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May 29, 2015

'Trainy' Talks!

When you travel using the Mumbai Local train, you live with the bottom condition of any society. You can meet people suited also now a days, with corporate smiles. You can spot hundreds of people working as blue collared employees, sweating hard and still smiling. Railway stations of local trains in Mumbai are mini India to live.

As I have been using trains quite often to reach office or return, I have been continuously observing random things which provokes introspection most of the times or create stories many times. I think, title Trainy Talks would definitely give the reflection of mind travelling between Parel to Matunga, which means I travel exactly for ten minutes in trains. Well, that is lucky me!


  • Female compartments are the most colorful ones with all types of bags and tiffin bags hanging around. Believe me I know more numbers of brands making bags - second class or first class than ever.Also I got to know how females protect their purses, at the same time let purses protect them from the push-flow. (The newly invented word, which means the activity done by people catching train and pushing every other possible thing - alive or dead- in front of their already moving bodies!)
  • Stories. How a new bride is disappointed with her sister in law for not gifting her anything. How a mother is worried about the education of the child. How to apply eye liner properly.How to break up with the boy friend. Stories, I love. Even when they are ultra stupid.
  • When I start from office in the evening, how people co-operate now a days, is amazing. As the staircase is too small to cater to the population working in nearby financial high rise buildings, rush is inevitable. I am amazed how people maintain lines most of the time! Moving lines!
  • I am happy to see police patrolling every where on all stations now a days. They really do. I have spotted many passengers being interrogated.
  • The best part of the train is, girls applying make up in the moving train when the station to alight comes closer. I am sure I would never posses this kind of a skill. Kohl to compact powder, back combing to curls! I always get impressed!
  • Books. People read books, many use mobiles and tablets to read while doing longer commutes. I feel jealous as ten minutes travelling does not allow me to  read. I have tried reading whenever I take cab rides to the office, but I get  involved to the extend that I miss my office building every time. Cab drivers fail to understand my addiction. 
  • Shops nearby stations are my favorite spots. You get EVERYTHING under the sun. People try to beat the heat with cold drinks and tasty 'mineral' Nimbu Pani.Females bug vendors while bargaining. Fruits, colorful juicy ones popping out of baskets - are my weakness. Animals or things, everything near railway stations are bright and nice.
While I see people sweating really hard and still smiling from ear to ear acknowledging my move to give them some comfort - I feel trains are very very human!

May 26, 2015

Z is for Zester

Zester is the tool used in the kitchen to peel of the 'zest' of the citrus fruits. Zest is the essence of life, enthusiasm. Spice. Spark.

In our lives, we have many such Zesters, using which we add on some zest to brighten up the life. Zesters are the mood changing things or activities or people. Undoubtedly for Mr.ISB it is 10 hours long sleep, I would list out every Zester I can think of.


  • My blog, It keeps me alive. The bundles of words from my mind being carved on this blog. Nothing can be better than this.
  • My Frock buddy N: We take each other for granted. Most beautiful relationships are without baggage. No blog post can do justice to our relationship.
  • My penpal mail-pal Aunty from USA. Writing to her brings out my real self from the face this world want to see. I am totally transparent when I write to her. Every Single time. In happiness or while I am dull.
  • Dance. It is the state of trance for me. Enough said.
  • Really fast walking with my favorite songs in my ears. Specially in Mumbai where I sweat out bucket loads of toxins from my body. It is rejuvenating for me. Adds up to the zest.
  • Adarakh wali chai and some tea partners to chit chat. Zest would spoil the tea , but tea itself is works as a zester.
  • Reading. I have not done much in last two three weeks due to the super hectic schedule. Though it should be definitely added in the list of zesters. Reading brings out a new world to me.
  • This one is a surprise. Being in the new office with two smartest employers I have ever got. It is like adding up the zest every day in my life. One out of two is smart but I never accept and hence fight. Another makes sure we keep on fighting. That is how we brain storm. Cute ? :D
  • The biggest Zester of my life, which I saved till last, is Mr.ISB. Some times , some one just accepts you as you are, Some times , some one just preserves you while letting you grow. Some times , some one just makes your eyes sparkle by  appearing from no where. That is the main Zester in your life. My best friend and the soulmate. Mr.ISB.
Do you have Zesters?



