What Are We Doing...

Every now and then, this thought keeps knocking at the back of my mind. What has the world come to? What are we doing?

We love things and use people instead of loving people and using things...
We toil for our future and burn away our present. Ultimately, missing out on smelling the roses each day & counting our blessings...

We walk away from dear ones to spend time with strangers and end up being lonely...
We lose precious moments not being with the loves of our lives and while away our time in oblivion...

We chose silence over candid conversations to exhibit disagreement, anger, sadness and let the uncertainty grow exponentially...
We fail to see who cares for us and run behind the one who are not meant for us...

 The blue ticks ensure that the messages are delivered and read but they fail to invoke a response...
The call that we would wait for, never sees the light of the day...

We chose sides between love and responsibilities or should I say duties...
We encourage dear ones to nurture trust, only to break the very trust we urged them to have in us...

We experience the dilemma of listening to heart or the logical mind...
The heart is so broken then we end up listening to the heartless mind...

We've replaced personal greetings with extra short acronyms. Thank you has become TY and you are welcome is just UW...
We demand likes and votes for our social network statuses but are too busy to extend the same courtesy to the very same people...

We desperately expect every one to help us in our times of need yet when they expect the same in return...we transform into these busy, unavailable tycoons who can't be reached or can't be disturbed...
They truly exemplify the reality that - "No response is also a response".

As I ponder further, I realize with a growing alarm that even I am guilty of exhibiting some of the aforesaid behaviors. All I can do is to make a conscious effort to not fall in the traps that we have created for ourselves.

While I attempt that, my mind still wanders to that one thought -

"What are we doing? "

You Have My Word...

What happens when an ardent tele-series fan comes across a cold blooded, yet hot Original? Sparks fly!!!

The fan in discussion here is me and the not so cold Original is none other than Elijah Mikaelson.  In my thirty plus years, never did it happen that a fictional character made me go weak in the knees. Elijah made all the difference.

Apart from the fact that this suit clad, lean and suave vampire has the looks to die for, what makes him more likable is the set of values that he believes in. I have been following the two series in which he features as the Original vampire for past few years yet every time he fills the screen, I get goosebumps. 

The one sentence that got me hooked to him was " You have my word!!"

Nothing means more to Elijah than his words. He would go to any lengths just to keep his word. Me thinks - this value defines who Elijah truly is. Every time he says these 4 words and sticks to them, I end up smiling and like him a percent more than I liked him last.

 

The goat in me relates so well to this trait of his that every time I hear him say the golden words, a hope rises in me. And it wants me to believe that this world is not all that bad. While Elijah is fiction, there are men who do keep their word. In fact, keeping their word is everything to them.

Alas such men are a rarity these days and when you find one, you keep them - as a friend, a partner, a soulmate, a four am call buddy, a travel buddy and the list would go on. There is nothing sexier to me than a man who vows to keep his word and never breaks this vow.

Cheers to them!!!

Calling My Voyagers In Crime...

Calling my crazy voyagers in crime from every nook and corner of this world. It's been more than an year that I quenched my thirst for travel. If solo trips are what the doctors recommended to me, the journeys with you all, are the much needed dope to escape the web of this world. 

I can be myself with you. I get to bring out the travel gypsy in me when I am with you guys. I get to see myself in my purest, rawest, craziest, off the shell form. Smell of the rain, the silence of the mountains, heat of the dunes, the walk up hill....each of these are calling me and so here I am...seeking you guys out.

Here's my way of reaching out to your travel souls. Hear "Hairat" and bring forth the nomad in you. Get going crazy souls....

"Dheemi dheemi chalney lagi hain ab hawaein...

Dheemi dheemi khulne lagi hai aaj rahein...

Rangne lage hain manzil ko jaane ke raah saare...

Jaise aasman kay chheente pade hon banke sitaare...

Dheemi dheemi roshni si...

Beh rahi hai in hawaon mein yahaan...

Hairat hairat hairat hai...

Tu hai to har ek lamha khubsoorat hai ...

Hairat hairat hairat hai...

Tu hai to har ek lamha khubsoorat hai..."

Happy Birthday Dad...

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Wherever you are...in whatever form or shape... I hope you are at peace. Though I always feel you are around but  we do miss your mortal being. I wish you were here among us today and today would have become even more special.

Your grand daughter who would have definitely been the apple of your eyes would have eaten the cream from your cake even before you would have blown the candle. She would have insisted on a gift for herself too. After all, it's Daddu's birthday.

Bhai would have clicked one of the most candid pic of all of us together. A happy, crazy family. That we still are.

Poppy would have been busy arranging favorite snacks of yours for the special day. She would even sneak few sweets, just for this one day.

I would have probably gifted you some nice striped shirts and couple of accessories. You would have been definitely surprised...a little embarrassed as well since you would have forgotten your birth date like each year.

And then, Mom would have slowly walked towards you, sat next to you with a warm smile. She would then savor all the fuss that we would have been creating.

