tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72009461857138280642024-02-19T07:43:53.952+05:30going bonkersshuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-10465246643233219312015-04-21T18:25:00.001+05:302015-04-21T18:25:13.816+05:30Kisan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">He waited patiently every year, </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">for a miracle in the form of rain. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">What came were just harsh winds and the scorching heat, </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">his seeds wouldn't grow, again. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">What did he do to deserve this curse? </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br />His wife and children dragged into this barren hell,<br />their tears were running dry too,<br />as dry as the village well.<br />It will take an entire nation,<br />to get up and help them out,<br />about time we started to realise,<br />there are lives being lost due to the drought.<br />Another one drinks some poison,<br />his friend hangs from a tree,<br />have we ever thought of their plight?<br />When we ask for 5 apples at the price of three.<br />Let us remind ourselves everyday,<br />especially when food goes waste,<br />that a family struggles for your food,<br />somedays they forget how rice tastes.<br />Let us be considerate,<br />when we open a tap and let water run,<br />because there are people out there,<br />who died looking for water, under the burning sun</span></div>
shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-8330059521636949372014-10-08T08:34:00.002+05:302014-10-13T17:52:45.425+05:30I am sorry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am sorry,<br />
because I don't have the body type your son and society deserve.<br />
I am sorry I love opinions and have some of my own.<br />
I am sorry I enjoy the company of the opposite sex even though it isn't part of my culture.<br />
I am sorry I am studying to be something more than just a demure wife.<br />
I am sorry I curse because it isn't what a woman is supposed to do.<br />
I am sorry I didn't live up to your standards of beauty.<br />
I am sorry I decided to live and explore the world on my own.<br />
I am sorry I wear the clothes I do. I know, I am always asking for it.<br />
I am sorry I don't fit into any mould of what a good girl is supposed to be.<br />
I am sorry I can't cook and won't be able to take care of your son, who doesn't know how to cook either.<br />
I am sorry that my family forced me to study, work and travel. They must be the worst.<br />
<br />
Most of all, I am sorry for you. For assuming there is just one 'type' of woman. For feeding your son the confidence that he can look like a goat but will still get a wife who is thin, loving, faithful, quiet and submissive. I feel sorry that my parents, as confident as they are, still fear I might be alone forever because you told them so. I am sorry I don't fit in with your requirements.<br />
<br />
Actually, I am not sorry. Because, it has taken me years to finally love myself. To realise what I want to do and who I want to be. I don't want to be a Victoria Secret model. I want to be happy and healthy and I don't need a man to approve of my ways for me to be either. I am happy eating, studying, working, reading, dancing, playing with puppies, seeing the world and learning about it.<br />
I feel sorry for myself, that I tried so hard to please you and your needs.<br />
<br />
But, not anymore.<br />
<br />
So, fuck you! I am not sorry. </div>
shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-46160536665910181222014-04-18T20:11:00.001+05:302014-10-13T18:00:19.371+05:30Follow you<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
The phone moved almost to the edge of the table. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
His face was a silhouette in that fluorescent glow.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Was this love? She didn't know.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
But it was fun. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"Where are you?"His phone beeped.<br />
He watched her move.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
She was beautiful. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"What are you doing in a motel?"</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
The messages didn't stop,</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
neither did he. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"I am coming to pick you up. Dad is angry."</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
She pushed the phone off the table with one hand,</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the other was holding on to him. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
It was hot! </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Not just the temperature, </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
everything else too. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
The door knocked.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
They banged.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
The door slammed open. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
He fell off the bed,</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but she wasn't done. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Damned technology ruined everything.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
They found out too soon</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and he had taken too long.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-58090373630418056672013-08-12T05:29:00.000+05:302013-08-12T05:29:16.329+05:30Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
The lights twinkled like jewels on a princess’s hand,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
She watched bright eyed as the plane hit the tarmac,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Smooth? Her heart thought otherwise!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Welcome to a new city, your new home, a new life.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
What about the one I left behind? She wondered,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
All the known faces and warm smiles, will they remember?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Can I call someone mine? Or are they all back home?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
In the city I left behind.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Waiting for calls and getting up to messages,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Those are the things she looks forward to,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Watching families hold hands, friends laugh and lovers kiss,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
She had all those things at some point too.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Don’t worry, said a voice on the phone,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Things get better, faster than you’d know.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Soon, you’ll make new memories of you own,</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
And this new place will start to feel like home.</div>
</div>
shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-8901038013719150532013-06-21T13:12:00.000+05:302013-06-21T13:23:17.855+05:30Tashi Delek Bhutan!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
(This piece was written for an online magazine)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Legend says that a famous Tibetan saint heard a loud thunder
when he was building a monastery and the thunder sounded like the voice of a
dragon preaching the Buddhist teachings. He named the monastery Druk and
started a religious sect called ‘Drukpa Kagyugpa”. This religion became the state religion and
