Food for Thought!

Without trying to sound like an elitist and nor being snooty I was just wondering why do we rape a language so easily and don't even feel ashamed about it?

Why does Pen becomes pain?
Chair becomes seear?
Function becomes phunkson?
Cell changes to sale?
Wood sounds ood or for that matter any word starting with w sounds like oo... Eg; wool transforms to ool?
Shoe is soo? Infact like the w any word that has sh is gets only the s... more egs; shirt- sart; Shillong- sillong; and so on...
Ch is not far behind - chinese or china is syna or synese; change is sanze; and well zero is jiro; sizzler is sijlar!!
Have u noticed rubber becoming robor or better lobor! Butter is battar! Virus is bhairas; fanta is phanta; pantaloons is panthaloon...
Shania Twain getting rechristened as Sanya Twins!
Sign language becoming Fingering!
Wait till you hear this- someone once said 'I am not drunkard. I am chemically off-balance'!

Friens got any more interesting & funny lines or words???

Rock On truely ROCKED!

I wanted to blog this yesterday right after I reached home from the movie hall but the net was not accessible ... so here I am...

It was a friday I was eagerly looking forward to. Rock On hit the screens and I scanned the newspaper's movie section. Going to Cinema Max didn't seem much feasible, so I made up my mind to settle for Anuradha. Nirav called me in the afternoon to ask where to book the tickets. Anuradha I said and then without any puntuation I said ' I can wait till sunday 5.00 p.m show. But I knew I couldn't wait that long... So what the heck! I decided to watch the movie today itself ; the 8.00 p.m show. And alone... Somebody has got to babysit Neeyor ... Though I have a nanny for her... Yet its a big gamble to think both me & Nirav away for three hours away from her...

I was lucky enough to have Amit as a company ... So we were in Anuradha right on dot. Now about the movie...
Farhan's directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai became a cult film and his first film as an actor is no different. Its a movie which any music lover will thoroughly enjoy. Jhankar Beats was another musical but the genre of Rock On is different. The guys look so convincing as wannabe rock musicians ... When Farhan sings he truely looks like a vocalist of a band; Purab is comfortable with his drum sticks; don't have to doubt about Luke Kenny's ability on the keyboard & Arjun Rampal ... Man he looked more like a guitarist than an actor...
The movie is also about bonding & friendship ... The best part is the time when they actually get to perform in a big concert... The guys look mellowed... There is a maturity in their attitude and when they take the stage... Man... They truely ROCKED!!! ROCKED!!!

 

My Bucket List

Everybody has wishes no matter how silly or serious - things they wanna do before kicking the bucket.

And these are mine; all at random off course!
Travel, travel & more travel. I am a traveller than a tourist. The places on my itenenary are - Laddakh; Tibet; Sri Lanka; Tahiti; South American coast ...
Scuba diving in Lakshadweep.
Spend some time in the Osho commune Pune.
Learn to play the guitar & drums.
Try LSD!
Adopt Buddhism.
Write a novel. Harold Robbins wrote his first novel at the age of 41. So I guess I still have time!
Watch Mark Knofpler performing live.

The weekend that was

It was a quiet weekend; just the three of us, myself, Nirav & Boon. Sitting in our backyard guzzling beer our discussion wasn't really what you might call 'mind over matters'.

Whatever the topics we discussed it all zeroed down to a certain Mr. Ram Gopal Verma's latest horror flick Phoonk and all the hype, challenge doing the rounds.

Boon infact tried left right & centre to make me accompany him to the late night show today but to cut a long story short I consider myself to be an ordinary mortal posessing neither the guts nor daring myself to anything spooky.

Though I must mention here that I did a brave act and watched Mr. RGV's Bhoot and for many days I couldn't dare to be in the home alone, look into the mirror and even avoided any article or program where Ms Urmila Matondker was featured!

Talking about movies the one I'm eagerly waiting is the next friday release Rock On...

The music is not the tyoical Bollywood category or rather 'filmy'. It has the ensemble of four guys who are talented and intelligent.

Farhan Akhtar is so good behind the camera so I just wanna see his acting as well vocal skills. He trained his vocal chords with Shankar Mahadevan and has sung six out of the nine tracks... And man... He does have the looks too...

Purab Kohli learned drums and he is a fine VJ and did a good job in My brother Nikhil and the guy looks kinda cute with a good comic timing. And secretly I've always wished to learn playing drums!!!

Luke Kenny is apt with keyboards and his role in the movie Bombay Boys is worth mentioning. An ex VJ he looks so damn stylish with his long mane. Its rare to find guys with long mane so cool & well... Secsee! Oooooch!

And last but not the least is My all time favourite Arjun Rampal.... Gosh!!! What do I say about him... His looks, the hoarseness in his voice, the intensity in his eyes and well... Everything about Mr. Rampal is hot...hot...hot!!! Didn't he look desirable in Om Shanti Om with those grey strands? He is a guitarist in the movie and besides my secret wish of learning the drums I also desired to strum the guitar.

So next friday its again at the cinema hall after about seven months.

