HIGH SCHOOL REUNION.

 

Facebook did what Orkut could not do. People were discovering their long, lost school and college friends and suddenly reunions were in vogue.

All through my life I have been in touch with a few of my school friends...and with FB...all I had to do was to go a step further in finding a few more. We were only 11 girls in my class. The boys outnumbered us by a huge margin...they were almost 90. Yeah, it was a public school....National High School and so the numbers.

 

To cut the long story short, yes it is long because co-ordination takes time and toll....some of us met in the 2007. It was total fun. Each one of us had story to share. Afternoon turned into evening and we did not feel like leaving. We did though, with a promise to keep in touch, to form a group on FB, have conference chats...etc, etc., which we are yet to do. :) One thing is for sure, we women age gracefully than the men!!

Well, I take pride in saying that I am a binding factor here, though I don't stay in Bangalore any more. So, twice year, during my visit home, I do make it a point to get the girls together at least. And we do. It is this bond that makes me go back home every vacation.
With family and busy careers, the time they take out is special and memorable.

The year 2012, every one of us turned 40. There was a time when I dreaded 30. But, 40 is so much fun.

This was a rare occasion when we could get the guys to come out.

We are not in touch with each other on a regular basis, not do we chat often...once or twice a year we make up for all those times we could not be together.

I just can't wait to go back home this vacation. Home is where the heart is and also the fun. 

A-To-Z Challenge 




  


 

GOOSEBUMPS.

 

Putting up on the pedastal

The empty canvas that I was

Tracing your fingers

Drawing patterns on the skin

Blending and arching the colors

Coating a red

Blushing pink

Casting feelings in-depth

Bleeding soul with love

Brushing away the blues

Etching in the green

Kindled arousal galvanizing

Heady, glamorous and reeling

The skin erupts in...

Goosebumps!

 

         

For - A-to-Z Challenge. 

FOUNTAINHAS.

No doubt that the whole of Goa still retains the Portuguese Charm. This quaint little neighborhood  in the heart of Panjim (the capital city of Goa) is a world in itself. Be prepared to get lost in this old world charm.

 

What makes it even more attractive, are the bright colors of the buildings. A heritage walk is organized once a year through this neighborhood and people throw open a part of their houses for the general public. The antiques they have are priceless indeed.

                           There is something about the doors/doorways that catch my attention.

                            

This is a hotel/lodge...very unobtrusive. Well, there is no chimney and so Santa is trying to get in through the balcony.

We met the owner of this house. He was kind enough to invite us in, but, we were polite enough to decline. Yes, it is more than 150 years old.

                                                                 This is a hotel too.

                                                        A home for destitute woman.      

                                                               A little rusty, ain't it?

                                                Panjim Inn....very calm, quiet and peaceful.

We also found an art gallery and a home decor house tucked amidst these beauties. 
And yeah, Goa is not just about beaches and beach parties.

 

EARTHQUAKE...MEMORIES.

 

Watching the recently released Hindi movie, "Kai Po Che," I got emotional and choke at the visuals of the Earthquake. Am glad that they did not dwell on it much.

My birthday. The year 2001, 26th January, the nation woke up to the news of the devastating earthquake that rocked Gujarat and many other parts of India and Pakistan. I was in Ahmedabad with my kids who were then 5 and 2 years respectively. Hubby was out of town. I came out of it unscathed....physically. The memories...I have made them selective.

Whenever terror strikes Mumbai, the newspaper and the media make a huge hullabaloo about the "spirit of people of Mumbai" and their never die attitude.

I want to reiterate that it is the "human spirit" that triumphs.

 
Gujaratis or the 'gujjus' as they are referred, are at the receiving end of jokes. They are thrifty, they love food, they are irritating ( no offense) and they are also good businessmen and administrators...not to forget there have been many good leaders.

That fateful day and the days that followed saw people opening up their heart, their arms, their home and their purse. There were about 29 aftershocks which were of 5.1 magnitude. And many more of lesser intensity. People stayed on streets, never bothering to lock their homes. It was winter and the mercury dipped even further after the earthquake. There was no shortage of food for people on the streets and there was a warm blanket for everyone.

Today, for every gruesome death that was recorded then, there has been an story of success, courage and of survival against all odds. Stories of people who have rebuilt their life from the scratch.

"Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit." - Bern Williams. 

 
 

DUSK.

 

I never am up early in the morning to witness the sunrise...and staying in an apartment building, I am lazy enough to go out so early in the morning.

But, I totally love the sunset. I love the way the colors are splashed across the sky...illuminating everything, turning them  to a hue of gold and red. I could immerse myself in those colors and be lost long after the Sun has gone down.

 

WOMEN FOCUSSED.

My fifth IndiBlogger meet here in Mumbai...MumbaiForWomen, a part of the IndiChange initiative by them. The Mumbai For Women is a campaign  spear headed by the Times Of India.

Over the years, TOI has been doing a commendable job in bringing changes in the society through their various campaigns.