the country was named Druk Yul or the Land of the Thunder Dragon. The name Bhutan
was given by the British. It is derived from the ancient word “Bhotania”, which
meant “end of the land of the Bhots” (Tibet).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To the locals this place is and will always be Druk Yul. It
is the land of abundance, beauty and extremely happy people. Bhutan claims to
be the happiest country in the world and the reason behind this is the Gross
National Happiness, a phrase coined by the 4<sup>th</sup> Dragon King of
Bhutan, His Majesty, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. My parents and I decided to visit Bhutan and confirm
firsthand what we had heard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hMsLgKCPnUTuv_frhS4gbrsWnOL-xYPhbNyHmByz7BNKYLdEfjBqzGzy6H8QwYgsPPX_eJ1eINvn5B4NAG2KQlIjemfi7UINjBONWxpwONKSrP2lcMeKTWGOnngbe7-vvhOjVVSVk-yy/s1600/IMG_3317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hMsLgKCPnUTuv_frhS4gbrsWnOL-xYPhbNyHmByz7BNKYLdEfjBqzGzy6H8QwYgsPPX_eJ1eINvn5B4NAG2KQlIjemfi7UINjBONWxpwONKSrP2lcMeKTWGOnngbe7-vvhOjVVSVk-yy/s400/IMG_3317.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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If you are an Indian travelling to Bhutan all you need is a
passport and a love for the mountains. Indian nationals don’t need a visa to
enter the country. We don’t need to pay the Royalty fee either, which is 250$
per person per night. The easiest way to get to Bhutan is by air. Druk Air, the
national airlines of Bhutan, flies regularly from the international airports at
Kolkata and Delhi to Paro. The aircraft is an ATR 42- 500, smaller than the
usual airbus and the journey takes 1 hour 15 minutes. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Bhutan begins to surprise you the minute you land. The
landing strip (yes! there is just one) is in between two mountains with a
river, the Paro Chhu, flowing next to it. Paro gets its name from this
river. It is considered to be one of the
World’s most challenging airports to land in and my mother sure was holding on
to her seat till the plane touched the tarmac. The airport is small and for the
first time in many years I got off the plane and walked straight into
immigration. No aero bridges or buses carting me around. My first whiff of Bhutanese architecture
started at the airport. The building is multicoloured with wooden panels, small
arches and paintings, with a sloped roof that is green in colour. There is a
rule that all houses in Bhutan should follow the same style and if a person
wants to build something else they need a permit to do so.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best way to see a place is by road. Our first journey
was from the airport to Thimphu, the capital city. Bhim, a small man with a large smile (their
claims were coming true) was our driver for the trip. You can also book a taxi only till Thimphu for
700INR or 700 Ngultrums, the currency of Bhutan. The drive takes an hour and a
half counting the few stops in between and is breathtakingly beautiful, with
the river on one side </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and lush green mountains on the other. We stopped at two places en route. First up the
Tachogang Lhakhang Bridge, it is a suspension bridge that is made entirely out
of iron chains, over the Paro Chhu. It was built by Thangtong Gyalpo in the 13<sup>th</sup>
century. As spooky as it may seem in the
beginning, conquer your fears and walk across. This is one stop you will never
forget. Our second stop was at the Chuzom meaning “The confluence”. This is
where the Paro Chhu and Wang Chhu (the river that flows from Thimphu) meet. The
sounds of the current drown everything else out. There is a toll gate at this
point and you will keep wishing the queue took longer. The rest of the drive is
serene. You see mountains and more mountains along the way, peach trees growing
everywhere and beautifully built houses that look the same but are still so
different.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb84u8Vj6KFwindUaJBUoldc4NC4YcqortM9V8eCFmN7biS5ix__YunIcnZZEHNS8_BTd6WyoIUiLBOBjQB33XwySJ4nBkNE9prqg9tEFrbZGPdZNbbmlHGkQkUSJzSO7LuaU8YXqkL7LN/s1600/Tachogang+Lhakang+suspension+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb84u8Vj6KFwindUaJBUoldc4NC4YcqortM9V8eCFmN7biS5ix__YunIcnZZEHNS8_BTd6WyoIUiLBOBjQB33XwySJ4nBkNE9prqg9tEFrbZGPdZNbbmlHGkQkUSJzSO7LuaU8YXqkL7LN/s320/Tachogang+Lhakang+suspension+bridge.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tachogang Lhakang suspension bridge!!! We crossed it </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thimphu is the most modern of all the cities in Bhutan. The
main market is a long road at the city center and most hotels are located
around the area. We stayed a little away from the market at Upper Motithang,
because we wanted a view of the valley. Our hotel, Peaceful Resort, was a
fairly priced 4 star hotel (2500INR-3500INR/ per night) with a fantastic view
of the valley and a very lazy dog named Bruno.
The rooms are minimally decorated with big beds and connected balconies,
ensuring you start a conversation with fellow visitors. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AcTf8SRUWc6s4exwXsOTPRbayqRlEgVKyyCNL3xqLBpd3yG3JqmZ458HBo2SDk65dvzwJnNMNYHxyhTZVzUcgWHdbPQIBNXc04zgmRvD2u81ykwabCbUkYnbqmaxvNqUu2s2MvUSIrOI/s1600/Bruno.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AcTf8SRUWc6s4exwXsOTPRbayqRlEgVKyyCNL3xqLBpd3yG3JqmZ458HBo2SDk65dvzwJnNMNYHxyhTZVzUcgWHdbPQIBNXc04zgmRvD2u81ykwabCbUkYnbqmaxvNqUu2s2MvUSIrOI/s320/Bruno.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Brunooo :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All shops in the market accept the Indian Rupee so don’t
worry about exchanging currency after you reach. We reached during lunch and
made our way to a restaurant called Tandin. The entire place is wood paneled
and overlooks the Wang Chhu. The Bhutanese cuisine has a lot of options for
both vegetarians and non vegetarians. Indian food is easily available but being
as adventurous as possible we decided to eat some local food and were
pleasantly surprised. The happiest country loves chillies and everything from
their curries to salads has them in it. My favourite dish is the Kewa Datshi, a
simple looking dish with potatoes, cheese and chilli that is eaten with hot
rice. It is delicious and so addictive that this was all we had throughout our
trip. There are different variants of it made with mushroom and chicken as
well.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgZ5ZagtFiWph9f6Sf01OQjk6n83XFF8iIumw8OZexr0kyDZvxRcpE20oyDcRJI1murxWSM7N3PjQxcve__oL_wUMbWaatQFqe8KT_gxSDyP0pnx_pn_iXELDqPjtrA0eEnujrRDnzGyq/s1600/Bhutanese+food.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgZ5ZagtFiWph9f6Sf01OQjk6n83XFF8iIumw8OZexr0kyDZvxRcpE20oyDcRJI1murxWSM7N3PjQxcve__oL_wUMbWaatQFqe8KT_gxSDyP0pnx_pn_iXELDqPjtrA0eEnujrRDnzGyq/s320/Bhutanese+food.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kewa Datshi (With potatoes) Emma Datshi (Mushrooms) Hoegaay Salad ( chillies, capsicum and more chillies) and Rice.... A typical Bhutanese lunch.... Absolutely delicious :D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The market has hundreds of shops that sell local
handicrafts. The Thimphu handicrafts emporium is a great shop that has some
lovely masks at decent prices and you can bargain too! When in Bhutan, a mask,
the local dress (Gho and Kira) and a prayer wheel are must buys. If you are in
the capital on the weekend don’t forget to check out the Weekend Market at
Norzim Lam. People from all over Bhutan come here with their wares. It is a
treat to the eyes and the ears too, because the shops are kept right along the
river. The treats don’t stop here. Thimphu’s places of attraction are one of a
kind. Most tourists opt to take taxis on a day tour and see the entire city.
