The e - Baby Shower!

Y’s hormones were playing havoc in her life. The baby was due in 1 month and she was having a nervous breakdown. To top it all, her husband N, had to go abroad for an urgent project and she was left at the mercy of the in-laws. Not that they were mean, they were NOT him!

When the going got tougher we decided to have an intervention. So, enter best friends P, R and Me. The problem – we were in 3 different countries and there was no way we could meet Y and cheer her up. P was in Bangalore meeting deadlines. R was in Germany for she had won a 50-day all-expense-paid Journalism workshop. And I was writing, cooking and partying in the Middle East. But we are best friends and we had to cheer up Y come what may.

I racked my brains, brainstormed over conference calls, browsed the Internet and came up with a mind-blowing idea that made me proud of myself! With technology playing our Messiah, we planned a surprise E-Baby Shower for the Mommy-to-be. 

We had to plan everything to the T so that it all comes together on the same date and if possible, same time. We had to find snap deals for we were looking for a great experience without making a hole in our pockets. The first things we ordered were Flowers and Cake. Y loves Yellow roses and they were not hard to find. We specified a particular time and date for delivery. The site was very kind to cater to all our demands.

Silly Badge!

We are quirky people and normal gifts are not our forte. We found this superb website with a MomBastic badge and ordered one immediately – again same date.

The gift couldn't be complete without a picture, card and a poem written by me! We decided to find a portal that can make a card with our picture and my poem as text. I had sent a picture Rakhi before from iTasveer and they were very prompt in their service. I browsed their website and we had our card ready to be printed and delivered – on the date of the Baby Shower.

We didn’t want to send any baby items for Y because, as Indians, we are superstitious and rarely buy stuff for the baby before its arrival. We didn’t want to hurt the Mother-in-law’s feelings and so decided to buy pink ribbons or leather shoes only after the baby was here.

The last item on our list was food. No party is complete without yummy grub. We planned to order a pizza online from Dominos. Yes, all of us ordered a similar pizza. Technology was really Godsend.

It was a Sunday. We asked N to take us all on video conference on Google+ hangout and then call Y. Y was already ecstatic since she had received the badge and the card early in the morning. Our mailbox was flooded with her thank you messages and how her day was made when she read the poem. 

We all ordered Pizza for delivery at 2 p.m. IST. With our laptops in front of us, we were ready to party! We told N to call her and let the ladies enjoy their day. He begged us quite a few times to let him be a part of it, but this was an all-girls party and men were strictly not allowed.

The Card

What followed was a laugh riot. When Y came online she couldn’t stop giggling. Her door bell rang and she received the Cake and Flowers. That set the tears rolling. I told you, hormones were already playing their role, and this was, quite literally, an icing on the cake. We sang our usual ‘Congratulations and Celebrations’ better than the contestants of Indian Idol. We couldn’t taste the cake, but that wasn’t important. Y was happy, immensely happy.

The Flowers

And when the pizza was delivered she was shocked. Of all the things, she couldn’t have even dreamed that we will order food. We laughed and laughed, till the baby was rolling inside Y's tummy!

That day took us back to our school days. It was my 16th birthday. The table was full from the 16 gifts, flowers, cards and a Chocolate Truffle cake. We had ordered our usual Pizza, Noodles and Chilli Paneer at our favorite joint.  We spoke about boys, blushed and giggled till to no end. Only now, we were talking about husbands, babies and careers. But the people and the laughter was exactly the same.

Thanks to Technology and Online Shopping, we could recreate our teenage years even though we were miles apart. I’ve bought gadgets, clothes and other gift items from the Internet, but no experience can replace the joy we saw on Y’s face that day.

This post is a part of the contest at BlogAdda.com in association with Snapdeal.com

P.S.  I forgot to paste the contest code (mentioned above), hence the update! 

Barfi – Life’s little Lessons

- Imperfection is all around us. How we handle our flaw determines our life’s happiness. Burfi’s (Ranbir Kapoor) happy-go-lucky attitude never lets us feel he was deaf and dumb. We saw him as a normal human being who went through a crisis in life.

 - Handicap is not a disease. It’s a way of life. You may be perfect from outside, but crippled at heart. Your mind might be at one place, your heart - at another. Shruti (Ileana D’cruz) suffered from the worst disease – a wandering heart.