My Fashion Fundas

my fav outfit - Cotton kurtas teamed with comfy churis & kolhapuries.
outfit for a formal dinner - maybe a trouser with well fitted shirts.

outfit for clubbing - am not too much into it now... but my preferred wear would be denims & tee.

outfit for formal occasion - a mekhala chadar can never go wrong.

I like to sleep in my - pyjamas & tee.

fav designer - none. but am a brand loyal when it comes to picking up a few stuff.

fav brand - Benetton, Levi's; Fab India & Bath&Body works.

fav colour - white & orange

fav fabrics - cotton & lycra.

have a fetish for - perfumes & shoes.

my wardrobe is incomplete without - a few good perfumes.

I look best in - orange & white.

fav accessory - perfumes.

the watch I wear - not too much into watches - infact never bought one, all gifted. right now its either my Timex sport or D.K.N.Y

in shoes the brand I prefer - Reebok for trainers, else am not too brand conscious but would love to own a pair each of Prada & Jimmy Choo.

fav perfume - chanel no.V
estee lauder - pleasures; lancome - miracle, dior - dune & mark&spencers - true red.

shampoo & conditioner - elvive- Loreal & rest of my toileteries are Bath&Body works.

best dressed men - among friends its Pranti & my cousin Abhimanyu ... celebs - brad pitt, john abraham

best dressed women - among friends... manashi has a good dressing sense, also dipli has elegance; both are not too OTT; celebs... julia roberts & priety zinta

someone who needs a crash course in dressing - boon for sure... in celebs its vidya balan & tanushree dutta!

Fashion mistake that cannot be forgiven - formal trousers & a pair of sneakers !!!

a few good men

The title of this blog & its characters has got no resemblance to the Jack Nicholson & Tom Cruise starrerHollywood classic bearing the same title.

Four men takes up this entire blog space; about whom I carry memories fond & fun.

Your guess is wrong if you think its about my crushes, ex-boyfriends, my dad, uncles, brothers or my husband. These men are the indispensable lots in any Office. Well you guessed it wrong again if you thought its the Big Boss! These men are a kind of monarchs in their own right- the Office Peon!

My first job in Guwahati was in a local Graphics company. I took up the job because nothing better was on offer , was near my home, just opposite my gym & I would be engaged in something 'positive' rather than surfing the www day in & day out.

Barman was the guy who opened the Office right on dot At nine. I was always the first one to reach as all I had to do was cross the road. By the time the offuce would fill up, Barman & I exchanged small conversations for the very few minutes we got to ourselves. A tall, dark, lean fellow with cropped hair, Barman's cuppa tea was the most refreshing thing At ten in the morning. I noticed he was apt in management - be it time, people, relations, saving office stationaries & even packing parcels meticulously. I had learnt more than a thing or two from him.

He often smuggled a few bites of my lunch and later besides the Thank Yous he'd treat me to the lip smacking veggie chops available near our office.

I was the first person he confided in when his wedding got fixed. And he blushed when he said it! I disappointed him by quitting my job during the same time. Couldn't attend his wedding either as I had another job in hand & I had to join immediately.

Quite opposite to Barman was Rupan. He was shor, thin, with ioiled hair & as sly as a fox! And I must mention here that he too knew his management skills well. As a Peon of a tea company he did make good tea but then it also depended on his mood! If he had a bad hair day it reflected in the cuppa tea. So every time he entered the kitchen to brew some I would follow him, give a light pat on his shoulders and tell him to think about all the pleasant things while on the job!!!

His conveyance bills at times would sky rocket; and I would pass these as justified because many a times he has saved my **s when I reached office late and when boss called up & asked for me he covered up by saying i'm in the washroom or am filing papers or my extension is busy. Having said that he'd immediately buzz me on my cell & relay the SOS!!!
Boss knew about his exhorbitant vouchers & ased me once if he siphoned money. I didn't say yes nor did I lie. All I said was 'Maybe his salary wasn't enoughto support him & his family. In the next appraisal Rupan's salary doubled and he also enjoyed the benefits of a tea company employee on a permanent roll.

But his conveyance vouchers never receded!

And then I chanced upon to come across Mahanta. He was a very quite fellow. He did his job deligently & in his free time read newspapers thoroughly. When he didn't understood a word or a sentence he would come to me & clarify his doubts.

I couldn't hold my curiosity any longer and one day I asked him why he remaied so lost all the time. Mahanta said someone duped him promising a career in the Army and also robbed fifteen thousand. He had argued with his parents, pressurised his father to mortgage their land for the money and once he handed the money to the fellow, that was the last he saw or heard from him! I felt sorry for Mahanta. I decided to use my networking skills; got in touch with a Captain from the Army & Mahanta was soon absorbed in.

Finally its Arun. He was not a Peon but a warehouse in charge & he literally gave me a complex for he was well versed with all the lip & nail colours; compacts; foundations, eye shadows; shampoos etc! Being the oldest employee in our branch he had all the data stored in his brain like a comp!

