Wuhoo! Road trip!

Tarun, Mansha, and I set out on a Monday afternoon to collect our smart cards from Microsoft office in Kalina. Tarun commented, "Let’s drive down there; it shouldn't be difficult to find the office.” Having been lost quite a few times on drives with her husband Abhinav, Mansha thought it prudent to have at least some sense of direction. So, she called up Abhinav to ask for directions. We buckled up, and Mansha cried, "Wuhoo! Road trip!” And then began the quest for good songs to listen to on the different FM channels. Predictably, we couldn’t agree on one channel to listen to. If Tarun stopped punching the stereo’s buttons, Mansha would cry, “Change!” which was my cue to punch the buttons.

Clearly, Tarun hated traffic and traffic signals and expressed his displeasure with frequent “tsk tsk.” We were on the lookout for a CST road, and after enquiries with a few rickshaw-waalas, we finally arrived there only to find auto garages on either side of the road! Nevertheless, we bravely forged ahead and spotted the office soon enough. Tarun’s “tsk tsk” had been increasing at a steady pace, and Mansha and I were getting worried about this. After all, our lives were in his hands! We entered Microsoft’s office and were seated at the reception while the security got our smart cards. Tarun was punching his mobile phone buttons angrily. Mansha and I exchanged very worried looks then. We got our cards, and walked toward the car. Mansha told, “I am not sitting next to him!”

We were on the expressway when I caught Tarun yawning. I panicked and said, “Please don’t fall asleep; I will keep talking to you for the rest of the drive.” He laughed! He was showing signs of normalcy, finally. We reached Spectra and found a parking spot near Axis bank. A Honda City was blocking the spot, though. When Tarun honked, the driver of the Honda City coolly parked his car in that spot! That was so mean! Tarun started, “What the…” and stepped on the accelerator with a vengeance. He was so red! Thankfully, we found a spot near Aromas and parked the car. Never have I been glad to step out of a car!

Wisdom gained from this road trip:

1.      Tarun learned that I speak a lot via the OCS and not in person.

2.      I learned the delicate task of punching the stereo buttons without disturbing the guy-behind-the-wheel changing gears.

3.      Mansha and I agreed that we would never drive along with Tarun.

4.      I learned that Mansha loves drives even if they are interspersed with traffic jams.

5.      My belief that all men feel good when they are behind the wheel proved to be wrong. 

Random Musings

A lonely Drop in the vast ocean,

Tossed and turned and by the wind blown.

Journeying seven lands, over mountains and stones,

never in control, I wonder does it ever moan?

A Beam of sunlight bringing hope to all,

clearing the shadows wherever it falls.

Warming all hearts, gladdening all spirits,

who gives her the joy that she rightly merits?

The delicate Lotus standing tall amidst the filth,

Praised by all, it floats unnoticed, adrift.

Beauty it radiates, shining pearls on its leaves,

Surrounded by squalor, does it rejoice or grieve?

Standing proud and majestic, towering above all,

Unyielding to nature, come summer, spring, or fall.

Thus stands the mighty Oak, sheltering the lost wayfarer.

Neither tales nor songs speak of the behemoth’s valor.

Random thoughts drift ‘cross the mind,

Queries aplenty, no answers to find.

The many hues conflict, in the cauldron they strife.

Is this why they say it’s a wonderful life?

Somethings In Life...

Somethings in life never change
Somethings in life are weird and strange
The path to success and fame is never the same
Each moment of life is an unwritten game
Everyone though unique has a similar aim
i.e: To achieve success, respect and an unforgettable name
Some loose, some gain
Its not about success or failure
Its all about successing a failure
Its not about what the world thinks about you
Its all about what you think about yourself
Its not about crying on spilt milk
Its all about laughing on your own stupidity
Anger, cry, laughter sway
Being positive is the best way
Love, friendships, relations is what one always prays
Be it your best dream or your worst nightmare
Its upto you how you portray
As a downfall and be sad
or a hidden oppurtunity to be gay
As I always say
Somethings in life never change
Somethings in life are weird and strange!

Boring, no?

"So both of you were alone for Christmas?" has been an invariable question directed at us during all conversations in the holiday season. I curb the technical writer in me that points out that "both" and "alone" are contradictory in a sentence, but instead nod my head in agreement, and arrange the face to look suitably wistful. The husband looks surprised, but as usual chooses to be quiet about it.

