tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54894922012-02-20T02:17:56.335+05:30Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.comBlogger991100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-91190386406786813502011-12-25T23:10:00.007+05:302011-12-26T08:13:32.693+05:30

I messed it up badly this year :(For the last 2 years Ruhi has been desperately looking for reassurance that Santa exists, a year before that she was sure about it and even thought she could smell his perfume to say he had visited the house ! This year she was more confident that, Santa was Me, but I knew I could stretch it for another year...but I guess I didn't try hard enough. I sat her on my

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-22871976100172283072011-11-01T09:20:00.003+05:302011-11-14T07:28:40.021+05:30

31st October 1984.I realised this morning that the day had passed and I had not noticed. Have I made my peace, finally ?!

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-44905255436562191862011-09-24T11:13:00.005+05:302011-09-24T11:20:22.607+05:30

Rayyan longingly looks into the mirror, holding up his eyelid.I ask him whats happening ? "Mommy, I want green eyeballs" "What ? you want to look like a monster?!"Dont be silly Mommy, people who speak English have green & brown eyeballs. Hindi people have black eyeballs" "Rayyan, whats wrong in being Hindi people ?" " No mommy, Hindi people are black like you, I am fair like English people"!!!!I

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-16387942248273076842010-11-16T13:18:00.014+05:302010-12-15T11:50:16.212+05:30

November 13, 20109 years of magic unfolds...In just a year, you are quite as tall as me You know too many things - Those that you should learn much laterThose that I even do not speak.This year, your favorite colour is 'Mauve', Last year it was Pink !You scoff at kiddish stuff and all,But I know you secretly love your dolls. You can fix a sandwich, roll a 'roti' and make me tea !You can act like

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-45144039782098694992010-10-28T14:01:00.010+05:302010-10-28T16:23:58.367+05:30

Arundhati Roy says Naxalites are "Gandhians with guns". She says many things that are meant to ignite and destroy and are a good payoff for herself. And it mostly just irritates, but this time I feel ignited that this Booker winning, celebrated with the Sydney Peace prize, Page 3 fashionably 'non conformist' writer with the illegal bunglow in Panchgani calls India "bhooka nanga Hindustan" on a

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-34701169376612714332010-10-14T00:50:00.004+05:302010-10-14T12:32:28.812+05:30

Two things happened this week, enough to make me wake up from blogging slumber ! The first - thanks to resourceful bureaucrat friends, I managed to catch CWG Athletics and Badminton. While in the car en route to a friend's office, Ruhi was struggling with the math of how the 5 tickets that we had were going to be utilised. I told her A, you and me make 3 girls and there are 2 boys going with us

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-3599676533303632972010-08-02T22:43:00.001+05:302010-08-02T22:48:20.642+05:30

"Rayyan will you take care of me when I grow old""ABBSOLOOTELY""well, what will you do for me ?"" I will buy you a computer to do the cooking and take you to the beauty parlour, and I..."At this point Ruhi cut him abruptly, sounding very cross " No Rayyan I will take care of Mama. I will come to meet her and do makeup for her "I am half amused half shocked ! While they squabble I wonder what I

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-54203277478110272482010-05-19T19:11:00.015+05:302010-05-20T18:36:08.739+05:30

The school saga continues and just as Ruhi outgrows her cocoon, Rayyan's travails begin. I landed up to meet the teacher on the walk-in Friday and introduced myself :"I am Rayyan's Mother'. The teacher had been smiling politely from her desk as I entered from the further end of the room. Her smile vanished at my introduction as she gestured me to be seated. She said : "Ah.. just as well that you

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-42227645773873100122010-04-21T10:55:00.015+05:302010-05-19T23:23:07.413+05:30

Rayyan's birthdays take me to my own childhood when birthdays were so simple and unassuming.Only the samosas and jalebis are now replaced with Choco Pie and French Fries and of course there were no return gifts back then.This year I set up the inflatable pool in the backyard and put up some yellow balloons. Ruhi enthusiastically invited the smaller kids from the park with a request to get along

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-23428824376004949122010-04-06T09:56:00.006+05:302010-04-07T08:42:02.567+05:30

When Rayyan runs out of paper, walls, magazines and books, he finds more surfaces for his graffiti. Like my leg for example !Rayyan's figures have pointed angular heads and a lot of small details. Ruhi is very jealous of his talent and threw a fit the other day, sobbing uncontrollably about " why he can draw so well ! "I am just another doting mother but I really think his drawings are very '

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-53297995938965494082010-03-16T00:51:00.007+05:302010-04-07T08:43:48.081+05:30

Rayyan is trying to fit a helicopter inside the belly of a hollow plastic turtle. I am on my laptop and there has been silence for too long, I decide to break the ice.In a sugary sweet voice I say : "Raayi, I love you".He looks up and in the most dismissive tone ever : " ITS OK"Me : "What do you meant its OK ???"Rayyan, impatiently : "that you LOVFE me "

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-13098905311558339192010-02-23T22:48:00.008+05:302010-04-07T08:53:45.788+05:30

This is in continuation to my other post on Friends . I started writing it as an introspective reflection upon the friendships that made, and continue to make, my life. However its become a long verbose and boring ramble...also cathartic to go back and delve, perhaps redeem.So here goes, Part 2:Sister Jane was the English Teacher. A pleasant looking, petit Malyali nun. She was particularly kind

