Renovation

Getting the house renovated is a pain as well as a joy....the joy of selecting the right color for the wall, the right tiles, right curtains...the joy one feels, seeing the imagination take life is amazing...u see one standing opposite the creation as if saying....did i feel it will look so good when i was selecting...i should be interior designing...what am i doing, wasting my time doing 9-5 job....if one always thinking in terms of ROI, that person will say...i got all this done in XX Rs can you believe it...i knew exactly where to get what and my bargaining skills are amazing...i could make the mistry do this work for me in just in peanuts...i should be in consulting. For some days, the talks would be just concentrated on talking on the work undertaken, the pains went through and the masterpiece created. Since most people they talk to have undergone the same phenomenon, they are empathetic and give it a proper hearing...

No one can undermine the chaos that exists while the entire thing is happening...you requirements are reduced to bare minimum...oh i just need a bed to sleep..does not matter if the bed sheet is clean or not....just need water to wash my face....need a loo...that's it.......that explains why people push for doing all these before a major festival or a celebration in the family. Billoo ki jab shaadi hogi, tab safedi karwaani hai. That's why one gets to hear remarks like...Lalitha Ji koi khush khabari, jo aap ghar mein kaam karwa rahe ho...bahu aane waali hai kya :D. That's why people don't get it...when u say you are getting it done just like that.

The contractor needs to be really good at PR, if he wants to ensure he can make the people get even their 'wish list' done in addition to the 'must have' list or elevate them to thinking at a higher level(higher should not be spiritual..else its all doomed). You need to become part of their family, and make them feel, you are thinking about their good and you have never felt so much at home at anyone else house..that's why the Mrs Bhatia becomes "mummyji" and Mr Bhatia "pappaji"...hence u r getting things done as a son..the aunty also gets carried away by saying "tum to mere bete jaise ho"...viola what started as a minor repair ended up being an entire redo of the bathroom...bhenji aap yeh bhi badla lo...phir aapka bathroom ek dum chakachak ho jayega.

On top of all these, there needs to be lines saying, bhaiya or bhenji aap bahut simple hai, jaroorat ki cheezo ko chod ke aap ne kuch nahin karwaaya, warna log lage rehte hai ghar ko tajmahal banane mein.

Its strange that every time renovation happens we forget the earlier lessons learnt and the same story is repeated.

Inspite all these, feel renovations are good for two reasons, the same house seems different with few changes and one learns to appreciate small things again....a big bucket of warm water in winter, bed to sleep, mom's food, floor you can walk on bare foot...

Ganesh Chaturthi

Tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi. Ramesh, who's favorite god is Ganesha looks forward to this day very eagerly each year. Each year, he will buy a new idol and for that he does not mind roaming on the streets of Ajmer till late. He does not stop his search, till he is able to see his god in an mud statue.

He will very religiously decorate the god with flowers and leaves and ensure his mother prepares Ganesha's favorite goodies.

He does not like saying good bye to his god and hence does not submerge the idol in water, instead each year he replaces the statue in his cupboard with the new idol he bought and puts the old one in the Attic.

There are currently 5 idols in the Attic. Its 12 pm at night, everyone has slept. 5 statues can see Ramesh sleeping peacefully, they know that the first thing Ramesh would do tomorrow is to go out and get an new idol. The Ganesha's in attic started talking to the Ganesha in cupboard, i wonder where Ramesh will make you sit, the attic is almost full. I hope he does not force fit you here, its already bit crowded here. Till now we managed, because we know how much he loves us. If tomorrow, he makes you sit with us, it would mean, he does not care for us.

The 5 year old Ganesha said, i don't think he will do that, i still remember when he put me here 5 years back, he was so sad to do that. He ensured the attic is all clean, he put clean paper to ensure i do not get any scratch. I am sure, Ramesh will figure out some other place.

The 1 year old Ganesh freaked out hearing this, you do not know these youngsters, their love is very superficial. For them we are just decorating pieces. Do they follow what we believe in? I remember someone gifted my statue to a couple on marriage, for them i was cute, something that would look good in their drawing room, i meant nothing more than that. I hate it when they call me the cute. They just know, how to do blind puja and at the end they always have a huge list of "wishes". God please take care of this/give me this, i will not ask you anything ever and the very next year they will have a new list, correction the next day they don't wait a whole year.

