2020 - Present Day - Catching Up !!

 When I posted last in 2020, never knew life would be so crazy! The only best thing that happened after our trip from home was our first visit to the mighty and maginificient Himalayas! A trip to Himachal was long awaiting and when that happened, it became a trip for lifetime! I still have memories fresh in my mind and heart even after 3 years. May be, those memories were the ones that kept us going through the deadly COVID situation.

Facing and coming out of the deadliest pandemic, there was a complete shift in the life and lifestyle. Working from home and working for home became the way of life. To keep the mind focused and sane, I turned to several hobbies which actually (suprisingly!) brought out the best in me! I took up gardening (since I just had to get something to my home and a pet dog was not feasible), brought my creativity in the form of art and crafts and experimenting in the kitchen. The outcome was always so satisfying and I ended up doing a range of home decor stuff and getting out dishes ranging from pizza and cakes to cookies and ice creams from my kitchen. With outdoors closed, the best way to chill and relax was to have closed gatherings and barbecue parties at home and driving to offbeat places with food and stuff! The year ended with a trip to Phulbani and Daringbadi in Odisha and celebrating new year with family and friends!

Came 2021 and life was more or less same with the virus becoming deadlier and people caring lesser. The major highlight of the year was my little sister getting married! It was a beautiful ceremony and a memorable family gathering! The perfect end to the year was ticked off with a trip to the western coastal Karnataka and welcoming the new year with a house party!

2022 came with its own adventures! We had to do a major setup in our rented house with the hope of making it our home for at least the next 4-5 years. We got enrolled ourselves in a trip to Kashmir and it was our second ever visit to the Himalayas! Kashmir with all its issues and problems was beautiful in its own way. Even though there was tension at every step but the place was truly heaven! The best part was traveling with friends (which I would so recommend for Kashmir) and sharing memories for life! Thankfully we went with the trip for life was about to take a complete shift with R’s family arriving and staying with us for almost 5 months. Among the chaos and crowd, the most eventful thing happened. We found a perfect house to make our home! 

Making a house a home is no easy task. It takes a lot of mental space and I don’t know how many sleepless nights I have spent on finalising the designs. From the day we registered for our new home (2nd August, 2022) till the day we had the housewarming (18th November, 2022), we were completely drained. The only relief was when Ma-Bapa came to stay with us a month earlier and we got some helping hand. Before R’s family came, we were all prepared to make arrangements for everything. With 12-15 people staying with us, each day was an event! 

The housewarming was a beautiful ceremony with family and friends. A special day with special people! Our anniversary last year was also very special where we celebrated it in our Home with our people! We were truly blessed to have everyone we love with us! 

Setting up this home would have been difficult but thanks to Ma for being my saviour. She completed the majority of works and I could manage the rest with my office. The last month of 2022 was spent cherishing every moment at home. Even the year end parties and get-togethers were also hosted at our home! Amidst all the chaos, 2022 will always be remembered fondly by us for being such a wonderful milestone in our journey!

2023 kicked off well and I was super excited for Chinki’s housewarming and Ma-Bapa coming to Bangalore again! We made sure that they weren’t bored this time like they were last year. We took them to Kotilingeswar, Bannerghetta Park and Safari and Bull Temple. It was a good break for us too! Chinki’s housewarming was beautiful, so much like her home! It was a moment for another get-together with family. Parents left for Odisha and we were back to our life again. Work for home, work from home and work from office once a week became the routine and so the stress. To get rid of all these unwanted stress, my resolution of 2023 has been to focus on my health and mind. The efforts are going well so far (even during our trips to Mysore and Pondicherry this year) and I can feel the positive vibes from all corners! Hopefully these vibes make 2023 memorable and wonderful for all us! 

It’s courage, not luck, that takes us through to the end of the road! -Ruskin Bond

Bye 2019, Hi 2020 !!

As we step into 2020, memories of 2019 are flooding in my mind. The whole year passed away so soon and it was a total chaos. I don’t recall doing anything significant the whole year other than completing my regular dose of traveling. There were a few beautiful moments spent with family when the parents visited us here in Bangalore. We visited Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram and Mysore with them. We had some real quality time with Lala bhai and family and Tinu bhai and family. When R’s parents came, we took them to Rameswaram and Kanyakumari. Even though it was stressful but still worth rejoicing. Then there were all these weekend getaways that happened for Mysore, Goa, Chikamaglur and Pondicherry. But other than that it was all about the regular work at office and home. Even the fun events at work were stressful. I guess the only relief was towards the end of the year when we visited Ooty. I enjoyed so much even though the memories of old times kept distracting me. The place is such that it will make you fall in love again and again with it. The best part of 2019 was the year end which we spent in Odisha. It was truly fun. The trip to Konark and Chandrabhaga beach was the last outing for the year and 2019 ended on a high note! Even though I lost a few important people in my life to the vicious circle of life and death but I believe that they have become my guiding angels... watching me n blessing me from the heaven!

2020 started on an equally high note! Had some amazing moments with the family and the extended families too. The icing on the cake was meeting Sai and Pinki Mausi after a long time. Sai is such an entertainer and the one night he stayed with us was so much fun! To start the year with a trip to Puri Jagannath is something that every Odia (especially from Puri) wishes for. I am fortunate to have that ticked off my list! What a beautiful darshan it was! So divine and so mesmerising! The Jagannath Heritage Corridor project which includes the beautification of Puri was worth watching. A drive around the holy town brought back millions of memories alive. Be it the beach or the old lanes that I grew up in or even the roads and restaurants... they all had the same warmth that usually comes from home!

Five days are already gone in January and yet it feels like just a day or two! Life in Bangalore will again get into the chaotic mode... with lots of works and responsibilities to take care of. I did not make a list of any resolutions so far. Nor I intend to make one. My only plan for 2020 is to make it better than 2019... to read more, to travel more, to be a bit health conscious and to challenge myself more in terms of my skills and development. The start of 2020 has been amazing and I really hope to have the same spirit all throughout the year!

Happy New Year!!



Sometimes we are tested not to show our weaknesses but to discover our strengths!!

In Memory of Badabapa !!

As I gather my thoughts to pen down a few words for Badabapa, I realize how hard it is! What can I possibly write about someone who had such an influence in all our lives and who was revered, admired and loved by all around him! I can only sum up that I lost someone who was more than a father to me, more than a brother to my father and more than anything he was to all of us… someone we have always looked up to, someone whose presence made us feel home and brought that sense of family in our hearts. Losing Badabapa has left such a vacuum that is hard to fill!

My early memories with him were what I heard from him. His home at Cuttack was literally my first home! Every time we met later, he would talk about all those childhood and talkative days of mine. I lost my grandfather while I was a kid, so for me, Badabapa was more like him. He was the head of our family! He would be there in all the festivals, celebrations and important occasions we ever had in our family. I cannot recollect any event where we ever missed taking his blessings! We would always visit him from time to time. I remember spending some of my school vacations also with him at Cuttack. When I moved out of home for studies and eventually to Bangalore, I would still make a point to visit him! Even though he would not be keeping well, yet he would always enquire everything about me, my work, my life in Bangalore and would remember those childhood days of mine. In the last few years while his health was failing, his aura was still the same! It was extremely difficult for me to see him bedridden in that state, for he was always one of the strongest persons I ever knew. The last beautiful memory I have of him was when he came to my wedding even when he himself was not able to move. I would probably cherish that moment forever!

Now that he has left us bereaved and went to the heavenly abode, I am happy that he is relieved of the worldly pain and sufferings. The family above including my grandparents and other uncles, will forever remain our guiding angel and bless all of us! I just did not lose my uncle, I lost my grandfather all over again. I will always miss him! May his soul rest in peace!

