Adding spice to life......

Agreed!
Some of the best surgeons, scientists, engineers, business persons, carpenters, tailors and criminals are men.
Even some of the best chefs in this world happen to be men.
But I sincerely believe that some men should not cook.... And in particular.... one man, who incidentally happens to be my "Lord and Master".

Not that he does or even attempts to cook.
But there was a day in my life when he did.

I was in the first trimester of pregnancy with my second child....... throwing up at every sight, sound, smell and thought of food!
That was when my dear husband was overcome with love for me.
He told me to relax in the bedroom while he fixed a meal for the three of us...... me, our 5 year old son and himself.
 My little son volunteered to help his dad. His main job was to hunt for the vessels and spatulas and bring them to me and ask whether it is alright to cook with those. Once the right vessels were selected and approved by me, the actual cooking started.

I relaxed on the bed for about an hour, valiantly fighting off all the mental images of a bombed kitchen.
Finally, I could not bear it any longer and asked the two chefs if I could come out.
"Only a minute, mamma!" shouted the junior chef.
Five minutes later, he escorted me grandly to the dining table.

The table was laid out properly, with 3 plates, 3 glasses and 3 spoons.
There was rice in one serving bowl, thoughtfully covered to keep the steam in. The jug was filled with water. And there was a stack of paper napkins at the centre of the table.
They had even laid out the place mats! Beautiful!!

I fearfully looked at the kitchen counter, sternly telling myself not to react.
Spotless!!.... Amazing!!

I was touched. How thoughtful and considerate! I was totally overwhelmed.
Very few women can boast of a husband who would do all this for them.
(Okay! To be honest, I know a few.... but that does not matter)
I settled down in my chair and within a few seconds the dish of the day arrived!
Chhole!

"That's great!" I said. "Chhole and rice are my favourite." I told the beaming father-son duo.
As I was their guest, I was asked to do the honours. I put a spoonful of the chick peas in my mouth......... and............ the entire world turned red!!
I allowed them to spill back into the plate unceremoniously and rushed to the sink to rinse my mouth when I heard sputtering and coughing. I did not turn around till I had finished.

"You left without a word, so I tried to find out what was wrong with the gravy!" said my husband between huge gulps of water. I quickly gave a bowl of curd and rice to my son and sent him to the drawing room. I did not want him to play investigator too.

"What did you do?" I asked my husband as soon as I could put my tongue back into my mouth. It was hanging out in the most ridiculous way.
"I just cooked chhole for you." he said.
"How?"
"I put one tin of the chick peas, one mug of water and one box of garam masala in the vessel and boiled everything for 30 minutes"
"What? The whole box!"
"Yes," he said tragically, lifting the lid of the dustbin to show me the empty box lying inside.
No wonder my mouth felt like a volcano!!!

What an utter waste of effort! I tried to save the day by washing the chick peas with water. But the spices had penetrated the skin and attached themselves firmly to each and every molecule inside.

Finally, both of us took our bowls of curd-rice and joined our son on the sofa.
The rice was delicious!
And the chhole ........?
 I guess that's what they mean when they say, "Adding spice to your life"

Dear Teacher,

                                  

When I was a young, little child,

You were always walking by my side.

Teaching me to jump and run and fly,

And move around with giant strides.

When my curious eyes were learning to see,

YOU gave them the vision.

And as I grew up, I learnt to think,

But YOU taught me how to reason.

I always did what you told me to.

And I did it because I loved you.

For me you were the best, you know!

And I would tell everyone, "My teacher says so..."

There were also times when I was bad.

I did not know why it made you sad.

But you were there to pull me through,
Ever so loving, ever so true.

And now that I am a teacher too,

I understand why it bothered you.

When students falter and make mistakes,

Its the teacher's heart which actually breaks.

The journey of life is tough indeed!

And its your blessings which I'll always need.

Your blessings are my only reward.

Because for me, you are next to God.

A night of joy

The sun has disappeared, and its night at last!

I can sense a magic that wasn't there in the past.

Stars have vanished from the sky today.

Angels in the clouds have lured them away.

Darkness all around and darker skies.......

I can feel the beauty, that I cannot see with my eyes.