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-85389127019312189462010-02-06T20:42:00.009+05:302010-04-07T08:55:28.510+05:30

I think we've reached a milestone with Ruhi at 8 years. I find myself completely at my wit's end most of the times and apprehensive about what may come next.As of now, Ruhi knows everything. Sometimes more than everybody else . She says "I KNOW IT" after everything. Example :Ruhi : Mama what does 'Do not drink and drive' mean ?Me : Means one should not drink alcohol and drive.Ruhi : I know

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-66687583421917857902010-02-04T09:11:00.012+05:302010-02-07T21:48:04.315+05:30

These days I am obsessed by the idea of friendship. It occupies so many of my thoughts about how friends shape and define the person you are and your life. And how unknowing to you, they destroy and they create. I am fascinated as I am cynical and I went down memory lane !I have always had a rather romantic notion about friendship. I grew up on the Sholay like ideal of friendship peppered with my

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-22244884632499967482009-12-02T12:45:00.008+05:302009-12-03T11:14:14.022+05:30

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-43625351790104744212009-11-08T23:47:00.006+05:302009-11-16T10:22:29.915+05:30

Little Zorro ( short for Zorawar ) Ruhi and Little Rayyan are park friends. This evening Zorro told Ruhi and Rayyan "Allah Tala is going to send Santa Clause to my house with lots of Christmas gifts, if I go to bed on time!"Errr, right :)))Edited to add :I met Zorro's mom the other day and narrated the above conversation to her. She said she knew this because Zorro came home and told her that

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-32606152726589776342009-10-28T17:58:00.023+05:302009-12-11T11:30:59.043+05:30

'How do we know' posted a comment on an old post of mine, congratulating me on how well I had explained the concept of religious differences to Ruhi. Nothing could get more ironical and it touched a raw nerve, stirring me to write about what happened between Ruhi and me last Sunday...There is a 'Maulwi Sahab' as he is called, who visits our home every weekend to teach Ruhi the Arabic alphabet

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-9010296264048968582009-09-02T19:05:00.008+05:302009-09-02T19:20:35.649+05:30

She slipped me a scrap of paper when I came back from work the other day. It looked like a tiny envelope and before I could explore what it was, she demanded I see what was inside. There was another scrap of paper inside with some scribbled words that got blurry and wet as I stared. I didn't deserve her words, I told myself. But at least she knows we try. I hugged her and turned away to hide my

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-69667129332385540152009-08-10T12:12:00.013+05:302009-08-20T07:44:33.554+05:30

Once upon a time, many years ago there was this mousy looking stick of a skinny girl who always walked in a straight line, with her head buried into her shoulders. She carried in her heart, the burden of many things big and small. She had been uprooted from all her childhood friends into a strange new city. The big bad Delhi. Her father had accepted a job transfer and she had come along with a

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-52208809098923066652009-05-27T15:23:00.005+05:302009-07-07T15:41:22.399+05:30

Little Rayyan playing 'Mommy' to his grown up 'baby' sister !

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-38583188170841629392009-05-14T13:30:00.003+05:302009-05-14T18:16:44.316+05:30

For my children, when they grow up and if  they ever read my blog :Tu Hindu Banega, na Musalman Banega, Insaan ki aulaad hai Insaan banega

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-33436448476747453802009-05-05T14:46:00.024+05:302009-05-20T15:18:22.164+05:30

Indians, Punjabis, Muslims, Sikhs and thank you Happy Singh ! I walked into a fierce argument between the maid and Ruhi over the weekend. I found that Ruhi had called Kirti didi, "an Indian".  Kirti told her, "Everybody is Indian".Ruhi replied " I am not Indian, I am Muslim". Kirti said " You are also Indian" and the fight began.                  I calmed Ruhi down and told her that Kirti Didi

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-11707965336499348012009-04-22T18:49:00.014+05:302009-04-28T10:25:23.029+05:30

Nat tagged me to do this. In fact I  was just waiting to be asked since I think I have this unique mommy feeling. Just like all the other mommies in the world !:) Thanks Nat.Motherhood defines me. If I had only one thing to say about myself - I'd say I am a Mother. More than Wife, Daughter, Friend, Colleague, Sister...even more than Myself. That's a goddamn loser thing to say but its the honest

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-20404140760772428122009-04-20T13:29:00.011+05:302009-04-21T12:28:54.434+05:30

It was little Rayyan's 4th birthday on Saturday. We indulged him a lot and let him play King for the day. He lazed around the house like a pampered kitten as his sister fretted and fumed over party clothes to wear, games to play, balloons, candles, cake, music...if there was nothing left for fretting she would start inventing things.I have an easy going relationship with my son. I have never had

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-18985462828374428822009-03-27T16:54:00.001+05:302009-03-27T16:56:10.592+05:30

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-7948821778709633522009-03-24T13:42:00.006+05:302009-03-24T13:52:46.513+05:30

In the movie Little Zizou, the little boy's technology geek older brother finally confronts his debauched father and calls him @#$%^&" humbug". The father tell him how ungrateful the boy is and that he had taken care of the boy when he was ill (silence), brought him up (silence), kept him the house (silence) and even gave him a scooter to ride. At the last one, the technology geek older brother

