DaDdY's GirL

~an 'aiwayi' post~

2012-01-29T21:09:00.000+05:30

Here’s the 25 random facts about me tag which everybody in the blogosphere was obsessed by a couple of years back… I don’t know what difference this post is going to make in anyone’s, including my own, life but I am going to go ahead with anyway.

1. I love potatoes. I’ll eat anything that’s potatoes. I’ll hit your hand if you try to take some fries from my plate. *~if I readily share it with you, man! I’m probably in love with you!~*

2. I am a people’s person… I’m friends with the dhobi, the sabzi waala, my trainer at the gym, the BAIs at my school etc. I am also close to my second cousins. In fact, I’m making pan pizzas for them tomorrow. =)

3. I never cuss no matter how mad I am at somebody. I can be rude enough to wound you with words though.

4. I can’t dance to save my life. My friends call me Basanti but the jab tak hain jaa… jaaney jahan… main nachungi is not my cup of tea! *~I can’t dance doesn’t mean I don’t dance, mind you~*

5. I can’t pass by a mandir (or a mirror :p) without looking at it. =)

6. I’m not a language Nazi but I cannot resist the itch to correct people when they use COMMUNICATE for COMMUTE. You get the picture? And DO NOT typ lk dis unless you want me to throw a dictionary at your face.

7. When I’m listening to a song, I just have to sing along! *~gaana aaye ya na aaye, gaana chahiye~*

8. You’ll bring out the Jhansi-ki-raani in me if you say/spell my name wrong. It is NOT Shelly/Shaily/Saili/Shailee or anything but SHAILI. It may not may an ounce of difference to you, but it sure does to me. *~MINDDDD ITTTT~*

9. I’m a dangerously honest person. If I say something, it has to be the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.

10. I can’t paint my nails properly but I can apply the eye-liner perfectly. (!!!)

11. I love eating, I’m one major bhukhadd but what I enjoy more than that is, cooking. Yesssir!

12. I’d never ever forget birthdays or wedding anniversaries of anybody who’s ever told me theirs. I believe, that comes with being a girl.

13. If you tell me NOT to do something, chances are that I will do just that. :p Forbidden fruit is always sweeter, you know.

14. A cricket match can affect my mood a lot. Now that I believe comes with being an Indian.

15. I can look anybody in the eye and ask him/her to just GO TO HELL if they step on my last nerve. Even if it kills me inside, I’ll do it if I have to. I owe it to myself, don’t I?

16. Anything about me that’s like my mom, makes happy. Very happy. The mole on my left collar bone, the sound of my voice over the phone, anything!

17. I’m the favorite child in my family. The easiest way to convince somebody in my family is to come to me. My cousins will vouch for this. *~evil laughter~*

18. My desk is always organized, my work always neat.

19. Ever find it difficult to buy something to gift me, buy me a Ganesha idol. I’ll be very happy.

20. I am more tech savvy than most people I know.

21. I’ve had MAJOR fights with everybody I know. All the same, we gladly patch up in no time. The thumb rule – we’re absolutely fine if we’re fighting. You need to worry if we’re NOT! Like Aakash told me the other day, it’s okay to fight as long as you care enough to reconcile.

22. I can’t resist buying stationary. Even crockery for that matter.

23. I don’t like fruits. Exception: mangoes

24. I, sometimes, say things only to ‘see’ how a person would react to that

25 . I make such lists! LOL hopeless, I am! ;)

~to be or not to be~

2012-01-23T22:07:00.000+05:30

The person I used to be in school is drifting away from me,

I can’t even enjoy a dessert; the calories make me feel guilty!

As I begin to understand myself more,

I only feel confused, I feel insecure.

I realize that my parents are right, more often than not.

Everybody’s sole purpose is to make me tie a knot.

I love teaching although I never liked being taught.

There isn’t one person with whom I haven’t fought.

In a room full of friends, I feel empty inside.

My opinions have gotten stronger, but I still can’t decide.

I don’t give in to temptations that easily, not anymore.

Even if I’m dying to say, “Yes” I say a firm NO, I deplore!

I stand up for myself, for things I believe in.

And I cry over ‘what could have been’.

All my friends are getting married; my cousins are living a fairytale,

While I am too scared to even fall in love, I’m afraid - I’ll fail.

I feel a catch in my throat when a student comes to me with a broken milk tooth

There should be a lie, like the tooth fairy, for a broken heart…at times I can’t handle truth.

My patience, my tolerance surprises me sometimes.

I may be blunt, I may get angry; but I’ve a humble conscience.

One moment I think I have it all figured out,

The next moment I begin to doubt.

There’s an unbelievable amount of chaos in my head,

I stay up all night, wide awake on my bed.

Just when I feel confident that I’ll manage, I begin to wonder how.

I wish someone would just hold me tight and tell me WHAT NOW!!!

The uncertainty of my future suddenly scares me.

I wish life came with an F5 key!

~for TGWRM~

2012-01-20T20:52:00.000+05:30

What can be said about a man (guy?) who…

…stayed up to talk to her every night for as long as she fought battles with her sleep

…is one person she could finally watch a movie, that too one like TDP, without leaving it halfway. *~that was an achievement in itself for her~*

…chose to walk her to Siddhi Vinayak over spending the evening at Marine Drive

…is the reason she knows how to use chopsticks

…finishes food off her plate so that she doesn’t feel guilty about not being able to finish it in a country where people die out of starvation

…she had an awesome time with - giggling like a teenager watching people make out at a sea front :p

…gave her a first-hand experience of running to catch a local train and travelling alone in one

… *~insert a million ‘sweet nothings’~*

For all those who go, “Awww what’s the scene?” , well, there IS no ‘scene’. He was just God’s own sweet way of taking care of her. Whether she's a total mess or she's at her best, she's always better with him. =)

He once gave her a song very close to my heart – Take It Easy by the Eagles. Here’s one for him on his birthday… if she could sing her birthday wish for him, it would be - I Hope You Dance.