 - Every heart can feel love, happiness, anger, jealousy, hatred and sadness. A mind can be under-developed, but a heart is always at the right place. Be wary when you play with feelings – you never know when someone gets hurt. Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) possessed an IQ of a child but had feelings of a woman. Her heart felt hatred and love with equal passion.

 - It’s not your lines, it’s not your stars, and it’s not your Karma from previous birth. We are the makers of our own destiny. If God gives you a problem, he gives you ample of chances to rectify that problem. He gives you strength, determination, and good luck. It’s your attitude that determines if you’ll win or blame your destiny for the rest of your life. The story of Barfi does exactly that. He falls in love, she breaks his heart, and he deals with it, and moves on. He helps a friend in need, falls in love again, destiny breaks his heart but he doesn’t give up. He makes sure he wins the battle with 'destiny'. 

 - Actions speak louder than words. And that’s why this film is so special. The direction is flawless, the characters play their part to the T and the story is heart warming. When you will come home after watching the movie and reflect over it, you will find your life much happier than you ever thought it was. And if not, you will strive hard to achieve that happiness.

Barfi doesn’t make you go Wow. It touches your heart and stays with you for a long time.

Where East meets West

“What? You don’t have two seats together?” I was angry.

“No. But you can try to exchange with someone.”
Yea, right. Like anyone from a window or aisle will want to come to my middle seat.

So the trip began on a bad note. I felt like crying sitting 20 rows away from the Boy. It was an overnight flight and I sat squeezed between two rather good-looking men. But well, that was a fantasy that should have been fulfilled at another age and another marital status!

“You can have complimentary breakfast and we will give you an early check-in at 9:30 a.m,” said the kind soul that sat at the Hotel Reception. Thanks to them, we slept like dogs till 1.

And then began our journey into Istanbul. Tripadvisor had told me to be cautious of notorious taxi drivers. We were vigilant yet they managed to rip us off. Topkapi Palace was boring. I kept thinking of the grand palaces in Jaipur and how we never bothered to pay much attention. I was keenly interested in the Harem. It made me very sad to think how a Sultan kept numerous wives and mistresses. On top of that, they kept Eunuchs to guard the Harem. It is our ancestors who have objectified women. It’s so hard to change the mind set now. It’s depressing, very depressing. Indian kings were no less. 100 wives, 1000 kids, utter nuisance.

We then got lost and hence bugged. That’s the beauty of doing everything on your own. You go through so many emotions. People advised us to take guided tours, but we are nomads, we get a sense of achievement if we get lost.

Anyway, we saw the European and the Asian side of Istanbul, went to a huge island near-by, looked for happy squares, hogged on ice-cream and doner kebabs, and kept the historical sites for another day. Such people should never go to Istanbul because the city is well-known for it’s rich heritage. If you are looking for Mac Donalds in a mall, go to Dubai.

We saw Istanbul’s best site on our last day. But that comes at the end of this travelogue. We couldn’t go the city’s supremely awesome night clubs for the party began at 12 and we were always tired by then.

Our next journey was into Pamukkale. I did not know why people were fascinated by a white colored hill that was made of limestone. But this is a chance we had to take. It was a tourist destination and we would have looked like fools if we avoided it!

Pamukkale Travertines

Walking down the travertine was the first high-point of our trip. The hill has been formed by mineral deposits left by flowing water. From the top, you look down a spotlessly clean white mountain. There is greenery everywhere around it, something that you don’t see next to a snow-clad mountain. We started our walk downwards and it felt magical with water touching our feet at every level. The flowing water had formed mini pools and it was amazing to sit in them. No words, no pictures, nothing can describe the feeling. You have to feel it to know it.

Antique Pool, Pamukkale

We didn’t like the food in Pamukkale. The sun was unbearable and I emptied half my sun block bottle. It was God- sent for my nikhri tvacha! Speaking of which, we saw an antique pool in Pamukkale. It was next to the ruined city of Heirapolis, which, by the way had such an eerie feeling to it. The pool was a natural site where you could swim amidst trees in natural spring water. Pretty sight it was.

Our last stop was Oludeniz. We were the only Indians in the whole village. People confused us with Turks. And when we told them we were from India, they asked if we lived in England ‘coz only Britishers went to Oludeniz! We always thought that wherever we’ll go we’ll find someone from our 1 billion plus population. Oludeniz proved us wrong and we were delighted to be in a foreign land!

Yaka Park, Near Patara Village

The beaches made our holiday awesome. I picked up the boy in water. What a joy it was! Oh, and another highlight was that I walked around the village in a Bikini top with shortest shorts. Cheap thrills, I tell you.

