Life is a kaleidoscope...and I love to explore as much as I can. Here's life from my spectacle...Follow me for my take on books, food, movies, travel, parenting, relationships, social issues and anything interesting I come across…Bienvenue!
On a trip to a Rajasthan village
last year, I was surprised to see this cow happily munching Cauliflower! While
we complain of veggie prices soaring high, this generosity by the farmer for
his pet clearly shows how much things change between farms and retail shops.
And I always thought that fodder
is a cow’s favourite meal!
Friday
evening witnessed me in super excited mode…I looked elated like a kid whose
parents are about to take her to Disneyland. But I am a simple girl with simple
wishes; after a week of slogging at work, the idea of 2 days off to my lazy
self was enough to bring a smile on my face. Hey, everybody feels that way,
then why am I saying this on my blog?
Because
fact is, weekend life too, like a coin has 2 sides…
Wanting
to laze in my bed till 10 on a Saturday morning, I was engrossed in my dreams
when the alarm spoiled my plans. “Uff, what’s this?” I grumbled in my sleep,
when Mr. Hubby reminded me he had to go for a meeting today. Being a typical
Indian wife, I wouldn’t have liked the idea of being in bed till 10 while Mr.
Hubby got ready and moved about his own business. “Once I send him to work, I
will catch up on my sleep!” I consoled myself and proceeded towards bed tea and
newspaper.
Newspaper
is always a cut short business on weekdays however; even today my eyes were on
the wall clock. Soon, newspaper too, was added to the “do it later” list and I
was off to the kitchen.
Once,
Mr. Hubby had left for work, I realized sleep had vanished. Just when I held my
beloved newspaper in my arms, mom in law rattled off her wish list, “Today we
are free, let’s do x, y, z….” and gave me a long list from laundry to grocery
shopping, dusting, etc. “But I am not free, I am busy! It’s my hard earned off
and I need to laze around, chill, blog and just pamper myself!” Now, any mom in
law would have frowned at this, but not mine. She simply smiled and reminded me
of a word called “responsibility”. “Why can’t we live in a service apartment?”
I rebelled like a cranky kid.
I wondered, was life all cool before marriage
and responsibilities? Perhaps no, weekends were all about pedicures, manicures,
hair spa, changing nail paint, planning wardrobe for the upcoming week etc etc.
Every
weekend, we try to fight the pile of “to do” list for the “me time” and before we
are nowhere close to satisfaction, the weekend winks and bids adieu, leaving us
at the mercy of merciless weekdays. As if that’s not enough, there is a section
of people, whose favourite habit is asking people on Monday mornings, “so what
special did you do this weekend?” Now, one doesn’t go mall hopping, shopping or
movie watching every weekend. I have seen people under such pressure to avoid
being termed uncool that even if they have spent a quiet and relaxing weekend
at home, they save themselves by saying, “we went out for
family dinner to XYZ yoyo restaurant”
even if I spotted them getting Dosa packed from the neighbourhood Dosa kiosk!
What
then is the idea of a perfect weekend?
Perhaps
it’s all about taking the day it comes. One may plan a bit in advance for more fulfillment however, if things take a different route, just sit back and enjoy the beauty
of serendipity!
Ram
was the perfect Casanova. In a span of five years, he had changed seven jobs, all for
his habit of falling prey to good looking women. He just couldn't resist
getting into flings and things got worse every time when his multiple affairs
affected his professional life. Monday morning was another interview at a
multinational company for the post of marketing manager.
Ram
was hoping to make it big here…not in terms of work but for some sparks to fly,
for his friends had told him the office was full of pretty girls. Ram was hoping
to get lucky!
Dressed
his best, topped with a dash of the perfume that made his ex girlfriends drool,
Ram reached the company headquarters. As he entered the elevator, he saw the
only companion in his ride to the 21st floor – a pretty girl! Her short skirt
and long hair immediately shortlisted her to Ram’s to do list and he took it
as a good omen. Not wasting any time, he threw his pick up line, “you too here
for the marketing manager interview?” She gave him one top to down look, gave a
sweet smile and said, “I work here…you will see me more when you join our department…”
Ram quickly bragged about his premier B school degree and the last premier
organization he worked with, not leaving any chance to strike the perfect first
impression.
