The most disgusting thing on earth is without doubt -----Onion Breath. Imagine being on a date with a guy who reeks onion every time he opens his mouth. Would you not dump him? The humble onion is , without mincing words, a trouble maker.
Even something as simple as chopping it causes trouble. I cry bucket fulls every time I chop one of these. Being a great fan of Indian food I find myself chopping the onion at every meal. But try cooking without the onion and your food will not taste the same, no matter how well you have cooked. The damn thing has to be present , how very irritating. It's presence can't be discounted in most cuisine's even though I would like to show it the door. It's like those people we often encounter in our lives --professional or other wise, who just make a point of being there even though they are not really welcome. They make their place by being, if I may add , absolutely essential to the situation. Like your BOSS. It is a love -hate situation, isn't it?
Can you imagine how proud the 'humble onion' was a few years back when the prices had shot up ? Everybody was talking about it and giving it such undue attention, that the price soared further. We were , I remember , treating the onion with such caution and care as though it were worth it's weight in gold! How ridiculously we humans behave! Instead of putting the onion in it's place, we fanned it's importance.
Right, now I need to get back to making dinner. The family have decided on the Indian fast food---PAV BHAJI. There I can see the onion smiling at me, almost maliciously. I don't have an option now, do I? No wonder I call the onion---THE DEADLY ONION.
Saturday 28 March 2009
Friday 20 March 2009
FRIENDS FOR LIFE.
Friends for life.... I never believed such a thing existed. But I was proven wrong this morning. So I dedicate this blog to those friends who have re entered my life and bought back nostalgic memories. I hadn't laughed this hard in days. It really cheered me up, something to cherish in this otherwise uneventful day.
I was lost. Lost in the nitty-gritty of humdrum existence. My happy, carefree and beautiful childhood cloaked under the shadow of growing up. Growing up, getting married and having a family took precedent over everything else. I was told---"This is what adults do." I believed and did the same.
Today has been a turning point in my life, and I recognize it. Real adults never sever ties. They carry forward with them the people who matter. I spoke to a long lost friend today and not surprisingly the connection was instant. Neither of us hesitant, we spoke for long hours. We laughed and joked and did a bit of 'load shedding' . It helped....really helped.
Just the other day, I was complaining about loneliness and not having any real friends. I was wrong. They are there.... just where I left them. This morning we took the first step towards bridging that gap. It was....how shall I put it? A piece of cake.....smooth, creamy and incredibly tasty.
I was lost. Lost in the nitty-gritty of humdrum existence. My happy, carefree and beautiful childhood cloaked under the shadow of growing up. Growing up, getting married and having a family took precedent over everything else. I was told---"This is what adults do." I believed and did the same.
Today has been a turning point in my life, and I recognize it. Real adults never sever ties. They carry forward with them the people who matter. I spoke to a long lost friend today and not surprisingly the connection was instant. Neither of us hesitant, we spoke for long hours. We laughed and joked and did a bit of 'load shedding' . It helped....really helped.
Just the other day, I was complaining about loneliness and not having any real friends. I was wrong. They are there.... just where I left them. This morning we took the first step towards bridging that gap. It was....how shall I put it? A piece of cake.....smooth, creamy and incredibly tasty.
Friday 13 March 2009
Short Story
Friday, 13 March 2009
SOUL-MATE
Bikram sat brooding, his mood as dark and murky as his coffee. Damn it! The coffee tasted bad. It was much too sweet. Pouring it down the drain, Bikram wondered how his life was in such a mess. What he had done so wrong, that his wife had to divorce him. He had long come to accept that there was no real love between them, but after so many years.....divorce. It just didn’t make sense. The problem with him, Bikram realised, was that just signing a scrap of paper did not undo anything. In fact it made it really hard for him to believe that he had been married to such a cold woman.
Now at the age of fifty, to start afresh, it seemed ridiculous. More importantly, he had forgotten how. The loneliness was hard too. The pitying looks from people, he couldn’t stand anymore. What was he to do with himself? Start life in a new place---run away from the situation. Money was not a problem, and Malini hadn’t asked for any. She was divorcing him because her way of life didn’t match his. She was a jet set lady with a great career and after the kids had grown up there was nothing to bind them together. She had different plans—plans that didn’t include him. So there! That was that.
