The Gullab Jamun, the Jallebi and the Malai Sandwich

Gulab Jamun: is a dessert which is popular throughout the Indian Subcontinent, made of a dough consisting mainly of milk solids (often including double cream and flour) in a sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom seeds and rosewater or saffron.

Last few weeks winded up rather on a more subtler note than what I expected. The face of new year dawned with glitters and sparkles for many.With loud deafening music in The Sports bar (Lower Parel) they partied,drank, danced, hugged and kissed. My not so lil bro was new in the scene this time. He seamlessly became a part of the crowd. He too danced, he too partied along with others. But the thing missing with him was his ID card.(the cliché above 18 proof).We were quietly asked to move out but we were winding up anyways.What was up with me all this while?- I was just watching it all happen.The new year just happened for me.Just like that.Lil lost was I?

Jalebi: are Indian fried sweets. It is made by deep-frying batter in a kind of pretzel shape then soaked in syrup.

Every time Dad takes me for a morning walk, I struggled to keep pace with him. It seemed he walked faster with every step. Keeping my eyes glued to his rapid steps I try to sync my feet movements with his. I was cautious of not toppling over rough ridges as we walked the main road up my house.  I brushed my teeth as I stood next to him watching him shave. He had 8 o'clock shift to attend. In haste mom, dad and me existed to live our lives our ways from where we left it yesterday. In cold December night, Mom would tuck me in my bed with 3 blankets shielded over me . With peace written all over me, I would drain into darkness or sometimes some dreamy enlightenment(as I thought).  

 Damn he follows me everywhere. I bumped into Atul again that night in Mumbai Central. Arjun was stupefied with his unconfirmed ticket as he was about to board the train to Delhi, Atul was not even in my list of 'least expected events in the next hour'. He came there to drop his pal from the Capital city. After bidding au revoir to my newly found friend we both wondered what to do next. Then a series of  unspeculated unplanned proceedings had us sitting on marine drive  at 11:30 getting nostalgic. But as it comes to my life often, the best moments in my life have always come unexpectedly. We had a great time sitting and talking about all the stuff under the moon. His days in the city were counted then. (He left finally for Bangalore today morning).We realised it would be an insult on Devil's face that you be at Marine Drive give a pass to Mocha. And lately I have been more of Devil's child than God's. Who cares.

"Table for two"

"Sir, smoking or non smoking"

"Smoking it is"

"This way sir! "

There is a different charm to life when you try to define all your boundaries and be spoilt over the board. Seems addictive and you can hear it calling in your head for you to return when you play angel in your routine life.I hear it often these days.
It was my second stint with waterpipe.  I smoked it the way it should have been but then atul said 

"Saale!! In 5 years of smoking, I myself haven't smoked a cig the way you are doing it now!! You are such a smoking crud now!!"

It was the familiar chill of a December night.
Irony of life, Times changed the way I never imagined!!

Bravo me!

Malai Sandwich: An Indian sugary delicacy usually having  cream of milk (malai) sandwiched between two dough layer or hardened sugar dipped bread layer; generally a savour of festivities.

The very foundation of what we believe and what not, is a comparison of our perceptions with known and widely accepted.We are called righteous when we follow the "norms"(as they say).
I beg to disagree. For me the very righteous base has changed over the time. And that has brought a paradigm shift in me. My faith in God has changed because the very definition of Him has changed. I think I have become wiser for good. I don't believe that a companionship is one which has two people holding hands. I don't believe that intensity in love can be expressed only by intimacy and shadowed physical presence. Every day I write and live a part of a strange but charismatic story. And I am in love with my character. It gets what it wants, but not in true sense. The character never complains that its never there. But in the due time it gets its heartfelt moments.The moments which defies the boundary between a dream and reality.
Guess that's when you see dreams with open eyes.And some times words are Just not enuf to express reality beyond the perception of documented Languages. I dont write the climax of this story(nor I intend to). Let this one be written by good ol' Time.