There are few special people in our lives who never leave us, even after they are gone!

Back To Writing..!!

God knows just how many times I have opened this blog space to write something yet ended up only re-designing it all the time! I never had the inspiration which just killed me from within. Never have I been away from writing for this long! The past one year had been an absolute roller coaster ride! From breaking up into pieces to slowly gathering and rising - I have turned myself into the ever inspiring mythological bird Phoenix! I have become so firm from within that it would take a good deal of effort to break me now! With time, things are better and I am in the process of healing. Finally I found my inspiration - to read, to cook, to travel and to write!

The force behind me to make me write again was Ma! When she found how I have been lying clueless and aimless and focusing and losing my mind only over work, both at office and home... she gave me a good dealing of how and why did I stop writing. I wonder how she got that! She has not even seen my blog or any of my writings, yet she always knew! Guess that's what moms do - know everything without saying!

Ma's words and some bored time made me dive into this blog and read a few posts! The posts made me so happy... it has everything about my life! Such a happy and zealous person I was! Those happy thoughts did the wonder and made me write again and here I am! I think I will write from now on.. not on and off but on a regular basis! Life is slowly becoming stable... the crazy ride that lasted for around 4-5 years is finally done and I am out of the hang of it! So here's a goal for myself - to write/to blog - always!



Remind yourself it's okay not to be okay. Break down, cry yourself to sleep. We all are imperfect human beings!

When Time Goes Still ..!!

It's been a while since I last posted anything even though my life had been entirely a rollercoaster ride. This space is so generous to take me back despite me neglecting it all these while. I am glad that I have something that has accepted me the way I have been all these days and I can rant anything good or bad that I feel. I am so grateful to this blog for capturing all my moments and emotions and have been such a beautiful way of remembering the things. In these few days my life has changed completely and left me clueless. But just as I am trying to gather myself, I keep making even some more memories... the beautiful ones, the precious ones! That's more like a silver lining in between the darkness of clouds.

The thing that I have enjoyed the most apart from reading, is traveling. I guess I can travel throughout my life if I have the company I want. A desired company always makes a journey delightful! This experience is what provokes me to mention something about some of my previous trips.

The first trip to be mentioned is to Pondicherry. My third one! It all started when all of a sudden I got a message from my friend asking me to just go somewhere. Like all earlier times, we kept checking for places/ buses/ hotels and kept on rotating around the same options that we have all earlier times and could not decide. Then after lots of back forth we decided it to be Pondicherry. Train was booked under emergency and hotel was booked just the same day. But amongst all these chaos, we managed to get to the station on time, could plan the whole itinerary just on time. Like my friend says, we are getting better every time! To this, I will just tell you.. We will be perfect when we avoid these last moment decisions. But I agree, that's the fun!

Pondicherry is just amazing, the perfect blend of Indian and Western culture. I am such a fan of French architecture and cuisine and White Town there is just heaven for me! I don't mind not going to the sea or the ashram or any such spiritual place. For me.. for us, fun was just roaming around and gaze the sea waves for hours. From morning we would start from our cute little room and just roam around and explore... halt at Le Cafe and savor the yummy lasagna... talk about previous trips and other memories... search for other French joints to eat... walk around the entire French colony searching that place and finally enjoy a delicious lunch over some amazing drinks! Nothing would beat the flow, neither the heat nor the pain of walking around and the best part yet remained - when you come back tired and drained and yet you can feel the chilling air coming from the slight space of your hotel room! The rush to get inside and that moment was just crazy! The short power nap of two hours, in that chilling AC on top of an eventful day and a bit of alcohol in that cocktail, was just enough for us to come into form for the evening. The agenda for the evening remained pretty much same except that it became musical! We spent hours on the promenade crooning to some of our all time favorite songs. People were passing by, waves were coming and going, evening was setting by, the calmness was settling in and the songs just made the time stop! How I wish that moment to just go on and on!! We were lost, no worries, no tensions, no works, no stress... just pure bliss! The evening was magical!! We stopped only when we felt the roller coaster within us and realized that we were hungry. The second highlight of the evening was the amazing rooftop dinner at Le Chateau - empty hall, dim lights, slow soothing music, pleasant weather, awesome delicacies, classy drinks, great company and a perfect moment! I can still feel that moment as I write! It was just a dream! The dream just got sweeter when we had ice cream after the dinner!

The weekend was spent in just roaming around the local town and the unknown roads of the White Town and all those numerous talks about the place and various other places and the people and lunch again at Le Chateau and snacks at Le Cafe and songs again at the Promenade. And it was just perfect!

A few things worth mentioning that almost drove me crazy and yet adds to this memorable trip would be the crazy auto rickshaw, L2B Lounge (amazing ambience), the super crazy breakfast that we got in our hotel, the waiters at the Le Cafe and of course, the busy Bussy Street with a number of ENT Clinics!

The two days were a beautiful dream and we are still clouted by the memories. I don't want to come out of this hangover!!



People hold on to memories so tight because memories don't change when everything else does!!

A Year Gone, Am Still Here ..!!

Well, I am back to blogging! Not that things have changed or have gotten any better, but it's just that I am tired now waiting - waiting for some inspiration, waiting for something really wonderful to happen, simply waiting. I have now realized that things will happen when it's time, I cannot let anything happen as per my will. But I can help myself, keeping myself engaged in all my activities - reading, blogging, traveling, etc. I see, it's already a year and I did not do much. I read a few books and some blogs and journals but I cannot count that - that was not up to my mark! Only area where I was good was in traveling. May be, it was a way of me escaping from all the prevailing issues. I always thought that would somehow inspire me, but they did as long as I was out of Bangalore. Once I entered the city, I was back to the mundane yet again! All I have is the memories of those places and some amazing flashbacks of the great views, few of which I could capture (as in my photo blog). But enough of those sufferings now! It's time I will start all my activities again, focus a little more on my career/studies, read and write more often and travel a lot!!

As I have started writing, it's worth mentioning a few things that happened in last year. Chuku was finally out of home but not really on her own.. for her elder sister was always there!! Yet that was not meant to be, she left me and moved to Mumbai.. to be on her own! I am glad, she has managed really well all these days and I am also happy with the way she's started taking things - the kid has finally grown up!

As mentioned earlier, I had a great deal of traveling the whole of last year - from Goa to Hampi to Goa again to Ooty to Odisha!! While all the trips were simply fabulous - I would definitely like to put some more words of appreciation to my second trip to Goa and Ooty. While in the first Goa trip, we were bound by time and had only thought of covering as many places as possible.. in the second trip, we were much experienced and had a fair idea of what we really want. In the whole duration of 4 days, all we did was enjoyed the long evening walks on the shore, had amazingly delicious foods, hit the local ice-cream store almost twice a day and simply relaxed and enjoyed! Even though Goa was overcrowded then, yet it could not stop us from enjoying! Second amazing trip, almost at the end of the year was to Ooty - amazing particularly because we went in the off-season when it was less crowded and extremely chilly! The awesome resort we stayed in, the extraordinary views the place had and the super-chill environment and wonderful company - what else I could have asked for!

My year ended with my family at Odisha. This was the only trip, when I was at home all the time - all thanks to cold and fever. Whatever it was, it was still great and I still long to be at home again!

2014 was not that great - at least as I was expecting. But I haven't lose any hope. I still believe things will be fine. I have placed my trust on few things and few people - I know, I won't fail! Fingers crossed!




What won't kill me, will simply make me strong!!

On - Off Mode ..!!