Mumbai for Women is one such campaign that solely focuses on Women, their issues and safety. The panel of editors who are working on this campaign gave us an overview of the problems which women in Mumbai generally faced. 

The discussions that followed made it clear that woman today, though liberated more that what we were few decades back, still have a long way to go. Safety being the prominent issue.

I live a very protective life. I do not have the first hand experience of this city. Have not traveled much by the public transport here. Much of the city has to be explored yet. Coming from Bengaluru, I can say that I have found Mumbai a much safer place to travel during late nights. This is a city that hardly sleeps.

Like anywhere else in the world...the good and the bad co-exist. Shit happens everyday and crime being an integral part of existence. I personally feel that this city is more broad minded when it comes to employing women....no one job is just a man's prerogative.

Mumbai has something to offer for everyone, and that is the reason people flock this city. It is the commercial capital, glamor capital and opportunity capital. Old age Victorian charm, modern opulence, down right poverty and filth..these all co-exist here along with the toil, sweat, struggles, hopes and broken dreams. This city either makes you or breaks you.

No one will fight the battles for us. It is for us to break that barrier of all that is binding us...of taking that one step towards change. It is for us to raise our voice however feeble...some one will hear and some one will take notice. 

It took a gruesome rape and the death of the girl for the government to pass the anti-rape bill! 

Let us join hands, raise our voices and with that let us up our hopes of bringing about positive changes that are more pro-woman for this city.

 

   

 

CONVERSATIONS, CHEMISTRY AND CRAZINESS.

 

 A typical day at home and I can be found working(?) on my laptop for most part of the day. I am either writing/posting or reading a blog post. And, my FB account is logged on all the time.

Suddenly, I erupt in laughter. My kids who are watching TV, look at me as though I have lost it. My son is curious to know the reason behind my laughter. My daughter,..."It must be her friends." 

Blogging is the most wonderful thing that could happen to me. And, then Corinne happened. Don't go by her looks...she looks soft and sweet...which she is. But, beyond her looks is her wit and wisdom. The more I say...the more trouble I spell. She gently pointed at some doors which I pushed open...and, I have no regrets because she opened up the world for me.

Then, out of the blue...she rises like a phoenix and takes the blog world by storm. Everyone is curious to know about her, befriend her. Just a year into blogging, she is short of opening an gadget showroom....the prizes she won in the contests. With her no-nonsense and 'bindass' attitude along with a good dose of wit and jest, she leaves an impression which you can't miss. That's Blogwati G for you.

She is a doll...and I completely love her smile. The first time I met, I was struck by her beauty...not just what you can see...but, the one she reflects. She is a dentist and makes sure she puts a smile on everyone's face. Her deep understanding of people and their personalities can be traced in her writings. She speaks her mind...completing the madness. Sharmila in Sanskrit means - protection, comfort and joy and she is all of these.

Every one is a bit wary of letting the virtual world seep into the real. Well, it is us who define the boundaries, set the parameters and the equations. These three Ladies are an integral part of my real world today...and a virtual support system. We all have one thing in common...our craziness. They just light up my day.

 I just signed my death warrant!

 

 

BATTLES.

Battles aren't the only ones which are fought on the battle field. We are all battling with ourselves to overcome our fears, shortcomings, mind sets and the expectations of others from us. Our battles may be resisting the temptation of having an extra helping of pastry or making a life changing decision or even saying a simple NO.

This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.

Omar N. Bradley.

There have been many small victories in my life. Want to share this pariticular one....though I have a blog post on it tucked away somewhere.

3 years back, I had been to one of the trekking camps in the lower Himalayas...specifically, Manali.

 
                                            The frozen Brighu Lake.

We were to climb till Brighu Lake.  This is at an altitude of almost 14,500 feet above the sea level. Our base camp was at 10,000 feet.
En route, we had 3 stop overs where we had the option to quit. 
At the 3rd point, I had almost quit. It was not easy at all.
A gentle prod from a unknown person, who was our guide was all it required to get me going.

There were times when I was crawling on all fours through the snow, just to keep my balance. A time when I slid half way through a mountain slope and had to be pushed back all the way up. Times when I refused to let go of the hands of boys who were in front of me.

The feeling when I reached the summit? Priceless!    



                                                 Me....feeling on top of the world.

ARPORA.

 

The one dream destination in India that every one would want to visit - whether they are Indians or people from abroad, is - Goa.

There have been many tourists who have visited Goa, fell in love with the place and have made it their home.

Inspite of buzzing with tourists, the place is quite quiet and serene. 

The midnight flea markets of Anjuna and Arpora, is much talked about.

The Arpora Saturday midnight market is a visual and sensual treat. From fabrics to booze, live music and worldwide cuisine,

art and artifact and people...you have it all.

 

The place is a confluence of various cultures from through out the world.

Tarrot reading, crystal grazing, gypsies, hippies and desi hawkers, who give a damn to Indian tourists, the place is so vibrant that one night is not enough for the experience.

If you ever plan to trip to Goa...do include Arpora in your itinerary.

For-

A-to-Z Challenge .