Arun was of average height, heavily oiled hair, bulging eyes, dark complexioned ( he tried all the fairness creams & sunscreens which were either damaged or unsold in the warehouse!) & tobacco chewing.

Basically a nice guy he got into ugly brawls on his way home - well just a shot of extra whiskey more than he could handle. every morning his first half would be spent trying to recover the hangover & nursing the bruises and the second half swearing never to touch the booze again... only to go back to where it all started. Many a times his condition would be so bad that he'd call up office and inform about the expiry of his grandmother. God knows how many times he has killed her!! And when his grandmother actually hit the grave, Arun called up boss directly on his mobile and said, 'Sir, my grandmother expired and this time its for real!'

And well, Arun was not a tea guy but brewed some amazing hot, creamy & frothy coffee.

At the movies

I am a big movie freak. I love watching good sensible movies. And when I say good & sensibile it might be utterly boring & nonsense for someone else.

Movies are best watched in a big-screen. I don't enjoy movies in the 21inch screen but then even this 21inch screen has come as a respite in my otherwise mundane days. To get a feel of that let me begin by saying this- everytime i've watched Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna i've wept inconsolably; even if it meant watching it for the nth time while travelling in a night bus from Itanagar to Guwahati!

As a kid I remember how my Ma would coax me to an afternoon nap so that I could tag along with my folks for the late night shows in Vandana. Vandana during those days was the only hall which screened English movies. I don't recall the movies; the only attraction was the Car ride, munching potato wafers & sipping Gold Spot!

Its in the blood I guess, we were a bunch of movie manics. One incident I recall as I write this. Aita and three of her friends decided to go to Anuradha for the 2.00pm show. Her three friends arrived much early. They gossiped, lunched & as they were about to leave, they all filled their mouth with a jolly good amount of Tamul. One of them out of excitement or in haste swallowed more than the required amount of zarda and almost immediately she collasped! The other three screamed their lungs out in chorus 'KAMLA!' Hearing this we rushed to the living room. KAMLA aita was still on the floor in a state of dizziness; Hemi, our maid fetched her salted water. As the old woman was regaining her sense, the other three were getting impatient. My aita could not hold it any longer and she finally let out her disappointment. 'Could'nt you find some other time to faint KAMLA? We're getting late for the movie.'
With KAMLA aita finally back on her feet the gang of four somehow managed to reach Anuradha in the nick of time only to discover that they left the tickers behind! The cinema hall manager came to their rescue and let them in!

Talking about my ownself; during college days sometimes the fun was more than the actual movie - we would not be less than a dozen going together! Imagine the chaos!!!
I am a die hard Shah Rukh Khan fan, since his Fauji & Circus days. I had already watched Baazigar twice with Indrani. Then on the last day of our exams we decided to go for the movie once more. The movie was being screened in Meghdoot and somehow we were not too keen to go that far. Partha coolly announced that the hall belonged to his uncle. At once our gang dispersed into groups of twos & threes. Some zoomed in bikes, some in rickshaw & the rest hopped in Arupa's Car. Once in the hall, Partha & Sam got the tickets. As we stepped inside and were about to ascend to the first floor, Partha like an Army General commanded 'Follow me' and so we did like ants in a single file, only to realise that we would not get the upper stall seats but the lower stall; but then its not that bad though from the rear! So much for Mr. S.R.K! By the time we reached our seats we were at our wits end! It was the second row! And before we could accuse Partha, he cut us short, 'All you SRK fans can see him from a close range'!
By interval my head was throbbing & eyes sored! Those wooden seats could make life most painful! I walked out of the hall feelig sorry to leave SRK midway!
It was months later that Partha confessed the hall did not belong to any of his uncle... Not even a distant one! He made that up so that we would give in to going to Meghdoot!

For the records we were more well versed with the movie schedule than our class routine!
Once Indrani & I decided to bunk the morning classes to go and watch Andaz Apna Apna. We didn't tell soul about it since our attendance were at an all time low and didn't want the others to go as astray as us. We spotted Saif, Partha & Navin already in the hall; a bit later Sam & Rishi arrived and much later Mita & Moumita made the gang complete! No one said a word but we had our usual doze of fun again!

As of now my movie going status is on hold. With a four & half month old baby its impossible to venture out to a hall.

My last movie in the big screen was Taare Zameen Par. I was 34 weeks pregnant and everytime the audio amplified I could feel my baby kicking & punching me hard.

This blog would be incomplete if I don't mention about another movie maniac - she lives, breathes, sleeps, eats movies! You name it and she's seen it! She's Pri. Don't take my word? Check her 2007 movie list in her blog www.priyankascribbles.blogspot.com
We have seen movies together whenever possible; we've seen movies back to back!
We went to see Dus Kahaniya the last time she was in Guwahati. We were so worried that we would not get tickets that I drove my almost brand new car(not even a month old) with the hand brakes on! I realised my folly only when I smelt something burning! But i've been lucky enough not to have done any damage to the car nor to Pri & nor to myself. I was then 28 weeks pregnant! When I called Nirav who was in Shillong attending the Scorpion concert and told him about my suicidal attempt he was devasted! He later said he had to start with fresh pegs again to reach that high!!!