I am in an on-off mode now as far as blogging is concerned. Somehow I don't find anything motivating around. But I will definitely put up something as soon as I have something interesting to share. As of now, it's the same old life... same old people... same old stuff... a little less motivation... some facts to worry about and loads of works!!!

I just hope I don't stay like this all the time. I just hope, this time will pass away and I will be back to my form soon. Till then, all I can do is just let my life go on... without actually thinking what, how, when, where!

A Beautiful Day ..!!

It's been a while since I have been meaning to take time out and just be with myself. Not that I am always busy or surrounded by people, it's just that I never enjoyed those times. Sometimes I would feel lonely and at other times, I would be either bored or scared. But the time I had today was just lovely!

After a long time, I just went out without any company (which I don't do usually) and without any work (which I don't do either). I started at 11:30 AM which was an hour late than the time I had thought of. Again I was churned between taking the bus or autorickshaw - bus would have delayed more since I wanted to visit the temples, which would close in the afternoon. But I ended up taking bus till the Jagannath Temple in Agara. As always, the place was not empty yet their was some sort of calmness and quietness in my mind, which I had been looking for. Without delaying, I set off for Koramangala to visit my favorite Ganesh Temple there. But I couldn't make it, it was already closed and would have opened only in evening. It was sad, I wanted to be there... it's been a while since I visited that, but there was nothing I could have done then. So half heartedly I started to my third spot for the day, the Shirdi Sai Temple in Koramangala. I had no idea of where it was except for the hint I took from VJ! I still thought if giving it a try, I would not be lost in that place at least! Finally I found the place without being lost for even once. After seeing the temple, I wondered how come I could never visit this place earlier! How come one of the best places ever in Koramangala skipped out of my sight! It was a beautiful temple of Sai Baba. The presence of Lord Ganesh, Lord Shiva, Vaishno Devi, Parvati Devi and Mahaveer added to the tranquility of the place. It was just amazing, especially the 'arati' part. I could just see one for Mahadev (lucky enough to see it at that time of the day). Then I spend a wonderful half an hour in the arati session for Sai Baba. The devotional chants and the devotees around make the whole place just divine! The memories of shirdi visit kept coming in my mind. The entire time I spent there kind of relaxed my otherwise wandering mind. It brought some stillness which was exactly what I was looking for, considering the situations at home. I was so glad to have spent a wonderful quality time! 

After the main mission of the day being accomplished, I had obviously no plans for the rest of the day. So just to keep up with the same inertia of calmness and a happy mind, I looked out for good food. At such times, the one that comes to rescue is Dalma! Having packed my lunch, I came back to my nest to have a happy lunch over the best sitcom Friends. 

I don't exactly remember when I slept off in the afternoon but all I knew was, I had a deep sleep and I woke up with a call from Ma at around 7:30 PM in the evening. I so much wanted to see them all that I literally had to blackmail Chinki to make her come on skype! I am so glad that she did, it was just wonderful seeing Bapa and Ma after a long time! (I saw Chinki last weekend only :P). And thus ends my wonderful day with this blog post of mine!

All beautiful relationships do not depend on how well we understand someone, but on how well we manage the misunderstandings!

Memorable Weekend Getaway..!!

I may not have updated my blog space since a long time, but here is something I just cannot leave without mentioning. A weekend getaway from the moribund city life of Bangalore, so perfect with wonderful people for company (the people who keep appearing in my blog from time to time and about whom I will explain sometime later).

The initial plan was to go to Shirdi, which I had been thinking of visiting since a long time but never had the chance. Then I found some like minded people equally interested in going there. I might have subsided the plan, had the situation been different. But because of the recent incidents that happened, I thought going there would be a good escape. And who knows, may be I would be blessed by Sai Baba to get some inner strength and face everything! Somehow I kept believing that it's the time for me to go and so I did (rather We did :-)).

We did all our bookings and reservations prior to the decided date. The plan sounded a bit deviated but we were determined to make it. On Friday, we bunked the office and worked only for half a day (purely officially) and then set out for the airport. Our flight was scheduled for that evening for Pune. I never had such an enjoyable flight, all thanks to the company I was traveling with. The photo sessions started off there itself. We reached Pune where our chauffeur was waiting with a nameplate for us. That was quite a welcome in that state !! We immediately started for Shirdi as we planned to see the early morning darshan. As it always happens, the road trip was awesome - good food, good music, good talks, good roadside views and everything! We were dead tired by the time we reached but we still ditched sleep and got ready for the temple (good that we did, else we would have missed the puja).

Inside the temple, after lots of resting, talking and waiting, finally it was our turn to go inside the main hall where the darshan was to be done. Our group was divided as we made our way into the hall (which was a matter of worry for us). The ambiance inside the hall was soothing. The marble white deity of Baba was glowing. The radiant face will make one forget everything. The entire hall was echoed with devotional songs as the arti was performed. The arti was significant in a way since it was the beginning of the day. After around an hour or so, it got over and was the time when the devotees get to go near the deity. In some time, we were out and were done with visiting other smaller temples inside it. I was visiting for the first time so I really did not set any expectations out of that darshan. All I can summarize is, it was wonderful and I will surely come once again, may be with my parents.

After the main programme on our agenda was ticked off, we were a little relaxed. People with me were a little more relaxed than I was, so they just slept off! We got ready for Shani Shignapur, the village famous for having houses with no doors. The village is said to be protected by Lord Shani, the raging and powerful of the planetary gods! The entire trip to the village was tiring due to the uneven roads. The experience became dreadful as we were nearing the village. The place so famous for its security left us frozen when our cab was followed by a group of bikers, who intended to take out money from us in the name of darshan n all. Such horrible experience it was! And scary too! All thanks to our cab driver, who served as a perfect guide to us - we could save ourselves from such people. We just hoped the visit to that place be over as soon as possible.

The moment we were done, it was time for the longest journey of the weekend - Shani Shignapur to Mahabaleswar via Pune. And probably it was the best part of the entire plan too! We just talked, on and on about various things, various topics. We halted at different places for food and refreshment. To add to it, the mountains and hilly roadways - they were a delight in themselves. Every odd seems beautiful when there are good people to share it - people who can make you laugh till you drop, by showing you white fox on the ghats or elephants from nowhere! :D

By the time we reached Mahabaleswar, it was late and dark. The plan of having dinner at Mapro Gardens was already shifted to the next day and after having a simple dinner, we hurried to the bungalow we had booked. The place was calm, cozy and beautiful. After deciding on our schedule for the next day, we soon got ready for a photo session. The place was just apt for photography experiments! Our photographer did an incredible job (yes, the subjects were amazing too :P)! We then retired to our room for some rest. The plan was to talk the whole night but some people just loved the cozy bed and were soon in the dreamworld!! Next day, we were almost 2 hours late as per the plan yet we decided to still go with it. After a brief photo shoot, we checked out of the bungalow and started for the beautiful Sahyadri mountain ranges of Mahabaleswar. There is one thing about mountains - they are always beautiful! They will never ditch the viewers. Mahabaleswar was just heaven for such nature gazers and photographers! We covered almost all the view points and could not get over the beauty of the place. We did our best in capturing the mesmerizing beauty. Even though the photos came out nicely, yet they would never match the beauty that is engraved in our hearts! We met a few people- mostly the snacks and juice sellers and we totally lost ourselves to their simplicity! Some people are just so wonderful - they just create an everlasting impression in our minds! We were almost done with the visit when we decided to go for a boat ride in the famous Venna lake there. The experience was awesome! Our last shot was to be at Mapro Garden for lunch but we could just manage to have juice and ice-cream (yes, they are the tastiest I ever had)!

