Troubles are a part of living... but smiling through your troubles is art of living

This is one post I had written on Aug 5, 2008.. but never published it....I just came across this and am publishing it almost after a year!!!

The title was one of the forwarded sms's that I keep receiving all the time... If I am not mistaken, I had got this message in the wee hours of the morning, thanks to an early bird friend of mine (unlike me!!)..When I looked bleary eyed at the message it struck me how true it was...

Few days back one person had come to office for a brief session about "Art of living".... she said how stressed out we were...We lack concentration, interest in everything..the negative attitude we have etc etc.....To know about what this art of living is all about there's a workshop next month for a lesser fee than they usually charge... so anybody interested could enroll...

What set me thinking was is 4 days adequate enough to change the way I think... can it make a pessimist an optimist???... I doubt... Never know if I had joined the session "I doubt" might have changed to "I believe"... Never know!!! I never took that opportunity... my loss maybe... maybe its not right for me to comment without going through the course...

I admit nowadays we are truly stressed out... first of all with work.. maybe even after work we are wondering what work is to be done tomorrow...Out of work there are so many things to be done in our personal lives as well.. achieve all the material targets -have to buy a flat, car etc .. maintain a certain standard of living... and our demands go higher and higher...and for that we have to make ourselves work.... so its like a vicious cycle... amidst all this, its nice to take out some time for ourselves and just meditate.... to set our minds at rest.. but I am sure that's quite difficult for me.. coz our mind is supposedly the fastest.. during that time I am sure I will be overworked... with nothing to think about I will think of a thousand things!!!

The girl that day told us to close our eyes and think about anything... we did... then she said "Are you thinking of a monkey on a branch of a tree.. jumping up and down?" Wen we opened our eyes she said "See.. You thought of a monkey coz i told u so".. how silly!! I didn't!!! Truly....Why will I think of a monkey just because she mentioned it?? I was thinking of some happy moments in my life.. how does a monkey come into that?? Just because she mentioned it?? Naaaah!!!

Then she went on saying that say if you are in quite a good mood...a friend of yours is down...you both discuss and at the end of it what happens ? You are both down isn't it?? This is just idea to sell the whole concept maybe...but its lost on me.....Hello.. I will try to make the other person cheerful and ensure at the end of the day we both are happy...

So what I think is "Art of living" is within ourselves...Hurdles, tension, challenges are an integral part of life... Maybe without these life w0uld have been boring...We should not let that bog us down.....we only have to face them with a smiling face...As they say "every cloud has a silver lining" trust me.. it does.... As Charlie Chaplin said-
"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world - not even our troubles."
and
"A day without laughter is a day wasted. Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain".

I LOVE surprises!!!!

Today is my birthday....On record I am one year older.. but I don't see it that way.. I don't count the years but the friends, relations I have made all these years.... Some friends tease me- "You will stay awake at 12 am in the morning to receive calls, reply to sms's, then you will count the number of sms's & phone calls !!" It may sound kiddish but I really enjoy the attention that day, the effort people take to remember my b'day, though nowadays it's just a matter of putting a reminder on your mobile.. but still, I appreciate the efforts people take to stay awake till 12 am to wish me... even if they cant get through, they keep calling...My uncle messaged me saying "before the network gets jammed let me wish you happy birthday!!" As if its new year or something... but its true.. so many calls keep pouring in.. Its difficult to manage the calls.. I end up calling the people who could'nt get through...They disconnect the phone coz its my b'day and they should be calling up and not me!!!

Last b'day I remember I was very low- few days back my CA results had been declared, which I hadn't cleared... Then Amit wasn't here in Kolkata... his homecoming had been delayed till God knows when....I just did not feel like celebrating....But thanks to my friends at office I ended up cutting two cakes that day....After office was planning to come back home, but my friends didn't allow me to do so... They said we have to go somewhere, do something, can't just let u go home like that... So we decided to do something that we hadn't done before -go for a tanga ride!!! It felt really good.. I felt more touched at their efforts to make my day so special... Thank you God for such wonderful people in my life...who are so affectionate and so concerned towards me...and this is what counts for me...Amit was asking me.. another year dear.. What have you achieved in all these thirty years? I consider him as one -one who as changed my life...Plus the love and friendship I have got all these years- thats my achievement... I will leave out family from this coz the love is unconditional...the attachment comes from the blood ties...but we make friends by choice....You must be wondering what about material achievements?? I don't give much importance to that... coz I know that can't buy you love and friends...

