Hum mandir ke darwaze nahi khat-khataate, but this is one of those things that ought to be said

me: You're great, you know that?

.....

Tushar: :)
Spread the word then ___!!!
:D


me: err...
thinking of ways to do that


Tushar: ha ha ha.....
that should be an interesting brainstorming session


me: among friends etc the word is spread. I am fairly vocal about which people I like etc .
me: as for others....


Tushar: awww... so sweet


me: (tapping fingers on table)
(in a pensive fashion)


Tushar: (that's more like impatience)
(tap temples)


me: I am not a temple tapper


Tushar: hehehe


me: pun- religious i.e.- very intended !


Tushar: :)



So here it is world! This boy is indeed quite wonderful. Good person to have around. The Holy Cow, at least, is glad that her life crossed paths with his.



There.



I think I 'prachaar karofy' quite well.

Advertisement: Sunrise Banquet Hall- Price includes flowers, mishri and two cups of coffee

Some of the family,including parents, just returned from a ten day vacation in Uttaranchal (Yes, I know they have changed it to Uttarakhand but I think that name is terrible compared to the beautiful and calm sounding Uttaranchal so I shall stick to it). The first thing they say to me as I breeze in from work is "We found the perfect place to get married. We think you should get married in Dehradun"

To say I was anything less than aghast would be an understatement. But I managed to retain composure and said "Oh?"

The story is as follows. Mother and aunt wanted to use the bathroom so they all had to stop on the way down from XYZ to Delhi. They saw this nice looking place and went in. My uncle went in also. Feeling bad about entering a place just to use the conveniences*, he thought he would strike up a conversation with the man at the reception, pretending to be an interested customer.

The place was "Sunrise Banquet Hall" that they rent out for weddings at Rs. 50,000/- (only) and if you get them to do the catering its half the price. It was apparently quite huge, had 13 A/C rooms and in case there were more guests who were close enough to stay over, there were dorms in which beds could be laid out.

Details such as the following were also discussed

1. What the menu would be like. The guy went on to say how you could choose any four starters and any four desserts etc.

2. What would the cost of renting the place include. It would include, apparently, the hall, decorations, 400 chairs, flowers, and also the mishri and rosewater that they sprinkle on the guests when they walk in.

3. At the time of the actual ceremony (he assumed it would be a Hindu one) they would serve 2 cups of coffee to everyone present, at no extra charge. (I think this is poignant, as I have thoroughly enjoyed having coffee while watching my cousin brother's and my close friend's wedding. It wakes you up and you feel like a very important guest at the premiere of a movie)

4. Breakfast, which would be composed of Jalebi, Kachoris etc. would be served to all guests who had the strength, and willingness to stay over night.

Now, I really don't know how long my mother and aunt were gone, but my uncle had even managed to bargain and get the guy to reduce the price! Yes, very enterprising and all.

Naturally, the obvious question, and one that was running parallel-y in my mind, was voiced by that gentleman first.

"Toh sir, shaadi kab ki hai?" (So, when is the wedding)

(Here, I might have struck a pose with arms folded across chest as if to say "Yeah, when is the wedding anyway?"

My uncle: Socha toh hai August September mein kisi time.

I think, for readers who know me not, it would be appropriate to mention here that this post is meant to be funny both in its content, as well as in the contextual setting. The latter of course being that I of course had no plans of getting married in August/ September and this uncle of mine (despite the fact that I do like him a lot) has no idea whatsoever about this particular aspect of my life and existence.

Eventually the ladies emerged, and my uncle left it at "We'll let you know after seeing a few more places"

They tell me all I needed to do was find the groom

*Personally, I don't know why he felt so terrible. I have done this for two whole years at the University Library. That is, going in just to use the bathroom because it was the cleanest one around. I mean, why pretend? Did I feel sheepish the first 4-5 times? Yes, I did a little. By the 5th-6th time, I had gotten over the sheepishness as well.

Apparently, according to TQ, I also started recommending it to others who were distraught at the restroom situation on campus. She says I was only too glad to offer advice - "Oh, you should go to the Central Reference Library! It's quite nice!"

There is a veil, past which you will perhaps never see

Having a woman sit before you, hearing her pour her heart out- speaking after a long period of silent desperation, and watching her break into a smile as she continues to cry is truly one of the purest, and most beautiful things I have ever seen. And one of the clearest things I have ever felt.

An omen

There are storms every day these days. They come at night usually. Almost always at night. And it comes suddenly, with a gust of wind carrying dust, as if to cover everything that crosses its path with it. Trees, even large ones that are supposed to be strong, sway unsteadily from side to side as if losing control. Windows and doors begin doing a dangerous dance, opening and closing shut with a crash. The ones that have already been closed by the wise ones who anticipated the forthcoming storm and thought of securing themselves from it, are made more aware of the presence they tried to keep out, by the gentle but firm beating of the wind against the glass. The latter trembles and it's vibrations sound like they are saying "How long will you hide? I will keep coming for you, again and again. And some day I will get you."

It is unnerving to be caught in moments like this. This city has not seen storms of this nature at this time of year, and with such frequency in as long as the mind can remember. It is new. It is a sign of things changing. The world is changing.

It is unnerving. But it is not unpleasant.

It feels like an indication of some kind. A communication coming our way.

Perhaps the end of the human race is near.

Khushiyan rang de, gham bhi rang de!

I have said before, my ipod and I share a very close relationship. We're like that couple that has been together for so long (though it hasn't really been that long, but what the heck. Sense of time is highly subjective isn't it?) that they know what the other is thinking etc.

I always play my ipod on shuffle while driving. Always. I feel it should have a chance to be free and do what it pleases and basically enjoy itself.

And it never ceases to surprise me and make me smile by playing a song that I was already thinking of.

For instance, few days ago, someone emailed me to comment on some Sufi-esque post. It was towards the end of my day at work, so it left me in a Sufi mood while driving back home. The ipod (I should probably give it a name) started playing some old Hindi songs as it had that morning, but then it switched gears and played 4 Sufi songs one after the other. It left me quite wide eyed with wonder, and I may have actually shaken my head in disbelief-mixed-with-joy while singing along and grinning.

Then, this morning, while waking up and doing chores etc. I was singing/ humming "Rang De Basanti" (The new, energetic one). When I got into the car with the ipod making itself comfortable on my lap, what song did it decide to play?

The same one!

I love this song. I was driving and movement was a bit curtailed, but the shoulders started to move automatically and fingers started tapping the steering wheel. Of course, I was singing along merrily. In my head, I travelled to all sorts of places across India, ran with abandonment and danced like I was a leaf in the wind.

I am, at this moment, filled with life and happiness.

Dheemi aanch pe tu, zara ishq chadha
Thoda chhidak chhidak, thoda hila hila

:-)

Passing through

Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh

Melancholia

Tere vaade par jiye hum
Toh yeh jaan jhoot jaana
Ki khushi se mar na jaate,
Agar aitbaar hota?

(To say that I live because of your promise to me,
Would make this life of mine a lie.
For would I not have died of sheer joy,
Had I trusted it to be sincere?)


Aye Mirza Ghalib,
Tujhpe koi apni jaan chhidke... to bhi kam hai.