Oludeniz has outstanding surroundings. We went to one park that was set amidst rocks. The water flowed from the top and flowed all through the park. They had smartly places tables in strategic locations where you could sit and eat. We wished we had a park like that in our city of Nawabs where we could have dated in our ‘golden’ days. Anway, it was romantic like hell even today!

Patara Bach, Southern Coast, Turkey

The last day of our trip to Oludeniz was the best one. We went to a remote beach called Patara beach. I have seen nothing like it. You could walk and walk into the sea and the golden sand will never leave your feet. Romancing in clear waters was my favourite memory of the trip.

We had another 3-4 hours in Istanbul before our flight back home. We covered Hagia Sophia. The history of this museum is fascinating. It was a church before the Ottoman Empire took over Turkey. They converted it into a mosque. In 1923, Ataturk became the first President of the Republic of Turkey and he restored parts of the church. He then converted this site into a museum. This place made me remember Babri Masjid and the issues revolving around it. When will we have a revolutionary leader like Ataturk? His efforts to modernize Turkey made me fall in love with him.

We had an over-night stop-over at Abu Dhabi airport. Being residents of Bahrain we can get UAE visa on arrival. We jumped at the opportunity to catch up with friends. The thrill of getting a visa on arrival is unsurpassed. Americans should count their blessings!

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

I found Turkey exactly like India. It is full of history and beautiful landscapes. They have vibrant restaurants and varied shopping avenues. It seemed like an agricultural based economy with plantations and tractors all around the highways. It was like the India of my dreams that has concrete roads, lower density of population, tourist friendly people and cleaner environment. We have more scenic mountains and beaches, our architecture is unparalleled and our food is divine. Really, I dreamt of an improved India all through my trip.

P.S. I realised I don't have many pictures without either me or the Boy in it. Although we don't have much interest in photography, will try to capture more next time.We also don't have many pictures of historical sites. Our interest in them is evident :D

The 'Just Married, Please Excuse' Contest

I'm joining a noble cause. Yashodhara Lal has written a book and she's running a contest on her blog to publicize the book. Best entries also win copies of her book and if you're living in Delhi, a lavish lunch. I'm doing my Karma here without expecting anything in return (except that I have a thank you speech ready!). 

This is a hic-story of my bumpy, joy-ride within 24-hours of tying the nuptial knot. It started exactly after the pheras. Do you remember your vachans? All I remember is the Boy telling me that the Pandit has asked him to promise that he will not take me to any place which serves alcohol and that includes my father’s house which has an extremely fancy bar. I rolled my eyes and made a face, obviously.

Anyway, I howled like a baby during the vidai. Guess what the Boy did? He counted how many else were crying. For starters, chivalry spelled with an S to him! When I sat in the orchids adorned car, his 3-year old nephew jumped onto my lap. He had been watching the engagement video since the last 2 months and for him, I was a ghaghra-choli clad heroine straight out of a fascinating movie. I was teary eyed but being treated like a superstar did put a smile on my painted face.

Just married, I had little respect for my 4-year old boyfriend who was supposedly my pati-parmeshwar now. When my sisters put their heads in the car's window to make their final bid for the jooti, the Boy swayed the shoes and cheekily remarked on their incompetence to steal the pair. I couldn’t bear the insult and snatched them from him. The jootis flew out of the window and a loud cheer filled the air. It was my revenge for not sympathizing with me during my vidai. Yes, for starters, I settled scores to the T.

Skipping what happened ‘that’ night, we went to meet my parents the next afternoon. Alcohol was served and all the promises made to the Priest were broken. The Boy felt relieved for he needed to loosen up in front of 50 strangers who swarmed him like he was some Brad Pitt. He was treated like a king and my Angelina Jolie like stance was consciously ignored. He unabashedly gulped down 2 pints of beer and took to being a perfect son-in-law like a fish to water. 

Amidst unruly giggles, I was inappropriately questioned about the ‘crime’ I may have committed last night. For heaven's sake, he was my boyfriend since 4 years and this was the 21^st century, I didn’t have to pretend to be innocent any longer. My face expressed it all but to my delight, they couldn’t haww anymore. Suddenly a taboo became a mantra for a happy life ahead! 