They charge 1000Ngultrums per day, 1500 if you want a guide. Our guide’s name
was also Bhim.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IfcDJnX_ZHSaR0_Df1Fm2-2VxTWZjFfKkXtZnCAs9bjMPdVjZeXmglNXgJA7jwrblwYLindcJUS0NLeExM1_LaX4ZOe3ysaeR6syf5J_pWBz2ZHvOA8CzeY8ebm963WCqmvBGsFByz2j/s1600/P1000900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IfcDJnX_ZHSaR0_Df1Fm2-2VxTWZjFfKkXtZnCAs9bjMPdVjZeXmglNXgJA7jwrblwYLindcJUS0NLeExM1_LaX4ZOe3ysaeR6syf5J_pWBz2ZHvOA8CzeY8ebm963WCqmvBGsFByz2j/s320/P1000900.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weekend market... I could shop here forever :)</td></tr>
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<b>Places to visit in Thimphu</b>: National Institute of Zorig
Chusum (Thirteen Arts): It is an arts
school that provides instruction in the traditional 13 arts of Bhutan. The main
subjects are painting, sculpting, embroidery and wood carving. There are
courses that take 6 years to complete. It is a treat to the eyes and the soul
as you watch hundreds of students carry on generations of artistic tradition
forward and doing it happily. The Zorig Chusum gift shop sells all that the
students make and a part of the earnings goes to the individual student. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZPq3-xxUxbM6vLJYu86DrVglhf6ldjN52gNOryjHM4PgSruubvO9YaY1WKJ_xdPuXqbcq6HHeadPUkmQGdE_l36-TJIG57aEmbu9h4W15IZwB67GseRBAOfniF4LT080OzrY_QnOADLz/s1600/At+the+Zorig+Chusum.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZPq3-xxUxbM6vLJYu86DrVglhf6ldjN52gNOryjHM4PgSruubvO9YaY1WKJ_xdPuXqbcq6HHeadPUkmQGdE_l36-TJIG57aEmbu9h4W15IZwB67GseRBAOfniF4LT080OzrY_QnOADLz/s320/At+the+Zorig+Chusum.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A student working on his Buddha drawing at the Zorig Chusum </td></tr>
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<b>The National Library
of Bhutan:</b> The national library isn’t too far away from the art school. This place has such an old world charm, it
has huge windows, teak wood shelves and a lovely painting of the Buddha when
you enter. Walk in to see the world’s largest book called <b> Bhutan: A Visual
Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan</b>, on display.</div>
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The Trashi Chhoe Dzong: The Trashi Chhoe Dzong is the main
attraction of Thimphu. Dzong means fortress though nowadays it houses both
civic offices and monastic bodies. The King and his cabinet of Ministers work
here and so do the head Monks. This Dzong is open to the public only after
office hours (5pm – 6pm) on weekdays and (8am-6pm) on Sundays. The central courtyard
(Dochey) is of magnificent proportions and accommodates the locals of Thimphu
during the Tsechu Festival. Tsechu meaning “day ten” is celebrated on the tenth
day of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar. Similar
to the houses all over Bhutan it has wooden panels on the windows, small arches
and beautiful paintings of Bhutan’s history all over the walls. You can spend
an entire day here and will still not be able to do this Dzong full justice.</div>
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Motithang Takin Preserve: There are many things specific to
Bhutan, like the Takin. If you haven’t seen a Takin in Bhutan, you will never
see one again. This animal is an odd mix of a goat and a bison. Try getting to
the preserve early morning and you might just be able to feed one. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQmEfSlKC52YvrZpyDxY2oXpXnhCiMt-1xJOqfki7i9DCijqh0m0FVvokiknPp4Pj_kRl-eZFRzzS5TE5kIajbc49TwlXXhiijnykZNXY96Px_apXXRXSZ2u2_awRHP6lwjtuMF5v-_Oh/s1600/A+Takin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQmEfSlKC52YvrZpyDxY2oXpXnhCiMt-1xJOqfki7i9DCijqh0m0FVvokiknPp4Pj_kRl-eZFRzzS5TE5kIajbc49TwlXXhiijnykZNXY96Px_apXXRXSZ2u2_awRHP6lwjtuMF5v-_Oh/s320/A+Takin.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird looking Takin </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dochula Pass: If you
want a spectacular view of the Himalayas a visit to the Dochula pass is a must.
This pass is the most known and used pass in Bhutan. It goes all the way to the
Punakha Valley. Before you start your drive to Dochula Pass, pray to the
weather gods for clear skies so that you can see the range. We met a few
visitors who didn’t see it the first time and came back the next day hoping
they get lucky. The drive to Dochula is
an attraction in itself. You get to see huge Chortens (burial mounds), water
prayer wheels and all kinds of flowers along the way.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltSCL9BQ6YtEbGh9x_zInIP5SQjodmeghVC353yvMrPPdE7cQd5k3y9oWoKyJQSKi8MSv2R-gCu3eoCXkQBy_aJ8QEeghBn9z2bTS1u2VIp4qjl98ODz_jjLZDOxfoNqYU5byE1pqME8c/s1600/P1000829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltSCL9BQ6YtEbGh9x_zInIP5SQjodmeghVC353yvMrPPdE7cQd5k3y9oWoKyJQSKi8MSv2R-gCu3eoCXkQBy_aJ8QEeghBn9z2bTS1u2VIp4qjl98ODz_jjLZDOxfoNqYU5byE1pqME8c/s320/P1000829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Dochula, Chortens for all the saints</td></tr>
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Once we had taken in all that Thimphu had to offer we made
our way to Paro. There are buses from
Thimphu to Paro every half hour and the ticket would cost 50-100Ngultrums depending
on the bus. You have share taxis that are more common and they charge
300Ngultrums per trip. We met the Chuzom
again and sat on the banks of the Paro Chhu as we saw a plane land. Unlike
Thimphu, Paro is a very relaxed town, where afternoon siestas seem longer than
usual. The market place is much smaller than in Thimpu but the handicrafts and
the prices are almost the same. Most visitors go to Paro to see two things, the
Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) and the Paro Dzong. Most hotels will offer a
bird’s eye view of the Tiger’s Nest and a few offer a taxi to the Dzong and
back. We decided to see the Paro Dzong
before we made our way to the hotel. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTadjoXjd6vLaECkn6EdWbiOP9pY2f9kmvUcl3f6MSuul7aFZYIPF1EGsNpB5SESWfRMdzO4oV2-I_NUTwCUe-IEWZ60lwdxA7f5HW0uiCJYcWd7qxc7K12GUE0tOb0bJtbH5LottKOiTY/s1600/P1000993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTadjoXjd6vLaECkn6EdWbiOP9pY2f9kmvUcl3f6MSuul7aFZYIPF1EGsNpB5SESWfRMdzO4oV2-I_NUTwCUe-IEWZ60lwdxA7f5HW0uiCJYcWd7qxc7K12GUE0tOb0bJtbH5LottKOiTY/s640/P1000993.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the Paro Dzong</td></tr>
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Unlike the Thimphu Dzong, the Paro Dzong is run entirely by
the monks and if you get there during lunch time you can hear more than 200
monks chant. Even though most Dzongs are similar in their construction the Paro
Dzong is more spectacular because of the view from the lower courtyard. It is
picture perfect. There is a historic museum very close to the Dzong that holds
a vast collection of masks, definitely worth a visit. </div>
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The resort we were staying at was Ugyen Phendeyling Resort.