Now coming to the present....How did I spend my b'day this year?? I feel birthday is a day you should spend with your loved ones... Today was just that.. I spent my birthday with the closest and most loved people in my life... Sis is not here... but my day started and ended with a call and wish from her.. So am happy... Poor dear couldn't send me anything and felt bad about that.. but I don't mind.... The first half of the day was spent at home with mom and dad... then Diya came over and entertained us with her antics, non stop chatter, sudden hugs...She kept asking me "No birthday party in the evening??!!" As if I was a five year old kid like her!! B'day party with balloons, cake etc etc....She was so disappointed when i told her that there will be no such b'day party that mom invited her to a birthday lunch... and she enjoyed it immensely, being the chief and only guest !!! That made our day... To see that smile on a kid's face is truly priceless....

The evening was booked for Amit :)))) I had not made any other plans... Everybody had been asking me- you must be expecting a surprise...He must have planned something...I was really happy that on my birthday he is here (unlike last year) and we can meet... that's what is more important for me...though I love surprises too...The surprise he gave me was amazing - A BRAND NEW CAR!! We had talked about it for ages but I had no clue that he was already the proud owner of one !!! I think my eyes and mouth were wide open (He should have taken a pic then!! Would have been sooo funny !!)...After the moment of realization that it was true I kept asking him again and again "When did u buy it?" We tell each other everything.. I was wondering how long this had been kept under wraps.. He had managed to keep it a secret for two weeks!!! This was the second ride.. first was from the showroom to his place...and he had been planning a ride on my b'day all this time...

It felt amazing... I know he had been looking forward to own a car one day & now it has happened.. Am really happy for him... I was excited at the surprise I got....We headed for the riverside where many a times we had thought of going, but never could, since it's an out of the way place... But when we reached we couldn't get down as it was raining heavily (it has to rain on my b'day, had'nt rained in the morning though... had to rain when we were planning to go there @$#@%$!).. anyways I enjoyed the long drive.. then went to Forum.. got another b'day gift.. this time had to choose it.. no surprises there... took a long time to decide... we both are soooo indecisive!! Had dinner and came back home..had to come back home :((((( For the first time didn't have to worry about coming back home.. Normally so late at night, taxi drivers in kolkata are not willing to come to Salt lake.. But this time @!$#^!%$% the taxi drivers!!! We had a car !!! Hee hee!!!

Sounds kiddish isn't it ?? Maybe... But when you achieve something you enjoy that success... and this is one of Amit's dreams, something he has always wanted...am really really happy for him.. and happy that he thought of all this just to see that surprised look on my face...which was so momentary coz that moment will never ever come back again... but that moment made my day...

Looking forward to many such moments dear, in the years ahead... and Amit used to always says that he thinks up huge surprises.. I used to tease him about that... but today he has really proven it...

Thank you dear for being with me on my special day, being so thoughtfull and making it memorable.... Love you

Kids...

Few days back I was talking to my UK based boudi (brother's wife/bhabi)... Asked her about Diya (their daughter)...

Bhabs : Diya's got a boyfriend...

Me: Whaaaaaaaaat?? [You must be thinking - so what? Whats the big deal?? Well... Diya is only five years old !!! See, even you are saying "Whaaaaat?" now!!!]

Bhabs: Yes..His name is Pawan... One day Diya came home and told me "Mom, do you know Pawan reaaaaaally loves me?" I felt like smiling, but I didn't.. Without any expression, I asked her "How do you know?" Diya said "Pawan asked me to to marry him" (One can very well imagine boudi's expression now..) She asked "What did you reply?" Diya cool answer -"I said yes"

Me: (I was almost rolling on the ground!!) I saw this girl being born & now she's talking of getting married?!!! Oh my God!!!

Bhabs: Wait...There's more to this "love story".. Pawan is a Keralite Christian & as you know we are Bengali Brahmins... One day Pawan asked his mom -"Mom, how can Diya and I get married.. My God is Jesus & her God is Krishna?"

Me: [Speechless..Amazed at such realization at such young age]

Bhabs: As if this wasn't enough, listen to realization number 2....Diya comes and asks me - "When I get married to Pawan, will I have to go and live in South India"?

Me: I just don't believe this!!! But cant stop laughing!!!

