Happily Ever After..!!

Like any girl I am also sucker for a good love story. I've grown up reading Mills & Boons—much to the chagrin of my Mum, (she considered it for adult reading and rightly so, I wouldn’t have let a 12 years old read it. Had I been on her place)—Yes I was just 12 then. But my sis was a teenager and she use to tell me these wonderful, heart wrenching romantic stories— I couldn’t wait to grow up to read such stuffs. And read I did—by covering the MBs with brown covers to make it look like a course book. Our local library Apna Pustakalay use to have a huge collection of MBs. Oh! How I miss that place, the enormous collection of books, that typical smell of old wornout, the endless racks and shelves and that old gentleman, sitting quietly observing everyone. I owe my reading habit to that library and to my sister!

Since then I've read hundreds of books—fiction, non-fiction, drama, thriller, Booker winners, and what not. But still nothing turns me on more than a good romance. Deep down we are like that, aren’t we? Hardcore romantic, we might not show it often enough, but we all love a good love story. It’s because of this that I pour over the relationships of celebrities. It’s for this reason, why I am still rooting for Brad Pitt to come back to Jennifer Anniston they were so perfect. A good love story is so hard to find these days. All around we can only see the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger—erghh!! And Will & Kate saga, though fairytellish is still too young to be called as everlasting. In today's time an age—when stories of infidelity, divorce, affairs and what not, are rampant, one story that has stood the test of time, is of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
I've read their story way back in 2001, when they created a furore in Norway. Their love story is seems like a story from straight from Mills & Boons. Don’t you think the Prince looks like a knight in the shining armor variety? Their story is one of the best real life, high profile, love story I've come across till date. You can read their whole journey here . In short, the Prince fell in love with an unmarried mother (much to the chagrin of the Royal family and the people of Norway) and against the Royalty & his Country, he insisted on marrying his love and cherish her son as his own, even if it means giving up his crown. Eventually the Royal Family relented & and they lived happily ever after. Now isn't it utterly romantic! Ah!!!

TAGS: Crown Prince Haakon, Norway, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Mills and Boons, Royal Family, Love Story, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie

The Daily Diary!

My days are happier and brighter, because I am shopping, everyday!

A close friend of mine is getting married, and I am helping her shop after office. Well! And as we know shopping and binging goes hand in hand, I can see the repercussion of it in my belly already. It doesn’t matter that I resolute to go on GM diet every morning? I seriously recent those who have such a good metabolism, I ve often seen thin people eat a lot more than the fatso. That’s so unfair, don’t you think? Now this GM diet is making me smugger. I know I can lose up to 5 kgs in a week, so ideally I can lose the flab any day. But I know it’s easier said than done.

Today, I met this exceptionally beautiful new joinie in the office. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall URGGHHHH , with long straight hair, porcelain skin, beautiful face and a figure to die for During lunch she told me how she has never visited a Gym in her life or ever diet for that matter. I was sitting with her and thinking God has truly blessed her with this part. But the best part was to know how grounded she turned out to be, she had no airs about herself, no idea whatsoever about the effect she is having on the surrounding (the moment she walked inside the cafeteria, the whole cafeteria stood up. And that’s not an exaggeration.

I couldn’t help asking her— had she tried modeling— She said: she didn’t, as her parents are pretty conservative, and how his father is spouse hunting for her, and unable to find a good match because of her height. That made me smile. Her father was evidently driving her up against the wall, she looked pissed yet she was kind of amusing, yet simple, honest and not to forget gorgeous.

It was actually very nice meeting her.

Maestros..!!