The
elevator doors opened, and as she was about to get out she stopped, turned
back and said, “turn right from the reception and the first conference
room is your destination. All the best! We shall meet again!” Ram’s heart went
racing and within a span of 30 seconds, his imagination took him to great lengths.
He quickly raced past the reception and landed himself at the Waiting room
near the conference room as told by the girl.
Ram
was pleasantly surprised by the crowd waiting with him, for they all seemed
less experienced than him. He couldn't find one face more charming and
confident than himself, and he was all set to make the killing. For the next 30
minutes in the Waiting room, he was lost in dreams of the pretty girl.
He imagined how he could ask her out for dinner and charm her with his ways once
he got the job. Just then, a voice interrupted his dreams, “fill this form”,
the fat HR lady said. As Ram took the form, he sensed something was not right,
the form mentioned the question, “Why do you feel you are suitable to work as
sales executive with us”. Shocked, he immediately questioned the HR lady, only
to be told this was the interview for the post of sales executive.
Ram’s
heart skipped a beat. He realized that this time, he had fallen prey to false
charms. He should have inquired at the reception before blindly following the
girl’s instructions. As he rushed towards the reception, he saw the same pretty
lady talking to the receptionist and leaving before he could reach and question
her. He asked the receptionist, “where is the interview for the position of
marketing manager?” The receptionist said, “Conference room no. 5 but
the interview is already over.” Ram was irritated now, “How can the interview
be over?” The receptionist said, “Sir, there were just two candidates called for the interview. The first one didn't arrive and so the second one was shortlisted.
You saw that lady who just left? She was just selected.”
Ram
could feel his heart beating fast. All his plans of making it happen were
foiled by the same pretty face he had been dreaming about. The ugly side of
beauty had taken him for a ride…
Its
when one thinks beyond self and cares for how others feel
That
they truly strike the “Dil Ki Deal”
It
is often believed that one who has money and power only can make a difference
in someone else’s life. But an incident from my mom in law’s life taught me how
a simple housewife decided to follow her heart and strike the perfect Dil ki
deal.
In
the old times when salaries never matched the mouths to be fed, monthly rent
from a small house in West Delhi was a big help to Ma’s monthly budget. My
father in law’s job demanded him to stay out of town, so it was ma’s responsibility
to collect the monthly rent and manage the household budget.
It
was Diwali time. Sweets, clothes, crackers, customary gifts…there was so much
to be bought and ma knew all this went beyond her budget. Banking on the 10th
of the month when she was to receive the monthly rent, she decided to visit the
tenants.
As
ma rang the doorbell, the feeble frame of the tenant’s wife appeared at the
door to usher her in. The tenants were a humble family of 5, a couple and their
3 kids. Ma knew of their not so good financial condition, but as she entered
the house, she knew there was something wrong. Although it was Diwali time, the
festivity was nowhere to be seen. The family wore a sad look on their faces.
When ma inquired about the well being, the tenant’s wife told her that their
youngest daughter had taken ill. All their savings had gone in the treatment and
the treatment still required them to pump in more cash. “This Diwali has no
meaning for us, for we can’t light up our own child’s life”, the tenant’s wife
said, controlling her tears. Despite the turmoil in their lives, the tenants
were an honest couple. “Behanji, that we are facing this crisis doesn’t mean we
would hide away from our duty. Here’s the rent for this month”, the lady said
as she handed over the 800 bucks to ma.
Speechless
at their sincerity and the cruel game destiny was playing; ma left the house
with a heavy heart.The neighbourhood
kids were bursting crackers however; a thousand crackers burst inside ma’s
heart and created the noise she couldn’t ignore. She could not erase the image
of the family’s faces from her mind. For a humble housewife, the monthly rent
meant a big help, yet her heart felt heavier with each step. Something in ma
forced her to return…
The
surprise was evident on the face of tenant’s wife as she opened the door. “What
happened behanji, I counted the money and it’s the right amount. Hope all well….”
The lady went speechless as ma held her hand and handed over the money back and
said “The child needs the money more. Take the money and use it for her
treatment. Its Diwali time, hope this small contribution does something to
brighten up your child’s life.”The lady tried to offer the money back, but ma
assured her she could repay when the child recovered.
