Games Behind Doors

We've all been at home for more than a year now. Not just adults, but kids have adapted to being inside the four walls. Although not an ideal situation at all, kids have learnt to play all sorts of games at home, whether alone, with parents, siblings, or even friends.

Online hobby classes, games, school, tuition, and even get togethers have become the much-needed social interaction windows for children.

But kids are amazingly resilient and adaptive. Not just physically, mentally and emotionally too. They have invented newer games to play at home, even learning to play with each other through the online sessions, and across balconies.

My seven-year old daughter has concocted imaginative games for not just herself, but also for us adults to be involved in. And I'm rather proud to say that I've stolen some of her games to use them as ice-breakers for my team meetings.

Since last year, we started with simple word games such as Name-Place-Animal-Thing and Animal-Sounds moving on to Using Rhyming Words in a limerick, Jumbled Words, Describe an object in the room. It's been amazing to see how my daughter has improved her prowess at words and language.

We've played Chess, Snakes & Ladders, Uno, Carrom, Guess Who?, Pictureka, Scrabble, and some board games that she invented on her own. We've done hide-n-seek, role playing (doctor-doctor, school, hotel, visit to beach, staying in awesome hotels with room service, which is of course provided by my daughter).

She has been a traffic police, doctor and patient, teacher, PT instructor, yoga instructor, pilot, cruise captain, fire fighter, police, paramedic helper, ambulance (the vehicle, all with the beeper sound) and even a robot over the last year. How can you say that the year has not been happening and exhaustive?

I've seen her play and chat with her friends through online meetings, holding art classes for her friends, story telling sessions with her grandpa, and even daily video calls with grandma showing her new plants, activities, and even reading out stories.

She has written funny stories, a few chapters of two new novels, spooky stories, comic books, Chacha Chaudhary stories, and has moved on to write poems.

What is incredible is how imaginative this new life behind doors has been. I don't deny that kids haven't had enough physical activities, and they are missing out on playing out in the open. Yet, they have learnt and adapted.

There are a couple of kids who stay in a building opposite my house. They both stay on two different floors, but their balconies open out to the same side. Throughout the day, they are constantly calling each other, asking questions about daily routines, such as have you had your lunch, what are you having for lunch, what are you doing now, and all such questions, providing an awesome, free entertainment for us.

The other day, they decided to play hide and seek. I admit that this has been the most creative and imaginative hide-n-seek play that I have ever heard. Each took turn crying out, "Alright, I am ready! Guess where I am hiding!" Mind you, this is across balconies and across floors. The kids are at their own houses. And they are just imaging themselves hiding in the places. So the other kid would guess, "Under the bed, inside a cupboard, behind the sofa!" It was so much fun to hear them play!

I was not just astonished at their imagination but extremely proud at seeing them so adaptive and innovative.

We've all been harping about how excessively and utterly boring it has been being stuck inside the four walls. But we forget that windows, doors, balconies, and terraces are still open!

Work From Home, Work At Home, And Home Work

 ... that's our new normal! Each one of us is doing this. I could also add a few more...No Work So At Home, Not Working From Home, Never Want To Work From Home, Enough Of Work From Home....

This new normal has really become a different life from what we had five months ago. Nothing had prepared us for this phase of our life. When we started with this lockdown, we had assumed that it will be short-lived. But now after five months, our lives are irrevocably changed.

Being cooped up at home has changed our lifestyle. We are now spending so much time at home, just looking out of the window that I've now reconciled myself to the feeling of being a caged animal in a zoo. We really don't have a life outside. 

Milk, food, vegetables, groceries, even non-essential items are now delivered to our places. We just open our doors to our cages, get the parcels in and barricade ourselves back in our cages. No wonder zoo animals have such busy lives!

Back in March when the lockdown started, it was summer. The harsh summer set in April and we were glad we weren't out in the scorching sun travelling to work and back. Kids enjoyed extended holidays, exams were canceled, and for them it was heaven being home. Of course they did miss playing outside and meeting friends. But slowly, we all accepted the new normal.

As April galloped into May, our life had turned upside down. Mall visits, evening drives, shopping sprees, friend meetups all morphed into cooking, cleaning, standing in self-distanced queues for essentials, working from home, entertaining kids at home, and surviving on meager supplies. Shops were closed and stepping out of the house was strictly forbidden.

Most of the kids have adapted faster than the parents. They are all tech savvy, attending schools and co-curricular activities online. I've seen kids who are giving interviews online, solving puzzles, learning gaming and coding, all through the internet. Earlier, parents fought to keep the screen time limited for their kids. Now, parents have no choice but to allow kids to learn online.

My family is no exception to these changes. My kiddo attends school three hours a day and then moves on to watch her favourite cartoons and shows online. Add to that the TV that she watches and her screen time has exponentially increased.

 When we keep her away from the screen, she devises different games for us. Some of the games that she has devised are: Danger crossing race, Guess the word, Clock game, Chocolate fair, Running competition, Karate exercises, Dance classes, Mask making competition. Almost every day, she comes up with a new game in which Aaya-Baba are the opponents. The games have elaborate rules, and not adhering to them ends in us getting expelled out of the game, or worse, double punishment. Thankfully, the game conductor is biased towards Aaya, and ensures that Aaya wins most of the time!

The other big part of the day is home work. And I'm not talking about the homework that my girl gets from her school. This is the homework that I need to do that she assigns me.

And that is the reason why I am so very busy these day! Imagine how much writing and work I need to do at home: usual office work, household chores, and my school homework.

The pandemic has brought so many changes in our lives that it is hard to imagine how it was a mere five months ago. We are still unsure of how it will be, or in fact, whether it will ever be completely normal again.

Till then work from home!  

Revisions

Exams are on and my days end with revisions. Not for my little one who's taking her mid-terms! The revision is for me.

My little one has agreed to do revisions with me on the condition that I do all her study again after she is done with her revision. So here I am, dreading the revision, not because I am afraid of the little teacher, but for different reasons altogether!

Here's an example:

My work is on the right!

Writing in a four-line pattern is not a joke now. With my fingers that are used to computer typing and not holding a pen, forget even a pencil, it is such a task to make the fingers move to write in a legible handwriting. My little teacher is very strict about not writing beyond the top and bottom red lines.

Whenever I get such a revision, I am reminded of the lengthy answers that I had to write, including the English, Hindi, and Marathi essays in school.

I also need to remember to (deliberately) make mistakes so that my teacher can correct me. The teacher is also very clever. She sometimes dictates the wrong words and "corrects" those in my notebook!

