A Thank You Note for --- How I Met Your Mother

Dt:14 Nov 2015

Its Children's day today here in India celebrated on the birth Anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ,,India's first Prime Minister .. and  a good day to get back to what you like doing the most...blogging :-)

So this one is a Thank you note to the cast & crew of the sitcom 'How I Met your Mother' .I have been planning to do this for quite some time now but here it comes today.

The journey for me began with my first trip to the USA in December 2013.I had been there on a professional assignment. Downside being that I was in a city where I had very little friends to hang out with(Ofcourse there was Disney & Universal ) .For major part of the 6  month assignment   I was alone  the moment I was out of office ..I could not easily blend with the new cultural set up thanks to the amount of time I was spending on my professional commitments.The weekends would be lonely and the weekdays would be sad.Plus I am not someone who can spend hours on the  phone talking to people to keep myself occupied.That made me very  irritable during the first couple of months.

Soon my roomie introduced me to the world of Netflix where you  could watch unlimited movies & choose the content that you watch on TV.This was my  only mode of entertainment and I started  watching a lot of vintage movies One of the best movies that I watched there was the 'The Cider House Rules' .The movie  left me emotionally drained & I decided that in order to survive  the next few months I needed to watch comedy .Thats how I ended up selecting HIMUM. Netflix had 6 seasons of the sitcom listed & I decided that this would keep me entertained for the rest of m stay in the US .



I started watching the first season and soon this became the norm for me.On weekends with Budweiser for company and the cheap 5$  pizza from Seven-11, I would watch back to back episodes till late into the night .It almost felt as if I had company and I was in the bar hanging out with Ted,Barney, Lily Marshal & Robin.This series over the next few months made me so emotionally attached that I could almost sympathize with each of the characters.Also being somewhat close to contemporary this show would highlight the moral compass of the American society .It told me that the Americans have very strong value systems and most of them live by it.In fact if you discount for their liberal views on relationships then they would very much mirror the Indian social values.(more on this later...)

I would like to talk to about each of the characters as they have been very inspiring from a story-writer's perspective as well as in real Life

Lily (Played by Alyson Hannigan)
Lily according to me is the central most character of this masterpiece as she is the one who holds all the characters together,I must say that Alyson is also the best actor in the entire starcast as her expressions are flawless & it almost seems as she has lived this character .Her conflict with her ambitions while continuously wanting the best for her husband , friends makes her the most lovable character .The best moment in the series is where she wants to stay back in America so that Marhsall can become a judge but is disturbed when Marshal accuses her of being selfish .

Marshal (Played by Jason Segel)
Marshal is the kind of character who we could call as Mr.Right .He has his own set of values which he tries to implement .He tries to be just & not hurt anyone while making sure that he does what he does.My friend thinks that I am more like Marshal (He might be right here).Unlike Lily's character Marshal's is more of one tone character but Jason plays it very well & is adorable .Couple of moments stay with you .One where Marshal comes to terms with the loss of his father who was very close to him  and completely shuts off everyone for some days.The other moment is where he takes his son on a road trip to make it to Uncle Barney's wedding.His love for poetry & creating rhymes on the go(and explaining it to the rest when they dont get it ) is hilarious .And yes i  almost forgot the SLAPATHON....

Robin (Played by Cobie Smulders)
Robin is the eye candy & the Canadian angle to the story. The beautiful girl in green in her introduction scene almost ensures that you will watch the series till she is around.I remember discussing HIMUM with my manager where we could not recollect the name of her character but still were in splits on the Canadian jokes that were played on her .Robin's is a more complex character of a girl who is  away from home  and looking to make friends yet wants to stay independent.A girl who wants to be at the top of her game & is very ambitious yet seeks to have a family and  almost hates the fact that she missed out on Ted.To be frank I did not like the last bit of  how her character played out as I felt after settling with Barney she would have worked hard to make it work,However that may actually be the difference between the Indian society & the American society


Barney (Played by Neil Patrick Harris)
Barney this is the most entertaining character of the lot ...The first thing that remains with you is his love for Suits ..."Suit Up","Have you met ,,Ted "  , "Wait for it" , "Legenddddd...ary" and more such catch phrases used liberally but never irritating prove that he became the most lovable character.With his magic tricks And the Playbook tricks Barney kept the audience in splits all the time..The best part would be when he would get preachy and quote the 'Brocode' to justify his actions or wishes.His constant fight with Marshal to be Ted's best friend made him adorable.The character takes an unbelievable turn when he decides to settle down with Robin ,Those moments where he burns the Playbook & claims to have found true love are almost a U-turn to the original character..The moment when he holds his daughter is the best scene & I guess that should have been the climax for his character..But his reason for breaking up with Robin also looks more justifiable.All in all a dream character for a very good actor..And yes I  almost forgot the SLAPATHON....