Bhabs: Yes.. just imagine... your brother tells me why don't you shut her up when she says these things?? I tell him that its a momentary thing.. She will forget abut these things soon...[Hope so]

I narrated Diya's love story to everyone at home... Its really hard to believe that the baby who grew up in front of our eyes -saw her take the first step, hear her first words.... She couldn't pronounce "Pishi" (that's what she's supposed to call us... It means aunt (father's sister).. She used to go the veranda (we stay on the floor above them) & call "peeee "" or "sheee", but never the two together!! The girl who used to listen to stories & then narrate her own version... In her stories there was always an elephant.. monkey, lion were the other characters... Even if there were humans in it, everybody somehow had to land up in the jungle....In each story somebody used to slap the other at the end... Mind it, each time we had a different ending with a different character getting slapped by a different character !!! The girl who used to smile coyly whenever the word "marriage" was mentioned, without even knowing the meaning of the word.. Or did she know it?!!!

That girl has grown up so much?? Has she graduated from fairy tales and made up stories to the hard realities of life??? She has come to realize the difference in religion, geographies...How do kids even get these ideas? From what they hear from here and there?? Or is it the effect of TV, soaps, movies? I have got no clue...I don't remember I had any ideas like these when I was five years old!!! I don't think I had ANY idea!!! Or nowadays kids are simply born intelligent?? I dread what my kids will say... Just give me the information -"Mom I got married".. God please give me the strength to absorb that !!!!

I just hope kids never ever lose their innocence... Its our job as adults/parents to shield them from the harsh realities of life...They have their rest of the lives to face those and overcome them...So for the time being, let them be the way they are- cute, adorable & innocent...

About us....

I have written about myself, my family till now...Felt should write about Amit too... As I have said, this blog is about me, my family, people I love.. So it would be incomplete if I don't write anything about him...Actually, I was waiting for the right moment... What right moment you ask? There's no right/wrong moment when a loved one is concerned...I had planned to write something on a special day… What’s so special about today?? There is... Hold your breath....

Today is our 23rd anniversary !!! Not yearly !!! Hey, we are not that old !!! Its our monthly anniversary !!! he he!!! That too of coming across each other on Orkut (God bless the site)... Next month we are going to complete two years.... Two WONDERFUL years...

It all started on July 8, 2006, when I had scrapped him the first time..I had found him on a schoolmate's friend list... I was so excited to come across old friends & familiar names that I scrapped all of them... Amit fell in the category of “familiar names”... Believe it or not, we had never ever interacted, not even exchanged "Hello Hi's" !!! In school he was the typical studious guy, totally focused on his studies and career… And me?? Ahem... lets not get into that !!!! Being one of the toppers, everyone knew him by name, even my mom !!!... Whenever results came out, she used to ask "How much has .............. got?" She used to name the toppers in each & every section one by one & of course Amit was one of them... If I had scored 85% I used to manipulate a little and used to tell her that "Mom this time results were not good, even Amit has got 88%" !!! (Please note that the figures are just an example !!!)

Coming back to our story - He scrapped back & got into multi scrapping and three days later we graduated from Orkut & started mailing each other....Orkut was becoming too public and the page full of scraps would have raised a few eyebrows !!! The number of mails that crisscrossed were amazing, seems unreal now but at that point it felt like there was so much to know about each other, so much to share & mails being the only medium...I forgot to mention (how could I ?!!) that he was in US then...so there was the problem of different time zones, yet we managed... I used to stay up late just to read his mails & then reply back, same for him.... We started chatting...but that was only possible when I was at office and he was at home & that went on till late hours in the night for him...He had to get up early and rush to office red eyed the next day.. poor dear!!! We were already having sleepless nights!! he he!!

I remember we spoke for the first time on his birthday... I had called him up but got his voicemail instead ("Hi, you have reached Amit.. I can't take your call right now. Please leave a message, I will get back to you as soon as possible"- Awwww... How I used to hate it !!! ) As true as his voicemail message, he called up later to get his birthday wish!!! After that, phone calls, mails, chats became a habit.. Exchanging what was going on in our lives, however mundane or silly it might be, fears, insecurities, problems, and happy things... in short- anything.... The days when he could not mail or call (that was only due to unavoidable circumstances) it felt as if there was a void.... Don't know how & when we had become emotionally attached... It felt weird at times... Is it possible without even seeing each other? We hadn't even a clue where the other had been, what the other had been doing the past 10 years...Just had to take the other's word for it...How can you trust someone so much?? But we did... What if this attachment was only due to the fact that he was there all alone & my mails and phone calls etc was like a welcome change?? Would things be the same once he's back in India, amongst friends & family?? There were lots of confusions of which we had no answers except - "Time will tell".