They make promises of fasting for a month, taking 100 rounds around my statue on bare feet, do i really care?

Once they do all this, its not that they stop there...they will tell about their great achievement to 100 people.
You know, my son fasted for 10 days, he is a staunch worshipper of Ganesh. Alas she does not know, her son is doing it for getting a promotion.

One hearing this, all other Ganesha's blasted the 1 year old, i know some devotees are like this, but our Ramesh is not like that. The 1 year old said, we will know tomorrow how good Ramesh is. It will be decided by the fate of the cupboard Ganesh and us.

Ramesh got up the next day at 6 am, 1 hour earlier than his normal routine, got ready quickly and rushed out of the home, told mom that he will have breakfast, only once he is back with the idol for this year.

1 year old said, see here he goes, he did not bother even to check if there is space in the attic. The other Ganeshas did not say anything.

Ramesh went to the Meena market, which was famous for murthies. In the market, he saw lot of school kids roaming around trying to find Ganesha of their liking. He felt good, seeing the enthusiasm of the kids.

Ramesh liked one Ganesh statue, in which Ganesh was depicted as writing the Mahabharatha. Ramesh called his father on cell and told him about the idol, his father was pleased and was bit amused at his son's childish enthusiasm, as if he has found some treasure.

The whole family did Ganesha Puja, the next day, time came for the Ganesha to be put in some other place. Ramesh came to his room, bowed in front of the Ganesh in the cup board, decided to make space in the attic and then shift the Ganesha.

Ramesh moved the 4 year old Ganesha bit closer to the 5 year, seeing that the 1 year old said....i told you. The other Ganeshas were still silent, as per them the agni pariksha was still not over. Ramesh realised after moving the 1 year old that the space was not enough for the Ganesha in cup board.

He put all the Ganeshas back to there older place and came down. The older Ganesha's gave a big grin to the 1 year old. The 1 year old said, the problem is still not solved, lets see what he does now.

Ramesh felt angry at himself for not having checked the space in attic, while he was walking to and fro in balcony, he saw a sparrow making a nest, he saw the sparrow gathering twigs from an abandoned nest and using it for making the nest.

Ramesh left the house without telling anyone, he came back in an hour, put all the Ganesha's in attic, the Ganesha in the cup board and the new Ganesha in his car and started driving. The 1 year old said, i think he has decided to immerse us in river....see i told you, for him also we are just pieces of decoration, which have now become not beautiful. To this comment, the 5 year old said, why is he taking the new one also then? The 1 year old could not think of why.

Ramesh stopped the car after driving a distance, the Ganeshas could see a person, making beautiful idols. Ramesh lifted each idol with care and put it on the ground and said, i would like you all to be remolded so that you can go to new houses, who need you for your blessings. I think i was stupid in trying to hold on to you. From now one, i will buy idol but return it back so that can be used to spread joy to others.

Driving Test
Last weekend had gone to give driving test, my teacher knowing that i am bad at doing reverse, took 1 hour class in the morning to ensure, i am all set. Won't say the practice classes went that well...i still ended up parking the vehicle near the gutter with little space to get out. He said no one asks one to do right reverse, and u r fine in left reverse.

I was confident it will all go fine...had to wait a long time for my turn to come...finally it came...the inspector asked me to do a right reverse.... It started well then the trouble started...i think i parked the car in the middle.

I was sure, i would have flunked...but hope is a very strange thing...it never gives up till the end...the person from driving school who accompanied us asked us to call later in the evening to know the result...i knew very clearly the inspector should have failed but still...i thought maybe the inspector has a tie-up with the school and will make me pass...i promised i will take extra classes to master reverse in any case.

I could not speak to the person for some reason, later went to the school to check the result..and got to know that i have flunked...it was not a surprise at all for me...later called my teacher and told him that i failed, he told me that even he had failed for the first, felt it was very nice of him to say that.

Next time i am gonna go to give the test...gonna do reverse in istyle :)

Trip to Munnar

Wanted to go on a trip with family for a long time...finally it materialised. I wanted to take care of all the bookings, so did lot of googling on the net and finally zeroed it on Destination Munnar, picked a hotel called Westwood which had amazing pictures of the views from the hotel, a dining area with a lake view...hotel surrounded by greenery...when i saw the site i could not believe i am gonna stay there...felt maybe they are just catering to foreigners.