But my teacher is also very generous! If I so much as make a crying face, she will immediately give me a couple of more stars with an Excellent! remark even when I don't deserve it! Such a wonderful teacher indeed!

So the next time you sit down with your kids for revisions, do send a "Good Luck" to me too!

का?

महिकाचे 'का' प्रश्न सुरु झालेत. इतके की कधी कधी आपल्याकडेपण उत्तर नसतं त्यांचं.

काल रात्री महिका आणि तिच्या बाबाचं 'Knowledge sharing session' चालू होतं. काय काय प्रश्न विचारले तिने बाबाला!

पहिला वाहिला प्रश्न: "बाबा, आपण जेवण का करतो आणि पाणी का पितो?"

किती 'basic' प्रश्न झाला! पण तिच्या बाबाने खूपच छान उत्तर दिले. तिला कळेल आणि पटेल अश्या भाषेत. त्या नंतर तर प्रश्नांचा भडीमार होता. हर एक प्रश्न वेगवेगळा.

"बाबा animals आपल्या बरोबर घरात का नाही राहत, जंगलात का राहतात?"

"बाबा आपण newspaper का वाचतो?"

"आपण घरात का राहतो?"

"सिग्नल का असतात?"

"आपण खुर्चीवर का बसतो?" (How cute and funny!!)

"How shall we make a cake?"

"How shall we make a tomato?"

"How shall we make bhaji and roti?"

रात्री सगळे प्रश्न संपले नाहीत की काय म्हणून सकाळ-सकाळी उठल्या-उठल्या मला एक-दोन प्रश्न:

"आया, आता तू सांग. आपण घड्याळ का घालतो?"

"झाडाला फुलं का असतात?"

हे सर्व प्रश्न ऐकून त्यांना समर्पक उत्तरं द्यायची ही आपली जवाबदारी.

पण खरं तर ह्यातून हेच दिसतं की ही लहान मंडळी किती वेगवेगळ्या गोष्टींचा विचार करत असतात आणि किती कुतूहल असतं त्यांना!

लहानग्यांचे भावविश्व, विचारसरणी, आणि imagination हे असेच विस्मयकारक असो! कायम असे प्रश्न सुचो आणि उत्तरं पण मिळो हीच मुलांना शुभेच्छा!

लहानपणची निरागसता आणि curiosity आपण मोठे होताना का बरं हरवून जाते? 

My Daughter Is Growing Up

Mahika, my daughter, is already two and has started Playgroup. It has been a wonderful journey seeing her grow up to a beautiful, adamant, smart, funny, little girl.

Sometimes, she seems almost grown up while at other times she seems a helpless baby clinging to her mommy.

But I am immensely proud of my little angel. At most times she is well-behaved and cares for everyone around her. She has her temper tantrums and drives me crazy when she throws them. But then, no fun without that. It would be so boring to have a tantrum-free child at home.

Mahika has been going to the daycare since last year. She also used to be in the Playgroup class then. That has given her an added advantage of knowing all the rhymes and loves all the activities there.

But since her official class has started, I've suddenly realised how much she has learnt. She knows most of the nursery rhymes and songs. She knows a few opposites too, in English as well as in Marathi. She can count up till seven in Marathi and up till 10 in English. She knows almost all the colours, blue being her favourite. A few months back it was (b)ink. That's pink. She sometimes says 'b' for 'p'.

Although she can say all sounds, she purposely replaces some on her own. So she used to call herself Makka, which changed to Mika. And now it's Pika.

And she now wants to do everything on her own. It is fun to watch her try things out.

Her sense of humor is quite astonishing. She can laugh at all absurd things and even at herself on some word play that occurs inadvertently. Her humor, playfulness, and caring nature endears her to everyone.

The apple of everyone's eye, she's growing up real fast. It won't be really long when she will be totally independent and out there in the big world.

Change Of Status

It's been months and months since I have posted here. The last one was in October when I was staying at my mom's place. Now so many things have changed.

I have now moved to a place closer to office, staying apart from in-laws. It was such fun to set up my own place, decide where to put what, buy the required utensils, and generally manage the household. It definitely is a job to keep a tab on all things in the house: grocery, washing, cleaning, changing of bed linen, ensuring guests have the required things, bathrooms are cleaned, maids are kept in check, monthly expenses are monitored. But I love doing all this and enjoy it immensely.

Being closer to office means I don't have to travel a lot. It also means that Sanjeev can pop up home earlier and whenever required.

Having my own place means my relatives and my parents can visit me without inhibition. I can do whatever I can, place things the way I want them, and generally be the queen of the hive. :)

But most importantly, what has changed is my status. In April, I was blessed with a beautiful daughter. I am now not only a wife, but also a mother. And that makes all the difference.

My daughter - Mahika is two months old now. And these days have gone in a whiz. My mother still works, so she could come and support me only for some time. Now I am alone managing a two-month old baby and the entire household. It is tiring, trying, and frustrating at times. But it is fun.

I am on maternity leave now. After few more months, I'll start working again. I don't know how my daughter will cope up with that or how she will react. There's still some time for that.

But the new status of motherhood is a lot of things. It definitely is fun. But it is also a big responsibility. As a mother, I need to take care of so many things for the baby. Playing with the baby, feeding, nursing, bathing, nappy changing, all those things are obviously there. But what comes naturally is the unconditional love that is showered on the baby. Even with the sleepless nights, frustrating times, and constant attention that the baby requires, one look at the baby and you know you can do anything for it.

So far, things have gone well. I am sure I'll enjoy it more as Mahika grows. Sanjeev and I are both tremendously happy that we have a daughter. Now, it's impossible to think of a world without her. Bless you Mahika!

Letting Bygones Be Bygones

In a budding relationship, with all the trust, love, and faith you have in the other person, it is necessary to let bygones be bygones.

Whether you are in office, with acquaintances, with your family and loved ones, you cannot build on hostile feelings. You need to sit back one day and try and understand what is really holding you up.

When in office, you may come across some of your colleagues with whom you are not comfortable. Yet you need to work along with them. Sometimes, it is much easy to ignore the little quirks that may irritate you as long as the work is done. You can easily do that, because after all, it's for a short time that you are together with that person.

Eventually, you get used to the person and the whims and fancies. You come to accept the person as he or she is until your work is getting done and until that person is not a real hindrance to your job, position, and progress. If someone is a hindrance, dealing with that person is an entirely different story.

But on a personal level, what do you do? When a person irritates you, gets on your nerves, and does not let you be, what can you do?