As if these confusions weren’t enough, we faced a problem - my parents were looking for a groom for me... We were scared that this thing we are getting used to won't be the same once I get married... We used to dread that...One day a family came to see me.. It was one of the worst days of my life... The ending wasn't that bad though... The family came, ate, asked questions... “I HATED every moment of it” would be an understatement... coz I didn't want to be a part of that, yet wasn't so confident about our thing - where we stood exactly...couldn't be rude for fear of insulting my parents.. Amidst all this, got the mail alert in my cell... (not to miss any of his mails I had set a mail alert in my cell).. I was so eager to read the mail but somehow controlled myself... When they left (finally) I read the mail in which he had set all my doubts at rest... In the mail he asked me to marry him... There were no second thoughts, I said yes immediately !!!

But problems never seem to cease... next part was telling my parents... coz the family which had come were almost ready... Amit wasn't sure when he would be able to come back...So things had to be stalled at my place... I told them about us & to wait for 6 months... I really thank God for such wonderful parents... They just stalled everything and waited... Even though we hadn't met we had decided to take that risk... Coz once parents come to know about it there's not turning back...

Life was going on with the hope that he would be able to come back by July 2007 .. Everything was almost confirmed when one fine day we came to know that it wasn't possible, he would have to stay back till God (and his company) knows when... It felt as if the hope you were clinging to had been suddenly taken away...I was shattered, what would I tell my parents?? What time frame could I give them?? But I had to update them... People began to feel a bit impatient at my place, they started saying "So what if he can't come right now he should tell his parents about this".... But that was something we were very firm on... this is not something you should convey over the phone... If my kids would have done this I wouldn't have liked it... so the wait & the tension continued...Each and every day I kept on asking him -" When are you coming back? Any developments? " One day he told me if there would be any developments I would be the first person to know... So by asking him daily I was not trusting him... I realized my mistake & stopped doing that....

After many problems at his end - threats bordering on resignation, refusing lucrative offers... he came back in Jan 2008... Even though coming back in Jan cost him quite a lot (damn the tax laws, excuse the language !!!), but he came back.... I don't know whether I am worth all this... it was a gamble on his part... it is still a gamble though... One of my worst fears is him saying that it was all a mistake....I hope I don't have to hear that in my lifetime...

And then, WE MET !!! After one and half years of knowing, writing, talking to each other, seeing each other in pics….It was a different experience & and the fears "Whether things will change after we meet?" were dispelled.... But life is not as rosy as we expect it to be... next part was telling his parents & when he did, they were shocked... Maybe they wanted a much better match for their son.. don't blame them.. Age was also a factor.. Again came a tough time - he had to fight at his place, which he had never done before...This is not the way I wanted it, but that's the way God wants it to be... Who am I to question God’s will…so be it....Finally after much anguish, things have settled down, at least on the surface.... Maybe his parents have reconciled to the fact that there's nothing to be done... but just to go along....

As they say - All’s well that ends well... lets hope so.... There have been so many doubts -people becoming skeptical after hearing how it all happened.. Someone termed it as "phoney" (might have intended it as a pun, coz our major interaction was over the phone ) !!! A friend of mine asked, "Does this thing can really happen - over the net, phone calls?" I told her it happened in my life & thus I believe in it…

Even though we were far apart, we were always in touch, always updated on what’s going on in each other’s lives... Even though he was far away he was there with me in times of need... Even over the phone he could sense my mood, whenever I was down he would cheer me up.. He could see my tears even though I tried to hide them.... What else could a girl want? Even people living together miss out on these things....To be very frank, there are times when you miss the physical presence - When u feel like going out and all your friends are busy...When you want to talk to him, but due to network problem you cant get through... Or when you are not just content with hearing the voice, but want to see the expression, the smile, and the twinkle in the eye...

They say marriages are made in heaven, but can be made in internet too!!! Only thing is, you have to be lucky as I have been... Lucky to find him - someone without whom my life would have been incomplete.... He's one of the best people I have come across in my life, someone who has never ever let me down...Been as caring, thoughtful and understanding as I had wanted my life partner to be...We do have our differences and imperfections, but we have accepted those and loved each other... That is what Love is all about, isn’t it???

It sometimes feels too good to be true... it can't be happening to me... I don't think I deserve this...And if it’s a dream, don't want to wake up, ever...

