My bag is stuffed beneath my seat. It's a big bag mind you. My legs are bent and resting on the bag..I'm sitting next to a guy I just met at the Chandigarh bus station. And he's possibly the reason I'm feeling ok...in the first place!
After a shoot in Patiala for CNN IBN, I'd decided to head to Kumarsain (about 80 kms) from simla where my mum's family is. While the notion of going to the hills might be romantic, the road that leads there definitely isn't! And if the dusty roads weren't an issue, the state transport buses hit you in the ass like a fucking hard baseball bat! The pain in my ass at the moment, was the himachal transport bus that I had boarded in Chandigarh.
It was probably my state of complete confusion, the lost look on my face, of just the sheer desperation in trying to find an easy way to reach simla from chandigarh..that probably let Jitendra to encourage the conversation i'd first begun. Long story short, after wondering if we should take a cab for 1500 as opposed to a bus for 100 a passenger...the vote was clear. Now we were sitting on the second row behind the driver with the sign "you can do online BOKING" with us. As they say, if you stare at something long enough..you think its right...and i'm really beginning to wonder if the word booking has two o's..or is it indeed boking!?
The guy was as cool as they get. He was on his way to attend a course in simla he knew nothing about. He didn't know how many days it would last, or what it would teach him...he didn't even know where exactly it was in simla...what he knew though...that he was on his way! Adventurous... you bet!
After discussion finances and interesting ways to make money and sharing our ideas on entrepreneurship vs being an employee...our chat had strayed into the area of ghosts, god and of course personal experiences. My stories always get juicer with every narration. I expect that others embellish theirs as well.
Our man began telling me all about aghoras that are these tantrics who do strange things to break from the cycle and death and birth. Our chat continued despite men furiously digging their noses. Bumps that i feel now, but i didnt...then. And ofcourse even as we passed places called fagu and matiana (which i would ordinarily laugh at) and amusingly enough a place called nanni..when i was on my way to see my..naani ;)
It's easy to make friends of course.. through the course of this journey, we'd both trusted each other with our luggage and wandered off several times...and at the end of it all..really we were n no hurry to reach because the chat about Aghoras wasn't over. Well we did. And now i can't wait to pick up the book. I like the idea of travelling with a friend. The trick though..if you don't start your journey with one...make sure you at least finish with one.
P!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Marry a Tree?!!
Unfortunately we're at that ripe age where our parents seem most excited about the proposition of getting rid of us. The Hindu tradition, out of sheer politeness, calls it marriage. While some of my friend's parents have managed to shoo their kids away to another home...some others...are relentlessly trying!
I was chatting with a dear old friend of mine..who's parents are hell bent on finding her a match. Ofcourse...they have to find a whole other set of parents who'll be willing to take a bride...who's already married...and to make matters worse...to a tree! She's Manglik ofcourse.
Yes, I know Aishwarya Rai comes to mind because she had to marry a peepal tree...before she became the Bachchan bahu. But isn't she Mrs Peepal first!!?
Here our some questions we came up with..in this conversations about trees, peepal, people and ofcourse strange peepal people.
1) Why a tree?
2) Why a peepal tree?
3) Does the marriage stand 'null and void' in law, if the tree is not peepal?
4) Who was the smart ass who said...any other tree is just not good enough!
5) Doesnt a peepal tree in Hindu philosophy denote a Saadhu..who is NOT SUPPOSED TO MARRY TO BEGIN WITH!
6) What happens if the tree you're marrying is already married to someone else?!
7) How come its always the girl who has gotta do this?
8) How come no other religion has mangliks.. or do they call it something else and marry people off to canisters, garbage cans, coconuts, sheep, crabs and toilet bowls?!
9) A marriage stands to be annulled if not consummated right...? Do they expect you to 'do it' with a tree while your human husband- to -be watches and waits his turn!!!!
10) I'm sure you have a question or two!!
P!
Friday, January 2, 2009
New year hooplah!
Some tibetan food, some choco chip ice cream. A few hugs exchanged ...and it was new year already!
It seemed a trifle low key compared to the past few years of doing live links on new years eve.... but it wasn't bad. The lack of traffic, I liked. The lack of enthusiasm, I could've done without.
I'm not sure what it is about a new year thats so easy to write off as "just another day" and yet so hard to really treat as...you know, just another day!
All the cliches.... what-you-do-today-is-what-you-will-do-the-whole-year....for instance, I fall right into them..every year!
