. that even u don't know ;)

u feel superior when u hurt them? n u think might they sit crying forever? not really, coz they just learn to let go and go with the flow. there is no other option they are left with. do not complain then :D

A famous saying goes... "don't judge people by the way they speak, but by the way they care. because the mind speaks and care comes from a truthful heart..." :)

and oh common if ur on this side, just smile dear!! :) life is too short to keep grudges, be sad or wake up with regrets.

and for those on the other side, stop thinking too much. just lock away ur brains n listen to ur heart. coz its not everyday that you come across someone who divides ur life into a pre and post phase of life after being with them! :):):) ...

...and as one of my earlier blog says, "true love stories never end."

Mr. Bestie!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 06:01:00 +0000

GELATO!
sweets are usually not my thing, but gelato is an exception. :)
alright before i confuse you anymore, gelato is my best friend! or perhaps that is an understatement. :D
no, that's not his name! it is inspired from the deepika-imraan starrer 'Break K Baad'.
no love no break up no expectation no mess, only an amazing friendship here :) (v just liked d movie :P )
the more i write about him, the less it actually is!
something about me is funny. the ways in which I meet my special people are weird :/
this nut! i met him for the first time at Fergusson. we were in the 11th. if i had to describe him as per our first meeting: a full nerd who loves solving bangui all day. integration and differentiation were like ABCD to him. :/ (complex! big complex i have against you!)
and P.S: he used to solve our class assignments :P (thank you for that.)
i met him through a common friend, not knowing how insanely uncommon he is :D
as it goes, slowly we got talking.
and i got to know what a BIG flirt he is! he is impossible :/ he will flirt with anything even remotely feminine :D (no offence gelat..!!)
with time we became jay and veeru. (according to him im his "buoy") =D
so now, our Bollywood breathing society says "ek ladka aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahi ban sakte."
And.... the world thinks we are, we were or will be seeing each other at some point of time ;)
People! NO. we cannot date each other. and we never will. (even if he falls for me :P)
its fun when some south indian delicacy is made at home and his aai says, "haan aaj toh tu ache se khane wala hai" hahahahaha Aai! ur so cute :D love you... (yeah they are aai n baba for me too)
it was meant to be, like tom and jerry, laurel and hardy ;) constantly bickering at each other but never without the other :D
a psyche that he is, comes home unexpectedly to give me surprises. (a big P.S. I LOVE surprises! and gifts and... ok later :P)
irony, he is also my biggest surprise spoiler :/ he always (well almost) ends up telling me wat hez upto :D
and sometimes when im "surprised" to see him again, he says, "dude, iv come to meet dad, not u!" uugghh! alright! XD
we are like too immature for ourselves and overtly mature for each other. when im low, im a complete baby with him making me understand the how-n-how of things. and when hez low im like his mother telling him what to do n what not :D (ok i lovveee scolding this boy)
result: he does not receive calls anymore when he is driving. yaayyy!
he will ping me first because im a girl. hehehehe (oh but i also do that! anyway...)
his first salary will get me an Audi :P ok that is too much i know :D
and on and on and on......
14 months younger to me, my lil best friend this is just a small tribute to ur mad soul :D
XOXOXO

