Look who’s here again!

With much sadness, I announce that its exam time again.  Exams I feel are like common cold – no matter how much u dread them, or try to escape, they are bound to catch u. Just like common cold, there is no perfect way to handle exams, even if you know the perfect tricks. There are always the surprise moments which leave you laughing at your confidence – sometimes at excess of it, or the lack of it. But nevertheless, like cold, they come once every season, you have to go through the rituals & they are gone.

As a kid, even though I used to write my exams on my own, yet, I feel they actually were the responsibility of my mom. Poor mom used to wake up with me at the odd hours, helping me with anything and everything. Sometimes motivating me when I used to get depressed, otherwise chase and scold me to study, then her sweet curd before I went to write the paper; and waiting for me outside the examination hall, immediately taking the paper and asking what I wrote. Mothers are like x ray machines – she used to get my state of mind by looking at my face. So, if I avoided eye contact with her, she used to say “hand me the question paper & just forget about it”, never even waiting for me to give an explanation. And mind you, this happened right through college!

But I have to admit that had it not been for the fear of her scolding, I would have never studied the way I did. Like most youngsters, I too didn’t realize the long term effects & used to study just to finish the task at hand and make mom proud during the result day. And I used to wait for the day when I would grow up and no longer have to write papers.

And now, I wonder what I am doing with myself. There is no compulsion to study. I am no longer answerable for any course I take up. Yet, I study. I get into the same activity that I had waited to get rid off! And when one level is over, I promptly enroll myself for the next one, raising the bar high, axing my own foot.

So , I have an exam tomorrow (and yes, look at my guts, I am blogging!) and because I don’t feel like studying the Oh so tough subject, I ask myself, what do I do to get me studying?  All the fears of scolding etc have long faded into history. The same parents, no matter how I perform, now appreciate me for having tried. Mr Hubby always encourages me to just give my best and dump the rest!

The only motivation left now, is perhaps to genuinely learn something, to add some value to life, and to try my best for future. All long term stereotype gyaan. No mom now to scold me and get me into instant action. No short term motivation! But that’s what I always used to dread. And now, when it has gone, I am finding ways to get a short term motivation! Life….hehe…

Me wonderzzz…

Oof, exams are here again,

Bringing with them lots of pain

No matter how much I study

Everything goes in vain

Yet, they say no pain no gain

In this world, u gotta sustain

So I whip my slowing brain

Before I go insane!

And as always, here are some Google pics...

Why not first?

The world always looks at the person who’s the first. In this rate race, we all want to emerge winners. Nobody ever remembered the person who came second. Does that make the person at the second position inferior? Nope. It takes effort to even come second. One has to aim for the top and not all can be the winners.

I recently went to a parent teacher meeting. The kid who stood first was being praised by all; mothers made a role model almost instantly. The kid who came second stood away from the glory, his mother whispering “U too can be there next session, just work a bit extra hard my dear.” The teacher praised his talent however, gave the same gyan and the poor kid gave a helpless smile. The topper looked at him and gave him a “I am a topper look”. Watching this, from a distance, I was surprised. In a class of 40 bright students, getting the second position was also an achievement. Why not be happy and content with what u achieved today than dismissing it for better prospects in an unknown future? I wondered what we are teaching our generation. On one hand, we say, “there’s too much stress, take it easy”, on other hand, we smartly declare that anything below the top is just not acceptable. 

We all remember the person who climbed Mr Everest first, put the first foot on moon, etc etc. So does that wash it out for the second person?

Then, there are times when getting the second position is purely a work of destiny. A friend, who is a typical Mills & Boons afficionado, was cribbing recently that she is her boyfriend’s second love. She cried and wished she had met him a few years ago so that she would get his first love which would have been ideal, more romantic, blah blah blah! I tried to comfort her by telling her that it’s the present that matters, not the past. As long as their love gives them enough happiness, that’s the best for them. Even gave her some celeb examples. But she went on and on and gave me such arguments about the concept of one’s first love in life that surprised me. Nevertheless, I gave her some gyan about being content with what we have and also gave her a chocolate.

Recently, at a shop, as soon as I picked up a kurta, a lady came and said, “this is so beautiful, I was looking at this, but by the time I came to pick it, u had already picked it up. I won’t even get the same combination now”. There were several other good kurtas in the store, but since I had picked up this good Kurta first, she wasn’t willing to explore the second best alternative. “Wow, so this is like coming first in race”, I thought and smiled.

