Chor Police

When we were young many(many many) years ago..well, I am talking on behalf of all 30 and 40 somethings here... about 20 years back...we used to play a thrilling game called 'Chor Police'. Oh! How we used to love being the Chor because then we could stay hidden without being caught and wait (or rather not wait)for the moment when someone would discover our new hiding place which only you or your team knew about, till then. The thrill we used to get, to know that we were undiscovered through the whole evening when your friends playing police used to frustratingly search high and low and even beyond the boundaries of the compound (yes, we did 'step over the line' sometimes) looking for the 'chors' that is us, but to no avail.
Staying put for hours together in that secret place half sweating and half wanting to pee badly...would still not deter us from leaving that 'comfort zone'...in spite of the fact that we were these bunch of hyperactive and adrenaline charged kids.
No one would love to 'don the cap' of the police as it was so uninteresting and a boring chore... searching, sniffing for trails, lurking, inquiring for clues and when discovered, chasing the nimble chors across the dusty playgrounds, hopping over small and big muddy water holes attempting to get their hands at catching the slippery chors...but alas no such luck. The sweaty palms of the police some how could never catch hold of the sweatier backs of the chors. Because being a chor always had the distinct advantage of 'one running as if to save his dear life' like how a prey does while the police were just running 'to earn that big badge'..not as desperate I would think. Playing the chor in a nutshell, was more exciting to me as a kid than being the respected but boring police.
Cut to 25 years later......the wordchor and also in the real sense has become such a ignominious word in our lexicon that it has completely lost the innocent sheen around it as in 'chor police' of yesteryears.
Now of course we are all grown up and grown out of 'chor police' days and have well realized that its not good to play the 'chor' anymore. So when we hear about these stories in newspapers and TV and sometimes from close acquaintances about they being at the receiving end of some good for nothing petty thieves or conniving home burglars or some such remaining ilk...it makes you livid, makes your blood curdle and make you wish you had at least one fighting chance with any of these rascals and you would knock the hell out of them. But knocking out was a good option only if you knew one of those Jackie Chan moves or Mithunda's dance kicks of Disco Dancer. Otherwise for the majority of us who did not grow on the staple diet of Bruce lee movies....only 1 option was available...that is using a can of pepper spray, blinding them out and kicking them in that 1 place which would make them remember their 'nani' for their next 7 births. But where do you get Pepper cans...somebody please tell me!

I always used to dream (or rather nightmare)about it.....this sequence of the Chor stealing something from me, on this cold, lonely and dark road and I helplessly trying to scream out 'Help' or 'Catch Thief' but somehow the words never seemed to come out...always! As if the throat had suddenly gone dry and parched just when I needed it most. And then I used to wake me up scared and sweating. After realizing that it was just a dream...with a huge relief would go back to my sleep. I am sure many of us have experienced this dream one time or another...in their life time so far.
Ok....even of this story and my filmy dream. Let me not play the chor police drama with you anymore. So what am I trying to say here is...what if.... what if this sequence from your dream (or nightmare in this case) actually becomes a reality and you are faced with a situation where you really are part of a chor police like situation. What do you actually do?
This is where the actual story begins.
One fine Saturday evening, hubby and me after our long walk in the greens of Aarey Milk colony area, headed towards the Hanuman temple like we always did. Me in my newly acquired pair of Adidas sports shoes was all gung-ho in spite of my tired feet. Sometimes, wearing something new for the first time gives you that extra energy and you get all pumped up...i feel. Its another thing that you end up with your feet in hot water tub when you reach home...but that's another point, let me not digress.
Coming back to the story...both of us, all tired and sweating from the walk reached the temple just in time before the evening Aarti started. I had recently come to know about my FIL's shoes getting stolen from outside another temple just a few days back, so I was in two minds about leaving my brand new shoes worth over 3k behind unattended. I thought maybe my hubby should go in first and then I would enter the temple after he came out. But then I said no, this is a safer area and no one had heard about shoes getting stolen, not from this temple at least.
So we decided to go in together. My hubby went inside and while I was removing my shoes slowly, I could sense a pair of eyes staring at me and my squeaky new shoes in a very obnoxious way. My sixth sense realized that all was not safe here. So I removed my shoes even more slowly and moved just a little bit towards the temple while still keeping a watch from the corner of my eye on those prying eyes. It must have been less than half a minute that I turned my back to face the god and after few moments when I suddenly turned behind, as if on instinct to take a look at my shoes they were not there. That's when I saw this man in his 30's, that is owner of the prying eyes, conveniently slipping on his feet into my shoes and making a quick dash towards the exit.
I swung and ran towards him and started screaming chor..chor all at the same time. (women are good at multi-tasking, you see)Thank you god, my throat also did not disappoint when I needed it most. All of a sudden, the entire temple sprang into an action movie mode from the devotional mode it was in, a few moments back. Me in my socks ran after him all the way down the road almost like I did when we used to play chor police. The scene was straight out of a movie..me running after him yelling chor chor and he running desperately like a prey who did not want to get caught. After about 400 meters, get caught he did as he ran straight into a bunch of teenagers walking towards our direction. With my top of the lung screaming, they realised that what was running towards them was a hare caught in a headlight scared for life.
And then...the usual scene followed where the mob decided to have a free hand at the rogue and hurled the choicest abuses at him. In the mean time I had noticed that this thief while he was denying he had done any wrong, was not wearing my shoes. I got suddenly petrified as the prized prey after whom I ran like never before...(at least not after I ran in the running race on school sports day in my 7th standard)...was not prized any more.
Where were my shoes????
That's when after much collaring, the drunken rogue confessed that he had left them by the temple after realizing that he could not run fast enough with someone like me behind his back. I quickly ran back to the temple and heaved a sigh of relief on seeing my gleaming pair all unattended but still lying safely by the road and calling out to their momma.