Sometimes, it's best to ignore. But, it certainly is not easy to ignore and let go. Then at times, you don't know how to deal with a person who cannot understand you, is really self-centered, doesn't give you the required space, cannot understand your point of view, is obstinate, and has entirely different goals.

That's the time when you sit down and make each other understand what the goals are. The short-term goals and the long-term ones too. It is time to sit down and clarify things, make each other understand what you like, what you don't.

Mind you, it's not easy to see through somebody else's point of view. Most of the times, the person who has felt dejected, unloved, and lonely will feel themselves to be martyrs. And for you, that person may seem to be the culprit for all the wrong things that have happened.

You wouldn't be able to forget the smaller fights, the real big fights, and the hurt that has been caused because of being headstrong, stubborn, and unhelpful.

That's when you need to keep patience. Handle each situation very, very delicately. Put forth your points, your ideas in a way that will help the other person see your perspective. The other person may not believe in your perspective, but will at least understand that, finally, that is what your feel. And the most important factor in all this is not to keep reminding oneself of all the fights and hurt in the past. For some time at least, you must keep them away. Keep them on the back burner.

You may want to pick on them again when the issues at hand are resolved. But it is extremely important that at the time when you are trying to patch up things, you let bygones be bygones. Slowly and surely, the soreness, the feeling of being hurt and unhappy fades away. A real understanding between each other develops. That's when peace will return!

Growing Up

What does it take to have a better life? Love, friends, family, work, peace of mind, happiness, safety and security, togetherness, understanding partner, overall stability, people who treat you well and never let your down?

I think all this together. Man is a rather selfish animal. Apart from food, water, sleep, and physical well-being, there are so many more things that man requires to survive. We need love and acceptance from our partner, friends, colleagues, relatives, acquaintances. That's one of the most important requirements apart from the basic needs. If that's not fulfilled, if you are not accepted as you are, as the person that you are, you will always be dissatisfied, frustrated, and driven to craziness.

As you move upwards in life, you grow. People around you grow and change. You metamorphose into someone that you never thought of as you started your journey. A simple example is how you are at the start of your career. Ten years down the line, when you sit back and look back at the time that's gone past, would you say you had foreseen yourself there where you are? Very few can. Very few have such chalked out careers. But all will certainly have matured over those years. Each one would have learnt so much and experienced so much that you would definitely agree that you are someone who was not so ten years before.

Today when I was chatting with a very good friend, I was talking about what I was when I started my career. I was so naive, so untamed, so untrained. I was so coarse. Today, after eight years, I know I have grown. I have experienced different types of people and learnt to deal with them. I have learnt so much technically, something that I never could have thought of eight years back. And I am so much more confident today.

I always remember Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth remains unfazed by the pomposity and grandeur of Lady Catherine's home and person. A few years back, I used to feel diminished even thinking of facing and interacting with highly technical people, developers, and engineers. I used to feel that I would never be able to face them because of my lack of technical knowledge. But today, like Elizabeth, I feel unfazed. I can meet them with an equanimity which has come with experience and learning. And I am happy about it.

Growing up also includes an important aspect of knowing what you don't know. Realising what you are not good at and striving to achieve an acceptable level of knowledge in that.

I had attended a training in April in which I learnt to eat the ugliest frog first. In simple terms, it means that if there's something that you find the hardest to do, you should always do that first. Get that out of the door and the work will become much lighter. In some ways, I've started using that in my work as well as personal life. It's working too. :)

That's how things are currently. I am growing and I am happy.

Fights

Yeah, that's what you'll experience when you visit the Sinhagad Fort. That's what we experienced too.

Sinhagad is located around 30 kms west of Pune and reaching there is pretty easy. You can either take a bus from Swargate, Deccan, or Shaniwar Wada bus stands. These buses go till the foot of the fort. You need to climb up from the foot. Otherwise, and the better option if you do not want to be tired from the climbing, you should hire a car, or even better, take your own car.

The fort lies around 10-12 kms from the village that's at the foot, called Donje. You must pay a toll of Rs. 20 or 50 for a two or four wheeler respectively as you start climbing. If you have got your own food, you also need to pay a nuisance fee of Rs. 100.

The first five or so kms are smooth and enjoyable. The middle patch is excruciatingly painful. It is completely neglected and the road has been washed out. It's full of potholes and worse than a village road. the last 5 kms are again very good, and you heave a sigh of relief as you see the smooth road.

As you park your vehicle in the parking lot, lots of ladies with "dahi" and "taak" will literally follow you up till the fort. They just won't let you go. As you visit the different points, they'll keep on asking you if you'd like to have curd or buttermilk. Even if you keep saying no, they'll persist. When you finally decide to have some, there'll be a fight between a couple of them about who "caught" the customer first.

Their loud discussions are enough to distract you and make you wonder why you ever selected that lady. But don't bother, it's nothing to do with your selecting her. It's the other way round. They select the customers they want right from the parking lot, and follow you till you have to have the curd and buttermilk from them. If you don't, there will be a big fight.

Obviously, the price seems too much, especially after the fight. After this first haggling, you'll again have to face various other food providers who are trying to catch you. You'll get a simple meal of pithla-bhakri there. But even that is enough to start the whole fight all over again.

Thankfully, the food is decent wherever you have it. Remember to order the kanda-bhaji first and then pithla-bhakri. And lastly, have the dahi and enjoy the meal.

If you can ignore all the petty fights, it's a good half-a-day outing that you can enjoy. Especially when the heat is mild and there's a gentle breeze flowing all the while, making the sun all the more bearable. Despite all the troubles reaching there or the fights at the top, you'll certainly enjoy the outing.

दरवळणारे सुगंध

गरम-गरम, आलं घातलेला, वाफाळलेला चहा...एका झटक्यात सकाळ सुवासिक बनून जाते. अशा चहाचा गंध घेऊन ज्याला चहा प्यायचा मोह होत नसेल, तो माणूसच काय!

प्रत्येक सकाळ ही एक नवीन सुगंध घेऊन येते. कधी पावसाची चाहूल, कधी थंडीची ऊब, तर कधी उन्हाचा तडाखा. प्रत्येक दिवसाचा जसा रंग न्यारा, तसाच सुगंधही. दिवस कसा असेल हे प्रत्येक सकाळच्या सुवासावरून कळते.

चैत्र महिन्यात वसंताची चाहूल लागते. सकाळी उठून एक उल्हासित सुगंध दरवळत असतो. जणू सांगत असतो की झाडांना नवी पालवी फुटणार आहे. नवीन आशा, नवीन स्वप्ने, नवीन आकांक्षा. सारं काही नवीन. निरभ्र आभाळाखाली एक दीर्घ श्वास घेऊन सभोवतालचा आनंद आपल्यात सामावून घ्यावा आणि मगच दिवसाची सुरवात करावी.