The other day Mommy (she is with us for another week) and me sat watching Dhobi Ghat ( movie ), and I just loved it. The whole point of me jotting down this blog today is not centered around the movie but few blink and miss songs played on it. When Aamir Khan was painting away his blues in the movie, in the background one can hear a subtle Tappa, Dadra, Thumari  playing. (For those who have no clue about what I am talking, Tappa, Dadra, Thumari are dominant genre of Hindustani Classical). Though I am very much a novice in Hindustani classical, my knowledge is mostly restricted to Rock n Roll and Country Music, having heard this genre took me to a different planet altogether. While watching Dhobi Ghat I got intrigued by the songs in the back ground. My mum said the singer probably is Girija Devi. Though I am still not sure about it. Ever since that day I am  incessantly listening about it. On Saturday morning, I woke up to my  Mother's version of banshee screaming, she read out the news paper to me saying, Girija Devi is in Delhi for some Music Festival. Pronto, I grapped the phone, asked few people for the passes. It turned  to be the famous Shankarlal  Musical Festival, dedicated to the memory of Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi, and the performance included Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Rahul Sharma, Rajan Sajan Brothers as well as Girija Devi. It took me a second to convince my Dad about joining us ( Dad just had his eye operation, I thought he will be reluctant to go), and Mrinal as usual had no choice but give in to the demands of married life. So sharp at 5:30 we left for Kamani Auditorium and saw one of the greatest concert of my life. Girija Devi sat among her disciple who where 1/4th her age and the audience were simply awestruck by the melody she presented. After seeing her performing for 1:30 hours she has a fan in my for life. The songs included lots of Kajri, (Kajri- means black-rainy clouds explaining the pathos of separated lovers). I am still taking baby steps, so don't hold my words for it, as I am only two weeks old. But would love to get into this deep lost world of Gharanas, and a music which has become so relevant to me in such a short period. Nowadays I love waking up to the sound of Raagas, hope this is not just a passing phase. The evening was more special because I saw it in the company of the three most important persons of my life. My Parents and Mrinal.


Disclaimer: The songs played in Dhobi Ghat may or may-not be Girija Devi's. But it seemed like her, my Mommy felt the same. And I stuck to it, at least it introduced me to this whole genre of music.


P.S. The first picture is of Girija Devi, along with her many students and great grand sons. The second picture is Me along with my Mommy, the fourth picture is of Rahul Sharma and Ram Kumar Mishra, the former is a Famous Santoor player and son of Shiv Kumar Sharma, later, is one of the India's eminent Tabla player. The last picture is of Me & Mrinal.  

Mumpi you were highly missed.

Raaga...!!

I've always been inspired by Nick Hornby's books. Was highly inspired by High Fidelity in my college days. The book was about this guy, his pals, his exs, and his love for music. But the most hilarious part that I remember was, that, he'd a habit of making a top five list for every little things, for e.g, Top Five Favourite Movies, Top Five Favourite Dialogues etc. I've been trying to make a habit of doing something similar for sometimes, but never managed to do so, as I start floundering by the time I reach top 3, evidently this hobby was never my cup of tea. But as far as music is concerned, it is extremely important for me, very much like that chap from the book. I love to sing, though I am no great shakes there and I love varied music, starting from Begum Akhtar to Pink Floyd. And I pretend not to cry when I hear something really nice (a habit that runs in my blood, courtesy my Mum & Sister).

The whole point of blogging today from office at 4 pm, is that I've to write about this very nice song, that came out almost 6 years ago and I am still obsessing over it, it's "Mathura Nagarpati" from OST Raincoat, this acclaimed song is written by Rituporno Ghosh, a Bengali director, who dresses weirdly, and have been flaunting his acting talent lately, might I add, he did a fantastic job in writing this song. The song is written in Brij Bhasha, and it talks about Lord Krishna leaving Mathura, where he's the king and going back to his childhood place, Gokul, leaving his Kingdom, his crown, his wife, to meet his beloved Radha. The song questions Krishna's reasoning for doing such an act. This is written from the point of view of one of his wife, while witnessing the change in him, knowing that he cannot be stopped and will return eventually to Radha without a backward glance, while she will be left behind. This is such a heart wrenching depiction, isn't it?

I came across its English translation on net. It goes like this:

Subah subah ka khyaal aaj
Early in the morning the thought arose
Wapas gokul chal mathura raaj
to go back to Gokul, in the king of Mathura's mind
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum gokuljaaon
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul
Manohar vesh chhod nand raaj
Leaving this beautiful attire oh son of Nanda
Sar se utaarke sundar taaj
Removing the beautiful crown from your head
Raj dand chhod bhumi par vaaj
Giving up ruling this world
Phir kaahe baansuri bajaao
Why are you playing the flute again?
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

Kaun sa anokhageet gaye pee kakool
What unique song did the cuckoo sing
Raj paat jaise aaj bhaidhool
That made you leave the throne like so much dirt
Kaun sa anokhageet gaaye pee kakool
What unique song did the cuckoo sing
Birhan laage phir hridaya akool
That the pangs of separation are stirred anew
Raj kaaj man na lagaao
The heart is no longer in kingly matters
Mathura nagarpati kkahe tum Gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

Poor naari saari vyakul nayan
Men and women watched with anxious eyes
Kusum sajaa lage kantak shayan
The flowers strewn on the bed felt like thorns
Poor naari saari vyakul nayan
Men and women watched with anxious eyes
Raat bhar madhav jaagat bechain
As Maadhav stayed awake the whole restless night
Kaahe aadhi raat saarathi bulaayo
Why did he call the charioteer in the middle of the night
Mathura nagarpati?..