May 25, 2015

Y for Yum

The latest 'Yum' dishes I am craving for and not having for one or the other reasons.

1. Tim Hortin's french vanilla - No one is coming from Canada to get me two more jars!
2. Sondesh - No buddy is going to Kolkata to get me some K C Das ones!
3. Spanish hot chocolate - Something I would never be able to get in India!
4. Ritters dark chocolate - I think I love European chocolates and not American ones!
5. Di Bello coffee - The Mumbai chain I am yet to explore! I have heard a LOT about it.
6. Cafe Madras/ Tambi Filter coffee - The only wish I can fulfill being in Mumbai on weekdays.
7. Panipuri - Amdavadwali, Panipuri. Mom made. *Drooling*
8. A huge bowl full of fruits like Strawberries, Plums, Blackberries!
9. Self made oat bars - Not to boost my ego but I think what I make they are the best!
10. Chocolate pie from any European country!!!

They are yums, believe me! Y would be related to only Food it seems!

Yum!!

May 22, 2015

X for X'mas!

It means a Hollywood Movie. It means snow. It means over coats and gloves. It means X'mas tress decorated with glossy ribbons, gifts and some snow flakes.

X'mas means Hot Chocolate or Tim Hortin's French Vanilla. (French Vanilla is my first love, so much that my Masi from Canada had put two huge jars in the 'Shagun' during the wedding rituals.)

X'mas means walking on the road loaded with snows, braving  chilling winds and still the warmth in eyes of people around- enough to feel the happiness all around.

X'mas in US of America or Europe is my dream.

Someday!!

:)

PS: Christmas days in India is almost void unless I grab a Christian friend for the Christmas cake specially home made. Christmas in Singapore are super bright but no Snow - No feel - No dream for yours truly. Sweating Christmas is not acceptable for me!

May 21, 2015

W is for the Window!

A window is an important part of my life, professional life. 

No not the Microsoft Windows!

I love if the view from the Window inspires me. I love it if it distracts me. Either of them would generate ideas in my small brain. I was blessed with such Windows in many of my offices. The current one is sixth window, I have been sucking inspiration or introspection from.

Last working space had an awesome glass wall which was more than a window. The partial view was fabulous , the other half was heart breaking. Folks on the road, tiny cars going by and our own people sipping my favorite Chai at the Tapari! Such a colorful window. The other half had a concrete jungle made of high rise buildings and cranes! I abhor such scenes a lot. 

My current cute office ( CCO is a good code for it, right) has two floors, more like a studio with a duplex loft. A huge table caters to the need of collaborative working downstairs which is adjacent to the window wall!  Now, you exactly know why I find this office cute. Bright sunshine like the name of the tower pours into the room in proportion during the day. The window opens up the world of trains. Railway tracks can be seen below and with each passing train we realize the marketing space they carry on compartment ( Typically a business person behavior!) As we are on the 9th floor, we can see the Mumbai high rise all around. The life which never stops breathing.

Whenever we need a new idea we all face the huge window and breathe to witness eureka moments - Okay, a bit of exaggeration but we five ( Founder team members) love the view to bits. 

Do you love  my kind of windows? Views?

May 20, 2015

V is for Vitamins

As a kid or a teenager I have studied several type of Vitamins. Biology was never my priority but to score more, I had to study the subject. It also meant I had developed deep interest in the subject which can last till the last exam. Only to realize what I had learnt in those days, stayed with me. It made my logic expand a bit more before buying any theories on 'Medicines and Miracles'!

Vitamins are essential when it comes to human body. The wellness and fitness part. Deficiency of any of those vitamins can develop severe complications and they are more important in our struggle to make our day healthiest. Stamina, memory, healthy skin, healthy eye sight and many more millions of points we can note down. We really do not need to be a doctor to understand the value of vitamins.

There are five types of Vitamins broadly, as per the field of Medicines and Biology. I believe there are other type of Vitamins also essential in our lives. At least mine. When I am stressed, I believe the lack of either of them are responsible. I take the 'pill' of the definite vitamin, and get back to life.