Finally an "A"!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:56:00 +0000

Apu n me share birthdays in may. So she plans for me n i plan for her surprise with the others. But this year, i could never sense anybody's enthusiasm for my day. It all started around April, much to my annoyance.
for ex.:
trisha: hey we must get a chocolate cake for apu! she loves it. n then we'll surprise her at midnight and blah blah blah...
abhi: wooow! yes! we'll do that. and then the birthday bumps and the cake facial! super fun! may 11th is gonna be fun! blah blah blah...
me: oh yea! we must get a gift for her too! n then blah blah... my birthday in 3 days... blah blah..
trisha n abhi: (almost the same irritating cold reply) ooh yea.. ur birthday too.. hmmmm. we won't be there, coz we're leaving on 14th itself to Nainital. so lets come back n plan something if we get the time.
me: (what the hell? how dare u guys react like i made u eat cold sizzlers!?) *angry*
And preparations for apu started (as we were done with our exams and had all the time n the world!). Then came MAY! i was soo happy! Even when i got angry on these people for not showing any interest, i kept telling myself, "don't worry, they're planning something for u too.. maybe another surprise!"
But then as soon as this spark came to my mind, these people used to extinguish it with their poker faces n clueless expressions. Duhh... im done now! I hate these people for doing this to me! Lucky apu!
To add to all this, i was excluded from apu's birthday surprise too. Now my anger was boiling more than alcohol!

*13th May*
i looked like Nirupa Roy (all sad), and sitting online i hoped to talk to someone to feel better. No smiles, no hopes n no expectations.. 18th birthday doomed! :( i wanted to kill them for leaving for nainital on 14th May itself! (their reason for not celebrating my day..! *angry*)
Just then abhi's mom came online.
aunty: hey vaidehi!
me: hi aunty..
aunty: kya hua?
me: they are leaving tonight. kal birthday hai. they didn't even remember.
aunty: nahi beta, aisa nahi hai. they love u a lot. u don't know..
me: hmmm.. that's being seen.
aunty: toh kya hua, we are here! we will all celebrate.
me: (feeling better speaking to someone) yes aunty :)
aunty: ok beta, i have to go now, happy birthday!
me: thank u aunty!
Now i was not bothered about them. who says i won't have a birthday if they are not here! even if they are my best friends! *attitude* ;)
I was in my room around 11.00 pm when i heard a rickshaw pull up. I didn't bother (as my neighbor's house is one big guest house! they have guests 365 days a normal year n 366 days a leap year!).
then one more rickshaw passed by. poor things i thought, these guests never leave them alone.
In 5 minutes, somebody knocks the door. wondering who it was at this time of the night, i looked through the peep-hole. 1,2,3,... and 4 heads, i counted! OMG! These 4 monkeys! i could hardly manage to open the door out of excitement! I opened the door and it was now that i looked like the actual Nirupa Roy reuniting with her Karan-Arjuns! i was soo happy! so thrilled and excited! (hate to admit, but yes, almost in tears) :P
Soon we cut the cake with the candles arranged as 81 :) and got done with all the "rituals" of kicks n facials. My birthday was now complete! It didn't matter even if i didn't celebrate in the day!
It is then that i get to know, that they'd been planning for my birthday since the past 2 months, because they were leaving on the same day.
They even excluded me for Apu's surprise because they wanted to plan better.
And they even managed to get Sudhu (who lives in mumbai) to my place.
Abhi's mom n sister were also well aware (they were warned by these people to not let anything out).
Moreover, they were roaming with the cake wherever they went since sunset!
Aaahhh, what more could i have asked for! :)
As they had no more time to wait, i ran out to see them off with the cream still on my face, trying to get off whatever was possible with hands :P
One of the best and most memorable days on my life! trisha, abhi, sudhu n apu <3 !

Encounter with the "Geek"