Me wonderzzz ….

The race has made winning such an important task that every day and everywhere, I see people striving to be the first one -be it in queues, corporate world, or even shops. Have written previously about it here...

Was trying to find some images from Google for this blog and here are some real funny ones I found!

Morning Sky

Clicked this one two years ago on our way to Corbett National Park. Whenever I look at the sun in this pic, I feel it’s like a shy girl standing behind a curtain and peeping; the moment your eyes meet hers, she hides back behind the curtain…

To like or not to like

Man is a social animal. It’s good to share thoughts, feelings and opinions. One of the reasons why we bloggers can’t resist our itch to blog! But my post today is dedicated to some men and women, for whom being social is all about useless, baseless updates nobody is interested in. Yes, I am talking about the hyperactive junta on social networking sites. I had been resisting myself away from writing this one, but a trip to my good old Facebook provoked me to blog it out.

We Indians love to network, and so when few years ago, Orkut came to India, we rejoiced in excitement! Just like Hindi movie brothers separated in Kumbh Mela, long lost friends got back in touch, thanks to Orkut. One could share pics, scraps, have a cute little profile and could even have unlimited sponsored praises from friends. That was not enough to satiate the appetite of social networking hungry netizens. Then came Facebook (FB) – like a super shakti avtar & started a revolution of apps. More benefits for free! Wow! Like kids going for bigger piece of the cake, we went crazy with FB. I even knew a friend’s daughter who made herself a little pouch to keep her stationery, made a face on it and named it FB.

It was fun – one could play games, use apps along with the regular Orkut features; until it came under the scanner of attention seeking junta. And now I see FB updates driving us all crazy. And if have a smart phone with a FB app, be prepared for the constant “ping ping”. The moment one reaches his/her homepage, there’s a field mentioning “what’s on your mind”. Always proactive at making their own assumptions, many people have taken it in the literal sense. So, you have people posting even the minutest details – from their current location to the stuff they are eating; almost like a dutiful child following his mother. You can even trace them by following their FB updates.

Once in a while if you had something special, it would interest us, but who would be interested in knowing what are you eating everyday (along with a pic!). And if by God’s grace, a picture has come out well, it has to be on FB even if it means bombarding your FB friends with constant updates.  I have even seeing some teenagers competing for number of “likes” and followers.

I have a friend who updates everything from her present state of mind to what she is doing etc etc…even if she or anyone in her family is unwell, you can see the latest status on her FB page, along with a pic of course!

Its good to share…but over sharing is annoying. I know someone who posts the entire 100+ pics album whenever she goes for some trip, and then asks “did u see the pics?” I feel like saying “Do I have nothing else to do in life than seeing each and every pic of urs?” Then I realized a better way of handling this – “the power of click”. Just go and like the entire album and you will be spared the torture. Who cares if I actually saw or liked the pics.

I know FB lovers, including my 14 year old niece will hate me for writing this post. But sorry people, I have no other option. I joined FB to connect and share – but when the pressure of “likes” qualifies to be “unliked”, my heart shouts “spare the torture”!!!

Pic Courtesy:Google Search

A wish that had long been due

We all love to dream. Dreams are what drive our actions. They lure, inspire and entice us to take a step ahead, to go the extra mile, to endure the grill life makes us go through every day. And when they come true, it feels like a pinnacle reached.

Just like most youngsters at the beginning of their career, I too nurtured two dreams when I started working – buying a car & owning a house. Having started early in life, I knew they were neither tough nor far. But never knew it would take so long to realize them, all due to some funny reasons.

I began my career with a high paying MNC, a job with a paycheck that made my parents take pride. Six months into my job, I told papa I wanted to buy my own car. “But your office gives you cab facility. Besides, we already own a car. Why do you want one?” he said. “But I want to buy one on my own. It will gimme a sense of accomplishment”, I argued. “Beta, rather than putting your money in something you won’t use much & lose out on depreciation, it’s better to invest in something worthwhile. It will give you a better sense of accomplishment when you actually do something good in future.” His argument, although preachy, was true. I had no need of buying a car.

I used to adore Skoda back then. The sleek yet sturdy look and feel, the excellent bootspace, the amazing features used to entice me to go for one. The bright green logo on the metallic body of the car looked soooo pretty!  But neither could I stretch that much at that time, nor could I find an excuse to counter papa’s argument. My plan went down the drain.