  • Vitamin L - Laughter: Laughter is the best medicine, a wise person had claimed. I say, Laughter is the most important factor in our lives. There should be meter which can show how many times we have laughed in the day, from the bottom of our hearts! More the score, more successful a day you had. Without laughter  life becomes dull. Really dull.
  • Vitamin V - Vacation: I love  vacations. I love to get revived, keeping digital assets for work aside. I love the feeling of not being in the command of time. I love the feeling of not being in command of house hold stuff once in a while. Vacations are like the tea with adarakh being sipped in the cold.I want the life luxurious enough, which can fulfill my dreams of enjoying two small or big vacations in a year- be it a bag pack trip or living in the Airbnb flats!
  • Vitamin M - Not  Money but Music: Aishwarya's dialouge in 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' rightly stated, 'We (Gujaratis - Indains for that matter!) have  songs to sing for events, from birth to demise.' 
  • Vitamin A- Affection: There is no life without affection! Good people have affection towards friends and family. Ambitious people have affection towards work they do/want to do. Some people have affection towards money. Good or bad, such affections kick your soul to get you up and get going. 

I feel these four Vitamins keep me alive and kicking , albeit with smiles. If deficiency is created for any of them, I inject it by hook or by crook to get back to life!

Are you on such Vitamin essentials?

May 19, 2015

U for the UnderCover

Have you ever done anything Under cover? Being secretive in anything? That is U for me. Under cover. ( I do like films on Under cover agents - Read: Love)


  • Under cover reading. I love books from the day I have learnt how to read. So, on each of my birthday, which falls just at the end of finale exams there would be a visit to the book store, a huge one. We would purchase some 10-15 books which would be gift, picked by yours truly to read in the summer vacation starting from the same month. Once the vacation starts I would act like an addict and would read all books in a week's time. Be it openly or Under the dining table so that my granny or my mother would not find me. 
  • Under cover blogging. Not every one who knows me - some are very close from this segment - do not know that I blog. I have grown mature enough to write good things and not sad happenings over the period of time still, I do not want them to judge me. People who know I blog are very precious to me too. Trustworthy enough I would say, in addition.
  • Under cover eating. Fruits 100% of the time.Just like my dad. We both would be flicking fruits at the wee hour of the night and relish. I did that a lot and now I have not been doing it too often. In fact Nil since a month.
  • Under cover hatred. I have a couple of people who are (no more) in my life whom I hate from the bottom of my heart and my mind does the same. I have to do it while being under cover. Society and all that. I thank them as well , now when I understand they created one strong personality within me. 
  • Under cover dancing. Choreographing. Specially when no one is at home. I love it to this date.Not that people don't like me watching dancing or I am horrible at it. It just lets me feel free enough to express exactly the way I want to. Dancing with expressions - My skill.
Have you done anything under cover? Which you kept as a secret with you, and now is the time to open the box? 

 :)

May 18, 2015

S for Strength, T for Thanks

Strength, I feel is a relative term. It varies with perceptions. For some adjustment is strength and for some winning over an argument is. Some believe strength is in patience and some believe strength is in getting all the rights as they are.

For me, strength is in surviving. By hook or by crook but also by ethics. So in a way, strength is sticking on to values and motives I always believe into. I would not like to do anything which can put me or my people to shame.

That is what my definition of strength.

Ah, T for thanks to myself to show up after two days. Requires guts to take a break in between the challenge - Strength?

May 15, 2015

R for Rains!

Who does not like rains. May be some Mumbaikars but hey, you can not totally ignore or hate the season!

I have lived in Ahmedabad, Nashik, Pune, Mumbai and Singapore in last five years of my life and I have experienced  rains in each of these cities. I love them all but each of the city carries a different bundle of memories for me.

Ahmedabad: The home. For 25 years and still counting. In my childhood rains were rare. So rare that I actually had only one raincoat all my life there, even as a growing kid. We hardly used it. Rains in Ahmedabad means the smell of corns, Dalvada and Maggie. It also means 20 something inches rain in one day after the draught and shifting to the first floor every single time. Thanks to the good work by current government Ahmedabad has improved its water and rain situation a lot due to green movement along with industrial development!

