How I met your mother

Dear Shreya,

Happy 5th Birthday! You are a big girl now. On this occasion, I would like to tell you a story about two friends.

I first saw her in the summer of 1993. She passed me in the school corridor. She had long hair which was neatly tugged into two braids. I wondered who the new girl was. Few days later, I came to know that the new girl had shifted into our school from Delhi.

I and her becoming friends was out of question. You see, we both belonged to different divisions. There was some kind of politics between our class teachers which led to a cold war between the two divisions. They were good in sports and we were good in academics.

Over time, our paths crossed on a number of occasions: recital competitions, different exams, exhibitions. I secretly thought that she was quite clever and smart. She also excelled into sports, something in which I was a big zero. I don’t know what she thought of me. But never once did we talk to each other. The cold war only worsened over years as we beat their class by scoring over them and them defeating us in every sport.

Two years later, we appeared for the SSC board exams. On the day of the result, I was overjoyed. You see, I had scored good marks and stood fifth in the entire school. My marks guaranteed me admission in a good college. I was completely unaware that I had beaten her by merely one mark. Had she secured that extra mark her name would have been displayed on the school board.

I still clearly remember the first day of college. I went well in time for the first lecture. In the college corridor, I saw a big group of girls. They were busy introducing themselves and making small talk. I gingerly walked over. Imagine my surprise when I saw her in that group! A thousand questions raced my mind. How did she land up in the same college? What should I do? I wanted to back away, but before I could do so, a really chirpy girl asked me to introduce myself. I told my name and told which school I was coming from. The chirpy girl pointed to my school mate and said “This girl is from the same school. Do you know each other?” We both nodded our heads. The chirpy girl was very happy on hearing this and exclaimed that in a new college we at least knew someone familiar. Little did she know that our familiarity was the cause of our awkwardness.

Over the next few months, we did everything we could to avoid each other. We sat on different benches; we tried to make different friends. We soon became part of the same group. Still, we tried not to gel with each other. I purposely attended the lectures that she bunked and she did the same. However, destiny had something else in store for us. Slowly, we got to know each other. We discovered that we shared the same beliefs and had the same values. I started liking her laughter, her jokes, and her nature. I think she liked my simplicity. We started travelling together, talking on the phone after college, and hanging out more with each other. The rest, as they say, is history. We became the best of friends.

We were inseparable. We would spend hours visiting each other. Our parents knew what we meant to each other. When college was over, we found new ways and reasons to meet each other.

We are both die hard junkies and always found new places to satisfy our taste buds. All these years, she has dragged me to all the pathetic Salman Khan movies. I remember how I had tried my best not to laugh out loud on Salman’s over acting in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. How could I laugh when I saw tears streaming down my best friend’s face when Salman didn’t win the love of his life?:-)

Our friendship also had a twinge of possessiveness. When I thought that her new friend might take my place, I would express my concern to her. She did the same. I can surely say that she’s one friend who totally understood me.

Over years, our talks have changed from who’s the cutest boy in college, choosing the right career, what to look in a life partner, and now on how to discipline our kids. We both found good life partners and were blessed with beautiful daughters. Our daughters now video chat and talk to each other in their British and American accents.

She is one friend who has literally supported me through thick and thin. She has firmly told me when I did something wrong. Today, we both live in different countries and fall in different time zones. It’s not that we speak daily; it’s not that we share each and every secret. But we remain very close friends. My voice always cracks up when I tell her that I miss her; her eyes always fill up when she sends me an e-greeting telling me that she misses me. Sometime back, I told her that I wished we lived near each other. I told her that I wished I could see her doing her every day chores. And she said that somehow she pictures me in my house, talking to my family and doing my chores. I believed her and told her I knew what she meant.

My best friend, Bhagyashri, is none other than your mother. This is the story of how I met your mother and how we became the best of friends. So much so that one would never believe that we started out on the wrong foot. As Bhagoos rightly says, our story is how prejudices can keep you away from the best things in life.