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:45:00 +0000

10th September, i remember the day was a great one. it was Id, my brother's anniversary and a baby's birthday. throughout the day i had only been eating and making fun with my 'peoples'. i came home and my mother reminded me, "today is kiddo's (lets call that baby kiddo here) birthday. we have to go there in the evening." "ok..." i replied, thinking how i was going to manage eating more food that day (i already had 2 lunches). we reached there. unlike a two year old kid's birthday, i could find only old people. ah! i thought, whatever i am going to do here.!
occasionally i saw a boy roaming aimlessly around the house. say, he looked around my age.. wearing a loose over-sized t-shirt that belonged to his uncle (which i got to know only later from him), dark specs, unshaved, sole handler of the camera.. one glance and he looked the quintessential geek.
the cake was cut and we sang 'happy birthday to you...' and he was standing behind, spraying the party snow on everyone present there. ok, this geek knew how to have fun and he was laughing too! i decided to sit in the hall and started checking out the pics in the cam. suddenly, he came there searching for it.
me: here, take it..
he: no no! its ok. u see the pics, i'll come later..
what a nerd i thought. i gave him the cam and went out. he suddenly came in my way and said hi. i was flabbergasted! what do i talk to him? i managed another "hi".
he: what do u do?
me: im doing my SYJC. what about you?
he: just done with my engineering, working with Patni computers. my results were out yesterday.
Omg! i thought. an engineer? in 10 minutes i knew he had graduated in EnTC from Atharva college in Mumbai, a PG in pune, went to kalrashukla classes, had biology in 12th and had a bond with his company for 2 years (which he was not very keen on completing)... he went on to explain everything and i was standing there listening to him, hoping some interesting conversation would pop up as i had nothing much to do there.
me: aapka naam kya hai? (as he was elder)
he: mujhe 'aap' mat kaho. 'tum' bolo. 'aap' bohot ajeeb lagta hai. my name is nitin.
me: ok sure. i am vaidehi.
he: nice name.
me: thanks.

ah, what boring people we are! the kiddo's dad then introduced him. "this is my niece... oh i am sorry, my nephew i mean." nephew??? such a big nephew??? so the two year old kiddo has a brother who is a graduate?!! ok, maybe. both of us didn't bother to tell him that we already got ourselves introduced :)
we spoke a li'll more and then i left. i didn't bother to even say bye. i just wanted to go home and sleep as my tummy was on the verge of bursting with all the biryani and the birthday cake.
a few days later i thought of searching him on facebook, the greatest 'friend search engine'. 'Nitin' i typed in... oh wait! i didn't know his surname! what disappointment! that made me want to hunt more for him! so i put in all possible malayalee surnames i could think of : nair, pillai, menon, panicker, prasad, mohan, chandran, etc. etc. all in vain..!
and one day in my friend suggestions, i read, "Nitin G", one mutual friend and his pic was there too (though he looked a little different with his straightened hair)! i sent him a request and a message too, trying to remind him how and where we met (i really didn't expect him to remember me).
andd the rest is history... i used to be his BBC regarding all possible news related to the kiddo and his famliy when he was in pune (now happily working in mumbai).
Eg: me: hey congrats! ur chechi is getting engaged.!
he: huh? really? ok.... i don't know, i'll ask.. thanks btw!
we spoke about everything from food and drinks to exams and 'guys', with him telling me how guys are and warning me to stay away from them (the bad ones).. :) its been great with this friend, philosopher, guide and the quintessential "Big Brother" at times! he has promised to find my Mr. Right for me and i have been heavily bribed to write good things about him ;) (bribe: sponsor my wedding! to do so for a malayalee wedding, and that too from the girl's side is definitely a brave decision for sure!)
LOL! but if i'd have to describe him, he's the nerd, one who pays nearly 25,000 bucks for gymming (which i don't really think he needs- all thanks to his size zero physique) the guitarist of his band 'decibel breakdown', a fantastic friend and going by his 'choice', a great taste!
just a couple of months of knowing this fabulous soul, and we have still never met as yet...

Onasadya...

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:58:00 +0000

last year i probably had the best onam ever. it all started with a silly conversation with gelato (or abhi).

we were chatting late at night and i told him it was onam tomorrow. ok, now being a maharashtrian he knew about the festival but didn't know of its significance and he wanted me to tell him about it. and there i was, in the middle of the night, explaining to mr. Deshapnde why we south indians celebrated onam. a lot of 'but y...' doubts, but i finally pulled it off! the next thing he told me was, "im coming kal khane pe" i think i mentioned about the delicious 'onasadya', the daawat made for onam ;) and then he went on with his all-time non-stop 24/7 nonsense like wat gift do i get for u? tell me wat u want, et.al. he is the biggest flirting chalta firta romantic on earth. so can't expect anything less either! anyways i told him to shut up and went off to sleep, thinking of my 'onakodi', my new dress for onam, onasadya etc. etc.