Nashik: Rains in Nashik means green hills and wet roads. It does not mean anything else. Due to some broken friendships it also means a pinch of pain but the nature makes it up for it totally. Rains in Nashik also means monsoon treks. A lot many of them.

Pune: Rains in Pune can be segregated in two parts. Pre-wedding and post wedding rains. Pre-wedding, it was fun with a gang. A gang of ten plus people sitting across the table in the cafe nearby, with hot chocolate mugs to drink. It also meant wet highways to reach supplier locations. Rains post wedding is more about tea with a lot of ginger in it, water puddles every where and chilling winds. It also means hot coffee made by Mr.ISB and those chirpy- calm chitchatting sessions at home.

Singapore: It is monsoon in Singapore almost eleven months a year. Rains in Singapore comes with a lot of drama, clouds scream a lot and then start throwing water buckets on you. The country being super clean and equatorial, the beauty comes in those same buckets but it does not have the smell of rains. It definitely lacks the smell of Mitti! Rains in Singapore has one thing to die for. Tasty tea and chatty sessions with flatmates. Makes up for the 'Mitti ki khushbu'!

Mumbai: One of the best cities which experiences beauty of the rains apart from creating devastation. Mumbai  has millions of colors and when it rains they just get brighter. The smell of the soil gets inside the soul. Be it the beach or the road, be it the Irani Cafe or the Filter Kappi, be it Roasted 'Bhutta' or the spicy Vadapav - Mumbai in rains works like the spa. It drives you to travel through memories and to create more memories as well. I am hoping for an awesome Monsoon this year in Mumbai. Touchwood. Hopefully with Mr.ISB!

How do you experience rains in each of those cities you have lived in so far?


May 14, 2015

Q for Queen

No not the London based old lady who rules their nation. About the Indian Queen. The movie.

There were millions of people who adored the movie. The casting and the dialogues apart from the story line. Queen makes females confident who are in today's era still finding a male domination for being secured. * Ducking all brick bats from conservative mommas*

I loved the movie to the Tee. So much that I refer to all ladies in the state of identity crisis once their kids are busy or they lecture why girls need to get married for the future. I would really love to shoot some bullets explaining my feelings for the movie - Queen. What was in for me in the movie?


  • The actress does the commendable job. I am not a big Kangana fan but hey,this movie could not have been the same without her. Her simple cotton kurtis or her expressions while talking about alcohol! 
  • The younger 'Rolly-Polly' brother who quietly stands for her sister when required and throws a virtual punches like any other big sister- younger brother relationship. True story!
  • The story line of discovering the real world. To mingle with people you never knew. Living in a hostel with strangers with unknown life style and food habits.
  • Knowing the culture of different locations can broaden your mind. Grow your confidence. Just like Rani did it on her trip to Europe!
  • You can make friends faster than ever and  can teach you lessons for the life.Some one like Vijaya.
  • Marriage is not everything in life. There are dreams. Stories, Pain and happiness. 
  • 'Kuch to log kahenge' is the eternal theory in this world. You need not listen to all the crap you have been thrown to.
  • Language is not a barrier. We can still talk to foreigners. They do hear. Hello! Sharing is human.
  • Carry your own language and feel liberated!!!
Did you watch the Queen? What was in for you?

May 13, 2015

P For Panchtantra

No India can ever be raised as a kid without storytelling sessions / books of Panchatantra.

If there is one single kid friendly thing which can unite India, it is Panchatantra tales, told in English or Vernaculars! They have morals, they have story lines, they have humanity and wit. They teach us to value friendship, loyalty, faithfulness and hard work.

The five elements of this life-business which is called 'Panchtantra' collectively are,

  • Making friends - friendships
  • Loosing friends
  • Foes
  • Loss of gain
  • Hasty actions and their results

These five elements if controlled in life,we can save our businesses. We can prosper and grow. Culturally, morally and financially too. These complex lessons are embedded in those simple tales - definitely a kid's play!

By which other tool we can ever teach kids all these values if not through stories. I am amazed how brilliant and intellectual our ancestors would be who thought of such a tool to be used while bring up kids and future citizens.

Stories of Panchatantra has to be the best gift to this well-cultured world from Mother India.

Dont you think so?