Dheere dheere pahunchat jamuna ke teer
Slowly he reached the shores of the Jamuna
Sunsaan panghat mridul sameer
Lonely banks, soft breeze
Dheere dheere pahunchat jamuna ke teer
Slowly he reached the shores of the Jamuna
Khan khan madhav birha madeer
Madhav felt the bittersweet pangs
Use kaahe bhool na paao
Why can?t you forget her
Mathura nagarpati?.

Tumhari piriya ab puri gharvaali
Your love is now a complete housewife
Doodh navan ghivoo din bhar khaali
Getting new milk and busy the whole day
Biraha ke aansoon kab ke,ho kab ke ponch daali
The tears of separation have long since been wiped away
Phir kaahe dard jagaao
Then why awaken the pain again
Mathura nagarpati kaahe tum Gokuljaao
Oh lord of Mathura why are you going to Gokul

P.S. Hear it first thing in the morning. This song creates longing and a sad, poignant pain.

Gobsmacked

Oh God I am feeling so bad, I don't really like the picture I am seeing of my self. I wish the ground below could just swallow me. It all started the day I choose to study MBA, Mrinal being Mrinal convinced me that it is the right thing to do, cause anyways I have lost all interest in Physiotherapy and the subjects I'd studied in my graduation. Deep inside I've always known it's the right thing to do. In the process of it all, I got my first proper job while pursuing MBA, ( I have managed pretty well as I attend weekend classes, though it's extremely difficult coping with both). During all this time (while studying) I have never missed an opportunity to remind him, how he is not helping me enough with my subject, how instead of answering my query he simply ask me to Google it. This always complaining and putting the blame on him has become a second nature to me, I guess, and I am not feeling proud to admit that. OK so from past many days I have been tearing my hair over my final semester Project & Synopsis and I've been eating his head with constant blabbering. Few days back I'd a huge row with him, my days of submission are just around the corner, and I badly need his help with my submissions. He went all gaga about how I should not be sulking about doing my own work and that I should do it on my own to learn the process and all that jazz. I walked out of the room resenting him for being so right. Though we made up quickly enough but I was still seething & worrying about the damn synopsis. We didn't spoke about it again as I vowed not to ask him, he also didn't mentioned it.

Today this very good looking guy came over on my bay asking for "Moushmi Mam" (I simply shriek at the sound of some one calling me Mam, as if I am some specky school teacher), as I didn't know him I didn't corrected him about the "Mam" bit. This guys was looking nervous, with fumbling hands, fifgeting on his pocket to bring out something, he kept fumbling for so long that I've to pretend that I haven't noticed his nervousness.

Tete-e-Tete

I: "Yes", 
He: "I have brought your synopsis. It's on my data card.
I: ( I was like 'my jaw landed on the floor')
He: Finally handing me the data card, "you just check it and let me know if you want any changes"( blah blah I was only half listening, too shocked to come to terms with what he was saying)
I: Like some sleepwalker in the middle of an experience, I simply nodded, while I saved the synopsis on my workstation.
 In a muffled voice I just managed a syllable about it being perfect. Too ashamed to look at him.
He: OK Mam (Taking the card out of the socket), he smiled.
I:  I kept looking at him too aghast to smile. Finally Thanking him, before I forget my manners

I immediately called Mrinal and in a sheepish tone
I said " Hello",
He:  "Hi", (I can hear it in his tone that the devil is laughing at me)
I said: You didn't have to do that.
He: Do what? Sending a good looking guy to you.
I: You know what I mean
He: I would like to be told for a change though.
I: I am perfectly capable of doing my synopsis
He: Thats predictable come up with something more creative
I : Thank You
He : He simply laughed one of those light happy laugh


I put the phone down thinking that's the biggest surprise he gave me till date. Just wish I could surprise the devil himself equally some day. Just the thought of him putting some one to work on my behalf, he made me feel like a queen as well as a bitch all at once. How can he do that I am still wondering. Though I am not complaining.

Bong Connection !!