The reason I told you this story is that if you ever meet someone in your life and you think that the person can never be your friend, keep your mind and heart open. You never know when you might meet your best friend: a true gem.

I am looking forward to tell this story to Sayali when she turns five.

Love,

Swapna aunty.

An extra ordinary day

It was never going to be an ordinary day. It would either be a day of extreme happiness, or that of despair and disappointment.

20th June, 2003. I still remember the day’s events as if they happened just yesterday. My kid brother had appeared for the IIT entrance exam and his results were expected that day. This was his second attempt at the entrance. He was also a first-year engineering student. His second semester exams were due to start the same day.

My brother had slogged very hard for the IIT entrance.  I would often see him perched with a thick Physics book and a sheaf of papers, working on some complex equation. I would ask him if he ever got bored of those scary equations. His answer would always be negative. A week before the exam, he went completely nuts. He shut all his books, switched on the radio, and danced throughout the house. I guess this is what happens when you spend days and nights with complex Physics equations:)


On the day of the result, all of us were pretty tensed since morning. Dad wished him luck and left for work. The internet at our home was not working, so I and my brother left in search of an internet café. We settled down into one and began the ardent task of entering his number on the website to check the results. Unfortunately, a million other students were doing the same thing causing the server to return an error. We tried in vain for a long time. It was also getting late for him to go to his exam center for his engineering paper.  If he couldn’t get into IIT that year, then he would have to continue with his engineering college.

I told my brother to proceed to his exam center and assured him that I would keep checking the results.  He left with uncertainty. Almost 20 minutes after he left, I was lucky. I entered his number and the website displayed the result. I had to blink my eyes several times to get rid of my tears and absorb the result. He was AIR 1249. My joy knew no bounds as I called my mother on our residence number and told her the good news. Our voices broke several times with the tumult of emotions. With his AIR, he would definitely get admission into one of the seven IIT’s. I told my mother that I would go to the exam center and tell my brother the news before his exam began.

In those days, my brother and I did not have cell phones. My brother had told me that his exam center was Watumal Engineering College in Worli. So I headed in search for that college. As I left the internet café, it started raining. I had a tough time reaching the college after taking a bus and a taxi. As I reached the college, I realized that a difficult task lay ahead. I did not know his roll number or the room he would be in. I knew it was foolhardy to search for my brother. But I could not bear the idea of him not knowing the wonderful news for another four hours. The college’s seven floors loomed high above me. I started my search with the top floor.

There were hundreds of students reading through last minute notes. I peeked in each and every room; I ran from floor to floor. The exam was scheduled to start at 11am and I had a good half hour to search for him. I even spoke to couple of students and asked them their last names hoping to figure out some way to know his room.  As the students began to take their seats for the paper, I still hadn’t found my brother. Finally, the exam started and I realized that my brother would be in one of the rooms, sitting unaware that he need not write that paper.

I decided to call my mother and inform her that I couldn’t locate my brother and would be heading home. We did not have any other option than to wait for him to return home or call my mother. Imagine my utter shock when my mother told me that my brother already knew his result. It seems he had called home. He told my mom that he went to the center and realized his roll number was not on the list. He found out that he had noted the incorrect center. His exam center was not in Worli, but in Dadar. While he made his departure from the Worli College, I was already en route to that college. He left the Worli College and tried to reach the Dadar center. But due to the rain, the road was flooded with traffic. He realized he would never make it to the paper on time. He got down from the bus, called mom on the landline, and heard the good news. He was sure that he would get admission in IIT. He headed home.

When I heard that my brother had taken down the wrong exam center and made me go through the hopeless task of finding him in a college where he would never be found, I just lost it. I told my mother that my brother was somehow intelligent enough to crack the IIT exams but forgot his intelligence when it came to simple things like noting down the exam center. Had he not got a good AIR, he would have got an absentee on the engineering paper. I was furious with my brother. I was also tired, hungry, and dehydrated. I swore that I would give my brother a piece of my mind on reaching home.