Every year you inch away a little farther yet, you stay close to us...in our hearts, memories and thoughts. I wish you were here Dad!!

Happy birthday once again. Stay blessed!!

Meri Pyaari Appu...

इक प्यारी सी गुड़िया आई!!

अपने साथ खुशियां लाई !!

बिलौटी जैसी चंचल है वो !!

मन से लेकिन मधुरम है वो!!

 शैतान की नानी है वो!!

हम सब की प्यारी है वो!!

चार चौपटो की टोली की !!

सबसे छोटी पोपट है वो!!

अप्पू प्यारा नाम है उसका!!

मन में इक भी मेख ना दिखता !!

जब से तुमको जाना गुड़िया !!

खुशियों को माना मेरी चिड़िया !!

इक प्यारी सी गुड़िया आई!!

अपने साथ खुशियां लाई !!

 PS. - This one is for you Appu!! You are a darling dear. Loved the fact that you thought about me and chose lovely trinkets for me. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts. Loved each one of them. Stay happy...stay blessed!!

Cheers!!

If Ever You Are Feeling Lonely...

I have to admit that I am a "Sex & The City" addict to the core. While catching up on the weekly re-runs, I saw this one episode where Mr. Big is moving out of New York and Carrie Bradshaw is trying her bit as the send off, a night before his flight. Well Miranada decides to deliver the same night and Carrie's plans go awry. 

In a bid to catch the last glimpse of Mr. Big, Carrie rushes to his apartment, only to find it empty sans a music record. It had a post it over it and it read - 

" If ever you are feeling lonely...."

There was a flight ticket as well with the same message - "If ever you are feeling lonely..."

The moment I saw this episode, the events of the evening reverberated in my mind. My bestie had thanked the one above for sending me every time he was feeling low. Over the years, I have helped him with advices, a patient ear, sounding board, crackling reality checks, money, mad travel memories, silent long drives and the list goes on. 

The episode made me wonder, what all would I be willing to offer, if someone dear to me was ever to feel lonely? So here it comes.

If ever you are feeling lonely... I would offer to be the silent company to sail you through...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would be the chatter box to distract the hell out of you...

If ever you are feeling lonely... I would get you the best poison ( you know what I mean) to help you unwind...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would offer the gyaan that only Sri Sri Sonal (wink) could ever deliver...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would crack PJs to irritate you...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would offer a hug that might last several minutes...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would take you for a memorable road trip...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would tell you to just hang in there till the storm passes...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would play your favorite tunes...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would get you your favorite take out meal...

If ever you are feeling lonely...  I would push you to watch the most paisa vasool movie running in theaters that week...

If ever you are feeling lonely...and I see no signs of the feeling receding... I might just shake you up a bit and tell you to get a grip...

If ever you are feeling lonely...  I would take you out for a long drive on a star lit night or may be a star less one too...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would send you a random text that would say  - "Just checking up on you..."

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would take you to Sri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in the wee hours of the day...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would come over to your place with two buckets of ice cream - Vanilla & your favorite flavor...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would surprise you with that big sized "Silk" chocolate...

If ever you are feeling lonely...I would surprise you with an unexpected gift...

If ever you are feeling lonely...you don't have to worry...coz I would be around...

Is It A Special Day...

Every girl has some special story to tell about her tryst with the six yards of wonder. Now some of you must be wondering what's that?

 Well, I am referring to beautiful six yards of silk, cotton, chiffon, georgette, crape (and the list goes on and on) that some of the lovely ladies adorn. This one post is all about a "Sari".

I too have some fond memories of Sari. The first time I draped a Sari was as a naughty young girl whose aunt had brought back a beautiful green and red cotton sari from Kolkata. Our romance started on a very colorful note.

During the growing up years, I wore it for a fancy dress competition, for my school farewell, college functions/ events, marriage anniversary of a dear friend's parents and the list goes on. All of these were only special occasions.

And then our romance turned intimate. Around 10 years back, I started my career with a renowned hotel chain and guess what the dress code was? A Sari!!! I worked with this hotel for almost 3 years and Sari became a second skin for me. 

Well I haven't worked for a hotel since 2008, but the love for Sari always stayed with me. I never left an opportunity to drape it. The biggest career leap, for me, came in 2011 when I started working for a global giant in the business process solutions industry. 

I still am associated with this organization and every time I drape my favorite six yards, I get curious glances and two questions thrown at me - 

"Is it a special day today?"

"Is there a client visit today?"

Every time I respond with a "No" to both the questions, the surprise is quite visible on the face of the questioner. It slowly turns from surprise to a warm smile and they mostly walk away saying - " It's a delight to see a lady adorning a Sari these days."

This is all I have to say to all the people who ask me these questions - 

"I love the six yards. I collect them and have quite a few of them as my prized possessions. I drool when I see a fabulous drape. I don't need a reason to drape. I can even run a marathon with the drape. And it isn't about a special day."