जशी उन्हाची तीव्रता वाढते, तसाच सुगंधही बदलतो. एक तीक्ष्ण असा सुवास येणाऱ्या तप्त दिवसाची चाहूल देऊन जातो. उष्णता त्या एका सुगंधात लपली असते. हा सुवास जेव्हढा उष्ण, तेव्हढाच कोरडा. सूर्य आता तापला आहे आणि आता कोणाची खैर नाही असा प्रेमळ इशारा असतो.

पण याच दिवसात एक अजून अलौकिक सुगंध घराघरांत दरवळत असतो. एका टोकरी मध्ये बंद करून ठेवलेल्या त्या फळांचा सुवास घरा-दारात भरून राहिला असतो. उगाच नाही त्याला फळांचा राजा म्हणत. खरा तर आंब्याच्या सीझनला असा एक दंडकच केला पाहिजे की  सर्वांनी उठल्यावर प्रथम आम्रसुगंध घ्यावा, आम्र-फळास वंदन करावे, आणि मगच दिनचर्येस सुरवात करावी. तसे न केल्यास आजन्म आंब्यांना मुकावे ही शिक्षा.

जसा आंब्याचा सीझन संपत येतो तसा येणाऱ्या वर्ष ऋतूची चाहूल देऊन जातो. "आज भयंकर उकडतंय, नाही?" "पाऊस येणार वाटतं!" "पाऊस येउदे एकदाचा, खूप झाला उन्हाळा!" असल्या उद्गारानीच आपण पावसाळ्यास सज्ज होतो.

सकाळपासूनच हवेत आर्द्रता जाणवत असते. मेघगर्जनेसह वळवाचा पाऊस हजेरी नक्की लावणार असे वाटत राहते. सकाळच्या दमट सुगंधाने शुष्क झालेल्या मनाने उभारी घेतलेली असते. पण नेहेमीसारखाच पाऊस हुलकावणी देऊन जातो.

कधीतरी रात्री धुमाकूळ पाऊस पडून जातो. सकाळचा पहिला श्वास तुम्हाला रात्रीची कथा सांगून जातो. वातावरणात, वळवाच्या पाऊसाने केलेला पहिला स्पर्श अजूनही तरळत असतो सकाळच्या धुंध वासात.

वर्षा ऋतूच्या विलक्षण सौंदर्यात धरती न्हाऊन गेलेली असते. दररोज सकाळी अधिकाधिक बहरत जाणारी झाडं, फुलं, पानं, सगळंच  विलोभनीय असतं. याच दिवसात पारिजातकाचा वेड लावणारा सुगंध तुमची सकाळ मोहवतो. रातोरात खुलणारी रातराणी, जाई-जुई, सायली, आणि मोगरा, या फुलांनी तर सर्व आसमंत भरून जातो.

सकाळ-सकाळी फुलांनी लगडलेल्या पारिजातकाच्या झाडाखालून कधी गेला आहात? किंवा, झाडाखाली कोणी हिऱ्यांचा सडा टाकला आहे, असे भासवणाऱ्या फुलांना वेचायला कधी गेला आहात का? फुलांचा सुगंध तर अप्रतिम असतोच. पण झाडाखाली पडलेली फुले वेचतावेचता, जेव्हा झाडावरून पडणारी फुले कधी आपल्या पायाशी, तर कधी आपसूक परडीत येऊन पडतात, तेव्हा काय अप्रूप वाटते! आणि नुसतीच फुले नाहीत, तर त्याबरोबर पानांवरून गळणारे टपोरे थेंब, कधी हातावर, तर कधी पाठीवर पडतात, आणि अंगावरून एक सुर्रकन शिरशिरी जाते.

पारिजातकाची फुले हातात घेऊन बघा, आणि त्यांचा सुगंध मनात साठवा. ओंजळ रिकामी केलीत, तरी सुगंध तसाच टवटवीत आणि मोहून टाकणारा येईल तुमच्या हातांना.

पावसाच्या सुरवातीस अजून एका प्रकारच्या वासाची खासियत आहे. सगळ्यांनाच हा वास आवडेल असे काही नाही. पण आहे मात्र या सीझनचे खास वैशिष्ट्य! छत्री आणि रेनकोट यांचे वास. वर्षभराने काढलेले छत्री आणि रेनकोट यांना नेहेमीच एक वेगळा, खास पावसाळी वास येतो. या वासाने मला कायम बेडकाची आठवण होते.

या दिवसात आपल्याला अजून एका वासाची सवय होते, किंबहुना सवय करून घ्यावी लागते. ओल्या, दमट कपड्यांचे वास. आपण कितीही प्रयत्न केला, पूर्ण झाकणारा रेनकोट-टोपी हे सोपस्कार केले, तरीही कपडे ओले होतातच, आणि लवकर वाळत पण नाहीत. आज पाउस येणार नाही, या विश्वासाने आपण बाहेर पडलो की पाउस हमखास आपल्याला फसवणार. मग ओलं होवून घरी येण्याशिवाय गत्यंतर नसतो. शिवाय रस्त्याने जाणाऱ्या वाहनांना तुमचा कोरडेपणा रुचत नाही. ते पावसाची कमी पुरी करतात. एकुणात कपडे ओले राहून दमट वासाची सवय होते.

असे भिजून आल्यावर कांदाभजीचा वास खुणावतो, आणि "खाण्यासाठी जगावे" ते पटते. गरम-गरम भाजीचा वास का एकदा नाकात गेला की मग ना पावसाचे भान, ना ओल्या कपड्यांचे.

श्रावण येतो आणि खाण्याची रेलचेल सुरु होते. नुसतीच सुवासित फुले नव्हे, तर खरपूस, खमंग, जीभेचे चोचले पुरवणारे, एक-से-एक, पदार्थ आपल्या खाद्य संस्कृतीत आहेत.

दर श्रावणी शुक्रवारी एक वेगळा पदार्थ. जीवती देवीच्या व्रतामुळे दर शुक्रवारी वेगवेगळे पदार्थ बनवले जातात. एका शुक्रवारी पुरणपोळीचा घमघमाट असतो. खीर, घावन, आरत्या, चवाचे कानवले या सगळ्यांचा एका पाठोपाठ क्रमांक लागतो. दर शुक्रवारी कामावरून घरी शिरल्या-शिरल्या असा काही मस्त वास येतो की ते वाण-बीण बाजूला राहिलं, लागलीच पानावर बसावे.