Maybe he should take up the offer in Kolkata, after all.
A new life. How did one go about it?
Best to go along with the flow, he thought.
“Thank God, my mother isn’t alive to see his day. What would she say?” (“I told you not to marry her!” he knew).
He had met her in college, a wonderful, vibrant girl. The parents had objected to the match but the young couple had refused to budge.
The first few years had been bliss. Then the children had arrived one after the other. Life had taken on a different dimension. She had to take a break from her career, something she resented to this day.
His career as a marketing executive had its own demands. He would to be gone for half the month and Malini would have to cope alone with two school going children and her job. She refused to give up her job no matter what. This was the main bone of contention between them, then. He never understood why, she needed a career.
For Malini, the divorce was a must. It was the only solution. Over the years she had taken over the burden of running the show. Bikram was never around to help. As the years progressed, Bikram and she moved away from each other. They were at completely differently wave lengths. She learned to never depend on him. The children were in a boarding school and she visited them as often as she could. On long summer vacations, they would go away to exotic locations and the children never guessed the truth. It was like---- play acting. How long could you keep it up?
The fights had been getting worse over the years. Bikram expected companionship from her. She was just lost in her own world of friends and colleagues. Her work kept her late in office and Bikram couldn’t deal with it. He wanted to spend time with her as he now was not travelling so often. But for her it was too late. Lately, they had just stopped communicating. There were no fights, no explanations. Nothing at all. Under one roof they lived like strangers, each in his world.
In his new life, Bikram was slowly settling down. The new job and city did help. Actually, it was the anonymity that helped. He could start on a clean slate. Not many people knew him and for some time he preferred it that way. The children, both married and settled did not bother with him much. So long as he didn’t get in their way. Basically, he was on his own. Bikram was picking up the threads. He had help coming in to do the regular chores that took care of immediate problems like food, dishes and clothes. Slowly, also spring was returning.
Sitting on a beach in Digha, watching the sun go down, Bikram felt a sense of peace. What was it that was making him feel that way? He just could not put his finger on it. He waited patiently for the answer to come. He knew it would.
As he walked back to his room in the nearby hotel, which he had rented for the week, Bikram finally accepted that he had come to terms with his divorce. He was actually happy. He did not have to live a lie anymore. He was finally free. His marriage had been a habit, a routine, which even though did not give him any pleasure, he continued. Malini had set them free, free to live life the way you wanted to. She had saved them both. She had saved their marriage, not dissolved it.
As he walked into his room, he dialled Malini’s number. She picked it up on the second ring.
Friendly as ever, she chatted for a while. Promising to get together next time he was in Bangalore, she signed off. Bikram was at last happy. Tomorrow he would visit the unexplored part of Digha he had been putting off.
SOUL-MATE
Bikram sat brooding, his mood as dark and murky as his coffee. Damn it! The coffee tasted bad. It was much too sweet. Pouring it down the drain, Bikram wondered how his life was in such a mess. What he had done so wrong, that his wife had to divorce him. He had long come to accept that there was no real love between them, but after so many years.....divorce. It just didn’t make sense. The problem with him, Bikram realised, was that just signing a scrap of paper did not undo anything. In fact it made it really hard for him to believe that he had been married to such a cold woman.
Now at the age of fifty, to start afresh, it seemed ridiculous. More importantly, he had forgotten how. The loneliness was hard too. The pitying looks from people, he couldn’t stand anymore. What was he to do with himself? Start life in a new place---run away from the situation. Money was not a problem, and Malini hadn’t asked for any. She was divorcing him because her way of life didn’t match his. She was a jet set lady with a great career and after the kids had grown up there was nothing to bind them together. She had different plans—plans that didn’t include him. So there! That was that.
Maybe he should take up the offer in Kolkata, after all.
A new life. How did one go about it?
Best to go along with the flow, he thought.
“Thank God, my mother isn’t alive to see his day. What would she say?” (“I told you not to marry her!” he knew).
He had met her in college, a wonderful, vibrant girl. The parents had objected to the match but the young couple had refused to budge.