And emerging suddenly with a silver robe,

Is a slender slice of the celestial globe.

 The perfect crescent, tilted slightly to the right,

Never before have I seen a more beautiful sight.

Gentle creatures have now become gregarious.

Oh, my humble backyard looks so glorious!

Says the grass to the whistling breeze,

"Hush, my dear! let's enjoy the peace."

And cradling me in this dreamy haze,
Is a night of joy, a night of grace.

Rush Hour 76

10:00 a.m. and I was still cooking!

But I had to finish making that special delicacy before leaving. After all, everyone was counting on me for that and I could not disappoint them.
Especially when this particular dish is considered very important during Diwali. I was making 'karanjee'... that too, in true traditional style. Partly, because I like to do things the old fashioned way and partly, because I had no other choice.... my mixer had decided to rebel against the atrocities I was inflicting upon it.

And there I was pounding, grating, roasting, mixing, kneading, beating..... doing everything with my bare hands!
Having done that, I moved on to the next step of neatly stuffing the sweet filling and shaping the karanjees into beautiful crescents.

My goodness! 11:30 a.m.
Thankfully, the children decided to co-operate by keeping out of my way.

What next? What next?!!!!
Yes.... fry, fry, fry!
Whew! Finally over.

12:15 ....... and there the cab was.... standing under my window, merrily honking away.

OK... time to go!
Bags ...........check
Tickets........check
Gifts.......... check
Sweets........check
Children..... check  (I did not want one of them to be left behind, 'Home Alone' style)
Oh, I need not have worried. They were inside the cab even before I had finished locking the door.
Next,...... pick up the husband!
Better not forget to do that and leave him stranded on the highway.
But there's no way I could have forgotten him either. He had already called me a few dozen times from office since morning.

He was already standing there, perspiring heavily, when we reached at 1 p.m.
(I think its best to avoid mentioning the little detour I took to pick up my clothes from the tailor)
" Tell him to turn up the AC" I suggested helpfully pointing to the driver. And I met with a cold silence. I barely noticed it. My head was still reeling with mad rush in the morning. Tired that I was, I blissfully drifted off to sleep after a few minutes.
I woke up after some time feeling little refreshed and looked out of the window to find that we were still far away from our destination. I got up pretty soon, I thought and looked at my husband only to find him perspiring even more heavily.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, a little concerned. And once again, I met with silence ....... even colder this time.

I resigned myself to thinking, "Oh! Men!! Husbands!!! One can never figure them out".... etc. when I happened to glance at the little digital clock next to the  cab meter.

Was I seeing things?????????????
2 p.m. !!!!!!!!!!

How could that be? I mean, how.... ?
We had to catch that train at 2:30 p.m. We should have reached the station by now.
"The traffic is crawling", I murmured.

"Stop the car", shouted my husband at the driver suddenly. We were some where close to Dadar station. The driver wasted precious 5 minutes in taking the car on one side and parking it.
"Better not ask him what he is doing", my sensible brain advised my not so sensible mouth.
"Mumbai Central is impossible......We will catch a local train from Dadar to Borivali. Our train has a halt at Borivali", he said.
Those who know the railway system in Mumbai will immediately get the drift. And for those who don't......... I would advise, don't even try getting into it!

Anyway, we were trying to attempt the impossible feat of reaching Borivali station in time to catch the train.

On your marks..... get set...... GO!!!!!!

Yes, we had a good start. Our running would have put the best sprinters to shame. We were inside the station and on the platform in no time at all!
I really have to thank god for giving me such a considerate husband. How very thoughtful of him to take care of the largest bag and biggest child and run full speed, leaving me with only the smaller bag and the younger child to handle. And how very sweeeeet of my little one to decide to help by happily toddling along.

Enough! I grabbed the toddler and hauled her up on my waist to improve our speed. She immediately started her imitation of the siren which she had perfected.
After an endless wait, where seconds seemed to drag on like hours, we managed to board the local train to Borivali. Whew! There was hope now.
Just then, my husband got the message that our train to Baroda had departed from Mumbai Central on time! The Indian Railways was showing exemplary punctuality on the day it was needed the least.
But yes, we made it on time. Good 5 minutes before our train arrived. Rush hour had finally ended and we were finally on our way to Baroda. And I have actually survived to tell this tale.