Again, I battled through the rain and traffic and spent a good hour to reach home. I rang the doorbell and mom opened the door. I was about to open my mouth and unleash my anger when I looked at my brother. My anger vanished into thin air. I had never seen my brother cry after he became a teenager. But his eyes were filled with tears of happiness as he embraced me in a tight hug. I have never known my brother to be emotional, but it was not an ordinary day.

It was a day when a mother’s sacrifices came to fruition. It was a day when a father’s chest swelled with pride. It was a day when a sister became utterly proud of her little brother. It was a day when a young boy’s efforts, determination, and dedication guaranteed him a seat in India’s top technical colleges.

Indeed, it was not an ordinary day.

This post is part of the contest It was never going to be an ordinary day.. on WriteUpCafe.com

Just another day

(As part of the group blogging activity, Seema gave us a chance to travel down memory lane and write a letter to ourself when we were 20 years old.)

Dear self at sweet 20,

You are going to hate me for this. I have put on 30 pounds since I was youL Well, it wasn’t all those lovely samosas I gorged on in college, nor the yummy masala pav I ate in Shubhalaxmi. I met this really cute guy seven years back. We dated for a year and he took me to all those lovely cafes. I had nice chubby cheeks when I got married. If that wasn’t enough, I befriended all the foodies in the world.  And now my post pregnancy weight refuses to vanish.

However, you will be proud to hear my accomplishments.  I selected a good career for myself and became a Technical Writer. I earn a decent income. That must be a relief to hear. I mean, when I was you, I would ask for pocket money every single day. I was quite shameless.

I got married in 2006 and was blessed with a princess in 2008. We named her Sayali. She’s a cute monster. I and my husband often worry how she will turn out when she’s a teenager. If she becomes anything like me, I am in for trouble. Do you remember that cute dress I had that reached just till my knees? One day it had suddenly vanished and I had strongly suspected mom. Well, I might have to resort to similar tactics when Sayali grows up.

Thanks to Sayali and my marriage, I am more attached to my mother. I still dote on my father, but it’s mom’s voice I want to hear first on the phone, it’s mom to whom I want to tell all my complaints of my daughter. And I know she understands just as I understand her much better. A rebellious 20-year old always got angry when mom told her to do something; but the mom in me now empathizes with my mother.

Do you remember how I never, ever set foot in my mom’s kitchen? I was determined that I would earn well enough to hire a cooking maid. God, I still shiver remembering my mom’s fits when she would proclaim that I would never find a good groom or kill my family due to hunger. Well, I was headed along that path but something changed in me. I guess I wanted to cook for the man I loved. But you would be shocked to hear that I started a food blog sometime back. Though it’s dormant now, it still has a good number of visitors.

I am now in the US for the second time with my family. I have a set routine and responsibilities. My problems are very much different from the ones I had when I was you. Back then I would worry about completing assignments at the nth hour, KT’s, getting caught by putting someone’s proxy, convincing parents for staying out late at night. Now, my problems include what to cook for dinner, planning my daughter’s studies, nagging my husband to complete his chores. You would think that my life is quite boring. But I like it the way it is. I am happy and content.

When I was you, I wanted life to continue the way it was for the rest of my life. I didn’t have a care or worry in the world. Life, as I knew it, meant college, friends, bunking lectures, using four letter words, throwing rockets on professors, watching movies in really cheap theatres, teasing each other silly with some cute guy, calling friends the minute after reaching home to “discuss something important we learnt that day”, going to Chembur station for xeroxing entire books a month before the exams, studying till late hours preparing for exams, wearing the same dress for all papers because it proved lucky, and then biting our nails while waiting for the results.

If I could turn back time, I would love to relive just another day, any day from my 20 year life. I would love to wake up one day and discover that I am 20 and be able to do all the things I did in college. 

So adios, my friend. It was good being you. I don’t have a single regret.

Luv,

The spirit of you, but a teeny bit mature

P.S: Don’t be so jubilant after your Math exam and think that’s the end of it. You will have nightmares about that paper for years.

