A Happy Diwali after all!!

It was indeed a Happy Diwali... I was home for Diwali after 4 long years... and it was awesome...
The warmth, joy, colors, sounds, sights were all there which made this Diwali perfect...

Hope you all had a great Diwali... Wish you a wonderful year ahead...

CWG 2010 - its bigger and better!!

Today I felt really proud to be an Indian, that too one born in Delhi. The city had been ready to put up a great show... and wot a spectacular show it was...
We managed to put behind all nightmarish scandals, allegations, missed deadlines and came up with a vibrant, glitzy and dazzling opening ceremony, one like never before...
It was rightly said that it would be like a Punjabi wedding... all that could be seen was pomp and splendour... it was glamorous to the hilt!!

The highlights of the evening were:
Rhythms of India - The announcement was made with Indian drums and nagadas (instruments from all over India)... the resonating energy was amazing and full of energy, as was the countdown which led to the fireworks. As the aerostat rose, so did the tempo of the music...

The aerostat - the sight to behold was the huge helium balloon which rose to greet the spectators, with colorful puppets dangling from it. (whether its really worth 40 crores is a good question?)

Swagatham - Along side vocals by Hariharan, school children did a spectacular display of Namaste (folded palms in greeting)...the best part of the act was when the children created a Mehendi pattern on a fabric pulled up over their heads... very creative and visually appealing!!

Arrival of contingents - Then it was the time to welcome all the contingents... all the guests were greeted with warmth and gusto by the Indian crowd... especially Pakistan (well done Indians, we still encourage peace)... and Singapore (guess that was due to easy visa and cheap flight tickets)... But the stadium was reverbrating with noise as the Indian contingent, headed by Abhinav Bindra, arrived at the end... looking dapper in Sherwanis and suits, the 619-member contingent was met with constant applause and Jai Hind slogans...
Also to notice was that each contingent was led by a lady draped in a saree and we had a total of 71 different sarees, draped in 71 different styles from all over India... now thats fashion for u!!

Baton relay - the baton passed between the hands of Vijendar Singh, Mary Kom, Samresh Jung and Susheel Kumar before finally reaching the Prince of Wales... I just wish Susheel Kumar was not chewing gum when he passed on the baton to Prince Charles...
Let the games begin - Then the games were announced open by Prince Charles and Pratibha Patil...

Tree of Knowledge - Thereafter it was another hour of spectacular display starting with the Tree of Knowledge forming slowly beneath the suspended aerostat with panels of fabrics rising to it... we had a display of all the classical dance forms of India... followed by a display of "Yoga" by about 816 performers, culminated by a larger than life shape of a man in padmasana emerging from the centre of the stage... it was picture perfect!!

Great Indian Journey - The intricacies depicted in the train journey were quite interesting right from coolies, beggars, chai-wallahs et all... It is difficult indeed to showcase India's rich cultural heritage in span of 15 minutes, but it was total chaos if you put folk artists, props, tableaus all at once, depicting the landscape, culture and traditions of 28 states and 7 UTs... It was pretty colourful for sure, but after a while it became difficult to follow what was happening. Till now we had been saved from Bollywood intervention, but one tableau was dedicated to a few big screen superstars... Also I guess Railways and Chaiyya chaiyya are inseparable...

History n tradition - there was also a segment where homage was paid to Mahatma Gandhi... the sand animation was worth watching... Next up were the folk dancers from all over India... It not only showcased India's rich folk culture but also highlighted the amount of effort these performers had put in to put up such a great show... Wish the media had been kind enough to highlight this during the follow up to the games...

Infact the India media has come off as the villain along with Kalmadi... The media has been really busy trying to feature stories on delays and glitches as Kalmadi has been busy raking in the dough... And he was rightly jeered at during his speech...
Anyways, the opening ceremony ended with ARR's rendition of the CWG Anthem - "Jiyo, Utho, Badho, Jeeto"... its not his best composition, but he was clever enough to follow it with "Jai Ho"... and it all ended with another round of fireworks!!