So much for the sake of movies.

neeyor

my baby!

The Delhi Times - Part VI

Ten years ago e-mail was just the "in thing". There were just a handful of us who possessed this incredible thing called "e-mail" and such was our plight that each time we sent an e-mail we actually informed the person to whom the mail was sent so that he/she would check it and send a reply back!
But then again there were a few of them who still continued to "snail mail"... and even now I feel the snail mails are better than the e-mails... at least we took the pain of thinking and putting our thoughts into paper and ... how can one ever forget the excitement to recieve a mail... wasn't that better than the forwarded mails that we recieve now?
But its not the postives vs negatives of e-mails and snail mails that I wanna write here... its something else and more interesting!
OK... So the year was 1998 and there were a few people (read friends, grand mom, cousin... not necessarily in this order) with whom I was still snail mailing.
Just before the Dusshera break I received a snail mail from Labroy... it was his usual stuff ... about his job... his confusion related to the girl he was seeing then and all that jazz... but what was important in this mail was he mentioned something that he wanted a few medicines for his sister which was not available in Guwahati and he wanted me to get those and also mentioned that he needed 20 strips each... the medicines were -spasmo proxyvan and rellipen.
So on the last day before I'd hop on the North East express I went in search for the medicines. i don't recall how many pharmacies I went but none of them wanted to hande those wretched pills - that too without a proper prescription... not knowing what to do I asked my local grocery store guy and he said he'd get it for me and boy he did!
I had this feeling that the medswould cost me a fortune because Labroy mentioned that these meds are not available in Guwahati, but to utter surpirze it costedme around 450/- bucks...
Once back home I called Labroy and asked him to collect his meds...
Labroy came the very same evening to my place and he gave me a 500/- Rs note but I didn't have the change to which he said I could keep that and he ran out like a excited school kid winning a gold medal...
I never had a clue to what was the reason behind his excitment...
After a ten day break I was back in the New Friends Colony room... one weekend we all met in South EX I for some tandoori chicken & beer...
I was sitting near Mac's table and was just browisng through his things when my eyes fell on these strips of tablets which resembled the ones I took for Labroy a fortnight back... I couldn't hold my curiosity and asked him straight what was thepurpose of those tablets....
Mac didn't mince words amd actually told me what were the purpose of those and how some people misused them...
I felt "used"

I am back & blogging again!

Right now there are 10001 things running in my mind but I'll continue with my Delhi times series amd then get back to something else

The Final countdown begins

So I had this terrible pain day before yesterday night, I got worried and called up my Doc and exactly told her how I felt, the intensity, irritation and everything else. She asked me to visit her the next morning and also advised that if needed I shold be admitted and get the baby out!
By morning the pain was gone and I was feeling better. Nevertheless I visted my Doc and she said that we still can wait for a week or so, so there I was shopping a few things - oil cloth, daipers, baby powder and yes a cute little "HOT PANT" for the baby!
Last whole week I was in a state of terrible depression and I thought I was eithjer over reacting...or maybe I didn't have much patience ...or better I was too selfish...but once I let the cat out of the bag I realized that I was not the "only one"! There are the others also who's been in this "guilt trip" for so long... and talking does help... at least we all knew what was pinching us and now we see things from a totally different side...
will blog about the "guilt trip" someother day...
as for now, I don't know when can I be online next...
maybe after the bay arrives...

My friends- REVISITED

Once I blogged about my friends and here's the link:
http://inxanadu.bihu.in/entry.php?u=inxanadu&e_id=608

That was a blog written in April 2006.
It was nice to go through the entire list but there are a few add ons and changes that needs to be done...

(...on Top of Mind recall basis!)
Janti - JANTI AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IS STIIL THE SAME TO ME!
Pranti - AND SO IS PRANTI!
Amar - NOW AMAR REALIZES THAT IT IS HIGH TIME TO GET MARRIED SO IS TRYING HARD TO GETTHAT LIST OF GIRL FRIENDS SHORTENED BUT EVERY TIME HE DOES IT HE FAILS MISERABLY!
Raja - AND YES! HE GOT MARRIED JUST A FEW DAYS BACK AND IS ADJUSTING TO HIS NEW RESPONSIBILITIES…
Munna & Esther -BUT ESTHER HAS LEFT GUWAHATI AND IS IN DIMAPUR NOW, THEIR RELATIONSHIOP IS IN STATUS-QUO.
Rana - SOME PEOPLE NEVER CHANGE & RANA IS ONE FOR SURE!
Anupama - DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER…SHE INVITED NONE OF US TO HER WEDDING ALSO!
Nivee - LOST TOUCH
Farida - SHE’S STILL SUCKS…ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO JANTI!
Mickey - HE’S BUSY WITH HIS MBA, WE ONLY ORKUT NOW!
Reema - SHE’S LOST HER MIND SOMEWHERE….& I DON’T BLAME HER…THERE ARE A PLENTY OF REASONS FOR IT…
DEEP IS AS GOOD AS DEAD… HE IS IN EVERYONE’S “HATE LIST” FOR GOSSIPING SO MUCH!
Meren - HER WORK HAS OVER TAKEN HER LIFE!
Biplob - IN HIBERNATION AGAIN!
Bhaity & Mits -PRIORITIES CHANGE
Arupa - I STILL DON’T KNOW WHERE SHE IS, DIDN’T FIND HER IN ORKUT OR FACEBOOK TOO
Pranab....HE IS AGING FAST AND IT REFLECTS IN HIS ATTITUDE
Manashi & Sam - THEY STILL ROCK!
Indrani - I AM STILL HUNG OVER FROM OUR LAST CONVERSATION!
Dimpi & Sanjeev -NOT MUCH IN TOUCH
Lobita - SHE’S CRAZIER NOW!
Priyanka - WE HAVE BONDED STRONGER THAN ALL THESE YEARS EVER
Suro - STILL THE SAME
Dhyan - HE ‘S A BUSY BEE NOW
Boon - HE SUCKS!