A girlfriends weekend getaway

We hatched the plan over a long phone call. The need to meet was insatiable. After all, we hadn’t met in a good seven years. I took over the challenge of finding a good resort. Luckily, one met my expectations the very next day. A deluge of emails later, we finalized the dates. It was decided. The three of us based in three different US states planned to meet from 30^th March to 1^st April.

It was ironic that the three of us hadn’t met in India. We were good friends since Engineering college. We had hopes, dreams, and ambitions just like any teenager. After we graduated in 2002 with a teary farewell, we had vowed to keep in touch. Little did we know that time, career, marriage, and other commitments wouldn’t let us meet for so long. We did not attend each other’s weddings. Of the three of us, only Deepa saw to it that she kept in touch with a lot of college buddies. I had met her in September 2010 when she had come down to India for a short vacation. But I hadn’t met Meeta after 2005.

Anyway, fast forward to ten years after graduation. We were so excited about our forthcoming trip that we announced it to anyone who cared to listen. We jinxed it big time. A week before the trip, Deepa suddenly got very ill. Luckily, she recovered two days later. Then it was my turn to fall sick. I had fever, cold, throat infection – the works. By the third day of my sickness, I seriously doubted if I would have any energy to haul myself to Virginia – yes, that’s where we had decided to meet. As fate would have it, my husband fell ill the same day that I recovered. I was still hovering between my decision about making the trip, when my husband, the good soul that he is, sternly told me to go ahead with the trip. Meanwhile, Deepa had already started her adventurous journey. I bet she’s going to blog about it.

During my flight to Virginia, I had a lot of questions on my mind. How would it be to meet after so long? Would the three of us connect or would there be awkwardness between us? I had a pretty uneventful journey. As I waited outside Roanoke airport for my two girlfriends, I couldn’t contain my excitement.

Then finally, I saw them. I was astonished to see Meeta. She looked like a model in her lovely dress, glares, and heels. Deepa seemed the same, chirpy self. We enjoyed a lovely lunch in an Indian restaurant and proceeded to our destination – The Inn at Riverbend.

                                                         (View from our room)

We reached there in less than two hours. As soon as we checked in, the owners, Jim and Janet, gave us a lovely tour of the resort. The view was breathtakingly beautiful with the river forging right in front of us. The mountains and the lush greenery added to its beauty. If you happen to be near Virginia and are looking out for a relaxed weekend with your spouse, this is the place to be.

The next two days went in a blur of non-stop chatting, watching some chick flicks, taking loads of pictures, pulling each other’s leg, and enjoying some good food. Seconds ticked to minutes and minutes to hours as we spoke, and spoke some more. The first evening we just took some lovely pictures outside the resort. The second day we half-visited a waterfall. We couldn’t go the whole way as my shoes hurt like crazy and the walk seemed never ending. But the highlight of the trip was the second evening. Meeta, at her usual filmy self had big plans. She donned an Indian salwar kameez and ran across the lush fields with her duppatta swaying behind her. She wanted to enact the scene from Mohabbatein. I and Deepa doubled over in laughter seeing her running across the grass. She looked so funny and cute at the same time.

We girls had definitely changed with a few extra pounds, some grey hairs, a slightly improved sense of dressing, and become a bit wiser. Still, we had the same core values that bonded us together in college. We missed the other friends from our group and recalled all the lovely times we had spent in college.

The three days with my girlfriends were mesmerizing. They got over too soon. In those three days, we momentarily forgot that we were students, wives, and mothers. We forgot our hectic schedules, our daily chores, our responsibilities. We were just three best friends, thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to reconnect after a long time.

The week following the trip was one of the most refreshing ones that I remember. I only wish that we get to meet at least once every year. If you are a wife, mother, career woman, student, think about taking a break with your girlfriends. It rejuvenates you like nothing else. Believe me; I still have a glow on my face!

If wishes were horses…

This time it was Bhagyashri’s turn to choose a topic for the group blogging activity and she asked us to let our imagination loose and disclose what power/sixth sense we would like to possess.

