You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2009.
Years pass by but the pain refuse to subside,
seasons alter but the memoirs still preoccupy,
it was intense, it was profound, that shook me and my mind,
was it real..? eternal..? or just a mirage…
the quest still leaves me confined.
I tried to console and repair my heart,
to withstand the ugly hours and difficult times.
my mind just can’t stop wandering,
through years and seasons…no matter how much I try!
Festival means loads of shopping, fun and frolic 
, get together with friends and ofcourse lip smacking delicacies. It’s “Durga Pujo” time now and as a child I have grown up visiting various Pujo Pandals and the exquisite sculptures of “Ma Durga” seated in those beautifully designed, magnificent and fantabulous themes.. It used to be so much fun to hang around with friends, giving anjali and devouring the bhog of khichudi(A porridge cooked with rice, lentils, veggies), meeshti chaatney(a sweet pickle sort), begun bhaja(fried aubergines) and believe me it tastes heavenly. This festivity used to continue for days together with many more feasts and exotic dishes.
Today, as it’s maha-ashtami I made a complete beakfast of Luchi(Puris), narkel nadu(Coconut laddu), aalu dum, cholar daal(lentil preparation), and paayesh(kheer).
Wishing you all a very Happy Navratri and Dashehra!!
To be very candid, I was never a tea person and preferred only occasionally when it rained heavily or it was cold, or may be with hot fritters or when I felt like having a cup of chai just like that …but of late I have started enjoying it like never before in a BIG mug sipping the hot brewed tea…(may be my bong instinct 
)… Trust me, it’s so revitalizing. Some prefer it strong; some prefer it sweet and milky. Some like plain tea, while some prefer ginger tea or masala chai. I prefer my tea very light, brewed strongly with crushed ginger & a little tint of milk & almost negligible sugar. If served with spongy tea-cakes or cookies I would simply be delighted. At breakfast I have it usually with a buttered toast or a croissant…and it is a super energizer for the rest of my day!!
Tea, if had in nominal capacity is not injurious, but if someone gets addicted it’s dangerous due to it’s caffeine content, though it’s comparatively less than coffee. We at home have always been loyal to our old brand Brooke Bond, my mom says it gives a very good liqueur . However, I also like Taj Mahal chai which adds a distinct taste to my penchant for tea. With changing times and to cater to tea-fanatics’ altering tastes like me we find an assortment of flavours and kinds of tea these days. Green Tea seemingly is very good for the stressed mind and body and is not harmful due to it’s antioxidant properties. I prefer it having after a rich meal and it surely makes me feel lighter!!!
Well, today morning for a change cooked myself a nice cheese omlette topped with butter ofcourse along with my favourite adraki chai
Today as the fine line of moon is sighted; all over the world there is excitement to celebrate Eid tomorrow. In Arabic Eid means festivity. It’s believed that the Holy book “Quran” was revealed during this month to Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). Today it also marks the end of fasting that Muslims observe over a month during this period… Throughout the day from dawn they refrain from food and water & break it only at dusk. It allows, Muslims to practice self-discipline, sacrifice and most importantly empathy for those who are less fortunate. It further enables more endurance & spirituality over human mind, body & soul. Although it is customary, but during this month Muslims devote to God completely and seek absolution by means of offering special prayers, reading the holy book & giving alms to the poor and needy ones. Each festival is sanctified in its own sweet way and so is Eid. It’s even sweeter with the meethi siwai (a sweet dish) that’s so popular across all religions during this festive season !!!
God bless one and all as they celebrate Eid with their family and loved ones!!
I have always supported any cause that works towards children or women’s development. Healthy children develop a strong and stable mind while women nurture a healthy family …all this directly/indirectly leads to a super social development and a bright & promising future ahead!
The reason I am discussing this here is I have realised that I have a few silent visitors of my blog, who may not spare time to leave comments 
but my humble request to them would be to click on the socialvibe tab in the left hand of the page…! At the click of a button, L’Oréal Paris would donate money to help World Food Programme that provides 30 hungry children with the nutrients they need for an entire year.
“Let us do our bit in whatever small ways we can “– My sincere urge!!