So, I don't fight with anyone on the 1st, I workout (fitness all year sounds good), I usually pray for a bit...and oh yes I always try and be happy (it is the new year afterall....yippie yay!)
I started my new year this time...waking up with three of my close friends. Quickly passing them all some breath spray. Going out for an uddipi breakfast...(we realised later that NONE of us had gone to the loo!) and the first "acitivity" we did in the new year was...hold your breath- shopping.
I was told there was some sort of handicrafts exhibition that was on at powai....and soon enough we were all driving there. Not that we needed anything really, but when has that ever stopped anyone from spending money on things you don't need, wont use!
Some bed spreads (now i know they're different from bed sheets!), a neti pot, some glass thingees, a lamp, some churan golis, cushion covers....when i finally got back home with all the bags...i really couldn't help but wonder...WHERE THE FUCK AM I GOING TO PUT ALL THIS STUFF!
Here's my question though..
am i going to spend the entire year.....
a) spending money?
b) doing things that are just giving me some sort of joy..
c) just breezing past a crowded bazaar (and im really going in for metaphor here!) and smile my way past people i meet and stop at the right one's who reeeally have something to offer
P!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Move over!
When do you finally say "this person is NOT welcome in my life anymore?"
I have so many friends really. I pride myself on my ability to meet random people, connect with people instantly and make friends. There's nothing like just bumping into a total stranger and discovering so much about people you may otherwise have just passed by.
I must confess, i even considered a project where I'd make it a point to meet one new person each day and the idea wasn't simply to learn about them..but was also to learn FROM them...and there's enough stuff to go around..learning wise!
Stage 2: You begin to value people. They become a part of your life. They add themselves, with your consent of course, to the people who already exist in your world...some you're born with...some ,you gather on your way...and some people..who become your pillars of support.
I've had my share of falling out with friends to know that one thing doesn't change. You always need someone to fall back on. You always, in other words, need support. Your pillars, however, change from time to time. And you begin to do without the old...and immerse yourself, strengthen your self with your new.
When do you say ..enough is enough? At what point do things like 'meeting mid-way', or 'compromising' become so overwhelming that you have to really ask yourself...is this person really worth it? Brother, sister, girl friend, boy friend, husband , wife, father.......... no matter what the relationship... if someone doesn't make you feel good about who you are...something isn't right!
I'm all for criticism really. It's often only your closest who have the key to your heart. The right to put you on a pedestal and the right to bring you back to earth. And then there are those...who seem to consistently bring you down. Pull you apart..and begin to make YOU question your self worth. THAT is what I've learnt to be weary of!
How long is too long...to give it a fair chance. And at what point can you really, honestly...turn back and say.... i think i've given it my best shot..now, it's really not worth it!?
p!
I have so many friends really. I pride myself on my ability to meet random people, connect with people instantly and make friends. There's nothing like just bumping into a total stranger and discovering so much about people you may otherwise have just passed by.
I must confess, i even considered a project where I'd make it a point to meet one new person each day and the idea wasn't simply to learn about them..but was also to learn FROM them...and there's enough stuff to go around..learning wise!
Stage 2: You begin to value people. They become a part of your life. They add themselves, with your consent of course, to the people who already exist in your world...some you're born with...some ,you gather on your way...and some people..who become your pillars of support.
I've had my share of falling out with friends to know that one thing doesn't change. You always need someone to fall back on. You always, in other words, need support. Your pillars, however, change from time to time. And you begin to do without the old...and immerse yourself, strengthen your self with your new.
When do you say ..enough is enough? At what point do things like 'meeting mid-way', or 'compromising' become so overwhelming that you have to really ask yourself...is this person really worth it? Brother, sister, girl friend, boy friend, husband , wife, father.......... no matter what the relationship... if someone doesn't make you feel good about who you are...something isn't right!
I'm all for criticism really. It's often only your closest who have the key to your heart. The right to put you on a pedestal and the right to bring you back to earth. And then there are those...who seem to consistently bring you down. Pull you apart..and begin to make YOU question your self worth. THAT is what I've learnt to be weary of!
How long is too long...to give it a fair chance. And at what point can you really, honestly...turn back and say.... i think i've given it my best shot..now, it's really not worth it!?
p!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Swing it!
So, I swung the other way! And I have to say I'm liking the change! It means feeling up a whole new set of things with different fingers..but I'm liking the feel of it so far. The Macbook, as I've now discovered...is better than sex. (ok not really, but you get the drift)
Back to my new operating system and the glowing apple...that i must confess, i hold in front of the mirror from time to time. I'm not sure how, but i think i look very cool (or cooler, shall i say?) with the mac in hand. It's the kind of strange thing most of us do at a shoe store. You try on a pair of new shoes and look at your face in the mirror...as if new soles are going to change your face!