I'd few funny experience in my last Kolkata trip. Firstly, let me clarify I am a hardcore bong girl and I take great pride in my bangaliyana. Recently, I went to Kolkata for my cousin's wedding after and we (me & hubby) were very excited, as it was our 1st trip to Kolkata together after marriage. My last trip was on Feb 2007 with my friends, and boy was that fun. This trip was special as I was going there for the first time after my marriage and meeting with my side of the big fat family after ages. Yes, I love this old fashioned city named Kolkata, right from the intriguing salesman, chaiwallas,  Jhhalmudiwala to the trams, taxis, filthy roads, Ganga, Howrah Bridge, I love everything about this place. Like they say, people make the place, have a tete-te-tet with any of the locals and you'll understand the meaning of satire, humour, quirky, tight-upper lip, straight face comedy and what not, they all are hardcore humorist (or maybe leftist), but they'll make you laugh your ass off.

One afternoon, while we were roaming around, we decided to take a haath rickshaw ride, so I went upto this rickshawala, who was obviously taking a nap, I called him and asked him for a ride, in response he gave me one of those dhutth chhai, disgruntled look and muttered "dekhte parchen na ami ghumochhi"(Can't you see I am sleeping). I was left agog with surprise, that he is more keen on sleeping than earning few bucks was actually shocking for me. I couldn't help laughing at his laziness. But in retrospect I realised, for some people it's not always about the money, that doesn't always includes the rich. Another ingrained quality that bongs have is their love for literature, they might be bathing in the pond but they'll know all the verses of Shakespeare, they know all the Tagore's poetry by heart, their chest swells with pride for Satyajit ray, they will teach their any form of art, be it dance/ music/ painting/ drama/ poetry/ recitation and they love to flaunt the fish they eat. Hilsa, chingri, papda always makes a good topic of conversation. And I've not yet started writing about their love for politics or football.

Their no frills attitude keeps them grounded, they don't have a religious bone in their body, they believe in celebration. They celebrate the Goddess, and  indulge in building the biggest, grandest of pandal and pomp and show. They rather have a good time than keep praying and asking for all the materialistic cravings from God. A steamer ride in Ganges was in my "to do" list this time. We took the ride on one of those rickety boat, with some tourist and some locals, the tranquility of the setting sun and us on a boat to oblivion will remain on my mind forever. We went to Belur Math to see the evening prayer, it was once in a life time experience, the chanting and echo of the prayer was something I've never experienced. The blog will be incomplete without a mention about the food that Kolkata has to offer, a Rs.20 road side Mughlai Parantha, with chunks of chicken will put Karims to shame, and that too for such a price, this would've cost me 250 bucks in Delhi and that to for half the taste. The charm of paranthewali gali in old Delhi will look lame compared to this. You can have a huge fish cutlet for Rs.3, tea for Rs.2 after every hour, and I'am still talking about street food here. They equally have the finesse of fine dining, offering gourmet delights for the ever experimenting bengalis. Have a stroll around the Park Street, have breakfast at Flurys or Chelo Kebab at  Peter Cat, the food that Kolkata has to offer is vast, delectable and scrumptious. But the real prized-possession of that place are the priceless people.

Survival of the fittest as they say, but you will see the happiest bunch of smiling people, doing what makes life more richer i.e, eating the best, learning the best, living the best, instead of running after money in this so called busy but mundane life. The pride of the bhhodrolok is something to be proud of. I salute the spirit of the rickshawala who put his sleep first than a few bucks. As for me, I think I'll always remain a girl fascinated by a big city.

TAGS: Kolkata, Belur Math, Flurys, Peter Cat, Delhi, Karims, Ganges, Satyajit Ray, Rickshaw

Resolution 2011

I shamelessly didn't wished any one this year. The whole point of texting seems to taxing for my self acclaimed wastage of time. Half of the numbers in my phone list are of people whom I never wanna see in my waking hour. The so called long lost friends are too busy, neither I give a damn  about. And usually I have to select the so called unimportant people and remove them from my list, so that I can add a bunch of more such names. When I was in an "unemployed lost in translation phase" last year my phone bill use to be eye-popping (I rather not give the figures as I might sound tacky). Now look at me when my company is all raring to pay my bills. I can't even muster a grand. That is the irony of money. The story is more or less the same in Facebook. The friends list is just a number. I even shirk to see the few so called friends online when ever they are online. Let alone talking to some of the nauseating people I have added for the heck of it. But they are there cause FB calls them so. And even though I am the one voicing my opinion here, I follow the same Banana Republic I live in. Friends are important no second thought about it but not the ones who are not worth it. Hence I just want to know my friends & foes better than the ones who come in between the "Friend-Foe" category this year. And yes I just want to be a little tolerant towards criticism instead of letting it run on my head over & over again. I wish to God to give me loads of new experience this year. I am feeling so good today. Like any true red blooded women, the whole idea of novelty turns me on like anything. January will remain yellow for me. It's all Yellow today.