My mother and brother finally came on sat and we left on sunday. On reaching the airport, a person from the hotel was there to pick us up...you can guess how they must have addressed my name on the board. Mr Madhu it read...i wondered, why they could not realise it was a woman and not a man. Was wondering if a guy corresponds to someone and the person assumes him as her, i am sure the guy will be offended while if its the other way round, a girl being assumed as a guy its not a big deal. Will say its because we(women) don't fuss over small stuff :)

The guy who picked us did not know hindi or english....so was interesting to correspond to him...our flight had landed in the afternoon, so we all were starving, hence asked the driver to take us to a good hotel that serves vegetarian food, the driver took us to the a hotel(i guess he had some tie up with that), the menu had all north indian dishes majority non-veg, my mom announced she will not eat and will have fruits instead, we can go ahead and have something there...on hearing her sacrifice we decide to go some where else...finally went to Sarvanana bhavan, had full meals it was amazing :) Eating on banana leaf that too food that too typical local food is awesome.

The route to munnar from cochin was amazing....did not think it will be so green...the mountains covered in a shawl of green of various shades was really beautiful...the tea plantations weaved an amazing pattern of Cris-crosses. Finally we arrived at the hotel, was surprised to find a building with not much space around..i wondered how they posted the pictures that were there on the site...on reaching the hotel room, found the room to be small contrary to how it appeared in the internet...we could all just sit or sleep in one place...no place to move...on top of that...got to hear TV from the neighbouring room...could feel the trip going on a negative spiral already.

Decided to explore some other hotels otherwise the precious vacation will be doomed..so i and my brother explored some other places...either they were too expensive or there was no room.

Decided to check places in the morning again in day light, if we do not find any other place by noon..promised to not crib anymore. With a sad heart came back...it was time to have dinner...in the menu, there were all north indian dishes instead of local specialities...who wants to eat dal makhani in kerela...felt i have become too fussy, my image of me adjusting anywhere shattered, i guess when it comes to vacation u do not want to adjust....the food was pathetic..the sambhar tasted like maggi noodles masala....could not eat anything apart from curd rice, decided that tomorrow we will definitely shift somewhere else, no one can rescue the trip from being a total disaster.

Next day, went to the tourist office, got to know about some cottages in cardamom's plantations, went there...was amazing to see the place surrounded by greenery, with no further thought...paid the advance and we rushed back to get our baggages. 

On coming back...felt now the vacation starts....felt great sitting in the balcony hearing the birds talk...there was one bird whose voice was sweeter than koel...the next day went along with the women who worked on the plantations to see how cardamom plants look like...though we could not talk...as had no common language...there was a bond. The guy who picked us from airport, accompanied me as he was worried i may get lost...felt nice realising his unspoken concern. One of the worker dropped us back else we would have got lost in the jungle. The next day went to the Tea museum which showed the history of munnar and the process of making tea. Before the tea plantations...this place was mainly inhibited by muthuvan tribe...the English bought the land and converted it to tea plantations to make the best use of the land...they left out some part of the forest to serve them for their recreation....hunting tahr, tiger etc...After independence, Indian govt. took over....apart from some schools, hospitals...the geography of the place remained exactly the same. 

A trip to Eravikulam natural park was very depressing...it did not firstly look like a national park...apart from the mountain goat, could not see any other species. I felt lot of the flora and fauna has been destroyed in this area....sadly things are just continuing.

Inspite of all this....loved munnar for the fresh air...the amazing greenery and the simple people of kerala. The driver as he dropped us back at airport...said for the 4-5 days he got a mother an elder brother and a sister...i knew he meant every word he said and did not say it for the heck of it...he also called us later to ensure we had reached safely.

Looking forward to another trip to Kerala, there is lot more to explore in 'God's own land'.

My Father's B'day

Today is my father's b'day.  Decided to take off today, as felt i should not let this day go just like an ordinary day.

When i was in school, we used to get our report cards today, this used to be the gift we use to give to father. He would always ask, mera asli gift kaha hai.

My father i would say was beyond his time, very liberal in his thoughts, who was ready to always support change.  He believed in doing and not talking. I have never ever heard him talk about anything he did, i always got to know about it from others in the family or friends.