The Delhi Times - Part V

I had a lousy boyfriend all for myself while I was in Delhi!
He was a slimy, disgusting and greasy character who supposedly was the guy I was seeing!
First thing first, looking back to those days I still curse, ridicule and poke my brains to find out what were the reasons which made me jump into this relationship in the very first place!
Looks?
Attitude?
Personality?
AWWWWWEEEE GAWWWWWWWWWWD!
He had none!
What did this guy have in him that attracted me?!
I mean he was such a terrible kisser too!!!
Anyways that’s beside the point.
More importantly this boyfriend of mine made my already hectic life all the more miserable.
He would suspect me with every male species, he would make me “gift” him things (read shirts, trousers…. All those “end of season” sale stuff), he would literally live on my expense!
All my friends directly or indirectly would advise me to snap ties with him and they said “sooner the better”… but the bastard and sucker that he was, I don’t understand how he read my mind. Every time I withdrew myself, he’d at his romantic best! He would do his best to woo me… make me feel special and wanted!
I remember once Silver & I were going back to Delhi in the North East Express and we both decided that we should make a trip to Goa to do away with the agonizing Delhi winters. As we planned the Goa trip I completely forgot about my lousy boyfriend and reality struck me only when we reached Delhi! I asked him straight, “Are you interested to go for a vacation in Goa? If you are then please get your tickets done!”
And the guy did pile on with us!
But then I truly believe in destiny….
Had it not been for him, I’d never meet Nirav with whom I fell in love left right and centre… got married and have no regrets!

The Delhi Times – Part IV

Staying away from home kinda makes you homesick. The tendency to sulk and brood over the comforts of your home, craving for home cooked food, love, caring and attention accentuated every time I returned Delhi after a break and promised myself to cut down on my home coming trips so that I could do away with this lingering feeling of missing home so much. So strong was this feeling that once me and a couple of friends literally screamed in sheer delight when we spotted a Maruti 800 bearing Assam registration near India Gate!
The episode which made me scribble this in the first place is rather interesting.
It’s about a person called Tamuli. Tamuli is my Aita’s tenant; he still is a tenant as on date. He frequented Delhi quite often and Aita would send me cakes, biscuits, pickles, pithas and sometimes even vegetable tenga through him. During those days I had a pager and he would send me the weirdest of message to come and collect my things from him. He usually stayed in one particular hotel in Ashoka Road. I burst out laughing out loud and so did my class mate Pooja when my pager beeped and I read this “Please meet me at room no.102 after 6.00 p.m. – Tamuli”!
It was so amusing that the message was relayed to everyone in the class and we all had a good laugh. As I got ready to visit Tamuli, by the grace of God I chanced upon to meet Silver! I tagged Silver along with me, I told him that I had some urgent work and that if he’d accompany me I’d treat him to momos in Dilli Haat later in the evening. Silver readily agreed and we hopped in a DTC bus to meet Tamuli.
Tamuli was in the lobby and was walking up and down the aisle impatiently. As he saw me with Silver tagged along his smile slightly paled!
He said, “I thought you’d come alone”.
“Well, we had some work together and so thought of dropping here and meeting you, why?” I asked
He didn’t say anything and suggested that we either go to his room or sit in the restaurant. He asked “Are you people hungry?”
Before I could say anything Silver said “Oh! Yes! We are famished”.
So we went to the restaurant – Coconut Grove which incidentally was famous for its South Indian cuisine during those days. I don’t know whether it still holds true after these long years. We ordered chicken dosas and filter coffee. The dosas, I must tell you were one of the best I’ve ever tasted and it was big enough for three people actually!
Tamuli’s wallet was slimmer by a thousand rupees for three dosas and three filter coffees. Having filled our appetite as we walked out of the restaurant I asked Tamuli if Aita had sent anything.
He sheepishly looked at me and said “No”. He further added that he “wanted to meet me”; that I should take him “shopping” and also earnestly urged me not to tell a soul (read Aita & his WIFE) that he had met me in this visit of his. The reason was simple, my semester exams were approaching. Aita knew it and hence she didn’t send anything this time.
We decided to meet the next day since I didn’t have classes. I said I’d arrive by noon and would show him around.
The next day as promised I reached the hotel right on dot. I called him from the reception and within ten minutes or so he came. This time he was rather pleased to find that Silver was not tagging along with me. I took him to the British Council Library first where I had to return a few books and he was left speechless to see the library. Our very own District library was the only one he thought was a magnum opus!
Then I took him shopping. We first walked through Janpath, since he couldn’t make up his mind what to pick and what not to we headed to Sarojini market where he picked up a few odd stuff. And he kept suggesting me that I should buy something for myself too. I kept declining this offer. From Sarojini we went to Ansal Plaza and finally to Dilli Haat where he bought a few bed covers. He handed me one inspite of me repeated Nos. he said he wouldn’t have my No as an answer and we parted our ways, though I am hundred and one percent sure he would have loved to kept me latched on to him longer.
When I narrated this to my friends they were amused and at the same time they said I was an “Idiot” not to have shopped at his expense!
The story doesn’t ends here.
I kept recalling how he pleaded me not to tell anyone back home that he met me in his this visit. I didn’t understand what was wrong in telling Aita about it.
My exams were over and I decided to visit home before our summer projects started, very gleefully forgetting about the “homesick” part!
It was good to be home again. I t was good to be treated like a princess and all I did the whole day was eat, sleep and meet friends or go for long drives.
It was quite “routine” for Tamuli and his wife to have a cuppa tea with Aita at 7.30 p.m. I never understood this arrangement and I was never keen to be part of their conversations in any ways.
It was just this routine thing going on when I reached home after meeting some friends. Aita asked to me sit down with them and try the “kata nimkis” Tamuli’s wife had made. I tasted them and I must appreciate that she did a fairly nice job.
Suddenly the Devil in me came to the forefront. I asked Tamuli’s wife offhandedly “Bou, has the colour of the bed covers faded?”
She asked me “Which bed covers?”
“The ones Tamuli da bought the last time he was in Delhi, in fact he gave me one and when I washed the colours came out.” I also advised her to wash the bed spreads separately just in case!
To this date I’ll never forget how constipated and cramped Tamuli’s face looked, the erroneous hunch on his wife’s look and my poor Aita all bewildered!