I hope he’s having a good time as I type this…. I hope his birthday turns out to be as awesome as he made her BOMBAY get-away.

Good Night, janta... I hope you dance =)

~oye balle balle~

2012-01-18T13:47:00.001+05:30

As I try to write how happy I am right now, words fail me terribly. Nonetheless, I'm dying to share with the whole world and its brother that I'm suppppper happie because:-

1. Nisha Tilokani shall henceforth be known as Nisha Aakash Shah.

2. Mridu Garg shall henceforth be known as C.A. Mridu Garg!!!!

Cheers! xOxO

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~Happy Days Are Here Again~

2012-01-13T13:21:00.001+05:30

"Shaili, I'm gonna marry her one day." My fully filmy cousin confided in me when he was 15, she 14.

"Really? High-five!" an equally filmy me had replied excitedly.

It's been 8 years since then... and it is finally happening!!! After 8 long years full of more drama than you'd get to witness in a B-grade Hindi movie, a big fat Gujju-Sindhi wedding is due in 4 days! O balle balle =)

Have you ever seen dolphins dancing? You know happy they look? Well, that's how I'm feeling right now.

Icing on the cake: Uttarayan! =)

Here's my aashirwad to Aakash & Nisha – dono gam se guzrey ya guzrey khushi se… jahan se bhi guzrey, guzrey khushi-khushi se.

You know what I mean? Ugh never mind.

I've tears in my eyes again, albeit of a different kind for a change. =) =) =) =)

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~Tell Me Your Dreams~

2012-01-08T20:45:00.000+05:30

Did you know that the word ‘dream’ originated from ‘dreme’ which, in Old English, means joy or song? How ironical! I once mentioned here that I’ve trouble falling asleep. Well, now that I’ve coped up with that, I’ve trouble waking up! …as I just don’t get enough sleep. I tend to wake up every few hours because disturbing dreams.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve this harmless, recurring dream that I’m flying. When I was learning to ride a bicycle, I used to have dreams about flying my bicycle (!!!), when we studied about the Wright Brothers I used to fly their airplane in my dreams... Although, sometimes, in fact mostly, there was no flying object involved. An “I’m flying” sensation is all that there was to my dreams mostly. It never bothered me and so I never bothered reading into it.

However, lately it is very alarming. It has gotten more intense, and it doesn’t involve only flying anymore.

Last week, it was swinging: - I was at my farm, on a swing… and somehow it went completely out of control. I was swinging so fast, I wanted to stop but my feet just won’t touch the ground. After a while it occurred to me that I should break the white chains that attach the seat to the hangers… in doing so, I’d at the most fall on the ground and probably hurt myself but I’d have freed myself from the swinging… so after a lot of struggle, I managed to break those white chains. I fell off the swing so hard that I woke up! I don’t why I had to break those chains, I could have just jumped off!

A couple of days back it was flying again. But this time, it was more vivid – there was endless desert and mountains. I was in an aircraft and I was the only person aboard besides the pilot. It’s strange – I was reading a book and I suddenly realized that I am alone... I am very alone and I am sick of flying and that I want to go home. I tried convincing the pilot to take me home, but sadly, we didn’t speak the language(s). So I decided to jump off the plane. I didn’t care if I’d hurt myself or die, it was so important for me to go home that I just jumped off plane and again, then I woke up!

So you get the drift of the kind of dreams I’ve been having aaj-kal? I won’t call these nightmares; at the same time, my dreamland is not a happy place filhaal. =( Am I a freak? Is something terribly wrong with me or does it happen to the best of us sometimes?

Anyone who thinks interpreting dreams is fun, please CALL ME! I’d be obliged.

Good Night. Wow! That sounds like an oxymoron to me.

~1 mangadvaar down, 51 to go~

2012-01-04T20:20:00.001+05:30

Ever since I woke up last morning, I was irritable and grouchy. Blame it on sleep deprivation, starvation and my hormones! Needless to say, I ended up fighting with almost everybody around - there was slamming of doors, stamping feet, hanging up on people, announcing every 5 minutes that I'm hungry and all that…

…and then when I had no energy left to do any more drama, I quietly locked myself in my room and cried myself to sleep. GOK why I cried… told you, I was cranky! STUPID HORMONES!!!

When I woke up a few hours later, somehow, I wasn't hungry anymore. On the contrary, I felt as if I could go on without food forever. So when my mom knocked to call me for 'lunch' (who has lunch at 5 in the evening?!?!) I didn't bother responding. You see, although I wasn't hungry anymore, I was still cranky and sort of guilty for throwing tantrums at people for no fault of theirs.

Now if you know me personally or if you've been following my blog for quite some time, you know how quirky a family I have. By 7 PM, all my cousins, my grandparents, my whole family was at my place for me so-called 'parna'. Oh BTW, 'Tapasvi' is my new nickname. :P So yeah, they managed to make me eat and laugh and DANCE! =)

Then, when I was finally at peace with myself I called up one of my very close friends to apologize for being so crazy.

Some conversations, we remember for life… here's one of them:-

Me: I'm sorry. It was MY mistake, and I…

He interrupted, "Chillax… make all the mistakes you want! Your mistakes are what make you so amazing. Go ahead, bindass make new mistakes in this New Year and don't worry, whatever happens, phod lengey!"