As
ma walked out, her heart was filled with satisfaction from the deal she had
struck. She might not have been able to pamper her kids the way she wanted that
Diwali, but she had listened to her heart and had struck the #DilKiDeal
The
last few days saw a very irritable and dead side of me. As if life had become a
boring pendulum that oscillated between office and home. The mind went on an
auto mode with this mundane routine. I didnt feel any zing when I woke
up in the morning and the day didn’t offer anything to look forward to. Evenings too, became a routine affair. While my colleagues would be happy, calling
a day off and discussing their evening plans, I would simply sit back and immerse
myself in work.
Perhaps,
all this was to escape the horror of staying away from my passion – blogging.
Once a blogger, nothing gives you more joy than sharing your views with others
and nothing gives more pain than an inactive blog and dipping page views.
My
laptop, which was my window to the world of blogging, gave in to senile decay.
Often, in the middle of blogs, the laptop would heat up and black out, making
me pull my hair in frustration. I tried to blog through the tab, but old habits
die hard and my fingers yearned for the keyboard. Every day, I would read
blogs by fellow bloggers and wish when I would strike back. I almost stopped
looking at blogging contests and book review offers, for better to make
commitments when one can fulfill them. Movies and outings no longer seemed
enticing, for I could no longer blog about my experiences. After few days, the helpless mind too,
stopped buzzing with ideas.
While
I didn’t cry or crib, for I knew our busy schedules, Mr. Hubby noticed the frustration
in my silence and this weekend, decided to take things in his own stride. He
took the laptop to the service center and the technician gave it a fresh lease
of life. When he surprised me in the evening with the news, I was all elated
like a lover reunited with his lost love!
This
morning became so special…
I
woke up to a hyperactive mind, buzzing with ideas. It didn’t even wait for me
to finish the bed tea or catch up with newspaper. Finally, I had to jot down
the ideas which would fuel my blog for the days to come. When I saw my blog
after so many days, it welcomed me with open arms and surprisingly, there was
increase in page views too. They say it is separation that makes us realize the
value of something, and this separation has been tough for me. But, it feels so
good to be back since I can share my feelings, views and experiences once again
on my blog, and connect with the awesome friends blogging has gifted me!
Shreya – I’m a highly qualified Delhi girl earning an enviable salary.
My parents are having a tough time finding a suitable groom for me. However,
recently they have a proposal from this very interesting guy from Mumbai. I
almost get mesmerised when he starts talking to me. I think I like him very
much.
Kunal – I’m owner of a textile company in Mumbai. My mom wants me to
get married. Again. She has recently suggested a suitable girl from Delhi. What
my mom doesn’t know is that I’ve already met Shreya before once in my life and
I’ve been looking for her ever since. I have a vendetta to settle.
The Cover
A pretty damsel with
a handsome hunk, flowers, wine – the ingredients to a romantic fairytale. But our
two headstrong protagonists stand tall facing opposite directions, just like
their thoughts, which go poles apart. I actually loved this cute promo of the
book.
My View
I am a big fan of
romantic fiction and so when this book was offered, it instantly caught my
interest. The story, I would say is like a Bollywood film. The first half sees
Shreya and Kunal being fixed in matrimony by their families. Like every girl,
Shreya too nurtures a dream of meeting her knight in shining armour. So when,
she hears the sophisticated and suave Kunal from Mumbai on phone, his enigmatic
voice almost instantly sweeps her heart away. They say, love is blind and the
feeling is so strong that Shreya doesn’t even mind her one abrupt face to face
interaction with her hubby to be.
A fairytale wedding
follows and just when Shreya thinks destiny has given her another chance in the
form of Kunal, one night changes it all…
The ghosts of their
past come to haunt Shreya and Kunal on their wedding night. Shreya, oblivious
of the fact that Kunal is the same person who she settled her scores with years
ago, is shocked at the devil reveal his true face in Kunal on her first night.
For Kunal however, Shreya is that one storm which blew away all the love and
happiness from his life years ago. His only aim in life to spoil each and every
moment of Shreya’s life and make her suffer the way he did years ago.
Halfway through the
book, the story takes a leap from love to hatred and revenge. The poor reader
secretly wishes for things to end on a happy note for this angry young couple.
However, that is when the story, just like some impatient movie scripts starts
losing its sheen. The more Shreya and Kunal try to be opposites, the more
opposites attract. Love gradually springs, however, everything starts getting
so predictable that the reader wonders if there were some more twists and
turns.
