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Well, it’s festive season everywhere as the holy month of Ramzaan and Ganesh Chaturthi being celebrated with immense devotion and spirits all over the country…. Any religion; be it Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism…all it teaches is a way of life, a way of leading a sacred and disciplined life, without harming or hurting others feelings or sentiments . Prayers, fasts and other righteous means of practicing one’s religion is an absolute way to connect with God for peace, solidarity and prosperity not just for self, but family, peers and everyone else on earth!
Here’s wishing all a very happy and peaceful festive season!!
God Bless!
It was a very short trip to Kolkata recently, but I love the place, ofcourse minus it’s humid horrid weather. Kolkata has it’s own charm otherwise, you get to see those lovely..ancient architecture, beautiful french windows and an earthy feel beside the river ganges and Howra Bridge….!! Hmm it’s truly magnetic, and not to forget those chatpati chaat, samosa, veg-chops, phuchka(Pani-Puri), egg-rolls, authentic bengali cuisine and land of ultra-soft Roshogulllas 
This picture is taken from the aircraft while flying back over the river and then gradually the Bay of Bengal…the clouds floating like soft fluffy cotton all across the sky….Oh!!! It was beautiful & so mystifying that I just got absorbed and absorbed….
Vishal Bhardwaj has proved it yet again. He is one of the best film makers in Hindi Film Industry. I guess Omkara was his last one and with Kaminey promos and “dhan tadaan” song I was so much looking forward to watching it. It has a simple story line, but scores very very high on performances delivered by every character in the film. I think that’s a speciality of Vishal’s offering, he chooses and portrays his characters with fine nuances even if they have a ten minute appearance, but they do leave an impact. Cinematography, is worth an applause! The movie has some crass humor, drama & lots of violence, so may not suit the audience who have a subtle taste of movies otherwise!
Finally remember that: “Waat iffe nahi lagti ki tu kaun fa rafta chunta hai ….waat iffe lagti hai ki tu kaun fa rafta chorta hai” you have to watch the movie to understand this 
There are very few movies that touch your soul, and Stepmom is one of them. I watched it a few days ago on HBO. Jackie(Susan) is fighting a terminal cancer & a LIFE that involves Luke – her ex-husband(Ed Harris), her children – Ben…Anna; and stepmom, Isabel(Julia Roberts). Isabel learns that Luke cannot do without his children and makes every effort to win their love & affection. She TRIES and continues to try through every means & does her bit, while Jackie with great dignity and poise endures the pain of both the disease and life’s emotional battle. An excerpt from the movie that’s worth a mention: Jackie telling her daughter while celebrating her last christmas with children: “People go on forever; because there’s always somebody to take you along in the journey of life!”
Pitter…patter rain drops… today it looks like monsoon has set in finally 
I feel so contented to finish three books over this weekend but with a heavy heart as it was a bit gloomy to read,
”In the valley of mist”, by Justine Hardy who takes you through the evanescence in the picturesque Kashmir Valley; ever since it has become a warzone. I find it really upsetting to see how the normalcy of common beings there in Kashmir has disintegrated due to political and religious animosity!
”Smell” by Radhika Jha
”Moving On” by Shashi Deshpande.
Well, firstly I would like to thank Puja for sharing ”Smell” & “Moving On” with me and helping me build my library and secondly I would say the books were a good read indeed. They were not out of the world or extraordinary but all I feel now is that I got introduced to a few new characters in the journey of my life: Leela Patel, the protagonist of Smell and Manjari from Moving On. It was wel written and the characters certainly seemed to be real and believable!
My next read is going to be a very light one consciously, a fairy tale book “The Folk of the Faraway Tree” by Enid Blyton!
There is a problem in life? So what….
You are hurt? So what….
Life is agonizing? So what….
No need to conceal it or pretend to be happy! Sometimes, life is favourable and sometimes it’s not, it isn’t easy though & surely takes time…. however with due course of time all would heal!
Gazing at the beautiful sky, the vibrant sheet of blue spread far and wide,
The warmth of early sunrise, sun rays when it bathes and pours in on you,
Dark greyish clouds when it floats and about to burst with tiny droplets in it’s cocoon,
Biig fat pearly rain drops sliding through the leaves,
soaking the earth that’s parched and dry,
intoxicating you with the smell…oh so delicious weather!
The classy green grass, twigs and extended gigantic trees,
twittering of birds, their flapping of wings up high in the sky.
Icy dewy breeze that smacks your face,
the insinuating incense from the bed of flowers,
you smell it, you feel it,,,it’s ever so ecstatic,
butterflies and the bees have never been so magical.
Looking at the countless twinkling stars in the night,
Oh so beautiful moon, sometimes half and sumtimes full,
Moonlit nights, the stream of light that enchants you,
A mild spring of water, flowing down the aisle,
The ever so enthralling hills and mountains,
& the imperishable valleys and dales.
Baby’s giggles, the way it opens its arms and reaches out to you,
it’s innocense and it’s sweet smile,
revive with all this and more, enjoy every moment as it grows!
For everything there is a season, And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.
Well, this weekend was extraordinarily great. It was so much fun meeting Megan for the first time who visited India from United States, and within no time we became sort of good pals; predominantly because we shared a lot of common interests like, nature, animal kingdom, travelling, reading fairy tales, CHAI , vegetarian food…no wonder our birth month is even the same. We did shopping together, browsed books, had quick bites, exchanged notes on cultural differences, transitions in United States after Obama’s presidentship etc etc!!!
a..quick bite of chocolate fondue and Iced Tea….(hmmm the chocy syrup was deliciously exotic!!!)
…a hurried trip to crafts mela!!!
…and enjoyed the much awaited shower
By the way Megan was amused of whatever little she noticed on roads that Indian women are always so well dressed and made up to perfection, unlike in west where they are more casual. Am sure she would get a shock of her life to see Ekta Kapoor’s serials where Indian Women wake up with their make-up on
Anyway, thank you Megan for the wonderful time I had with you!
Sunday mornings, what do you do when you unwillingly wake up early? Make yourself a hot cup of ginger tea with buttered toast and croissants, pick your current read and sneak into the terrace…sometimes looking at the family of pigeons and sometimes reading the book.! Believe me it’s divine….sipping and feeling the warmth in the slightly windy weather…
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