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-31232489821587158742009-03-13T18:02:00.020+05:302009-03-16T18:58:59.471+05:30

Today was Rayyan's School Fancy Dress show. In retrospect, I rue how soon I give up on Rayyan by presuming he will not measure up. I try so much harder with Ruhi. I am constantly surprised by him these days, which is a new feeling and I so like it ! For his fancy dress I dug my brains for the simplest costume that I thought he could carry off and created a 2 line limerick about 'juicy grapes'. He

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-24818122539834292852009-02-05T14:27:00.009+05:302009-02-05T17:09:53.186+05:30

Little Rayyan led his class for the Sports Day march past while I searched for him among the last in the file of kids ! He has so completely transformed from where we began an year ago. And his teacher made all the difference - that grand old lady in front of him whom he calls 'Dadi ma'm" ! She calls him her "Little Puck". We love you Geita Ma'm.

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-28787440294213007322009-01-20T12:33:00.006+05:302009-01-30T14:31:45.205+05:30

Every evening, Ruhi and I spend some quality time together! She had come back late from a birthday party and after the regular run down on her asthma (she is going through a miserable attack that leaves her coughing and wheezing all day ) what she ate and what she didn't, the games and how she could not dance or run the conversation took another turn :"Mom, are we Bengalis?""I don't think so Ruhi

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-58367505310101613862009-01-06T15:33:00.002+05:302009-01-06T15:38:11.357+05:30

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-38745503016347281892008-12-28T09:11:00.006+05:302008-12-28T10:55:40.891+05:30

I bought an island Pine last December and it has survived yet another christmas this year ! Ruhi & Rayyan had a mini wrestling match to decide who would hang up the trinkets and after the tree was done Rayyan solemnly folded his hands in front of the 'bhagwan ji' tree. God save these terribly terribly mixed up kids.Ruhi wrote a letter to Santa asking for a 'toy house from the play pen in the Mall

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-77392866501262248852008-12-11T00:31:00.005+05:302008-12-11T11:49:07.571+05:30

I got to know of the Mumbai attack through an sms at 11 PM that night which said " Mumbai...terrorists...am stuck at the Taj restaurant...still alive". It came from someone who had just arrived in India that day and someone with a feisty sense of humor. I gave the sms a bemused look before deleting it. Then the same sms came again and I decided to check on the internet. I kept feeling sick

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-86942333630865143312008-12-03T11:47:00.002+05:302008-12-03T11:50:11.011+05:30

"From today, I resolve to blame myself for whatever is going wrong. I also resolve that I will take action - decisive action - to solve my own problems as well as those of my family, neighbours, friends, relatives and associates. I am a proud Indian. I can bring about the desired change.""Say "I am to blame" at www.iam2blame.com and get everyone we know to say the same.

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-84523377647261614252008-12-01T09:12:00.003+05:302008-12-03T11:52:36.088+05:30

This morning to Santosh Desai...and to you...to whoever it is who visits here and reads this post.Dear Santosh :I react to 'to gather with the rage of others' in today's City City Bang Bang.I am angry like the rest of us and I want to be able to 'do' something. I believe ( naively?) that there are many other people like me. So yesterday, I spoke to a friend who is a celebrated, young army

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-46382547424422586952008-11-23T12:03:00.012+05:302008-11-25T13:53:04.409+05:30

Swarna asked !I had left the story at the night when Ruhi cried about kids teasing her and how I was resolved to sort it out. And there was a PTM on Saturday...As I got ready to leave for the PTM, I hesitantly took out the 'I love you note' from my laptop bag. I had no clue what I was going to do with it, but I saved it for the impulse.I walked around her class while the teacher was busy with

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-11564311271534657542008-11-19T18:11:00.006+05:302008-11-19T18:23:42.449+05:30

Rahul Gandhi said 'Sorry' for 1984. Thanks, it helps.24 years have gone by and I am no longer the same person. I am cynical, hardened, wiser, indifferent. But I still shed a tear over the newspaper. The memory of that year will never go away.

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-82633136894906818992008-11-14T23:33:00.035+05:302008-11-24T15:19:10.878+05:30

This year I did it - finally dished out the birthday party that I could never quite get right for the last 6 years ! I started with doing my favorite thing - make lists ! Of all the things Ruhi loves - she loves the most to paint or that is what I like to think. So Color Factory it was, thank God for the malls to have opened next doors. The next was to sacrifice our own social list so that I

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-20572893370151373052008-11-05T11:48:00.009+05:302008-11-05T14:10:11.650+05:30

My kids have a comically distorted understanding of Geography. India is the same as New Delhi which is the same as South Delhi which is the same as Malls, McDs, School, the DDA park and the near about of the place we live in. Only recently on the way back from Faridabad, Ruhi pretended to be asleep and after much of the journey was done, she opened one sleepy eye to ask "have we reached India yet

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-73116130892782237962008-10-09T23:58:00.010+05:302008-10-12T13:55:23.465+05:30

Balvinder my blogging friend, who for some reason gives me the odd feeling of familiarity beyond the realm of logic has tagged me to share with you 5 addictions of mine. So here goes : Marijuana, Animal Sex, Alcohol, Shoplifting & Pedophilia. Why am I being morbidly insane ? Dunno. I want to put off certain readers of inappropriate age and intelligence who I know read my blog. I want the damn

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-23461465278179523492008-10-07T11:25:00.021+05:302008-10-10T15:05:11.157+05:30

Ruhi, over these magical years of my life, on the brink of her 7th birthday next month !