All this while when the drama was unfolding outside the temple, which was a matter of just five minutes, my hubby had realized that I was no where inside the temple premises and got worried as to where I disappeared out of the blue. He also heard a flurry of commotion outside the temple so he stepped out hoping to find me. Not knowing that I was reason for the commotion my hubby after seeing me right in the middle of the collected crowd, walked up to me very innocently asked me where I was all this while. I could not help but smile and said to myself 'Living my chor police dream and enjoying it too!!! God had finally given me my fighting chance with a chor and how exhilarating it was.

Just for your information, what happened after this drama was that with the help of local people we sent the thief to the police station and got him locked up. I don't know if it would mean that he will change his ways but I surely did not want to let him off...after all we already had 1 pair of shoes (my FIl'S shoes) out there, up for sale for peanuts by one such drunkard thief.

So what's the Moral of the Story
'Sometimes you don't need a pair of Adidas or NIKE shoes to help you run faster, even a pair of socks would do'

Tale of two cities!

With a name like that for a blog post, one could at once get an attack of a 'blast from the past'. Fond memories from school of your favorite English teacher mouthing lines from the timeless classic.

But no!...this is not about Charles Dickens and his evergreen literary work and nor about the cities of London and Paris like in the famous 'Tale of Two Cities'.

Its about my favorite city Mumbai where I live and the other, a city I just visited recently - Philly (for the uninitiated - Philadelphia). Though I hate to show my favorite city in a bad light I cannot resist a comparison between the two. Even though they both have rich historical leanings to boast of, the similarities quite simply end there. They are proverbially speaking, as different as chalk and cheese.

Let me start with what I saw, heard and which conquered my heart in and about Philly during my brief stay of two weeks.

To begin with, I would like to introduce you to Philly as 'City of Murals'. Why? Because the guide, a young chap with tongue in cheek humour on the hop on-hop off bus of Philly tour said so. And I completely bought it. It seems Philly has around 3000 murals spread across the city, that too more than any other city in USA and that is why it gets the name. You can see murals in all sizes, colours, themes, objects, types of people, scenery and painted across all kinds of buildings, facades, backs and sides..they really make a pretty picture and add a lot of character to the city, I must say. But do you know how these murals came about.

Its an interesting story. The murals were initiated as part of a six week youth program meant for anti-graffiti activity. Which means a lot of youth from socially backward areas in Philly used to indulge in defacing the city walls out of sheer frustration, disregard for the system and callousness of civic sense. A young muralist in 1984 saw an opportunity to use Murals as a soft (brush) weapon for steering these youth towards a more meaningful art rather than ugly graffiti. As is the rule with any graffiti artist, they respect each others art so when they had murals to be painted on city walls it was not difficult to have works of murals being left untouched without any defacing attempts by fellow painters. Also, the murals helped them to bring out the best creativity, earn some pocket money and also helped to change the look of the city and create an enduring legacy through each of these unique murals. As is written about in a book, the process was as much an art of diplomacy and consensus building, as paint and perspective. It also helped to remove stigma around addiction and homelessness, the victims of which were largely and actively involved in the mural program.

Such a program eventually turned Philly into 'City of Murals' on the tourist map. All in all a fantastic program which a city successfully used for betterment of its less privileged citizens, create a vibrant city, provide it a unique character different from other cities and eventually making it a tourist attraction that leads to filling up the kitty of the city municipality. A brilliant idea, well executed!

