A ignorant morning

Circa 1988 or may be 1989, morning 5 AM, he was half asleep and yet not frowning at the thought of getting up in a few minutes time. Rather, he was smiling as wide as a mile and there is no denying that the reasons for that angelic smile for a 8 year old child were obvious. That was the last day of his final exams and the prospect of having 2 months full of fun filled summer vacations was giving him goosebumps.

                      When I look back, kids from late 80s and early 90s weren't blessed with Ipads, Playstations and any thought of social networking was limited to the roof top meetings with friends. Meetings which had no fixed agendas, meetings where minutes weren't recorded and most importantly those meeting had no stakeholders. The only gadget that those kids have laid their hands on were either Nintendos or a few pocket video games but then they had lots of other games. Games which you can now call primitive if not stone-age but those games involved 20 or 25 kids at any given point of time. 

                           There used to be lots of pushing, hugging, kicking and dust filled embraces but no one, not even their parents bothered about who pushed whom and why? Again, everyone knew that they have to live, survive and enjoy together and the idea of nuclear families was still far away. Even the newly formed nuclear families haven't found their identities and were still searching for extended family in their new neighborhoods. It's really hard to recreate that era and especially when most of the memories are faded away. Yet, a few rare pages are so strongly etched in the memory as this one. 

                             Everything was so routine. As a kid, he was yet not aware of the exam pressure. He knew, all the answers and to an extent, he was sure of the teacher's pattern of examining the answer sheets as well. He would attempt almost everything and may be there would be a few mistakes which his mom would term as silly ones. So, out of 100, he would correctly attempt for around 95 or 97 and he would get marks ranging from 85 to 95 depending on his luck and handwriting. These marks may seem too high but even with these marks, he knew he would be either 4th, 5th or 6th in his class, a 7th and 8th position would be a below par performance and the top three positions were surely out of sight and he never really thought these elite places belonged to him.  Even the names attached to each positions were obvious to everyone including teachers, students, parents and even their neighbours knew about it. That's why I started with the word "Routine". Everything was so much in its place for so long that it seemed that life has no hiccups and would go on like this forever.

So, that smile in those early hours was a smile of content, a smile which has hasn't yet seen life's surprises. A smile which didn't knew that in years ahead, it would need big reasons to reappear and even if it reappears, it won't be absolute. It would always measure the magnitude of the reason to smile and then would expend itself to a measured and controlled limit. 

There were still few precious minutes left to leave the bed and he could clearly hear his mother working in kitchen. His grandparents awake for long now, chitchatting in the living room. He felt so secure around them with not even a single apprehension in his mind and saw his father sleeping calmly besides him. For once, he thought, oh he's so lucky. Oh how desperately I wish that.......!! Oh no no no, Can I just Ctrl+Z it ? just for once?

On your third birthday, my little Tigress!!

This post is only for you my little tigress!! Not now, but may be 10 years down the line, you may relate to what I am feeling and what I want to convey here.

On your third birthday, I want to wish you all the happiness and love that you deserve. This is the first time, your Baba isn't celebrating it with you and as I am away from you, sitting alone thousands of miles away from you, it's time to reflect on our journey together so far!! Also, when I am away from you, the distance doesn't really matter honey, even if it's just a few miles or light years distance, when we are apart, we are apart and I cannot hug you tightly in my arms, cannot make you sit on my lap and play many of our favorite games together or cannot tell you the bed time stories. I am really good at story telling, ain't I? your mumma is so jealous of me as this is one forte I own.

Anyway, as I look back, I recall the day and exact time of your arrival. It was 22nd Feb 2012 and it was a bright sunny day and how can it be cloudy when you decided to walk into our lives? We woke up early and reached hospital on time. The doctor took your mumma to the Chamber of Miracles, though, doctors call it as Operation Theater, I prefer to call it as Chamber of Miracles. After around half an hour, at exact 9:15, we heard your first attempts to kick start your lungs and you did a marvelous job there sweetheart!!

Since then, you have always been a source of learning for us. Your mom and I have learned a lot from you. We have given our everything to be good parents and I know there are thousand of things, where we could have done better but I just want you to know that we have tried and still learning the art and with you as our teacher, I am sure, we shall not be worried too much.