the morning was good because i was already thinking of lunch. i ate little, very litte breakfast because i was making space for rice, sambar, dal, papads, pickles, sabji, avial, bananas, chips, payasam, etc. i also made a small 'pookalam', rangoli with flowers outside the house. just then motu texted me, "happy onam vedu". i sent the "thanks motu". and the next text was "abhi n me coming for lunch"... WHAT??? are u serious??? and she gave me numerous affirmations untill it finally sank in. the main reason i wanted a REAL confirmation was beacuse, mom had prepared lunch just for the 3 of us (achan, amma n me) and she had left for office as she had half day. so if they were goin to come, i had to make more rice to fill all our big fat potbellys.

dad was at home (great relief) and he asked me how many will be coming. "maybe 2 i guess....." . i wasn't really sure who all would make it. anyways, we cooked rice for around 5 extra people! all set now! they came around 12.30 i guess... four people. motu, apu, abhi n trisha! ah, dad, what an estimation! and mom came home around 1.00 pm. thank god! no more tensions now.

we sat chatting for sometime until hunger was at its epitome. lunch was served in my room. mom n me laid the banana leaves, dad helped in serving. with every serving, followed an explanation as to what was what and how it was made :) apu ate very less i remember. ahh, what a ful'filling' lunch! :p

we decided to settle down in the hall after lunch. lying down like "so tired of eating", we occupied two couches and a bean bag, unaware of the whereabouts of our hands and feet.

then some usual talk that we do (silly, philosophical, serious, futuristic, relations, academics... blah blah blah) with some 'usual' phone calls (abhi's aai) and yes, ameya also rang up that day. aai was curious to know were abhi was. and he said, "aai, don't worry, i'll be home in sometime. i am at vaidehi's place for lunch. today is onam..." aai: vaidehi nair? (no aai! all malayalees are not necessarily nairs!!) hehehehe

he was the only guy that day amongst us 'peoples' (almost always like that) coz somebody else couldn't make it. so all us girls in the background, "aai, don't u worry, he's safe, he's with us, your bahus!" LOL i don't think she heard that... not like she'd have a problem. but she should've been worried that he was the only guy amongst four girls! hahahaha

and in sometime they left. in the evening, my neighbour in the opposite building told me, 'i guess your friends were here in the afternoon. i could hear the noise..."

all i could do is manage to bring up a (weird) smile thinking, that aunty didn't hear of all the crap we were blabbing of... in spite our decibels being high...ummmm low.... :)

14th June... unforgettable!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:20:00 +0000

There have been many 14th June's... but none like the one this year.
It started as a normal day until afternoon when friends came home. They came home at around 4 and spent some time at my place (nothing unusual). We planned for some "peth pujan" on the way at Mc.D. As magical as it could get, it started drizzling the minute we stepped out of the house! Now, 3 bikes and 6 of us... Sanya and Trisha on one, Motu and Apu on one and me with Shradz. OMG! I swear i never had so much fun on a ride! By the time we reached SIMS, my hat flew off... and I would have considered myself the greatest idiot of all times, had I gone to fetch it back. Singing "ab ke sawan..." and all possible rain songs on the way, Shradz n me reached Mc.D first. All wet, we kept waiting for the others in that heavy rain. Not that we dnt enjoy it, but it was raining cats and dogs! In spite of wearing jackets and windcheaters, we were completely WET! Not even a single strand of hair dry! With so many prying eyes around us, we decided to leave... better late than never... haha! Just then we got a call from Sanya asking us to come over to Motu's room... I guessed it... something was wrong.
We met them at the clinic down. Yes, once again Motu met with an accident... but a bad one this time. While the doc slaved over her giving her injections and stitches, we decided to bunk class. What an excitement... and Motu yelling as a background score. We called up to inform that 6 of us won't be coming. Not like they could change our minds but just as a formality. Sanya and me then decided to get a take away... hungry hippos like us! We took a take away for I guess 700 bucks and left asap because... we were wet and guys out there were not blind! Ok guys, i know we are wet, but stop staring at us like that!
Back at the room changing into Motu's clothes, I ate like i'd never eaten before... everyone was the same...! With the cokes, fries, burgers, ketchups, wet clothes and more mess all around us... we enjoyed and partied like the world would end tomorrow (sans any party elements... which actually didn't matter)!
I keep thinking if we had a time machine... i'd definitely go back in time... just to relive those beautiful memories i had with some of the most special people of my life...!!!