And now coming to Mumbai where I stay, work and very much (try to) breathe. If the beautiful and vibrant Mural culture is characteristic of Philly then I am sorry to say...the ugly and gross hoarding (billboard) culture is characteristic of Mumbai cityscape. And more despairing is the fact that all these illegal hoardings are largely put out by political parties who are meant to ensure the city's civic sense intact and keep surroundings clean.

But hello...what is civic sense? they ask.

No one has heard about it here, so there they go plastering any available inch of city wall with horrendous hoardings with even more ugly looking faces of themselves looking sneeringly at the poor souls like you and me. Either these hoardings are meant to announce the arrival of some senior politician in town or a wannabe wishing his/her Guru on birthday or simply wishing the citizens (who don't care a rat's ass) a ''Happy Diwali, Christmas, Dassera or Eid''.

Well...what we really care for is the city and its surroundings. Even if there has been a law that has been passed to not allow political parties to push their ugly menacing faces into ours they still do that. And worse...get away with it! How I wish that if looks could really kill, then I would stare hard with my 'killer' looks at all these illegal hoardings and they would drop down from these hoardings like nine pins and perish into thin air (poof!). Alas! the hoardings don't perish nor the faces that adorn them. That's the sad but true story of Mumbai so far.

Coming back to Philly...I had heard about this unique and must see touristy place called the 'Liberty Bell' and the history around it. With Philadelphia being the first national capital between 1790 to 1800 when Washington DC was being built, it adds more history to its existence than any other city in USA (mostly). Also Philly considered as the birthplace of American revolution and independence, the Liberty Bell became even more must see sightseeing attraction to me on paper...but alas was disappointed to see a Bell that size and nothing really much to crow about. I have seen much better bells than this one (keeping aside its history). 18th century is not really old considering Mumbai has much older history to it. But I was truly amazed by the hoopla and the marketing surrounding the same. The Americans surely know how to package their products and market them well. Lessons learnt, right.

Now compare this with our Elephanta Caves which are considered as old as 5th to 8th century AD. They have such fantastic and intricate rock cut Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, unfortunately not so well maintained as they are supposed to be. Also, the access to the island caves is much to ask for. 
The ferries are as rickety and noisy as my 95 year old granny's creaking cupboard....and only operational during non-monsoon period. The pier that is the landing strip is again strewn with plastic junk of all kinds which is not really a welcome sight. Only recently some efforts are being made for any restoration and maintenance of Elephanta caves. However, we surely lag far behind in appreciating the rich heritage that we have among us and we just cannot value the beauty and history which resides so close. Worse still, we cannot maintain it. Only if we can take a hard look at each of the unique historical structures remaining in Mumbai or any other city in India, maintain it, bring it to life and also package and market it well (like the Americans do). The amount of pride each citizen will have for his/her city will be immense. Not to mention that it will serve as revenue generation avenue (from tourists).

We can write reams and reams on what our authorities can do and must do to save our city. How about starting in our own backyard? 
Gandhiji's famous quote, 'Be the change you want to see in the world' makes so much sense even in this context.

- Let's stop littering our city with the remnants of our consumption   (choclate/wafers/other junk food) and instead dump it in your hand bag.

- Let's stop chucking out stuff from the backseat of your (fancy) car and instead carry it  home and dump it in your garbage can.

- Stop spitting...yes, I have seen the deepest red coloured spittoon swooping from the    back seat (not driver's seat)of the most latest Merc. 

- When on holidays in mountains/beaches (wherever) lets stop littering it with mineral  water bottles, plastic wrappers and instead take it back to hotel in case you don't see the  dust bin anywhere.

If each one of us shows patience and stops complaining about the unavailable resources we can surely start making a difference although small.

If we the 'supposed to be educated' souls first understand the importance of civic sense then only it can spread like a movement. Lets begin it soon before its too late. Or else....I see Bombay (which means 'Good bay' in Portuguese) soon becoming Slum bay.

Did I hear a ...'We are already one!' from someone. Ok, that was my inner voice.

Oh God! Really hope not!

Monsoon Song

To be sung in the tune of 'Tuzya Nanachi Taang'

Its that time of the year, when the same ol' fear reappears
Its time for us to scream out & bellow
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

The  come down dear, as if in 4th gear
And then play havoc with roads, far and near
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

Potholes, craters and bumpers leer
as if lusting for your tyre tears
makes you feel like a mortal mere
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

Car rage, stress and repair bills
Becomes a part of the monsoon drill
Makes you holler even more
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

We have had enough and more
Cant take this anymore
The roads, dust and the back sore
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

Can we not all do something
to stop the rot and the done thing
make ourselves heard loud and clear
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

So, when the time comes for next year
Dont let the same fear reappear
We can sing happily and once more
BMC chya Nanachi Taang!

