I am sure you wouldn't have come across this kind of person before(or if you have let me know). Me didn't.
There is this friend of mine. I am not sure if I would still call her my friend(Before you think I am mean, I am not.) She was a simple working woman back then. She started to date a hip guy and there was transformation which everyone noticed and rolled their eyes. Well, that shouldn't bother me and it didn't. Except that she borrowed my clothes and never returned them which is SO not good.
Friends borrow stuff and that's cool but there's more to the story than just this. The attitude this lady carries has always irritated me. We joined our first job together. We were good friends then and started to hang out frequently. I even stayed at her place for a small amount of time before I could find accommodation for myself. We drifted apart slowly as she got involved with a guy and I formed a group of my own(at work). The cool girlfriend disowned her uncool clothes and came to me when she needed a traditional salwar for a formal event. I showed all my freshly washed and conditioned salwar sets and asked her to pick one. And she did.
*Two years later*
I see a woman and it hits me"Don't you have something similar?Hell,yeah!"After raking my brain a little too hard, I ping her and ask if she still has it. She has it and she is getting it to office next day. Oh that's good. Only that she got my pretty cotton salwar totally crumpled and in unwearable state. No way I am gonna take it and brush it.(There's some history of she borrowing a kurti of mine and it losing it's color when she washed it. Mom got rid of it.)She took it back.
*A week later*
I meet her in afeteria and what is that I see. I didn't see that kurti that she was wearing in like two years.And that is mine. O I am loving this. After some should I or should I not's I ask her - "Well, this kurti looks so nice and it would have been awesome if you were owning it".Ok, I didn't say that but I said to her it looks familiar and it is MINE. Pat comes the reply "Oh it is yours?I was wondering where it has crawled into my cupboard.You would have forgotten to pick it up when you left my place" I couldn't say anything more because a small bunch of friends join us and I didn't want to embrrass her.
Now when I want her to return all my clothes she comes up with such brilliant excuses like "Oh!I can't find it.","Oops,I forgot all about it."
All I can say is - the cool boyfriend of yours is in for a ride.
Wooohooo!
Going home is always much awaited thing for me(You may refer to this post where I talk a whole lot about it, perhaps only about it!) I invariably have the same feeling every single time, be it during college break when I used to head home like once in 6 months or now, when I run back there in less than a month. I know, who doesn't feel this? But I belong to an another level,a higher one.
I get so desperate as I get into the train. I just wish that night goes by like in a flash. As a matter of fact, I sleep really well in the train(I always book A/c :D)Still, I just can't avoid that feeling. Worst part being, that feeling doesn't vanish even if I have company, sigh! I like the randomness in the train, a whole bunch of different sorts of people. Even though I get immersed in the book soon after I get in, whenever I lift my head I see and note if there any interesting things happening around. This makes for one of the stories I tell sister the next day.
No matter what, there is a gang of kids somewhere close to where I sit. Some small, some big, some sweet, some naughty. They make the surroundings look lively as long as they aren't irritating!Yes, few are,phew!
I am one of those people who are shy to have food on train. I sometimes skip my meal when on journey(Very rare though :P) But most of the times I am in a hurry to just gobble down whatever I got with me and get done with it.(So much for not liking Railway food)
I still wonder how (I mean HOW),wherever I am put up on train, a person who snores is right above me. I hate the snore so much that I sometimes shush them. If I can't sleep still, I just observe the pattern in some people snoring. They are rhythmic, not in a pleasant way. I can't tell you once when I wasn't disturbed by these people. Sorry guys!
I am going THERE starting in 3 hours :) I am looking forward to all these things.
I get so desperate as I get into the train. I just wish that night goes by like in a flash. As a matter of fact, I sleep really well in the train(I always book A/c :D)Still, I just can't avoid that feeling. Worst part being, that feeling doesn't vanish even if I have company, sigh! I like the randomness in the train, a whole bunch of different sorts of people. Even though I get immersed in the book soon after I get in, whenever I lift my head I see and note if there any interesting things happening around. This makes for one of the stories I tell sister the next day.
No matter what, there is a gang of kids somewhere close to where I sit. Some small, some big, some sweet, some naughty. They make the surroundings look lively as long as they aren't irritating!Yes, few are,phew!
I am one of those people who are shy to have food on train. I sometimes skip my meal when on journey(Very rare though :P) But most of the times I am in a hurry to just gobble down whatever I got with me and get done with it.(So much for not liking Railway food)
I still wonder how (I mean HOW),wherever I am put up on train, a person who snores is right above me. I hate the snore so much that I sometimes shush them. If I can't sleep still, I just observe the pattern in some people snoring. They are rhythmic, not in a pleasant way. I can't tell you once when I wasn't disturbed by these people. Sorry guys!