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-53239949907437315102008-09-24T12:41:00.032+05:302008-10-07T14:53:13.266+05:30

Ok Mampi, here goes :)Of late, I have been having this strange urge to delete this blog. I deleted my Orkut account yesterday, a week before that I deleted my Ryze account...I can't put a finger on what's happening here except that it could well be the hormones ! But this post wasn't meant to be about my pituitary gland - it about little Rayyan and his little play school. Every once a year they

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-73937908764298959482008-09-21T01:10:00.016+05:302008-09-22T14:26:11.932+05:30

I've never been tagged ! Says volumes about my blogging credibility :)So when Ritu tagged me - for the first 10 minutes I thought she'd written on my blog by mistake ! I've done that - posted a comment on someone else's blog thinking they were someone else, but I wasn't sure more of this species exists.So I sneaked back to her blog to check and saw there was this post about 'getting ready to be

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-55788535650883242332008-09-04T13:31:00.010+05:302008-09-04T15:56:49.442+05:30

I decided not make a big deal about Ruhi's little Romeo and though it was turning out to be a dig deal in her sweet little melodramatic life, I decided not to blog about it. I was itching though and then just now I  read this and died laughing ! So here I am with the story till now...Last Saturday I got a call from a little boy with a funny accent "Which family is this?" I was flabbergasted "

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-18463079283543794432008-08-29T17:37:00.020+05:302008-08-29T21:47:52.001+05:30

Was reading a lullaby post and became nostalgic...I can't sing. And its a big deal for me. I grew up listening to my parents sing all the time. As a young boy, my father would run away from home to learn classical music from a muslim Ustad in the pre partitioned Punjab. My father is a very fine singer with a soft, melodious voice. My mother could sing in that sweet simple way that Tabu sings in

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-87809788281471688852008-08-29T09:43:00.003+05:302008-09-04T16:00:03.422+05:30

I won a prize for this photo ! A Sony Ericcson mobile phone, just when I so needed a new phone !

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-88142088929271066152008-08-22T23:52:00.011+05:302008-10-08T23:15:49.629+05:30

This evening,  the slimy mother pretended to enjoy watching the special assembly school photos for the umpteenth time. She pointed a curious finger at each little kid and asked all the names. 'Boo Boo Sticks' was excited like hell and she sang out the names....Nanaki, Meher, Ridhi, Yashaswi, Ashna, Ahaan and Raj and the rest.  The slimy mom made a mental pause. Smiled at the cute little boy with

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-83680980986545534942008-08-22T00:19:00.017+05:302008-08-22T13:17:35.022+05:30

I know I need to say thank you but I am just too stumped and I do suspect here may be a case of distorted vision ("pyaar mein andha hona") ! LOL.My blog is a a bit spaced out, OTT with emotion, and sometimes juvenile. Very like me. And when someone gives me an award for being Smart & Brilliant, I am Gobsmacked ( yup, thats the current favourite word for the lack of vocabulary). Its taken me a few

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-78654333621915214162008-08-20T23:04:00.014+05:302008-08-21T07:35:38.039+05:30

Ringchen asked what happened next in the 'Ruhi, Raj & the Bracelet story' ! I was also curious why she had returned the bracelet. I must have asked her more often than she was expecting me to bother so she gave me one of her 'looks' (the knowing, I am the mother of all mothers look) and asked if I wanted her to get the bracelet back ?! Checkmate !I said it was her own wish. She insisted she will

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-75906059120546398972008-08-13T17:14:00.010+05:302008-08-13T17:27:42.324+05:30

My husband has the quality of making the most mundane of incidents sound filmy. A few days ago he said : "I have news to share with you that will gobsmack you" ( my words to translate whatever it was that he said). My pulse fell. I hate surprises. In my life surprises are never pleasant, not till now.I barked back "NOW WHAT?". He smiles dramatically, modulating his voice, said " Ruhi is in love".

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-72168201792391014962008-07-29T01:10:00.008+05:302008-08-19T18:51:06.164+05:30

Ruhi goes to a 'new' school that just started this year. Its a beautiful school and though its an hour's school-bus drive away from home, everything else about it makes up for that extra distance. At least for now. They do not have an auditorium yet and they make do with a large open space for a special assembly each week till their fancy audi gets the final touches. Since the Kids have been with

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-81796117521431023662008-07-17T19:09:00.014+05:302008-07-25T16:56:12.056+05:30

This is Ruhi, who will turn seven this November. Ruhi suffers from many happy delusions. For instance she sincerely believes she is a Gobsmacking beauty. Therefore she lives up to that role by dressing up in festive finery, even when she goes to the park. She is often spotted on top of the rickety DDA park slide with her shiny 'Gharara' pulled above her bony knees and christmas trinkets hanging