Mumbai Darshan - Thoda Hatke

When you receive an email from your boss requesting you to escort a senior colleague visiting India, for Mumbai Darshan ...one doesn't have a choice, right! So, when me and my colleague received the email from our boss, we had the typical expression of 'Oh no, please spare me from this' on our face. Not just because it will mean escorting someone you have not met before but also because you are totally not sure about what their interests are. But third and most challenging task being finding places worth visiting in Mumbai from a phirang's point of view.
But escort we had to....whether we liked it or not.

With 2 weeks in hand we had a relatively good amount of time to do our homework and figure out which places that could be deemed as worth visiting. Also, had enough time to drop her a email to know her interests and we found out that she was interested in Indian culture, its temples, monuments and history. Hmmmm.... this was getting difficult than expected. The choice set was getting narrower by the day.Having stayed in Mumbai for all my life suddenly I found myself in a tight spot. My colleague had the comfort of being an outsider (she is from Belgaum)with limited knowledge of the city so obviously she magnaminously bowed out of the situation and so the onus was on me to provide all the expert knowledge on the city. As always Google Maharaj came to my rescue and whipped out a handful of delightful places which matched our guest's 'requirements'. The Google list threw up around 25 places in Mumbai which were culturally and historically oriented. Felt a little a comforted and surprised at the same time.
Comforted by the array of choices available to me now and surprised with my ignorance... ignorance about my city's 'historical' side.
The tripadvisor website actually came up with 34 places related to our city's historical inclinations.
(Visit for more info - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g304554-Activities-c1- Mumbai_Bombay_Maharashtra.html#TtD)


After spending some more time going through the list I realised that out of the entire list may be only 5-6 places would be relevant and worth visiting considering the monsoons and time available with us.

The tourist's and my favourite Elephanta Caves was struck off the list almost immediately considering the rains and choppy seas, though it seemed the most obvious choice of interest for that day. Also some others could not make it to the list because of their far flung locations and time considerations.
After much head scratching the list was ready and which read as follows
Gateway of India
Price of Wales Museum (aka Chattrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya)
Jehangir Art Gallery
Colaba Causeway
Lunch at Leopold (an attraction post 26/11)
Fab India (for Indian shopping)
Rajabai Tower
VT Station
Asiatic Library
Flora Fountain
Banganga
Malabar Hill
Mahalaxmi Temple
Worli Bandra Sea link

With my borrowed knowledge of Mumbai city from my fave book 'Fort Walks' I knew I could answer any question about the city. Also,my experience of Mumbai with Odati's Mumbai cycle ride last year had equipped me with enough exciting dope about city's history and interesting trivia.
(For more info visit http://www.odati.com/viewactivity.php?id=s-14)

The day finally arrived and luckily for us the sun had decided to push aside the grey clouds beyond the horizon and make his warm and sunny presence felt. Good for us, as Mumbai rains are best experienced from the cosy confines of your home.

We finally met our firang guest ....yes, ....at the pre decided time at the hotel she was staying. After a brief exchange of greetings and introductions it was absolutely clear to us then onwards that our day was going to be enjoyable and pleasant. Our apprehensions were laid to rest and we knew that our anxiousness of so many weeks was completely uncalled for. She is one of the most pleasant and warm person I have met till now. She has the personality which makes you feel comfortable and at ease. Absolutely no hang ups and attitude issues. May be her job profile has shaped her personality or may be she is naturally like that....I don't know. But all I can say is the day was well spent and passed like a breeze.
We had our share of laughs and interesting moments which were amusing more so for her. We were at Jehangir Art Gallery, walking down the hall appreciating the unique art and displays. Suddenly a family with their little son and daughters swooped on Brantlee and requested her to pose for a photograph with their little son. It seemed a little awkward but flattering at the same time for Brantlee, we felt at that moment. She felt like a celebrity that we could tell from her brimming smile. After couple of pictures, this time the entire family wanted to pose with her. She readily obliged, again. And after lots of thank yous and byes we moved away from them. She could not get over the situation very easily and then I explained to her the fascination we Indians have for white skin. That explained her brief celebrity moment. I must say she had a very keen eye and great observation. She asked a lot of questions about things which seemed new to her and we were also stumped for answers couple of times.
When we told her about reincarnations of Gods in various avatars, she wanted to know about re-birth and whether we believed in it. If yes, then did we know who we were in our previous births. A typical question of a logical and agnostic mind unfortunately for which we did not have exact answers. Another time she asked us the relevance of the lemon and chillies weaved together and hung below the cars bumper. Then she saw a woman with a monkey and she wanted to know if we kept them as pets as well. I think after seeing the array of the animals with cows included on the road, she wanted to hear a 'Yes' on that probably but was clearly disappointed on hearing the answer. At Prince of Wales museum she was mesmerized by the innumerous gods we worshiped across India, more so with Krishna and why he was called the Blue God and how he died. She obviously had great fascination for Buddha, spiritualism and whether India had good relations with Tibet. We were not surprised to know that she practiced Yoga. But she definitely was shocked when she came to know that none of us in the India team practiced Yoga. May be she thought Yoga was way of life for us Indians, but she was mistaken. That's when I understood that as Indians we easily imbibe lot of unnecessary/unhealthy fads, habits from the West but the West however tends to borrow the best from what we have to offer.
She knew about the 26/11 terrorist attacks and wanted to know who was the main target for the attacks considering a lot of foreigners also got killed, especially the Jews. Being American, I think she was seeking some pointed answers.