I am going THERE starting in 3 hours :) I am looking forward to all these things.
Chitti aayi hai..aayi hai..
My birthday is fast approaching(There are good 36 days to go though!) I have a long long wish list. I know I will end up buying almost all these things myself(ALMOST!) but just for the record, you see.
1. The other day I was at forum mall. I've been there lotsa times before. No, I am not one of those people who end up going there every weekend. But,staying in Bangalore for 2.5 years you would have gone to Forum atleast a dozen times. Well, I haven't entered the Bose store before, my bad. Man oh man, are they head phones and speakers. Are they just speakers and head phones? No, they weren't. The store houses the most phenomenal sound system,ever. NICE.It is the most expensive thing on my list. So I better take it off. No, I'd let it be there, just in case ;)
2. I was never a make-up and cosmetic kinda girl. I know that's an oxymoron. But Bodyshop caught my eye err nose. The store in itself smells awesome and you feel gooood as you enter the shop and may be not as good as you exit(guilt, you know).I heard some of their products are on sale. Isn't that even more awesome? They have online shopping too!*wink wink*
3. The cost of living only increases exponentially in Bangalore. Well, its been only close to three years that I have been here. But heck, what's with their salon prices and all that?Okay, now I want nice hair cut and relaxing and rejuvenating hair spa. Won't you get me one?Won't you?I could give you the phone numbers if you want ;)
4. I was born in such auspicious season. Every other store in Bangalore goes on sale. That's making things easy for my friends, yes, that is you. I found Pepe jeans shirts and tees cute and I don't mind a jacket/sweat shirt from Levi's.
5. Placing these at bottom doesn't decrease their importance in anyway. I would feel special if you give me cookbooks as a birthday present. I am into cooking these days and even with meager resources(My kitchen is fridge-less and oven-less,poor thing!)I am managing to prepare good meals. Wouldn't it be nice if I am guided by Madhur Jeffrey?
6. I lost my phone :( I swear I did. I am no gizmo-gadgeto freak. I would want a simple
phone with a decent camera, good music player and GPRS . Touch mobile will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
These are all I can think of now. I 'll update as and when I think of new things in these 36 days.
1. The other day I was at forum mall. I've been there lotsa times before. No, I am not one of those people who end up going there every weekend. But,staying in Bangalore for 2.5 years you would have gone to Forum atleast a dozen times. Well, I haven't entered the Bose store before, my bad. Man oh man, are they head phones and speakers. Are they just speakers and head phones? No, they weren't. The store houses the most phenomenal sound system,ever. NICE.It is the most expensive thing on my list. So I better take it off. No, I'd let it be there, just in case ;)
2. I was never a make-up and cosmetic kinda girl. I know that's an oxymoron. But Bodyshop caught my eye err nose. The store in itself smells awesome and you feel gooood as you enter the shop and may be not as good as you exit(guilt, you know).I heard some of their products are on sale. Isn't that even more awesome? They have online shopping too!*wink wink*
3. The cost of living only increases exponentially in Bangalore. Well, its been only close to three years that I have been here. But heck, what's with their salon prices and all that?Okay, now I want nice hair cut and relaxing and rejuvenating hair spa. Won't you get me one?Won't you?I could give you the phone numbers if you want ;)
4. I was born in such auspicious season. Every other store in Bangalore goes on sale. That's making things easy for my friends, yes, that is you. I found Pepe jeans shirts and tees cute and I don't mind a jacket/sweat shirt from Levi's.
5. Placing these at bottom doesn't decrease their importance in anyway. I would feel special if you give me cookbooks as a birthday present. I am into cooking these days and even with meager resources(My kitchen is fridge-less and oven-less,poor thing!)I am managing to prepare good meals. Wouldn't it be nice if I am guided by Madhur Jeffrey?
6. I lost my phone :( I swear I did. I am no gizmo-gadgeto freak. I would want a simple
phone with a decent camera, good music player and GPRS . Touch mobile will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
These are all I can think of now. I 'll update as and when I think of new things in these 36 days.
Do you feel papam too?
Ok,this is not to make fun of Non-Southies who have difficulty comprehending some words we use here(Bangalore) quite often.
