my vegetable vendor

Two days back she gave me a sob story and today we were discussing the preparation of instant noodles with vegetables. This she naturally prepares for her two kids.
She comes smartly dressed, neat and clean everyday with a contagious enthusiasm; always ready to learn a few words of English, Hindi or anything that anybody is interested in teaching.
On a final note she asked me to be ready to take pictures of her daughter , on her birthday---- all decorated and made up.
I definitely salute her never-say-die spirit.

Can u even guess her name ----ORANGE----- as she was orange in colour when she was born or atleast thus does she claim.

the emancipation of women???? is it really so?

When I went and watched the movie Rang de basanti in the theatre all on my own I was elated. This was the first time I did it without a sense of guilt. Once earlier I did the same without the knowledge of people in the house. When I was a teenager and even later, I was not allowed to go to the theatre even with my brothers or friends. An adult had to accompany us, to take me and most times it was not possible. They were tooo busy for me.
The result---- My brothers wld go and I'd end up crying. Oh so many times has it happened. So when I got this new found freedom was I happy!!!!!
Remember in India it is just not done. Women never go to theatres alone. So for me it was a glorious moment of WOMEN' S LIBERATION.
Only till I heard the story of my vegetable vendor. She told me that her brother gets angry with her when she uses kajal or kohl on her eyes or flowers for her hair, as she is estranged from her husband. This inspite of the fact that she is not dependant on him financially.
And another story of a girl brought up with a lot of freedom and independence, sleeping with a friend not her boyfriend and regretting later.

What do I make of all of this? What is freedom and who draws the limits?

Rang de Basanti

A fabulous movie featuring Aamir Khan, Soha ali khan and others. A very contemporary movie which reflects present day India as it is. Its success will be a victory for the Indian Youth. They will come out as a thinking lot. But is it going to bring about a change----- needs to be seen.
Loved that aspect of the climax, in which the protagonist admits that the path that they had chosen was wrong and that reiterates that violence is not the solution.
Good star cast and work well done by each.
Great work by the director and good contextual music by A.R. Rehman.
Have plans of watching it at least another two times, and if I am not able to draw company; might as well watch it all on my own in the Cinema hall as I did the first time.
A must-see.

this valentine's day

Gave a well-meaning card to my lover ( read as husband) and in return got the best ever gift. The GIFT gives me enough enthusiasm to shower upon him such and many more surprises for a long time to come.
It was a tear in his small but expressive lovely eyes. The same brought a well of tears in mine too and taught a lot about the love we share for each other and how much the two of us have grown together as people.It showed me how invaluable we r to each other.
At the same time it gives me courage to continue in the future as ONE, irrespective of our mistakes and love each other for what we r and not what we r expected to be----unconditional love as I call it.

P.S. ( the card said that he is god's finest gift to me)

(((((Am I not smart?????)))))

and I say why?

On one side r abortions, orphans, teen pregnancies and unwanted pregnancies -------and-------- on the other r childless couples, invitro fertilizations, test-tube babies and the like.

And I say WHY?

Do I blame God or is it all the result of our sins?????

school of patience

Oh! what can I say about my Tailor. He is a brilliant man with a fantastic skill at the mercy of his adept fingers. He is superb in his work of stitching almost DESIGNER WEAR - like clothes and that too in a town. His capabilities are most befitting a metropolis.
But........his persistence to train me in the school of patience is a source of ire to me. This man never delivers his goods on time, which is to say that he never gives me my newly stitched clothes on time and alas!!!!! endless and numberless are the days and hours of wait for me to wear my beautiful and gorgeous clothes.
And the change of plans that I have to do for my parties due to this is disheartening and very very hectic.
I have become so disillusioned with this great artist that when he says that he will give the clothes on sunday,
I say " which Sunday? "
That somebody could see my plight
Yet I am trained in the school of patience!!!
Day in and day out
Through the course of years
Is all I have to say.

Now even as I write this, am waiting for my silk blouses which r to shine on the morrow....wishes and luck is what I need the most right away.
Needless to say, he has even made a 'to- be-poet' of me.

suggest a caption.........will u?

the same here....please.

My house in India --- or is it a jungle???

And not just these --- an unphotographed mongoose and so most definitely a snake, an owl, a glow-worm and god knows what not --- in the same house.

But of course, this is in a temple.

And what thy say of this???

a new bed mate

The other day was resting peacefully on the bed at 11.00 p.m. Infact was almost closing my shutters,in a pitch dark room, thoroughly geared up to enter the world of dreams and what do i see !!!!!!! All of a sudden ..... a bright light glowing ------- exactly next to me, right away on my bed.
Remember that i am a city-bred.
And what i saw made me hold my breath for quite some time. He was the tiny but mighty cute ----- GLOWY------ the glow worm- blinking his way into glory. The beautiful fluorescent green glow was stupendous. I coulnd't even believe my eyes--- and little did i even imagine in my beautiest (((if there is such a word))) of dreams that this was even remotely possible on this Glorious Globe.
Then i took my palm very close to him and as though to close him in and he started blinking all the more brighter and his little body swelled.

And what could i say........ but O' Lord how great though art???

It refreshed my whole night and the awesomeness of the whole incident took me in and I became as fresh as a fish
and MOTHER SLEEP took a very long time to come and lull me by.

meme of 4

on sk8er boi's http://spaces.msn.com/liveitupdude/ request


four jobs i've had
with the citibank credit cards collection agent
with the primary issue share collection agent
telemarketer
secretary

four movies i'd watch over and over
father of the bride
entrapment
ten commandments
sholay

four places i've lived
hyderabad india
madras
dubai
vellore

four tv shows i love to watch
mad mike and mark on animal planet
the globe trotter on discovery
takeshi's castle
cartoons- tom and jerry especially


four places i've been on vacation
monte carlo
abu dhabi
munnar india
london

four blogs i visit daily
samir.r
tololy
sk8er boi
sabri hakim

four favourite foods
pizza
chocolates
fried rice
garlic bread

four places i'd rather be
new zealand
australia
cyprus
beirut( i hear is a beautiful place)

four albums i love ( maybe not the whole)
bad
dangerous
abba
ricky martin

four vehicles i've owned
scooty (a bike)
lexus ES 300
kinetic honda( a bike)
hyundai santro

4 people i'd pass the chain to
ohoud http://arabesquerhabsody.com
sabri http://sabrihakim.blogspot.com
samir.r http://echo4224.blogspot.com
niwhsa http://tanzenite.blogspot.com