Ted (Played by Josh Radnor)
Well the story has been written for him .No wonder he got the best part.As an architect in his late 20s & struggling to find a consistent partner even as friends around him are settling down he is very charming.I personally related a lot  with Ted's character .From his love for old world architecture ,novels etc.. to his constant search to find the perfect girl ,,,this is the best character ever written.There are many adorable moments but his constant belief in love at first sight and hoping so badly that he would get Robin  are some of the things one can relate to.You almost want that he be compensated and that  he gets a good girl after Robin decides to get married to his close buddy Barney,Everything that Ted does from  making sure that he is the master of gifting ,to calligraphy, to parenting Marshal & Lily's kid when they need some break ,to being there for Robin when she felt lost just before her marriage ,to his love for that old Bean bag  because its been part of the journey so far are things that I could relate to.And finally his self analysis while he tries to put together things that have happened to him and  reflects as to why the universe is conspiring against him are touching moments.


The Mother (Played by Cristin Miloti)

Tracy as the girl who eventually gets married to Ted is very well etched character.The writer has taken pains to tie her up to the whole narrative by linking her presence in past episodes.The scene where Ted finds out the Yellow Umbrella link  is awesome.Overall at times you wonder that when Ted had more beautiful women in his life why would he settle for Tracy.But it eventually makes sense as the writer drives home the point that when the time is right & the person is awesome IT JUST HAPPENS ...:-)





Few Words for the Writer /Director
Creator Craig Thomas & Carter Bays have created a wonderful story.There is no doubt that they have drawn many references from their real life as its not easy to create such characters who can connect so well with the audience
Pamela Fryman as the female director clearly explains why the series was high on emotional content as well .
I became a fan of the back and forth narrative and the fact that they could continue doing that episode after episode sometimes linking stories across seasons.
Another narrative style that I liked is the part where Barney goes on to explain that every night should be awesome.. following with a series of stories each beginning with  . 'The Night we ....' titles.

Some of the quotes which really explain life 

• We struggle so hard to hold on to these things that we know are gonna disappear eventually. And that’s really noble.  Lily
• Whenever I’m sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. Barney
• Because sometimes even if you know how something’s gonna end that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride. Ted
• The littlest thing can cause a ripple effect that changes your life. Ted
• It’s like Descartes says, “In order to determine whether we can know anything with certainty, we first have to doubt everything we know.” Ted
• We’re going to get older whether we like it or not, so the only question is whether we get on with our lives, or desperately cling to the past. Ted
• There are a lot of little reasons why the big things in our lives happen. Ted
• Look, you can’t design your life like a building. It doesn’t work that way. You just have to live it… and it’ll design itself. Lily
• You can’t just skip ahead to where you think your life should be. Lily
• There are two big days in any love story: the day you meet the girl of your dreams and the day you marry her. Ted
• The future is scary but you can’t just run back to the past because it’s familiar. Yes it’s tempting… Robin
• People don’t get the chance to discover each other anymore. Ted
• Revenge fantasies never work out the way you want. Marshall
• If you’re not scared, you’re not taking a chance. And if you’re not taking a chance, then what the hell are you doing? .Ted
• So really the biggest mistake would be not to make that mistake, because then you’ll go your whole life not knowing if something was a mistake or not. Lily

AND THE BEST ONE

• You can’t cling to the past, because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone. Ted

End Note
I had watched almost 5 seasons in the US (till July 2014) & after  returning back to India I managed to get the rest of the seasons from friends .It took me a real long time to complete watching all the seasons .I know you would be surprised when you hear that I eventually completed watching the series only in October 2015.Meanwhile the story has made a big impact in the way my life has shaped up in the last couple of years.The story has inspired me to take some big decisions in life..
Ted's life reflects the challenges people in their late 20s and early 30s face and it always served as a reference point for me in the last couple of years.So much so that I resisted committing to someone till Ted found his match & got married(I know that sounds stupid..but true story :p )..
Now that Ted has found his match & true love as well ,the decks have been cleared & I can move on with my life as well...

Thanks to the team of HIMUM for all the life lessons & yes for keeping me company during tough times

Note:Looking for a new series.Please suggest me some

Gulmohar Trees - A Visual treat !!!

Dt: 6 June 2015

We have all been waiting for the rains to arrive.Monsoon --  the season of thunderstorms lightnings & heavy rain .Not to mention water clogged roads & slow running public transport.

While everyone has been waiting on the first showers to lower the high day time temperatures,  at times we tend to forget to observe nature surviving & blossoming in very severe weather conditions.

Ideally spring starts in India around Feb -March but I was recently surprised to see some really colorful flowers light up the neighborhood trees in the month of May. May be they had blossomed few months back & I may not have noticed them.Yet they are awesomely beautiful & attractive during the second half of May.

A little research & I realize that these are nothing but the flowers of the Gulmohar tree which have been planted all around our neighbourhood some years back. Gulmohar trees are the ideal choice in India for lining parks gardens & roadsides.

