Long time!

Hello my blog!

Happy New Year!
I know I’ve been away a long time…no excuses…I just didn’t have anything to write.

The last month was very uneventful, in the sense that I went to office for 21 days out of 31. The rest were weekends when I usually slept or met up friends. The last 2 days are worth a mention. They were fun for we went to Bhimtaal and Nainital for the New Year. And it was the first trip outside for our digital camera too. That meant a lot of clicking, mostly silly pics and some really sexy ones!

The best thing about a digital camera in your hand is that you can click a picture as soon as you see something worth a capture. And I made full use of it…

For example…




I’m sure that’s enough examples for you to appreciate my photography skills. : )

Geeee…thanks! :D

Moving on, the recent kidnap and rape in Noida has freaked me out completely! I have started leaving office not later than 6:30 every evening since then. I can’t believe the atrocious crimes committed right in our neighborhoods. It has had a bad effect on me. Even while driving, I fear overtaking someone rashly, just so he doesn’t get angry or offended and do something…because face the fact…when a car or bikes full of guys surround a girl, there is little she can do…even if she believes in women empowerment and their right to roam about freely and fearlessly etc etc. I have to admit I’m scared…and so are a lot of other girls like me.

Anyway…don’t really have much on cards…except a lot of expenditure…promised my sis that I’ll buy her an IPod for her birthday.

ME AND MY BIG MOUTH!! : ((

My black birthday

25^th November, I was drafting my post birthday blog post already…leaving spaces for pictures of my yet-to-be-received gifts. Like every year, I had all the plans to make my birthday last for +- 3 days. At 11:30 pm on the 26^th, a friend from Mumbai called to wish me. During our usual chat I happened to ask how was Mumbai treating her. 3 more sentences were exchanged and my birthday was over for me half n hour before it actually did. Suddenly the celebration seemed so out of place against the horrors of terrorism in Mumbai.

Next morning when I opened the post, I simply Shift+Deleted it. And I haven’t been able to write anything since, which explains my almost 20 day absence. Even now it discomforts me to talk about it. But this morning I read a line quoted by a Rwanda refugee – “When we are haunted by painful memories, it is important to talk about them and share them so that the process of healing can take over…”, though I doubt anything can ever heal or repair the losses of the people who fell prey to the fanatic idiots.

Yes, life goes on. And the spirit of Mumbai, the spirit of an Indian cannot be marred by the inhuman actions of a few people who are not even worth an abuse. But it’s high time we stop tolerating it in the name of our spirit and it’s good that people have realized it. No one has a control over what his/her future has in store…but if we work for it…we can surely make it better, can surely add a healing touch…

As for my birthday, I don't know if i'll look forward to it the way I do ever again. I feel extremely sorry that it became a lifelong scar for so many of my countrymen. 

My black birthday.

 

My moment to be proud!

As I entered the ground with Dad I saw a huge stage, the biggest I have seen till date. When I had seen it from the road I take to office everyday, I had mistaken it for a huge metro crane. Now I knew what it was. It was a Guinness Book of World Records event in the making.

Bramhanaad, an initiative by the Art of Living Foundation to raise relief funds for the Bihar flood victims was an event of great beauty and serenity. For the first time, 1200 Sitarists had been brought together and made to perform collectively. Watching 2000 musicians assembled on a single stage was a sight in its own.

The stage, in Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia’s words, looked like a sea of instruments and ‘Surs’, beautifully lit and majestic.

Hoards of people had assembled, to meet their spiritual master Jagadguru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji.

We, though, had gone there for a different reason. My little cousin was one of the Sitarists on the stage. I am not a believer/follower or Gurudev as they affectionately call him. But with all respect to him, I do admire him to have influenced such a large number of people all over the country for good.

So, even as he was speaking, I was busy looking at my cousin, Saarthak, fidgeting with his clothes and becoming restless, obviously not interested in the spiritual talk. Every 2 seconds he would look towards the big screen covering the event live right behind him to see if he is there on it or not. : )

He was the youngest Sitarist among all of them. He is 9 and has been learning Sitar since 4 and half years already. And before I forget to mention, he is my darling!

That's him!

Various speeches by different people took some time to finish. All this while I was wondering if Saarthak will be able to match to these experienced people who have been playing the instrument for I don’t know how many years. But when the first symphony was announced, he confidently picked up his Sitar, tuned it and started playing with such finesse that I was amazed. He knew exactly when he had to stop, when to start, when to play what, which by my standards is a lot for a 9 year old, especially when he is playing with all sorts of people, novice and hell experienced!

And I was so proud….I just felt like going to the stage and hug him, tell everyone that he is my little brother. : )

 See...

The symphonies were beautiful. Apart from Saarthak, if I paid any attention to anyone on the stage, it was this lead musician playing the flute. Only if I could play like him! He was simply out of this world!

There is one thing that Gurudev said and I totally agree with him. He said that there should be at least one child in the family learning classical music. And he is so right. Classical music touches the heart and nothing can match its flavor.

I’m so proud of you Saarthak!

Dying to be born!!

My birthday is just a week away and I am super excited!!

I have been waiting for it for 2 months, counting each day…yeah I know that sounds obsessive but I have been like that about my birthdays since the time I was old enough to figure out that it’s November…my birthday month!

People always ask me what I want for my birthday, and I am never able to come up with anything. I just like surprises…love them! And I love the attention I get on my birthday. It’s my day…only mine!!

Ok, when I sat writing this post…I was going to make a wish list of what I want on my birthday. But as usual…I am not able to think of anything...I guess its going to be surprises again :)

Whatever…

My Birthday is coming…yippeeee doooodllleee!!!!