MOTU...

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:32:00 +0000

Manasi or just simply motu for me...
Its going to be year since i met this girl. One of the most wonderful and important person of my life. When we first met, I seriously never imagined things to be so beautiful one year down the line. Like usual, we started off as good friends and got to know each other over time. Hmm, talking about her, she's a very interesting subject. She's from Nainital, a very beautiful place on our map. Like her place, she's a beautiful person : both by face and heart!
She's like this sibling i never had. I could never think of getting into and out of problems so easily without her! LOL... Motu as we call her, she's a few extra pounds. Like me, somebody who doesn't feel embarrassed to say that we've put on pounds. But she's more than happy to hear us calling that! Our day is never really complete without talking or texting each other. Had it not been for her, we could have never organised such great "dabba parties" n meet-ups ( credits : her room, she's a PG), had it not been for this motu, I could never have met awesome people and made friends, had it not been for her, we people could not learn to be strong enough ( she's a fattu and carries Hanuman Chalisa along... but not more than trisha of course). I officially declare that this girl doesn't know to ride well. I've finally lost count of the number of times she's met with an accident! No, i can't bear to see her like that because... she yells way too badly when she gets stitches!
From shopping, to studying, to hangouts to sleepovers, she's my constant partner in crime! We love each other so much so that we even fall for the same guy(sammy) or rather the same dog! (she loves "DOGS" and adores them ) hahaha! LOL...!
Motu is someone who was there for me when i needed her the most...She's as protective of me as my mum, as loving as even i could not love myself...
For both of us, we are each other's bitches... absolute retards! When we're together, nothing much really matters. Gosh, i cannot think of a day without this mado in my life...
Its just that, I found her when she wanted me...

An unexpected muse..!

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:27:00 +0000

Its 4 months since my last blog... thanks to a busy schedule! I had no intentions of updating it until recently I spoke to a friend of mine. he said he read my blog and liked it. oh common, now who doesn't like some true appreciation! ok thank you! He said i must write often... now that put me in a fix! What do I write about? It all started as a joke when I told him that he'll be my next topic and surprisingly enough, he agreed! It was then that I thought... y not? So here I am, writing about this friend of mine. Its like writing a testimonial about him in my blog!

Well, talking about him, he sure is quite a vibrant person. Maybe that helps him in making friends (talking about his increasing friend list by the day). But jokes apart, I initially thought that he is 'an angry young man' with some pessimism which he has hopefully overcome! I never thought he'd be this fun to be with. But that's only when he's in a good mood.Everything i say has different meanings according to him (some weird ones too)! We are literally tom and jerry bickering at each other and fighting for no serious reasons whatsoever most of the time. My Mr. Muse often likes solitary with just his thoughts and him (i wonder what he broods over.. or maybe i know! :P ). Unpredictable as,... I don't know what... you never know what he comes up with. One of the very few people who manage to drive me nuts... he's got exceptionally good skills at that. A family guy who likes to rebel for what he likes no matter what. His friends mean a lot to him, but not more than family.
If at all you ever need an encyclopedia as to the best hangouts, food n drinks, there he is!