Also it seems that the Gulmohar flowers in May June  &  is a harbinger of monsoons .Its bright colors denote that good times are about to come. (Ache din aane wale hain :p) .The bright colors  ignite life back in people who have been drained out by the long & punishing summers.

Here are some snaps for those who have not experienced it till now

They gradually changed from soft orange to vermilion red ...........

Please share images of the Gulmohar if you see them in your neighbourhood.



Close up Photo Coutesy:
http://wanderingmist.com/gardening/its-gulmohar-galore/ (Visit this for a vivid explanation of the white petal which u can see in the last 2 images)

The Last button of the SUIT

Dt: 17 May 2015


I recently attended a close friend's wedding. As most of you know there is no social gathering in  the world where you can have as much fun as in a bro's wedding .So  not getting into the details of all that lets move on to the subject of the post.

Its about the SUIT & how to wear it.The groom gave all his friends a mandate to arrive in SUITs at his wedding .From that  point on I went into a little research mode about SUITs & their  origin.

The first question that came to my mind was to find out the difference between a SUIT & a BLAZER ,Now being a fashion non -enthusiast its really pathetic  to admit but yes I didn't  know the difference between the two.

Anyways a bit of Google & I came across one primary difference.A Suit is something where the jacket & the trouser are stitched of the same fabric,Where as a blazer can be worn in contrast or with different coloured trousers.I leave it to you to judge whether I am right or not.(You can judge me....I don't give a damn :p )


So here I was confident that I have it sorted & took the Suit to the wedding.I had purchased this a year back while going on a business assignment but never wore it then.So finally on the day when I eventually wore it I had a fashion tip from my dear friend.
In a subtle manner he said .."You don't fasten the last button".Knowing that he has travelled around the world and is expected to be worldly-wise I quickly accepted his suggestion & unbuttoned the last button.

Once back home I did a quick research to check why have a button when you wont fasten it.. so here goes the explanation...

According to the lore of menswear, in the early 1900s King Edward VII started the trend of leaving the bottom button of a suit undone.
Apparently, he grew so rotund that he was unable to fasten the bottom button of his waistcoat and jacket. To not offend the king, those associated with him started
doing the same. The custom then gradually spread the world round (as England was still largely an imperial power with great influence across the globe).

So the rule goes

Three button suit : Sometimes,always ,never

Two button suit: Always ,never

Well that explains it & the rule stays on with mankind for the rest of our times.

Cheers

Life in Mumbai Locals

Dt:29 Oct 2013

         I was returning back home from Bandra on a Tuesday morning after completing a quick assignment .After starting early I wound up work  by 11 am.This gave me an opportunity to travel in a Virar local with relative ease and comfort.

           I was relieved to find a seat and enjoy the ride.But barely ten minutes into this comfortable journey I realized that this would not be as  comfortable as it first looked like.A youngster (must be in his early  20s ) sitting next to me was fast asleep and decided to convert my shoulder into a comfortable pillow.

           The first reaction & thought that came to my mind was to wake this lad up and let him know that he cant use the public as his private cushion while traveling.Usual response time of the intolerant crowd in these situations is not more than 30 seconds .

           But before I could push him out of his comfort zone I went into a flashback of days gone by.Days when we used to slog hard in  training  and return home in the last locals often half asleep.During those days we would often end up having a nap on some  other stranger's shoulder.And they would also ignore us as they could make out that the kids are indeed very tired after a hard day's work.

         
              So I let this guy continue in his comfortable position in gratitude for those people who lent their shoulders to us when we were in need.Onlookers felt a bit strange that I let this kid carry on .Some might even have felt that he is a family member.

            Such is the life in a Mumbai Local. Aggressive and intolerant at large but compassionate and caring in  small confinements.You have to be there to experience it.



                  

End of World : 21 December 2012

Dt: 17 Nov 2012


So if you have been following some of the news on TV for the last few years you must be very much aware of the famous Mayan calendar and the fact that the Mayans who were so bored that they started developing the future calendar stopped their exercise when they reached the fateful date of 21 December 2012.The date that some people now believe will be the date when the world ends or at least the EOW is triggered.

                                                              MAYAN CALENDAR

Normally these things just come and go .In the last decade many such predictions have been made .One of the most publicized being the 2000 date for end of world.I vividly remember a video with a man carrying a placard reading 'The End of World is Near' .And finally when 2000 came around the corner nothing much happened.Y2K problem got solved and apart from a few natural calamities the world was back to normal to see a 9/11 and many other more cruelties.But the world did not end.

Coming back to 2012 ,there have been discussions of  reversal of Earth polarities and other major natural calamities which may trigger the EOW .But no one has actually hinted at  a political situation ,a world war leading to this phenomeneon.Even as  I am writing this there are tensions erupting between Israel and the Palestinians and no major world  power is intervening.Problem here is that there is a slow and significant shift of power in the world towards the east .Now history is witness to the fact that no major shift of power happens peacefully .It happens with a war where the new leader asserts his command over the old one.The WAR will come in the near future ,whether this will be a peaceful one or a destructive one will only be known later .If indeed its a destructive one then it will definitely be told to be initiated by some other feud .The big guys will fight thier war and project it as if they were just trying to resolve  someone else's small feud.