It's really not as complicated as most had me believe. And if you're a google addict like me, you'll find yourself keying in the words "must have programs + mac" faster than you can imagine!
I've discovered you scroll down with two fingers. The Spaces, application is great. I have to download Adium (which combines msn, yahoo, gtalk altogether, stroke of genius really) and the vlc player..because quicktime really isn't very accommodating. I remain slightly in the dark about the substitute for bitlord, my torrent friend that's given me so much stuff to hear and watch over the years. And I'm fondly reminiscing about the days when real player thoughtfully downloaded any youtube video i was planning to watch. I'm sure there's a way to do it on the mac..I'm yet to figure how!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Oral Action!
I'd heard about people who put these things off for way too long and then kick themselves for doing it. I was going to do no such thing with regards to my teeth. So, as soon as I dug out the filling from my tooth, I began the hunt for a "good dentist" around my place, and that lead me straight to Dr Mathai, who's logo is a very happy looking tooth. Now now, how could i ever resist that!
So what to me, seemed initially like a simple job to fill the cavity...has now turned out into a root canal, a tooth extraction (surgical, mind you!) and some other process that led me to a very strange looking x-ray station that made me look into the mirror with a strange thing stuck in my mouth and a machine vigorously rotating around me. And in that precarious position I couldn't help but think.....'what if i sneeze now!'.
Well, I didn't sneeze. Phew! My dentist is a sweet girl called Fredella who is accompanied by a dental assistant called Pravin who perpetually ( and I mean perpetually!) talks about going on vacation. I've been going there for about 3 weeks...and he still hasn't left!
Anyway, to be honest...I was petrified when I heard the words ROOT CANAL come out of Fredella's mouth. And while her constant "oh, it's not painful at all" did help me keep my calm externally, on the insides...I was, as they say, shitting bricks.....by the truck loads.
After having looked deeply into Fre's eyes for comfort over the last four sessions I can honestly say, this root canal thing has been demonised for no apparent reason. On the bright side, at Dr. Mathai's I also found a friend that I just can't see my self being able to live through this experience without.... the local anaesthetic! Sure, Fre tells me that I am one of the few who look forward to getting injected in the mouth...but THAT I can bear. Because that uncomfortable 5 second injection makes sure the next hour is painless....as opposed to sitting there..singing a song in my head (mostly embarrassing ones!) and then being rudely interrupted by a pain that i probably wouldn't be expecting!
The Root canal, from what I've been told, will be over in another sitting. Dr Mathai removed my wisdom tooth that seems to have had a mind of its own. And in its rebellion it decided to come out perpendicular to all of its brother and sisters (maybe they're cousins, who knows?!). I've been told my gum was cut to get this miscreant out...and the process of pulling the tooth itself out was no different that pulling out a nail...when its clearly in the wrong place in the wall! Only I do that with a Pliers, Dr. Mathai had slightly (if not funkier) instruments...and the spit sucker had decided to give up on us all. So poor Fre was stuck at the mercy of the spit sucker (from now affectionately called SS)..and at one point, the spit mixed with blood .. all spilled on my face and i was at Fre's mercy to be cleaned! See, Dignity has very little room in a dentists chair. You're sitting in the damn thing with your mouth so wide that an obese man could walk straight in without thinking about weather or not he'll fit! And no matter how much you try and hide, your years of decay....those nights when you sneaked to the refrigerator to finish off that bar of chocolate (and didn't brush after, like obviously...duh!) are staring in your dentists face! So like I said, you have to have really good oral hygiene..to maintain even the slightest bit of self esteem when you're at a dentist's...
On the bright side, the hard part is over. My tooth is now resting in my living room next to the jar of pot pouri....while i figure a more permanent place worthy of the tooth and it's calcium.
Until then, if my maid doesn't brush it off with the jhadu...it will love there. While the others (again, are they cousins?) play around in my mouth...grinding, chewing, unfortunately still decaying....!
As for what I'm going to do with this... fuck knows!
If you have a suggestion...OTHER THAN WEARING IT AROUND MY NECK....plz do tell!
P!