You have always been ahead of the things and learned most of the things, without bothering us. You first flipped and crawled and walked ahead of the schedule. Even when you were sick, you never made fuss about it and never threw any tantrums.

When you completed your first year, your grandparents threw a big party and you were so happy to see all your loved ones together. You ran, danced and had loads of fun till you were tired and went to sleep. You looked like a fairy in that red frock of yours. Your mom's fashion sense is much better than mine. So, when you grow up and want to thank us for your beautiful pics, just thank her for the clothes selection or if you think otherwise, you know whom to blame here?

In your second year, you were already in your trouble-two phase. With all that extra energy, you were famous for running tirelessly in the society compound, however, your extra love for the children of your age and even for younger ones wasn't going too well for many.
Most of the times, we were laughing with you but I won't lie that at times, both I and your mumma felt like pulling our hair. We stopped late-night parties, going to movies, going out for lunch or dinners and at times, we missed all that fun and this two year period transformed us from a fun-loving couple to matured parents. However, you made sure that the fun we missed outside should be compensated with fun at home. And you did a great job at it, my little tigress!!

We celebrated your second birthday in Pune and it was great fun and you were so excited to see the Chota-Bheem Cake and your new glittering Blue dress. Again, your mom did a pretty good job in selecting your clothes. But you can thank me for driving her around the whole city to get that dress.

In your third year, you also had gone through a lot along with me and your mom. You have seen the strongest man in your life to go frail and weak. I remember the times when you were so frustrated with all these restrictions of not disturbing me and tried to jump on my weakened limbs. Everyone scolded you and even I was also afraid when you ran towards me for a hug. It was tough time for both of us and I thank god that we saw those tough times through!! Everything turned normal as we had clung to our faith and love. And you started your school and after first traumatic month, you were enjoying the fun at school. You learned almost all the rhymes, your increased your sense of colors and learned many new objects everyday. We are already so proud of you and assure you that whatever you wish to do with your life, we will be there with you.

As today is your third birthday and I am so far away from you since past 40 days, I would like you to have great fun and want you to don't miss me at all. I know, it won't be long before we meet again and your grandparents and mom has already made sure that you get all the present that you had asked for. So, have fun out there, do all the pranks that you are so famous for. God bless you honey!!

Someday, I will tell you, why I call you my little tigress more and my little princess less? 

America- Santa Monica Beach

As another week passed by in this lovely city, I got a chance to look at a totally different side of Los Angeles, Among all this hustle-bustle of this gigantic city, one may not realize that here in this city, we are always watched over. Now, don't freak out, there is no monster here and no no, not even a crazy stalker following you here. It's just the tall standing mountains, watching you serenly and there are lots of them, there is this lovely range of Santa Monica & San Gabriel mountains on the north of the city which has that gleaming proud HOLLYWOOD sign written over it.

Then, there is also Pacific Ocean on the south and a very famous beach 'Santa Monica' there. I was thinking of sharing the Hollywood hills experience first but then thought that I need to get this Santa Monica beach thing out first. Don't ask me why? and there are no prizes for guessing it too. May be, the Hollywood thing can wait for a while!!

But wait a minute, does this word 'Santa Monica' rings a bell? Of-course, it does to a teen-aged generation from the 90s who were the pioneers of gulping down the first dose of western sops that was thrust towards the land of snake-charmers. Here, I would like to clarify that I really hate this snake-charmer tag to its core and I would go with anything like 'Land of Sages' or 'Land of Yog or Yoga'. But leaving aside my preferences to the backstage, more important question is why this Santa Monica name sounds so familiar? Which Sop has shown this Santa Monica beach to us and who were those angelic lifeguards? Now, don't be shy of yourself even if you forgot the name of the beach but don't you dare to forget 'Baywatch'. Yep, the same show where a few angel-looking lifeguards saved a few losers, who eventually, turned out to be winners after getting once-in-life opportunity to be saved by those social-workers.

I was amazed to see a clean beach with clean water and where it was a normal thing to walk barefoot on the sand without being afraid of stepping on a broken beer bottle. I would be so proud if we can make the 'Claingut'  beach as Santa Monica of Goa. Same beauty, same resource but the people makes a lot of difference. Don't want to bore you guys with the preaching stuff, So here is a glimpse of what I saw and experienced there.