Without wasting anymore time, we just set out to Pune for our departure was scheduled from there. We hardly talked while coming back. The two days of unlimited fun took a toll on us and we were dead tired. After a proper Maharashtrian lunch, we made our way to the airport and just made in time. Thus ended the saga of our ultimate trip!

Our entire visit was memorable - all thanks to a few people and places that I would like to mention - our cab driver (such a wonderful fellow he was), the snacks selling lady, the service guy at the airport, the air hostess on our return flight, the shop where we looked for banana, the bungalow where we stayed, the boatman at the lake, the Pune city, beautiful Mahabaleswar, serene Shirdi and Shani Shignapur. On top of everything, good company! However odd it would be, we can still enjoy if we have wonderful people to share with. I was lucky in that way -  I had a wonderful group, both visible and invisible :P :D



The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why!

As The Time Moves ..!!

I don't remember when I last wrote something on this blog space. Although I know that I was never that busy to even post a blog, but I also agree that I was not that motivated to post something. Nothing worked which otherwise would have worked when I feel down and demotivated. Looks like, with the fast moving time... I have kind of slowed down! 

A lots have happened by now - from staying alone to stay with Ma and Chinki for almost a month, taking them in and around Bangalore to going home with them, getting a raise at work to moving out of house - my life is almost back to the beginning now. Wonder what keeps me going still! Must be the wonderful time spent in Odisha with family or the small to smaller trips and outings or the fun at work or the silent thoughts in my mind! Whatever it be, at the end it's all good. Thank God!

This blog which I once started just for fun, yet which became a part of me... was lying here so neglected which made me think how blank my life has been al these while. But when I hit the pictures section, it makes me believe that my life has been so fulfilling all these while that I have captured them in pictures, so that I can always feel the essence of it! Even if the time runs fast, I am happy that I could chase some of its moments through my blog! Hope this will make time to halt at least once in my life, when I look back for some strength!

Bollywood Story ..!!

I am not much of a movie buff... however I just watch them as and when I like based on my interest or the movie's casting or at least timing - the important being the star cast. For me, movie means a few good artists whom I always see as the rulers of the cinema in their respective fields - Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Yash Chopra, Madhuri, Shah Rukh and a bit of the two other Khans!

I was introduced to the world of cinema through Aamir Khan starer 'Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke' and I loved every bit of it. Till today, it's one of my all time favorites to watch! However, I could never visualize Aamir the way I see Shah Rukh. I always felt connected to his movies... I have felt love and emotions around whenever I see movies like 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' or 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai' or 'Mohabbatein'. I have always found myself laughing or crying while watching these movies... they are truly special! There is no doubt in the fact that SRK is an achiever... the king of Bollywood! But then, He is not the only one!! 

The only actor who can beat him in this category would be none other than the real king of romance, the legend himself, the first ever mega star of the Hindi film industry - one and only Rajesh Khanna! He was the one to woo millions of the hearts with his unique charismatic mannerism. His mere presence in a film would burn the silver screen. While girls were giving out their hearts for his fine looks and romanticism (which he acquired through his heart-touching movies), there were guys who would always imitate (or at least try to) his style - dressing or speaking or dancing or even hair styling! No wonder, he was always referred to as The Rajesh Khanna! His larger than life movies like 'Anand', 'Amar Prem', 'Aradhana', 'Bawarchi' etc make him stand out of the crowd even today! To many (including me), he taught how to love. Love, not only to someone but to life too! His movies would always be full of life... though in many of his movies, he would be dead. As goes the dialogue of his most popular movie Anand, "Babu Moshay, zindegi aur maut toh upar wale ke haath mein hain Jahanpanah, jisse na aap badal sakte hain na main. Hum sab toh rangmanch ki katputliyaan hain, jiski dor upar wale ke haath mein bandhi hai, kab kaun kaise uthega ye koi nahi jaanta". True to his words, he left the world in the most saddened and unexpected way. The news of his sad demise was a blow to me. It felt as if I lost someone very dear to me! It was a feeling I would never like to experience ever in my life. Today he is no more, yet he would continue to live in our hearts through his evergreen, full of love and larger than life movies! As one more dialogue of his movie goes, "Anand mara nahi, Anand marte nahi!"

One more actor who has always amazed me with his typical ways would be Dev Anand! I haven't seen much of his movies yet I truly admire the way he presented himself. He was one of the most influential and handsome actors ever of the Indian cinema. His signature style would include the way he delivered his dialogues and that Dev Anand trademark cap and muffler! He, according to me, was one such star who dedicated his life to movies.. kept experimenting, kept directing and introducing budding talents to the industry! He actually knew how to celebrate life. With him fading out of the film industry, there's been a huge gap which can never be filled again. There was and there is only one Dev Anand ever... who still reigns our hearts with his wonderful movies!

Coming to the leading ladies of Bollywood, I could actually never get out of Madhuri's era. Though I admire quite a number of the top grader actors - Waheeda Rehman, Hema Malini, Sridevi, Juhi Chawla and Kajol. But if ever asked to choose one, it would be Madhuri! Her magical smile still works in creating wonders!

Bollywood is not just about the actors and characters... it's also about the makers and creators! It is usually the creativity of a director that makes the film to stand out of the rest. A movie is only the outcome of what the director always visualizes and my favorite here would be undoubtedly the one and only Yash Chopra! He , in true sense, changed the way of Indian cinema. His movies would stand out in terms of the strong and rebellious story line and casting, soothing music, mesmerizing locations and of course, beautiful depiction of beauty! Let it be the dialogues or the costumes, the emotions or the dramas, the sets or the sequence... they would be out and out Yash Chopra types only! I wonder, how could he make simple concepts, lively! One more thing so typical about his movies would be the way the leading ladies would be portrayed... simple, serene yet classy! I believe, Yash Chopra was the man behind the remaking of some of the leading actors from Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh, from Rakhee to Sridevi to Madhuri. In addition to the huge star cast, he is also credited with some of the best works of the Indian cinema ever - 'Waqt' (the first multi-starer), 'Deewar' (redefining the angry young man, Mr. Bachchan), 'Chandni' (the first love story of its kind), 'Darr' (the leading actor in a negative role), 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' (iconic movie which introduced the new lover boy in Shah Rukh), 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai' (typical Yash Raj types dreamy love story) and many more! Only a person with golden heart who can see beauty in everything, portray love in anything can make such beautiful movies... movies so near to our hearts, so full of love! With his sad demise, the void in the film industry is forever yet his magnificent works would still regard him as the game changer and an icon even in the coming generations!

I am sure, God must be busy creating a masterpiece movie with the finest of actors and the wonderful director, up there in his land... leaving us with our losses! For me, movie now just means SRK!

My Dearest "Neets" ..!!

I am not much of a writer. Writers are those amazingly creative people who can captivate their readers through the beauty of their words. I can't do anything of that sort. I write about what I feel, what I believe, what I think and about whom I love and care. Having said that, the chapters in my blog-life would be incomplete if I don't mention this special person... who has such a deep influence in my own life! For everyone, she is one of my cousins but for me, she is more than a sister... the same old Putul Apa!