So what to me, seemed initially like a simple job to fill the cavity...has now turned out into a root canal, a tooth extraction (surgical, mind you!) and some other process that led me to a very strange looking x-ray station that made me look into the mirror with a strange thing stuck in my mouth and a machine vigorously rotating around me. And in that precarious position I couldn't help but think.....'what if i sneeze now!'.
Well, I didn't sneeze. Phew! My dentist is a sweet girl called Fredella who is accompanied by a dental assistant called Pravin who perpetually ( and I mean perpetually!) talks about going on vacation. I've been going there for about 3 weeks...and he still hasn't left!
Anyway, to be honest...I was petrified when I heard the words ROOT CANAL come out of Fredella's mouth. And while her constant "oh, it's not painful at all" did help me keep my calm externally, on the insides...I was, as they say, shitting bricks.....by the truck loads.
After having looked deeply into Fre's eyes for comfort over the last four sessions I can honestly say, this root canal thing has been demonised for no apparent reason. On the bright side, at Dr. Mathai's I also found a friend that I just can't see my self being able to live through this experience without.... the local anaesthetic! Sure, Fre tells me that I am one of the few who look forward to getting injected in the mouth...but THAT I can bear. Because that uncomfortable 5 second injection makes sure the next hour is painless....as opposed to sitting there..singing a song in my head (mostly embarrassing ones!) and then being rudely interrupted by a pain that i probably wouldn't be expecting!
The Root canal, from what I've been told, will be over in another sitting. Dr Mathai removed my wisdom tooth that seems to have had a mind of its own. And in its rebellion it decided to come out perpendicular to all of its brother and sisters (maybe they're cousins, who knows?!). I've been told my gum was cut to get this miscreant out...and the process of pulling the tooth itself out was no different that pulling out a nail...when its clearly in the wrong place in the wall! Only I do that with a Pliers, Dr. Mathai had slightly (if not funkier) instruments...and the spit sucker had decided to give up on us all. So poor Fre was stuck at the mercy of the spit sucker (from now affectionately called SS)..and at one point, the spit mixed with blood .. all spilled on my face and i was at Fre's mercy to be cleaned! See, Dignity has very little room in a dentists chair. You're sitting in the damn thing with your mouth so wide that an obese man could walk straight in without thinking about weather or not he'll fit! And no matter how much you try and hide, your years of decay....those nights when you sneaked to the refrigerator to finish off that bar of chocolate (and didn't brush after, like obviously...duh!) are staring in your dentists face! So like I said, you have to have really good oral hygiene..to maintain even the slightest bit of self esteem when you're at a dentist's...
On the bright side, the hard part is over. My tooth is now resting in my living room next to the jar of pot pouri....while i figure a more permanent place worthy of the tooth and it's calcium.
Until then, if my maid doesn't brush it off with the jhadu...it will love there. While the others (again, are they cousins?) play around in my mouth...grinding, chewing, unfortunately still decaying....!
As for what I'm going to do with this... fuck knows!
If you have a suggestion...OTHER THAN WEARING IT AROUND MY NECK....plz do tell!
P!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Swimming + Music = Excited Paras!
It hardly sounds complicated....but I always wondered, what it would feel like to listen to music while I swam. If they can make underwater watches, underwater lights, underwater cameras and what not...was I the only genius who'd been thinking on the lines of underwater music players? Aah! Clearly, no one was as smart as I!
That bubble burst as soon as I logged into my trusted google.com and keyed in "underwater music player". After google instantly corrected my spelling and suggested i try underwater as opposed to underwtr, we were in business.
Turns out these things are called "waterproof" mp3 players, and there's something called swimp3, which I think is a cool name and all, and it retails for about $229 with a space of 256 mb (cheee, too little). Upon further googling, I realised Speedo, my trusted crotch hugging brand also makes these....and sells them for a lot more than the trunks that only look good on models. (I think the brand easily forgets that not everyone who wears these is a Daniel Craig lookalike! I have loads of fat hippos who waddle in my pool to testify). Anywho, Speedo's version of the same thing is called Aquabeat (1 gb. $ 140)
Of course, you can always buy something called h20, which true to its name, is indeed h20 friendly, or so claim the guys at h20audio.com. Their claim- put this shit on your ipod and swim like its your birthday and nothing will go wrong. I'm sure nothing will. If it does....tough luck!