Now lets not get into the details of how the EOW comes .Lets for a moment believe that this prophecy is TRUE.Now lets have a look at the calendar.ALAS you have only a months time left with you in this beautiful world.Individulas in the world have been told before that they have some time left in this world .Some deal with it seriously .Others go about enjoying.But what if an entire civilization is told that their time has come. What if you you know that all of your friends ,all your companions are going down together.

Now think about what you could do to enjoy those last moments together.For starters you can forget about money .Revert back to the old Barter system(I believe some European cities are trying this out to come out of the Euro crisis).

 Imagine there is no competition amongst peers.No race to win.Imagine a world where everyone is willing to share what is surplus.No stocking up for the future.Imagine you forgive all you enemies.Make peace with people who hurt you.Imagine there are no borders you are free to visit any place in the world and indeed travel is free.Remember we dropped money right at the beginning. Wow suddenly the world is looking like a better place.Will there be chaos /confusion.Well its anyways going to come sooner or later .IMAGINE...


The possibilities are infinite .But in case the world doesn't end then no need to worry .you can still hop to a nearby cinema hall and watch DABBANG2 releasing on 21.12.2012.(This is called Confidence)

Cheers :-)

Malayalis : The Most Beautiful Indian Women

Dt : 20 April,2012

  It was yet another lazy Saturday morning at home. And as usual a time when the family discusses the week gone by .On certain days interesting topics also come up for discussion. Incidentally this Saturday the Mallus were celebrating their new year Vishu .

    Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala and in the Mangalore and Udupi districts of Karnataka, usually in the second week of April in the Gregorian calendar. It marks the new year in accordance with the Malayalam calendar, known as the Kolla Varsha.

   Mom who had apparently taken notice of the Malayali women in their sarees while she visited the Ayyappa temple that morning  ,commented that they must be the most beautiful women .Dad who usually  is reserved when it comes to women also seconded her opinion.I didnt comment on this but felt that might be they were right.

  

So what is it that sets the malayali women apart. Firstly its their eyes .They must be the ones with the most beautiful pair of eyes .Next you will see a majority of them having long hair something that most women of other states have shunned .Also they have a peculiar hairstyle which  I cant categorize thanks to my limited knowledge in this field .Malayalam also happens to be the one of the sweetest Indian languages .It must easily be the sweetest of all south Indian languages especially the tone with which they(Women ,not men :p) speak.Add to all this the traditional Indian saree and you get a deadly combination which is simply hard to beat.

  The mundum neriyathum is the cultural costume of women of the Malayalee community and often referred as Kerala saree. The grace and appeal of the golden borders contrasting with the otherwise plain white mundum neryathum of Keralite women has come to symbolize Malayalee women.

    So the Jury is out .They must be the most beautiful of them all !!!

Note:Text in Italics from Wikipedia.

   
  

End of a great Innings.

Dt :10/03/2012

While I had made it a point to stop blogging about cricket and explore into different fields of life.Today is one day where I am compelled to blog about one of the greatest cricketers of our generation.

Even though I used to follow cricket since the early nineties ,it used to be more of ODIs and home test series .I started following international  Test cricket prominently from the India tour of England in 96.Incidentally it was the same tour on which two of Indian crickets greatest batsmen made their TEST debut.It was Lords where Saurav Ganguly made a century on debut while Rahul Dravid missed what could be a great debut 100.

                                        
People who know me may wonder if I may start praising Saurav again in this blog but no this one is dedicated to the WALL of  India --Rahul Dravid. The day that he missed that 100 he looked very disappointed with it and must have decided to not let the next chance go by. He missed another but soon got his first test hundred.His position in the ODI squad was always debated because of his slow approach to scoring runs .He not only rectified this by cementing his place in the ODI squad but also became a key player in the RCB T20 squad for IPL.Eventually he went on to get 36 test hundreds and 10,000 runs in both formats of the game.With a record no of slip catches he became a complete package for the team.                                                             

                                                            
How Rahul influenced the youngsters.
For most of us,especially myself  growing up in the nineties our priorities were broadly academics.Apart from studying hard the only other thing that used to get my maximum attention used to be cricket.Therefore Saurav , Rahul ,Sachin became our role models during the those years.While I learnt aggression from Saurav ,I learnt humility and dignity from Rahul.

I remember playing cricket with friends in the locality . I was never a great batsmen, I would spend more time  bowling when playing overarm.But in the evening when we used to play underarm box cricket,each one of us would try to 'cover drive' like Rahul.We would practice that shot all along as HIS had class written all over it.I wonder how many kids playing in the cricket  clubs he would have inspired.While fielding in the slips he was a great example of concentration and technique.Everything that he did had a methodology attached to it.Though this might have meant that his captaincy was also a bit method oriented but he was at his diplomatic best as captain in press conferences and post match presentations and that is how it should really be. 