I am sure after today's sensational opening ceremony, London and Glasgow have tougher tasks at hand...

The games have begin in India and the world is watching... Welcome to India. Welcome to the Games...

शायद ज़िन्दगी बदल रही है...

I got this wonderful forward... Quite soul-stirring...

जब मैं छोटा था, शायद दुनिया बहुत बड़ी हुआ करती थी...
मुझे याद है मेरे घर से "स्कूल" तक का वोह रास्ता, क्या क्या नहीं था वहां, चाट के ठेले, जलेबी की दूकान, बर्फ केगोले, सब कुछ,
अब वहां "मोबाइल शॉप", "विडियो पार्लर" है, फिर भी सब सूना है...
शायद अब दुनिया सिमट रही है...

जब मैं छोटा था, शायद शामे बहुत लम्बी हुआ करती थी...
मैं हाथ में पतंग की डोर पकडे, घंटो उड़ा करता था , वो लम्बी "साइकिल रेस", वो बचपन के खेल, वो हर शाम थकके चूर हो जाना,
अब शाम नहीं होती, दिन ढलता है और सीधे रात हो जाती है...
शायद वक्त सिमट रहा है...


जब मैं छोटा था, शायद दोस्ती बहुत गहरी हुआ करती थी...
दिन भर वो हुज़ोम बनाकर खेलना, वो दोस्तों के घर का खाना, लड़कियों की बातें, वो साथ रोना, अब भी मेरे कईदोस्त है,
पर दोस्ती जाने कहाँ है, जब भी "त्रफ्फिक सिग्नल" पे मिलते है "हाई" करते है, और अपने अपने रस्ते चल देते है,
होली, दिवाली, जन्मदिन, नए साल पर बस SMS आ जाते है...
शायद अब रिश्ते बदल रहे है...

जब मैं छोटा था, तब खेल भी अजीब हुआ करते थे,
छुपन छुपाई, लंगड़ी टांग, पोषम पा, कट थे केक, टिपि टिपि टाप,
अब इन्टरनेट, ऑफिस, फिल्म्स से फुरसत हई नहीं मिलती...
शायद ज़िन्दगी बदल रही है...

ज़िन्दगी का सबसे बड़ा सच यही है... जो अक्सर कबरिस्तान के बहार बोर्ड पर लिखा होता है,
"मंजिल तो यही थी, बस ज़िन्दगी गुज़र गयी मेरे यहाँ आते आते"...

ज़िन्दगी का लम्हा बहुत छोटा सा है,
कल की कोई बुनियाद नहीं है...
और आने वाला कल सिर्फ सपने में ही है...
अब बच गए इस पल में...
तमन्नाओं से भरी इस ज़िन्दगी में हम सिर्फ भाग रहे है...
इस ज़िन्दगी तो जीयो ना की काटो...

Don't just spend your life... Live it!!!

For all my Frenz... Thanks for being there...

Oh what joy it is
to have a friend like you,
For giving me strength
the way you do...

For lifting me up
when I am feeling down,
And putting a smile on my face
when I am wearing a frown...

Thanks for being there
and helping me grow,
Your friendship mean a lot
this I'd like you to know...

Thanks for being such a wonderful friend...

If...

Saw this interesting post here...
So taking it up... :)

If I were a month, I’d be May...

If I were a day of the week, I’d be Monday...

If I were a time of day, I’d be 10 PM...

If I were a season, I’d be spring...

If I were a planet, I’d be Venus...

If I were a sea animal, I’d be a dolphin...

If I were a direction, I’d be East...

If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a beanbag... :)

If I were a liquid, I’d be iced tea...

If I were a tree, I’d be a Gulmohar tree...

If I were a tool, I’d be a knife...

If I were an element, I’d be gold...

If I were a gemstone, I’d be diamond...

If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a guitar...

If I were a color, i’d be pink...

If I were an emotion, I’d be happiness...

If I were a fruit, I’d be an Mango...