Traveling in the car passing by rows of trees she was intrigued by the white and brown stripes uniformly painted on some trees and wanted to know why it was like that. She thought it had some religious significance. I must say she was studying the Mumbai city landscape very studiously and almost expected logical answers for every unique characteristic. I guess since it was her first time in India, she was hungrily devouring all the sights that the city had to offer not to mention the people and their clothes and wares.
And lastly on our last leg of the tour when we were going towards Banganga Temple she was approached by 2 young boys who thrust her with a piece of paper and asked her for her autograph. I guess by then Brantlee had got used to her fan following and 'celebrity' status so with great panache she signed off on the paper the boys had presented her and walked off with a bounce in her gait. What she didn't see was the disappointed expression on the faces of those kids as if they had expected something more. Well, expect more they did. As that the paper was not part of a autograph book but meant for donations collected towards some institution.

Thus with numerous such vivid experiences packed in our minds, the day came to an end quickly. A wonderful day which started with lot of apprehensions unwarranted but later made eventful and an absolute delight,thanks to our lovely guest Brantlee who we wish will come back again soon.

Conversation with GOD!

An interesting piece I came across which I would like to share with all...

Conversation with GOD!

God: Hello. Did you call me?

Me: Called you? No.. who is this?

God: This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat.

Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy now. I am in the midst of something..

God: What are you busy at? Ants are busy too.

Me: Don't know. But I cant find free time. Life has become hectic. It's rush hour all the time.

God: Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.

Me: I understand. But I still can’t figure it out. By the way, I was not expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging chat.

God: Well I wanted to resolve your fight for time, by giving you some clarity. In this net era, I wanted to reach you through the medium you are comfortable with.

Me: Tell me, why has life become complicated now?

God: Stop analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated.

Me: why are we then constantly unhappy?

God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not happy.

Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?

God: Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.

Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty..
God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?

God: Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don't suffer. With that experience their life becomes better not bitter.

Me: You mean to say such experience is useful?

God: Yes. In every terms, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test
first and the lessons afterwards.

Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why cant we be free from problems?

God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to)Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.

Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know where we are heading.

God: If you look outside you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight.

Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do?

God: Success is a measure as decided by others.. Satisfaction is a
measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than
knowing you rode ahead. You work with the compass. Let others work with the
clock.

Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated?

God: Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have
to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

Me: What surprises you about people?

God: when they suffer they ask, "why me?" When they prosper, they never ask "Why me". Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.

Me: Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here. I cant get the answer.

God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.

Me: How can I get the best out of life?

God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.

God: There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer is NO.

Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat. I am so happy to start the New
Day with a new sense of inspiration.

God: Well. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts
and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to
resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."

A dedication to my dear parents (Aai and Pappa)

"If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging."
-Diane Loomans

A very sweet poem written by a parent who wishes she could rewind to the time in past when she first became a mother and do all the things differently.

Well, as for me I feel blessed that I am a daughter (count my sister in) of those parents who don't have to sit in a time machine and go back into the past and change the way they brought us up. Its simply been a wonderful journey...Our childhood...with both mom and dad (aai and papa as we call them)bringing up two daughters exactly as Diane Loomans (author of the poem) would have loved to bring up her children as conveyed through her poem.
I am sure all my friends will also agree to being lucky for being brought up the way they have been by their loving and doting parents. But how many times in our daily lives do we actually acknowledge this fact and give back at least half of what they have given till date.
Well....this post is exactly that..A dedication to my parents.