I remember my dad as someone who was totally selfless, who always put others before him. For him everyone was equal. He did not believe in caste/creed etc, he used to make friends at the drop of a hat. Thats the reason, who ever knew him remembers him even now fondly.

I love you a lot Daddy,  hope some day i will be like you.

Susan Boyle
Heard Susan boyle sing in youtube, it was awesome. When she walked over and the Judge Simon asked her to introduce herself. On hearing she is 47 hears old and her dream was be on the Main Page. The judges and lot of people did not think she had anything amazing to offer and i think were wondering what is she doing at that age in a competition like this.
What i liked is the way she talked about herself, and she could take the comments and the body language of the judges and reply so coolly. She was at peace with herself, it did not matter to her what others thought.

When she started to sing, everyone was transformed and i guess, ashamed of their initial judgement.
I just felt that, everyone should just do there own thing. How the world/people around take it does not matter.

रिश्ते
रिश्तों की कोई सीमा नहीं
यह तो एक पतंग की तरह बस बड़ी चली जाती है
ईसे तो बस एक पवन जैसे साथी की जरूरत है, जिसके साथ मिजाज़ अच्छे से मिलते हो
फिर किसे फिकर, किस ओउर चल दिए
फिर तो बस, यह सफर ही मंजिल हो जाता है
पर जहा रिश्तो में कुछ पाने की आस हो या अपनी इच्छा थोपने की लालसा
जहा किसी और की भावना का तिरस्कार हो
वोह रिश्ते दूर तक नहीं जा पाता
मनो पतंग उडाने वाले ने अपनी ही नासमझी से पतंग कटवा दी हो
कहते है एक पाक रिश्ते में ईशवर बसता है
शायद दुनिया में एक सच्चे रिश्ते से जादा अनमोल कुछ नहीं
और एक ख़राब रिश्ते से बड़ी सज़ा कोई और नहीं

Get-Together

Ganesh went to Allah's house to invite him to Saraswati's recital of sama veda on veena.

He knew his friend loved music and would not miss this performance of Saraswati at any cost.

Ganesh knocked the door, the caretaker opened the door and greeted Ganesh with a smile. Ganesh asked, where is my friend? The caretaker said, he is in the balcony. Ganesh walked to the balcony, he saw Allah reading the Earth News and he seemed really upset. Ganesh inquired, what happened my friend? Allah said, see what these idiots are up to, every day i keep reading about fights, violence at some part of the earth...no one seem to have understood what religion teaches and sadly all these are being done in the name of religion. If i had power to punish someone, i would have killed this osama guy, he is bringing so much of violence in the name of Islam, he does not even know what Quran teaches. Sadly, as per the rules In Kaliyuga, people need to learn from their mistakes, and we cannot intervene much, apart from giving them strength.

I am losing hope Ganesh, i do not think people will understand that all religions teach the same thing, why cannot people just live together happily.

Ganesh said, cheer up friend...there are people who are misleading others but there are good people too, lets not lose hope. Anyways, i came here to invite you for Saraswati's performance, she is going to play sama veda, you will love it. Allah said who else is coming? Did u invite Nanak, Jesus and the adorable Buddha?

Ganesh said, off course. Jesus really want to attend it, as he is currently reading the vedas.

That evening, in the Sur Ganga memorial hall, there was a huge rush of people, the hall was packed to the limit. Ganesh was eagerly waiting for his friends, and there he saw Jesus and Allah coming together from the left and Nanak and Buddha coming from the right. Krishna and Ram said they will be bit late, but will come for sure.

The performance was breath taking, everyone was transformed to another world.

Once the performance was over, everyone met Saraswati and praised her for her performance, they all discussed Sama veda for a while and then as everyone was about to disperse, Jesus said, hey guys lets have dinner together, how about going to Shabari's Kutti for Home Made Food?

Everyone was party to that, so everyone took their vehicles, Ganesh on his mouse, Saraswati on her Swan, Krishna/Ram on their horses. Krishna and Ram offered lift, however Allah Jesus Buddha and Nanak said they will prefer to walk and will join them 30 minutes later, they can place the usual order meanwhile.

Shabari was thrilled to see her Ram and everyone else, she warmly welcomed everyone.