Then came Mr. Hubby in my life. He too already owned a car, which gave us so many sweet memories – our first date, my welcome in the house post wedding, several memorable holidays…the list is long. Still the inside of me itched hard to fulfill my wish of having my OWN car. The Octavia model I had been eyeing long also got discontinued. Often, while driving through the busy roads of Delhi, I used to spot a Skoda and say, “God has made me wait enough, now whenever I buy, it will be Skoda.” Mr. Hubby used to give his signature sweet smile and say “okie dokie”.

Finally, God decided to paint my life with colors this Holi. Few days ago, I was happily working on a project in my hostel when Mr. Hubby called me up and said, “Wanna buy a Skoda Rapid?”  My heart almost instantly went bubbling with enthusiasm. “Are you kidding?” I asked. “No, I dare not mess up with my wife’s wishes” He sounded very convincing.

When happiness has to come, it comes tip toeing from any secret corner. This dream too happened almost instantly. Formalities took a whole day, and the very next day, we welcomed our Skoda Rapid home!  I remembered the scene from the movie “Ghajini” when Asin swells up with pride after buying Ambassador cars. I had finally bought my Skoda, the very car I had dreamt of! Thanks to God & Mr. Hubby, I bought the very car I had always thought to be my first car!

I got the delivery a day before Holi! What better way than this to celebrate the festival of colors! I could see the colors of happiness on the faces of my family members.  

As the priest did the puja for my car in my temple, I looked at Lord Shiva, winked and said “You are the greatest! You know how to make your devotees happy! Thanks sooooo much!”

That day I learnt one of the biggest lessons of my life…

Dreams do come true!

Thats my Skoda Rapid!

Ladoo Gopaal!

What do I say about my favorite laddoos….the soft, yellow balls of sheer pleasure that just melt in mouth! Any foodie would vouch for it! Even our Ganpati Bappa….it’s his favorite sweet after all…he loves it when devotees offer modaks (ladoos) during Ganpathi to please him & returns their prayers with blessings & happiness! Even Lord Krishna couldn’t resist himself the temptation of this sweet…his baby form is popularly known as laddoo gopaal among devotees!

Laddoo or laaadoo as we call it is a sweet of good times…a sweet that when shared spreads  happiness and foster brotherhood  irrespective of caste or class.  No matter who voted for whom, when election results are out, no one minds popping up laddoos distributed by the winners.  No Independence day function goes complete without laddoos. As kids we used to get up early & rush to sing patriotic songs in our colony’s Independence Day function…just to get an extra laddoo or two distributed after flag hosting. The greed was carried even to the temples where I used to demand the bigger laddoo from panditjee, as if it is the birthright of every child…and with a humble smile, he used to oblige me while my mother used to have this “ye kab sudhreygee”look!

Our relation with laddoos begins the day we come into this world! Laddoos are distributed among family and friends upon the arrival of a laddoo gopaal (little one…since children are an incarnation of God) in the family. I have lost count now of the number of times I have stuffed 2-3 laddoos at a go in my brother’s mouth during Rakhi. It’s a usual sight to see parents distributing laddoos among neighbours when their little champ passes with flying colors (pappu pass ho gayaaa!)…It’s a treat to the eyes when fans of all castes & creeds for once come together to share their pride with laddoos, dhol beats & firecrackers when India wins that cricket series!

Since our auspicious Lord Ganesha is roped in whenever a new chapter of our life begins, how can laddoos be left behind? Whether it’s buying of a car, a new house or beginning of new business, laddoos are everywhere!  In the big fat Indian weddings, ladoos are as important as priest … ladoos are a must in the bhaji (or assortment of sweets distributed to relatives and friends during weddings). Bride and groom to be are treated with laddoos when the match is fixed (ooops…finalized) is to bring sweetness in their relationship. A young bride bringing with her laddoos to the family is considered a sign of her bringing happiness, prosperity and sweetness in the family.  Laddoos are given to a new mother to recuperate with the physical strain of bearing a child. Any puja, any havan goes incomplete without laddoos. No matter how strict a mother is, her little one stealing laddoos from the home temple is overlooked as it’ s the family’s laddoo gopaal satiating his taste buds!