I am what I am today...thanks to my parents and their wonderful upbringing. We (me and my sis) are indeed lucky to have them as our parents. Life has been very tough for them like any normal middle class couple would experience but never ever did they make us (me and my sis) aware of that. There were more troughs than peaks in their life when we were young and growing up but they surmounted all of them with equal poise and a quiet strength. Whether it was about fighting against the builders/ promoters in the courts of law for many many years for the home which they had invested with their hard earned money and which was rightfully theirs...or battling with an erstwhile leading MNC where my father worked ( which later filed for bankruptcy), for the Gratuity sum from service of more than 20 years. The hard work and incredible courage which my father quietly displayed is something I will never forget.
Perseverance and dedication are 2 virtues which I realized in my early life thanks to them.
When my Aai and Papa recount those old days about what really happened back then...me and my sister are completely overwhelmed as they never made us overtly aware of the sweat and the tears of the trying times.
Also, whether it was illnesses and days when we were going through some what economically trying times, we still had our celebrations on birthdays or festivals and even indulged in shopping like any other normal family would. We went to almost all the beautiful cities across India every summer vacation. And if not a new place it was surely Goa (Mangeshi Temple) our native place which we all loved to go back to again and again.

If commuting in taxis was a comfortable mode of transport back then (30 years back) my dad would not hesitate to call for one in spite of the given situations. But all this while he used to work...work like a dog at office, come back home and still find time to take his wife and kids to the beach or park at nearby Shivaji Park or a movie theater or something similar.

Besides that they groomed us into good human beings who do not grow at the cost of others or stepping on others toes. They taught us the importance of hard work, integrity, sacrifice, self respect and sincerity. They also taught us the meaning of unrequited love and kindness. We understood from them that life some times throws at us difficult and sometimes happy moments but its important to keep our balance, be grounded and understand that this too shall pass.
They always encouraged all our fancies whether it was learning to sing, swimming, learning the guitar, joining sports clubs and many other extra curricular activities which we evinced interest in. At the same time they did not give in to many of our other undeserved fanciful demands.Value of hard earned money is what we learnt through them.

Not to forget the important lesson of using our heart when dealing with our near and dear ones and using our head in the professional world or strangers, which will remain with me forever.

Thanks to the wonderful upbringing inculcated in us by our parents, we strive to pay it forward in our every day life with people we know and don't know sometimes. Isn't that the most beautiful process when you can lead your daily life with a wonderful conscience and a warm heart.

As sons and daughters I am sure we all try to ensure that our parents get all the comforts which we can provide them, a helping hand when the situation arises and meet all their requirements which typically arise in the sunset of their life. But what we don't realize is that more than all the above, they just want to be heard, they want to talk to their kids who are now busy in their careers and have meaningful conversations just like they had in the earlier days.
Now when they are old, (not as old as they would like to think because 60 is the new 40)and have grown up children (we) all they look forward to is tete a tete with their loved ones. They seem to be so happy when you call them and share your daily experiences that it completely makes their day. So I have suddenly realized as I am writing this post that the daily routine (which we consider) of calling them every day is their much required dose of adrenalin. They really look forward to our calls and when it doesn't come through on a day they are worried sick about us whereas we are blissfully ignorant about their feelings.
Also, some times when they have to call us during our office hours, due to pressing demands at work we either let it go as a missed call or hurriedly cut short the conversation. For us it is just another call which can be answered later but to them it means the most sometimes. Nothing is more important than your dear ones, believe me! Especially when they are trying to reach you when you are busy, the least we can do is hear them out or politely tell them that u will call them back. They just want a kind hearing after all they have been patient with us for so many years when we were growing. This is the least we can do for them.

Also, a visit to their place brings such good cheer to them. You just have to see their beaming faces and it says it all. Even at their age they like to pamper us so much, it some times embarrasses me....do I really deserve this? They are ready to go on a limb to help and support us even at their age. Its truly amazing!

As parents don't most of us yearn for that special time with our kids which tends to make us feel younger and energized with the enthusiasm of the company, its exactly the same case here. So go ahead and make their day!

If you are happy for being who you are and look back on your childhood the same way I do, I m sure you will agree with me wholeheartedly.

If its been some time since you spoke to your folks, pick that phone and say hello or if possible, visit them, they will be pleasantly surprised. And if they stay with you, even better...just give them a big warm hug. You would surely give them a reason to smile. :)

Keep the faith!