My little sis has grown up :((((

I had just reached home from the airport...My eyes fell on the photo frame kept on our computer table with a pic of me (around 4 years) holding my baby sis in my arms, looking into each other's eyes -one of our favorite childhood pics...It was so hard to believe that the small little bundle that I was holding has grown up & on her way to do her MBA & going to stay in a hostel for two years for the first time in her life....Had just seen her off... Just before entering the airport she had looked back 2-3 times... Couldn't help feeling a lump in my throat, but the stoic family that we are, nobody cried.. Well, almost !! We were talking on the phone from either sides of the airport gate, when I asked her whether we should go inside, she vehemently asked me not to, otherwise she would start crying & she started crying !!! Though she was ashamed the very next moment for creating a scene out there!!! Don’t blame her... when you are leaving your family behind, one is bound to get emotional... My Dad says - "Arrrey, its the beginning of a new life, for a better tomorrow…So why cry??? " Something in the lines of Rajesh Khanna's famous dialogue -"Pushpaaaa, I hate tears"!!! Even though it’s true, but at that moment nobody is game for gyan like that... especially the one who's leaving home and family behind.... The heart has reasons that the mind will never understand...I believe you should follow your heart at times... If your heart tell you to bawl, do so, you are bound to feel better the next moment...

Pami's (sis) going for a MBA was a dream that she had nurtured from when she had joined her first job... It took a huge sacrifice on her part- to quit her job and concentrate fully on her preparations....Wouldn’t have been possible without the support of mom & dad, who have been with her every step of the way, be it providing finance, countless xerox, prints, couriers, follow ups, escorting to the examination centers & of course most importantly -inspiration and motivation...Mom allowed Pami to keep the study room in a mess, never even trying to arranging her papers even though it bugged mom's passion for cleanliness!!! This past year sis had been full time at home... Mom must be missing their constant bakbak/fights/leg pulling....Something I will never be able to compensate even though nowadays I try to come back home early to give her company...At present she keeps on waiting for Pami's calls -informing us what she had for breakfast/lunch/dinner, whole day activities... We all know once she gets busy with her curriculum the phone calls will dwindle... but that’s the way life is.... everybody has to follow their lives, their destinies...

The last few months had been particularly hectic with her shopping and preparations for going to B school… My sis who’s normally clad in jeans and a top has to wear salwar kameezes at Symbiosis (now that’s quite an ordeal for her, seems the rewind version of "Jassi jaisi koi nahi" !!) Otherwise they impose a fine of Rs 200 which I don't think is covered by her student loan !!! That’s why she went on a salwar shopping spree with poor me in tow…(which was taxing for me.. both physically and financially!!)...Then she had to buy different household stuff (for setting up her new sansaar !!), accessories and cosmetics etc that we normally shared… Never knew that we had so many things in common & for the first time had to buy things in duplicate !!! Then she had to complete her assignments, which as per her nature were kept pending for the last moment !!!

Now it feels strange coming home to an empty room... Though lately we had both been busy with our own lives but the physical presence was there…We exchanged notes, teased each other, her constant pleading to buy her stuff, our shopping excursions, watching movies & favorite shows together, ganging up against mom, been partners in crime.....We have also fought a lot, had differences, stopped talking...but being sisters came back together again.... Our differences among others was the fact that staying at home she never used to keep our room clean & which irritated me... But now she has to do everything on her own and the best part of it she is not complaining about it !!! This stint in MBA apart from making her a professional, will make her independent and maybe a bit clean and organized!!! Good for her..

This is the beginning of a new life for her -These two years in Symbiosis and then wherever her job takes her, which I am sure will be out of Kolkata...I have accepted the fact that henceforth our lives will be different...there will be no coming home to each other at the end of the day...Exchange of what’s going on in our lives will be through phone calls, chats, orkut...But being sisters the bond will be the same, am sure...

We have been more of friends rather than sisters- shared our room, stuff, clothes (till the time we could fit into each other’s clothes!!), friends, secrets…We have never been the demonstrative, mushy types, but always been there for each other.. Supported each other’s decisions, stood against mom & dad in support of the other whenever required...

Being sisters we are alike in some aspects and totally different in some... I guess what makes our relationship special is the understanding and acceptance of those differences & loving each other…Though this is something we have never said to each other in person... but I guess its easier to write-

Love u sis..

Miss u lots...

My IPL experience!!!