Who can forget the aroma from box of laddoos our loving mothers send to our hostels! The til (sesame) laddoos prepared by my mother in law during winters is one of the hardest things  to resist & I fulfill my duty as a loving bhabhi by secretly doling out special servings to my brother in law, much more than his budgeted per day limit. Whatever be the occasion…a laddoo stuffed in mouth is sure shot mantra to bring a smile on your face…try eating a laddoo without smiling!

Though in India, laddoos come in many varieties, (gramflour, coconut, sesame, edible gum, moong daal), all are progenies of the traditional motichoor laddoos, also known as boondi ladoos. Made of Bengal gram, sugar, nuts and desi ghee (clarified butter), perfecting the art of ladoos is not everyone’s cup of tea. You will find that the flavor of laddoos will change at every shop; each giving its signature flavor to the age old recipe.  Laddoos prepared in villages are extra big and extra sweet (just like the people there!)… You and I might not be able to manage more than one laddoo. But it’s a treat for villagers who, used to strenuous physical activity gobble up anywhere between 20-50 ladoos in a single session! As warriors sing their tales of triumph, women at village feasts are often seen sharing counts of ladoos they had…competing with their friends…a’ la Hot dog eating contests!

I’ve been fortunate to savour some of the best ladoos in town. During my sister’s wedding, special Halwai was arranged from the walled city to prepare ladoos to be sent to the groom’s family. My wedding bhaji had a generous quantity of boondi and besan ladoos which I even carried to my honeymoon, much to the amusement of my husband! Such is a Dilliwalla’s love for ladoos.

In Delhi, it’s not hard to find ladoos to suit your palate. Evergreen Sweet House at Green Park market serve awesome motichoor  ladoos. Found by a skilled halwai, Late Shri Radha Krishan Chopra  in 1961, Evergreen Sweet House export to USA, UK, Italy, Germany, Kuwait, Australia & The Kiwiland! Once on a visit to Goa, our host asked us specially to bring laddoos from Evergreen and the staff at counter swelled with pride when I told him their soaring popularity.

Evergreen Sweet House,

S-29 & 30, Green Park Main Market, New Delhi – 110016.

Phone: + 91-11-26521615/ 26514642

The Haldiram’s & Bikanervala’s too do a decent job at dishing out ladoos. However, the taste may vary from outlet to outlet. After all, every second sweet shop in Delhi is christened Bikanervala !

Any visit to Bengali market goes incomplete without a visit to Nathu’s sweets there. After gorging on their very famous chhole bhature, my taste buds just want their laddoos. They serve really and sumptuous ladoos and it requires a lot of effort to control your temptation beyond 1 laddoo.

Nathu's sweets
23,24,25 Bengali market
New Delhi-110001 

Almost every Army person coming back from Jalandhar is seen carrying laddoos from lovely sweets (popularly known as “lovely ke laddoos”) for his family and friends back home. I recently checked their website & u can order ladoos online for 230.00 (a little less than $5.00). I am yet to savour them but have heard so much and really look forward to.

www.lovelysweets.com

On an official trip to Kanpur, my husband once called me and said he is getting Thaggu ke ladoos….i found the name quite unreal and initially dismissed as a joke but found that “Thaggu ke laddu” really do exist! The name Thaggu, or the hindi word for thief, really steals hearts of those who savour them. The shop is so confident about their ladoos that the packaging mentions “Aisa koi saga nahi jisko humney thaga  nahi”….Made from cashews, semolina, nuts, almond etc the ladoos really will steal your hearts away. I loved their special ladoos & doodh peda…a must try. The shopkeeper tells with immense pride about Abhishek Bacchhan having shot the move “Bunty aur babli” there. The owner Mr. During the Ash-Abhishek wedding, the owner of thaggu ke laddu Mr Prakash Pandey even carried a hamper of laddoos prepared specially for the wedding.

Thaggu ke laddu

Outlets at Bada Chauraha, Kakadeo, Swaroop Nagar, Canal Express Road & Govind Nagar in Kanpur

Tewari Bros. at Connaught Place are famous for their desi ghee motichoor ladoos….it’s a small sleepy shop with neat stacks of sweets. The smell of pure ghee surrounds the air the moment you enter the shop.  Though heavier on the calorie side, the laddoos are so soft and juicy that they break if not handled with care. Their ladoos just melt in your mouth and the aroma of pure ghee leaves you with a royal feeling.