Its 5 o clock on a Saturday morning and my eyes are already wide open. I can’t bear to see myself awake so early and hurting with pain on a weekend morning. From one side to another, tossing and turning, I am trying to make myself comfortable but as much as I try hard, the agonizing pain in my right shoulder seems relentless. Its not allowing me to sleep and I am wondering how someone who could wake up only with the sound of hundred trumpets and bugles is now up and awake even before the dawn sets in.
Devoid of sleep and tired of looking at the ceiling which has peeled off in the corner, I shift my gaze to the whirring fan on the ceiling. The sun’s gentle rays which are streaming in through the crack in the window are caressing the blades of the fan and are getting cut in a predictable manner with the motion of the fan. I am engrossed in this visual display for a brief time in which it allows me to escape from the unendurable pain of the moment. And lo, as if in flashback my thoughts take me back to the day almost 3 months ago.
It was a Sunday on 15th November and it was darker than it should be for a 5 am morning. It had rained the previous night which was quite unusual in the year for Mumbai. The sky was overcast from the night before with a few grey clouds still looming as if ominously. Today was the day when my parents were leaving for a 15 day holiday to Australia and I was only there since the previous night to help them do the last minute packing and to drop them off at the airport. It was unusual but I was a little anxious and nervous since the previous night and not just because of the unpredictable rain but as if something was going to happen, something not so good. I do surprise my self with my intuitive powers sometimes and when I look back now to that date of 15th November I was completely right about that anxious feeling.
I didn’t want my parent’s holiday to go kaput especially when they were looking forward to it since so many days. With all my heart, I wanted their holiday to go as planned and be an enjoyable one at that. But then this apprehensive feeling was completely overwhelming me. And then I knew exactly what I had to do. I had just mastered the basics of Reiki healing and it had taught me to use these prayers for healing of self or others or problem solving or for assuaging the fears of uncertain situations. And so I did. I fervently prayed using my Reiki mantras the previous night and went to bed. I prayed that my parent’s holiday be safe and enjoyable. The prayers helped me to reduce the uneasy feeling in my heart and I went to sleep with positive thoughts for company.
However what lay ahead does not surprise me especially when I look back. The flight was at nine in the morning on the day of November 15th and we had to reach the airport at least 2 hours early. So we had accordingly hired a private cab to pick us up at 6.30 am with the airport just half hour drive from my parent’s home. We were running 15 minutes late already and as expected my dad was seething with anger and excited at the same time but rightly so. The women had taken a little longer to get dressed than required. Stepping in the cab his temper continued. After a small argument with me and my mom he agreed to wear his seat belt. The driver was driving slowly as the roads had become slippery from the unseasonable rains and also the fact that the first rains are typically ominous for cars. We were cruising at 60 km per hour and were almost half way through the drive and when the car ahead of us came to a screeching halt out of the blue. Our cab driver luckily managed to stop the car within a hair’s breadth distance. But our sigh of relief was unfortunately short lived and within split seconds we all were violently shaken out of our seats and left shocked from a mighty blow from behind. A giant SUV was unfortunately trailing our cab at a faster speed and as luck would have it the driver could not get the giant machine to come to a grinding stop without banging into our cab from behind. After recovering from this shock the first thought that came to my mind was to check whether my parents were unhurt. Both were reeling under the shock but visibly unhurt. I was relieved to see my mom was not showing any visible signs of impact but was left with a bump on her forehead. My dad thanks to the seat belt was also fine and was now worried about reaching the airport on time rather than the accident and rightfully so. He saw the warring men outside pointing fingers at each other for the mayhem, so he stepped out of the car and did his best to calm the drivers. However when I look back, I wish I could have taken the SUV’s number down so I could sue him for the damage done to my right shoulder. Yes, in all this I had fractured my right shoulder and for the last 3 months have been nursing this slowly healing injury. It didn’t seem that fatal at that time and in fact I didn’t realize the pain till I dropped off my parents at the airport. Once home I suddenly started noticing the excruciating pain emanating from my right arm. So immediately was advised to go to orthopedic to rule out any internal injuries. So with my hubby in tow, I went to the doctor to realize it was a fracture of the right shoulder. This incident has completely changed my life and has forced me to become ambidextrous amongst many things. I have got the best support from my dear hubby and near and dear ones but most importantly made me realize that health is wealth and each of our organs if not in best shape can throw your life out of gear completely. We should be happy with what we have and make the most of what has GOD has given us. The only positive and most important aspect I could take away from this incident was that my parents escaped unhurt and could go on their holiday as planned. Was it because of the Reiki mantras I prayed that fateful night that my parents could enjoy their holidays, I don’t know, may be yes, may be no. But I surely would like to believe so and it as strongly reaffirmed my faith in this alternate healing process. After all faith does move mountains. But for now as I try to move my right hand it surely feels like a big mountain. May be not now but I know I will be able to move it like 3 months back very soon. Keep the faith!

face bhook!