I never got to see most of my cousins for they were away in different states. We could meet in some family functions only. But Putul Apa is the one with whom I have spent some of the wonderful, cherish-able moments of my life. Once the summer vacation or puja vacation starts, we would be all set to go to Rourkela. It was, and till date it is, one of my favorite holiday destinations ever... not because of the place but because of the people... because of Her. Good old days they were! From our games of ludo to dinner at Madhuban, pav-bhaji hunt in the evening to shopping at Indera, playing with Goldie to teasing Chinki and even the unfulfilled desire to visit the Brahmani Club...everything was so so enjoyable! Days were equally good when She used to come to Puri. Our hunt for junk food and good restaurants would always top the list of our ventures. From Jagannath Temple to sea beach, from Chung Wah to Penguin... we have loads of memories to cherish forever! Rourkela, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri or even our village, whenever we met.. it was special! The very thought of those times is enough to bring a smile on my face.

Her effect is immense in my life. She has always been my role model. In fact, it won't be wrong if I say, I grew up seeing her! She is the one to introduce me to the magical world of readers. Her shelf was so full of books which she kept reading whenever she had the time. I remember the first novel of my life, "Round The World In Eighty Days", which I read when I was in Rourkela during one of those vacations. I was amazed at how beautifully books were written! She brought the joy of reading into my life. It's not only reading, she also  amazed me with her creativity. I have grown up seeing her hand-made models and drawings. Quizzing, debating, drawing, singing, dancing -  Her name would always be in the list! For me, She is exactly what Chinki thinks of me - "all rounder"! The only difference being... She is actually one! For me, She is my inspiration, my friend, mentor, critic, guide and everything! I remember clearly each and every piece of advice she has ever given me and I look forward for her advises and support, always. I can only try to be like Her but it's really not easy to be one, for She is a powerful package altogether!

With time, people do change. But She hasn't. She is the same old Putul Apa for me. I share the same coziness with her even today, which was there in years down the line. Now, we live in different cities and have different lives. But these spatial and temporal constraints could not let us down. We are so frequently in touch that it never felt that we are away - all thanks to the love we have for each other and of course, technology. Hope this love stays always and we be the same forever! Love you lots, Putul Apa :)

P.S. When we were kids, you never used to like your name - Putul. What about now? :P I had this thought and I thought of not mentioning it, but I won't have justified my post without Me mentioning Putul Apa :D

Dreams have only one owner at a time.That's why dreamers are lonely!

End Of 2012 ..!!

In some time, this year would come to an end and a new year will enter. 2012 has been so memorable and eventful in a number of ways. I saw some of the best moments of my life and some of the 'not-so-good' moments too, yet at the end... life is all good and all about making new memories!

The year which had a wonderful start from home with family came to a beautiful end with friends! My experiments with traveling was in its prime the whole year. I made a round-off tour in Bangalore with my friend, saw some really amazing places and had some real good food. Then I was off to the national capital, the historic city of New Delhi for my sister's wedding. That, according to me, was the best wedding of the season! I had a complete tour of Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan in addition to Delhi. All those places, having iconic monuments, have their own role to play in the making of the history. Quite content I was with my fabulous trip to the northern parts of India! Soon, it was time for Dussehra which means another visit to Odisha - my home. Trips to Odisha are never restricted to my home, Bhubaneswar. They spread their wings to cover the whole of my Village, Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. After having a bash with family and friends, i thought I was done with my travelings for the year. But I always surprise myself! Soon I was planning for another memorable vacation during the Christmas eve - a journey from Bangalore to Bombay (now Mumbai). I had the time of my life!

'Beautiful moments with wonderful people' - best describes my travel diary of 2012!

The year witnessed some big changes of my personal as well professional life. We moved from Ness (the first company of my career) to Quintiles. All of a sudden, there were so many changes -  from office to location to home to everything. Though leaving the first company, first place and first of everything is way too emotional but then, the only thing constant ever is change! The change was all for the good! I have a different life now - a little more sensible and responsible one. I have achieved control over a few things in my life which I always wanted to handle the way I wish. Thankfully, by the end of this year that mission is accomplished. Also, I have added a few tasks on my plate which can help refine my creative skills. I am much into experimentation now. I am learning by doing! The experience is amazing so far and I look forward to continue the same for the days ahead.

2012 saw the best of our family moments! It had to since it started with an awesome family get-together (party of my cousin's success). After that, we all were looking forward for the big-fat wedding of another cousin of mine in Delhi. Almost the whole of the family was there except my sweet little sister who was busy scribbling for her exams. And of course, her absence was felt! Nevertheless, the wedding was grand and enjoyable and meeting most of the people after ages was the best part of the whole story! During my visit to Odisha and Mumbai, I met a few other members of my extended family. And now, staying in Bangalore for around 3 years, this feels home (not that cozy though). The whole credit for this goes to an important segment of my family - all my cousins, who are settled here! All I can say of this year is, it's been great!

When I mention of family, my friends are not be left behind! Let it be Bangalore or Delhi or Mumbai or Bhubaneswar or Puri... I have friends all around. Meeting them after ages is like an icing on the cake. They all made my year so enjoyable and memorable!

The year also saw many of the legends hitting the news headlines for various reasons. Some of the news which actually made me sad - the sudden demise of my all time favorites - Rajesh Khanna and Yash Chopra! I guess, I am left with just one reason to watch movies now - Shah Rukh Khan! There are a few things which I never wanted to happen in 2012 - some of which I don't want to recall yet I won't be able to forget too! Whatever it was, I still can't complain for what all it has given me in the form of the various people around me. All I can do is, hope for a better new year!

Happy New Year 2013 :-) 

Bangalore Diary ..!!

12th July, 2009 was the day I first landed in Bangalore. On one hand, there was this great city which was fast developing with a huge global niche of its own and other other hand, there was Me... a fresh graduate, in pursuit of her career... aiming at building her own niche!

My first day in the city was one of those moments when am crushed and grilled with mixed emotions. I was both sad and happy, excited and anxious, confident and nervous. I was sad, anxious nervous because I was away from home, away from my people, away from my place. I won't have my Mother with me to take care of me and my stuffs, I won't have my Father with me to support me and boost my morals, I won't have my Sister to cheer me up whenever I am upset. But above all that, I had this dream in my mind to make it large.. for myself, my family and for everyone! Besides, spaces and distances can never affect the bonding I share with my people. So in a way, they would always be with me... just a call away! Now that I was in Bangalore already, I could not have given up all that.

The first night in Bangalore was something I can never forget. Staring at the whole city from the balcony of my sister's apartment on the 7th floor almost gave me goosebumps. The skyscrapers standing high almost made me cry. It kept reminding me of my home. I felt left out, alone amidst a crowd full of unknown faces. People during the day were simply rushing... there was a look of urgency in their faces but at night, it was all calm, serene. The busy day soon converts into a beautiful night!

The next day was my interview at Ness which went fairly well and I was sure that I had made it. By that time I had slowly revived to my own state. Papa was there with me all the time till then but soon he was to go too. So it was important for me to be back to normalcy. And finally, he left for Odisha and I started a new life on my own as a professional in the corporate world.

First few months were great. It was more or less like college with various like-minded people. We studied, worked and had fun together in the training days. Exploring different places, trying out different restaurants, wandering for sweet stalls after dinner and posing before the shutterbugs were our main theme of fun. Life was great! Then there was serious work time after the training days were over. But work was fun with wonderful people all the way. Not that, I had all the good times but bad times also had their own chapters to be added to my life. And my life keeps changing... all for the good!

Coming to the city, Bangalore has its own tale to tell. One major part of the city is taken by the IT industry while a part of it is reserved for the Defence department of India. While a part of it is blocked for shopping malls, hotels and restaurants.. a fair part of it is taken by people settled here for work or studies (like me). Rest of the city is left for its own people. I personally have a liking for people in the southern part of India. They are gentle and helpful and may be that's the reason I am so comfortable traveling in train while going to Odisha.