Hmm, it sounds like a really compelling idea at first. I mean, wouldn’t it be cool to possess a sixth sense about anything? Imagine what one could do by knowing when the bank’s security system would fail, or when the gold prices would hit an all time lowJ

But the more I think about it, I realize I would have to be extremely careful in what I wish for. I mean, I don’t want my head to be a tangled mass of thoughts by possessing the power to read someone’s mind like Mel Gibson did in What Women Want? Nor would I like to carry the burden of knowing how and whom death would follow as shown in the Final Destination series.

There are certain human characteristics that confuse me a lot. And there are some that I just cannot deal with. So my sixth sense would really be broken down into things that bother me most when interacting with others. Given a chance, there are two powers that I would like to possess.

The first would be the power to know the real intention of someone’s derogatory remarks at me. When someone makes a comment at me that hurts me, the first thing that I would like to know is did they make the comment to purposely hurt me? Or did they just pass a casual remark and I got offended by it? Were they upset because of their personal stuff and that caused the sudden outburst of sarcasm?

A comment like “Oh, you have taught your husband to feed your child so you can sit peacefully and enjoy your lunch” makes me wonder if I have done a good or bad thing.  Or a comment like “Is your dress tight or have you put on weight?” makes me wonder if people have nothing better to do than pass comments on others.

Some people are very calm about handling such things. I, on the other hand, carry the burden for several days. It goes on and on in my head. It changes my view of people and causes awkwardness the next time I have to interact with them.

The second power that would be really good to possess would be to know is if someone does pass a derogatory remark at me, how do I give it back to them without being extremely rude and sarcastic? How do I smirk and give off the impression that your remark was so stupid and nonsensical, I will never ever think about it? Hey, be careful about what you say to me. I might not like it. If you want to be friends with me, watch your tongue and say only nice things to meJ

I suffer from a classic problem of not being able to give it back to someone on their face and then wishing I would have said something to let them know their place. I play a mind game wishing I would have said this or that. So, I would really like to know what is the best thing to say without damaging the relation. You said something that hurt me, here’s what I have for you. Bang! The matter is over then and there, unless, the person carries the revenge against me and insults me the next time. I realize that we may get into a loop. But nonetheless, I would have some peace of mind knowing that I learnt how to deal with such a situation.

A few years back, we had hosted a party for my husband’s birthday. While the guys were having some fun by passing around a champagne bottle, someone commented that my husband should get the last sip so that he would get a good wife in his next birth. I was stunned with insult. How I wish I would have said something and either made a joke out of it, or subtly told the person that he didn’t have a funny sense of humor.

My wish for sixth sense may sound really stupid to someone else. But to me, it would make a huge difference if I learn to handle people and those awkward situations.

Life would be so much easier if you get what you ask for. The trick lies in knowing what to ask for and then using it to your benefit.

Tealationships

As I stood kneading dough near my kitchen counter, I thought about Preeti’s latest prompt for Tea for Tuesday: Can a relationship be like a tea-stain?

Within no time, I realized that tea and relationships have so many things in common.

Some relations are like sweet tea. You always feel good about them. That tea never goes wrong; there’s a perfect balance and blend of water, sugar, tea, and milk.

Some relations are like shallow tea. You always think something’s amiss, but you can’t figure out why.

Some relations are like tea which no matter how long or how strong you brew, it never tastes good or right.

Some relations are like hot tea which falls on you and scalds you in the process. If you get hurt once, it’s acceptable to continue the relation. But if you get hurt again, there’s no point in brewing the tea.

Some relations are like tea addictions. You know too much is wrong; but you can’t break away.

Coming back to Preeti’s prompt, my answer is: Yes and No. Some relations can be like mild tea stains. If something in the relation hurts you, you judge how hurt you were. You also ponder on how important the relation is to you. You try to let go. You use the strongest detergent to get rid of the tea stain. No matter how hard you wash, the stain takes its own time in going away. Some relations and the memories we associate with them are like mild tea stains: the bad ones fade away with time, love, and nurturing from both sides.