My dear little sis had ended up writing a blog about my going to watch an IPL match. So why should I be left behind?? After all it was my first hand experience !!! Moreover in her blog she made me sound like a total cricket illiterate, as if I can’t differentiate between a goal and a four/Six!! Huh... So the need of writing a blog became all the more necessary to clear my tarnished image!!!

Match - Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Chennai Super Kings
Day & time -18th May 2008 (Sunday) 4 pm
Venue- Eden Gardens

The excitement started well before that... a huge group from office had decided to go and as usual I was also drawn into it...I couldn'’t say no.. I have never been to Edens, had heard a lot about the electrifying feeling. Might never get a chance again & that too with friends, so said yes...Before going for the match, the whole feeling was as if we were going for a picnic !!! As nobody would be willing to go and get refreshments during the match we all decided to pack our snacks -sweets, chips, biscuits... Everybody pitched in. I will bring this, I will bring that!!! Was it any less than a picnic??

Next thing to be decided was the dress code...Black was the chosen color…Why ??? How dare you ask ??? Being Kolkatans we were supporting dada and his band of boys- Kolkata Knight Riders...But as an afterthought black was cancelled...We couldn’t be that loyal (sorry dada!!).. Even though the game was supposed to start at 4 pm.. we had to be there in the stands by 2pm..(Why so early?? I will get to that later), and wearing black at that time of day would have ensured that we would have been barbequed !!! Am sure dada wouldn’t have liked that !!! Next came caps- Since I have got a big fat head, normal caps don't fit me!! So the day before the game, Shilpa and I ventured out for a cap hunt... Got drenched in the rain, but came back home smiling as mission was accomplished and I had managed to buy a white cap... which made me look like a tennis pro!!!

Next thing to do was to make banners... As its been quite a while that I had a rishta with chart papers, there were none at home... So the responsibility of making banners was given to others.. I took the responsibility to coin the lines and immediately outsourced it to my sis!!! She was game enough to come up with some great ones.. Which I smsd to all my friends...of course giving her the due credit....Mou even wrote one on her cap!!!

Sis came up with the following-

“East or west…
Knightriders are the best"...

"Gali gali me shor hai
Dhoni ka team chor hai"

Errr... no comments about these, after all couldn't risk insulting her creative genius at that point of time!!! After a bit of coaxing and inspiring she came up with much better ones which won her much accolades from my friends, such as-

"KKR ke do do shaan
Dada aur Shahrukh khan"

"Dil me mere hai dard-e-disco
CSK eden se khisko"

"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Dhoni wicket pe sota hai"

"Om shanti Om
Dhoni ke peeche maro bom(b)"

Ahem..She got a bit carried away with the last one!! Couldn’t write that, so it was censored & mellowed down to-

"Om shanti Om
CSK go home"

She had suggested writing something favoring CSK on the back of the banner, in case they were winning we could turn the banner that side!! I didn’t accept the idea... loyalty & integrity naam ki koi cheez hai!!!


So on the great day we all met up in office fully equipped with sunscreen, sunglasses, caps, snacks, banners…That Sunday was a working day for us, but we had decided to give it an off... ended up making everybody else jealous by our sheer enthusiasm!!! We set out for Edens..The whole place was cordoned off, had to walk a long way in the sun but no one was complaining... We arrived 2 hours earlier. Seats had to be booked..Of course we had tickets!!! But that doesn’t quite matter there... It’s a first come first serve basis... After the game started saw a couple who had come to find their seats with the tickets in their hands.. People reacted as if they had committed a crime!! One lesson learnt that day- Stadium is not the same as a cinema hall !!!


The two hours wait just went away in a jiffy... watching players practicing on the ground.. could make out Shoaib, Ishant Sharma thanks to their distinguishing frames !!! We danced to the songs that were playing.. one part of the IPL hoopla..

The game began... and what I had heard all these days was true...The atmosphere was totally charged up...The whole stadium was packed.. Read in the newspaper the next day that it was a crowd of 80,000 - One of the strongest turnout IPL had witnessed that far.. Felt proud to be a part of it and proud of Kolkata!!! Each and every ball people expected a six or a four!!! What a pressure it creates on the batsmen... Once Shilpa got so excited when the batman hit a four she waved the "Out" banner instead!!! The sad part- not for a single moment did the camera focus on us!! But the people around us did read the banners and appreciate.. I felt so proud!!! People were also looking out for the celebrities…We could see SRK standing on the ground... a friend of mine even spotted Juhi Chawla..