Now if you think I am all pampered and spoiled, you know whom to blame. =)

It's nice when you know people whom you can trample on all over when life's a bitch and they'd still love you to pieces. Thank God for that mercy! =)

I digress.

It is my cousin's birthday today and he's upset I've never blogged about him. I so want to but I can't filhaal coz I need to rush to his birthday party. I'd just wanna mention what I always say – When God was giving out brothers, he gave me the bestest ones! Happy Birthday, bhayu!

Be good janta! …no actually, make mistakes! =)

PS: All those who manage to do Roja/Atthai or anything of that sort (with/without doing half as much drama I did) – RESPECT!

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~the year is going, let him go!~

2011-12-30T16:34:00.001+05:30

I never have BIG plans for New Year’s Eve. For me, it has always been a pajama party with my sisters – Akku, Aashka & Dinku. I don’t remember when and how it started, but it’s like a tradition now – we bake a cake, buy something to munch on while we have Coke (I swear, just coke! :P )… before midnight, we play cards, we talk about all the inconsequential things mostly, we sing, we laugh …and then at the stroke of 12, we blare music and dance like there’s no tomorrow! You may call me old and boring because of that, but that’s my favorite way to ring in the New Year and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Anyway, I’m going to leave you with a poem I wrote back in the first year of college:

On this wonderful beginning of a new year, I wish you life’s simple pleasures,
Like green lights when you’re driving and other priceless little treasures:-

When you switch on the radio, I hope they play your favorite song,
Learn to love your life, even when everything goes wrong.

I hope all your Java programs successfully compile,
and that you never forget to save your file!

When you miss someone and check your inbox 10 times a day,
I hope your love calls you; you’re just a phone call away!

You find a pen when you need it, right beside the writing pad,
Hug your grand mom, dance with your grand dad.

Hope they make a sequel to your favorite movie,
And that your shoes are in and all your clothes groovy.

When you look at the question paper, secretly smile seeing just the questions you prepared for,
You perform at the Youth Festival and the crowd roars, “Once more… once more!”

I hope somebody lost touch with, still remembers you,
Do that one thing you’re afraid you won’t be able to.

Dance in the rain when everyone is hiding underneath their umbrealla,
Still believe that ‘the prince lived happily ever after with Cinderella’.

Your sister thinks you’re sleeping and kisses you goodnight,
I hope you patch up with someone after an ugly fight.

Look at the sky and smile thinking somebody might be looking at it too,
I hope someone makes you happy just by singing for you.

And I truly hope your mom never signs up for Facebook,
And that a cute stranger tells you how great you look.

Well, I wrote this rhyme for no reason,
but to make you smile this season. =)

Have a Happy New Year, Janta
…and stay precious. Always!

~can't think of one~

2011-12-24T22:25:00.000+05:30

Dear Life,

When I say, “Could it get any worse?” I’m not challenging you, for God’s sake!!!! :X

When I got back from school today, my little cousin was very amused to see me as, according to him, I looked like ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’!!! This Christmas eve I am sniffing like a drug addict as I have a terrible cold, my ribs hurt as I cough and I’ve fever… I was feeling feverish since morning but everybody whom I asked to ‘check’ if I’ve fever put the back of his/her hand on my neck, then my forehead and grinned at me as they said, “No”. Not their fault actually… my normal body temperature is lower than normothermia … so technically their NORMAL is my mild fever.

Anyway, let’s talk about good things for a change:-

1. There’s this Adenium plant our gardener wanted us to get rid of around this time last year because he thought it would eventually die anyway. Now, being the “Godmother of all the abandoned things” as Adwait loves to tease me, I couldn’t have let him ‘kill’ it. And guess what! A flower has finally bloomed on it!!! Miracles happen! Believe. =)

2. I’ve finally mastered the art (yes! It IS an art) of walking effortlessly, even climbing the stairs up and down for that matter, in a SAREE! *drumroll* thank you thank you =)
Now we need to go one step forward and learn to drape it. Soon. Very soon.

3. Like I wrote on FB, I’ve a 10 day Christmas break. =)

4. I finally decided upon what to wear for Aakash’s wedding… and I’m suppppper excited about it.

5. After creating havoc in the kitchen, I managed to bake a delicious cake for tonight. Of course I tasted it, silly! =)

You know what, no matter how many good things I list down, it still is a lousy Christmas Eve. Like an idiot I put a gun on people’s heads and asked them to go out and have fun. You see, I am done with people changing their plans just to be with me... or so I thought. =( And now here I am… having hot soup and khichdi for dinner and ranting on my blog!

Oh merry Christmas! : |

Can’t wait for everyone to be back. I so need a hug!

~Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain~

2011-12-18T20:27:00.000+05:30

Since the past few weeks, everybody close to me has been altering their normal schedule to be with me for longer than they usually would. It is after a long time today that I’m alone at home. Although I dreaded this initially, I am now glad that I got to spend quality time with myself.

I made Maggi, watched reruns of some of my favorite shows on Star World, managed to solve most of the Sunday Crossword in BT, listened to ghazals and slept. Basically, I didn’t do anything great except that I spent some time introspecting… You know, generally, it is better to not think too much and just let it be but every so often, life makes more sense when you pause to think about it.