Before anything, the only person I talk to in Hindi is myself. Yes, Myself(again no, I am not crazy!) It's just that I am little too conscious when I place the tenses and genders in my sentence. Tense somehow i can get away with but gender, oh no, every reason for people around me to have a good laugh. I have an amazing account of screwing up usage of words when I once attempted to talk in Kannada. And no, you won't get to listen to anything further about that story.
Well, what I want to say is, there is a friend of mine who is enthusiastic about picking up few South Indian words, you know, those omnipresent ones like abba,ayyoo,papam and the like. Latest to get added to her collection is the word 'papam'
N : I feel so papam to go sit in my seat idly when everyone around is working like crazy. (Sorry)
Me: Oh ok. I get it.
N: He looks so papam(innocent)
Me: Oh like that?Yes yes.
N: I feel papam for myself, how can I get out of this?(sorry)
Me: (thinking definitely not aloud)Don't you think you should learn more words like that to go well with papam.
Me: :(
N: What?Even you are feeling papam?(May be sick)
Yes, I did try to tell her how it is usually used but, she insists she knows the meaning and usage.
N, I totally love the way you say papam if you hadn't noticed my smirk.Hehe!
Before anything, the only person I talk to in Hindi is myself. Yes, Myself(again no, I am not crazy!) It's just that I am little too conscious when I place the tenses and genders in my sentence. Tense somehow i can get away with but gender, oh no, every reason for people around me to have a good laugh. I have an amazing account of screwing up usage of words when I once attempted to talk in Kannada. And no, you won't get to listen to anything further about that story.
Well, what I want to say is, there is a friend of mine who is enthusiastic about picking up few South Indian words, you know, those omnipresent ones like abba,ayyoo,papam and the like. Latest to get added to her collection is the word 'papam'
N : I feel so papam to go sit in my seat idly when everyone around is working like crazy. (Sorry)
Me: Oh ok. I get it.
N: He looks so papam(innocent)
Me: Oh like that?Yes yes.
N: I feel papam for myself, how can I get out of this?(sorry)
Me: (thinking definitely not aloud)Don't you think you should learn more words like that to go well with papam.
Me: :(
N: What?Even you are feeling papam?(May be sick)
Yes, I did try to tell her how it is usually used but, she insists she knows the meaning and usage.
N, I totally love the way you say papam if you hadn't noticed my smirk.Hehe!
Auto-matic troubles!
Have you ever attempted to travel by auto in Bangalore?
I you haven't, you should try.(Why should I be the only one to suffer,gee!)
This would be even more apt if you are the one who need to travel short distances, say 3-4 kms. You can't walk, neither can you take bus(You can take but it would you take you on a world trip before landing at the destination)
So well, as I reach the auto-stand,a nightmare awaits for me.
*Henceforth, lets refer to Autodriver as AD*
AD1,AD2,AD3...(I am searching for infinity on keyboard,oh it's not there): Madam auto madam(chaiwala style)
Auto ha?(Gangster style)
Auto chahiye kya?(Wannabe Hindi wala style)
Me(Ignoring the gang and walking briskly towards the autos away from them)
Me: Bhaiyya,CMH road,Indiranagar.(It's 2.4 kms from there and would cost around 16 rupees)
AD1:Nai madam..wapas khaali aana padta hai
Me(Strange it is but I hear the same dialog when I come the other way. Anyway atleast he was couteous enough, good sign!)
Me: Cmh road?
AD1: One angry look.
I move on to the next.
Me: (Being precise and pointing hand in some random direction to convey the place is closer than they think)Sapna book house, Indiranagar
AD1: 60rupees.
Me: Not the SBH in sadashivanagar, the one in Indiranagar.
AD: Mujhe pata hai.
Me: Well, no expression!
On few days my colleagues accompany me on their way home till auto stand.
Me: Indiranagar
AD :No
Colleague(being sarcastic): Jeevan bhima nagar
AD: No
Colleague: MG road
AD: NO
C: Where do you want to go?We'd come along.
AD:(Smiles) Marathalli
Me: Indiranagar
AD: No
Colleague: Hyderabad
AD: (Chuckles)
Me: Yet again, Indiranagar
AD: No
Colleague: I would ride the auto. You just come along.
Auto anyone?
I you haven't, you should try.(Why should I be the only one to suffer,gee!)
This would be even more apt if you are the one who need to travel short distances, say 3-4 kms. You can't walk, neither can you take bus(You can take but it would you take you on a world trip before landing at the destination)
So well, as I reach the auto-stand,a nightmare awaits for me.