We jumped up at each and every ball expecting a massive hit... danced at a 4 or 6.. took part in the mexican wave..moaned whenever anybody got out.. it was amazing...Before we could realize Kolkata Knight Riders wrapped up for 149/5.

Then it was the turn of Chennai Super Kings to bat. The way things were going we didn’t get the chance to dance!! At every ball we expected an out, but it didn’t happen... They were 55 for no loss and that's when the sky turned gray and there was a gust of wind and the weather changed from hot to cool.... A section of people started dancing as if they were welcoming the rain!!! "ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra!!" would have been an apt song!! And lo and behold, it started raining... Even though we were under the shade we got drenched... Then came the trickiest part- jumping over seats... People from the lower rows were coming up towards the shade & we all had to move up hopping over the concrete benches, one miss would have ended up in an accident…but thankfully there were no mishaps.. We waited.. It was a never before experience -enjoying the rain and storm in a open stadium...

The rain stopped... we expected the game to resume and awaited the much hoped for KKR win…but our hopes were shattered when it was declared that CSK won the game by the Duckworth-Lewis method...

The adventure was not yet over... Coming out of the stadium was another ordeal but we managed... Excited, tired, drenched in sweat and then rain, sun burnt, dejected at not being able to win and that too a must win game…it was a gamut of emotions...But an experience that I will never forget...

Don’t know what the die-hard test cricket fans say about these match formats... But I can say by what I saw that IPL has really caught the nation's attention... especially the youngsters... A match which wraps up in 3-3.5 hours…This is something like instant maggi, instant Pizza to them!! Cricket with bollywood celebrities and bit of song and dance thrown in and of course cheerleaders (how could I forget them. sorry guys!!!) who's complaining ?!!! So here's to IPL, the heady cocktail of energy, adrenalin, entertainment, masala and high TRP- hip hip hurray!!!

Sharukh Khan came to town!!!

I went to office like any other day (late as usual !!) but when I entered office I was hit by a buzz (not of bees!!!) Everyone from the security guard, to the peon, colleagues - saying the same thing at the same time-
"Do you know Shahrukh Khan is coming to the Reebok store next door"??" Being the late lateef that I am, I was the last person to come to know about it!!

From what I could gather- the time for the "event" was 12 pm...Venue was the Reebok Store just adjacent to our office building. A stage had been prepared and to protect SRK from prying eyes of the "aam junta" a wall had been erected around the area...The event was some auction of Knight Riders stuff (that's what I heard) ...Though I was quite doubtful that Shahrukh Khan would risk his complexion prancing around in the scorching heat.... But I guess that's what he gets paid for !!! If I was paid that much I would very well risk becoming "dark and ugly" from "fair and lovely" !!! Ahem... fair and lovely is too much, but again its my blog !!! So fair & lovely it is !!! Nobody paid any heed to my musings coz everybody was discussing from where they could get a good glimpse of SRK...

Yes, dear reader...you guessed it right - people did not work that day.. I doubt in the financial docs that we write, whether anybody wrote about Shahrukh Khan absentmindedly. If so, I wouldn't have been surprised !!!

The 12 pm deadline rolled to 1 pm... But that couldn't deter the die hard fans…Some of them went downstairs to maintain a long vigil outside the gates of the Reebok store... Few went to the terrace, where there was only one spot from where the stage could be seen & four people could stand side by side- Lets say that was the front seat !!! Behind them there was a pipe on which stood another four people - the gallery seat !!! I went upstairs once to scrutinize the affairs and was totally amazed at the scene there and what I saw on the road - There were people on both sides of the road, on the terraces of the adjacent as well as the opposite buildings...The sun was blazing away to glory & the damsels who normally would never venture out in the sun at such a time, were braving the heat just to catch a glimpse of SRK and that too the top his head from 10 stories above!! It was MADNESS !!! The heat and the height was too much for me & I was also not sure whether the pipe would be able to bear my weight !!! So I came back downstairs and got back to work.

The clock struck four & all hell broke loose !!! We could hear the sound from 8 stories above... Windows in the office were opened wide (to hell with the AC !!!) , people almost flung their upper parts of their bodies out of the windows to catch a glimpse.....I was amazed to see "Pdi" (a senior colleague and dear friend of mine, one of the literary kinds) half out of the window !!! I doubt whether she even knows the name of one of his movies !!! During this madness there were a handful of people who stoically went on doing their work... I am a bit ashamed to say I was not one of them.. had tried though, but was carried away with the tide!!! I thought what the heck, why should I be left behind??? I also had a peek.... but the distance was such, if anybody else stood there and someone told me "Look that's SRK" I would have believed him/her... From that distance it wouldn't have made a difference and being myopic I wouldn't have been able to make a difference !!!