A 3 star hotel (2000-3000INR per night) that offered a good view of the tiger’s
nest and served a mouth watering Kewa Datshi, that still makes me
salivate. </div>
<br />
Our last day in Bhutan ended on a high. We started our trek
up the Tigers nest at the crack of dawn. The Taktsang stands on the edge of a
cliff at 10,240ft. It is believed that Guru Padmasambhava flew to this spot on
the back of a Tigress. The trek up takes two and a half hours, with a little
stop at the cafeteria halfway, for tea. A word of advice, don’t walk up with a
local, you will never match up to their speed. Even though everybody worries
about climbing up it is walking down that is more difficult. The closer you get
to the Tigers Nest, the more it will defy your imagination. It is an experience
of a life time and was a surreal ending to our trip.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ0a3k-oIzeMd_dhluGIo2yP6kJ2y4Lrt-zElceg8sC9rH2K8VQByhdFcuBI9QyZeI-JZFqqUVOCOLChU4MCCi62gY99VArXaf5hSlmj3RcH-dhyphenhyphenbnyY1cUtKZHdEcMYFUTlW4_OyWNJH/s1600/Tiger's+Nest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ0a3k-oIzeMd_dhluGIo2yP6kJ2y4Lrt-zElceg8sC9rH2K8VQByhdFcuBI9QyZeI-JZFqqUVOCOLChU4MCCi62gY99VArXaf5hSlmj3RcH-dhyphenhyphenbnyY1cUtKZHdEcMYFUTlW4_OyWNJH/s400/Tiger's+Nest.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taktsang :D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bhutan is a land like no other. Modern yet so culturally and
traditionally rooted with the happiest bunch of people and some spicy chillies.
The picture perfect surroundings are the cherry on top. Till next time, Kadrin
Chhe Druk! </div>
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shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-904541841002184122013-02-26T17:24:00.003+05:302013-02-26T17:27:29.936+05:30Wanderlust<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>I wonder what causes this wanderlust</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Is it the smell of a place five minutes after you reach?</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Or being greeted in an unknown language</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Maybe it is the wafting aroma of a meal made in a different kitchen </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Could it be moving to foreign music</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Or is it getting high on a local brew</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>How about finding the famous market</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Even bargaining your way through. </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>I have a feeling it is the people</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Animals included too </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Do hills cause this feeling?</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Or waves reaching the shore </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Is it a sunset you watch in silence </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Counting the stars? 1,2,3,4?</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>How about the words you learn from the locals,</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Or learning new games as the children play,</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Could it be the vehicles you take to commute</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>or fellow passengers along the way? </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Oh! I don't think I shall ever find,</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>what causes this crazy feeling</b><br />
<b>I have been infected now</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>and only travel can be my healing. </b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-27170489693135804992012-04-10T00:50:00.003+05:302014-10-13T18:02:13.414+05:30Dilwaalon ki Dilli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I cant begin to imagine what Qutubuddin Aibak would say if he saw the present day capital. Chances are he might faint, recuperate, get duped and then learn exactly how to fall in love with a city that will grow on you.<br />
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<div>
The first day I got off at the Hazrat Nizamuuddin Railway station, with over stuffed bags and an eager heart, I knew this shehar was going to rope me in and make me fall head over heels in love with it, at least I hoped all that would happen and believe me when I say this, it did. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
There are more than a few things this city showed me and I know its going to be difficult doing justice to that but I am still giving it a shot.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>The city</b>: For the first few months I was in complete awe of the size of the city and how it was laid out. The five unforgettable regions of Delhi had to be learnt by heart if you wanted to work the place out. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Central Delhi: </b>Lutyens Delhi is the administrative area of Delhi that was designed by a British Architect names Sir Edward Lutyens. It has the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Parliament, India Gate, Rajpath, Ashoka Road, Race Course Road etc that make it the best piece of real estate around. It is completely normal to spot the finance minister drive into his bungalow or watch traffic make way for the PM's Convoy. It also is the cleanest part of Delhi. </div>
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<b>South Delhi-</b> The side where the nouveau riche decided to settle down. The typical Southy would have a gated house, at least 3 maids, will only talk in English and always have manicured nails. She will be the so called modern mother who would see her child only in between her yoga, gym and zumba class. She lives and breathes society parties and kitties.</div>
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<b>North Delhi</b>- Purani Dilli, is north Delhi with places like VishwaVidyalay, Laal Quila, Jama Masjid, Civil Lines and Sadar Bazar. It is the most talked about part of Delhi and most active. From Sound and light shows at laal Quila, to cheese maggi in front of Miranda House, the galli and nukkads to reach daulat ki chaat, Friday prayers in Jama Masjid and the most famous Karims are all a part of North Delhi. There isn't a specific species to this area but most business start here, flourish here and crumble here. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>West Delhi-</b> All the shop owners in North Delhi build sprawling bungalows in the West. Rajouri garden, Punjabi Bagh, Rajender Nagar, Patel Nagar are all places with old money and family heirlooms that have been eyed by most family members. This is where the actually DILLIWAALAH originated. From more than just a few experiences I can say, a true blue Dilliwaalah is the man who will curse at the signal, have at least 3 cars at home ( all dented), call a flat- a flat and never a home because only independent houses can be homes and will eat at the same restaurant because he is used to it. He will be the uncleji, mamuji, chachaji to more than 40 kids and will plan his Diwali parties well in advance.When you see him on the street you are most likely to make a face but when he is in the shop shouting orders to some kid 'called bittu' he will be the nicest man around.This man will make you believe you are buying the best product and if its spoilt he will say ' koi nahi ji' and change it immediately.... </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
His son on the other hand, the modern Dilliwaalah, will drive his new 'Merseddis' to the shop, carry an Iphone, wear Hugo Boss, but will never ever have the knack of business like his dad had at his age. He will have a wedding that will cost more than a little village and a wife whose father would've paid for most of it. This man and his wife will wear a Gucci shirt, carry an Hermes scarf and a Prada bag but will not know where the brands are from and what they are actually famous for. Believe me when I say it , it is these people that make Delhi what it is.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>East Delhi- </b>This is the Middle Class- trying to make it big- part. Localities like Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar, Patpargunj are all filled with people saving enough to buy the smallest available house in Rajouri Garden. They will talk of all the above mentioned brands but will buy the closest fake from Sarojini.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The one thing I forgot to mention was, where you live is a very integral part of who you are, at least for the Dilliwaalahs. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>The Food: </b>Chole Bature in Pahargunj, Gali Parathe waali's garma garam Parathas, Seekh Kababs at Karims, Pani Puri in Karol Bagh, Roshan di Kulfi, Milkshake at Keventers, Lemon tarts at Wengers, Masala Dosas at Swagat, Butter Chicken at Moti Mahal, Kathi rolls in CR Park, Tandoori momos near Venkys, Anjeer Doodh at Pandara Road, Chocolate Paan at Prince Paan. PHEWW!!! If you are a foodie living in Delhi, make sure you buy some loose denims or switch to Salwars where the fat is hidden, because Delhi sure can make you eat. Every meeting, function or conversation for most Dilliwaalahs revolves around food. The first question in most houses will be ' Khaane main kya hain'. They love their food and it shows. It is the only place where a function is judged by the food served and women are chosen by their culinary skills. There will eternally be some food festival on and a restaurant somehow pops up every third day. If you hear a 'Mazza aagaya yaar' you know the place is going to be successful. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>The Lingo:</b> If you hear a 'haanj madamji the minute your out of home, you know you are in Delhi. The average Delhite will curse at least 3 times a day, say 'Koi Nai ji' more than 30 times and will definitely add in ' Badiya Hai and Hojaayega' whenever required. There are new words coined every day at the signals, in schools and at offices, some go on to becoming famous while the others just wilt and fade away. I have always been known for my sailors dictionary and Delhi just reaffirmed that and added a few more to it. It isn't just about the word with the common Delhiite, it is the emotion, the timing and the ability to include family members you dearly love. The outcome is always brutal but hilarious. </li>