हे झालं शुक्रवारचे. पण श्रावणात तर प्रत्येक दिवसच साजरा करण्यासारखा असतो. घराबाहेर पावसाने चिंब झालेल्या मातीचा सुवास, तर घरात वेगवेगळ्या रुचकर पदार्थांचा. नागपंचमीला फळे, शिळसप्तमीला सांजा, पौर्णिमेला नारळी भात असले स्वादिष्ठ  पदार्थ. 

नागपंचमी ला मेंदीचा धुंध सुगंध. ओल्या मेंदीचा, हातावर सुकलेल्या मेंदीचा, आणि रंगलेल्या मेंदीचा सुगंध वेगवेगळा येतो. जितकी मेंदी रंगते तितकी मज्जा वाटते. पण जशी फिकी पडते तसं वाईट वाटतं. नक्षीदार मेंदीने सजलेले हात जेव्हा पूर्ववत बेरंग होतात, तेव्हा वाईट वाटते. पण आश्चर्य म्हणजे त्या पांढऱ्या हातांनापण अजून एक अती सूक्ष्म सुवास येत असतो!

खमंग, सुरमट, साजुक तुपातला नारळी भात घेऊन नारळी पौर्णिमा येते. पाठोपाठ येते जन्माष्टमी. दूध-पोहे आणि दही-पोहे इतका सोप्पा आणि टेस्टी नैवेद्य घेऊन!

मग वाट पाहतो आपण गणपतीच्या दिवसांची. धूप-दीप, अगरबत्ती, फळे, केवड्याची पाने, कमळाची फुले, लाल जास्वंदीची फुले, दुर्वा, पेढे, खोबरं-साखर, साखरफुटाणे, खारीक-खोबरं, सर्व गोष्टींचे मिसळण होवून एक अनामिक मंगलमय वातावरण तयार होते, बेहद्द आल्हादायक!

गौऱ्या घरी आल्या की आनंदाला उधाण येते. चिवडा-लाडू, करंज्या, अनारसे बनवले जातात आणि स्वागताची जय्यत तयारी होते. खीर-घावन, वरण-पुरण, वालाचे बिरडे, बटाट्याची भाजी, पुऱ्या, श्रीखंड, लोणचे, पापड, अगदी लिंबूच्या फोडीचा वास देखील पोटातल्या अग्नीला आहुती वाहतो.

विसर्जनाच्या दिवशी घाटावर जाऊन नुसते उभे राहिले तरी भरपूर फायदा होतो. घराघरातल्या विसर्जित होणाऱ्या गणरायांचे दर्शन होते. शेवटच्या कर्पुरारतीच्या सुवासाने आसमंत भरून गेलेले असते. आरत्या आणि "पुढल्या वर्षी लवकर या" या घोषात उत्साह शिगेला पोचतो. या सगळ्या उत्सवाचा आनंद तर घेता येतोच, पण त्या शिवाय अजून एक मोठा फायदा म्हणजे वाटल्या डाळीचा प्रसाद मिळतो. त्याकरिता तुम्ही घरातलेच असायला पाहिजेत असा काही नाही हां! येण्या-जाणाऱ्या सगळ्यांना मिळतो हा प्रसाद. कधी सुकी डाळ तर कधी ओली. पण त्याशिवाय गणरायाला निरोप कसा द्यायचा?

गणेश विसर्जना नंतरचे दोन आठवडे म्हणजे आपल्या पूर्वजांना प्रसाद देण्यासाठीचे दिवस. आपापल्या पितरांना श्रद्धांजली वाहिली जाते ती घरोघरी. हा काही सार्वजनिक सण नाही. तरीदेखील जेव्हा घरी "तीथ" असते, तेव्हा गोड वडे, तिखट वडे - खीर, आमसुलाची चटणी. गवार-भोपळ्याची, कारल्याची, भेंडीची भाजी, कढी हे सर्व पदार्थ केले जातात. मला तिखट वडा - खीर हे combination कमालीचे आवडते, अगदी कायम पण खाऊ शकते.

पितृपंधरवडा संपतो न संपतो तोच नवरात्र सुरु. नवरात्र म्हटला की मला आठवतं आमच्या घरी बाबा धूप लावतात दररोज संध्याकाळी तेच. आमच्या आईकडे देव बसवतात. सकाळ-संध्याकाळ पूजा आणि आरती. संध्याकाळच्या आरतीच्या वेळची घंटा आणि धुपाचा सुगंध मन एकदम प्रसन्न करून टाकतात.

घरी सवाष्णी घालतात त्या दिवशी चंदनाचा सुगंध येत असतो. चुलीवर मसाला दूध उकळत असते. एका बाजूस सर्व सवाष्णीना द्यायला घरचे विडे बनवले जात असतात. अश्या वेळेस मसाला दूध आधी घ्यावे की पान खावे हेच कळत नाही.

दसऱ्याच्या दिवशी पुरी-श्रीखंड हा बेत ठरलेला. श्रीखंडामध्ये भरपूर जायफळ घालायचे...नुसत्या वासानेच दुपारची वामकुक्षीची guarantee. दसऱ्याला आपट्याची पाने सोनं म्हणून सकाळी पुजायला ठेवतो तेव्हाचा त्यांचा वास आणि संध्याकाळच्या पानांचा वास वेगवेगळा असतो. संध्याकाळची पाने थकलेली, उदास वाटतात. पटकन कुस्करली जातात. कुस्करलेल्या पानांना पण वेगळा वास येतो.

दसरा संपतो आणि दिवाळीचे वेध लागतात. पावसाळा संपून हिवाळ्याकडे वाटचाल सुरु झालेली असते. पण म्हणून काही रविराजाला विसरता येत नाही. दिवसभर चांगलाच तापतो आणि तापवतो. पण संध्याकाळी गारवा पसरतो. दिवसा पानगळतीचा वास खूपच मस्त वाटतो.

आणि एक दिवस गल्ली-बोळातून जाताना बेसन भाजल्याचा घमघमाट येतो, आणि लक्षात येते की आली दिवाळी चार दिवसांवर. रस्त्या-रस्त्यांवर आकाशकंदील दिसायला लागतात. कुठे चकली, कुठे शेव, चिवडा, लाडू, शंकरपाळ्या, अनारसे, ह्या सगळ्या फराळामुळे दिवाळीची वाट आपण उत्सुकतेने बघायला लागतो. नवीन कपडे घेतले जातात. तुम्हाला आवडतो का नवीन कपड्यांचा वास? मला खूप आवडतो. दसरा - दिवाळी निमित्त घेतलेल्या नवीन कारच्या interior चा वास पण आवडतो.