Somebody who likes music and dance... and can cook pretty well if rumors are to be believed (no, i haven't tried)!

A very straight-forward n frank person (yeah, people must be frank not fake). Good at making up jokes (good, bad, silly ones included) to cheer you up. But when he's in a bad mood, likes to be left alone like an uncharted territory. The quintessential Beckham or John according to his friends (I have no idea why they call him that).

I could go on and on. But what makes him stand out probably is that he is courageous and has this die-hard fight back attitude.

Many come and go, but just some people stay. You're one of those. Ok I know that I am buttering you lots now, haha.
But seriously, he is one of the few people with whom i have absolutely no formalities, and the topic of conversation : silly or philosophical doesn't matter. I am just myself... best or worst ask him! LOL...

I don't think there is anything much about you to be changed... except of course your phone!

This and much more of knowing you for 3 years now! Cheers!

on the positive side

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:25:00 +0000

its easy to say, "im sad." but its more difficult to be happy. i was no different from others. it was indeed very easy for me to be sad and think like a pessimist. sometime ago, i was in a problem. as usual, i started thinking about the negative aspects of it and became sad. then i thought, why not think about the positive aspects too? it does not cause harm. yes, it was a little difficult in the beginning, but eventually, i mastered the 'art'. yes, it is an art to be an optimist. to think of all the happy times you've shared with your friend, when you've just had a fight, to think destiny has something better in store for you, when you've just suffered bad luck, to rejoice that there was a wonderful person in your life just when you've lost that person, to think of all the rights a person has done just when they go wrong, to think of the beautiful flowers a plant gave you just when it dried away................ and much more. its easy to find sadness, maybe even when you are happy. but it is very difficult to find happiness and retain it. its easy to shed a tear, but difficult to stop it. it took me time to understand this, but now, i feel life is so much better...... its when i can decide to be happy even in the darkest phases.........

being SINGLE..........

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:38:00 +0000

being single has two categories. one- not being in a relationship and two- being the only child. both the ways, im single. talking about the 1st category, most of my friends are committed. im single, it does not mean that i don't have guy friends or i have gay friends! that's just the way i choose it to be. my friends keep wondering why im not committed to someone. what they don't get is, im happy like this! i don't understand why people so madly in love break up. anyways, talking about the latter, yes, im the only child. i do have cousins, but not siblings. i've always longed for a sibling............... to fight, play and share. some think im lucky i don't have siblings because i don't have to share chocolates or clothes or stuff.....! uffffff! is that your logic? keep it with you please!!

its sometimes depressing being single, both the ways. but it feels good after some thinking that i do........ my own way. sometimes its better not being in a relationship because if you are not made for each other, then why simply go ahead and get depressed? i hear people saying," im not serious about my partner. but we are still in a relationship." as crazy as it can get! i feel better at times that im the only child. when i see siblings fighting over silly stuff........ as kids and even as grown ups, i feel its better to be alone...................

so cheers to all those who are single................... both the ways! destiny has better plans for us...

my dad, my hero

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:36:00 +0000

DAD-

the 1st person who held me when i was born.
the one who named me.
the one who taught me to talk, walk and live my life.
the one who held my hand in times of trouble.
the one who told me that for everything in my life, he is there for me.
the one who taught me to calm down when im angry.
the one who never left my side, be it during illness or difficult phases of life.
the one who taught me patience.
the one who is my best friend.
the one with whom i can share anything and everything under the sun.
the one who sacrificed so many things for me...................... and much much more..........

i love you.
its not that my mom has not done all this for me. she surely has.
but as a girl, im more closer to my dad, my hero.