*Henceforth, lets refer to Autodriver as AD*
AD1,AD2,AD3...(I am searching for infinity on keyboard,oh it's not there): Madam auto madam(chaiwala style)
Auto ha?(Gangster style)
Auto chahiye kya?(Wannabe Hindi wala style)
Me(Ignoring the gang and walking briskly towards the autos away from them)
Me: Bhaiyya,CMH road,Indiranagar.(It's 2.4 kms from there and would cost around 16 rupees)
AD1:Nai madam..wapas khaali aana padta hai
Me(Strange it is but I hear the same dialog when I come the other way. Anyway atleast he was couteous enough, good sign!)
Me: Cmh road?
AD1: One angry look.
I move on to the next.
Me: (Being precise and pointing hand in some random direction to convey the place is closer than they think)Sapna book house, Indiranagar
AD1: 60rupees.
Me: Not the SBH in sadashivanagar, the one in Indiranagar.
AD: Mujhe pata hai.
Me: Well, no expression!
On few days my colleagues accompany me on their way home till auto stand.
Me: Indiranagar
AD :No
Colleague(being sarcastic): Jeevan bhima nagar
AD: No
Colleague: MG road
AD: NO
C: Where do you want to go?We'd come along.
AD:(Smiles) Marathalli
Me: Indiranagar
AD: No
Colleague: Hyderabad
AD: (Chuckles)
Me: Yet again, Indiranagar
AD: No
Colleague: I would ride the auto. You just come along.
Auto anyone?
Childhood.zip
I am a very nostalgic person, as in the slight mention of familiar things say home food or even soppy things I watch on TV like father-daughter/son love can make me cry. I am over night journey away from HOME but I always long to go back there. I have been pampered silly by my parents even though I am the elder one, more so because they hardly see me(Well, once in like a month)
When we(sister and I)were kids,we were staying in an independent house(Now we stay in an apartment). Even though we were in Hyd for quite sometime by then, we weren't totally acquainted to the city. There weren't many neighbours. The only people we used to talk to were the landlord couple and since both wife and husband were working we hardly get to see them. This left us with more of what I call 'family time'. Back then, none of my cousins were staying in Hyderabad and we had very few relatives who used to live away far away fom our house.After we visit our grand parents during our vacation and were back in Hyderabad, I remember the house being full of half packed and half unpacked bags, smelling of pickles packed for us by our grand moms and sweet/savoury stuff prepared and carefully packed by aunts. Yet, there was a gloomy feeling all over, that feeling which will want you to travel back to a place where you have people you love all around you. Time passes by, our school re-opens and things fall in place.
The most vivid of my childhood memories consist predominantly of watching Doordarshan whole day long. There was a show every saturday night where they play most popular songs that week in a top down fashion. If I am not wrong it was called 'Ek se badkar ek'. The next morning after finishing off with customary Sunday dosa breakfast, sister and I would recollect all the 10 songs by singing them on top of pitch as if someone would arrest us if we don't do. Then, follows ever popular 'Moglie's show' and 'Chandrakantha' whose title tracks I can still sing. Here goes another Tv memory. I used to love watching a supposedly horror serial called 'Tekhikakat' so much that when protagonist of the show staged his death scene I fell in tears.(Silly me!)
I am still surprised how we could have had dinner at 7 watching DD news then. Poor mom, she would wait for dad till late in the night when her girls were fast asleep. Weekend was much awaited time then too. Though weekend was half day off on Saturday and a full day off on sunday, it still was a good thing. Saturday evening was so special for us girls. My dad who was against frizzy drinks(He still is BTW)would treat us to gold spot(it is no longer available,sigh!)on that particular day. Why Saturday? no reason. We had to give those glass bottles back the next day by the way. No pet bottles then :) That makes me feel old, really old! Did I tell you my dad loved Li'l hearts :D Yes he did. He would lovingly give them through bus window when we were off to grand parents place for Summer/Winter holidays(In reality Pongal holidays). Thank god, li'l hearts are still available .The onlytime DD plays an Telugu movie is Sunday afternoon. How I miss those evening shows which were associated with mom and dad having tea and allowing us to have a sip or two from theirs.
Anybody who stayed in Hyderabad for however short duration during Jan-Feb time, in the 90s especially,wouldn't have misssed The Exhibiton. Yes, I don't know it's name except for it was called exhibition which was held in huge Nampally grounds. I haven't gone in like 10 years now. Still, I can 't forget the maddening crowd and the memorable things there. We as kids were charged up at the very sight of barbie kitchen sets, long and colorful pencils with clowns head at one end, soap bubbles dabba and FOOD. I dreaded the giant wheel though and once fell sick after getting on that. The chaat/mirchi bhajji and sugar/cotton candy however unhygenic, was a treat to us. The next day we would wake up all excited to open up and explore the stuff we bought the previous day.