Once settled, my husband finally found the opportunity he was waiting for. I had to sit through and pretend to listen to a long monologue on the importance of time and time management. Like a good student I heard him out........ managing to nod and say "yes" at correct intervals of time. Also like a good student, I drifted into dream zone every few minutes.

After he had finished delivering his lecture, I said brightly, "But look at the positive side! At least we did not spend an hour getting bored at the station."
Oops! Did I say too much?

A birthday song

I wonder what I should give you today.
Something that will last... something that will stay?

I went through all the lovely things,
And rejoiced imagining the joys they would bring.

Then the question arose, how long they would last?
Soon they would become things of the past.

Even if they were the best of the best,
I wonder how long they will hold your interest.

So, I thought I'll gift you a beautiful smile.
One that will linger on your lips for a while.

A twinkle in your eyes that glistens like dew...
And a merry heart singing, "Happy Birthday to You!"

Thanksgiving

Thank you.

 

Merci.

 

Shukriya.

 

My heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful people in my life for the various roles they played in shaping this blog.

First, I would like to thank my guide and mentor, my 'guru', for teaching me all the nuances of blogging.
Thank you for your precious advice. Your inputs, suggestions and criticism are invaluable. I put my heart and soul into every word that I write.
Yes, I write for myself and I am being true to myself.... no pretenses.... no artificial facade.

Then, a big thank you to all my dear friends whom I have forced to read my blog :)
Thank you so much for your encouragement and support. You have been really sweet every time.

And lastly, a very special thanks to a very special person who actually coaxed me to start my blog.
This blog would not have existed without you.
Thanks for showing confidence in me.
I don't know what spark you saw in me. I don't even know whether you were serious when you kept telling me to write.
Anyway, it does not matter. It still shows, that somewhere you thought that I was capable of putting my thoughts into words.
It means a lot to me.


Phew!!!!
Too much!
This is sounding like an Oscar speech......... really mushy.......... yuck!

But it had to be done. It makes me feel lighter. Not that I consider thanking anyone a burden. I really wanted to express my gratitude.

In case you are wondering why I have suddenly gone on a thanks giving spree, let me tell you, I had this on my mind for a long time. I just got down to doing it today.

Who knows, what might happen tomorrow?
I might become a successful writer and forget all those who helped me when I was struggling. I might not feel so grateful then.

So, the best day to get anything done is TODAY. And the best time to do it, is NOW.

And anyway, I had nothing better to do today ;)

An Ode to the Sea

Beneath a placid exterior, countless secrets do you hide.

While bubbling on the surface, how can you be so serene inside?

I listen mesmerised as you speak.

While the gentle wind caresses my cheek.

And when I dig my fingers in the warm sand,

I find you firmly clasping my hand.

Calm, composed, tranquil and charmingly rustic.

Rising and falling, the beautiful Atlantic.

But when provoked, you raise the most terrifying storm!

Truly, you are nature in the most magnificent form.

How can you be, so forgiving and majestic?

And yet at times, so ruthless and unapologetic?

I admire you, for your courage undaunted.

Your mysterious magic, leaves me enchanted.
 

A twist of fate

Every time I ask myself these questions,

I find the answers beyond comprehension.

Why is it that I am so optimistic?

When I know that I have to be realistic.

Why is it that my every wish has been granted?

Even though I never knew what I really wanted.

Life, I know, is a beautiful collage.

Then why do I long for the distant mirage?

Whenever I am faced with sorrow or joy,

Why does destiny a twist employ?

O Destiny! What can I say?

I do not understand the games you play.

Drifting in the ocean

In the ocean blue and deep,

Among the oysters, where mermaids sleep.

I found something in disguise,

My very own piece of paradise!

Water as far as the eyes can see.....

The mind at rest and the spirit free.

As a lonesome cloud drifts across the sky,

I feel as light as a butterfly!!!

I look at the heaven with gratitude,

For those endless miles of solitude.

Disclaimer

The previous post is purely creative work... if you may call it :)
Any resemblances to people or past conversations with people living or..... umm, well..... living are purely coincidental ;)

Mirror, mirror on the wall.....