If you love romcoms,
the book is for you. Enjoy every scene as if you are watching a soap or a movie
and don’t apply much brains in the story. Being a debut, the author deserves
appreciation for her hard work in the brilliant portrayal of the love hate
relationship, however, the applaud would had been a tad louder had there been
some more effort towards making the second half less predictable. However, this
is something almost all romcoms fall prey to n I hope with such an expressive
style, the author will surely impress us with her books.
What I loved about
the book
I just found the
cover too cute. Also the first half kept me totally engrossed. Despite being a
debut, the portrayal of emotions and relationship is appreciable.
What could have been
better
Towards the end, the
story got very predictable and I was telling myself what would happen next as I
proceeded. Some fine tuning by the editor would have made the experience more interesting sans the drag towards the climax.
My rating
2.5/5
About the Author
Shikha Kumar has a
BTech degree in Computer Science and is a manager with TCS. She enjoys
travelling, reading writing and watching movies. This is her first attempt to present her
writing abilities to the world.
I received a copy
from the author for my honest review. writing and watching movies. This is her
first attempt to present her writing abilities to the world.
Winters are here! Ironically,
I ain’t feeling an inch of it sitting here in Mumbai. Its perhaps the first
time in 3 decades of my existence that I am sitting on December 7, 2014 with
fan on and no sweaters! In Delhi, I have always cribbed about winters,
preferring to snuggle in my velvet rajai than to wake up on a chilly morning;
the torture of taking that morning shower; it was the favourite season of maids
when they would cash on their worth. So, now, away from the winters why am I
missing the love hate relationship?
Here are my 5 reasons for
missing Dilli ki sardi
1.Weddings
Come
winters and wedding invitations start pouring in. If it’s a family wedding, it
makes for a double treat. Cousins gossiping overnight on the terrace while
munching on mungphalis and gazzak, and pre wedding bashes in huge lawns with
bonfires! We Dilliwallas like our weddings big, fat and truly dhinchaak! While
summers make it tough to carry heavy makeup and costume, winters make it all
easy. The style divas love to flaunt their deep cut and backless blouses
despite the chill. And for those, who
still feel the chill, a peg of Black Dog and dancing non stop does the trick.
2.Winter
brunches
Sunday
mornings become party time, with moms preparing yummy delicacies (sarson ka
saag, make ki roti, bajre ki khichdi, tikkas etc.) and the whole family
enjoying the fare on sunny mornings at the terrace. Food lovers also go gaga
over the winter brunches offered by the city hotels. I particularly miss the
winter brunch at the American Diner at India habitat Centre, Delhi.
3.Lodhi
garden
No
matter how much we run away from the suraj chachu in summers, winters do the
patch up act. Even the annoying dhoop becomes “Makhmali”. Being away from
Delhi, I can vouch there is no experience better than spending a winter morning
in Lodi Garden, the Central park of Dilli. Kids flock to the garden to enjoy their
favourite spot, while lovebirds leave no opportunity of getting cosy; on a
lucky day you might even spot a painter sitting on the grass depicting the
nature on canvas. Amateur photographers satiate their lenses with views of
various migratory birds, even local. Have often seen squirrels being bribed
with peanuts to strike a pose! How can we forget food here? Every Sunday, you
can spot umpteen brunch gatherings in the garden.
4.Winter
shopping and discounts
Weddings
and winter sales give Dilliwalas enough reasons to stuff their shopping carts.
With fests like the CP shopping festivals and the big spacious malls organizing
exclusive events, shopping becomes a joyful experience. And when the newspapers
announce the end of season sale, Dilliwallas flock to their favourite stores to
steal bargain on their long desired winter overcoats.
5.Barbeque
evenings
Fun,
food and friends sums up the idea of a perfect evening for any Dilliwalla.
Winters give just the perfect excuse, and Dilliwallas love to flaunt their
barbeque skills on evenings with ghazals and old pals!
It is said we realize the value
of something only when we are away from it. While I have been told winters will
show us a small trailer here in Mumbai, I am yearning to rush to my Dilli to
savour the magic of Dilli Ki Sardi!
What all do you love about Delhi
winters? I am all ears..:)