Want to revisit your child hood or want to plan a trip to your childhood for your kids?

Go to: http://www.talesofpanchatantra.com/panchatantra_shortstories_kids.php

PS: I am not attached in any way to the link mentioned above!

May 12, 2015

O for Office Office

May be the new 'office' where I am working. The startup.

It is different in many ways from corporates and many more ways from conventional startups. The amalgamation of its new born state and decades of collective experience makes it unique.


  • The office is as small as the hall of a Mumbai Apartment but with a small loft upstairs where we can have 'silent zones' to work without disturbance. We use it as the meeting room while calling our clients, partners or suppliers.
  • Apart from catering to all fashionable roles like operations, business development, finance we all also get into the roles of admins, indirect purchases, peons, monitors who keep an eye on cleaners. I work with cleaners, one person makes tea, one person cleans the big conference table we have, Fun?
  • We do not have pantries to cook our own food. We carry tiffins. We go downstairs where there is an open cafeteria. As the office is in one of the tallest buildings of Mumbai, we get a good views with lunch time chitchats. 
  • Directly from the giant window in our office we can count how many times trains come to the near by station. Sans the noise as we have sound proof glass walls.
  • We are a team of 4 people if I do not count interns. 1 is Bubblegum and 1 is Anti-Bubblegum. Other two play roles of referees or victims. Latter, if Bubblegum and Anti-Bubblegum decide to be on one side!
  • Mr.Anti-Bubblegum is one of my employers, he hates me so much that he hired me :D (If he ever gets to read this, he would  smile from ear to ear!
  • One day our broadband internet stopped working and we did not spare our so called CTO who kept on calling the service guy. In all fun ways, we killed our two hours and our CTO pulled many hair strands from his hair out.
How is your office?

May 11, 2015

N for Notes

Notes are our own reflections , better than mirrors. This theory of mine, I feel is better than palmistry.

Taking notes. I have been doing this quite often in a scattered way. Sometimes for official reasons sometimes for personal reasons. Not to forget small to-do lists or task lists. They have feelings too.

I think I have been blessed with parents and grand parents, who shared the same habit. I remember my mom, making small notes when I used to go to my Masi's place or Mama's place to play with cousins. She invariably sent messages to them in the era where telephone lines were a kind of luxury.I think I should have asked them to preserve those notes.

I used to love the feel of  finding small notes on books straight from the huge collection - like a small library created by my grandparents. I have not really talked to my grand father as before he passed away I was a kid & he was paralyzed, but I talk to him through such notes when I read through these old - yellow paged books.In my own little way. There was one age where I used to actively research on finding such notes- foot notes hand written by my Dadaji , just out of curiosity to know how he was in his days as one of the best doctors of the state.

I can still  smell  dishes created in my grand mother's kitchen when I read the hand written recipe note-books which have stains all over, apart from her comments every where. The recipe does not only contain steps or measurements but things like alternatives, exact temperature of a step, from where to buy that special ingredient and what you should never skip from the recipe.

I think passing on small notes to your next generation helps in developing relationship, even when people are alive or not.Those old messages and old mails - I never delete them. Reading old stuff makes me realize how time changes and how persons change too. In a positive way. Sometimes out of blue, you realize why that particular relationship was destined to die or what really could have been avoided - reviving the same can be an option then.

Just when I was ending this post, I received the mail by my Kaki from USA who had mailed a beautiful note to her kids on Mother's day.

Exactly my kind of a note. Not a small one, not a big one but full of feelings.

Do you love 'Notes'?

May 10, 2015

M for Mother

On Mother's day.

I am horribly late to celebrate it, but it is never too late for such gestures.

Today, I did an awesome thing. My dad is travelling and my mom was feeling lonely. I uplifted her mood through phone calls, whatsapp chats. My brother who does not understand such emotions gifted mom a small wallet.

She was happy. Super happy.

I think more than gifts, small gesture makes a BIG difference.

:-)

"My mom was born the day I was. Now, I am her mom.

PS: I saw 'PIKU' today. It is a MUST watch movie. It shares the same message. When parents grow old, they become kids.