If I were a sound, I’d be the sound of falling raindrops...

If I were a car, I’d be an Ferrari...

If I were food, I’d be a chocolate...

If I were a taste, I’d be tangy...

If I were a scent, I’d be citrus...

If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be stiletto...

If I were a bird, I’d be a cuckoo...

And last but not the least, if I were you, I’d take it up too!

The year that was...

This is a really overdue post.. Had thought of posting this around Christmas, but the unexpected end to last year and a busy start to this year has delayed this.. Anyways better late than never...

2009 has been a good year...

Started on a wonderful note with frenz in Singapore... India vacation in cold January... Shifting... new frenz... the night outs...the movie going experiences... the numerous trips to Malaysia... the amazing b'day bash... Mom dad's Singapore visit... relocating back to India... teary adieus... hearty welcomes... celebrating Durga Puja @ home after a long time... barely settling in Noida before moving to Chennai... feeling alienated in India... spending Diwali alone... more frenz... learning (more like trying to learn) Tamil... trip to Pondy... meeting an old friend in Hyderabad... Missing winters (again)... and ended wonderfully with me spending Christmas/New Year at home in Chandigarh in freezing conditions...

Has been quite a roller coaster year.. felt as if I have been living out of a suitcase... Hoping the new year is as exciting as the last... :) .. or even better... :))

Trivia for 2009

• Got hooked big time to Facebook...
• Crappiest year ever for bollywood... 3 idiots was the saving grace... maybe it felt more crappy as I went to the theatres so much...
• Learnt to play tennis...
• Tried to learn a new language... (m still struggling)...
• Made lots of friends... some life time types... :D
• Reignited my love for sea beaches...
• Did snorkelling for the first time...n second...
• Realised one should shop in moderation... not actually put this into practice yet... :)
• Honed up my culinary skills...
• Took out more time to read... best read this year was "Eat, pray, love" by Elizabeth Gilbert... hope the upcoming movie does justice to the book...

All in all a good year...

Since I could not do justice to my resolutions, so not making any this year... :P

Aim for 2010 - to be Happy... :) .. Amen!!

Wishing everyone life's best this new year... Have a wonderful year ahead!!

Reminiscences of a foodie...

Picked up this interesting tag from here

The rules:
So one has to basically list five memorable meals ever eaten: It could be anything that makes the meal memorable – the food, the place, the place you were in your life when you ate, the company, the weather, the ambience – heck, the guy who served the food!”.

Well I do have loads of food memories for sure.... So here goes...

I am sure every home has the tradition of the special sunday lunch. At our place it was usually a special non veg meal, like butter chicken or "Kosha mangsho" or maybe chicken/mutton biriyani ususally cooked by Dad, with moi as his helper (I guess that's how I developed the love for cooking!!)... This meal was more special in the winters, when we had the meal outside in the courtyard on the picnic table, basking in the sun. We also had the option of sitting under the huge beach umbrella, specially installed for the sunday Lunches.. :-D

Winter n basking in the sun also reminds me of the delicious "Sarson ka saag" n "Makki di roti"... I don't know how much saag I have devoured in my lifetime, but I am always craving for more....

Ma ke haath ka khana - Well everyone loves wot their mom makes, so I am no exception. But one of the dish I cant have enough of is "baingan ka bharta". Infact every time I used to go back home from the hostel, there were prior instructions n reminders, that there should be "baingan ka bharta" on the dinner table. That stands true even today... :-) ... Btw, my mom makes the most amazing Channa, that can put many of her Punjabi frenz to shame... OMG, my mouth is already watering!!

This is my earliest food memory n I really miss it now... My dida (nani i.e mom's mom) used to make this amazing "tetuler achaar" (Tamarind pickle) I still have images of her sitting and mixing it with her hands... Sadly neither my mom nor maasi(s) can replicate the same taste.