By default, this is followed by another question: " Boring, no?"

"No!" I want to say and fling the conversation onto a tangent - but instead I nod politely again, too lazy to explain the ramblings of my mind...that this is just another phase of life that I'm thoroughly enjoying...just as I did with the other phases in life.

When I do a mental rewind, every stage of life comes up with its share of happy memories - of a pampered young girl, a happy-go-lucky student, a shy young bride, a proud mother of two, a budding professional...the roles are countless and the memories are endless. Does the mind have an uncanny knack of selectively remembering just the joyous and colorful moments...or is it that life has been bountiful? Guess it is both...ours is to just let it be.

So here we are, enjoying this phase of not having to deal with red-lined report cards, missed calls and lost phones, stay-overs and wake-up calls, Hardrock Cafes and Mood Indigos, AIEEEs and CETs, night-outs and hip-hops, Arsenals and IPLs...

Boring, no? Nooo!!!

...of 'I, ME, MYSELF AS WELL' and LIFE!!

Before you all read this post (please read - blush blush!!), let me be frank here and say this out loud - I don't think I am a selfish or a narcissistic person and I don't want to be that person ever in my life. Not that there has been a complaint like that against me (atleast not at my face :p), but it was necessary to clear this point in the beginning. Too much blabber? Coming to the point - At an early age, I taught myself a lesson - I want to think about myself AS WELL and do things that make me happy AS WELL (focus on AS WELL here is most important!! Hence proved I am not selfish :p).

Isn't it amazing that our actions can make or break situations ever-so-easily with people that we want happy all the time? Not a single day goes by without us doing something to make someone happy. Be it our superiors at work, our dear ones, or people who look upto us. The 'taller' they perceive us to be, the 'higher' they look. While we are busy making sure that everyone is happy and contented, many of us forget about the happines of one important individual - the handsome/beautiful staring back at us in the mirror (5seconds time please - am admiring myself in the mirror! :p).

What is the first thing that pops into our minds when term like 'Sacrifice' is thrown around? For me, it means making people happy but, at the same time, making myself miserable. Is there a limit or a level of misery that is acceptable to me? (Ummmm....NO!) Are we going to find pride in being miserable? (Ummm...aaaaah...NO!) Is there an astrological time of the day when we can accept misery? (Ummm...ooooh tough one....scratching head...scratching head...the answer is...STILL NO!!) Watching Tees Maar Khan was a 'Sacrifice' I made for my friends!! (glad I got that weight off my chest!! I can breathe easy now :p) But, there wasn't a single moment where I felt miserable even though I knew that the movie was a DUD!! Why? Coz the movie did not matter for me, what mattered was that I was having fun with my friends. I ended up doing something made me happy AS WELL (hence the importance of AS WELL above) The reason why I did what I did just went against the definition of 'Sacrifice' as mentioned above i.e. there was no misery involved.

There is a new product in the market for all of us in the year 2011! You don't have to be a part of the old and boring 'Sacrifice' when you can enjoy the new 'Sacrifice++' , and that too for FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! 'Sacrifice++' includes an updated feature of selflessness combined with contentment and delight all packaged in one!! (WOW!!!! I impressed myself there :D) The next time you feel like doing THAT selfless deed, find THAT small string of happiness. The deed will be more enjoyable than you can ever imagine!! TRUST YOURSELF ON THAT...

Book Review: 'J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography' by Humphrey Carpenter

Normally, biographies do not rank too high on my reading list. There must be barely a handful of biographies that I must have read – mostly at someone else’s urging – and I must confess that it was not a very enjoyable experience. Forgive me if I appear too snobby, but reading about other people’s life kind of bums me out. However, when I came across J.R.R Tolkien’s biography, it was hard to pass up the opportunity of reading it. For those uninitiated, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is the author of the epic fantasy novel ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and the creator of that mythical place called the Middle Earth. It must be known to many Tolkien fans that he was not a great advocate of biographies. This was partly because he was an extremely private person and also because his point of view was that a biography should talk about the person’s work rather than the other aspects of his private life.