If I talk elaborately about all that I discovered today, it would too much gyaan for you all. So let me do you a favor and cut a long story short:

If you know me, I bet I have whined to you about how pathetic a year 2011 has been for me – from losing Sarbo to death to the stroke my dada suffered last week and everything in between! Having struggled to deal with it, there’s something I learnt the harder way - no matter how many plans we make, there ALWAYS is a bigger plan that’s pre-written for us and we don’t have a choice but to stick to that! You think you’re FIGHTER and all… you fight tooth and nail to save something OR to let go of something; it is NOT under your control. You don’t ever get to decide what comes your way (or what goes out of it). It sucks, I know…

But there’s something that makes it all worthwhile… well, it is the fact that who you have by your side matters more than what (good or bad) happens to you. Regardless of whether you’re hurt or happy it all boils down to who you can share it with. When you’re not sure about what to look forward to and looking back is painful, you should look beside you… and your best friends are right there! Reach out and celebrate having them in your life…

Bring it on 2012, I say!

There’s a reason they come up with songs like tere jaisa yaar kahan . =) I’ll leave you with that…

have a great week ahead. Love.

~Life-u reverse gear-u~

2011-12-13T22:53:00.000+05:30

“the world is still round… it is still spinnin'… you’re still queen!”

Oh no don’t google that… it won’t help. It’s a line from a song one of my friends wrote for me. Yeah; I am utterly-butterly blessed when it comes to friends and family. Touchwood!

Anyway, so we’re back from our BOMBAY get-away trip. It was legend…wait for it…ary! Oh yes legendary is the word and it is still selling it short.

All the same, it is always good to be back home. =)

Today, after what seems like ages, I woke up EARLY in the morning! =) Yessssir

Today, after what seems like ages, I sang in the shower, put on a salwar suit, wore my favorite perfume, blew myself a kiss in the mirror, found my red pen, raced with the hands of my wristwatch and managed to reach school right on time! Nothing goods my mornings more than a cheerful, “Good Morning, Ma’am” from my students. I believe, we're all braver than we think we are.

I digress. I cannot NOT mention this here…. Way to go, SIR DON VIRENDER SEHWAGULKAR!

All in all, life’s good. …and I’m sleepy. Good night, janta! =)

~Meri Ma... Mammmma!~

2011-12-02T21:00:00.000+05:30

These days, I don’t feel like writing. In fact, I don’t feel like doing anything I used to enjoy doing. However, I owe this to the biggest fan of all the shit I publish here; I bet she has read it a million times over! …especially the posts that I’ve been writing about her every year on her birthday.

There are times when my mom and I have a great deal of trouble with each other, even so, she’s my bestest friend. We share an inexpressible bond… you know, the kind of bond that makes you feel connected to each other, long after the umbilical cord is cut.

I’ve been fighting battles with my sleep lately and she is the only person who can manage to make me fall asleep… nothing more comforting than a mother’s lap, trust me! oh and there’s something divine about the way she wakes me up every morning!

Like the cliché goes - God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers! =) I know how true that is because for the past few days, I have been struggling to get over a bad dream… there are times my tears threaten never to stop, the tip of my nose has been RED forever now! I am currently unemployed, haven’t stepped out of home in at least a week, have been avoiding my friends for not fault of theirs, swinging between wallowing in self-pity to feeling extremely mad at myself and everybody around me… As I stay in bed all day long, curled up with a book and Diva (my Lab), just BEING (if you know what I mean), the only thing that keeps me going is the fact that I suddenly feel like my mom’s little girl again. She even tried tickling my toes today in an attempt to make me smile. I wasn’t ticklish at all, but I did smile. =)

My mom will turn 52 in another 4 hours or so… if, someday, I end up being half as awesome as my mom is, I shall definitely start believing in God again.

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

~Jeeyo Khilaadi Waahe Waahe~

2011-11-23T20:24:00.000+05:30

My dad is my ~~don~~ HERO! He’s the strongest man I know… and yet he had tears in his eyes today as he told me, “No matter what, you’ll always be my little princess.”

My father turns 53 today. Like every year, there’s so much I want to write for him... but words fail me filhaal so let me leave you with one of my favorite William Wordsworth lines - FATHER! …to God himself we cannot give a holier name!

Happy Birthday, PAPPA! When I count my blessings, I count you twice. =)

~Sweet Treat~

2011-11-08T21:01:00.000+05:30

So it’s been exactly one month since Gaurav ROKAed me for life. And in that khushi, I tried my hands at making Gulab Jamuns… you know, like they say, happiness is cooking his favorite sweet dish. LOL ok, nobody says that, I just made it up. Nonetheless, it is true =)

I don’t brag but it turned out great. Here’s the recipe I followed… try it, it works! …or if you’re around, let me know – I’ll let you taste it. Yeah; I am very sweet like that. ;)

Ingredients

For the Gulaab Jamuns
2 cups (250 grams) grated mava (khoya)
5 tbsp plain flour (maida)
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

For the sugar syrup
3 cups sugar
a few saffron (kesar) strands (optional)

Other ingredients
ghee for deep frying

Method

For the sugar syrup

1. In a large pan, dissolve the sugar in 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

2. Simmer over a slow flame till the syrup is of 1 string consistency.

3. Remove any impurtiies which float on top of the syrup using a slotted spoon.

4. Add the saffron and keep the syrup warm.

For the Gulaab Jamuns

1. In a bowl, combine the khoya, flour and cardamom powder and mix well. Knead ito a firm dough without using any water.

2. Divide this mixture into 25 equal portions and roll into rounds. These should have no cracks on the surface as otherwise the gulab jamuns will crack while frying.

3. Deep fry in ghee over a slow flame till the jamuns are golden brown in colour (approx. 10 to 12 minutes).

4. Drain and immerse in the warm sugar syrup. Soak for 30 minutes.

5. Serve warm.

Tips

1. Hariali mava is a special kind of mava used to make gulab jamuns.

2. The gulab jamuns should be fried in ghee for at least 10 to 12 minutes over low heat as otherwise the insides will remain uncooked.