May 8, 2015

L or Learning

Have you ever made a list of what all things you would like to learn in your life? Yeah, I am back in the Bullet-shooting-form for the post but isn't it interesting to put things on the paper which you always wanted to learn?


  • Swimming. The most dreading activity of all time, I feel. More than the activity I am afraid of the chlorinated water and rashes - tanning which comes with it free of charge. Someday.
  • Driving a four wheeler. I love cars and independence comes with it. I also know basics. The only thing I need to pick is to learn how to drive every single day. This comes from a person who has worked in the Automotive Industry. Sad na?
  • Zumba certification. I can dance and all. Learning it in properly planned course is entirely a different ball game. This is now-not-so-secret wish but life is there!
  • Embroidery. This comes as a regret as I never learnt this from my grandmother who was a champion and always wanted me to do it. I was too tomboyish to focus. Now when I see such skills disappearing from the household, I want to cling on to it.
  • Yoga and Yogmala. I want to learn it from teachers sitting there in Rishikesh. The yoga retreat which is costly now a days but being in India definitely makes it doable! 
  • Moon walking!! Needless to say, that one steps can make people's eye balls expand like balloons! 
  • The last one, I want to make tea exactly like my Singapore roomie - who made tea for so many months, every day, every night - whenever exams were going on or my cold got worst than Narmada damn water out flow in Singapore. She knows the art of real tea making. This comes from a person who makes the unique Adarakhwali chai pretty nice in texture and taste now.
Have you ever tried making such a list?

K is for k.

 I am going bonkers with one letter words -if you have read my last few posts you know what I am talking about.Meaningful to only me, most of the times. Not to Ekta Kapoor, guys.

'k.' is not meaningful only for me but to the whole 'Kaynath'! A few years ago I was introduced to this word by a friend who hates typing and loves giving blanket statements as answers, (In retrospection, most of my male friends fall in this category.) I remember  the conversion distinctively.

Me: Hey
Friend: It must be 6 in India, why are you awake?
Me: Going to Nashik, Travelling.
Friend: k.
Me: What does that mean?
Friend: OK.
Me: Arrey, what OK. Cant you reply properly.
*After good 10 minutes*
Me: ?
Friend: Ok. It means OK.

I gulped the 'OK' down. I can imagine people making abbreviations for 'All Time Machine' and 'As Soon As Possible', but for a humble two letter - no nonsense - smallest ever multi-letter word?? It is like skeleton going for the GM diet!
9
I refrain from using such short SMS lingos but I have found these words (Are they even words?) helpful when I want to get detached to the matter and create absolutely a cold reply.

So I grabbed this opportunity while showing my frustration when one of my employers- who is also the one with whom I fight almost 90% of my office time.

*Product development is showing  delay of 2 major weeks!*

*Introduction and orientation of interns going on*

Mr. Stone (As I call him for some reasons!) : Why don't you tell them about where we stand when it comes to getting the product in our hands.
Me: k.

*Fumes going out of my ears with the k.*

Helpful?

May 6, 2015

J for j

The geeky me knows, I is for I but J has to be for j. Before you think that I have lost my mind and my mobile both, I must tell you the scene is sane here.

j is also known as the imaginary character in the world of mathematics.

In real life also, we all have our own imagination- things and characters- running wild in the mind and some people convert them into fears ,some convert them in dreams, some create OCDs! I have also the world of such 'j's, a mixed bag of habits, dreams and fears.

  • I talk to the imaginary 'me' many times. After the birth of this blog, I talk to the real blog and not the imaginary me but it does help in over coming many anxieties. 
  • I have imagined a world with many many books at home and special mugs where people can drop by, have tea with me while reading books or chitchatting. Of course, people means my favorite people. I do imagine about the place every now and then.
  • I have a habit of imagining parallel lines every where. For example if I spot a thing A and I need to place it some where in a plane (How geeky, I know) I would imagine a grid made of parallel lines. I would follow the rule of third, pick a spot and place the thing A. It is more like an OCD to my understanding.
  • When I make salad I try to imagine a pattern first and place each of those vegetables - fruits according the imaginary pattern.
  • I think a lizard is the most disgusting animal to encounter. I imagine a couple of them lingering over my feet whenever I spot one of them. 
  • I have this imagination of me being dressed up in the most trendy short floral frock with no make up and glared. Specific, Very specific. Dream.
  • The mother of all imagination is something I do every moment - some people call it micro planning. If I have to reach home, the planning with respect to time frame has to be done considering the time I would take to reach the lift in the corridor , the time taken in the lift and also the time to climb that stairs to reach the entrance of the station. 
Do you have such 'j's in your life?