And as for my own self I never thought I could get this bitchy!

Bou – in Assamese brother’s wife is referred as bou
Da: short form for dada – brother.Aita: Grandmother

The Delhi Times - Part III

As a part of the course, internships/ apprenticeships were compulsory for us. My classes started at 2.00 p.m and it continued till 8.00 p.m, six days a week. We had two classes everyday – a set of two classes stretching for three grueling hours.

I thoroughly enjoyed a few classes – especially the ones in Creative taken by Mr Sujit Sanyal, we never looked in our watches no matter even if the class stretched beyond 8.00 p.m. But that was not the case always, our craving for bunking classes were at its highest when we had our Market Research or Statistics classes. And it was simple to do that. Our classrooms were on the ground floor and the windows had no iron grills or railings whatsoever. So what we did was when we had a stats class at the 5.00p.m-8.00p.m slot, we’d attend the first half i.e. from 5.00 p.m to 6.30 p.m – after which we had a ten minutes break to freshen up. In this ten minutes we did stash our bags out off the windows, go out and before anyone could get a hold of a thing or two we were as free as birds!

Our mornings were kept free for our apprenticeships.

I remember my first assignment. Someone form the Indian Express Group came over to brief us about the Company and explained us what we were required to do. The publication had some sets of tabloids (the Business publication division) which were not on the stands for sale but one had to subscribe those – example there was one called Express Computers, then there was one for Hotels, one on beverages so on and so forth. So our job was to get subscriptions for these tabloids.

http://www.expressbusinesspublications.com/

We were handed a kit with a bunch of papers – a track sheet to keep a list of people visited, daily sales record, daily traveling expenses and a pack of visiting cards with the Indian Express logo where we had to write our names ourselves in the “Represented by…………………….” space.

I was elated. My first job, so what it was just part time termed as “Apprenticeship”. When I called home and told my people they couldn’t believe their ears. Just two months in Delhi and I have a job with such a renowned publication…

So every morning I would take out the map and read the Connaught Place carefully and then make my visits – one day it was the Barakhamba Road, the next day it was Kasturba Gandhi Marg and the next was Janpath - it was here in Janpath that for a moment I lost my interest towards my job and the lines of shop – be it clothes, accessories and all the jing bang which lured me! And I decided that the next Sunday that was on its way would be spent exploring the beauty of Janpath – of the shops, of gorging on the road side veggie burgers and cold coffees and yes indulging on those aromatic essential oils and perfumes…

The Indian Express work continued till our classes ended for the Diwali break. I got ready to come home after five rigorous months of living on my own.

It was the last day before our Diwali break, when our Dean surprised us by handing us chocolate boxes when we all anticipated she would give us our 1^st term mark sheets as well as a dressing down! The icing on the cake was when we all received our pays, a cheque of HSBC bank – the sum was nominal – it was around 2800/- but its worth was more than the figures it reflected.