"Mirror, mirror on the wall! Who is the fairest of all?"

And how I wish, out of a whirlpool of twinkling stars, a mysterious face would emerge in the mirror and say in a melodious voice, "Its you, my dear."

Alas! But that is not so. Because I am neither a princess, nor a beauty queen. And more importantly, I do not own such a magical mirror.

For ages, I have wondered, what it takes to be called beautiful?

Well, in my case, I find that I am certain things because of the things that I am not.

For example,

I am called fair because I am not dark.

I am thin because I am not exactly fat.

People are forced into saying that I look good because I am not really ugly.

But yes, no one has yet had the courage to call me 'beautiful' .... not even the most smooth-talking people that I know. Everyone has some principles, some integrity, you see.

In short, I am  slim, fair and good looking just because I am not fat, dark and ugly.

When it comes to understanding beauty, I am at a loss. I really fail to understand how fair translates into beautiful.

(Alright there! You may stop sniffing the air.... there's nothing burning)

But it is a fact that some of the most beautiful people I know have a rather dark complexion.

Its the same with the eyes. The lighter they are, the better they are considered to be. Mine are black in the shade and dark brown in the sunlight. Bah... not beautiful!

I have seen pictures of beautiful eyes in newspapers and magazines. They never cease to amaze me because most of them seem to have a permanently amazed expression in them.... as if they don't believe what they just saw!!

But I still admire these people for having the capacity to hold such a bewildered, amused,astonished expressions in their eyes for such long periods of time. Its not an easy feat. Believe me....... I have tried it.

And what about the hair?......... Silky, straight, well-behaved Rapunzel-like hair that has inspired many a poet...... beeooootiful, right?

I say, hair needs some personality too doesn't it? My hair has loads of it. It has its opinions too.

And tell me, what's wrong if one looks well-fed and content? One should be proud of it.

Okay.... okay :) 

I give up.

I admit that I am un-beautiful and I am going to stop being defensive about it.

But do you know, there is a positive side to looking un-beautiful.

I don't really have to bother about keeping up appearances in front of people.

A splash of perfume, a dab of powder and a full tummy ..... and I feel like a million bucks!

I consider it a privilege to look un-beautiful.

So, while all the beautiful people in the world worry about their looks, I look at the mirror and ask, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the loveliest of all?"

And the gorgeous creature inside looks at me intently, gracefully tosses her head, gives the most charming smile and replies,

 "Of course, its you, my dear."

Enchained

Soaring to great heights,

Or plunging out of sight,

My heart sings a rhapsody.

Finding deeper meanings,

Or gathering useless things,

Holding memories in custody.

A vision far away,

But clueless about today,

Seeing things no one can see.

Dreams appear real,

And experiences surreal,

Life is unreal to a certain degree.

Whispering in a melodious tune,

"Come out of your cocoon"

I can hear the stars telling me.

I am just playing my part,

But I want to listen to my heart,

Dropping all shackles, I am going to break free.

The Seed

 I planted a seed long ago,

And it took root in my mind.

I sheltered it and watered it,

With every drop that I could find.

The seed grew into a fine tree,

And spread its branches all around.

It grew tall towards the sky ,

But its roots were firmly in the ground.

Then somewhere along the way.....

The tree grew wings!

And it flew away all alone.

Venturing boldly,
On a journey unknown.

 The mind called it back,

Because that was where it should stay.

But the heart did not listen,

And the tree kept flying away.

The farther from my mind it went,

 The closer to my heart it came.

There were struggles it would have to face,

But it kept flying all the same.

And then it took root in my heart,

Much to my fascination.

 It is now so real,

Was it ever just a figment of my imagination?

Great(?) expectations

How disappointing :(
Its one whole week since I started writing my blog and I can still count my audience on the fingers of my left hand.

This is not the way it should be.
Everyone should read what I write.
Its unfair!!

I know people are doing it on purpose. Everyone hates me. I have no friends in this world.
Oh God! What have I done to deserve this?? Why me???

Hmmphh ......  if people cannot appreciate a good piece of writing, its their loss, not mine.