The first few years had been bliss. Then the children had arrived one after the other. Life had taken on a different dimension. She had to take a break from her career, something she resented to this day.
His career as a marketing executive had its own demands. He would to be gone for half the month and Malini would have to cope alone with two school going children and her job. She refused to give up her job no matter what. This was the main bone of contention between them, then. He never understood why, she needed a career.
For Malini, the divorce was a must. It was the only solution. Over the years she had taken over the burden of running the show. Bikram was never around to help. As the years progressed, Bikram and she moved away from each other. They were at completely differently wave lengths. She learned to never depend on him. The children were in a boarding school and she visited them as often as she could. On long summer vacations, they would go away to exotic locations and the children never guessed the truth. It was like---- play acting. How long could you keep it up?
The fights had been getting worse over the years. Bikram expected companionship from her. She was just lost in her own world of friends and colleagues. Her work kept her late in office and Bikram couldn’t deal with it. He wanted to spend time with her as he now was not travelling so often. But for her it was too late. Lately, they had just stopped communicating. There were no fights, no explanations. Nothing at all. Under one roof they lived like strangers, each in his world.
In his new life, Bikram was slowly settling down. The new job and city did help. Actually, it was the anonymity that helped. He could start on a clean slate. Not many people knew him and for some time he preferred it that way. The children, both married and settled did not bother with him much. So long as he didn’t get in their way. Basically, he was on his own. Bikram was picking up the threads. He had help coming in to do the regular chores that took care of immediate problems like food, dishes and clothes. Slowly, also spring was returning.
Sitting on a beach in Digha, watching the sun go down, Bikram felt a sense of peace. What was it that was making him feel that way? He just could not put his finger on it. He waited patiently for the answer to come. He knew it would.
As he walked back to his room in the nearby hotel, which he had rented for the week, Bikram finally accepted that he had come to terms with his divorce. He was actually happy. He did not have to live a lie anymore. He was finally free. His marriage had been a habit, a routine, which even though did not give him any pleasure, he continued. Malini had set them free, free to live life the way you wanted to. She had saved them both. She had saved their marriage, not dissolved it.
As he walked into his room, he dialled Malini’s number. She picked it up on the second ring.
Friendly as ever, she chatted for a while. Promising to get together next time he was in Bangalore, she signed off. Bikram was at last happy. Tomorrow he would visit the unexplored part of Digha he had been putting off.
Wednesday 4 March 2009
The Beauty Of A Rainbow.
It's strange, isn't it? The rainbow,I mean. Who would have thought , seven different colors sticking together could look so beautiful. But there it is. We all love the rainbow. Watching my daughter play in school, I was struck by a thought. There was a Chinese , an African, an Indian, a Pakistani , a British , a Russian and a Bangladeshi child all playing together.How colorful they looked! The perfect rainbow.
They didn't mind the difference in color or form or height. They just played with an abandon that would put to shame the countries they came from. Why can we not be like them? So many lessons these children could teach us. If only we took them seriously.
Remember, the story goes that at the end of the rainbow lies a pot of gold. If we could all just live together in peace and harmony , I think we would all reach that pot of gold. The rainbow is beautiful because the colors togeather form a band (of trust?) across the sky.
As I speak about the rainbow my daughter chirps," Momma , why don't we see the rainbow more often?"
Good question,don't you think so?
They didn't mind the difference in color or form or height. They just played with an abandon that would put to shame the countries they came from. Why can we not be like them? So many lessons these children could teach us. If only we took them seriously.
Remember, the story goes that at the end of the rainbow lies a pot of gold. If we could all just live together in peace and harmony , I think we would all reach that pot of gold. The rainbow is beautiful because the colors togeather form a band (of trust?) across the sky.
As I speak about the rainbow my daughter chirps," Momma , why don't we see the rainbow more often?"
Good question,don't you think so?
Monday 2 March 2009
Ammu get's Married.