Today I woke up to a news article in The Times of India on my favourite social networking site
(nowadays) take a guess which one!.....yeah you are right, Facebook. It says that India Inc. is facing a productivity loss of 12.5% per day thanks to the social networking sites. If translated into number of hours it means on an average, an employee works only for 7 hours out of the 8 hours at work. Rest of the time is spent on social networking sites. Chk the link for the article -http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Social-networking-plagues-India-Inc/articleshow/5429382.cmsms
Ofcourse there are those unlucky few (but thankfully not part of statistics) like me where the employers have banned/blocked usage of such sites in office. Did these statistics shock me...or anyone else for that matter. I doubt it very much. Isnt it that what everyone is addicted to for the last so many months. In fact if you are not yet part of the Face Book bandwagon you could be considered a social outcast and a not 'with it' person. Either you are sent a friend invite to join FB or you just join it to check what everyone's talking so passionately about. It would be difficult to meet one of your friends who is not yet been bitten by this worm. They say nowadays the social profile of a person is recognised as ' Either you are a Face Booker' or not. Its like either you have or you dont.
Well, one person will disagree and thats ur truly's husband, because he has not only NOT created a profile yet on FB but I doubt he will be doing so in near future, especially seeing me affected by this new addiction surely he thinks he can do without it. Also that when I am on FB, its as if he is not there...well, thats what he says. Since FB has become one of my top 10 activities in the day, it is almost one of the top 10 reasons why we fight. And I am sure he is waiting for the day when he can say,'I told you so....' and win the battle for him. I would not only like to prove him wrong but also get him 'FaceBooked'
So you FB is creating tremors not only at office but also at home. And taking a cue of this social phenomenon, rightly so in its usual 'Amul' brand of humour we saw this FB hoarding towering over us from various city buildings. When 'Amul's' ad propogates any brand, its a clear measure of its cult status and establishes its popularity.

And as my blog post title reads, I can safely say that we have indeed been possessed by this all 'consuming' brand so much so that we 'Eat FB, Live FB and sleep FB'.
And I am sure the increasing numbers of FB users which at last count was 350 million users worldwide will all agree with the above statement.
Whats more?
That I could meet my school friends after 20 years....was one of the biggest event of my life of 2009. 125 batch mates who would have never have dreamt of meeting up on one common ground after two decades and reliving the grand ol' memories of quarter century back. It was truly pure, magical, ethereal and almost unbelievable feeling when we had the Reunion bees saal baad . A special evening, moments of which I have been reliving almost every minute since that day. And all this thanks to FB.
Yes, truly its helped me and millions others across the world reconnect with long lost friends from school, colleges, office and how! Its just not a social networking site but a brand which everyone wakes up to and goes to sleep with. Can their be any other brand as popular and addictive as this...i guess may be Colgate toothpaste comes closest (just joking) but there again...one is by habit and the other is pleasure. You dont get excited looking at your toothbrush in themorning/night as much as you do by checking ur FB profile with the latest updates from your pals.
Also, there was another article which I happened to read today which does not directly relate to FB but it has the potential to be. It says the power of how a tighly knit group of enlightened people can bring about a positive change not just at a micro level but at a national level by having a common agenda. And I think FB has the power for that to happen. If all on FB from India believe that we need a stronger governance, no corruption, no land grabbing by builders, timely and appropriate justice delivered by the judiciary, no illegal encroachments,proper planning of projects, open grounds, no cutting trees and importance of education/infrastructure in eradicating poverty then our time has come to use FB in the right direction and make it a lethal tool to wipe out the thugs who are ruling the country in the name of politicians.
Why dont we use FB to pursue common goals such as these. As the cliche goes, its an idea whose time has come!

Read below article for the context -
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEwLzAxLzEwI0FyMDI0MDI=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
So you see its not just a social networking site to meet your old pals and get together for reunions but it could be used as a tool for Unions of a different kind, Unions of Intellectuals who crave for doing something constructive for their nation and community. As I am sure that there are hundreds and thousands of Indians who have always wanted to do something for the city and country but did not know what to do and where to go.
Thinking aloud....May be a National newspaper can tie up with Facebook and create a community online for such Indians which could be BIG force to reckon with. And why not, there are already many groups formed based on social issues but we need a consolidated group which will cover all the problems which we as Indians face day in and day out and members can then nominate themselves for sub groups within this group for issues which are close to their heart. And icing on the cake would be to have a social (genuine)celebrity to campaign for this National cause.
To conclude, all I can say is that Facebook has the power to become a 'socially' relevant brand!