Like I said sister and I didn't have many friends around and we used to play with each other most of the time or pull in mom whenever possible. We used to watch the construction workers on all sides of my house cooking, eating, talking and it seemed like a miniature world for us. Though it sounds hilarious now, it was so much fun then when one of us acts like we were riding dad's scooter and the other makes sounds like 'durr duurrrr'. It also reminds me that I bullied my sister then. Hey, I am the elder one, were I not supposed to act like one.
It sounds foolish to confine one's best 10-12 years of life into few hundred words' post. For me Old cinthol, Complan and chitrahaar of Doordharshan are things of past. They'd remain with me,safe and sound and definitely sweet.
When we(sister and I)were kids,we were staying in an independent house(Now we stay in an apartment). Even though we were in Hyd for quite sometime by then, we weren't totally acquainted to the city. There weren't many neighbours. The only people we used to talk to were the landlord couple and since both wife and husband were working we hardly get to see them. This left us with more of what I call 'family time'. Back then, none of my cousins were staying in Hyderabad and we had very few relatives who used to live away far away fom our house.After we visit our grand parents during our vacation and were back in Hyderabad, I remember the house being full of half packed and half unpacked bags, smelling of pickles packed for us by our grand moms and sweet/savoury stuff prepared and carefully packed by aunts. Yet, there was a gloomy feeling all over, that feeling which will want you to travel back to a place where you have people you love all around you. Time passes by, our school re-opens and things fall in place.
The most vivid of my childhood memories consist predominantly of watching Doordarshan whole day long. There was a show every saturday night where they play most popular songs that week in a top down fashion. If I am not wrong it was called 'Ek se badkar ek'. The next morning after finishing off with customary Sunday dosa breakfast, sister and I would recollect all the 10 songs by singing them on top of pitch as if someone would arrest us if we don't do. Then, follows ever popular 'Moglie's show' and 'Chandrakantha' whose title tracks I can still sing. Here goes another Tv memory. I used to love watching a supposedly horror serial called 'Tekhikakat' so much that when protagonist of the show staged his death scene I fell in tears.(Silly me!)
I am still surprised how we could have had dinner at 7 watching DD news then. Poor mom, she would wait for dad till late in the night when her girls were fast asleep. Weekend was much awaited time then too. Though weekend was half day off on Saturday and a full day off on sunday, it still was a good thing. Saturday evening was so special for us girls. My dad who was against frizzy drinks(He still is BTW)would treat us to gold spot(it is no longer available,sigh!)on that particular day. Why Saturday? no reason. We had to give those glass bottles back the next day by the way. No pet bottles then :) That makes me feel old, really old! Did I tell you my dad loved Li'l hearts :D Yes he did. He would lovingly give them through bus window when we were off to grand parents place for Summer/Winter holidays(In reality Pongal holidays). Thank god, li'l hearts are still available .The onlytime DD plays an Telugu movie is Sunday afternoon. How I miss those evening shows which were associated with mom and dad having tea and allowing us to have a sip or two from theirs.
Anybody who stayed in Hyderabad for however short duration during Jan-Feb time, in the 90s especially,wouldn't have misssed The Exhibiton. Yes, I don't know it's name except for it was called exhibition which was held in huge Nampally grounds. I haven't gone in like 10 years now. Still, I can 't forget the maddening crowd and the memorable things there. We as kids were charged up at the very sight of barbie kitchen sets, long and colorful pencils with clowns head at one end, soap bubbles dabba and FOOD. I dreaded the giant wheel though and once fell sick after getting on that. The chaat/mirchi bhajji and sugar/cotton candy however unhygenic, was a treat to us. The next day we would wake up all excited to open up and explore the stuff we bought the previous day.
Like I said sister and I didn't have many friends around and we used to play with each other most of the time or pull in mom whenever possible. We used to watch the construction workers on all sides of my house cooking, eating, talking and it seemed like a miniature world for us. Though it sounds hilarious now, it was so much fun then when one of us acts like we were riding dad's scooter and the other makes sounds like 'durr duurrrr'. It also reminds me that I bullied my sister then. Hey, I am the elder one, were I not supposed to act like one.
It sounds foolish to confine one's best 10-12 years of life into few hundred words' post. For me Old cinthol, Complan and chitrahaar of Doordharshan are things of past. They'd remain with me,safe and sound and definitely sweet.