Simple, no? tell me how you like it. Love.

PS: recipe source - some Tarla Dalal cookbook that belongs to my mom

Time Grabs Me By The Wrist

2011-10-31T16:27:00.000+05:30

OMFG! I’m getting married!!!! …I still chuckle every time I say that… I ~~blush~~ chuckle whenever someone refers to ‘him’ as my (to-be) HUSBAND, I chuckle every time somebody calls me MAAMI or CHAACHI. :p

Oh yes, I’m guilty as charged – it IS an arranged marriage. Last month, at this time, I didn’t even know there exists this man I am soon gonna meet and end up spending the rest of my life with. And today, here we’re… counting down to the wedding. For the record, 36 days to go. You see, all the shit they say about destiny is irrevocably true! Like the song goes, time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.

If you’ve known me for quite some time, you’d know how eager I’ve always been to get married. LOL Well, now that it's actually happening, the pre-marital syndrome is getting to me – one moment I am throwing tantrums and the next moment I get all melodramatic and weepy. =( The more I realize how my life is gonna change forever, the more I try to cling to what it has always been for me. It’s strange - I call up forgotten friends from school/college, I actually comment on those people’s Facebook activities who I didn’t even realize are on my list… I hug my folks esp. my ba for no reason… I, to my own surprise, pay attention to what my not-so-favorite dada tells me :p…. I even feel getting away... like take a train to nowhere with no one but my a couple of my friends. …and Diva (my Lab) of course. I also feel like learning a new dance form (how about belly dancing? Wink), and I wanna visit Italy… ok this can go on forever, so let me stop. OK, one last thing, I keep scribbling my name, my full name, everywhere I can. SHAILI ARUN SHAH. =)

I don’t know if it really is too soon. I am not sure if what we’ll ‘live happily ever after’…. Life, as you know, doesn’t come with guarantees… but I do hope to God that this arranged marriage business works out for us at least half as good as it has for my parents. And to that Talha would say, “Inshahallh!” =)

While we hunt for one, just one, picture of US together where either of us is not looking stupid, let me leave you with this - that's Capt. Gaurav Patel - the man who promised to marry me the day he meet me for the first time =)

Lots of love, janta. Hang in there, I have so much more to tell. Soon. Very soon.

~Wake Me Up When Sept. Ends~

2011-09-30T18:16:00.001+05:30

I had promised myself at the beginning of this year that I'd blog at least once month every month... so here I am with the obligatory September post. I came here to tell you about all that's been up with me lately, but ugh well, I just changed my mind – I am gonna sleep over it. Navratri ke side—effects, I guess. You know, sleep deprivation makes me sound cranky (crankier?). So that's all for now… thank you for your time. TTYL maybe?

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~of my farm and a forgotten friend~

2011-08-28T20:17:00.000+05:30

So #10thingsidrelive is trending on twitter. As I try to recall the moments I’d like to relive, I reckon it would certainly be the summer holidays I used to spend at my farm with my great grandmother, my grandparents, my bazillion cousins and most importantly my friend Champa. haha Yup Champa. She’s our domestic help’s daughter, almost my age. She used to live with her family in the servant’s quarter by our farmhouse. *~no yeah one of the advantages of living in India is that you can afford to have domestic help~* Champa and I had nothing in common except our age. She could climb trees, ride Chandu kaka’s (her dad’s) ‘gents’ cycle (it had a really high bar in front. #noteToSelf - NEVER attempt to ride it again), make pickles, pull a bucket full of water out of the well, plough the fields and so on… nonetheless, we were really good friends. I had a lot of fun with her.

In those hot summer afternoons when everybody would be fast asleep, she’d pluck mangoes, almonds, even coconuts for me. We’d collect them in our skirts and savor it later. I desperately crave for a bite of those mangoes with salt & red chili powder. I once had the baingan ka bhartha & rotlaas that she had made for dinner and by God, it was finger licking good. How I wish I could relish it again! She even taught me how NOT to eat with a spoon. The dining hall in-charge at my school must have had a heart attack when she saw me eat the way Champa did. =)

I remember how Champa would take me to the temple on her dad’s bicycle. We used to bathe in the lake beside it and we’d wait there till our clothes dried up before we went back home. Pssst pssst I even learnt a few swear words from her. :p And she taught me to read Gujarati much before we were taught that in school. Likewise I taught her how to spell her name and mine in English… I wonder if she still remembers that.

We used to play together all day long. I distinctly remember this one incident – I think we were 8 or something… I was sitting on a swing reading a book while she was washing the cattle. One of our cows/buffaloes mowed and I got so scared, I lost my balance and fell off the swing. She came running to me although she couldn’t stop laughing at my naivety. I was inconsolable and she just won’t stop laughing. It at got to me, I slapped her and ran away. It took her no time to forgive me however I haven’t forgiven myself for it yet. I don’t think I ever will.

There’d be a power failure in the whole village every single night!!!! It’s amazing how I’d manage to fall asleep despite that. You see, I was a really pampered child who couldn’t sleep without the AC on.

We sold our farm after my great grandmother passed away. There was nobody to look after it then. Consequently, I lost touch with Champa. The last thing I heard about her is that she got married (at 15!!).

I suddenly miss her so much. I, strangely, don’t have a single picture with her. =( I wonder how she is. I wonder if SRK is still her ‘favreet heero’. I guess, by now, she’d be a mother to some kids as wonderful as her. You know, there are two kinds of people in this world – there are those who ARE on Facebook and then there are those who aren’t. Sadly, Champa is among the latter.