Amrita Kundapurkar was 'Ammu ' at home. She lived in Bangalore, away from her home in Dharwad. She worked in an MNC, loved her job and was a complete control freak. She was a product of societies pressure to perform well consistently. No emotional mumbo - jumbo for her. Ammu didn't believe in 'love 'and considered marriage to be a stifling experience. Mr. and Mrs. Kundapurkar had very little hope of their daughter ever 'settling down'.
Today Ammu had taken extra care while dressing for work. An important client was expected and she had every intention of getting that account. Ambition was the fuel that egged her on. striding purposefully into her work area she immediately got to work. She checked and double checked graphs and slides that she needed to woo her client. There was no room for error.
It was an action packed day and by the time the client had left for dinner, the account was hers. After the initial wave of jubilation at her success , she felt sad and lonely. Tonight all her friends and colleagues had plans. Eating a meal all by herself didn't seem really inviting. Lately she had been feeling a little left out. People around her seemed to be busy with family or friends.
She often felt left out in conversations and had started avoiding invitations that involved family members.
As she reached home Ammu realised she needed a good night's sleep . But sleep refused to come. After tossing and turning the night away,Ammu decided she was over worked and needed a break.She called her mother to see if the next weekend would be convenient. Mrs. Kundapurkar was pleasantly surprised and again reminded Ammu ,she didn't need to check with her before coming home. It was her home and she could come anytime.
THE WEEKEND:
Ammu reached home in time for lunch. Amma had prepared all her favourites and soon Ammu was tucking in with relish. Amma wondered why Ammu was so quite. And WHAT, NO NAIL POLISH!! What ever was the matter? Later that night , mother and daughter sat talking in the veranda.
"Ammu , is something bothering you?" asked Amma
Ammu nodded in silence. Amma waited for her to open up. She did not want to push. Soon Ammu was crying and talking at the same time. Her mother did not understand much except that something terrible was upsetting her normally calm daughter. Ammu had to start from the beginning.
So finally Ammu was lonely!! Mrs. Kundapurkar was ecstatic.how she had waited for this day.She mentally promised a trip to Tirupati , if her wish was granted. Amma held her daughter close and once again quietly broached the topic of marriage.
"But I don't love anybody?"
"Silly girl! You think I loved you Daddy when I married him?"
"But you lived in a different era!!"
"Yes I did and I fell in love with the man I married and not the young boy he used to be. I am not forcing you. Just give it some thought".
Ammu sat late into the night , thinking.
THE WEDDING:
Ammu had finally given in. She was marrying Sunjay Kumar, also from Bangalore. Common relatives had set up the match and she knew Sunjay to be a sensible kind of guy, so why not? Ammu was exhausted with the preparations for the wedding and wanting desperately for it all to be over. Over bearing relatives, loud music, children running amok, gaudy clothes , heavy jewellery ,it was all to much for Ammu. She was high strung and irritated all through her wedding day.
Sunjay had made bookings at the Planters Club in Darjeeling for the honeymoon.He had liked Ammu's 'no nonsense' attitude and was sure he could break the wall that she had built around her. Darjeeling was a great success.They bonded emotionally and a friendship deep and strong emerged.They were like minded in most issues but there were enough differences to keep the marriage interesting.
BACK TO WORK:
They had settled into a blissful life. She looked upon Sunjay as her friend and confidant. But did she love him? She didn't know. They enjoyed their time together. A certain familiarity and respect grew. They got invited to parties as a couple and Ammu enjoyed the feeling of belonging. People at her work place were now seeing a new side to her, a soft feminine side, one they thought did not exist. Dinner's were never boring any more. She was soon the old talkative Amrita that her colleagues knew .
Every morning , as Sunjay left for work, he would say,"Love you Ammu. See you in the evening". But Ammu had never been able to respond in the same way. She had never been able to say 'love you too'. Now as see stood in the balcony, she could see Sunjay bending over and tying their neighbour's four year old son's shoe lace. Sunjay looked up and waved to Ammu. The Sun was shining and the light from his wristwatch reflected back at her. His smile was warm and welcoming as he tried to blind her with the reflection. At that moment , something happened. Ammu's breath caught in her throat. She knew instinctively what it was to be loved and to love someone with your heart and soul.
