I am feeling pissed and let down. Why the hell is there so much bandobast for Rahul Gandhi? Don’t get me wrong..he is the best thing that could have happened to Indian Politics and he has killer dimples and looks. But the Centre and State machinery have been deployed; Rahul’s schedule changes because the powers are anxious about the Sena acting up. If this is the haal of the First Family what hope for regular manoos? Why is the Thackeray family not being arrested and tried for treason? Since when did they get the divine right to inherit Mumbai?? They have consistently gone against the Indian identity and focussed on the Marathi Manoos. They have not won the mandate from the Marathis either. They cause immense trauma to the very same people they purport to support. So, should Mumbai become their playground and when any Thackeray barks, this nation of the argumentative one billion and its politicians shut up? Charge them with terrorism and try them for treason. And make them pay for doing this to Mumbai every single time.
But maybe they are actually doing Congress a huge favour. These stupid acts will increase membership in the Congress drive in the City! I am going to register!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Letting it go!
I am one of those people who find it exceptionally hard to let things go. It could be a roadside mawali who is eve teasing, a boss who is unreasonable or even a relationship gone sour. I persevere at the stupidest of things till I find closure. And that closure can sometimes take forever!
One thing that I want to let go of and that won’t leave me is my weight! Slowly but steadily I have built it up on one pretext or the other – that I am the mother of two, kids need a cushion and not a stick to cuddle into, after 35 it is impossible to lose weight, I have to eat comfort foods coz my lifestyle is so stressed, I am khatte pitte ghar ki , Serdi women look pretty with stretched glowing skins blah blah blah. I think the biggest problem is that I don’t perceive myself in my thoughts as ‘fat’ person. I am not even pleasantly plump when I think of myself. I am slim and sexy!
But this world belongs to slim women – I swear! No store stocks my size, men of my age eye slim women and I suspect, slim women also have an unfair advantage at work.
So I have decided to lose weight. And I am pitting myself against Ashish Jagtiani who is also chronicling his attempts to lose weight in Mumbai Mirror. So let’s see if I do manage to lose weight till my birthday (hmm – ok – only 5 kgs!)And If I do lose more weight than Ashish (aka Jaggu of the Jaggu –Tarana fame)!
Wish me luck!! And I will post my progress!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The three morons
The actor, producer and director of the three idiots are the morons in this petty credits drama. Vidhu Chopra and Aamir Khan have been known to hog the limelight in the past too.The story is CB's - whether 5% or 70%. The story credit is his. This episode also brings forth the moral ineptitude of the film fraternity. Why are they so egoistical that they cannot give credit where due? This kind of a thing would not happen in Hollywood, where talent and creativity is applauded. But he wants credit that is due to him. The three morons are upto their histrionics on media - shouting, character mud slinging and what have you. Instead of bleating that they spent 3 years writing the story, Raju needs to step back to consider this - CB put in his lifetime of experiences in this story. Perhaps they all forget what struggle has brought them here and what humility really means. This is the most sickening and brazen thing I have seen in years.
This also does not bode well for someone like me who is taking the first baby steps into writing. I am constantly worried about how to present my story to the publisher so he won’t steal it away and not pay me! And what legal recourse will I have then??
Maybe WTP and MMCH were easier!!
This also does not bode well for someone like me who is taking the first baby steps into writing. I am constantly worried about how to present my story to the publisher so he won’t steal it away and not pay me! And what legal recourse will I have then??
Maybe WTP and MMCH were easier!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Prayer for Ojas Mehta
Ojas Mehta, a student of my kids’ school met with a terrible accident today. His condition is critical and we all pray that he makes it thru. What was a bad accident on the sealink became personal for me after I realised that it involved a school student.
I don’t know Ojas or his parents, but all day, my thoughts have been with them. For Ojas, it must have been another regular day to school. Did he kiss his parents bye, was there any conversation that happened? Maybe he was listening to the ipod, thinking about assignments or stuff to do with his friends at school. For the parents too it must have been an ordinary day...perhaps there was some anxiety that he was getting late!
How soon the world can turn topsy turvy! As parents, our worse fear is losing our child. Being a parent is a state of constant worry – worry about peer pressure, bad influences, grades, opposite sex, grades… .And underlying all this is the concern for their safety! We pray for their safety and hope none of us will see the day when anything untoward happens to the child.
No parent should go through what Ojas’ parents are going through today. Not because their child was at fault, but because of someone else’s error. It is heart-rending to think what their state of mind at this time is.
In all this distress, I am proud of the school. Mrs Ambani has been there with the parents providing support and the whole school community is praying for him! Ojas has youth on his side and I fervently hope that his strength and the strength of all the people’s prayers help him pull through!