At nightfall, a bottle of champagne was opened in my new sasural. Another time, same promise – broken. I maybe a modern woman of the 21^st century who occasionally gets tipsy in shorts and doesn’t believe in the most sought after ‘virtue’ in the land of Kamasutra, but out of respect, I do feel shy to drink alcohol in front of my in-laws. They gave me a glass and after much deliberation I took a sip. It was a daunting task to see a glass-full of champagne and not drink it. All eyes were on me and they pretended nothing was unusual.

After about half an hour, I couldn’t bear it. When there was movement around the house I went to my room and gulped down the glass of golden nectar. Oh, I could guzzle down several more if it were to me but I remembered that I was just married and had no excuse for my sinful cravings.

I remember laughing a lot after that. I also remember doing a small jig with the nephew. He still thought I was a celebrity. I’m glad I didn’t give him an autograph. I’m also glad that I didn’t sing the song while doing the steps. I remember the Boy laughing with me to save me from embarrassment later. He was the only one in the room who knew what the heck was going on.

Ah, that’s the hic-story of Day-1 of my new life. In the last 3.5 years, the hics and stories related to them have increased manifold. However, the real golden nectar is my Boy who keeps me high all the time. Cheers to that!

My baby's baby is on it's way...

I had to post this before I left for Turkey. One of my best friends is ready to pop out, and this went in the card (paper and not E!) we sent her for a Long-Distance baby shower! She also finds a mention here and here and here.


Should we buy pink ribbons or a little blue cap
Should we pick leather shoes or a belly with a strap
It’s Twenty Twelve – The year of our dearest Yosha
Batao batao, Ladki hogi ki Ladka?

Bets are on, stakes are high
Yosha, on the other hand, is learning a lullaby
Plump and bubbly, she’s looking like a dolly
Imagine how cute she’ll look singing ‘lalla lalla lori’!

High school romance taking a new turn
We predicted Dalmatians, but you know what we want hon?
Your sweetness and his brains, your dedication and his charm
Beauty like maasi’s won’t do much harm!

We wish you lots of love and a life full of bliss
Lots to look forward to, tonnes of happiness
We wish the best of best to our niece or nephew
Yosha and Nitin, may God bless you!


Y, we are excited, supremely excited!

And here I go again!

Where History meets Zara

Where Europe meets Asia

Where Mosques are blue

C’mon isn’t that a big Clue?

Where beaches are plenty

Where you devour a special coffee

Where underground cities find a place

No idea? You cute Nutcase!

Where clubbing reaches new heights

Where boats pass picturesque sights

Where albums are titled ‘xyzee’ delight

I’ll tell you all about it, sit tight!

Okay, that’s where I’m going for my vacation and I cannot be more thrilled. Last few days have been immensely busy. With in-laws at home and me doing an appropriate amount of seva, I have no time to think and write. A fellow gossip monger (!!) and a very dear friend is leaving the country for good and I haven’t been able to spend time with her too. I can’t imagine how dull my life will be once she leaves (sad smiley).

Good news is, Eid is around the corner and so is our annual vacation. I have researched yet again to the T but done no shopping (grrr!) so far. My closet needs a lot of thinking. After all, it’s a holiday and pictures need to be perfect (winks!).

Yes, I’m all smiles at a kilo less than last month! I will not count the medals, think about the drought, worry about acid attacks or a million other things that are making me pity at the state India is in right now. It's that time of the year when I go away from the earth awhile. See you fellas, wait for an awesome travelogue! And before I go, here is a verse from one of my favorite poems:


Birches By  Robert Frost 

...So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It's when I'm weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig's having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better.
I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

Teeth that Sparkle!

Someone gave me a compliment today. My day was made. It's a compliment I've received many times before but it had been sometime now. Someone told me today that I had very cute teeth!

I have very crooked teeth but when I smile, they brighten up and some people like that.

Just like this blog. It may not be perfect but I would like to believe that sometimes, somewhere it's making someone smile.

And so, Teeth that Sparkle.


P.S. It's been 5 years since I've been blogging. Much has changed in these 5 years. I've never targeted any particular audience. I never commented on other blogs to get comments on mine. I've never been consistent in expressing my views. From funny to depressing, from boring to intriguing, from poetic to random, the posts have been varied. It's been more of a personal development space rather than a public forum. I've become more expressive in person and it shows on my blog. I'm glad that I can share everything with the world. I'm glad that nothing is a big deal. I'm glad that I don't care anymore if the cameraman wants me to smile with my teeth in or teeth out! 


Thankyou, dear Blogger, for sparkling my life with a very crooked but immensely cute teeth!