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-53758713939787999082008-07-06T23:59:00.003+05:302008-07-07T10:19:49.259+05:30

A bengali woman started working as part time help in my house recently. She is as bad as they come, dishonest, unreliable, lazy, incompetent and I wonder why we have her at all. The last time I told her that it was not working out she almost fell at my feet and she really does seem very needy so the story goes on. Anyway, four days ago she got her 3 months old daughter along to our house. Her

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-31981904105883329072008-06-29T19:38:00.006+05:302008-06-29T22:01:18.311+05:30

I got my jeep, my tattoo and as incongruous as it may sound, alongside, I have also started teaching at a Business School! Thats some work and it just proves that all that you read in those coffee table motivation books is actually true. Its possible and you can do it. If you try. If you are wondering what's my sermon about - I wrote a 'wannado' list a couple of weeks back I have also made a new

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-81500816647900871702008-06-17T14:03:00.011+05:302008-06-18T01:03:17.416+05:30

The tattoo place was inside a Schwarzkopf hair salon and they made me sit at the reception with a big Plasma TV on the facing wall. Two grown up people - a man and a woman were standing in front of the TV and watching cartoons on Nickolodeon. At first I thought they may just be inanely staring at the screen in want of nothing else to stare at (like me) but then I noticed they were both giggling

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-88467062794918215572008-06-11T18:06:00.003+05:302008-06-11T18:19:00.834+05:30

I've been trying hard to up the score on my 'wanna-do' list ! I am so conditioned to make Urgent/Important lists at work that I do it for just everything ! My priority workings get the the tattoo on the top primarily because I am convinced that I may just lose the urge if I let more time pass and that would mean I would let go my lifetime opportunity to hypothetically tell my kids in about a

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-88295003188247432632008-05-24T09:59:00.005+05:302008-06-11T18:19:30.380+05:30

Friday, May 23, 2008 : 4 PM:Like everyone else, I guess I have been very disturbed after the 14 year old Arushil was murdered in her sleep. Her first photo splashed in the newspapers was probably taken a couple of years ago when she still looked a small child. In that picture she has that sweet innocent look that I find on my 6 year old daughter's face. Its a very unsettling photograph and I have

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-11545689327034083022008-05-16T18:11:00.031+05:302009-05-17T13:51:57.286+05:30

I am embarrassed to put up my 'Wanna do ' list here ! But I am doing it anyway !Embarrassed,  firstly because I didn't want to admit that I don't know how to swim and secondly the fact that amongst the top ten things that I want to do ASAP is buy a bag that I don't need since I don't keep the company where my bag really matters. Its so a 'wannabe' thing. But I decided long ago to be

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-85389250201889555712008-05-12T19:42:00.008+05:302008-05-12T19:56:33.755+05:30

May 11, 2008 : 7.45 PM inside PVR Saket, just settled in my seat after dragging a bawling Rayyan along with his dirty blue blanket (it goes everywhere), omelette & biscuits, water bottle (which I always have to sneak inside since they don't allow it), Ruhi and Kirti inside the auditorium to watch a movie called 'Bhootnath'. Its the first day of my children's school vacation and though I despise

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-66911096894781497672008-05-09T15:56:00.011+05:302008-05-09T16:23:34.441+05:30

Rayyan's usual style of entering the house after he has been fetched from school is to shoot inside like a rocket that takes off from our gate. If there is anyone around inside the house, there is mad scramble and great noise about saving him from hitting the dining table glass or crashing into the door. If there is nobody around, he stands near the kitchen and announces in the most musical voice

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-31343289552296598992008-05-02T15:27:00.006+05:302008-05-03T00:22:00.266+05:30

Rayyan turned 3 on April 18th and his grandparents arrived from Jodhpur a day earlier in anticipation of his birthday 'bash'. I felt very queasy with that invisible pressure of knowing that his Dada & Dadi felt disappointed that there was no birthday party for Rayyan, specially because I go out of the way to organize a rather ostentatious party every year for my daughter ! What they don't know

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-28968578945825953352008-04-21T19:58:00.019+05:302008-07-07T14:31:11.947+05:30

Walking to school and back:School was 20 minutes of a stroll from home and my folks like everyone else's were not worried about cars running us over. They would only be reasonably worried if we did not turn up home after the street lights came on in the evening ! I used to walk to school for a few years till Dad got a bicycle for me. I usually carried an umbrella along, since it would get very

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-47449120538455245242008-04-14T00:25:00.008+05:302008-04-21T20:11:49.464+05:30

6:00 PM this evening, Ruhi lights a couple my favorite aurobindo sandalwood incense sticks, keeps the tiny Ganpati incense holder on the dressing table, solemnly folds her hands and shuts eyes tightly after checking her pose in the mirror. I fondly tap her on the head and ask : What are you doing ?Ruhi looks very pleased with herself and is trying to better her 'namaste' pose in the mirror. She

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-65644841854718961412008-04-12T16:12:00.027+05:302008-04-15T18:59:37.076+05:30

Thats Ruhi on her first day to 'big' school. Class 1-A.I had eagerly waited 3 years for Ruhi to start proper school. These three years have been a journey which made me wiser or so I think, even more cynical in case that is possible and less hyper about situations I have no control over. I don't know if it was my good or bad luck that M quit her  job with the most sought after school in the city