May 5, 2015

I for I

and not for introspection. I is for I. Unlike our mothers and aunts who conveniently forgot their own personalities when they were young,  just out of work pressure - professionally or at home. This blog is for the Bubblegum after ten years, so she can get back to the blog some day and check with herself.

  • I am a person of moods. Generally they do not swing but when they do, oh boy! Only a few persons only can manage things with me. I am the person who has the blood which has a low boiling point which also means it takes some micro seconds to get angry. Of course the positive side is the fact that the anger goes away once those few minutes are over.
  • I love reading, it is an understatement. 
  • I love chocolates - Ritter , Milk and Rocher to be specific. Bitter, the better.
  • I love dancing like no one is watching and I love it even more when I am on the stage, the whole world is waiting for me to perform. It gives me high more than nervousness. 
  • I love fruits. This part never appeared on the blog. My dad and my husband share the similar problem. They do not understand who gulps down those fruits which was procured a day back? One can not under estimate my appetite for the same!
  • I love working over here in the new start up. More than loving. 
  • I catch cold in summers. Summers of sweltering Mumbai,Pune and Ahmedabad. Anti-histamine pills I hog on to more than mangoes. 
  • 30 minutes is what I have decided to give myself to improve my fitness daily. Hopefully it would show some results soon. It includes a lot of walking in my lifestyle I have added here and there.
  • I am the person of tiffins! Mumbai is the city of Tiffins! I love carrying a lunch box in the office. When I open it in the office during lunch, the smell of home prevails! I love home made food as living alone for five years has made me a sucker for mom made or home made food. 
  • I love Market places. Not the typical accessories and clothes shopping places. I love the market where colours of fresh vegetables and fruits fight with the smell of flowers-Gajara! I love when colourful or metal finish utensils merge with sunlight, bright in the day light. The smell of filter coffee overpowers the noise created - I am blessed to get such a market nearby!
  • I get attached to the coffee-mug tea mug which I use everyday, specially if it is a thoughtful gift by some one. I get attached to the watch I wear or even the shoes I wear. May be it the comfort which I love or I am just like that. 
  • I love Kindle, my mobile which I recently lost, my laptop and my media player. I think I am the highest order of the geek when it comes to engineering or gadgets. I can do research on a particular gadgets for months just to reject it for myself. The world has yet to develop the talent to please Bubblegum in a fashion where I can label a gadget made for 'Me'! I know I am picky!!
  • Do I need to say, I love Blogging?
:)

H for Hatak

All my life have been taught that I come from a unique community which is minority in a way when it comes to population, but they do well  in art and strategy by skills. I have been told amazing stories about the potential origin of our ancestors as a caste.

One theory says we are the hybrid of Greek officers who came to India during Alexander era and Kashmiri pandit Kanyas. By the theory we have a 'Kuldev' who is 'Hatkeshwar' means Shiva in Kashmir - the origin of our caste. I doubt if any of us really know where the temple was, as it has been destroyed in Mughal era- the history it self is blurred. Now the main temple is in Vadnagar where my relatives go often. 

As a firm believer of no-caste-system - I do not want to name the caste or consider my self superior in one or the other ways than rest of the Indians, one thing holds me back is - Hatak. 

Hatak is the place from where my people used to leave. Beyond the mountain range of HinduKush. This statement I have heard for around zillion times from my grannies. 

Just by curiosity I started tracing this place on internet - which is in Iran!!!! Yes, Iran / Persia! 

There is not a single wiki page who shows the history of Hatak and which hurts me as I realize how some of the countries are still in the stone age. 

http://wikiedit.org/Iran/Hatak/1982720/

I had given this link to my dad when he visited Iran (How awesomely fortunate he is!) but as per his friend in Iran the area is on the boarder of Afghanistan which makes it alien enough not to visit, ever!