It was after all my first pay cheque!

The Delhi Times – Part II

I remember Dipli (my cousin again who was doing her Literature studies & working for Katha) advising me not to join any sort of associations when in Delhi. I didn't ask her why she said that, she must have had her good reasons to caution me and at the same time even I am not the type of some who’d be interested to join any groups!
During those days the number of Kharkhowas was quite less compared to what it is now. I chanced to meet a few whacko’s who camped behind NDSE-I – they stayed on the fifth floor of a building – it was a big open space with two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. They were seven of them – two girls and five guys – a bunch of crazy people who lived life totally on the razor’s edge.
During those days cell phones were by no means a commodity as common as it is now. Only the rich and the affluent owned these gadgets. The seven wretched souls who lived on that terrace had a fine arrangement made – there was a PCO in the ground floor. The agreement was made that whenever a call was made to any of the seven fellas, the PCO guy should press a bell which rang on the fifth floor. And if that wasn’t enough, they had a chart stuck on the PCO with their names written and the number of times the PCO guy should ring the bell. For example if the bell was buzzed once it was for Mac, if it was buzzed twice it was for Partha, if buzzed thrice it was for Pomi…. so on… till it buzzed for seven times! It was funny to see them listen to the annoying buzz attentively and then run down hurriedly the entire flight of stairs to speak to whoever called…!
Many a weekends were spent partying on that terrace. There had been times when all of a sudden the gas cylinder would be exhausted in the middle of our partying sessions and the guys would burn stacks of newspapers to cook the food! They used the same set of bucket and immersion rod to heat water for a bath as well as boil pork! And I’ve seen Mac washing and cleaning cabbage with a scrubber!
Mac is one of those rare people I could go on and on writing – he has made us walk to Chanakya cinema to watch movies… he once took me & another girl called pinky for snacks and tea in Bengali sweets in NDSE-I and as we were through Mac asked both of us very seriously “Are you girls wearing high heel?”
“No” came the reply from both of us.
“Good” said Mac. He further added, “How fast can you girls run?”
We got an inkling of what he would suggest next, so both Pinki and me decided to pay the bill!

Nothing to lose- Part I

For the last year and half I had a job to die for… a job my friends envied… being associated and working for one of the most renowned and oldest brand not only of India but of overseas as well, I thought nothing could go wrong, I mean nothing could be more perfect than this. But somehow the world does not stop revolving there.

People acknowledged me with a new found respect when I said I was with Hindustan Lever Ltd (then) and later it was Unilever. A company as big and mighty as Unilever surely knows how to keep employees happy and satisfied.

I’ve come across people who’d ask for my visiting card not because they wanted to know about my official details but because of the Company logo that glittered on the right hand top corner of the 3x2 card!

And when I finally said goodbye to my job, people in the immediate circle were left perplexed. The reason I shall come in due course, but at first let me tell you about the job I loved so much.

My job was that of a product trainer. Though I didn’t have targets every month, it was all the trainings and workshops we did that finally showed the rise in the excel sheets every month end in terms of products sold and revenue earned. So I was indirectly helping increase sales. The scenario is different now, there are four or five T.Os (training Officers) now, but when I was around I was solely responsible for the NESA region. This meant extensive and rigorous traveling.

Travelling is perhaps a major criterion why I accepted the job with a glee. I got to see many places… some places which otherwise would have never even occurred in my travel itinerary to have a “dekho”.

Traveling also meant facing all odds when not at all expected- be it unanticipated delays, road blockades, landslides, getting stuck in knee deep water, missing the last bus home, finding the hotel room not up to the standards.. you name it and I’ve faced it! But it’s these odds which have turned me more practical and logical for once, persuaded me to think of the box because no two situations were alike and I was on my own amidst a swarm of total strangers. A big lesson I learnt was having cash not necessarily comes in rescue. It’s the 3 Cs which has helped me overcome unforeseen situations – the 3 Cs rightly being COOL … CALM… & COLLECTED… and oh yes! I forgot to mention my portable MP3 who like a loyal spouse kept me company in my numerous sojourns and during that phase of my life when I felt I was actually living a life out of a suitcase!

And during these sojourns some faces I saw quite regularly, so much that except for their names I knew them by their faces and vice versa! The drivers & conductors of two Volvos – Dibrugarh & Itabnagar route. Infact once my mother-in-law was traveling to Khima and Nirav went to drop her at the Volvo point. The driver came up to Nirav and asked him “Aji baideo najai?” He further explained Nirav that usually he driven on the Guwahati-Itanagar route but henceforth his route has been changed to Guwahati-Kohima!