Like many other growing cities, this city is also full of people, vehicle and has its own share of problems related to traffic, urbanization and pollution. Yet, we cannot complain about this when the city has so much to offer! Bangalore's climate is to die for... always pleasant, windy and breezy. Though it's not compatible with an asthmatic person like me.. yet it's the top attraction of the city. There's greenery all around. There are many beautiful places in and around Bangalore... most of which I have seen and rest, I am yet to see! Here, Ragigudda Temple, Nandi Hills, Bull Temple, Iskcon Temple, Cubbon Park, Sankey Tank, Lal Bagh, Wonderla are worth mentioning. Outside Bangalore, a trip to Mysore is a must. The majestic Palace of Mysore holds the topmost position in inviting visitors. Besides, there are places like Jamia Masjid, St.Philomena's Church, Manchanbele Dam, Savan Ganga, Shivasamudram and others. It's easy to cover most of the southern must-see places while being in Bangalore. Places like Coorg, Chikkamanglur, Mangalore, Udupi, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Munnar, Allepy are easily reachable. Other than these worth-seeing places, the city has a great taste to offer... from the traditional Kannada style preparations to foreign cuisines. I won't be doing justice, if I don't mention a few of my favorites... Dalma, Sahib Sind Sultan, Tandoor Hut, Esplanade, Bay Leaf, China Bowl and ofcourse Sukh Sagar! One is guaranteed to not be disappointed at these places :)

Bangalore has given me so much in so many ways. It helped me in creating a space for myself, reshaping my career, polishing my attitude and re-discovering myself altogether! It gave me wonderful people around and loads of memories to cherish throughout my life. Presence of family and old friends added the icing to the journey making it more enjoyable. I owe so much to this beautiful city! But in turn, I can just praise this city from the core of my heart... keeping it more lively and more blissful always!


When people believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success ..!!

It's My Day ..!!

In a month or so, I would be completing my 3rd year in Bangalore. The journey so far has been like a dream. I met people, saw places, made friends, cherished time and life's been really good. Among many of those wonderful moments, the special ones for me are my birthdays. And the whole credit goes to my friends who sometimes bang in my place as the clock strikes 00:00 hours... who would celebrate my birthday just a day before (out of my thoughts) and... who would keep pretending that they have forgotten my birthday and leave me guessing!!

Such was a birthday this time!! Unlike the past two years, this year I was in Marathahalli and that too Lala Bhai's place. I never blabbed out about my birthday but Bhabhi was knowing it somehow (we both being June babies). As I came downstairs on the very morning, I found a packet and a cute paper folded cake. Nicely written on it were the words, "Happy Birthday to Tinku Apa... From, Shweta and Smarak". That was so cute and touchy!! It reminded me of my Chuku who used to pass me notes on my birthdays with her wishes. I so so so miss her :( Then Bhabhi asked me to open the packet. It contained a nice kurti, a gift from Bhai and Bhabhi. It felt so good. I was happy that I was with people so loving and caring on my birthday!!

Happily, I set off for office. This was my first birthday in office (past years, it has always been a weekend). A cake cutting was definitely expected by me :) I was already aware that VJ was not coming that day. She somehow had her mind set to not to come to office that day! And then there was Sreemayee who wished me on FB of all things. She could have shouted from her place and I would have heard but she chosed FB :P Girls and their minds, I tell you... are just unpredictable (If you are thinking of me, then forget it... am exceptional)!!! Again I knew that Thejas and Vivek has forgotten for they did talk to me yet they could not wish me! No complaints... the credit goes to their sharp memory :P Then came Shirish and Ashish to wish me. Thanks guys for coming all the way that day :) And finally came the final cake cutting part. Thanks to the guys (Sreemayee, Vivek, Thejas, Shirish, Shipra, Ashish, Gopi, Sandesh, Shridhar, Nidhi, Krishna, Poonam) to get a yummy cake for that day!! I was busy with the phone calls, number messages and wishes but at the back of my mind I had a doubt. It was half day already and there was no call or message from Vipin and Yuvraj. Now, this is quite normal as long as Vip is concerned. He has a nature of forgetting dates. I was aware that Chinu (Vip's wife) knew it but then, there was chance she would have forgotten too :) But Yuvraj!! No ways and that too when he was in Bangalore only, it was something next to impossible. I was certain that he would have planned something surely, may be something even more shocking. But I didn't have a choice other than to wait and watch.

In the mid of the work, Ritesh called me yet again asking if we could meet for sometime in the evening in the Total Mall near his office and my house. I found it a bit fishy but I was all set to go. I discarded his terms and conditions of our meeting and convinced him with my conditions. Instead of meeting at the Total Mall at 6:30 PM, we were meeting at 5:45 PM near his office. After he came, he was so consistent on going to the mall. All the way, he got calls from various people whom he kept informing about his whereabouts. I was doing nothing but keenly following his moves! Then after we landed at Domino's, I kind of forced him to have the pizza ordered but could not. He badly wanted us to have cold drinks in that cold, windy, cloudy weather. I let it be. We were seated and I made him seat facing the road (basically the entrance) and as if to make my doubts clear, he was repeatedly looking out to the entrance and I was damn sure that the Gang is about to come. Deliberately I asked him about Yuvraj and Vipin and his reactions were awesome!! But I was glad, he was trying all his might to keep his secret a surprise and I decided not to spoil it. Finally, Vipin, Chinu and Yuvraj came with a yum yum chocolate cake. The celebration and the pizza party was nice and so was my birthday. And in case, you are wondering, why I mentioned about those suspicious calls about Ritesh's whereabouts, let me clear you it was from Vipin and Yuvraj and I could make that out already from the expressions on his face :)

Though I missed my home, Chinki and Reshma on my birthday but the celebration with two wonder kids Smarak and Shweta and my amazing friends is also special in a way. The paper cake the kids gifted me is probably the cutest gift I have ever received on my birthday!!

Thank you and love you all :) With such wonderful people like you all around, I feel blessed!!

Office, Rain And Me ..!!

After shifting to our new office in Marathahalli, daily up and down has become a pain.What adds to it the sorrow is when my fellow car-poolers (Vivek, Keerthi and Sreemayee) feel lazy and bunk the office (and they do it at least once a week :P ). Then I have to commute either by auto-rickshaw or bus. It gets worse when it rains!

Yesterday was one such day. I was waiting for KD to come and pick me up but he was late and finally he didn't come only. So I hired a rick to start for office and I was pretty late.After day's work, it was time to leave from office. We could not start on our usual time of 4:00-5:30 PM since we had a meeting and again, it was raining pretty hard. I had earlier thought of going with VJ but got to know that she got her scooter. But thankfully Krishna was there and he agreed to drop me off at my place. But this stupid rain... was not pausing!

Around 6 PM, we heard that it's just drizzling and we thought of leaving as soon as possible. We got Ashish with us too.. who was already confused of whether he should join his call or not :P Finally, we dragged Krishna out of a call he joined already and got ready to go. As per the plan, Ashish would be there with VJ till Total Mall but from there, she had to come with us. We all started and in no time, Ashish and Vj were out of our sight! We were anyway fine with that and still less worried since they must be together!

We were stuck in traffic and Krishna was getting frustrated. I must say, horrible traffic it was! To add to it, there was construction work in progress on the road sides which added to the jam. Somehow the way cleared and Krishna accelerated his bike and soon it was flying in air! I literally could not open my eyes (all thanks to his bike. Krishna, please get me a ladder next time :P). But I felt it was better to move on since VJ was already missing out of sight.