Anyway, I didn't have to order through ebay or wait for a friend to visit the states, instead I found what I was looking for while trespassing Fun republic (as usual). I was to meet a producer and get a ride till lower parel and while I whiled away time, a beautiful blond looked so happy listening to music, while her legs flapped behind her in the pool that i couldn't help but go closer to the window that had this package. Sure enough, it said "waterproof mp3 player". 3 days later, that blond was smiling in one corner of my room after being home delivered in exchange for 3 grand (2 gb space) , her picture fluttering moments before that box was chucked for good and I, in one triumphant moment, put on the ear pieces and enjoyed my underwater mp3 player...in complete dryness!
See, the pool opens at 5 pm. This was at about 12.30 at noon, and if you thought I had the patience to wait about four hours, you might as well think Hillary is winning the white house! I quickly strapped on the player, put on the smile (the blond may have inspired me) and an aroma therapy shower gel, music and an oddly exciting mood got me all worked up...and yes, the player worked... even when it was in the water!
I was at the pool as soon as it opened. Everyone, and i mean, Everyone was looking at me and (more importantly!) my new gadget ....and I was being as nonchalant as possible. (how uncool to smile and wave and do the 'yes I'm listening to music while i swim' dance), although that's exactly what I would've done...or at least wanted to do!
Anyway, the looks haven't stopped. A few people have asked me about the player..and I've made a few friends thanks to it. I realised on day 1 though, that you couldn't do vigorous swimming because the ear phones tend to slip out of the ear. But the swim cap holds them in place. Is it fun? Oh yes! I tend to swim for about an hour, hour an a half without realising how long its been.
I would've been enjoying the pool and the player right now, but my waterproof mp3 player, after four glorious swims decided this was all too good to be true and gave up on me. The guy at Asian sky shop says he will gimme a new piece....although something tells me I might see a lot more of him.
As for the experience, Sure, it gets you wet! ;)
P!
That bubble burst as soon as I logged into my trusted google.com and keyed in "underwater music player". After google instantly corrected my spelling and suggested i try underwater as opposed to underwtr, we were in business.
Turns out these things are called "waterproof" mp3 players, and there's something called swimp3, which I think is a cool name and all, and it retails for about $229 with a space of 256 mb (cheee, too little). Upon further googling, I realised Speedo, my trusted crotch hugging brand also makes these....and sells them for a lot more than the trunks that only look good on models. (I think the brand easily forgets that not everyone who wears these is a Daniel Craig lookalike! I have loads of fat hippos who waddle in my pool to testify). Anywho, Speedo's version of the same thing is called Aquabeat (1 gb. $ 140)
Of course, you can always buy something called h20, which true to its name, is indeed h20 friendly, or so claim the guys at h20audio.com. Their claim- put this shit on your ipod and swim like its your birthday and nothing will go wrong. I'm sure nothing will. If it does....tough luck!
Anyway, I didn't have to order through ebay or wait for a friend to visit the states, instead I found what I was looking for while trespassing Fun republic (as usual). I was to meet a producer and get a ride till lower parel and while I whiled away time, a beautiful blond looked so happy listening to music, while her legs flapped behind her in the pool that i couldn't help but go closer to the window that had this package. Sure enough, it said "waterproof mp3 player". 3 days later, that blond was smiling in one corner of my room after being home delivered in exchange for 3 grand (2 gb space) , her picture fluttering moments before that box was chucked for good and I, in one triumphant moment, put on the ear pieces and enjoyed my underwater mp3 player...in complete dryness!
See, the pool opens at 5 pm. This was at about 12.30 at noon, and if you thought I had the patience to wait about four hours, you might as well think Hillary is winning the white house! I quickly strapped on the player, put on the smile (the blond may have inspired me) and an aroma therapy shower gel, music and an oddly exciting mood got me all worked up...and yes, the player worked... even when it was in the water!
I was at the pool as soon as it opened. Everyone, and i mean, Everyone was looking at me and (more importantly!) my new gadget ....and I was being as nonchalant as possible. (how uncool to smile and wave and do the 'yes I'm listening to music while i swim' dance), although that's exactly what I would've done...or at least wanted to do!
Anyway, the looks haven't stopped. A few people have asked me about the player..and I've made a few friends thanks to it. I realised on day 1 though, that you couldn't do vigorous swimming because the ear phones tend to slip out of the ear. But the swim cap holds them in place. Is it fun? Oh yes! I tend to swim for about an hour, hour an a half without realising how long its been.
I would've been enjoying the pool and the player right now, but my waterproof mp3 player, after four glorious swims decided this was all too good to be true and gave up on me. The guy at Asian sky shop says he will gimme a new piece....although something tells me I might see a lot more of him.
As for the experience, Sure, it gets you wet! ;)
P!
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