This one is like a food marathon. A bunch of frenz landed in Indore, to attend a friend's wedding. Indore is like a food haven. Since 3 ppl in the group were true Indoris, we got a guided tour of this fantabulous place called "Chappan", where u can taste an array of mouth watering delectables... we ate n ate n ate, till we could eat no more... all from infamous joshi ji ke dahi bhalle, poha, dahi poori, kachori, shikanjwi, bhutte ka kees, malpua... the list is too long... Highly recommended to anyone visiting Indore.

Then of course there are the memories of midnight maggi in the hostel..."to-die-for" Hot Chocolate fudge by Nirula's... the countless Iced peach tea @ Barista... the numerous cups of Cappuccino @ Starbucks... the yummy momos @ Chanakyapuri... the chinese lunches with the office gang... the late night binges @ Comesum, Nizammudin (its hard to find a 24 hr eatery)... the walk to Sahni bakery n Gopal's @ 22 no Phatak, Patiala... the gol gappas @ Krishna Chat shop... and now I am drooling!!!

I should not be going on and on... I guess I'll go and have a quick pre-midnight snack... :-D

If you happen to read this and you happen to be a food lover, go ahead and take the tag!!!

Some things should never end...

Sunset at the beach

The long drive

Happy memories...

The cup of hot steaming coffee

The box of dark chocolates

The urge to eat good food...

A good book

The funny sitcom

Quality entertainment...

The excitement before a journey

Travels to unknown destinations

Wanderlust...

Heart to heart chats with frenz

Long walks

Friendship...

India Pak cricket matches

English premier league

The will to excel...

The fav music track

Festive seasons

Celebrations of life...

Rainy days
Fragrance of flowers

The simple joys of life...

Gazing at moon-lit star studded skies

Lazy Sunny winter afternoons

The feeling of being content...

Pillow fights

Shopping sprees

Madness...

Family reunions

The comforting feeling of being with loved ones

Family Ties...

Candlelight dinners

Midnight seranades

Mushiness...

Laughing to one's hearts content

Playing pranks

Humour...

Optimism
Never-say-die attitude
Zest to live...

Prayers for a better tomorrow
Search for the silver lining in the dark cloud
Hope...

The transition of Bongs

Non bengalis kindly excuse... You might not understand the post completely.

You know you are a old generation Bong if...

(The younger generation might not associate with the following list)

• You are extremely proud of "Robi Thakur" (Rabindranath Tagore)...n Netaji.
• You will own/inherit a copy of the "Gitobitan"...maybe also a huge record player, where you can play the "Hemanta" records.


• For you, no meal is complete without "maach".
• You are proud of your fish buying skills.
• Your beverage of choice is tea (chaa)... n u will surely know wot "Makaibari" means.
• As soon as you are back from office, you crave for "Chaa" and "Muri".
• You can consume sweets as if there is no tomorrow... a bong wedding is sure to have atleast one "Rosogolla" eating competition.
  


• You refuse to believe in allopathy.
• You would have a family homeopathic doctor though.
  


• Your day is incomplete without the "adda" (more closer to idle gossip)... PNPC.. :)
• You will have a cute "daak-naam" like Khoka, Tukai, Mitthu, Babu, Pintu etc...
  
  (This one is for the Bhadrolok)
• You own atleast one monkey cap... the monstrosity which serves as a cap cum muffler when a bong leaves Kolkata for colder destinations.
• You have an eternal fixation for "Jholas"... and you will most definitely carry a "thole" while going shopping... (I think this should be promoted and we all should carry our own shopping bags - "Say no to plastic bags")

• You can talk about Football at the drop of the hat... and the team you support is more likely to be either Mohan Bagan or East Bengal n not Chelsea or Manchester United.
• You are an ardent fan and supporter of "Dada" (Saurav Ganguly).


• Your day starts with music lessons, practicing Rabindra Sangeet, after all the "Abritti" competition is just around the corner.
• You are just nuts about "jatras".
• You must definitely adore Uttam kumar and love watching Uttam-suchitra classics.


• For you, the Ambassador is a royal vehicle.