I don’t know Ojas or his parents, but all day, my thoughts have been with them. For Ojas, it must have been another regular day to school. Did he kiss his parents bye, was there any conversation that happened? Maybe he was listening to the ipod, thinking about assignments or stuff to do with his friends at school. For the parents too it must have been an ordinary day...perhaps there was some anxiety that he was getting late!
How soon the world can turn topsy turvy! As parents, our worse fear is losing our child. Being a parent is a state of constant worry – worry about peer pressure, bad influences, grades, opposite sex, grades… .And underlying all this is the concern for their safety! We pray for their safety and hope none of us will see the day when anything untoward happens to the child.
No parent should go through what Ojas’ parents are going through today. Not because their child was at fault, but because of someone else’s error. It is heart-rending to think what their state of mind at this time is.
In all this distress, I am proud of the school. Mrs Ambani has been there with the parents providing support and the whole school community is praying for him! Ojas has youth on his side and I fervently hope that his strength and the strength of all the people’s prayers help him pull through!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Nobel Prize for Indians
That came as a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. It is amazing what hope one guy can bring with him. And what strong political will can bring about! YES WE CAN represents the new age mantra and raises hopes of a happier future for kids all over the world.
And then we have our Indian Politicians. YES WE CAN translates into so many actionable points for them , though I doubt if any of these will fetch them a place in civilised history!
YES WE CAN – make our families rich for generations by stealing all the money that belongs to the people of this country. So what if there is no public infrastructure – my family has land, houses, cars and pots and pots of filthy money!
- YES WE CAN create issues out of air – Marathi manoos vs rest of India, Tharoor twitting away, SRK getting held up at the airport. Who cares if Mumbaikars are struggling to get to work each day or women are unsafe in Delhi?
- YES WE CAN delay things that do not suit our purpose – Roti , Kapda aur Makaan for people, clearing out slums, building in time for the Commonwealth Games.
- YES WE CAN – create nuisance – Ram Sena that thought it was immoral of girls to go to a bar, MNS that can make powerful Karan Johar come to him instead of following the law of the land, MNS that threatens the OZ team.
- YES WE CAN be brazen about anything in this country – creating parks and statues for ourselves, our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters; flying business and first and throwing attitude, shutting the sealink for the lords of this country to pass thru, or inconveniencing all of delhi because we are unprepared for commonwealth games.
- YES WE CAN – keep quiet about things that may put us in a tight spot – so noone has the courage to tell the Thackerays to lay off, to demolish slums, to come down heavily on the bureaucracy that does not work.
- YES WE CAN use all public machinery for only our people. So, satellites, helicopters –the work were looking for one YSR Reddy, but there was nothing when Mumbai was attacked.
Obama got a nobel prize for raising hope! And regular Indians also deserve a Nobel Prize – for eternal hope. Hope that someday, we will have a government that performs, that there will be roti , kapda and makaan for all, that kids will learn in school, that there will be jobs and healthcare for all!
-
And then we have our Indian Politicians. YES WE CAN translates into so many actionable points for them , though I doubt if any of these will fetch them a place in civilised history!
YES WE CAN – make our families rich for generations by stealing all the money that belongs to the people of this country. So what if there is no public infrastructure – my family has land, houses, cars and pots and pots of filthy money!
- YES WE CAN create issues out of air – Marathi manoos vs rest of India, Tharoor twitting away, SRK getting held up at the airport. Who cares if Mumbaikars are struggling to get to work each day or women are unsafe in Delhi?
- YES WE CAN delay things that do not suit our purpose – Roti , Kapda aur Makaan for people, clearing out slums, building in time for the Commonwealth Games.
- YES WE CAN – create nuisance – Ram Sena that thought it was immoral of girls to go to a bar, MNS that can make powerful Karan Johar come to him instead of following the law of the land, MNS that threatens the OZ team.
- YES WE CAN be brazen about anything in this country – creating parks and statues for ourselves, our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters; flying business and first and throwing attitude, shutting the sealink for the lords of this country to pass thru, or inconveniencing all of delhi because we are unprepared for commonwealth games.
- YES WE CAN – keep quiet about things that may put us in a tight spot – so noone has the courage to tell the Thackerays to lay off, to demolish slums, to come down heavily on the bureaucracy that does not work.
- YES WE CAN use all public machinery for only our people. So, satellites, helicopters –the work were looking for one YSR Reddy, but there was nothing when Mumbai was attacked.
Obama got a nobel prize for raising hope! And regular Indians also deserve a Nobel Prize – for eternal hope. Hope that someday, we will have a government that performs, that there will be roti , kapda and makaan for all, that kids will learn in school, that there will be jobs and healthcare for all!
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Celebrating Marriage
Karva Chauth is one of the only times I blatantly lie to my in-laws. They think I keep the vrat and I have little courage to tell them I don’t. Not that I don’t love Praneet or don’t want a long life for him or don’t want to demonstrate my love for him. But really, I don’t love him more on that day – rather I will hate him for being the reason I went hungry that whole day! I am happy to do it the year he is not travelling and keeps it with me, but food is too dear to me!