आम्ही लहानपणी मौज म्हणून दिवाळीला "मोती चंदन" साबण आणायचो. दिवाळीच्या दिवशी पहाटे-पहाटे नवीन चंदन साबणाचा सुगंध, घराबाहेरून फटाक्यांचा वास, आणि सकाळचा थंडीचा वेगळाच सुगंध ह्याचे एक विलक्षण मिश्रण तयार व्हायचे.

भरपूर आनंद देऊन दिवाळी संपते आणि मग कडाक्याच्या थंडीचा मौसम सुरु होतो. भर थंडीत, अगदी दुपारीपण गोधडी घेऊन झोपावे, असे मस्त वातावरण होते. तेव्हा दुपारी उन्हात गेले की थंडीचा वास दरवळत असतो. याच दिवसांमध्ये दुपारच्या चारच्या वाफाळलेल्या चहाचे महत्व कळते.

जानेवारीमध्ये संक्रांत येते गुळपोळी घेऊनच. गरम-गरम गुळपोळी, त्यावर चमचाभर साजूक तूप, आणि चवीला बटाट्याची भाजी. ह्या combination ला तोडच नाही.

मग येतो वर्षातला शेवटचा सन, होळी! रंग, फुगे, पाणी, संध्याकाळची होळी, अन अर्थात पुरणपोळी. प्रत्येक सणाची काय वेगळी मजा असते ना! संध्याकाळच्या पेटलेल्या होळीने सर्वत्र गर्मी पसरते. येणाऱ्या वसंत ऋतूची चाहूल अलगद देऊन जाते.

वर्षभर वेगवेगळे सुगंध घेऊन आलेले ऋतुचक्र पुनश्च सुरु होते. गतवर्षीच्या विविध सुवासाची पुंजी घेऊन नवीन वर्षात आपणही जायला सज्ज होतो!

Nothing Much To Write About

...but just thought of writing...anything that comes to mind.

I finally completed that Myths and Legends of the Hindus and Buddhists book. I was rather disappointed with the book. I had imagined to contain quite a store of information about our Hindu gods and goddesses, and about Buddhism. But it was nothing more than a compilation of stories and myths. The language too was not to my taste, pretty didactic, and written from a western point of view. So, all in all, I am happy I pursued though totally bored with the book and completed it. And I am supremely glad that I am done with the book and can now move on to better and more interesting books.

The next one I have started on is Gerald Durrel's My Family and Other Animals. It's funny, interesting, and full of life. But what I am really waiting for is The Secret of Nagas. Let's see how long it takes for me to complete Durrel's book and move on to the Nagas.

XXX

Dussehra is gone and Diwali is round the corner. How will life change after that? Will it change? For better?

At work, new and interesting responsibilities are coming up. New challenges are there on the road. It's going to be my test. I'll have to be careful performing my new responsibilities, making sure I am fair, confident, and understanding. At the same time, I'll have to keep learning new things and keep myself updated. Let's see if I can handle all that.

On the personal front, looking forward to new beginnings. Looking forward to better things and better life. Let's see if life gives me all that!

XXX

Tomorrow's Friday and Saturday, hopefully I'll spend time with me family. Looking forward to the fun!

आठवणी लहानपणीच्या गणेशोत्सवाच्या

आज हरतालिका! आणि उद्या गणेश चतुर्थी. सकाळी उशीरच झाला उठायला. पूजा-अर्चा नाही झाली सकाळी. फक्त देवीला हळद-कुंकू वाहिले. दररोज सारखी office ला पण आले. कामामध्ये थोडा विरंगुळा, म्हणून office cafeteria मध्ये उभी होते, तेव्हा एकदम लहानपणीच्या गणपतीच्या आठवणी आल्या.

आम्ही लहान होतो तेव्हा आई हरतालिकेच्या दिवशी उठवून नाहायला लावायची. माळ्यावर कुठे तरी जपून ठेवलेली, जी फक्त तिलाच माहित असायची कशाची आहे ते, ती plastic ची पिशवी काढायला लावायची. उघडून बघावे आत तर काय! वाळू! मग आई आम्हाला त्या वाळूने पाटावर हरतालिका देवीच्या दोन बाहुल्या शेजारी-शेजारी, आणि त्यांच्या पुढ्यात महादेवाची पिंडी, असे तयार करायला लावायची. (उजवीकडे काढून दाखवले आहे.)

मग त्या पाटावर साग्रसंगीत पूजा व्हायची. हळद-कुंकू, गंध, अक्षता, फुले, पत्री, हे सगळे वाहायचे, दूध-साखरेचा नैवेद्य दाखवायचा. एखादे फळ असेल तर ते देखील ठेवायचे देवापुढे. त्या नंतरच खायला मिळायचे. भूक लागलेली असायची. पण "आजच्या दिवस तरी जरा दम धर" असे सकाळीच ऐकवलेले असायचे. मग गपचूप पूजा व्हायची वाट बघायची.

आम्ही खरी वाट बघायचो ते हरतालिकेच्या संध्याकाळची. आई ऑफिस मधून कधी येते त्याची आतुरतेने वाट  बघत असायचो. कारण संध्याकाळचे मुख्य आकर्षण असायचे...शनिवार वाड्यावर जाऊन गणपती बघायचे.

आमच्या घरी गणपती नसतो. म्हणून आई-बाबा आम्हाला घेऊन जायचे सगळे वेगवेगळे गणपती बघायला. काय मज्जा यायची! सर्व प्रकारचे गणपती असायचे...मोरावर बसलेला, हत्तीवर बसलेला, सिंहासनावर शिवाजी महाराजांसारखा, साई बाबांच्या वेषात, मुषकावर, वीणावादन करणारा, कृष्णासारखा डोक्याला मोराचे पीस असलेला, आणि किती तरी विविध रूपे.

खूप सारे काका-काकी आजू-बाजूला असायचे गणपती बाप्पाला घरी न्यायला आलेले असायचे. किती तरी मुले बाप्पांना घेऊन जात असायचे. एखादी हातगाडी दिसायची. त्यावर आठ-दहा छोटे-मोठे गणपती असायचे. सगळ्यांची तोंडं झाकलेली. एखाद्या चाळीतील सगळी मुले गोळा झालेली असायची, जोरजोरात ठरवा-ठरवी चालायची त्यांच्या मुलांच्या मंडळाचा गणपती कुठला ठरवायचा ते.