<li><b>Jugaad: </b> Life wouldn't exist in Delhi if it weren't for this word. It means a lot of things but mostly just an innovative fix to a problem, big or small. Everything from the political system to the new piston on 'Kishan Bhaiyyas' bike is Jugaadu. It has been fixed by a smart man who knew the right people, never mind if they are shady, to get the job done. The most Jugaad is done during weddings when the tent will be held by a clothes line and the Panditji would've been rented from the colony waala Mandir. It will be the only time a chef who can sort of drive will be sent to buy last minute saaman because all the other drivers were busy bringing in the guests. This word gives you hope, makes you worry and question your surroundings. It will never let you trust completely but will also teach you how to put complete faith in a quack who thinks he can fix something for a cheaper rate. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Delhi Winters: </b>Tadpaaye Tadsaayere Saari Raat Jagayere yeh Dilli Ki Sardi, I couldn't have found an apter way of explaining how Delhi winters feel. There is a world of a difference in staying in Delhi for 5 days during the winter and squealing every time fog came out of your mouth to actually living in the capital for those 3 months of biting cold. Its fascinating to watch how the people gear up for the cold, with their woollens put out to dry, new ones bought at Janpath and Gaffar Market. When the fat Razai is taken out of the trunk and the thermals are kept ready. It is a different feeling to wake up at 630 am on a cold January morning and walk out only to have this icy cold wind slap you in the face and wish you good day. There is a sense of relief when you enter a room with a heater, thaw your hands and your face and readily agree to a hot cup of chai. The joys of eating Shakkar Ganji and Kulche's at the thela waala are like no other. But, nothing beats the process of getting dressed for the winters, the auntyji's in their shoes and long kurta sweaters, Unclejis with their checked mufflers and monkey caps, pinky strutting her boots and long coats and Bittu lighting a sutta as he chills in his sweatshirt and watches Pinky from the other side of the road. Delhi winters can become depressing and needs a lot of hard work but it is completely worth it. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
The city can make you cry and laugh at the same time. Its people will disgust you and be equally warm. There will be at least 3 cases of Delhi belly before you get used to the Khaana. The gaalis will always get more innovative and its winters always more harsh. But, if you haven't lived and loved Delhi by now, I think its time you did. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yeh Dilwaalon ki Dilli hai bhai, Yahaan Pyaar aur Jugaad se sab chaljaayega :D:D</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-87198297987024781312012-02-08T12:35:00.002+05:302012-02-08T12:35:15.783+05:30Go by<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let's just rewind this fast paced life, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back to dusty summer holidays and dry winters,</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when a parent teacher meeting after the break, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">always gave you jitters. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How about we take a walk down memory lane, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our first day of junior college, sweaty palms and thundering heart beats, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">all that the teacher said, was lost in translation, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wondering if you should bunk the chemistry test or atleast write 3 sheets. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What happens in undergraduation, never stays there, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">there are stories that spread through out college, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">some you wish you were a part of,the others </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were just erased from your knowledge. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After undergrad life became a blur, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you kept wishing for it to slow down, but the speedometer never looked the same, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">there was work, masters and some crazy intoxicated days, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a few times when life seemed like a fucking ridiculous game. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Of all the things I miss the most,</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it is the freedom to watch everyone else run around, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Time really has flown, </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">because I seemed to have joined that crowd too, my feet never on the ground. </span></div>
<br />
</div>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-49363500144358837222011-11-07T11:32:00.002+05:302012-04-10T00:55:11.556+05:30Free Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Have you taken that leap of faith ,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">into the hands of the universe,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">praying the fall is soft ,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and the bruises not too sore,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Did you jump off ,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">knowing what to expect, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">or you let the mystery linger?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">the sweet taste of fear, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and that trickle of excited sweat,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">telling you to hold on ,to that one last strand of hope,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">questioning your decision,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and wondering if you could go back to that cliff,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">stranded halfway , free falling and losing control ,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">you breathe hard and say WHAT THE HELL !!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">i have one shot at this,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">lets start flapping hard,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">or looking for Clark Kent and his cape,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">giving up the fantasy,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">you make the umbrella your parachute,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and land on a soft patch of grass .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">out of breath and exhilarated, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">you look back at that cliff ,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">and it doesn't seem that big now,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">like every hard time that passed,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">you just needed that moment,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">that moment to JUMP OFF :) ...</span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-80678903040964993702011-11-07T11:31:00.002+05:302011-11-07T11:36:33.962+05:30This one time :)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
This one time , give me a chance</div>
<div>
to choose what i want to do ,</div>
<div>
leave me alone and watch me leap, </div>
<div>
Don't lift me up ,</div>
<div>
just watch from the side and keep your arms open ,</div>
<div>
if I need a hug ..I will ask,</div>
<div>
Let me fall in love ,</div>
<div>
with a man who makes me happy,</div>
<div>
who doesn't protect me but still protects,</div>
<div>
I will find that man ..hopefully , </div>
<div>
This one time , i will wander in a crowd</div>
<div>
If I am lonely .. I will walk back to where you dropped me off ,</div>
<div>
Smile and tell you I was still lonely ,</div>
<div>
This one time .. give me the cash ,</div>
<div>