-Thank you all!
How exotic it looks, how divine it smells,
the beautiful rose & its intoxicating spells!
When coated with dew, it’s fresh & pearly;
as it blossoms its fragrance spreads!!
I dont’ yearn for more, but a simple life…
a life that’s full of sweetness, warmth and love,
a place where it’s resplendent & soothing!
While each day is dreamy, naive & glee;
we rest with no worries & aches… but cheery!
Is there a place as such…at any distance, visionary?
A life that’s absolute euphoric and carefree?
–Me
Dusk at Mecca Masjid
Mecca Masjid
Charminar – The four minarets!
I adore monuments, mosques, ancient primitive temples, forts etc …Somehow I find them immensely soothing & soul-stirring!!! I would surely not mind spending endless time there simply gazing at the intricate structured piece of art. Truly they are priceless!!
Mrs. Joshi – She worked with a bank and sought retirement to spend rest of her life with her husband at peace. Life is all topsy-turvy when her husband’s extra marital relationship comes into light, she moves out of the house disheartened and feeling deceived after 30 yrs long married life. Her husband makes every attempt to reconcile things but it’s too late and he passes away. Trouble lies, when later she digs into facts that the business has faced tremendous loss and there’s a daughter too out of his other wife, who after his death claims share in the property. Mrs. Joshi makes an effort to deal with the situation pretty gracefully.
Pooja – Faced a severe domestic violence in her newly wedded life. Has a husband who is a psychopath and loves to see the fear on his wife’s face. He waits for an opportunity to abuse her at the slightest fault. Once, the things go awry & Pooja is beaten up black and blue by her husband, she ends up lodging a police complaint. This results in her husband’s overnight jail trip, where he gets smacked by the officer too. Male ego, as they say decides to avenge his sufferings and he cheats her and her mother & confiscates their only ancestral property leaving Pooja and her mother helpless and at his mercy.
Nanda Shinde – A simple middle class family, but Nanda is overtly concerned about her teenage daughter Geethi’s safety in this exceedingly wild environment. Once while commuting she encounters a young retarded orphan teenager who gets impregnated by a fraud. This leaves her extremely disturbed & concerned towards her own daughter. She tries every possible means to keep her daughter distant from any sort of trouble, but sadly she isn’t spared. Her innocent daughter is conspired against a plot by her college friends where she gets arrested by the policemen in a drugs affair. Looking at her family background she is set free but the guy who got her into this trouble is reprimanded by Geethi’s mom, Nanda also pursues her daughter to give a statement in the court against the college fellow. He gets sentenced, but because of his father’s strong connections he gets freed easily. He then targets Nanda by attacking Geethi, who is her weakness by all probability. He molests her and in turn dies accidently. Geethi is again in Police custody, as they think its she who killed him. Her family is struggling against all odds to prove their daughter’s innocence.
Bubbly Chadha – A happy go lucky girl, who is brave enough and has a solution for each problem. She is stuck in her middle-class life by availing all the possible luxuries through EMI’s. Has a loving husband though who tries his best to see his wife happy at whatever cost…
All the above four women commute by a local train, Ladies Special to their respective workplaces in Mumbai. They chuckle; they bond and support each other in their own ways to combat life’s struggles. I am not too much of a television person, and especially hate saas-bahu or crappy TV shows…! This is one soap that I kinda like it probably because it has bites of reality…! It somehow motivates me and reminds me of what Mahatma Gandhi had quoted once, “ I complained that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet”!!!
Life is undoubtedly not trouble-free, comfortable and all hunky-dory! There are numerous such moments when we encounter severe disappointments and setbacks during life’s voyage but does that mean we sit and cry over the spilt milk OR choose to stand up, shrug off the filth and move ahead. There are times when nothing seems to be going right, there are times when all the roads appear to be blocked and we stand there vulnerable & dejected. We complain, we writhe in pain, develop self-pity & keep searching for answers…”why me?”…
Well…perhaps … it’s God’s own way to run us through testing times and make us stronger to deal with life’s entangling complexities. We still don’t give up because tough times do not last but tough people do….!
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