• You, most definitely, wear glasses.


• Your cosmetics include Cuticura talcum powder, Keo Karpin and Boroline.

Today's generation Bongs are a changed lot. But,

• We are still proud of Rabindranath Tagore... also Sushmita Sen.


• We still love the varities of fish/seafood... n we most definitely have a sweet tooth.


• We find Coffee to be a more stylish beverage.. thanks to the Baristas and Starbucks around.


• The first signs of cold are enough to make us rush to the nearest Allopathic doctor.


• The days of PNPC are alas gone.. now we have Facebook, Twitter n the likes.


• The "daak-naams" still exist...


• We won't be caught dead wearing a monkey cap, but we do don a layer of innerwear when subjected to colder climatic conditions.


• Jholas are passe...


• Its more cool to be a ManU fan and EPL is lot more exciting... :-)


• Bengali Rock bands rock!!!... seriously... have u heard Fossils, Bhumi, Cactus, Chondrobindu?


• We can still admire the Uttam Kumar movies... its sad that even with abundance of talent, bengali cinema is not getting its dues...


• We still have poor eyesights, thankfully no one knows coz of the contact lenses.


• The smell of Keo Karpin and Boroline still makes us nostalgic.

• We still wear Dhuti Panjabi / Taanter Sari on Ashtami...


• "Bijoya" still means "Pronaam" and "Sharodiya Shubeccha"...


• We still love Daab Chingri, Mochaar daalna, Shorshe Ilish n Kabiraaji Cutlet... (could go on and on...)

• We still love to travel.. Wanderlust...

No one can take away all the Bengali-ness from us, and that's something to be thankful for...We are proud of our heritage...
Keep the Bong Connection alive!!

P.S. This was posted by a "Probaashi" Bengali... The nuances of being the quintessential Bengali might be missing but I am a Bong at heart... :)

The festival of lights!!!

And lights it is, all around...
The celebrations are incomplete without family.. but still the mood does cheer up with all the festivities around...

After all Diwali is all about...

The endless shopping...
The traffic jams...
The search for noisiest crackers...
The mouth watering sweets...
The lip smacking savouries...
The colours of the rangoli...
The lighting of diyas...
The joy of meeting frenz n relatives...
The tinkle of fineries...
The feel...
The sounds...
The togetherness...
The festivities...

May the celebrations never end... Have a Sparkling Diwali...!!!

The "I" Tag

Picked this tag from here

I am : a chatterbox :-)

I think : i should stop thinking/worrying so much...

I know : worrying gets me nowhere...

I want : to be happy always...

I have : a wardrobe overflowing with clothes, handbags, shoes, accessories... :-P

I wish : my entire wish list comes true :-P

I hate : packing n shifting (have been doing too much of that the last 2 years).. also waiting for people...

I miss : my family

I fear : being alone

I hear : and adhere to words of wisdom from only a set of ppl.. rest i choose to ignore...

I smell : everything really.. hv a pretty decent sense of smell... :-)

I crave : for coffee... and dark chocolates.. :-)

I search : always on google... :-)

I wonder : how perfectly lovely it would have been to have studied in Malory towers or St. Clares... :-)

I regret : not keeping in touch with so many people...

I love : shopping.. :-D

I ache : when good friends somehow drift away...

I was not : up last night watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. back to back... :-P

I am not : lazy all the time... :-D

I cry : when I cant take it anymore...

I believe : in god...

I dance : like no one's watching...

I sing : all the time... mostly in my head... :-)

I read : anything penned by P.G Wodehouse...

I don't always : lose my temper...

I fight : and forgive and forget easily... :-)

I write : to make sense of my jumbled up thoughts...

I win : hearts... :-)

I lose : peace of mind easily... even over trivial matters.. :-(

I never : can sleep on time...

I always : talk... 24x7...

I confuse : with anything financial - share market/stocks.. etc etc...

I listen : to almost all genres of music...

I can usually be found : on gtalk... :-)

I am scared : of being lonely...