I will lose some, lend, borrow and owe,</div>
<div>
there will come a time when i will earn my own ,</div>
<div>
When i do ..I will tell you it's much harder when it's your own money,</div>
<div>
and suddenly it dawns on me ..</div>
<div>
I have to give myself that chance..</div>
<div>
This one time .. it's about ME ..:)</div>
</div>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-88074230074793738952011-11-07T11:30:00.002+05:302011-11-07T11:36:13.102+05:30Sounds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Shlokas from my pious neighbours house<br />
she hums while packing lunch<br />
it continues for a short bit<br />
but chores take over<br />
listen carefully, its calming.<br />
I hear those sounds coming from the street<br />
friendly banter and some pleasantries<br />
listen carefully, its fun.<br />
The auto guy loves his new speakers<br />
I might go deaf by the end of this ride<br />
but I listen, its loud.<br />
The office is quiet<br />
there are ratings to beat<br />
but you catch a tune from a jolly coworker<br />
listen carefully, its happy.<br />
The day's over and I'm on my way back<br />
some have plans, the other are impromptu<br />
movie, some food and a smooth drink<br />
listen carefully, its pleasing.<br />
Back in my room<br />
barely lit and in a mess<br />
I fall on my bed,tired<br />
I listen carefully, its nothing.<br />
</div>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-36190255223971667112011-11-01T16:56:00.002+05:302011-11-01T16:56:36.756+05:30Obituary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><b></b></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>A very bright sunny morning in June, </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>armed with a degree, confident and beaming,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>he walked in with very big dreams,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>Of writing stories with spirit,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>some that had change lives, </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>and others that lives had changed. </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>The obituary section was where he was placed, </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>he wrote about the dearly departed, the terribly missed, </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>even the occasional ' his time had come',</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>he worked that column alone,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>pasting sad faces and grieveing memories, everyday,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>before it went to press. </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>Was this what he had wished for? </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>to build a family from writing about death,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>wait each morning for a teary eyed family member,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>or to watch, as hearses passed by.</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>40 years-3 months -12 days into the job,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>his heart gave up, it stopped, right in between a memorial service column, </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>walking away from it all. His family rushed to his side,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>a pastor was brought in, a coffin was ordered,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>and an obituary prepared. </b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>Suddenly, everybody wondered,</b></div>
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em;">
<b>who would write his? </b></div>
</div>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-37956506888701325402011-08-06T23:04:00.000+05:302011-08-06T23:34:57.751+05:30Musica para el almaAfter silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music-Aldous Huxley <br /><br />One tabla, a sitar and a man's nectar like voice, all making love to a note. The lyrics, their aphrodisiac. Silence before they start and the grand finale high. My music sense stopped at just being able to appreciate good music. Much as I would've liked, it did not budge from there to my voice box. I am not vocally challenged, and so what if I am. That hasn't stopped me from loving Elvis or singing Adele. My music palette has tasted everything from Metal to Reggae, they were just an adventurous order from the menu I think. But, we all have a favourite dish, I found mine. <br /><br />To listen to Abida Parveen, Nusrath, Rahat and Bulle Shah's lyrics all wrapped beautifully with just the right amount of instrument, aaah, Peace. Its like the perfect Lasagna-Cheese,Pasta and just the amount of tomato sauce to make your existence worth it. <br /><br />Sufi is my happy place. I fall back on Sufi to fall asleep after a hard days work, to stay awake as I rethink my decisions and to just sing with. It isn't just the music, its the voice, those words, the pitch blending together perfectly like the colours of the rainbow. No particular demarcation but you can point them all out.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-36668318900952722902011-07-29T22:32:00.001+05:302011-07-29T22:35:00.765+05:30Tiger TailsGreedy Langurs, tall green trees and herds of Chitals giving you a cheeky look while crossing the road after looking right and left. This was just a little taste of how driving through the Mudumalai forest reserve felt. <br /><br />The first thing our driver said to us was ' if you spot an elephant, it’s a good day. But if you spot a tiger, your holiday is made.' We were charged and kept pointing at anything that was slightly yellow and ruffled, as a tiger in the bush. The chances of spotting a tiger were bleak but we were hanging on to a little string, I’d like to call 'tiger hope'. Thinking of taking this wildlife game a step at a time we decided an elephant first, then a tiger. <br /><br />Half way to the border we spotted a wild tusker minding his own business and chomping on some shrubs. When you see an animal as big as that, apart from being in awe of its size alone, most people wonder if it actually is as wild as the stories say. Not making a sound we took a couple, maybe more than a couple of photographs and drove on. We sat in silence still thinking of that big guy and what he, must’ve thought of us. The game had begun. <br /><br />The next level in the game was going to be much tougher. Seats were exchanged, the most observant was made to sit near the driver and the loudest was sent back. When you enter a forest it’s almost as if Mother Nature works her magic on you. Your senses are suddenly at its prime and the silence is too. We breathed as much jungle as we could. <br /><br />Slowly the attention moved to the newly acquired iPod. Will technology ever leave us alone? The loud yawns had begun even before our holiday did. ‘No tigers here, just Google a picture’ someone said. Our tiger hope was crumbling, not giving up yet; the boy in front was still on the lookout. He scanned through every inch of the quickly passing jungle and kept his eyes peeled for any movement. And, boy oh boy! There was movement. That very old cliché about how something’s in life just stay for a fleeting moment. This was our moment. <br /><br />That marvellous carnivore took one leap in front of our car and was gone even before we could finish saying ‘tiger’. The boy in front was the only one who saw the beast clearly. The driver saw his head and was thanking every supernatural force for the sighting. The people in between caught a glimpse of the paws and were raving about how big they were. <br /><br />I on the other hand, the back bencher, saw that tiger’s tail. The game was over, the winner had tales to tell his grandchildren and the loser had a tail to tell hers.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-29255299201940875322011-07-23T00:06:00.000+05:302011-07-23T01:45:55.360+05:30TomorrowIn my experiences over the years and they seem too few to me on most days, I have learnt that a person can do only that much in a day. He can watch the sun rise and spray its rays, making sure they seep into every crevice. The sun stretches and is all set for an entire day of hard work. The man is too. As he walks to work, the horns, footsteps, yawns are all drowned out by the thought of how work will be that day. Its a queezy mixture of hope and anticipation. He makes plans for the evening, even before logging on to his computer. The plans never end in my head, he thinks. Decides what to have for lunch and at what time. Deadlines, screaming, more deadlines, office banter is the usual. Time for a break, the ac is too cold. He walks out lights a cigarette and watches his colleagues go about doing what they are programmed to do. Is this what I look like too, he laughs. Back to work, the day goes on. Logs off and decides to work on those plans. He yawns, tomorrow, maybe.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-16404386199656653512011-05-23T20:16:00.001+05:302011-05-23T20:16:59.145+05:30Of fools and moreAny fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do-Benjamin Franklin ..