शनिवार वाड्याच्या त्या पटांगणावर पूर्ण फेरफटका मारायचो आम्ही. रात्री उशीरा पर्यंत. इतके सारे सुंदर गणपती बघून डोळे दिपायचे. मग आमच्या comments असायच्या...हा गणपती एकदम बेरकी दिसतोय, तो फारच cute आहे, हा छोटा फारच मिश्कील आहे. तो मोठावाला कॉमेडी दिसतोय. एकाचा डोळा जरा तिरका आहे, तर दुसऱ्याचे पोट जरा जास्तच बाहेर. काही गणपती "कृष्ण-धवल" असायचे, म्हणजे एक पूर्ण पांढरा, तर दुसरा एकदम कृष्ण सारखा काळा. काही ugly वाटायचे, तर काही जात्याचे सुंदर.

असे करत-करत कधी रात्रीचे दहा वाजायचे कळायचे नाही. मग दर वर्षी सारखे आम्ही विचारायचो: "एक छोटी मूर्ती न्यायची का?" मग नेहेमीचा संवाद व्हायचा.

"नाही न्यायची!"
"पण का??"
"आपल्याकडे गणपती नाही आणत."
"पण का म्हणून? सगळ्यांकडे असतो. आपल्याकडेच का नाही?"
"नाही."
"पण काय होता नेला तर? वाटल्यास पूजा नको करायला त्याची."
"अगं असे नाही चालत. मूर्ती आणली की पूजा-अर्चा सगळी करावी लागते."
"मग करूयात ना."
"आपल्यात नाही करत."

शेवटी मग compromise म्हणून दोन कमळं घ्यायचो. त्या कमळांचा काही उपयोग नसायचा, तरी घ्यायचो. आणि ते गणपतीमागे लावतात चक्र, ते देखील घ्यायचो.  just मज्जा म्हणून. त्यातच आनंद मानून घरी परतायचो.

मग दुसऱ्या दिवशी गणपती बसायचे. ज्यांच्याकडे दीड दिवसाचा गणपती असायचे, त्या सगळ्यांकडे संध्याकाळी जाऊन यायचे. गौरी-गणपती असतील, त्यांच्याकडे जाऊन यायचे. बिबवेवाडी, धनकवडी, मार्केट यार्ड, असे पुणे दर्शन करून घरी परतायचे.

विसर्जन ज्या दिवशी असेल, दीड दिवस, पाच दिवस, गौर-गणपती जातील तेव्हा, त्या सगळ्या दिवशी घाटावर जायचे. विसर्जनाची मज्जा बघायची, आणि मुख्य म्हणजे वाटली डाल, खिरापत, आणि पेढे, असे वेगवेगळ्या, अनोळखी लोकांच्याकडून पण प्रसाद मिळायचे. काय मौज वाटायची! आणि सगळे लोक अनोळखी लोकांना पण प्रसाद वाटतात. अतिशय उत्साही आणि मंगल वातावरण असायचे.

एव्हड्यात दहा दिवस कधी संपायचे कळायचे नाही. आदल्या-मधल्या दिवशी रात्री आई-बाबा गणपती दाखवून आणायचे. दगडूशेठ हलवाई, मंडई, तुळशीबाग, बाबू गेनू, जिलब्या मारुती, हिराबाग, खडकमाळ, जोगेश्वरी, कसबा गणपती, नातूबाग, गुरुजी तालीम, हत्ती गणपती, असे किती तरी. सगळे चालत-चालत बघायचे. कधी कधी थोडा पाऊस असायचा. पण तरी सगळे गणपती cover करायचे. कणीस खायचे आणि चालत-चालत फिरायचे. खूप धम्माल केली.

अनंत चातुदशी च्या दिवशी आमच्या काकांकडे अनंताची पूजा असते. मग आम्ही त्या दिवशी सकाळी अकरा पर्यंत जायचो त्यांच्याकडे. आई प्रसादाला कायम बोटव्याची खीर करून न्यायची. येत-जाता किती तरी मिरवणुका दिसायच्या.

रात्री लक्ष्मी रस्त्यावर मिरवणूक बघायला जायचो. शेवटचा दगडूशेठ हलवाईचा गणपती गेला, की एकदम खाली-खाली वाटायचे. आता गणपतीची भेट एकदम पुढल्या वर्षीच, असे मनात म्हणत घरी परतायचे.

आज इतक्या वर्षांनी सगळ्या गोष्टी जश्याच्या तश्या डोळ्यां पुढे उभ्या राहिल्या. खूप nostalgic वाटले. आठवणी पण साठवून ठेवाव्यात, असे वाटून गेले, म्हणून पटकन लिहून काढले. या पुढे पण गणपती उत्सव होईलच, ढंग नक्कीच वेगळा असेल!

On A Cooking Spree

I was on a cooking spree for the past couple of weeks. Cooked all this:

Rawa ladoo
Dal Makhani
Palak Paneer
Kobi Pakode
Chicken cream curry
Chicken pasta
Bhendawani
Paav Bhaji
Egg Biryani

All tasted pretty good. :) Had fun!

Happy Birthday Buba!

Dearest Buba,

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday! May you always have a lot, lot books to read!

This wonderful man, my dad, turned 70 today. He has been the kindest, calmest man I have met. He has been a scholar of English, Sanskrit, and Marathi. I am amazed at how many things he knows...philosophy, religious, political, language, happenings around him, people around him. His vast accumulation of knowledge is unbelievable.

Today on his birthday, I just want to let him know that I miss him and think of him everyday. His calm and quiet nature, support, wisdom, and humour is all that I miss.

I wish him good health in years to come. Good Luck Baba!

Visiting Vishrambaug Wada

Vishrambaug Wada, is a nice old style wada situated in the heart of the Pune city. For shoppers who are well-known with Tulshibaug won't find it difficult to find this place. It's just opposite the entrance to Tulshibaug on Bajirao Road. Lot of confusing names for the newcomer in Pune. But don't worry. Just hop into a rickshaw and ask the rickshaw-wallah to take you to Vishrambaug Wada. You'll be alighted right at its entrance.

Inside of Vishrambaug Wada

So...to start with the history, this palace or Wada as it is called in Marathi, was built in 1807 at a cost of Rs. 2,00,000, which was a whooping cost at that time. It was owned by Peshwa Bajirao II, who stayed there for around 11 years before he was imprisoned by the British.