However, Humphrey Carpenter hit the jackpot when he managed to convince Tolkien to allow him to document his life. What’s more, Tolkien actually lent Carpenter his personal notes and a few letters that he had written. To his credit, Carpenter has done a splendid job to record the annals of Tolkien’s life in a riveting manner that traces Tolkien’s work while intertwining it with his life and how his life influenced his work.

Carpenter tells Tolkien’s story right from his birth in South Africa and follows it to the end in England. While some may debate that such a detailed account was irrelevant and not quite in deference to Tolkien’s idea of a biography, it must be said that one needs to know about the events mentioned in the book to understand how Tolkien came about to writing such masterpieces as The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, LOTR, and so on. The author has done a great job to trace the origins of various characters, significant or otherwise, events, places, and, most importantly, the Middle Earth right back to people, events, and places in Tolkien’s own life. Another refreshing quality of the book is Humphrey Carpenter’s taut writing. At no point does one feel too bored or feel the need to skip a few pages. Infact, there are instances in the book where you can’t help but get a few goose bumps.

That Tolkien was meticulous is quite apparent after reading his books – especially the lengthy appendices that he’s written for LOTR – but just how far he could go with his meticulousness has been captured quite succinctly in the book. One contrast that jumps out quite often – atleast to me – is that for a man who wrote such great epics, Tolkien led a remarkably simple life. This is especially astonishing considering the almost celebrity like status that a lot of authors enjoy today despite having written something that is not half as good as his work. One thing that you can make out quite easily from the book is that he considered himself a philologist above everything else. Indeed, but for his love for languages, we might have not had one of the greatest mythologies ever told.

Another important facet of his life that has been captured in the book is the literary clubs that he was part of. The many hours that he spent in the company of fellow members of the ‘Tea Club and Barrovian Society’ (T.C.B.S in short) initially and the ‘The Inklings’ eventually, undoubtedly acted as a stimulant to his terrific imagination. Tolkien’s friendship with C.S Lewis, the author of the Narnia series, is well known. Carpenter explores how their friendship affected their writings and the views that they held about each other’s works.

I can assure you that once you are finished with this book, it will be hard to resist picking up your LOTR copy and reading it again. This one is a must read both for Tolkien fans and for those who are yet to experience the magnificent realm of Middle Earth. 

Four days in Ahmedabad - Day 4

I didn't do much my last day in Ahmedabad. Mum was busy cleaning, washing, and cooking (the woman loves these verbs - and doing the acts too!) I sat down in a corner to write down my random observations in Ahmedabad. Here's the list:

1. Motorists honk a lot - I mean, a lot!
2. Among the Pulsars and Activas, there are many Chetaks (Bajaj Chetaks, the two-wheelers with foot brakes, remember?)
3. Counted a total of 13 tractors in my four-day stay here.
4. Not many skyscrapers in Ahmedabad or at least, in Navrangpura and the places that I visited. Mostly individual houses with a garden and a swing in the front or back yard.
5. Admired a beautiful house in Navrangpura. A plaque on the compound wall says "Madhuram 1954." Wonder what kind of stories must have transpired among the generations that inhabit this house?
6. The shop Induben Khakrawaala was the inspiration for Krishnaben Kharkrawaala on Colours.
7. Noticed hawkers dyeing kite strings; the dye was either shocking pink or mellow yellow.

On flight from Ahmedabad to Mumbai

Mom and I boarded the 6 30 pm flight from Ahmedabad to Mumbai on Tuesday. We buckled in and got ready for take off after a 10 minute delay. As the flight began its ascent, the city spread below us like a dark mass of land lit up by bright orange and white lights. As we gained altitude, the roads lit up by orange lamps looked like a gorgeous golden river flowing through the city. And the dark mass became more pronounced with the lights diminishing into mere specks. Then, all of a sudden, the golden river also disappeared from sight, and all I could see were dark mountains of clouds shifting in the sky in a smooth but random manner. The sun had set, leaving its last remnants, a faint streak of red-orange in the sky.

There was nothing much to do or see in the hour-long flight, and I was getting bored when I got the first glimpse of Mumbai through a veil of dark clouds. The cityscape looks no lesser than an alien spaceship with all its twinkling blue and white lights! It truly was a sight to behold! From up above, Ahmedabad and Mumbai look similar; the only difference is that Mumbai is lit up with far more lights, and there are many bright orange rivers zig zagging through the land mass. As we began the descent to the airport, the city's concrete giants - the skyscrapers - greeted us. I could make out the name of one of those buildings, "Swastik." Then, the individual elements  - the headlights of the automobiles - that make up the orange river came into view, and as I smiled at the traffic on the roads, we touched down. 