As I write this, in a time which seems so distant from the rawness of those mangoes and that of my childhood, I really hope that Champa is happy wherever she is.

Let me leave you this one of my favreeet ghazals:-

JLPB

2011-08-24T19:02:00.001+05:30

Cutting a long story short:- Do we really need the Lokpal? (genuinely asking). Isn't prevention always better than cure??? Can't we, for starters, just stop offering/accepting bribes? If anything, THAT can curb corruption. Why all the bhukh hadtaal hungama!?!? Keep it simple, silly! ;)

PS: and what's with the ANNA IS INDIA drama? Like I tweeted: Anna is India. I'm Muhammad Ali!
Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~YOU & I... in this beutiful world~

2011-08-06T23:54:00.000+05:30

6.00 AM

I hit the snooze button on the alarm, toss and turn and go back to sleep but Dinku literally kicks me out of the bed! I say a quick prayer and promise God to say it properly next time on and I drag myself out of the bed making a deal with myself that I'll take a quick nap in the bathroom while the bucket gets filled.

6.05 AM

Diva, even if she’s snoring a minute back, somehow senses that I am now awake and she gets up too. I switch on the lights to decide what to wear. Dinku buries herself under a huge mountain of pillows while Diva licks my feet as if they’re sugar-coated.

6.10 AM

Diva sits beside me & watches me keenly as I brush my teeth. Somehow, I don’t know how, she finds my morning chores really fascinating. I’ve my cuppa green tea which my mom keeps ready before I wake up.

6.20 AM – 6.40 AM

Diva waits outside while I take a bath and then follows me to my dresser. I nudge Dinku to wake her up so that we can have a conversation.*~ If you know me, you know that I have this inevitable urge to talk all the time. ~* Today. for instance, while I was putting on my lenses I was telling her how I prefer Nike to Adidas when it comes to shoes but I think Adidas is a better option for clothing and gear. You get the drift? She mumbles something; I try to infer from her tone what and when I ask her to help me pick a watch that’d go with my Salwar Suit she tosses a pillow at me. I throw away all the pillows she has herself buried under, plant a quick kiss on her forehead and run out of the room without switching the lights off. :p

6.45 AM

I have the whole house running after me – Dinku because I wreck her precious morning sleep, mom with a glass of milk in her hand and Diva probably because she knows I'm about to leave. My dad is obviously obliviously sleeping.

6.50 AM

I exchange a few words with this boy who comes to wash our vehicles and I embark. =) The race with my watch begins – I’ve to punch my card before 7.

*~What happens in school in general shall be another post.~*

9.30 AM

The recess bell goes. I discreetly check my cell phone while my students say their pre-meal prayer. It’s really convenient because their eyes are closed. Sly, I know. :p There ALWAYS is a message from Dinku. She has to message me about something that can totally wait till I get back home – “What chocolates did you get for (one of your) students’ birthday today?” I purposely don’t reply. :p

*~Again, what happens after that shall be another post.~*

1.00 PM

Diva races my mom to the door when I am finally home. For the record, Diva always wins because, unlike my mom, she knows I'm back even before I ring the doorbell. It strikes me that Dinku’d be taking her afternoon nap at this time, so I ring it a couple of times more. =) I tell my mother interesting stories about my students while she tells me the prices of various fruits & vegetables or about another sign of ageing that she noticed in herself or we (mainly she) tittle-tattle about some distant relative.

1.30 PMish

I go to my room where Dinku is still sleeping. I pounce on her and hug her tight. She looks annoyed but I promptly give her all my chocolates. Although we’re radically different… it is pretty hard to tell we’re sisters, she always wears just the outfit I had planned to wear that day. It is like by some magical means she knows it beforehand. And then, of course, we fight! We share most of our clothes, most of our stuff for that matter. But suddenly I come up with a valid reason as to why the tee shirt she is wearing is MY tee-shirt. She retorts – she has another story explaining that the watch I am wearing is HERS! Thank God her shoe size is different! Anyhow, so our mom steps in to help us ‘solve’ the fight but ends up getting hysterical. We’re one quirky family, I tell you! LOL Then one of us declares that we need a separate room, separate clothes, a separate laptop, a separate TV etc. But that never happens. Touch wood. =)

2.00 PMish

I slam the door and walk out of our room to take lunch. My mom starts pestering me about what I’d like to have for dinner or something of that sort.

Around 2.30 PM

I go back to our room to take a nap too. I deliberately take up more space on the bed if we’re still fighting. Otherwise I wrap my arms tightly around her and we talk until one of us falls sleep.

3.30 PM

Our mom wakes us up. My mom and I have our masala tea while she has her sugar-free, extra strong coffee and oat biscuits (ewww).

4.00 PM

We leave from home together, on separate vehicles. No we don’t race because I am a law-abiding citizen who doesn’t cross 40 kph. NO kidding! I have a class from 4.15 to 5.15 and she hits the gym around that time.

5.30 PMish

I come back home before she does, however, I NEVER rifle through her stuff. :p

Till 6 PM

I talk to Diva (if you’re a dog person you’d know how that’s a quintessential part of owning a dog), play FETCH with her, teach her some new tricks, give her her food etc.

6.00 PM to 7.00 PM

I plan my lessons, design worksheets for my students, grade their test papers etc.

Around 7.00 PM

Dinku comes back from the gym. Diva & I show off if she has learnt a new trick. We put on some music, dance, trade files on our phones, comment on our friends’ activities on Facebook even if we don’t necessarily post it etc.