I think I should go out in the evening and drown my sorrows in a huge glass of watermelon juice. (C'mon.... what were you expecting?)
Then later pick up some napkins to wipe my tears. Buy them?...Of course not!  My favourite juice corner is decent enough to serve napkins as well. I am devastated as it is without having to spend money.
.
.
.
.
.
Aah..... I am feeling so much better now.
Its good to throw a tantrum once in a while, isn't it?

For better or for verse

Is something good,

When it is not bad?

Are we really happy,

When we are not sad?

Is there peace,

When there is no fight?

When there's nothing wrong,

Do we say its right?

Does being brave,

Mean we have no fear?

Do we actually listen,

Every time we hear?

Are we smiling,

When we do not cry?

Are we telling the truth,

When we don't lie?

If we are not cruel,

Does that mean we are kind?

Do we feel with our heart,

When we speak our mind?

Are we being generous,

When we share?

Does being nice, 

Mean that we care? 

The perfect gift

Valentine's day is here.
And as always, I am plagued with this big question.

"What gift should I give, to someone very dear to me?"

This dilemma is not just limited to Valentine's day. I get equally confused on birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and so on.

I can't help admiring all the creative people who can think of innovative things to gift. They must be gifted in the art of gifting.

My usual list consists of books, pens, wallets, watches, clothes, jewellery, perfumes and at the most some electronic item. I have never been able to think of anything extra-ordinary or memorable ..... something that I have been thoroughly satisfied with.
I remember spending hours at the stores searching for the right gift for the special people in my life and then coming out either empty handed or disappointed with my choice.
There is always a feeling that it is just not good enough.

So, coming back to the question,
"What gift should I give, to someone very dear to me?"

Hey!... Wait!..... I just had a brainwave.
Let me reverse the question.

"What gift would I like to receive from someone very dear to me?"

Well, it should be something very sweet and simple. Something which is neither flashy nor extravagant and yet rich with sentiment. Something which warms the cockles of the heart without making me feel overwhelmed or burdened.
Honestly, it can be anything as long as it is given from the heart.
It is the thought that counts.

But I still can't help thinking, what would be the special gift which I would cherish?
Hmm ....... It could be a beautiful poem, oozing with tender feelings. I would certainly love that.
Or maybe ..... a rose.
Oh yes!!  A ROSE!  Why not? Its Valentine's day.

A single rose can be more eloquent than volumes of poetry, more precious than the most exquisite diamond and more delightful than the loveliest painting.

Isn't it the perfect flower to communicate one's feelings? Its charm is so nicely expressed by Dorothy Parker.... 

"A single flow'r he sent me, since we met,

All tenderly his messenger he chose;

Deep-hearted pure, with scented dew still wet - -

One perfect rose.

I know the language of the floweret.
My fragile leaves, it said, his heart enclose.
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose."

So, here it is. The perfect gift to give and to receive ...... One perfect rose!

"Happy Valentine's Day"

Getting creative

Help! I am going online!
OK! My condition is not all that pathetic. Its just that I am trying out something new and I don't know the hows and whys of what I am doing. (Not to mention the whens and wheres and whats).
This is going to be a tremendous task and I don't know how long my enthusiasm will last.

I was just wondering what it takes to be a blogger. Do I have to be a sentimentalist or an intellectual?... or.... do I need to have very strong opinions about some burning issues?.... or.... do I need to have a caustic wit to keep everyone captivated?
Good Lord! I don't think I have all these qualities.
I think I should just be ME. (however boring that may be)

A question that is bothering me is that why have I suddenly taken to blogging?
Is it because I have a hidden desire to express myself? But I do express myself loudly and clearly enough. Sometimes even if it is unnecessary :)
Maybe I want to unleash my creativity. Aah... that sounds good.

So, 2 things taken care of:
1. Starting a blog.
2. Convincing myself that it was necessary.

Now, let me get to the next challenge... finding topics to write about.
You know, if you tell me pen my thoughts I can do that well. But the real trick is finding a proper heading or subject. An article needs a heading, right? ........... even if one cannot make the heads or tails out of it  :)
Actually, I have to think of a subject/heading everytime to appease a certain segment of readers. Especially so, because my readers are going to comprise of that segment only and I don't want to annoy them.

So, wish me luck as I set my sails and start on a new journey.
Hoping to dust off the rust very soon :)