I saw a cute family having fun where the father was so happy to build a castle for his adoring daughter. The lady of the house, not in picture (for obvious reasons) was busy laying out the food for the family. The beauty of the place was spotless for eyes but the heart was still pumping a lot less than required as I was missing Swara and Sapna here. Had Swara been here, she would have been running all over the place and how I would have loved to build an even bigger castle or mud pool for her. Well, I assure that I will make up for this loss,whenever I will meet you, my dear little buddy.

Then, I saw these two cuties, enjoying the sunshine but it seemed that they had a bit of argument. I would advise the proudly walking out male that it's just a matter of few minutes or few hours before I see you walking back with your head down and making up with her. No matter, you rule the skies but you got to land somewhere and need to share your stories about victories and hardships. So, get back to her buddy soon and if you look at the below picture, you are just another bird in the mob but with her, you become special!!

It was also so easy to gather a lot of oyster shells and a few families were even collecting them for their next meal but being a recently-turned-vegetarian, I wasn't much in the game. So, I kept walking bare footed on the silky white sand and loved each moment of it. Even the drive along the coast was scenic and that road, barring its traffic, may be one of the best places to go on a long drive on a moon-lit night. I would love to do that sometime, in case I get a chance. With this, I would bid you goodbye to meet you with another post, may be Hollywood hills or some other place which I visit. Till then, enjoy and take very good care of yourself!!

America- Beverly Hills & Rodeo Drive

Among all the places that Los Angeles has to offer to its every increasing number of foot-loose visitors, Beverly hills holds a special status. And for a person (yeah that's me!!) who has seen the desolate lands of Chambal, Beverly hills stands testimony to a hard to accept fact that there are certain things in life which are meant for only a certain category of people. The agile legged authoritarian capitalism and the democratic socialism which can even make a couch-potato appear as a flying sikh, should both step aside and just gaze at the marvel of this place. The lusty facades of plush bungalows or the soothing meadows running along the side of the road, people visiting this place couldn't stop smiling and the reasons are aplenty.

I was smiling wide not just because I was happy to visit this place. I mean that may be the most obvious reason, however, I was smiling mainly because I was trying to accept the fact that, yes, there are certain things in this world which are meant for only a select few and how that just small glimpse of this empyrean world is so much more than our eyes could absorb. If any gwaliorite reading this post would agree and even repeat this line with me. Karra Khel hai bhaiya!!

Then there is this insanely costly drive where you will find mostly all the brands that we the commoners can't shop from. Yes, I am talking about the famous "Rodeo Drive". I mean this is among those places in other parts of the world, where people, err, celebrities shop by invitation and we cannot just barge in any shop and talk and inquire about it, kitna ka hai bhaiya!! ya fir ek size chota milega kya?


The street was full of mostly Indians and Chinese and there were a few mexicans and natives as well. Almost all of them were ogling sheepishly at the mockingly opulent watches, the handbags, the Armanis, and the Phantoms. A must to visit place in LA. Missing my ladies here as without them even such perfections seems incomplete. As, it started pouring and it was certainly more than an usual californian drizzle, we had to run for cover and end our sightseeing for the day. With more such, more-to-show and less-to-talk posts, I will come up with the next post when I visit another new place. It may be Santa Monica Beach or the Hollywood Hills or may be a less famous and nondescript South Sepulveda Boulevard!!!!

America- Down Town LA

I started the Weekend morning with a healthy breakfast. This may not look much fancy but there are not much choices here either. I have options of fruits or Oats or muffins or Oat bars or eggs. So, I mix them and keep rotating them just to avoid the repetition.  On one day, I just have oats with milk whereas at times, I add a boiled egg to take care of the protein intake. Sometimes, I throw in a muffin to get a sugar shot to start the day on high. I try changing the variety of egg as boiled or half-fried or full-fried or scrambled. At times, when I get bored of Oats, I just avoid them altogether and have some leftovers from last night dinner. But as it was Saturday, So, I just included everything in, Oats with Milk, Apple, Orange, Egg and some Olive-oil fried Kettle style potato chips. And as I needed calories to make through the miles of walking that was ahead of me, I didn't mind the extra calories served here.