He is a brilliant orator and would make a great commentator but judging by the way things have gone I wonder if we will ever have him in the commentary box.May be the spectators may not get Rahul as a commentator.May be he is destined for bigger things.Who knows only time will tell.
Thanks Rahul for being  an entertainer and a teacher .

[Sharing with you : Paper cut out of Adelaide test victory. 2002-03 which Rahul won us with his batting.Also in the pic Saurav's hundred in the first test on that tour and other role models back then .The pic is of my cupboard door .These people were a source of inspiration for me .]

                                                    
                                         

Creating opportunities within Constraints

Dt: 24 Sep 2011

Yesterday I had the privilege to listen to one of the veterans of our parent organization, Mr.Sudhir Warde .He was invited to speak on the topic 'Creating opportunities within constraints'.
Some of the points that he discussed might be helpful to you as you move ahead in your professional life.

1.Luck alone cannot take you too far. You need to be good enough to make it big.
2.You cannot just sit there and w8 for a big opportunity to transform your professional career.You have to look at every opportunity small or big to make an impression.
3.Hardwork and dedication will eventually be recognized.You need not be depressed if someone fails to identify it for a year.If you are good you wont be ignored for too long.
4. Boss is not always wrong .A tough boss is better than an easy going boss coz he/she will push you to get the maximum of your capabilities.
5.There is no end to learning in the corporate world.The day u say I know all ,may be the last day of your growth.
6.Its important to be a host rather than the guest in your organization. You may rant about your organization inside the org but you must definitely not do that with outsiders.You never paint your family in bad light in public ,do you?
7.Changing ur job doesn't guarantee success.You need to excel in what/where you are doing currently  to excel in something else or somewhere else.
8.Dont blame someone else for your lack of success .You are the owner of all good and bad things happening to you.
9.Its important to have a goal in life and pursue that goal with a determined focus.You must revise these goals periodically to assess your progress.
10.While setting your goals its important to know what you want than to yearn for something which others have.You should not spend your hard earned money to get something that you dont want to impress someone whom you do not care for ;-}.
11.Its important that you identify your strengths as you go along in life and try to move in that direction and do a job which you love to do.
12.You must never leave an organization  for a bad boss ,bad appraisal etc.You need to evaluate many more factors like colleagues,work profile and satisfaction.Of course a bad appraisal will leave a bitter taste but if there are  things that you like about an organization then you must not leave it for a couple of bad things.
13.You must not cling on to the past bad experiences.Crying about someone who had given you grief for too long means giving undue credit to that person who doesnt even deserve it.Just move on .Life is too precious to be lost thinking about the past.

14.Practicing something that you are good at will make you better it.Never be too confident about your craft lest you lose it.
15.You must take good care of your health coz if you do not do so all your other principles go for a toss.

Lastly keep learning from your own as well as others mistakes.Life is too small to make all the mistake so learning from others especially elders is a nice way to gain experience.

This man had amazing sense of humour and  had the strength to hold a big audience captive.
That is why I spent some time listening to this person.You must learn from all oldies ;-}.

Chalo Dilli

Dt: 29/07/2011.

The flight was scheduled to reach Delhi at around 0755 .But by the time I was out of the airport it was still 0750 hrs .I had booked an office accommodation at Vasant Vihar in Delhi and had earlier planned to check in there before going for the interview.The interview was scheduled for 1115 hrs  and as such I had nothing to do till then.

The first thing that I looked out for when I reached Delhi was an eatery as I was hungry by then.SpiceJet does not offer food on its flights unless you are not ready to pay for it  :p.And I avoided the airline food .So just outside the domestic terminal 1D I had a veg burger from a Fast Food corner .I was the first customer and had to wait a bit till my burger was done .In the mean time I kept wondering  as to what would I do with so much spare time left with me before the interview.The burger was good with a sachet of tomato sauce.I finished it up and then took one of the many empty seats outside the terminal.

Friends had advised me to avail the prepaid taxi service once at the airport.I went over to the  prepaid taxi counter and enquired about the cab to Chanakyapuri.The man at the counter told me that I would reach there in 30 mins  .I asked him if he could arrange for a small Dilli darshan around Chanakyapuri which he bluntly refused saying that they only do single point services.Well that would leave me with a lot of free time .Confused about how to spend a couple of hours in between I decided eventually to stay put at the airport waiting area itself as I did not wish to  get lost in a new city just before the interview.

Just like any other mode of public transport, to my amazement I found that the airport also can be a place where you can find different characters.For the first half an hour I was almost alone staring at the arrivals list .I made a note that most planes were on or before time except for one Bangalore flight which got cancelled.Slowly as more planes touched down i got more people for company.There was this Gujju family which apparently was waiting for someone to receive them at  the airport.Then there was another guy who had a placard with the person's name he was supposed to receive.He came up to me and asked if the flight info was mentioned in the placard.He didn't understand English and wanted me to help but unfortunately there wasn't any flight info on the placard.