We reached Total Mall but those two were nowhere. I called her, she didn't receive. I called him, he was busy (hopefully, he was on that meeting :)). Again I called both of them to find the same results. We were still waiting and it was still drizzling. Then Krishna saw Dominnos and suggested that we can go and have pizza. Good that he did! I already wanted to have but because of the rain and already missing VJ, I dared not to say :) We went inside and ordered. Krishna was still hopeful that those two missing people would come and was about to order for more but good that we didn't. Ashish messaged me that VJ left already. So we finished our pizza and started. This time Krishna was comparatively slower. We were again stuck at the Domlur flyover. We were moving as and when possible. A stupid fellow from nowhere came and overtook us from the left... splashing all the logged water on us. And for that, I was blamed :O Krishna's argument was, because of me... he was riding slow and hence that guy could cross us and do this :O (Seriously people I tell you, there's no value of goodness now! :P) Finally, the most awaited call came from VJ and she confirmed that she reached safely despite the heavy traffic, drizzling rain, water logged roads and defective scooter :P

Soon I reached home and thankfully, I was safe too! But yesterday's experience was something to be remembered... fear, terror, enjoyment, excitement... all clubbed!



A goal is a dream with a deadline!!

Wedding Of The Season ..!!

Finally it was the day - the day for the most awaited wedding of the season, the marriage of my cousin Lally Apa. Since we come from a large family (our Khandaan), it becomes really hard to meet all the family members. In situations like this, we generally wait for some grand celebrations like marriage. Lally Apa's wedding was one such occasion for us!

Considering the way of life we have... always busy with works and all, the wedding in Delhi was more or less a good break for us. Moreover, it was one of those times when we could see others after a long gap, some in years! So everyone was gearing up for the break and the grand reunion. That was the big fat Odia wedding of the season!

Plans were ready... we kept in touch with each other to know the respective arrivals. It was the most exciting time for us and especially me, since I was going to meet many people, including the bride after a long long gap. I decided to go a little earlier so that I could have some time with my parents too. Chinki was missing in the list due to her exams. She still regrets what all she missed!

The moment I landed in Delhi, Bapa was there to receive me at the airport. From there itself started the events of meeting and greeting everyone. Almost all the elderly members of our family were there along with a few cousins (brothers, brothers-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law). Soon we were busy preparing for the evening which was the engagement ceremony. As we reached the temple, Jiju and his family was already there. But we were waiting for the bride to come. After making us wait for an hour, finally she came! She was simple yet sunning and wore the most beautiful smile ever! The rituals of the evening started. However, we were so busy talking and posing for the shutterbugs. The event ended with a wonderful Mahaprasad dinner.

Next day was the 'sangeet' but since all the people with whom I wanted to be with were busy and some others were unavailable, I thought of joining Ma with the trip they had planned to Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan. The journey was tiring considering the amount of travel we had yet the places were wonderful, especially the Taj. It is always a delight to see it! The magnificent architecture kept surprising me. Although the guide  we had was not the best one but he somewhat managed to introduce us to the most salient features of the historic monument, one of the seven wonders of the world! The trip to Mathura was enjoyable. I was happy to be in the land of my Lord! By the time we reached Vrindavan, it was evening and the weather was kind of windy all of a sudden. To add to it was the chaos caused by the visitors and monkeys there. They made the whole visit a little scarier for me at least! We somehow made it for the dinner and left for Delhi, to the venue where a 'jagraata' was scheduled. Though we were the last entrants, but it was still okay. I realized, I would have been hell bored if I would have stayed back. By the end of the second day, I had already met Lally Apa, Kuku Apa, Reet and Putul Apa. These are some of the people with whom I only keep in touch but can hardly meet due to our own engagements. So meeting them was the best part of the whole trip.

The next day was the D-day. Almost all the people who were supposed to attend the wedding had gathered. We talked, we laughed and we cherished loads of old memories. After breakfast, most of them left for some other works they had on plates. Since I was kind of free, I thought of going out to see the historic city of New Delhi. The whole city actually surprised me. It was so beautifully planned. I did see some of the landmark places - India Gate, Red Fort, The Parliament, Chandni Chowk and many more. I was so content with the wonderful city!

Soon after lunch, we started preparing for the evening. It was the last wedding to be solemnized before mine's. It was going to be a memorable evening after all! Everyone came in their best.. however, the lady of the evening for whom the whole ceremony was organized actually stole the show. She looked extremely pretty and gorgeous even though everything was so simple about her! Once she was out there, everybody was distracted from what they were doing and attracted towards her. Finally came the groom and his entire party. The about-to-wed couples were led to the stage where the guests can personally meet and greet them. Seeing the bride and groom together on the stage was quite a view! They both complemented each other so well -  one of the best pairs ever! The shutterbugs were glued to their cameras which kept clicking the beautiful couple! Then came the guest of the evening- the Home Minister himself. It was good to see Mr. Chidambaram in real, especially when I have heard so many things about him! He was in his usual self but that moment was truly special! As he left, we thought it was better to leave the handsome couple for the rest of the invitees and enjoy the delicious food - which we do the best :-) We ended up talking, talking and talking. Finally the marriage ceremony started and it was a delight to see the mixture of Odia-Punjabi wedding! By early morning, it was done and the bride went off to her new home to start a new life and we retired to our rooms to get a power nap and energize ourselves. It was time for me to leave. I was sad because in just three days I had made memories which would last till the end of life. Meeting everyone was just awesome. Seeing Bapa and Ma after a long time felt just as nice as it sounds to be! We so much felt the absence of Chinki! 

I particularly like the culture that is now in our family - a mini India in the whole family. I love the liberal attitude of the parents, the freedom they have given to their children and the way the children take it. Everyone has the fair chance of pursuing what they want. I hope, this culture goes better with time and the love and respect we have for each other stays forever!

Now back to Bangalore, back to work - all hale and hearty spirits! The whole credit goes to the girl who made it so so wonderful for all of us. Her wedding was indeed the wedding of the season which ended up with a great get-together!

Love you lots, Lally Apa. Wish you a great married life and hope you have loads of beautiful days ahead!

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. 

Moving To The Q-Family ..!!

Past few days have been exciting. As soon as we got the news of moving into Quintiles, things have moved a bit faster. Our work stuffs were almost freezed, we were busy taking the back ups, the systems were being cleaned and laptops being configured. We were very calculative in the pros n cons... the major disadvantage being the relocation of office!

Ness office has the advantage that it was in Koramangla, one of the finest places in the Garden City. Calm, serene and a place with a wide range of choices for almost everything. Again, leaving Ness was not easy either. I guess, it always happens with something 'first'.. Ness being my first company. I spent two wonderful years as a part of my professional career kick-off. Those years can be rephrased as my fundamental days and I liked almost everything about it. However, nothing in this world is permanent except change! Finally it was time to move on and give new directions to life. Moving to Quintiles was not a bad choice for me. In fact, I always wanted to be there but somehow I had an emotional connection with my first company.

Time moved on, we moved to Quintiles. The start was great! We had our induction sessions and all formalities done. Next day we were in office. The ambiance was so different than that of Ness. We got separate cubicles each having a monitor, a phone and all the space to our name! That was indeed exciting and we immediately liked the place. In fact, the first day at office was spent praising the workplace, wondering on how to decorate it and of course clicking photos.

After this wonderful start, hopefully the days ahead will be equally great! 2012, so far, has been good!

A Ride Of A Lifetime ..!!

I had my first outing of the year 2012 today - 19th February! A day which I would cherish always. It would always remain special for me. I was on a trip which can be named as "Bangalore Darshan". The whole trip was planned by a dear friend of mine. And now, as the day is over... I really don't know how to thank Him for giving me such a wonderful day!