8.00 PMish

Dinner. She has her healthy, low-fat, low-carb dinner while I hog on a NORMAL dinner.

Till around 9.00 PM

We do our ‘duties’ = help mom serve dinner to daddy dear, clean the kitchen and so on.

9.30 PM

We go back to our room, crawl into our bed and suddenly we’re best friends – we talk about anything and everything like nobody’s business. At times, when there’s nothing to talk about I just read a book while she watches TV. Eventually, either I keep my book aside and try to catch up on the show/movie she’s watching or she mutes the TV while I read out something from my book.

11.00 PM *~YES! I have a bed time. You see, I’ve to wake up early & I am not really a morning person. ~*

And yet another series of fights begin as we decide whose turn it is to switch the lights off.

All the same, whenever I happen to wake up in the middle of the night from a bad dream ,she holds my hand and takes me to the kitchen, pours out a glass of water for me. Diva stays back with me to guard me whereas Dinku bravely checks the whole house just to reassure me that there’s nobody ‘there’.

So that’s how we live… Dinku, Diva & I in our mad mad world.

You know, sometimes as we wrap our arms around the piece of our heart, we find peace of mind? I know because I do, every night.

Nothing in the world touches me more than the sight of Dinku sleeping peacefully, like she is right now. For once, tonight I don’t feel like waking her up. But what to do… I HAVE TO! It’s almost midnight and it is her birthday! *~Yeah that explains this long ass post. ~*

~can't CTRL, no ALT, can't DEL~

2011-07-16T17:41:00.001+05:30

Sometimes, like right now, when I'm innocently trying to call somebody and I type the first 2-3 letters of his (or her) name, my phone acts smart and pops in some name that gets me thinking – I am never gonna call this person again, why can't I just delete the contact from my phone book?

My phone's onto me, I guess. When I choose the Delete option, "Delete?" it asks me again and I falter!

It does NOT have to be one of my ex's (exes's?) number mind you. Even if it is the number of someone I completely forgot even existed, even if it is a number I am damn sure I won't ever need again, I just can't bring myself to delete it from my phone book.

It maybe because I think each number is a little part of me or who I used to be and deleting it would mean letting go of that. I don't know…Or perhaps I'm too sentimental. Ewww I know but isn't hard to completely ERASE someone who was once important enough to, at least, BE on your phone book? (Could the Chandler syndrome BE any more contagious? :P )

Are you also reluctant to delete contacts? Is it just me or does it happen to the best of us?

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~of sagaai & saree~

2011-07-04T20:19:00.000+05:30

After more drama than some bollywood flick, Aakash & Nisha got engaged last night. I couldn’t be happier… it was a typical big fat Indian errr engagement – loud and colourful. =)

As usual, my mom and sisters insisted I wear make-up and all but I believe me, women look better WITHOUT make up. Any day! A little bit of moisturizer, Kajal and lip balm and I'm good to go. I did manage to look like a good Gujju girl:-

But this is what I made of me by the end of it. Dancing to Dhinka Chika Dhinka Chika to the raunchiest of steps = supper FUN! =D

I, so apparently, had mind blowing fun last night. Fikar not, I did get back to normal once there was food. ;)

But only I know how I lived through the pre-engagement fuss- mainly the innumerous clothes trials & the hoo-ha about the menu, the commotion over the guest list etc. I also wanna rant about bazillian rishtas I got, my fascination with people (esp. Aakash & Nisha) getting engaged and all… but all that’s a different story each. Kisi aur din...

Filhaal, it’s time to get my hands on Delhi Belly. Based on what I hear about it, I guess it will be a winner all the way ... such movies are always fun! Let’s see…

~BOSS Kaun Tha, Maalum Hain Kya?~

2011-06-27T21:01:00.000+05:30

Kitne aaye, kitne gaye... kitne aayengey, kitne jayengey... lekin BOSS toh BOSS hi kehlaengey (-JB)

A tribute to Rahul Dev Burman – a composer whose versatility I really admire.

While Yamma Yamma rocks big time, Mera Kuchh Samaan moves me so much that tears start rolling down my cheeks every time I listen to it…

I believe every single line of this song is true - Koi Yeh Kaise Bataaye

Listen to this and your world will seem to be a better place - Sar Jo Tera Chakraye… Ya Sirr Dukha Jaaye

This one cracks me up – Aag Se Naata… Naari Se Rishta haha WTF

Current state of mind – Aaj kal paon Zameen Par Nahin

Every time I ~~pretend to~~ ~~try to~~ play the piano at Siddharth’s place it’s mostly this one – Pyaar Deewana Hota Hain Mastana Hota Hain

Philosophy of life - Tujhse Naaraz Nahi Zindagi

Philosophy of love – Do Labzo Ki Hain… DIl Ki Kahaani

The cutest thing in the world – My daadu singing O Hasini… Meri Hasini… for my Ba LOL

I’m guilty of giving this song to people a lot – Aa Dekhe Zara

This one has been on my TOP 25 playlist since forever now – Bahoon Mein Chaley Aao :P

Someone sang this to me last night – Meri Soni Meri Tamanna

There was a time this one refused to get off my lips – Kaanta Lagaa =)

OK, I'll leave you with this - Kabhie Palkon Pe Aasoo Hain

Compiling all these song makes me wait for the rain all the more… mujhko aawaaz do... chhup gaye ho sanam... tum kaha?? =(

~stayin' alive~

2011-06-26T23:02:00.001+05:30

I know it's been a while since I last published something here. A lot has been going on in my life lately... I was dying to write about it here… well, here we go:-

1.So the school has re opened.
That's mainly what is keeping me super busy these days. I let it take top priority.