[pic:aerial shot of terminal 1D at IGI airport,Delhi]

After spending more than an hour at the airport I decided to take a prepaid cab to Chanakyapuri.The taxi was an old OMNI and the moment I entered in I realised that the Mumbai taxis are way better than these.What a stark contrast to the early morning Meru cab.I managed to strike up a conversation with the taxiwala .He offered me a full Dilli Darshan in 8 hours for 800 bucks and when i told him that I didnt have dat much time he was quick to offer me a MINI darshan for  500 bucks.I reached the interview site quite early and had to wait for my turn for half an hour.In that time I came across a lot of people IT engineers,students,religious people etc .The interview went as scheduled and I was done by 1300 hrs.

Chanakyapuri can be called a consulate adda.Almost all the foreign consulates were  present here.I came out of the consulate and inquired the rickshaw walla for a place where I can have some food.He directed me to the Malcha market on the Malcha marg .A few minutes walk from there and I found a chinese restaurant {Lotus Garden}.I had VEG fried rice[it was a Tuesday....] and a mocktail{Lotus Delight }.The mocktail was surprisingly quite good but the food was bland.I partly agreed with it after I saw a lot of foreigners enjoying their meal there.

Once out  of there I decided to visit the India gate {the nearest attraction I could find on Google maps}.By this time the climate had turned very pleasant with a cool breeze and a light drizzle.I fancied a walk for some time to digest my food and asked a Taxi walla for directions.He gave me a surprised look and asked me "Aapke paas kya hai".I said 'Kya'.I realised that he was asking me if I had a vehicle.I said I plan to walk to India Gate .[Just to get a fair idea about the distance] .He laughed at me and said 'Yaha se left lo aur seedhe seedhe chalte jaao 6 km hian'.He must have expected me to immediately hire his cab after hearing that.But I had other plans.

Destination:India gate

Having done the usual long morning and evening walks over the years.I knew that the one hour walk[6km/hr] would end sooner than later  and that would give me some time to spend with myself..to introspect.But for that it was necessary that  I took the Akbar Road throughout.But I went on a round trip instead and slowly the 6 km walk turned into a 10 km walk .How long is the dream run in marathons?.Anyways..after going past  many circles I was beginning to get a bit irritated with my decision.The people of Delhi were helpful and were at all times guiding me with directions .What irritated me was that it was well  over an hour now since I had started walking. By this time I was walking on  Janpath and had reached  Motilal Nehru Palace[Shiela Dixit's residence].

I pondered about hiring a cab now as the walk was beginning to tire me down.One last stretch before I give up I told to myself.I asked a senior citizen whether I was heading in the right direction just to be sure.He pointed across to a garden and told me to cross it and take Akbar road.I asked him how much more time.He said only 5-10 mins.I wondered if he was right.I kept walking. In a few minutes I came across the All India Congress Committee[AICC] office.There were some reporters outside the office doing a story.I realised that I had come very close to my destination.

There it was standing in all its glory.Watching the Amar Javan Jyoti on TV for so many years ,you always felt the aura surrounding the  place.I always wanted to be here and experience it for real.Now the day had come I was in Delhi surrounded by the India Gate,Raj Bhavan,The Parliament House,The Rashtrapati Bhavan and other historical places.It was a feeling of excitement n joy never experienced before.I was tired by the walk but overwhelmed by the destination.This is complete  path of my WALK.

Once I had absorbed the moment I started repenting the fact that I was travelling alone and had no one to click pictures.Luckily I found this guy who helped me with this photo.Few years back when we had clicked a group photo at the Gateway of India the end result wasn't as great as this one and the service was not prompt as well .This photographer seemed to have a printer nearby and he actually even gave me a choice from 4 different poses.Now that's cool ;-}.

Tried best to pose for the cameras.This is the best I could manage.

Well that wraps up the Chalo Dilli part for you .I missed Chandni Chowk but theres always a next time ;-} .If you liked this part then keep watching this space for the last leg of this journey.

My First Flight. BOM-DEL SpiceJet #851

Dt : 06 Juy 2011.

As a kid living in Antop Hill I always had one dream to travel some day  in that huge white thing which has a few twinkling  lights,two wings a tail  and makes a lot of noise ,that which attracts everyone's attention and which puts the fastest of birds in the sky to shame.....an Aeroplane .

As time passed by I went on working hard in life to achieve that and many other dreams.But subsequently  life became more and more stagnant with everyday being a routine and nothing interesting to look forward to.So when I was asked to fly to Delhi to get my work visa I was very excited.

I had an interview at 1115 hrs in Delhi on 5 July and after exploring a lot of options I finally decided to fly on the morning of 5 July .The only risk was that I may be late if there are delays.After exploring all flight options I finally was booked on Spice Jet flight for both the to and fro journeys.