Yet, some relations are like tough tea stains. No matter how hard you wash, the stain never goes away. And if you are badly hurt, the stain may go away one day, but to you, the stain is always there.

In the end, life’s all about enjoying a good cup of tea and forgetting the stainsJ

India Shining

(It was Deepa’s turn to select a topic for the group blogging activity and she selected “India Shining: two things you love and two things you would like to change”)

When Deepa announced the topic, I instantly found it analogous to someone asking you to mention two things you love in your husband and two things you would like to change. For all I know, most people (me included) would mention exactly two things that they like, but come up with a long list of things to change. I mean, he’s very kind and helps me, but only if he could do his chores without a lot of nagging, if only he would throw the trash on time, get me more gifts, help me more in the kitchen, gets up on time, and on and onJ

So this topic really got me thinking about what it is that I really like in my homeland and what would I like to change. There are literally dozens of things I like: the food, the people, the culture, the values. There are also dozens of things I would like to change: the dirt, the pollution, the corruption, the noise. So, do you want the good news or the bad news first? Always makes it better when you hear something good before hearing the bad, doesn’t it?

Two Things I Love
Festivals
I absolutely love all the festivals in India. Of course, the noise levels and the amount of money that is spent is not justifiable. But what I love in the festivals is the enthusiasm and the sense of unity among people. In today’s hectic life, festivals give us a good reason to meet each other and spend some quality time. I have so many fond memories associated with each and every festival. It’s difficult to choose a favorite: Holi with its vibrant colors, Navratri with the dandiya/garba, Diwali with the celebration of lights, and Ganpati with the dhol, tashas, and aartis.

 I really believe that festivals also teach us a lot. For example, if you actively participate in a festival, you are bound to meet lot of people; share knowledge, ideas, and network. You can develop leadership qualities; learn how to handle different egos, resolve conflicts, manage time: in short, you learn good management skills. I would definitely say that part of what I am today is thanks to these festivals; I have learnt a lot and will continue to learn through participation. I would also urge my readers to actively participate and let their kids participate in the festivals. No matter how busy or tired you are, there’s a lot to gain by giving some time, energy, and presence in our festivals.

Knowing the good from the bad
There are always two paths to take: the good or the bad. India’s rich culture, its history, the diverse population, the different rituals have so much to teach us. I feel that the values our parents instill in us help in choosing the right vs. wrong. I don’t remember my mom or teachers teaching a subject “Values and culture”, but they are still passed on from generations after generations.

From a very early age, we expose and teach kids a plethora of shlokas and devotional songs, which build the foundation for learning good lessons. They also help us in learning recitation and improving our memory. I still remember my mother asking us to chant “Vadani kaval gheta” before eating the food on our plate.

Do you remember the story of the monkey and the crocodile? I am sure you do. It taught us a valuable lesson that presence of mind is always important. At a very early age, our parents introduced us to moral stories such as panchatantra which teach us good valuable lessons through short stories and anecdotes.

Lastly, we learn to observe and implement. Always help those around you, respect your elders, do not raise your voice, do not support evil even if you are alone are just some of the wonderful things we learn by observing our elders. I always give up my seat in a crowded bus to an elderly person or a pregnant lady. I never throw litter or spit on the road. I hope my daughter observes and learns these things.

No matter how old we grow, we can never forget these lessons. They help in shaping us in what we become and aid us in making the right choices in life.

Two Things I Would Like to Change
Customer Service or Customer Satisfaction
Does anyone in India ever care about customer service? I think not. In India, the focus seems to be more on selling a product or getting the job done, but not on quality. In US, we can return a product for up to 90 days after purchasing it. If you have a bad product experience, return the product and replace it. For me, it’s a sure sign that the customer might return for another product.

In India, if your product is broken, you have to call umpteen times to reach the repairmen. Banks, retail stores are always flooded with people with a long line at checkout. At the boarding desk in India, the lady made an error in our boarding passes which resulted in us to wait for over 2 hrs at the same place. Did she apologize? No. Did anyone attend to us at the earliest? No. It was only after we had completely lost it, that someone saw our passes, checked all of our 9 check-in bags, verified that we were not terrorists, and let us proceed to immigration. Why wasn’t this done in the first 15 minutes?