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-78255426470464739122008-04-02T00:16:00.005+05:302008-04-13T02:40:56.315+05:30

Little Rayyan attended the first day in his new class today. All through last year he made no pals though I ended up befriending a majority of the mothers thanks to the amount of time I spent trying to make him 'settle' in school and also thanks to the string of never ending birthday parties that Rayyan & Ruhi attended with a vengeance !!His new class teacher, Ira had taught Ruhi two years ago

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-5562648658286919472008-03-27T16:21:00.004+05:302008-03-27T16:28:55.395+05:30

Was reading a while ago about Poppin and I smiled to myself about my own morning today ! I was intently reading Mail Today with a stark naked Carla Bruni picture in it. Ruhi was busy making caricatures in her sketch book when suddenly, without a warning she jumped and came over to my side of the bed and started rubbing white crayon over the picture like a maniac.Me : “what’s your problem?”Ruhi :

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-39493211558483793882008-03-25T09:09:00.010+05:302008-04-13T02:42:55.301+05:30

I have been forever wanting to write about the fact that I never really wanted Ruhi when I conceived her. I wanted to record it so that I would forever and ever be compelled to rub my nose against the ground for being so wrong in my stubborn desires when life had already created a plot and a screenplay for me as usual. I finally got down to it for Roop's brilliant initiative unwantedgirlchildHere

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-26197924680047659702008-03-14T18:29:00.012+05:302008-05-08T18:18:34.953+05:30

I am quite a joke among my friends for being on every possible social and business network on the internet. Friends my generation are cautious of the internet and use it when they have to. I am on the other hand an internet addict, from cooking to childcare to literature to yoga, I treat the internet as if I am hanging on to it for my life. If I don't have internet for a day, I get withdrawal 

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-42518070808617674012008-03-07T16:46:00.026+05:302008-05-08T18:17:45.446+05:30

It was Ruhi's Fancy Dress competition today ! I got the Skeleton idea from the internet upon spotting a boy dressed up for halloween ! I did some quick research and wrote a rather funny rhyme about bones. I didn't know there are a good 206 of them in our body ! I dressed her up in black tights, black gloves and a black skinny jumper. The white chart paper  bones, ribs etc were stuck by double

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-50260700682746364592008-03-06T10:05:00.007+05:302008-05-08T18:15:58.645+05:30

I wanted to stop pitying myself and fretting about the Kids and write today about having been married 8 years to a man I have known 18 years now ! Married to him several times during  a sultry month of March, 8 years ago starting with the court marriage today...but I got some unfinished business to do! 'Getting there now' wanted to know what the Principal prescribed as the cure:She said I need to

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-26738283605299496912008-03-05T09:30:00.009+05:302008-03-19T19:24:16.102+05:30

Its incredible how the internet makes it possible to receive strength and support from complete strangers and I wanted to thank all those who shared their thoughts about how to deal with my situation vis a vis the Kids. I didn't go to school to meet the Principal as invited on Monday.  I sat there procrastinating and then decided I would go the next day on Tuesday. As expected it was about Little

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-44729380818985983472008-02-29T13:31:00.005+05:302008-02-29T14:48:35.752+05:30

I have never had many visitors to my blog but thanks to mad momma and her schooling rant, some of you visited and its heartening to be reassured, even falsely so that my shy, meek little kids are Ok and there are others like them. I have been called to their school several times, primarily since mine is an inter religion marriage and sometimes the teachers have felt that must be putting pressure

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-89997408036039254722008-02-28T01:17:00.005+05:302008-03-19T18:12:42.893+05:30

It was little Rayyan's annual day on Tuesday. I try not to think too much about my boy. I pretend boys don't need much help growing up. In my heart I know I would be a hero if I survived the growing up of Ruhi alone, I can't imagine twice as much agony, never mind the ecstasies they bring along by default.We were late so I got to sit right on the front of the small, pretension of a stage in the

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-36939634774616902212008-02-23T01:54:00.019+05:302008-03-11T14:20:00.839+05:30

Ruhi had never been on an airplane and I don't think she particularly wanted to, except that only I felt she was missing out on a wonderful experience at that age where fairies have wings and there are castles on the clouds. I had been yearning for her to fly but couldn't think of a place to fly to, specially in the middle of her school term. We could have gone to Jodhpur but I didn't think my

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-7009004840365270022007-12-11T18:22:00.000+05:302007-12-12T10:48:33.385+05:30

Ruhi's rather elite little Play School has branched out and added a full curriculum school in Greater Noida. The very first session will begin in the April of next year and grudgingly I have resigned to send her to the back of the beyond for the rest of her 12 years of growing up ! I always like to complain that I have no other option except this. But, if I were honest there are probably only a

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-47063750962328187762007-12-07T16:42:00.001+05:302008-03-05T09:28:46.215+05:30

Birds fly, fish swim, man thinks and learns. Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing or bullying.We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning. What we need to do, and all we need to do, is bring as much of the world as we can... into their lives; give children as much help and guidance as they ask for; listen

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-46732101311398316982007-12-03T19:37:00.000+05:302007-12-03T19:55:55.434+05:30