Until next time Princess. :)

A road less taken

I shall be telling this with a sigh;

Somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverge in a wood,

and I - I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost(1874-1963)

4 time Pulitzer prize winner(poetry) said it all then. The complex human relations and emotions remained age old but how we interpret them made all the difference.Come dawn of 21st century, Raju Hirani and Aamir certainly showed one unusual way to do it. It took 3 characters taken from a complacent Novel to prove a point and frankly speaking, I dont care if they were called Ranchoddas Shyamlaldas Chachad, Raju Rastogi, Farhan Qureshi, which were so much unlike the characters announced in Novel itself.No one went to look out for another Movie based on Novel interpretations. We already have A lot of Potter mania going around for that(goes for all cynics and critics).Dont we!

And no offence to Mr.Chetan Bhagat; I loved the novel as well.

On the movie front, the only thing which a true Cinematographer or director lives by, is to make the audience believe that a story exists and the leads (played by finest of actors)actually exists, and they are as real as we are. To create such make believe characters and such situations, really required some skills both from the director and from the actor.Well lets say it was the road less taken that they came up when they joined hands and 3 -idiots came along. And as I write this, ironically i listen to "Behti hawa sa tha woh....." over the radio. Certainly some times when the chips are really down and people all around us are no less but zombies

programmed to routine tasks, a simple act of liberalism in the most unwanted environment can ignite just that wave which sails life through.I wished I had a Ranchoddas in my engg days. Thats the privation the movie creates. To be liberal and change the system of rattafication to innovation.(Being an Engineer, its like been there done that,rather done it all!!)

"udti patag sa tha woh.... " When you have to fly you dont walk or drool but run. Run as hard as you can.Run as if there was no tomorrow. Run and prove that you are among the best in the mighty mice race. Go prove your worth in a hysterical world where even if you prove your point there is hardly a bunch to listen to.And then there is no looking back.You remain a forgotten premise in the book of lives.(read world space)

If life only was about being the best doctor or the best engineer wouldn't India be among the world's best. Aren't Engineers and doctors over flowing out of the country (read brain drain for like gazillion time). Aamir all the while he stayed in the frame showed us one thing, the drive to follow your passion is unmatched, and for that yes you have to bend it a lil bit more than Beckham. But then he makes us believe that life is more fun that way, so why live it the usual way.(IIM-B campus seems fitting enuf to talk about innovating stuffs walking in corridors)

"kahan gaya usse dhoondo...." How hard is it to listen to our dilapidated inner self.Have we forgotten the world that lives inside us. Aamir and co. certainly showed one of the way to discover the light and follow it.It also pointed out, amongst the crazy and frenzied laugh riot, that being true to yourself and leading a passionate life is not that extravagant, that one cant afford it. Worth a thought which wants worth a shot.

ahhhhhh...seems like I m getting too much into all this.Its already 11:22 and i m getting late for my usual stuff. ;)

3-idiots goes amongst the best seen "movies" off late .This one certainly shares the rack next to Sholay, DCH,Munna Bhai.

Kudos to Aamir as he proved his worth again in just 3 hours.

3-Cheers!!!!

Creation on Demand!

This particular space will account my social presence from here on. I have loads of stuffs to catch on, but still never short of enthusiasm to create something new (and leave it in the middle purely cauz of laziness). So lets see how long this one goes...

Had Xmas celebration today in office. Celebration was fun, but the reason was something very new. Never had many invites to Christmas parties :) Gorge certainly enlightened a couple of darkest corners in upper floor.(afterwards he sang bhakti songs with some excellent strings vibrations; English mein which was again something new; Does this guy watches too much of GOD Tv?) (think).Mayukh played to some good song in bangla, which we could not understand mostly and he never cared to watch the audience reaction as he had his eyes shut all the while he sang.

Never the less it was actually exhilarating to see every one come together seamlessly to celebrate a common cause. Good to see that every one can come down to a same level, senior or junior. 'Polo game' was fun. And for the second time I played pivotal role in defining a team effort. Kudos to me :P

Went on with my dailies when came back home.Bro coming tomorrow. Excited!!

Add ons to my life at the end of the day:-

1) Got a coffee mug finally for my office desk. Was totally lazed out to buy one for me.

2) THANK GOD the damned key ring didnt fall in my lap :P :D (shashank and kavita were the lucky ones though) :P

3) Finally picked up the rugged novel again : the lost symbol!

Getting swell headed are we!!

Some pics from the days proceedings:-

1) there were some servings ..

2) and i ate all of it:-