Ammu flew down the stairs two at a time, her hair a mess , framing her face. She rushed into Sunjay's open arms and softly whispered ," Love you too". It was the little boy who blushed and refused to look up from his shoes.
Today Ammu had taken extra care while dressing for work. An important client was expected and she had every intention of getting that account. Ambition was the fuel that egged her on. striding purposefully into her work area she immediately got to work. She checked and double checked graphs and slides that she needed to woo her client. There was no room for error.
It was an action packed day and by the time the client had left for dinner, the account was hers. After the initial wave of jubilation at her success , she felt sad and lonely. Tonight all her friends and colleagues had plans. Eating a meal all by herself didn't seem really inviting. Lately she had been feeling a little left out. People around her seemed to be busy with family or friends.
She often felt left out in conversations and had started avoiding invitations that involved family members.
As she reached home Ammu realised she needed a good night's sleep . But sleep refused to come. After tossing and turning the night away,Ammu decided she was over worked and needed a break.She called her mother to see if the next weekend would be convenient. Mrs. Kundapurkar was pleasantly surprised and again reminded Ammu ,she didn't need to check with her before coming home. It was her home and she could come anytime.
THE WEEKEND:
Ammu reached home in time for lunch. Amma had prepared all her favourites and soon Ammu was tucking in with relish. Amma wondered why Ammu was so quite. And WHAT, NO NAIL POLISH!! What ever was the matter? Later that night , mother and daughter sat talking in the veranda.
"Ammu , is something bothering you?" asked Amma
Ammu nodded in silence. Amma waited for her to open up. She did not want to push. Soon Ammu was crying and talking at the same time. Her mother did not understand much except that something terrible was upsetting her normally calm daughter. Ammu had to start from the beginning.
So finally Ammu was lonely!! Mrs. Kundapurkar was ecstatic.how she had waited for this day.She mentally promised a trip to Tirupati , if her wish was granted. Amma held her daughter close and once again quietly broached the topic of marriage.
"But I don't love anybody?"
"Silly girl! You think I loved you Daddy when I married him?"
"But you lived in a different era!!"
"Yes I did and I fell in love with the man I married and not the young boy he used to be. I am not forcing you. Just give it some thought".
Ammu sat late into the night , thinking.
THE WEDDING:
Ammu had finally given in. She was marrying Sunjay Kumar, also from Bangalore. Common relatives had set up the match and she knew Sunjay to be a sensible kind of guy, so why not? Ammu was exhausted with the preparations for the wedding and wanting desperately for it all to be over. Over bearing relatives, loud music, children running amok, gaudy clothes , heavy jewellery ,it was all to much for Ammu. She was high strung and irritated all through her wedding day.
Sunjay had made bookings at the Planters Club in Darjeeling for the honeymoon.He had liked Ammu's 'no nonsense' attitude and was sure he could break the wall that she had built around her. Darjeeling was a great success.They bonded emotionally and a friendship deep and strong emerged.They were like minded in most issues but there were enough differences to keep the marriage interesting.
BACK TO WORK:
They had settled into a blissful life. She looked upon Sunjay as her friend and confidant. But did she love him? She didn't know. They enjoyed their time together. A certain familiarity and respect grew. They got invited to parties as a couple and Ammu enjoyed the feeling of belonging. People at her work place were now seeing a new side to her, a soft feminine side, one they thought did not exist. Dinner's were never boring any more. She was soon the old talkative Amrita that her colleagues knew .
Every morning , as Sunjay left for work, he would say,"Love you Ammu. See you in the evening". But Ammu had never been able to respond in the same way. She had never been able to say 'love you too'. Now as see stood in the balcony, she could see Sunjay bending over and tying their neighbour's four year old son's shoe lace. Sunjay looked up and waved to Ammu. The Sun was shining and the light from his wristwatch reflected back at her. His smile was warm and welcoming as he tried to blind her with the reflection. At that moment , something happened. Ammu's breath caught in her throat. She knew instinctively what it was to be loved and to love someone with your heart and soul.
Ammu flew down the stairs two at a time, her hair a mess , framing her face. She rushed into Sunjay's open arms and softly whispered ," Love you too". It was the little boy who blushed and refused to look up from his shoes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