Everyone sat on the floor in a circle, every month they all ensured the met once and had some good time together. Allah started the conversation by saying, every day after reading Earth Times, my temperature soars, only after doing some mediation i am able to get back to normal.

Jesus said, i understand what u feel and it scares me to think, humans are trying to find life somewhere else also, they are not able to leave peacefully in one planet, why do they want to cause more chaos by inhabiting another planet.

Allah said, this Osama driving me crazy, who is giving Muslims such a bad name, he is causing so much of destruction, earlier the most hated guy in my eyes was Saddam now its him. what can i do with followers like this...to this Ram said, i agree, in my case too, people fight in my name, do i care for a temple, these idiots brought a mosque down by saying, this is Ram Janam Bhoomi, don't they know i am in there hearts and not in a concrete building. Recently read about Mutalik, who wants all women to wear only sarees, does he know, unless women are free, no nation can say it is free. What right does anyone have to force a decision on anyone. Even Gandhi said, we can say we are free, only when women are free to walk alone at night without any fear.

This idiot does not know anything about Saint Valentine and goes about banning Valentines day saying its against our culture. How can u condemn any festival which is about love, off course it has to be celebrated in the right way. Today young generation also does not understand what love means, Love means to be selfless and these idiots get upset for petty things and abuse the person they say they love.
Recently read about a guy killing his girlfriend over a petty fight...where are we heading..i wonder.

To this Krishna's said, in dwapaar yuga, the gopis were given complete freedom to express there love to me. I wonder when again we will see this, look at the state of women, they are so much suppressed, most of them are still living in fear, confirming to society rules...whats even sadder is women seem to be hurting women instead of understanding there pains.

Jesus added to this by saying, in my case some of my missionaries are spreading Christianity by tempting people to convert, that's so shameful. Don't they know, nothing can be forced, one should follow what your heart tells you.

Buddha, who was listening to all this silently said, its written in Geetha
Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya, Glanirva Bhavathi Bharatha,
Abhyuthanam Adharmaysya, Tadatmanam Srijami Aham

Now in this Kaliyuga, instead of we taking birth, the change should come from within.
Its definitely tough for people to get of this chaos on their own and find what is the right thing to do. But in this they are not alone, as there will always be some people who will lead the way...we had people like...Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa to show the world, how life needs to be lived, what is important. Recently read about Jaago Re campaign, what that person is doing is really commendable.

There are good people, who are making a difference in there own way, i know it will take time, but we will get there.

Everyone nodded there heads in agreement and now the conversation switched to other things. Nanak asked everyone to join the next day at 4.30 am for Prabhat feries, Jesus asked everyone to come to church coming Sunday, there was a special lecture on Love.

At the end, everyone asked Saraswati to sing something, Saraswati started singing "Vaishnava Janato Tene Kahiye..."

Luck By Chance

Saw the movie Luck By Chance, really liked the story line and what was conveyed in it. The pressures of being successful has an impact of lot of people, very few people remain true to themselves and do not change at all.

Will look forward to more movies from Zoya Akhtar. We need directors like her :)
As always Konkana is amazing, i have started liking Farhan as an actor, hope he acts in more movies.

Paani

Paani ki tarah waqt ke har saache mein woh dhal gayi
Kabhie pateelein mein to kabhie chote se gilaas mein
kabhie usse laga hi nahin ki mere liye ek alag saacha hona chahiye
mein kisi bhi saache mein nahin daali ja sakti

Waqt ne jis haal rakha us haal mein mast maula ho gayi
kabhie pyaali se chalak jaane ki zid nahin ki
kabhie dukaan mein sazi alag alag pyaaliyon par uski nazar hi nahin gayi
uske liye har pyaala ek samaan tha
malik in jisme daala woh kubool
Yeh jaante huve bhi ki woh malik ki laadali thi
Aur usse hak tha zid karne ka

Peene waalo ne kaha bahut anand aur sukoon mila
Par usse pata nahin sukoon kise khete hai
Kaisa lagta hai usse paane par
logo ki tript aakhein dekh ke lagta usse
ki yeh ehsaas jananat se shayad kam nahin

Mujhe darr hai woh bas aise hi jiye jaayegi
kya usse koi milega jo usse sambhal ke ek sahi botal mein rakh sake
Jo uski har boond ki sahi kimat jaane
aur unhe yu hi nahin fuzul logo mein na batne de
Jin ke liye woh bas ek shaam ki pyaali hai

TV ka swayamvar

Beena ne nishchay kiya ki woh apne ghar ka puraana EC TV badal ke naya TV khareedengi.