Anju had this wonderful take on Karva Chauth – she looks at it as a celebration of her marriage. For so many years you look for the right person to marry and then when you do, and Karva Chauth comes around, it is such a fun ritual. It breaks the monotony of another working day – you get mehndi put, buy new bright clothes and bangles , get up in the morning for sargi and start your day! There is Puja in the evening and that ritual makes you feel part of womanhood and helps connect with other women! Ofcourse, New Age women raise a toast to their husbands. Women bond big time with each other that day as well – bunches meet to play cards or go see a movie!
Then there are husbands like my father and brother in law and many friends, who also keep the vrat with their wives! That is so gracious of them!
But Anju made me realise that this is not about men! This is about women and the happiness that it brings to them. The ritual may have its roots in any tradition or superstition, but the feeling that one does it with is complete love..and therefore, I think a better celebration of marriage than the anniversary!
So Praneet darling, I will definitely do one of these two things next year – Either tell Mummy truthfully that I can’t keep the vrat, or will actually keep it for you!
Keep the gift ready in that case!
Anju had this wonderful take on Karva Chauth – she looks at it as a celebration of her marriage. For so many years you look for the right person to marry and then when you do, and Karva Chauth comes around, it is such a fun ritual. It breaks the monotony of another working day – you get mehndi put, buy new bright clothes and bangles , get up in the morning for sargi and start your day! There is Puja in the evening and that ritual makes you feel part of womanhood and helps connect with other women! Ofcourse, New Age women raise a toast to their husbands. Women bond big time with each other that day as well – bunches meet to play cards or go see a movie!
Then there are husbands like my father and brother in law and many friends, who also keep the vrat with their wives! That is so gracious of them!
But Anju made me realise that this is not about men! This is about women and the happiness that it brings to them. The ritual may have its roots in any tradition or superstition, but the feeling that one does it with is complete love..and therefore, I think a better celebration of marriage than the anniversary!
So Praneet darling, I will definitely do one of these two things next year – Either tell Mummy truthfully that I can’t keep the vrat, or will actually keep it for you!
Keep the gift ready in that case!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Jai Ho
We define Patriotism and national pride and identity in so many stupid ways! So if Pakistan lost the match in the last ball to Australia, it was a deliberate attempt to put us down. If Dhoni and team win the match, we are proud Indians. When Akshay Kumar gives his patriotic speech in Namastey London – oh the warming of punju blood! When SRK is detained at US, it is an insult to our national pride!!
But there was a true Indian moment last week at the special screening of Wake up Sid at Juhu PVR last week. As soon as the national flag came on screen, everyone shuffled on their feet and stood up. The flag was on the big purdah but there was a problem with the sound system. As we all stood, there was no music for the longest time. Then, a guy in the front screamed,’Come on guys, lets sing it!’There were some giggles and some embarrassment. A few people started singing the National Anthem and within seconds, all joined in! It was amazing! Everyone was standing upright and singing loudly. There was no music to drown out the voices – shrill, soft, in tune or out of it! And at the end of it, perhaps we were all so overwhelmed by ourselves that all of us started clapping and there were cheers of Jai Ho all around.
This was so different from when we were kids – it was so uncool to know Hindi or sing the national anthem – I mean who was happy about being an Indian in India? NRIs had money, clothes and all fancy stuff, there was no McDonald’s or colour TV and the only revolution on the road was the Maruti car.
But this high I came back with got punctured promptly when I came back home. 11 year Daughter dearest informed me that Bollywood was not her type and neither was Bollywood music! Huh! And I thought this generation was different!
Or maybe we become patriotic only as we grow older!!
But there was a true Indian moment last week at the special screening of Wake up Sid at Juhu PVR last week. As soon as the national flag came on screen, everyone shuffled on their feet and stood up. The flag was on the big purdah but there was a problem with the sound system. As we all stood, there was no music for the longest time. Then, a guy in the front screamed,’Come on guys, lets sing it!’There were some giggles and some embarrassment. A few people started singing the National Anthem and within seconds, all joined in! It was amazing! Everyone was standing upright and singing loudly. There was no music to drown out the voices – shrill, soft, in tune or out of it! And at the end of it, perhaps we were all so overwhelmed by ourselves that all of us started clapping and there were cheers of Jai Ho all around.
This was so different from when we were kids – it was so uncool to know Hindi or sing the national anthem – I mean who was happy about being an Indian in India? NRIs had money, clothes and all fancy stuff, there was no McDonald’s or colour TV and the only revolution on the road was the Maruti car.
But this high I came back with got punctured promptly when I came back home. 11 year Daughter dearest informed me that Bollywood was not her type and neither was Bollywood music! Huh! And I thought this generation was different!
Or maybe we become patriotic only as we grow older!!
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