I need : a vacation, badly...

I am happy : if I can make someone happy...

I imagine : India as a superpower soon... (it would have been already if not for corruption and population)

Keep Walking!!!

The darkness may enshroud and nothing will seem right.
It might seem like the end of the road, with no sight of light...
You will want to give up, life will seem to have no reason.
But this too shall pass, like any other season...
Don't just give up, keep walking.

The goodbyes will always hurt, separation is tough.
You might break down, you'll not be strong enough...
I know that there’s sadness, I know that there’s sorrow.
I know that you feel like there’s no tomorrow...
You're not alone, keep walking.

Possess the strength and courage to conquer whatever you choose.
If you don't have faith, you are destined to lose...
For happier times you will yearn,
Remember, happiness is just around the next turn...
So don't quit, keep walking.

Hold on to your dream... Cross your bridges...
Believe in yourself... Face the challenges...
Have the courage to take the leap... Follow your heart...
The rainbow will soon come in sight...
Don't give up, just keep walking!!!

Being in Solitude...

“What a lovely surprise to discover how un-lonely being alone can be.”
Ellen Burstyn

Today in Facebook, God wanted me to know -
"If all you had to do was wish for something and you would have it, life would be... pretty boring, wouldn't it? God placed barriers between us and what we want, so we can enjoy interesting and satisfying lives. God hid our biggest rewards behind the highest barriers - our deepest fears. God wants us to face our fears, and hold ground in their presence, and let them go, and that's how we get out biggest rewards. What are you most afraid of? Say it, just start by saying it."

One of the thing that scares me is Being alone...
I just hate being alone, anytime, anywhere, for however long duration, for whatever reason...
But I have been alone lately and I realize that its been a blessing to be spending some quality "me" time...
Life is precious, even this time has to be well spent. There is a difference between being lonely and being in Solitude.

I have been so afraid of being alone that I avoid it as much as I can. Even if I am not with or in touch with family and friends, I fill up the void with Music, television and the likes. I can easily do a task with F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters for company...
All this while when I could have learnt from my solitude, I just stifled the space with noise that I didn't even listen to. It was all there to fill up the emptiness. So when the music stops there is no inner harmony.

Take time out to be alone.. one is not lonely then, just in solitude.. The silence within will start to speak...
Being in solitude is necessary to hear the inner music, to sow the dream blossoms...

The soul has started humming...

Andyz back!!

No excuses.. but I am back.. not just with respect to blogging!!..
Hope can keep writing now... :)

The genius called A.R. Rahman..

I have to tell you this..
Have been listening to the song "Masakali" from Delhi 6 since yesterday..
Put it on 'Repeat' mode on my iPod today.. and kept listening..
Its awesome!!

Even after repeated listening, I can't even remember half of the lyrics...
But its a sure fire HIT!!
God bless Rahman..

So if u havent yet heard it yet, here u go.. Happy listening!!

Its the most wonderful time of the year...

Well I am not exactly referrring to Chinese New year.. I do wish all Chinese people happiness and prosperity this new year.. But for me, I am headed home.. Yippeee!!
I don't even know how I managed six months here in Singapore... but it was not that bad as I had thought it would be...
Can't really believe that I am finally going for my first vacation to India..!!!
Well, all my resolutions have gone for a toss, what with me being on a shopping spree, have forgotten about most of the resolutions I had made...
Just putting down some thoughts today, as I really won't be able to blog for some time now...
Its gonna be very hectic, but India is calling...

Some things I have to do when back in India:

• Taste mom's cooking.. after a long time...
• Gorge on Chaat and Gol-gappe... well Raj does a decent job, but nothing to beat the local chaat wali shop.. :)
• Well everything seems to be realted to eating.. was kind of craving for Makki ki roti and sarson ka saag too...
• Have long chats with cousins...
• Get to play with my sis' latest bundle of joy.. His name is Joy, and he is already 3 months old..
• Flaunt my really fashionable pullovers.. I don't even need a full sleeved t-shirt here..
• And lastly, do loads of shopping... :))

Words fail me.. I am too excited I guess... Coming up next - account of the India trip... :)

Ciao!!