What was SRK doing?? He took the mike and said a few things...hit a ball with a bat... danced a few steps... that was it !!! I didn't even get to see all of this then, saw it on TV later... again and again, as it was all over the place !!!

After the event was over, everyone was smiling... as if they had had a personal chitchat with SRK... A colleague came all excited and gushed- "We had gone to the staircase landing, got a good view and I have even taken his pics" ...I felt a pang of regret .. shucks.. why hadn't I gone there??? But the regret was gone the moment when she took out her mobile and said "Thaaaaaaaaats him !!!" By the "a"s I have added, one can very well imagine the distance and the size of SRK!!!! On second thoughts should have added more "a"s, didn't quite do justice !!! he he!!!

Things didn't come back to normal that day.. The spectators from the terrace/road came back feeling tired & weak, so they went home...One group came back too disappointed as the police had misled them & they had stood at a such a place from where they couldn't even see him, let alone touch him (that was their plan!!)… Rest of the people were too excited to work... and that's how we lost one workday during our much hectic earnings season.

This experience set me thinking... I couldn't help being amazed at the charisma of this person... such a crowd pulling ability... so many educated people behaving like star struck kids... SRK doesn't even know what people did that day just to catch a glimpse of him & that too from 10 stories above... with the hope that he would just look their way and wave at them !!! Such endeavors to see a person whom you can see on every magazine, hoardings, any channel, any time of the day... Does he look any different in person?? Did anybody even catch a proper glimpse of him?? Nopes.. But that's the way it is... this is how people behave when they see any celebs.. Or is it a thing about us Indians only??? What it is that makes them different from any of us??? Was Shahrukh Khan enjoying the whole thing? Doing the same old routine?? Wouldn't he have enjoyed it more spending time with his family and friends??? But I guess this is the price one has to pay for fame....

At one point of time I envied the luck and the power this man possesses...Had thought "Wow, what a life this guy has...God...why couldn't you make me so famous, so coveted???

But I don't think so now as-

I can spend time with my loved ones anytime I like...

I can go anyplace without being mobbed...

I can keep my love life a secret if I want to....

I can write anything in my blog !!!

I can say anything without the fear of being misrepresented..

Thats why I am happy the way I am & the way my life is...

THANK YOU GOD...

About me?!!!!!

This is my first post...Don't know how to start but I guess an introduction is in order.... But why do I need to do so considering the fact that I might be the ONLY person who reads this!!! Do I need to make an introduction to myself? On deeper thoughts... maybe I do!!! In case if I ever tell somebody to visit my blog, then that person will not need any introduction..coz he/she already knows me!!! In case somebody ever comes "bhule bhatke" to this blog then of course an introduction is necessary...I will let that person form an opinion about me rather than me putting words in that person's head!! One's thoughts should be independent!!

I am making all this "bahana" coz its very tough for me to describe myself!!! Each time I come across a "About me" I am at a dilemma... ki hai kya likkkhu??? How can I describe myself in such a limited space? Is it possible?? Will I be able to do justice? I can almost see the bubble over the reader's head-"OMG.. this girl is so full of it" !!! But, I believe a human being has so many attributes/qualities/negatives that it is not possible to sum it up in few words.. at least I can't...was never good at precis writing anyways!!!

So in this case, I will not go into any introduction :))))) I have named the blog "Anything under the sun" .. This is basically going to be my diary... or scribbling or even doodling pad.. whatever you call it!!! Whatever I write will be a reflection of me... So that solves my perennial problem- of introducing myself!!! Anyone who reads this will get an idea about me...

What will I write about?? Mostly about my life.. about the people I love... people I hate (will vent out my feelings here!! there might be lots of @#^$^$%&%$@ !!!) ... my beliefs.. opinions...daily happenings..to cut it short-
will write about ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN!!!

So.... Ladies & gentleman....another blogger has arrived...

again the bubble -(as if it makes a difference!!! yet another drop in the ocean!!) I HATE these kind of bubbles!!!

But what the heck... its MY blog!!! So here it goes-

tarantara boom boom....Thunderous applause!!!