In 1821, a Sanskrit school was started in Vishrambaug Wada. Government Engineering College (now called COEP), Deccan College, Pune University, and Agricultural University were all had their humble beginnings here in Vishrambaug Wada.

A well inside Vishrambaug Wada

An interesting placard in the Wada mentions that William Wordsworth had written to the Public Works Department (PWD) complaining of the unhygienic conditions of the Wada at that time. I am really not sure if this could be true. Need to verify that. Nevertheless, it does give a different charm to the Wada.

At this Wada are now some municipal offices such as the Birth and Death Registration Office, Post Office, and a few shops are also operative.

What is also of some interest is a very small showcase of old buildings and structures in Pune, right from Council Hall, Gokhale Hall, Kasba Ganpati, Mandai, and various other notable structures. Miniatures of all these noteworthy buildings are on display. But this showcase seriously needs a makeover. More information about these buildings, clean and bright environment, old photographs, and many more interesting facets of life in Pune in the 18th and 19th centuries will make this a veritable source of information. This display is for free now. But I wouldn't mind paying if they upgrade it.

Also. if they take some serious restoration work for the Wada, make a few more rooms open to the general public by providing them information and entertainment, I am sure it will work wonders for not just tourism, but also for our glorious history.

Wish someone does take some efforts!

Waiting For Dinner

Date: February 14, 2012

Day: Tuesday

Time: 8.45 p.m.

Place: Hotel Greenpark

What's the first thing that you see around? That the parking lot is full. So much so that you start wondering if you will ever get a place to sit. And of course, there's no place. There's a huge waiting list.

Knowing that it's the same situation in every other decent restaurant, you resign yourself and enlist yourself for getting a place for two. Now what comes is the big wait. You keep a track on how it will take and end up getting answers such as: "Ma'am, it's page 3 that's going on. You are on page 5. At least 45 mins more."

You deliberate whether sitting out the 45 minutes would be a better option, or finding out another restaurant would be. Eventually you realise that you will spend the same time in some other restaurant. So, why not here.

So, what else do you do in that time but observe things around you. You see so many around you waiting for their turn. You see kids playing around, mammas behind those kids making sure they don't get hurt. You see couples waiting, groups waiting, and waiters waiting too.

Eventually realise that you can divide all the people in some groups. First group is that of the "young" couples. Now let me tell you that "young" doesn't mean by age. "Young" means the couples who have spent very little time together and who are in various degrees of awkwardness and comfort with each other, as well as with the society.

The couples who fall in this category have not had a lot of experience in going out with each other in public. These might be couples who are not sure they are in love, whether they are destined to be together, or whether they really serious enough to think about each other as partners. They may still be doubtful. Nevertheless, they are not averse to trying it out. So, when they are waiting for their turn, they are cautiously looking around to see if they see someone whom they know. They keep on glancing here and there in the hope that they are not caught by some acquaintance, because they probably have not informed their guardians/parents that they are out for dinner with someone. They also are not sure if they should be showing any kind of togetherness to the partner. They are nervous, and they are eagerly waiting for getting a table so that they get the privacy they are looking for.

In this category also lies the "expectant" couple. This couple is on the brink of being committed. They are waiting eagerly for their turn to get the privacy and be done with the magic question. Till they get that table, they are just a bundle of nerves, waiting to be exploded.

The other category is the newly married couples. You can find these easily. They are the ones with the girl looking around nervously, hoping not to find anyone she knows. She is yet uncomfortable being out with the boy. Although happy and looking forward to the privacy of their table, she is not sure if she should be feeling good that they have come out for dinner on a day such as Valentine's Day, or if she should think that celebrating such things are just tacky. She is best waiting for the moment when they can retreat to their world of privacy when they get a table. The boy on the other hand is feeling extremely proud of getting the girl out for dinner on such a lovely day. He is much more at ease with the crowd around him.

Then there are couples who have been there and done that. It's not new for them to go for dinner on such an occasion. But they have still not lost the charm in it. They are very comfortable with each other and enjoying every moment.

You will also find families who have come out for dinner. Mother-father-kid/s, all together. The kids may be young or even a bit older. For the parents, it's an occasion to enjoy some time together, do something different than the routine. Even if eating out might be routine, the charm and magic of the day is still to be celebrated.

Lastly, there would couples, though really very few in numbers, who have come for dinner, just for the sake of it. But they are really very few.

In all this, you'll find the ladies wearing a variety of clothes. The most modern chicks would be wearing the most fashionable dresses. There will be ladies who flaunt by wearing all rich sarees. There are casual dressers, who are more happy to enjoy the moment than worry about clothing. Some would be neatly dressed, who enjoy wearing good clothes without flaunting them. For them, comfort and feel-good are the factors that are most important. It's actually a fashion parade out there.

For guys, mostly, it doesn't matter. They are more worried about the immediate...food, and when they can get a table.

Intermittently, you can also see couples coming out of the diner, looking happy, relaxed, enjoyed, and fully satiated. They are happy that they enjoyed their privacy, their food, and most important, they are happy that they were lucky to get a table so early and not wait so long for their special dinner.

And suddenly, they call your name and you are finally getting a table all to yourself. It's time to turn your attention to more important thing...what to order!

Two Days Full Of Surprises

November 7-8, 2011

What memorable days!!

Yesterday, I had a double surprise of getting two awards in office: Pat-on-the-Back and Team-of-the-Quarter.  It was awesome. Though, I really didn't do a lot of work in this. But it was good to be recognised and appreciated.

And today, what can I say!! The day started at 00.00 hours with Sanjeev wishing me. The wishes just kept coming. It's such a great feeling to feel loved and remembered!

My BMC gals turned up at the office and surprised me with a cake and flowers and showered me with love and affection! It was just too good. I was so touched to see them all by my side, celebrating with me, and being there with me. Love you all gals for your support! Thank you Zainab, Revathi, Aparna, Pallavi, Deepa, and Pooja!! Thanks for making my day memorable. I won't ever forget your love and support!

And there's still some more...heading for a quiet dinner with Sanjeev. I am looking forward to the evening!! Thanks for the wonderful evening, Sanjeev. This day is not complete without you!

Thanks everyone!

I Know...

That's what I learnt from The Everywhereist.

And that's what I want to say to all those things that bother me at times, to those people that irritate me, but who still love me the way I am, seeing the good in me, helping me, loving me, being with me, supporting me, and most importantly, overlooking my flaws.

Those things and those people might have their flaws. I know. But I still love them! Thanks Almighty for each of them!

Cheers!

Half Yearly Celebrations

Hee hee hee! Cheers!

लाईट गेले की असं होऊ शकतं