And how cold I forget the guy sitting behind the cash counter in Nahar restaurant where the Volvos stop for midnight meals? Then there are the two Marwari brothers of Jain Hotel in Jagiroad where you get the lip smacking poori-sabji – especially if you travel early morning and make it to Jain Hotel by 7.00 am. That was my regular halt if I traveled by Company cab to Tezpur or other places…. Here’s also this famous shop where you get the best of pedas in Bokakhat, thanks to Bimal ji… even if I go to Bokakhat after a gap of ten years I just need to make all to him and my wishes will be granted…(pedas off course!). And there were the lobby managers – Subansiri in Itanagar, Kristina in Imphal, Saramati in Dimapur… and a few bell boys! Every time I checked in these hotels their smiles would be same as welcoming a family member home!

My Resolutions

I was browsing through Pri's blog www.priyankascribbles.blogspot.com which urged and forced me to think about my New Year Resolutions...
I haven't made a single one as yet...but nevertheless
Since my bundle of joy is arriving by Feb end or early March, I hope can can be a good mommy...
I need to shed off all those extra kilos that I have deposited...
A complete wardrobe revamp is much essential
Try to be more tolerant towards my so called jethai...
Get back to swimming
Get a hair makeover done at the newly opened Schwarzkorf salon
By year end i.e Dec 2008 maybe celebrate an extended New Years with Sanjeev & Michelle in Pondicherry

When ADVICE is not solicited

There is this advertisement of Reliance Telecom where it is shown people being adviced left, right and centre… and the line which hold my fancy is when the voice over says “aur pregnant hone par advise hi advise”!

This is for all those women who have been pregnant at least once... and also for those who still have time for this major life changing experience.

I am close to my due date, just nine more weeks to go but advise nevertheless ceases...

Not all of them crazy and weired. Some were logical but its not the logical or the practical ones that I can think of or recall.. its the stupidest and the whackiest of them all that I am about to make a note of.

And yes! These come from a very good friend of mine...

I called her up one fine morning to give the "good news"... that was right after my reoprts were confirmed... she was happy to hear that... and why not... even she has a daughter who's about five years and at least now she could discuss her "motherly blues" with me as well...

Her mother did advise me about this & that whenever I chanced to speak to her and it was well appreciated.

Things I thought got out of poportion about ten days back when I had called her again just for a chit chat and one thing led to the other and it came to the inevitable - "the would be baby".

Like all first time expectant mothers I am spending sleepless nights dreaming how my baby would turn out to be... the things I will do... the joy the baby would bring...

And naturally I told my friend how regularly I was following "Baby Story, Runaway Moms, Amazing Baby Videos, Baby its You" on the Discovery Channel and how Dr. Benjamin Spock's Baby And Child Carebecame my Holy Bible... Granth...Gita... Koran...

Her "Ohh Nooooooo" was so loud and high pitched that I distanced myself away from the phone for a minute or so.

According to my friend -

"We are a race rooted with age old traditon... to watch programmes on TV dealing with expectant moms is a big mistake... I should not read books like Baby And Child Care because it won't be as per our customs..." If that wasn't enough... she continued in the same monotonous preacher like voice...

"... I should not decide on the name of the baby... be not prepared with a single piece of cloth also to wrap the new born... should not touch knife, switch on lights or fans, should not touch needles, should not cut my hair.... blah... blah... blah..."

She would have loved to continue her sermon but I felt so claustrophobic that I cut the conversation short - I didn't bid her "adieu" also. Just disconnected and even took out my battery and kept the phone out of my sight until my frustration subsided.

All her Advice didn't make any sense to me ... not even an iota of it...

If I am not supposed to touch a knife then how the hell would I make meals? If I am not supposed to swich on the lights, am I supposed to stay in the dark until Nirav reaches home? And imagine sitting in total darkness especially in these winters when the sun sets as early as four!

And possibly how could I harm myself or the would be baby if I watch those baby stories in Discovery?

Come On! I mean the baby was well planned... since both Nirav and I decided that we needed one we went ahead with baby palnning...

Unlike our mythological relics, the baby won't be bestowed upon me by the omnipresent one fine day when I am expecting the least! So why should I act so awestruck?

When Nirav reached home that evening he asked me why I had kept my phone in the switch of mode, I narrated him the entire day's event and also told him how much it left me mentally drained!

Nirav gave a slight naughty smile... looked at me and simply told me in one uncomplicated sentence,

"For some motherhood is all about joy and smiles and for the rest its as bad a disease, take your pick baby"

The year that was

2007 came and 2007 went... in a jiffy off course... so many things happened in so little time.
I don't want to blog in depth about all the things that occured but some of the things that I remember are
... the beginning of a new year i.e 1st Jan 2007! whataway to start the year...!
... vacationing with Pri in Daman...
... meeting an old freind... met Biplab after a gap of almost 13 years...
... ade some very good friends too...Dipti & Plabita ...
... watched some good movies... Cheeni Kum... Om Shanti Om, Taare Zameen Par, Shootout At Lokhandwala... others I don't remember the names....
... swimming a kilometer a day during the summer season...
... Multiplexes opening in Guwahati came in as a breather...
... left my job for good... (the reasons I shall blog some other day...)
...and last but not the least... preparing myself to be a mom by the beginning of 2008!

& the biggest Miss of the year - Missing the German band in action performing in Shillong ...:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((