Resolution time...

Happy New Year Everyone!!...

Contrary to beliefs that New year resolutions are harmful for one's health, I decided to still go ahead and set a few (achievable) goals for myself...

The making part is easy.. the dificulty is in keeping them..

Its like a ritual, I think up a few resolutions for myself, then some 2-3 months down the line I don't even remember them.

Maybe I should set them and take them up one at a time... Worth a shot!!

So, here goes...

• Be happy...


• Exercise atleast thrice a week (any form of exercise is acceptable.. window shopping is not an exercise...)


• Eat healthy (I had this nailed last year too, had it not been for the completely bizarre end to 2008)


• Travel at every possible opportunity...


• Sleep early.. Rise early.. (This is the most difficult!!)


• Get in touch with an old friend/relative every fortnight... (You know everyone.. but don't keep in touch enough..)


• Reduce clutter.. throw/delete stuff (I can't hold on to everything.. mails have to be deleted, things have to be removed from my hard disk, stuff has to be thrown away from drawers, cupboards.. one just can't hoard everything..)


• Laugh more...


• Blog more often.. well I did revive the blog recently.. Hope I can keep it alive!!

I realize I might not achieve everything all at once, but I am surely not going to give up.. I have put up lots of post-its with the resolutions written on them on my bedroom wall.. :)

Wish me luck!!

Worth the wait!!..

Merry Christmas!!...

So it was quite an un-eventful day to start with. Was raining cats and dogs when I had to leave for office. Reached office partly drenched. Was just looking forward to finish work ASAP, as we could leave anytime after lunch. Decided to not waste the christmas eve, and instead go to Orchard with frenz.

Here is when the day became eventful. Anyone who is even an iota of an Aamir fan would know that Ghajini released today (in Singapore). Somehow came with the idea of catching the 8:45 show at Jade. Rushed from Orchard to Bugis to get the tickets.. (y does no one pick the damn phone??)
But as luck would have it we did not get the tickets...

Since we were in the mood to watch a movie, went back to Orchard to catch "Yes Man".. though personally I was quite upset.. was sulking over having to watch Jim carrey over Aamir Khan...
Anyways, y it was eventful was because we didnt get tickets for the 9 something show of "Yes Man" at Shaw House.. Then we rushed to Cathay and the same story... God they couldnt even manage to give us seats together for the 11:35 show.

That was the last straw.. So unanimously decided to go for Ghajini@ Jade - the 12:15 show..
Gawd thats late but what the heck.. long weekend up ahead.. :)
Events didnt cease to happen.. I lost my ez-link card... :(
But that did not deter us from returning back to Jade.. this time we managed to grab the tickets.. and pretty good seats... :)
Oh god wot an evening...

But then came the best part... Finally got to enter the theatre... I don't rememeber the last time I saw a movie on the first day itself (I think it was Andaaz apna apna)... actually technically speaking, saw it one day before it releases in India... Yay!!
And boy Wot a movie!!!
It was totally worth the wait, the running around and every penny... (including the ez-link card i lost)...
I don't really want to spill any beans.. so would not really discuss the movie... atleast not today...
But you have to watch it for yourself...
Its not probably one of the greatest movies... but Aamir has done an exceptional job!!
You can take my word for it.. why else would I be writing this at almost 5 in the morning...
Aamir khan rocks!!!
He is supreme.. he has surpassed himself... I love him all over again!!!

And to top it all, they even showed promos of Billoo barber, Lucky By Chance (farhaan akhtar is back) & Chandni chowk to China... even more paisa vasool... the joy of my movie experience increases manifold if i can catch a few good trailers.. :)

But seriously, Aamir has done a great job, full justice to his role.. and its quite amazing to see his eight pack abs. Hats off to the perfectionist!!