So the TO  flight (SpiceJet 851) was scheduled for morning 0550 hrs .I was happy that  I finally booked the flight but was surprised when I read the rules.You need to check in 2 hours before the flight   departure. After a little research I was made to understand that you can check in 45 mins before the flight which would be the final cut off time.

For a first timer like me it was important to reach the airport in time to avoid last minute running around.For that matter I had never been to the Mumbai airport before and had to ensure that I report at  the right terminal and in time.In Mumbai the domestic terminals are divided into terminals 1A and 1B.All the low cost airlines(SpiceJet,Indigo etc.) depart from trminal 1B and that is where I had to report.

I booked a Meru cab for  0300 hrs to avoid any delays .In hindsight it was too early a start as I reached the airport in 45 mins . Along with Papa ,we went around the airport observing people and procedures .Finally the checkin began and I went in to the security gate at around 0415 hours when the crowd started gathering in.Once the security checked my ticket printout  and PAN card I was allowed into the airport.
[Background music in my head at this time : Jane na Kaha wo duniya hain ...janne na wo hain bhi nahi...Jahan meri zindagi mujhse itni khafa nahi...{somehow the airport scene of Jane tu ya Jane na was goin on in my mind}]

As I had read a few articles on the net before ,I knew that I had to go the Spice Jet window and get my boarding pass.I went there tagged my baggage and got my boarding pass.As I had reached  in early I got a window seat(27A).The attendant asked me to go to Gate 6 to board the flight.I followed the instructions got myself and my baggage screened and went ahead to the waiting room.

I didnt know where next to go and what next to do .So I went in there and took a  chair and behaved as if I had been there and done that n number of times.I though got the feeling that a couple of people could tell that there was something unusual about my behaviour ;-).Ignoring them I started observing things around me.Eateries and book shops were thronged by people .Some sat calmly reading newspapers.Suddenly I heard an announcement calling people for a Hyderabad flight to reach the gate.I was relieved that I was at the right place !!!.Within seconds I found the TV displaying flight info and was happy to know the boarding details of my flight.The boarding gate number was on the pass and TV were different .I checked around to find if both the gates were accessible to me .There they were next to each other.I knew I was safe.



Waiting for close to an hour was boring.I picked up a newspaper but could not read much due to anxiety.Two things were unusual the early morning travel  and the chilling AC(I had forgotten what an AC meant as the one in office is always set to 25 deg or more ....) .Add to that the fact that I was traveling long distance alone for the first time in my life.It was a different feeling altogether and there were more to come.

So when the boarding sign was flashed I joined the queue and followed them as all of them seemed quite experienced .A SpiceJet bus was waiting outside .I boarded the bus and once full it took you  to the flight.Next few minutes were mind boggling.You could see flights taking off from the runway .Lights glittering on them .It was dawn and the setting was perfect .For the first time in a couple of years I regretted not having a camera phone with me.Nevertheless I  started capturing those moments in my mind.The plane was huge and it looked like  monster.The sound of the roaring engines was deafening .

Flight attendants welcomed us on-board .I started searching for seat no(27 A). and as I found the  window of 27 I saw a newly wed couple occupying the window and the next seat.I immediately complained to them that it was my seat.But popat ho gaya.He told me that my seat 27A was on the opposite side and that it was his seat 27D.I found that he was right and that I had missed the 'A' part of the seat number.I finally took my window seat.I just took time to understand the seat belt locling and then gazed out of the window.
[Background music in my head at this time : kaise mujhe tum(window seat) mil gayi..kismat pe aaye na yakkeen..{somehow the Ghajini scene was going on in my mind at this tym when Asin sells her Ambassadors and Aamir has to immediately fly....it was Mumbai airport...}] .

Once in the flight it was time to experience the takeoff .I was curious to know what was the feeling during a take off.I familiarized with the people around me .A big group of around  100 people were traveling to Amarnath{flight was bound to Jammu via dehi}.Sagli marathi mansa.Suddenly it felt like a Mumbai local.I conversed with a few and helped them with seat numbers now.the flight attendants started with security instructions once all were seated.

The flight was ready for take off at 0550 hours on time .The speed was zapping on the runway and as it traveled a few seconds it suddenly lifted off the ground and into the skies.It felt like a ride in Essel World with more speed and of course more height.The slums looked beautiful for the first time and then the sea and then the clouds.wow beautiful.!!!!!!.After half an hour the clouds didn't excite too much .The air hostess were less beautiful and more paint .But a foreigner couple cozying in each others company in seats  26A,26B kept my eyeballs busy for sometime.But eventually tiredness took over and I fell asleep.I woke up just minutes before landing to have look at Delhi from the top.Somehow got the feeling that there were less buildings and more empty spaces/fields  here.The lady in 26B made eye contact,smiled  and apologized for something.It didn't matter what she said coz she was so beautiful and.........