About an year ago a Journo friend of mine raised an issue about if it is morally right / wrong to show Kids in Ads. Its one of those so many things that I have never really thought about. But when I did sit down to think, I realised I frankly enjoy watching kids in Ads. They are much more entertaining and convincing than adults. I go cootchie koo each time I see the Huggies Ad. Or that Maruti Ad

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-77140142307808081592007-11-22T18:59:00.000+05:302008-02-11T12:57:42.908+05:30

I had been planning forever a holiday in the Hills. Ruhi had never seen the mountains...come think of it she has never seen the sea either but the mountains seemed closer by. My friend Sridevi is the quintessential traveller and for years now I have made vivid pictures of her mountain trips in my mind as she recounts her numerous sojourns in the hills. She now lives in Bombay and passes through

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-42292361850061468312007-11-06T19:08:00.001+05:302009-12-03T11:26:30.310+05:30

I had been yearning to go to Amritsar ever since Ruhi was born. I have an unexplained emotional connect with the Harmandir Sahib, the sight, the smell, the sound..just the touch of the cold marble stirs my emotions like little else. But thats not surprising since I have noticed people from all kinds of backgrounds mesmerized by the unique experience of the Golden Temple.My sister in law was

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-64488608625093351352007-10-31T18:51:00.001+05:302008-03-11T13:54:18.534+05:30

We were in school when Indira Gandhi was killed on October 31, 1984.It was just before school closing time and suddenly there seemed to be great panic everywhere and everyone was asked to go home except the few Sikh boys who required to be picked up by parents. We lived in West Delhi in a place called Paschim Vihar near Punjabi Bagh. That was the affluent Punjabi heartland of the City.I remember

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-56063573733012872672007-10-24T15:35:00.000+05:302007-10-30T10:48:42.866+05:30

As little kids in Lucknow in the heart of UP, Ramlila culminating into Dussehra was a high-point of our lives. We lived in a sleepy Railway Colony called RDSO in the outskirts of the city. There was a small children's park opposite our house adjoining a large government building with wide open space and a platform outside the building where the Ramlila used to be held every year. There were rows

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-7407102991287290512007-10-17T16:11:00.000+05:302007-10-17T16:14:59.078+05:30

A friend called to say that he thinks no one reads my blog. I thought that was very reassuring, only until I realized that he was laughing at me !! It also confirms my doubt that most people feel that blogs are written to an 'audience'.I read an article on blogging in the times of India that said that 'if one cant be candid, urgent, timely, pithy, controversial or utilitarian then one cant be a

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-38861960349219659452007-09-26T23:40:00.000+05:302007-09-26T23:43:27.723+05:30

Monday night the Indians won the first 20-20 World Cup ! I knew I wouldnt get either of the TVs at home to watch all the match so I made do with Indiatimes and the mad hoots from next door Nirula's in basant Lok till they reached half way after 20 overs at 157 runs. I had to swear, abuse and cause injury ( nearly ) to get out of the office parking. The whole country and their sister had come to

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-74728468706351939402007-09-24T13:39:00.000+05:302007-09-24T13:40:27.793+05:30

Yesterday, September 23rd was Daughter's Day. I didn't know till this year that there was something called the Daughter's Day and for a week I would stare wryly at those cheesy Ads in the papers selling Jewelry, holidays, air-conditioners, all in the name of Daughter's Day. I would wonder if my 5 year old girl would understand what it meant. What did it mean actually ? For me every day is

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-73810302584305884332007-09-24T11:08:00.000+05:302007-09-24T13:45:37.872+05:30

Saw a hilarous movie yesterday called the 'Loins of Punjab'. I have still to figure out the context of the title but one of the things that comically stand out is a pair of guys who by inference were Sikhs. Only by inference since they are intoduced with a misleading 'Gupta' surname ( which for the uninitiated means they are non sikhs). A unique interpretation of 'Punjabi' bhangra in rap,

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-34920243295421821092007-06-07T17:05:00.000+05:302007-06-07T17:14:33.432+05:30

Have I actually evolved into a 'Mommy Blogger' ? Or is there nothing else left in life to talk about ? Hmmm food for thought ! Anyway, this morning I was frantically rummaging through my wardrobe looking for a pair of Salwar Kameez to wear to work since I had a morning meeting of the formal kinds. Over the years my attempts at the Salwar Kameez have evolved into a Kurta over jeans kitsch since it

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-5616241039764545262007-05-25T14:09:00.000+05:302007-05-25T14:10:28.235+05:30

Ruhi loves to doll up - maybe something to do with the fact that I keep telling her that she looks like a doll and perhaps she actually believes it ! Come think of it my mom always said i looked like a scarecrow and I grew up severely complexed about my skinny built so maybe it does work. But its getting completely out of hand with Ruhi and this morning we had a loud argument over her refusing to

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-10183698835900797302007-04-13T18:24:00.000+05:302007-05-03T18:19:49.597+05:30

Rayyan's started school. He is not even two and I wasn't particularly keen that he should start so early but after refusing admission to him for being 'underage' the school called me a few weeks ago that under pressure from parents they had decided to start a new section for the 'underage' siblings ! Ruhi studies in the same school...so all the 26 in his class were yet to be 2 years on the