<br /><br />I used to have a inspirational quotes poster stuck in my room and this quote has always had a funny effect on me . It wasn't too long ago I came to live alone ..not too far away from home , but far enough . Made friends ,met people and most importantly watched them (read-not like a stalker). Each sapien's company I had the pleasure of being in, either disproved this quote for me or nailed it on the head .There were situations that brought out the fool in people , some conversations did( I am sure a lot of mine would've made me look like a complete idiot , but let us not go there:P ) ,a couple of beer's or maybe even over lunch .What stood out in this crowd were not the wise ,but actually the lesser fool .The one who could control what he had to say , complain lesser and work more and give things a chance . Quite surprisingly there were a lot like that ,some who came knowing they should try and be the lesser fool and the others who were learning .<br /><br />I was learning,I still am .shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-71701359827477506672011-02-27T14:12:00.000+05:302011-02-27T14:14:37.886+05:30MirrorIts not just another nice face,<br /><br />now ,that mirror shows me more<br /><br />sides i swore i never had ,<br /><br />never really is a long time,<br /><br />Dressing up for a date ,<br /><br />morale boosts before a meeting,<br /><br />and kisses to your pretty self,<br /><br />have been cleaned off like comfortable dust on teak .<br /><br />The photographs on the sides,<br /><br />some taken at that very spot,<br /><br />are all stacked ,staring at the draw,<br /><br />where did it all go ,i ask that woman,<br /><br />who was once confident ,soulful and much in love,<br /><br />why don't i see running mascara from a fight,<br /><br />or kisses from a new lipstick ,<br /><br />where are the flashes in the middle of the night,<br /><br />and my supermodel pout?<br /><br />All gone she said ,<br /><br />you forget ,I have two faces.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-47546553165891614752010-10-02T13:15:00.000+05:302010-10-02T13:16:44.616+05:30spunHe stood on the portico watching his son spin the top that had kept him entertained for hours as a kid. That piece of wood with the little metal rod below that had years of usage shown all over its once neatly varnished self. He noticed the interest had slowly reduced and a new toy somewhere knew it was his lucky day. In a matter of seconds that top was left on the table next to his attention span. Where have all the wood shops gone? What would a kid do if a block of wood and other tools were given to him, like they were to me?<br /><br />We have spoilt our offspring. Consumerism is ingrained now .Everything has a faster and an easier method .The ability to create a piece of you from a block of wood or some clay has been swapped with the ability to know which toy is better and which row of the market it is in. Toys R Us need a makeover and should start with their name .It should say “Toys Were Us”. Now they are just pieces of plastic produced in large quantities in a sweat shop somewhere which have no attachment except for the screws. <br /><br />He walked into the house and cleaned the string, wound it around the top and spun it with all the skill he had. It turned out perfectly and spun like a ballerina in a big recital. That’s where the line had been drawn .The brouhaha of being the consumer and the reach for plastic hadn’t taken over completely, there still stood a little boy proud of his creation and already thinking of another. He wasn’t yet the CONSUMER par EXCELLENCE.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-82610070542648102382010-06-05T00:46:00.000+05:302010-06-06T00:40:37.002+05:30NO !!Little haley saw the world <br />through her bright blue eyes <br />safe inside dads arms and protected under moms breast <br />her walk was cushioned ,<br />her fears shoo'd away from under the bed <br />and this pink world was how she wanted it ,<br />without ever having heard the word NO . <br />Little haley was not little anymore <br />she still had her wayy with dad and mom ,<br />but the world was evil ,<br />it was out to torment her , <br />throw life's darkest and watch, as she ran for cover , <br />she cried when she saw that rainbow repainted <br />she cringed as the pink turned to crimson , <br />NO had settled in ,comfortably and snug ,<br />Rejection came unannounced and never seemed to leave , <br />heart break and betrayal stalked like a creepy character , <br />and Happiness was a relative who had died ,<br />She sat on her favorite chair and thought about this troubled reality , <br />rocking that chair vowing to bring some change , <br />she threw rejection out and made trust her friend , <br />she pushed heart break aside and called laughter home for supper, <br />That rainbow got back its old color <br />and LIFE started to shine through those windows <br />The word No does pop in sometimes to say hello <br />but he is treated like an acquaintance now ...<br />Little haley knows how to choose her friends :)shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-17947277402957775702010-05-11T13:48:00.000+05:302010-05-11T14:06:57.670+05:30WavesFloating on a plank <br />in the middle of nowhere <br />surrounded by thrashing waves<br />the water acting like a snare <br />drenched in salt <br />and life's misgivings <br />staying still waiting for that tide<br />life underwater is not what I want to see <br />Hanging on to hope<br />but questioning it too <br />I float on that plank. <br />Flashes of the past<br />the judgement's and shackles <br />fleeting memories of the good <br />all that seems distant <br />feeling solitary yet accompanied <br />by life of the ocean <br />I float on that plank. <br />Thirsty and aching <br />from all the experience <br />using what i have <br />wishing to have learnt more <br />I paddle with all my might <br />on to new shores <br />It could've been the end <br />but whats life when you give up <br />I live to see another day <br />saved by the waves of my mind.shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-6386042682613799062010-04-12T04:37:00.000+05:302010-04-12T10:57:08.967+05:30DONT WE ALL LOVE FOOD ....DUDE:D:D:D:DWhile most people EAT to live ......There are a Few,Ok more than a few who LIVE to eat .... i used to be in the latter group but my adipose tissue has converted and pulled me into the former group :P:P<br />I am a FOODIE ...Its a trait that has been passed down by my brilliant foodie father who stands by the saying "Nothing can make you happy ,the way a wafting fragnance and the savoring of your favorite dish can " :):) .... So here is a list of my all time favourite treats<br /><br />1.Rasam Sadam with ghee on a cold winter evening ... mixed by your grandma and the extra tomatoes she puts in it just for you<br /> <br />2.Payasam - a puja is incomplete without payasam and man there are easily some 15 types ... ALL EQUALLLYYY DELICIOUS <br /><br />3.Dal Makhani and butter naan- This combo willl go down in history ....<br /> <br />4.Maggi and Ketchup-whenever i was bored and mom wasnt home ... Magggi always came to the rescue ..:):) Still DOES :D<br /><br />5.Pani Puri - i've grown up wth chaat bandi's all over the place and have eaten and Rated various bandi's :P:P ... the high point is always the stuffing the whole thing into your mouth and detecting each flavour that popped :) <br /><br />6.Bandi Chinese-Veg Noodles ,Manchuria(wet/DRY),Chicken 65 .. and A LOTTTT OF AJINO MOTO :D:D ... heheheh ... the chinese r still pissed with us cuz we indianized the whole thing and it tastes sooo much better :P <br /><br />7.Khichdi -When it rains and u cant go out and there is no current ... JAI KHICHDI :D:D:D:D <br /><br />8.Masala Dosa at a tiffin centre- Even though we made dosa's at home , the joy of eating that dosa with the potato and a dollop of butter ...oh and not to forget the super coconut chutney along with it was a perfect way to start a morning..eat lunch or even finish dinner ... which retard callled it breakfast foood :P<br /><br />9.irani chai and osmania biscuit- my fondest memoryy of osmania biscuits is with my grandad at 5 30 in the morning before a game of golf .. the cafe wudve just opened and we would be there drinking Brilliant Chai :) <br /><br />10.Rumali Roti and Mirchi ka saalan- even though they say mirchi ka saalan goes well with biryani .. i think it is just perfect with a rumali ... <br /><br />11.Universal Burger-:) that big bun and coleslaw dripping from the side .. droppping half of it when you take a bite .. getting messsy ..But enjoying it all along ... MAN THAT BURGER IS JUST HUGEEEE <br /><br />12.Kheeema ROTI- :D:D alpha hotel ,Paradise,and Shifa's house ... the taste of hot kheema wrappped into a hot roti with ketchup on the side .... sssslllrrrpppppp :P<br /><br />13. ALoo ke paranthe - Amritsar winter,looking at the golden temple and blowing the aloo ka parantha because its too hot ....SIIIGGGHHH ...HEAVENNNN <br /><br />14. Bun omlet- enroute to bombay,on the road near paradise,next to nids house, and mom's special ... each type has a distinct taste and i love them all :) <br /><br />15.Chole Bature-That hugee batura that u first poke and all the heat comes out with super steamy and soft chole .. and not to forget the pickle and onions on the side :D:D:D <br /><br />16.samosa and puffs - Where would we be without the samosa ...all those school functions which had one samosa ,one sweet ... every bakery with its own connotation of the veg/egg/chicken/mutton/paneer pufff ...... LIFE SAVERS they are especially when your broke :D <br /><br />17.Tandoori chicken- The whole chicken ... fighting for who gets the leg ... rubbing lime on top and chewing off half the thigh :D .... definately a higggh for a carnivore :) <br /><br />18.paneer butter masala and anything - Paneeer butter masala is found almost in all food joints and tastes pretty darn good in most, whoever invented this dish needs to be given an AWARD :D ..... <br /><br />19.lime rice in the temple- tamarind and lime rice is literally mandatory in most temples and standing in the queue to get your little leafy katori is definitely WORTH THE WAIT :)<br /><br />20.Irani Samosa - Anand theatre intervals,station and that fellow pushing a cart ... small samosa's were always fun to eat .. <br /><br />21.Rajma Chawal- Vaishno Devi at 11 30 in the night ...after walking 10 kilometres ... the aroma of rajma and rice was like finding an oasis in the desert :) <br /><br />22.MOMO'S - Darjeeling(chicken), Kalimpong(mutton),Siliguri(veg) and Sikkim(beef) .... 