Tewari Bros

73, Municipal Market, Connaught Place, Delhi, 110001

Phone: (+91) 11 23411765, (+91) 11 23413313

With so many options to choose from, Delhi is truly a delight for the sweet buds…and the amazing variety of laddoos here will have you asking for more! So, go, take your pic!!!

P.S. A big thanks to Tewari bros. whose laddoos inspired me to share my laddoo thoughts with you. A little heavy inspiration though, as I have almost finished the 250g box and will have to sweat it out in the gym for days to burn it out! But the calories are worth it…a must try whenever you visit Delhi! 

No more splits! Yippeeeee

I still remember the first day of college. From clothes to accessories to look, everything was brand new. Of course nowadays teenagers go for cosmetic treatments, spa splurges & can go up to any extent just to make that perfect first impression. But in my times, clothes & accessories were the main focus. Besides, when going for a course such as Hotel Management, one was upfront given directions about formal attire & professional behavior. But, college was college, and most of the gyaan was soon trashed the moment we were out of the induction session.

Just like hunters waiting for their catch, a swarm of seniors waited outside the auditorium for us fachchas. The moment session ended and the principal left, they jumped inside the auditorium, locked the doors and began to download the REAL guidelines that had to be followed for a month. I had expected the usual “sing a song, chawanni athhani kinda stuff”, but ragging in an HM college was a different ball game all together. I think all that deserves a separate dedicated post, so lemme move back to what happened in the auditorium that day.

We were given the usual dress code – mismatch salwar kurta, oiled hair with 2 braids, bindi and bathroom slippers. They even warned us that if some teacher asks, we had to say we had dressed up in a hurry & were just about to slip into the uniform for the practicals.

All our dreams of flaunting our look to our DU counterparts vanished in thin air. My friend Mona said, “wearing a salwar suit is OK, but no oil/braids for me, it will look so behanji type.” A senior quickly overheard, gave a wicked smile and said “Unfortunately you have joined HM. There is lot of oil in the kitchen where we fry fish during our food production practicals. I poured the entire oil over a fresher's hair last year & won’t mind repeating the ritual with you.”

Next day, poor Mona and I, boarded the bus, embarrassed as our DU friends were dressed up to kill. There was no escape. 2 seniors also took the same bus & utilized the opportunity to grill us throughout the journey. By the way, they used to call it “personality development program.” I hated the 2 braids & oil. Not that it gave me the behanji look (it actually made me look very cute, as per my encouraging mom). The braids looked very shabby. That was when I realized I had been a victim of split ends. But I had no option than to don those braids. It was better than smelling of fish & becoming the laughing stock of college. We reached college & stuck to groups of the same species to avoid being caught by seniors.

Just as we came out of the last lecture, we were caught by a famously cruel senior, Miss Singh. Although I later discovered she was gem of a person, during ragging we dreaded being caught by her. Coz she was famous for giving the worst punishments & the fish oil incident was also credited to her. Like a goat, we made the most innocent face ever & answered whatever she asked. One look at me and she said, “hello madam, u haven’t joined a normal college. You can’t even manage a neat braid, how will you manage in hospitality?” Now this was embarrassing, especially because I was with my group of friends at that time. Miss Singh left but my split ends had been highlighted! The Miss Chic in my group gave me “a” look & suggested an expensive salon. Some others suggested tips on diet etc. But, hey, it was embarrassing me even more. I wished for a magic lamp so that I could get rid of them immediately.

The moment I entered home, big tears rolled down my eyes & I was after mom’s life to get me a haircut, else I wouldn’t go to college….

That was years ago...

And today, when I received my pack of “Dove split end rescue” shampoo & conditioner, I immediately said, “why didn't you come to my rescue that day when I faced so much embarrassment due to these split ends?” But thank God, Dove thought about this problem and came up with a solution. Have been totally in love with the shampoo and conditioner, the sheen, fragrance & the assurance of Dove damage solutions. The fiber actives in the shampoo make my hair much softer after the shower and I am desperately waiting for the split ends to vanish, so that I can once again fulfill my dreams of having beautiful, long hair.

I can never forget that day in college but I am glad my niece won’t have to face all that on her first day to college. She has the power of fiber actives in Dove by her side.

 As for me, I know miracles don’t happen overnight, but persistent efforts & belief does work.

This post has been exclusively written for “Beautiful Ends to your Beautiful Braids” contest by Dove, in association with Indiblogger.