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-36632954059707408132007-03-14T13:54:00.000+05:302007-03-17T11:46:22.051+05:30

I think I should soon be planning to rename my Blog - Mehfil Diary ! So we had another one last Saturday. I supposedly put it it together for someone who I didn't know from Adam but have been bantering with on Ryze for many months now. Hanu Singh ! Wasi was a bit shocked when I informed him that I was planning another late night with the same folks ! He thinks I am having a mid life crisis and it

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-68619440377085311762007-02-25T20:18:00.001+05:302007-02-26T00:40:31.032+05:30

Smita Originally uploaded by Inexplicably. It was with great deliberation that I finally decided to go all the way to Noida for the 'Ryze Mehfil'. One reason was of course that I wanted to meet up with Vikas and Kunal, who have been my www buddies but I guess it still matters to meet a person to actually make their aquaintaince ! or does it ! Also, that Amrit had called me over sometime

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-48960926537041866682007-02-22T23:10:00.000+05:302007-02-22T23:17:52.525+05:30

I hardly have time to watch any movies so I guess the next best thing thats happening to me is that I read the morning papers and howl ! Its actually not a bit funny but I am surprising myself every day by how close I am to blowing my lid. The 'Peace train' from Delhi to Islamabad got blown up on the 19th by a suitcase full of death that went off near Panipat. Some 68 people died, most were Pakis

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-26282930334417633292007-02-05T14:35:00.000+05:302007-02-05T14:38:35.964+05:30

It started many years ago when I first filled in the 'interests' section of some questionnaire at some place thats too far back to remember. After the standard 'interests' i.e. reading, writing, painting, travel, music, ( no one wrote 'cooking' those days - just wasn't fashionable enough)..I paused for a moment and it seemed I had left out something important and then I wrote 'spirituality'. My

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1168247296210189002007-01-08T14:35:00.001+05:302011-01-31T01:09:23.920+05:30

It was a visit due for many long years ! Even longer than I have been around the house and I dont think Guddan ever really believed that one day 'chotey' bhai would actually come trooping down her beautiful but sleepy little town. She called us a dozen times before we finally boarded the train to ensure that the trip was actually happening !Our overnight train to Ratlam from New Delhi was 3.5

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1167130176883962252006-12-26T16:18:00.001+05:302008-02-29T16:40:09.058+05:30

A Merut University Teacher is making News these days. She was involved in a murky game of sex, sleaze and money, or so it seems. Her profession as a Teacher seems to everyone my generation a bit incongruous to her end and how it came. I really wish Teachers came with a lifelong guarantee of remaining in that castle full of glory where kids keep them. Yesterday was Christmas and when Ruhi woke up

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1161769371760403522006-10-25T15:07:00.001+05:302009-11-14T23:48:00.960+05:30

Someone asked if it was OK for some countries to impose the veil on women. I also used to think that the veil is maybe forced on women but I guess I was lucky to get a closer look and discover that the veil is often a happy choice for some women. I married into a traditional muslim family from a gregaroius Punjabi one ! My mom in law comes from a very conservative, devoutly religious family based

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1161170268399718272006-10-18T16:46:00.000+05:302006-10-18T16:47:48.400+05:30

The Hutch Half Marathon 2006Yup ! ran. And I finished 71st among women in some not too impressive timing. It was killing and I know I should have bought new shoes. I think I have destroyed my feet for good.

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1161169100263440502006-10-18T16:21:00.000+05:302006-10-18T16:38:35.113+05:30

Wordmasters Challenge !October1, 2006 : I am never lucky ! I mean if I have never won a lottery, never been selected out of a group if the choice was random etc etc....but i am also a die hard optimist. So when a few days ago I heard that Google was going to have a writing competetion and only the first 300 who apply could participate I jumped off the bed, logged on and BINGO ! I was selected to

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1153820136522281062006-07-25T15:04:00.000+05:302006-10-19T11:46:21.960+05:30

POLITICS OF MY HAIR : I think I must have been born out of my mother’s womb with long hair – 2 neatly oiled plaits in tact. My earliest memories of my hair are of those dreaded Sundays when my mother would perform the ritual of washing my long hair. Do you think my vertigo could be a result of those horrifying Sundays? She would cruelly pull and tug at my hair and make me bring all my hair

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1152011164955498512006-07-04T15:57:00.001+05:302008-08-11T21:59:06.064+05:30

Last night Richa and I decided to grab a quick drink at PVR, Saket which is at a stone's throw from home. Well you cant actually throw a stone but but maybe its an air gun shot from home? The point is that it wasnt as if we went for a drive drive and almost as we stepped out - at the sole red light between home and PVR one blue Wagon R (UP number 6890) drove right into my bumper and Richa

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489492.post-1055917215041883522003-06-18T11:50:00.001+05:302008-02-29T16:39:11.602+05:30

Every summer my excommunicated sister in law ( she married a Hindu !!) comes to spend the vacations with us. Her little daughter Eisha sometimes gets to meet the 'other' side of her family as well. Like a few days ago Urfi was here with Farhina and their kids. Aimen who must now be 11 years wanted to know if Eisha was their cousin. No one knew what to say. It raised a lot of unsettling thoughts

Inexplicablyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593290462959774110noreply@blogger.com