We started early in the morning (yeah, 7 o'clock in the morning is too early for me these days :P) and now I know, what I have been missing all these days. Bangalore is beautiful in the morning... the sun slowly rising... cool wind blowing... calm and peaceful environment... less traffic and less pollution... absolutely a serene atmosphere! For the people who have never liked Bangalore for various reasons, an early morning ride would give them ample reasons to love the beautiful green city!

The whole idea was to cover some places in the city and we started with a temple. I was told that it's a small temple but a nice place to visit. But I tell you, it was a great temple and a beautiful one too. I have always been interested in art and architecture and here the temples in the southern part of India are too different as there are in the rest of India. Here temples would have a fully decorated and sculptured entrance with veranda and a great open place. Not moving into the design of the place, I can just say that it was the most peaceful place to be at in the morning. It had a beautiful rock which one can climb to have a soothing topmost view of the area but I missed it :( We were too early for that. Yet, I loved the place and would like to be there again!

We had a happy-breakfast from an old food joint in Bangalore and started our expedition. I had already seen some of the must-visit places in the city, so my friend was left with showing me the rest. We went to Cubbon Park (Bangalore is very much influenced by the English, hence the name after Sir Mark Cubbon). It was one of its kind. At least I saw that kind of park for the first time ever. People were allowed to take their vehicles (which is so unusual in parks) and I felt, that was a necessity since the Park was way too big for someone to walk around. The landscape around was beautiful. At one end, there was the lifted tower of the UB City while at the other end, there was the huge building of the Vidhan Soudh. To add to that, there were numerous trees n plants with radiant colored flowers.

From there we went to the other end of the city but were stopped by a dazzling beauty. It was the huge Sankey Tank. Before that actually I had never seen a tank so big! The clear water... the chirping birds... the swimming ducks were adding to the beauty of the place. The rising sun had its refelction on the water giving it a shiny effect. The tank was surrounded by a beautiful park where people of various age group would be seen... all in a fresh n jolly mood. We spent quite some time there. The place was comparatively calm and quiet and I was enjoying the silence. The only noise was that of the chipry birds. I wish it was somewhere near to my place so that I could have had a chance to sneak out there for a quiet-time!

Now we had the doubt of where to go! We had ample time in our hands but most of the places were covered. My friend thought, we could just start our ride and see where we end and hence we started moving. We crossed the city and took the Mysore road, hardly knowing where were we headed to. On the way, we came across a road guide plate. It showed us way to two places Manchanbele Dam and Savan Durga. Since my friend had already visited the latter, he thought of showing me that. It was a good idea to see what all comes in between. From the highway, we entered through ghats. Traversing the ghats on bullet and that too, when it's literally flying is an incredible experience! We located a place from the top which was a beauty! Neither the sky nor the water was that blue ever... even the mountains were not that beautiful ever... and the greenery around was never that soothing! The place was truly blessed with nature and the view from the top was a real treat for the eyes. That was the place with a striking beauty... the most beautiful place I had ever seen in Bangalore! All the way, I had the thought that the city is beautiful with greenery all around but after seeing that place, I forgot everything and its beauty captivated me. We soon found that it was the same Manchanbele dam. We went almost near to that lake but the sign of danger all around was a bit terrifying, so we made our way back.

By now it was getting hotter but we were still excited. The unplanned biking was somehow getting interesting. We started for Savan Durga. I was told that, it was a rocky mountain with a temple on the top. Having no idea of the height of the mountains, I thought I could climb that easily. However, my confidence started shaking as I saw the mountains from a distance. Too high they were ( at least for an asthmatic person like me). But I kept that out of the knowledge of my friend... still hoping that I can do it! We reached there. After a short break, we made our way to the mountain. I remember, I had covered some 10-15 steps when I felt a bit uneasy and a little ahead of that would have been complete breath-taking for me. Somehow I felt, going further would not be a good idea. But I really wanted my friend to go. A good friend that he is... he did not go leaving me alone :) That was the last spot of our ride of which I could only take photographs!

Then, it was time to return to The Garden City. We took the other way of coming back hoping to get some more places on the way. But it was a bit more hot by then and my friend was hungry. So we halted for some 5 minutes for a small break and then rushed to Bangalore without any stops. We made our passing through the Bangalore University and I was amazed by its campus. A huge, huge one really! It hardly gave me an impression of an University for it was full of public transportation and other vehicles. The roads were not properly maintained too. But on both sides, the names of various departments would just let you believe that it was actually a University.

By that time, even I was hungry which was showing up on my face too. Without waiting for the time to reach Koramangala, we had our lunch somewhere on our way. The food was heavenly... mostly because I was too hungry by then. We started for the ultimate destination, my place as soon as we finished our lunch. An ice-cream after lunch was like an icing on the cake! Thus our day ended... and most of the time we were on the bike!

All said and done, the trip would not have been that enjoyable without a proper company. I am glad I had one! It was so nice of him to plan out everything. I had told him to show me the most strikingly beautiful place and he actually did. He must have known by now that I talk a lot... on anything and everything. That might have bored him too (but he's too good to accept that :)). He surely kept me busy with talks all the way. And without forgetting, the star of the day was his new bullet... which was literally flying! I had my first ever ride on a bullet and I never knew it would turn out to be such an amazing experience! I guess, this is the best gift of time ever gifted to me and I am going to cherish it all throughout my life. It was the time of my life and all thanks to my friend for making my day so so wonderful and memorable!

Thank you so much :)



Some people always enjoy the best that life offers.. not because, all good things come their way but because, they find good in all the things that come their way!!

It's All About Family ..!!

Finally the vacation is over. 15 long days came to an end! But it was pretty fast. I guess, it's always like that. When you are with your loved ones.. or when you are having the time of your life... that period would always be short-lived. So was mine!

I started on 23rd of December and reached at Bhubaneswar on 24th night. The weather was awesome there... chilly, wintery and soothing! And I was at home.. the best place on earth ever! I had a wonderful time at Puri, Cuttack and my village too. It was fun to meet so many people at the same time. I met most of my cousins (older and younger). It was great to see them after a long time.

Soon we reached at the end of the year. All these while, I was busy roaming here and there, hardly having any time alone. But that was still not enough. I had a set of friends to meet too. I soon planned for a meeting. On 31st of December, Me, Reshma, Shiv and Lisha had a small get-together over lunch. This was surely not the first time I was meeting them after college. But then, they were meeting each other probably for the first-second time. That's how time matters! Work and career have taken a toll over everything these days. We hardly have time for family and friends. We are so much restricted to a circle and sometimes, it becomes tough to come out of it. But, it's only tough... not impossible! Like we did, we successfully came out of that circle to meet each other and re-live the good old times. It was really an awesome time and probably the best of the ways to bid adieu to 2011, which was so instrumental!

After a long tiring day on 31st... we were all gearing up for the the next day... that is, the 1st of January in a brand new year, 2012. A party was being thrown by my Uncle for my cousin's success in the Civils exam. It was more or less a family get-together for us. Most of my family members were joining and I was pretty excited for that. And true to what I thought, it was wonderful. Meeting many people whom I did not see for a long time was great. What could have been better than this beautiful welcome to the New Year! I feel, I have made the new year special for many too. No matter what, my Chuku won't deny to this fact :)

The 15 days I spent in Odisha left me with memories for ages! In these 15 days, I covered the whole of Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and my village... met each and every member residing at these places and even some more! It was truly a time of my life! It was all about my family.. they made my vacation special!


Sometimes what you want is not what you get. But, at the end what you get is so much better than what you wanted!!