TV ab 15 saal ki ho gayi thi, par koi usse dekh kar uski umar ka pata nahin kar sakta tha, aaj bhi woh sabah se raat tak sabki ichhayein poori karti, subah maaji jo Aasha Ram babuji ke pravachan sunaati, phir beena ke sasur ko, saare desho ki khabaar alag alag channel pe baar baar sunaati, dophaar mein beena aur maaji ko soaps dekhaati, taaki woh apne poore din ki thakaan bhool sake, ya yeh serials dekh ke woh mehsoos kare ki hum kitne khush hai, shaam ko chintu ko pogo waale serials, shaam ko beena ke pati Ashok ko CNBC mein sensex ka haal baati aur phir raat ko saare K waale serials sabko dekhaati. Roz usse soone mein late ho jaata, par usse kabhie is baat ka shikwa nahin tha.

Uski dost bijli ko kabhie kabhie us pe taras aa jaata aur who chali jaati, taaki TV ko break mil sake. Jab TV ne suna ki beena naya TV laane ka soch rahi hai, to woh udaas ho gayi, usse laga ab mera kya hoga, kya mujhe yeh log bech denge ya kisi ko de denge? Uski bahut yaadein thi is ghar se, maano usse apne ghar se hi nikaalne ki saazish ho rahi thi.

Dheere Dheere yeh baat ki beena naya TV lene waali hai,poore mohalle mein fyle gayi.
Phir kya tha, puraane TV lene waalo ki line lag gayi, Doodh waale ne Doodh mein paani daalna kam kar diya, kaamwaali ne chutti lena band kar diya aur bartan aur man se dhoone lagi, post master bhi ghar pe taala hone par baar baar chakkar laga ke chitti ussi din de jaata.

Beena aur parivaar waalon ne tay kiya ki TV sahi umeedwar ko hi denge, jo sachha ho.
Sabko laga duniya mein bas sab matlabi hai, jaha faayda hai waha log achhe ban jaate hai...phir sabka dyaan rickshaw waale par gaya jo chintu ko roz school se laata tha.
Jisne kabhie kisi tyohaar par kuch nahin maanga, jo diya usme khush ho gaya.

Agle din jab rickshaw waale ne chintu ko aawaz di, beena ne usse aawaz diya aur bola bhaiya aap itwaar ko ghar aana, aapse kuch kaam hai.

Us itwaar ko, Beena ne TV ko achhe se pack kiya aur bola, tumhe aaj ek achhe insaan ke ghar jaana hai, hum sab ko tumhe bhejte huve dukh hai par aasha hai tum naye ghar mein wohi khushiyan doogi hai jo tumne hame diya hai. Yeh sun ke TV khush huvi, aur man mein boli, didi mein aapka bharosa kabhie nahin todoongi.

Rickshaw waale ne ghanti dabaayi, beena ne usse andhar bulaaya aur usse bithaake chai pilaaya aur usse bola bhaiya yeh box ghar le jaana. Rickshaw waalen ne poocha ki isme kya hai, beena muskoraayi aur boli, khol ke khud hi dekh lo. Rickshaw waale ne jab khola to dekha ki bakseh mein TV hai. Woh khush ho gaya aur uski aakhein num ho gayi aur woh khush hooke bola hamare poore mahaale mein kisi ke paas TV nahin hai, ab sab mil ke dekhenge. Dhanyawaad.

TV bhi yeh sun ke khush ho gayi ki woh ab bahut logo ko khush karne waali hai.

Happy New Year

Wish you all a very happy new year!!

This year started with my being at my laziest best :) But i guess now i am completely charged up.

Lets live by being totally in present
No thoughts of past or future
Lets make plans, dream, but lets not get sad if they do not materialize
After all its how you played that matters, right?
Lets play the instrument in of life in perfect soulful tune
It does not matter how long or short the performance is, its the bliss one feels while its being played that matters!!

So lets all of us rock in our own ways :)