Its far from a White Christmas!!

This came to my mind while wandering through Orchard Road yesterday. All the Christmas decorations reminded me of something. When I was young, I used to feel weird when I thought about the Australians celebrating Christmas during summers!!
Now I really know how weird... Christmas@ tropical weather is quite a different feeling..
Although in India, I have hardly seen a White Christmas, but I still remember the chill in the air.
I never thought I would be saying this, but I am sort of missing the Delhi winters.
I was so delighted at the thought of staying in Singapore especially as there are no winters here. I used to hate winters.. But here I am, missing the famous dilli ki sardi..

Some of the things that I am reminded of from the winter days:

Peeling and eating roasted "mungphali" (peanuts)..
Soaking in the sun and having oranges, post lunch..
Tucking in in a huge razai..
Warming your feet with a hot water bottle...
Dreading having a bath.. then shivering for ages even after a "hot" shower..
Leaving the house only to be greeted by a blanket of fog.. close to zero visibility...
Loving the feeling of wearing mom's hand knitted pullovers.. :)
Having "Maaki ki roti" n "Sarson ka saag".. also "Gajar ka Halwa"
Struggling to warm my hands and feet in front of the electric heat pillar...
Enjoying the lovely mixed veg pickle sent over by the neighbourhood aunty...
Gulping down the numerous cups of tea, coffee, soups n hot chocolate...
"Smoke" coming out of one's mouth while talking... :)
Escaping to a nearby hill station over the weekend.. brr.. even colder...

Somehow most of the memories revolve around food.. but that was the fun part...
For someone who used to hate winters, these were some of the many things that made the winters exciting..
I am sure many will agree with me..

For those lucky ones, who are witnessing winters, Happy winters!!.. Njoy all you can...

And to everyone, enjoy the holidays.. Merry Christmas!!

Truly Golmaal hai...

So, I have been on a old hindi comedy watching spree... Just finished watching Golmaal(old) for the umpteenth time...


Its a gem.. like Utpal Dutt says - Asli Heera!!!
The characterization / dialogues / acting - everything's perfect..

Hrishikesh mukherjee was a wizard of a director.. again he spells magic in this film..

Here are a few fav scenes/dialogues from the film.. I am sure you will agree...

The way Utpal Dutt says - "Jiske paas mooch nahi hai, uske paas mann hi nahi hai"

"Kaun kambakht kehta hai ki hitler marr gaya"

The kurta selection scene.. Hari bhai aka Sanjeev kumar's kurta is broad enuff to fit 2 sanjeev kumars... :)

The interview scene is too good. The way Ram prasad dashrath prasad sharma keeps fibbing has u ROFL..

"Mujhe to yeh pata nahi tha ki Moti kala bhi hota hai.. main to yehi samjhta tha ki moti kewal shwet varniya hota hai".. while discussing "Pele"...

"Manushya ko apne adarsh aur moocho ka uchit aadar karna chaiye"..."Mooch to mann ka darpan hai".. ha ha...

The way he comes up with - "Kurta to sharir ke uparardh ki lajja nivaran ke liye hota hai..." to explain his really short kurta, is hilarious..

Bindiya goswami's natak practice scene where she says - "I m Nataking daddy, yeh natak hai"

The "mali" scene.. "Jiska naam bhawani shankar ho woh to paida hote hi buddha ho gaya"..

The "Ulte phere" dialogue in the climax... :)

The best scene has to be the one where Dina pathak enters the house from the kitchen window. Her expressions are priceless!!

Care to add any more??

Plus it has the absolutely melodious "Aane Wala Pal..Jaanewla Hai" sung by Kishore Kumar..
Completely reflects my theory of life.."Live each moment to the fullest"..

The quality of comedy is unparalleled.. Wish they could make something as funny these days, instead of the inane, leave-ur-brains@home comedies we get to see these days...

I am sure you must have seen the movie.. If by any remotest chance u have not, go grab a copy of the DVD today itself...
Happy watching!!