The plane landed in Delhi few minutes prior to schedule .I got off the flight and boarded the bus which took me to terminal 1D.At the Delhi airport I saw a lot of private planes apart from the usual passenger ones.Finally I  left the terminal and completed Leg1 of the journey.A long cherished dream accomplished and few new ones were created on this day.

What happened in Delhi is equally exciting .Keep watching this space for Leg 2 (Chalo Dillli ) of the journey.Till then .njoiii  reading My Heart ....


Trivia:When was the last time that you heard background music in your life as experienced by the author? ...

Happiness is around the corner...............

Was feeling down and out today after a long week in office.A week where I made more mistakes than otherwise.A week where I took more incorrect decisions than the right ones.It was also a week where I  finally pushed something which was long pending from my side.Still the week didn't end on a happy note.

 When I reached home today I felt  this complete dissatisfaction and emptiness around me .Even the simplest of conversations with my family led to a venting out of anger and frustration.There was so much hatred filled within me I felt like I needed someone to vent it out on.

And what does GOD the master magician do.Well HE sends my long forgotten neighbor to my house with a silly software issue.His trial version software is not letting him save the work he does on it.  I feel of all the issues that are racing through my mind this little software bug is a no brainer.So I try to explain him a few tricks and tips to get it running. Suddenly I realize that my tips are Greek  & Latin to him, so I casually offer to go to his place and help him.

On reaching there I realize that how our kamina Indians who have some knowledge of computers are fooling around with this guy who just had a trial version software issue and a virus issue. Imagine a computer vallah installing an anti virus software on your system charging you 500 bucks and not even running an initial full scan to if nothing else test the antivirus that  he has installed :-).

My neighbour,poor fellow didn't know how to scan  the infected folder using the antivirus and was very tense and had come to me as a last hope . He knows little about computers but he uses it to  run his business and the software down was affecting his business.For us its just another  fixing a trial software and healing infected system with an antivirus.But for him I was some one who solved his problem and didn't charge a penny for it.The smile on his face when he saw the software up and ready to use , made me feel so happy that it negated a lot of the negativity which was there within me.

So it was  GOD's masterpiece by which he achieved two goals  of  cheering up two frustrated people of  their tensions temporarily.  ' Ek teer se do nishan ' .Its this thing which will keep me positive for the coming week .Its a hope that whenever u feel down and out ...do not worryy coz..................HAPPINESS IS ROUND THE CORNER :-)

< Ref: Image lifted from a word-press blog.Hope the author would not mind it.  If  it indeed is an original :-).>

Chicken kolhapuri.

After perfecting my art with Chicken chettinad (Chennai cuisine),I decided to try something different last weekend.
I felt that now that Chennai has been conquered it was time to come closer home.So this time the experiment was with the Kolhapuri version of Chicken named Chicken Kolhapuri.
After scanning the net for few recipes I finally settled for the one that looked simpler and went ahead.
Kolhapuri chicken or for that matter any kolhapuri dish has the characteristic Kolhapuri masala added to it .

RECIPE :

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt along with the spices (salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and ½ tsp red chili powder). Mix well to combine and add the chicken pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator. If possible, overnight works best.(I had only one hour to marinate the chicken )

In a large deep skillet on medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil. Add the whole spices (bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick). Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and then add the onions. Stir fry the onions until slightly browned and then add the grated coconut, ginger and garlic. Stir fry for another 3-4 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Next, remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When the mixture has cooled, puree into a smooth thick paste. This mixture is known as Kohlapuri masala.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet and when hot (medium high heat), carefully add the chicken along with marinade to the pan. Add the Kohlapuri masala, kala or garam masala and remaining red chili powder. Stir well to combine, cover, reduce the heat and let simmer 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked yet moist and tender .

It was the first time that Chicken marinated with dahi was prepared at home .And it gives a delicious new dimension to chicken.With some help from the Mom I eventually managed to come up with a pretty decent chicken curry.Made some mistakes which need to be rectified next time..but nevertheless chicken tastes better when u prepare it yourself :-)

This is what the end result looked like .........

Tulunadu breakfast..

Being born in a south Indian family means that breakfast will not always be the routine parathas with variation aloo gobi etc etc....I do not know what variations do the north indians get in their breakfast but being a manglorian is fun especially when it comes to the morning brunch.

So last weekend saw a little deviation from the routine IDLIS.It was time for some GATTIS(tulu name).This is one hell of a breakfast and though they never became as popular as the Idlis and Dosas they well deserve to be in the same league.

Rice is available in plenty in the south and its but natural that rice finds its way into most of our preparations. This one is made with rice barter spread on a large leaf .Once the barter is spread it is covered with another layer of jaggery and grated coconut.The leaves are then folded and steam cooked .The leaves add an amazing flavour to the dish .Once cooked the coating of leaves is removed and there you are..

Though i am not sure about the recipe .I hope to get the exact recipe soon from my MOM ..cheers :-)

This weekend in Pictures !!!

What happened this weekend ........

Every pic has a story...will blog  about them soon :-)

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