As I haven't been lucky enough to get any group or a person whom I can even remotely place in a category of friends or even on the fringes of friendship, I haven't seen much around yet. So, I was advised by my little friend and my boss which also happens to be my 3 year old daughter that I should get out of hotel and roam a bit. She simply said, Baba Ghoom aao na bahar!!!!

When I set my foot out this morning, I was heading towards Hollywood but an unexpected fear of some spoiler was already looming in my head, I found out the usual metro bus service which was my only hope to take me to my destination runs only Monday to Friday and if I have to catch it, I would have to walk a few miles, so I decided to skip it.
Rather, I went ahead and boarded a bus that runs up to Downtown LA. Once I reached in the proximity of Downtown, my Google maps ditched me and started asking me to walk in opposite direction of downtown to reach downtown. For first few minutes, I followed it religiously but then ended in a shady area with lots of filth strayed on the street and people calling names to each other. I felt like abusing Google Maps but then it's not Google fault if there are no signals. I switched off my phone and started walking as per my own instincts and with in 10 minutes reached the downtown. There were more than I can count buildings with more than I can count floors and that's it. Downtown must be more than this and will have much to offer but with my phone not helping me out and with no directions whatsoever, I explored around 2 hours on my own and when I felt a bit hungry, I couldn't find a vegetarian option. So, I boarded the bus back to my place and alighted at a place which serves a-close-to-authentic Indian food. Annapurna serves a full Indian buffet and the food quality is good if not the best in the world.
Many of my American team mates ask me to rate the Indian restaurants that we visit, I rate most of them B+ or B and they say, wow are these restaurants that good? Haven't you tasted better Indian food than these. And I Say, they are good because I don't compare them with the stuff served back home and for that matter of fact, I don't compare anything here with anything there.
That's a different world altogether with it's own good and bad sides and I am sure this applies to this part as well. So, if I tell you that the Samosa which you are eating is no-good and I come from a land where the best samosas of the world are made, there is no point in bragging all these.
There is an interesting Chinese team mate, who just loves Gulab Jamuns and feels sad when most of the Indian restaurants here serves bad Gulab Jamuns. But I say hey, I cannot get Japanese Ramen back there or the Vietnamese-Chey or the great greek food that you get here. So, it evens out finally.

I will try to take pictures next time if I manage to visit a place which is worth clicking any pictures. The Downtown is just about Sky Scrappers, may be if I visit Universal studio or Hollywood Hills or Rodeo Drive or the Promenade, I will catch up with you guys to share my experiences!! Till Then Byee , Take care and do whatever you want to do man!!


  

America- First Take

No one in this world can either praise or criticize any place or for that matter, any country in its entirety. Today, as I get some time to reflect upon the events that took place over past few months, I have very mixed feelings and when I pick a slice of one feeling at a time and dwell on that feeling for long, my mind goes into a specific frame which I simply refer to as mood. So, my mood swings an entire 360 degrees on any given day. And only I or my best (as terming her better would be of a mild degree here) half, Sapna can relate to it.

Keeping aside my insignificant mood and its equally more inconsequential swings, let me share with you, my very first experience of being in this new country, America!!

First of all, I never had any fantasies of visiting America, I had dreamed about visiting England since I don't know when but yes I was very excited about going to UK and travel through Europe. I fortunately got the chance to visit and stay in Europe for some years and I still love the place. But, I never desired to visit USA and never ever rued the fact that I couldn't visit this magnificent country, till now. 

However, now as I have arrived here, I am still absorbing the culture and the american way of doing things and there is not a single irritating thing I have noticed now. So, I can say, there is no reason to not Love America!!

The only people who have avoided eye contact and a simple hello with me have been my beloved countrymen and those are also very few. Others have always presented themselves with a wide smile and a greeting. Natives have explained the things to me patiently and helped me in moving around as well. 

The place itself is friendly with its bright and sunny weather and I am lucky to land on west coast  and that too in a big city such as Los Angeles else I would have been facing a very different and may be a wrong side of this country in terms of weather at least.

Till now, I haven't explored much other than my office and home route and a dozen of new restaurants. So, in a two week's period, I have gorged on Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Vietnamese, Greek and of course Indian food and I am loving all of them even when I am just checking on vegetarian options.

So, stay connected as I share more about travel, food and my other experiences of America!!