Any one from Hatak, listening to me??? I really want to see your place which was mine too some centuries ago? 

Anybody?

May 4, 2015

G for Garba

It has to be.

Garba is the word derived from the word 'Garbi' which is actually a probe contrary to the belief that it is a form of folk dance. Garbi means the earthen pot with small holes on its body. In days of Navratri, inside Garbi a small lamp would be put after sunset. I am not sure about the religious believes behind the ritual apart from worshiping Goddess Amba, it looks beautiful in the dark. After the 'Pratishtha' and 'Aarati' females would dance in the circle keeping these 'Garbas' or 'Garbis' on their heads. The dance is the famous folk of Gujarat which can be performed using Dandiya as probes as well and we call it 'Raas' and not 'Dandiya'.

Garba is an important part of my life - Childhood or current. When I was two years old, I flaunted my new Chaniya Choli gifted by my grandmother (which was just a start of the big collection of cholis) and kept on dancing inside the main Garba circle. Usually when I used to tumble for more than two times due to my sleepy state of mind, I would be dispatched to bed by my mom dad as I would be reluctant to acknowledge that dancing should be stopped when you are drowsy. This story has been told zillions of times by my relatives.

Even now, almost like 'Daya' in the stupid 'Taarak Mehta ka ulta chashma' I start getting vibrations in my body while any of those tunes get into the air which is/can be the potential tune for next Garba performance. Believe me.

When some buddy calls me typically Gujju for my love for Garba, I always say

"Thank you for the compliment!"

Not every state has the hold over their folk dances in my generation, like Gujaratis having over Garba!

May 2, 2015

F for Facebook

And I really hate it.

And I love it because I am in touch with my overseas Facebook crazy friends. That is the only reason of my existence on the could of Facebook.

It is a market place now. Fish market to be specific, for a vegetarian person like me. People float their nonsensical and sometimes sane comments over any subject on this earth, on Facebook.

Something like 'Oh my god, Modi is now the PM, India would face a liquor ban now!' Now the stupid guy does not know liquor ban history of Gujarat at all, who is going to tell this to him?

A girl posted selflies taken from every one degree from 360 degrees if I quote mathematics in real life. None of them made any sense to me.

Then the worst day happens, on valentines day people posted photos of flower decorated beds which was a surprise throw by his/her spouse! I am not sure what would we as public do with these photos!

My cousin who was happier than ever when she changed her Facebook status from 'Single' to 'Engaged' on the very second minute once her parents said yes to guy's parents! Why?!!?

Apart from these stupid updates, the most irritating things happen when your cousin's sister in law's aunty wants to add you on Facebook! I meant, hello! I dont even know you, aunty! When I was not engaged, many many aunties tried to stalk my profile to check with who all guys I am chatting, and worst! How many of them are suitable for me and my cousin!!  This is what stinks on the Fish Facebook Market.

So dear Facebook, you need to work really hard to impress me and increase my almost-ending-tenure on Facebook.

As I do not want to 'like' people's status mentioning the demise of his/her loved ones. Really. People do.

Period.

E for Explore!

It is for the curious souls.

Like my grandmother, who at the age of 80 fought with me for a science magazine which used to get released every month. She wanted to read it first, always. Subjects discussed in the magazine were not for her age as per what society thinks - Universe, Galaxies, countries, War strategies, History of Languages!
Question her the 'Why' word she would always say' I want to Explore the world which I could not'.

I want to explore the world like my one of those smart Fais. She visits Disneyland every damn time she visits USA. She reads a lot, like crazy. She is a doctor herself but she loves to cook various cuisines. Whenever her daughters send business class tickets she would say 'When I grow old, then I need business class tickets.' At the age of 80. Yes!

I want to explore places like my Kaki in USA. (The one who keeps on appearing on the blog!) I was surprised and the same time excited - over whelmed and what not. I am waiting for her to start the travel blog!

I want to explore not only this real and mean world, but the world of books as well. Be it science, be it a fantasy land or even some mythological era! I want to explore the world of food.

Explorations add on another dimension to any one's personality. It is like opening up a different route in the mind which touches your own soul and may be other souls around you.

When explorations would get converted into stories.