Four days in Ahmedabad - Day 3

I woke up at 8 (it’s a great feeling to wake up at 8 on a Monday!) and came out of my room only to cry, “There’s a peacock in the yard!” (Thank you Seema, for assuring me that it was indeed a peacock J) I quickly took a few snaps of the peacock with my mum’s mobile phone. The peacock walked around, and dad threw some grains of rice for him to eat. He noticed it and royally dismissed it. Instead, he flew and sat atop the swing making it convenient for me to take a few more clear snaps of him. Soon, we no longer amused him, and he flew away with a bored look. 

Dad was off to work, and there was nothing to keep me amused in the house. No TV, no Internet, and no one from office was free to talk to me! I waited very patiently till evening for my dad to return from office. He then took us out for shopping at the National Handloom House. This is a three-storeyed building and stocks all kinds of items - footwear, artificial jewellery, mobile phones, gift articles on the ground floor; first floor is for kids clothes, second floor for women’s wear, and the third floor for men; the lower ground has bed linen and cushion covers.

I got some pairs of footwear for regular use, and a bandini dress material. Then, we had an early dinner and on the way back home, stopped at Induben Khakrawaala (mum strongly recommended this shop) to buy pedhas and khakras for Mumbai. We walked home and went off to sleep.

Four days in Ahmedabad - Day 2

Time for more exploration.

Sabarmati ashram: Photography is allowed inside the ashram, and people were merrily clicking away. Not to be left out, I clicked the squirrels and parrots playing on the grounds. We walked around the ashram reading excerpts from the life of one of the greatest man this world has ever known.

Gandhiji’s residence: An elderly man sat near the entrance with a spinning wheel and explained its workings to everyone who asked. We first saw Gandhiji’s office room, which was locked. We could only see the room through the grilled doors. The office was furnished with a small writing table and a soft bed and a back rest covered in white linen placed on a straw mat. Then, we entered Kasturba’s room, which was just as simple as the first room. The guest room and the kitchen were no different.

Hutheesing’s Jain temple: There was a marriage ceremony taking place in the temple when we reached there. So, we walked around the corridor and came out as soon as we entered the temple. As we were walking, I noticed a squirrel merrily running on the dome-like structure of the temple.

Kankaria carnival: The much talked, written about event in Ahmedabad. It was hot when we reached there. The Kankaria lake was glittering with the sun’s rays playing on it, and the place was brimming with people. We had a light snack at the food court, and took a ride in the toy train. Then, we visited the zoo; I saw a young lion that was as bored as I was. The spotted deer were a delight to watch, though. Another attraction at the carnival was the gas balloon, which carried 30 people at a time, 200 feet above the ground giving a bird’s eye view of the city.

Four days in ahmedabad - Day 1 - Akshardham

At around 5pm, Dad suggested that we visit Akshardham. A five-minute walk brought us to the main road. I heard the cuckoo again and was satisfied to know that it was the real bird. We hired a rickshaw and set off to Akshardham, near Gandhinagar. The road to Gandhinagar is lined with trees on either side of the road, and there are proper signs to direct you to Akshardham. And boy, was it getting cold! An hour later, we reached Akshardham. There are stringent security checks here. Mobile phones, cameras, and hand bags must be deposited in the lockers outside the entrance. There are separate queues for men and women, and the security personnel frisk everyone. The queues were long, but fast moving. We entered Akshardham 20 minutes after reaching the place.

You can call Akshardham an amusement park for its giant wheels and the likes for kids and adults. Or you can call it a place of worship for its Satyanarayana temple. Or yet, you can call it a place for leisurely walks and loads of food for its well manicured gardens and walker’s area and food courts. There’s even a water laser show conducted there thrice a day. Each show lasts for 45 minutes. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get tickets to the show as the place was teeming with people! Mom hurried toward the temple; dad and I followed her. The details in the architecture of the temple were amazing. I believe that daylight streams inside the temple through the gaps in the intricate designs of the temple. We saw the life-size idol of Satyanarayana all lit up by electrical lamps. “The idol is made of pure gold,” mom said.