Aaryan

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:27:00 +0000

Aaryan or monu, my nephew. Being the only child, i didn't much like babies as a kid. i loved my cousins though...all of them, without a second thought or a doubt. and the time came when my eldest cousin was to tie the knot. now i love my bhabhi too. i was in 8th std. then. when i came to the 9th std., our family was gearing up to welcome my bro's 1st child. i still remember, all of us were so excited and happy. finally the day came. i was attending my class that day. as soon as my class got over, i rushed to the nearest coin box available(no mobile phones that time). i called up my brother and he said, "it's a boy!" wow! that feeling.....i cannot explain. it was like the baby of the family finally became an aunt! i couldn't go to meet him in the hospital. a few days later, it was rakshabandhan and we were going to my bhabhi's place(she and Aaryan were there). i went upstairs to see my little cutiepie sleeping peacefully between soft pillows.

on his blue dress was written "I am a Johnson Baby". i fell for him there. then came my boards and the proceeding vacation. i spent both at my brother's place. i got to know him so well there. we laughed and played together. i sometimes fed him and put him to sleep. it gave me such a lot of happiness........wait, i was slowly changing. i had started to fall in love with babies. monu made me smile....... everyday. then he started his baby talk in some months. he said mamma, dada, papa and bua! hearing him call me and my cousin bua was always a pleasure. we 3 spent the whole day together teaching him and learning new things everyday, making simple indoor and outdoor games for him and of course waiting for my dad to come in the evening. he was initially soo scared of my dad. poor thing used to cry even at his sight. but now, they're GREAT friends! n he even teases my dad with a very funny name! and in case he forgets the name??? we remind him always!!! oh! its been such a beautiful time with him. life would have seriously been boring had Aaryan not been there. and all the times i look at him, a voice inside me says, God's creations are still beautiful..........<3

Nostalgia...

noreply@blogger.com (Vaidehi Raju) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:03:00 +0000

sitting in the hall and finishing my breakfast slowly, i remember the time i had regular college. getting up early and getting ready for college. stuffing the breakfast in mouth and gulping a bucket full of milk, filling my bag with ONE notebook and other essentials like EARPHONES, rushing to the bus stop and getting down at Modern, then going further to Garware, my college. the day used to be hectic with just only one lecture at times! yet we people managed to bunk n go to Bibin's for our daily dose of pani-puri. roaming the whole of Modern, FC, LCR, Kothrud, Karve RD. etc.
then meeting Motu(Manasi) and Apu(Apurva), that used to be wow!!..........it still is! we guys always do mad things together, like creating madness in all the buses we travel, acting stupid at Mcd (coz that's the only good place nearby), getting food from home n organizing our own style dabba party. OMG! that was sooo much of fun. we hogged like we never ate before! then more madness followed when we started studying, then going out to get some pakodas n vada pavs from Joshi's........WOW! its true someone said that "best friends don't allow you do stupid things.........alone!"
then suddenly realizing that i got late for my bus, i run to DG. there lies my regular bus 'deccan-pimplegurav-deccan 107'. i board the bus to find two more friends, Sneha and Pooja. its fun in the bus too. we laugh and giggle over silly jokes like schoolgirls, do some mischief and throughly enjoy the ride back home! then we have our earphones ready and one good song on the FM and "hey, tune into this......they're playing this song!", reading out jokes from our cells, discussing things and making fun all the time.
i come back home all tired and soon its time i go for my classes. but i look forward to it everyday. there i meet kamini, or trishala along with motu and apu. kamini- that's what we call each other (out of love of course!) another 3 hours of the best time of the day! we study, go to PC for 15 mins when we have only a 5 mins break and have fun there. never did i love studying so much.
finally i come back home at 9.30 like im almost dead. no more energy..........i see food, ok now i feel better even though i had paneer submarine, singapoori roll and rum ball at PC! have dinner, study a little and go to bed. poor thing my bed, loves me so much, always wants me to be there! slowly, i drift into my land of dreams.........suddenly, 'zooom zooom'. i wake up. huh? ok i got a msg. don't panic, its just my cell that vibrated! i reply back and then again.............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :)

if there's anything im looking forward to, its for our papers to get over and get back to my so called regular schedule!