2.I turned 24 a couple of days back.
Days like my birthday make me feel utterly blessed. No matter what, I couldn't be happier with where life has taken me. =)

3.Aakash gets engaged to his girlfriend of seven years, Nishita AKA Nisha, next Sunday. I'm suppper excited. Please send good vibes my (their) way. Thanks.

That's all for now, janta. Although I'm down with fever, I'm extremely happy. I hope you're happy too. Good night. =)

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~Happy 4th Blogiversary~

2011-06-06T01:08:00.001+05:30

On June 4, my blog completed 4 years!!!! It's has been 4 years already???

I started blogging because back then my friends (and their friends (and their friends)) had taken it up too. You know how, at 19, we tend to try anything and everything our friends are up to. Who wouldn't want to be a part of all the action? Moreover, I had just moved back to India from New York and I had nothing better to do. So that's how it all began. Honestly, I never thought we (the blog and I) would last this long. I'm glad we have. So much has changed ever since… I've evolved as a person and so has everybody I know. However, the one thing about my life that has remained constant is my blog. I cherish it now as much as I cherished it then.

Here' some gyaan – I was reading some of my previous happy/sad/angry/confused posts (oh yeah I enjoy doing that) and I realize that there's one mantra you need to know in order to be at peace with yourself… and that is THIS TOO SHALL PASS. Sorry, I get a little philosophical post midnight. ;)

Anyway, if you're reading this, I owe you a big hug and a thank you! Take good care, janta… BTW, it's raining =)

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

~Shaadi Barbaadi~

2011-06-02T00:29:00.000+05:30

My life was good - I was safe under the Aakruti aka Akku (my oldest cousin) needs to get married first excuse. I had nothing to worry about because Akku and her qualifications are getting fatter day by day. Yeah, I know that’s rude but considering the kind of things they tell me these days, it’s nothing! She already has an MBA AND is a CFA and a countless other combinations of letters I am not a champion of. Anyway, so the point is, all I see her doing in the coming years is keep herself buried under her big fat books. It’s like in am in a queue and the person in front of me is going to take forever and that’s only great! But then the other day, Aakash (my cousin) told our folks about his girlfriend of seven years. After some drama they agreed to get them married. YAY? Hell no! `coz he broke the queue!!!

Everyone is bombarding me with questions like, “what kind of ‘boy’ do you want?” How can they do that? And they’re not even realizing what they’re doing to me. On the contrary, according to them, they’re being all nice and fair because they cared to ask me if there already is someone. I refused and they took the matters in their hands.

Now every conversation I’ve with them boils down to my stupid shaadi! Jaaney kya hoga maula rey… : (

Shaili: Ba, I love those Ruby earrings of yours. Will you keep them in my name?

Ba: It is not Ruby, beta. It is the red diamond my ba gave me. I decided to give it to you the day you were born. This is gonna be your wedding gift.

Right! Doesn’t that sound like she’s trying to bribe me with diamonds to get married? Sure does to me.

This happened while talking about the weather!!!...

Dad (to mom): It’s so hot these days.

Mom: You know we got married in May… it was so hot… by the time you came with the baraat, all I wanted to do was wipe all that make up off my face, get into my night gown, turn the AC on and sleep!

Dad: Really? We’ll plan Shaili’s wedding in winter then.

What winter? Do I look like I want to get married ever???

Even my friends –

Ashkan: I can’t wait to attend your wedding. That’ll be the first time I’ll get to watch a loud, colorful Indian wedding. I’m so excited about it.

OK, sorry to disappoint you, Ashkan but in real life, we aren’t half as noisy and colorful in real as the people you saw in HDDCS.

Siddharth: Shaili, we’re such close friends. When you get married, I am gonna have to literally give you away. Like, metaphorically, I too would be doing your kanyadaan.

Siddharth, you can imagine anything you want in your head just don’t throw flowers at me!

I don’t have anything against getting married. But I know it is IMPOSSIBLE in my case! I don’t brag but my friends think I am fun to be with... even strangers, like people I meet in the bus. find me friendly but I suck at being in a relationship. I’ve been having moments of introspection lately and I realize that I somehow, I don’t know how, I've always wrecked my love affairs in the past. Leaving aside my first relationship, of course. It's like the moment I realize I’m getting emotionally involved with someone, some kind of self-defense mechanism builds up within me and I RUNNN or maybe, drive him away. I know I am never going to let a man marry me and I am kind of ok this way. I know this is no way to deal with it but whatever!

However, today they played the ultimate card!

Dada: I have accomplished all my dreams. I am very happy and content with my life. I just want to see you go to your home and then I can die peacefully.

WHAT?!?!? THIS is my home!!!! Please don’t do this to me? Now all he wants to do before (God even typing that is s hard) is get me married! My family has enough masala to make a B-grade Bollywood movie. Jokes apart, I feel all hurt and helpless.

Dear guy-who’s-gonna-marry-me-someday,

Do you even exist? Just in case you do, I need you to get me out of this. And soon. Please? Thank You.

Love.

DaDdY's GirL

*~an 'aiwayi' post~*

*~to be or not to be~*

*~for TGWRM~*

*~oye balle balle~*

*~Happy Days Are Here Again~*

*~Tell Me Your Dreams~*

*~1 mangadvaar down, 51 to go~*

*~the year is going, let him go!~*

*~can't think of one~*

*~Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain~*

*~Life-u reverse gear-u~*

*~Meri Ma... Mammmma!~*

*~Jeeyo Khilaadi Waahe Waahe~*

*~Sweet Treat~*