4 different kinds .. 4 different places .. the lingering taste after finishing a plate..MAGNIFICENT <br /><br />23.Vada Pav and sugarcane juice- holding a sweet JUMBO glass of ganna juice in one hand and mirchi vada pav in the other ... its like a battle of tastes amidst the scorching mumbai heat <br /><br />24.Subway- the answer to alll my weight loss dreams ... and to top it all SUB OF THE DAY :D:D:D .... <br /><br />25.Mishti doi and vanilla ice cream - i know ..i know it isnt a dish as such .. but i have eaten it for breakfast and i nominate it to become a DISH :D:D:D:D <br /><br />thats all i could think off ... Aurevoirshuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-39491516818023687472010-02-20T19:18:00.000+05:302010-02-20T20:00:08.634+05:30BLACKMy fan is my only friend,my pillow is my closest confidant and the 4 walls of my room make my world.This wound was little,so miniscule you couldnt see it ,so small that sometimes with all that happened around i forgot it was still there .<br />Things sure have changed, now i know its there,I see it become bigger each day..stuffing a little more of loneliness , a dash of anger and large amounts of envy.i knew it was not the outer shell that was scarred but still i applied all the balm i got .My lab rat ways were'nt helping and every peeking emotion got sucked in even before it could present itself.I carry now a big black hole heavier than most men and deeper than oil reserves below sea level.<br />It doesnt hurt that much or so i choose to think,but this melancholy is disturbing.I am afraid to fall asleep worrying that maybe that little ray of broken hope of being rescued from this stage might also be sucked in. It sounds funny to most who i try and open up to ,to the others ..well i dont try!!<br />My Mind threatens to come out of hiding, but for once its my heart thats pulling back .She thinks there is a slight chance i will be saved from this miserable hole i have dug for myself .. she believes my closest will dive in pull the plug and the black will get sucked in.I let her believe.. <br />I have waited patiently at that street corner and at the end of each night as i am just about to give up, my heart pulls me back and i Go back the next day .shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-46236325901612653092009-12-17T11:56:00.000+05:302010-02-04T12:19:40.096+05:30For them<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" 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class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">This one’s for the boy ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who says good bye to his mother,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">And walks into the world ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Hoping to become a man .</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">This one’s for a mother </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who gives us that boy,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">eyes welled up ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">and chest filled with pride<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">It is for a sister ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who see’s him little, </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">But who dreams of a husband and son,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">As brave as him,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">This one’s for a father ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who says with pride,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">As he looks at a grave ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">“He fought till he died”.</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">This one’s for a boy,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who says to the world ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">As he salutes the flag,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">“She is my first love”,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">It is for a boy, </span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who fights till he can ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Smiles at his comrades,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">One last time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">I know not one,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">But many such boys,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who still have stories ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">And can hear their battle cries ,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">It is that boy,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">Who is now a man,</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB">He and his friends,</span></p> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";" lang="EN-GB">Are India's Biggest FANS </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Wingdings;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="">:)</span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";" lang="EN-GB"> …. <span style=""> </span></span>shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-17275470641763549892009-10-10T10:56:00.001+05:302009-10-10T11:06:05.401+05:30G.O.DAsked by 2 little kids<br />if i was hindu or muslim,<br />got me thinking<br />about how we've become within,<br />what has happened to brotherhood<br />and living together in peace,<br />all those times we've spent together<br />those diwali's, christmas'es and Id's,<br />where are we going with all this religion<br />why does it matter to who we pray,<br />are'nt we here to learn and love<br />not kill by night or day ,<br />why has it become so difficult<br />to live and love together,<br />why is it that every where around<br />theres a house burning to its last timber,<br />i dont know what or who god is<br />somehow i am starting not to care,<br />i know your shocked i am saying this<br />but really it isnt a dare,<br />it is about friends and family who speak of religion<br />of all the times they judge on what people follow,<br />it has left me scarred and a little angry<br />but actually majorly hollow,<br />because what i have learnt from experiences of the past<br />is its not the lord but the friend you love ,<br />and the irony of the whole thing is<br />my friends were created by that "someone above"........shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200946185713828064.post-62051208840420909172009-08-17T21:59:00.000+05:302009-08-17T22:32:49.158+05:30:) chote cheez bada CHEEEESSSEEEE :Dit was a Diwali morning ... when we(dad and me) got down at this orphan age near nacharam ... small place with sad roofing and windows ... the director came to greet us and said the kids were at breakfast ... i was just wondering that we hadnt brought anything for these kids , when my awesome dad opens the car dikki and take out 2 cartons of sweets and crackers ... they werent books for them to study or clothes for them or crayons .... none of that just sweets and crackers ... i walked up to pa and said , "dad no clothes ?? and he smiled and said ... on a diwali morning somehow its not the clothes or the books its these kids want kanna its the smaller things .. it someone to make them feel like even they are a part of the celebrations :) .......i love my dad and then it did sink in that <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />The SMALL things in life SOMEHOW always do make a difference :) </span><br />i have always believed and worked on this logic ever since.. and i still do think it stands true ... it is the small things that count ... they could be the bindi you put before leaving for a reception , the kiss your friend gives you telling you she missed you , the sudden call from the person you least expect it , the maha lacto's in a plastic packet when your down , crazy badges with funny smileys for a friend who is having a bad day .... these small things have always made me smile .... its weird how we keep looking at how much money , what time is work , whens the next movie, what college do i join ... blaaahh blaaaah ..... just one day do something small with someone you want to .. and i swear my caption really be true ..... chota cheez (small thing) bada CHEEEESE(isnt that how we've beeen asked to smile for all our photos :):)) ........ aurevoir .....shuuuuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07511687790509300259noreply@blogger.com7