The customer is GOD and if you treat him well and give him a good experience, your business will flourish.

Safe place for women
It shocks and makes me extremely sad to realize that India is still not very safe for women. Open any newspaper and there would be at least 2-3 news of rapes within any part of India. I was under the illusion that at least Mumbai is comparatively safe. But this news shattered my illusion. While travelling in public transport in Mumbai is not so risky, friends have told me horror stories of public transport in Delhi. I dare not think what happens in the rural villages. It breaks my heart to think that the very woman, who gives birth, nurses her kids, and sacrifices so much to bring them up, is sometimes looked upon as an object of pleasure and is forced to give pleasure. If I were to have the power to change something, I would make extremely strict punishment for rapists.

At the end of this blog post, I cannot help but remember the movie “Nayak”, where a civilian is made a minister for a day. He goes about getting rid of the corruption and tackling the corrupt politicians. While some of the things depicted in the movie were very farfetched, if we have a minister who takes every good idea and turns it into a good deed, our country will be a much safer and better place to live. Jai Hind!

Felt like a dream

(I know I have to write a different post for my group blogging activity. But I am feeling so nostalgic about home and our recent trip, that I couldn’t help but write this post.)

It seems just like yesterday that we were busy shopping, buying gifts, and packing for our India trip. It seems just like yesterday that one day before our departure we got the sweet news that we were blessed with a niece. It seems very recently that we boarded a flight to India, counting the hours left before we could see our parents.

We landed in India on 5th Dec, exactly a month back. We thought three weeks would be enough to visit home. But we were terribly wrong. The first 2-3 days went in fighting the jet lag and getting accustomed to the weather. Meanwhile, we also started our shopping for my brother’s wedding. We visited our flat that first weekend and managed to meet a few friends.

The next week was wedding preparations week. I don't even recall how that went by what with last minute shopping, buying tons of things, welcoming relatives, organizing things, packing bags, etc. My kid brother got married on 18th and somehow that is still sinking in. It takes time to believe that the baby you held in your arms, the one you watched grow up, had innumerable fights with, shared dozens of things with finally grew up into a responsible man and tied the knot. Anyway, the wedding was a grand hit and we had a fun time doing fancy dress by changing into different gorgeous sarees and enjoying good Indian food. The day before and after the wedding we had poojas and they went exactly the way I like them: calmly, quietly, with the mantras spreading a positive vibe in our house. The newly weds left for their honeymoon two days after the wedding. And that was our last week in India.

We had just four days left spare after the wedding. They went by in the blink of an eye. We managed to eat whatever was on our list whenever we could. I am sure people couldn't understand the joy on our faces as we relishied the road-side pani puri after 8 months:)

Yes, some things back home are still the same. We were hot and miserable the first few days. We were shocked by the inflated prices every time we ate/drank something. An itty-bitty glass of lime juice costs us 20 bucks. The traffic and the pollution is still bad. I spent 10 minutes trying to cross the road those first few days. I thanked God every time I safely survived an autorickshaw ride. But nothing can beat the love of parents, relatives, and friends. We felt so pampered and loved during our small stay. Our kid had a grand time with her grandparents. Before we knew, it was time to repack and head to US.

There was a big scene at the airport where my kid cried out for her grandparents and wanted to stay back. My heart broke into a million pieces as I saw my kid crying in my arms, reaching out to her grandparents, who cried on the other side of the airport entrance. Meanwhile, I tried to put on a brave face and stop my tears, but failed miserably. We came back on 24th Dec.

It was such a short trip that I can't even believe I had actually gone there. I mean, how could it get over so soon? I keep cursing myself that I should have checked the holiday calendar and stayed there the whole of December. I was unaware that we had holiday on 26th and 30th. And now, I keep regretting that I could have taken additional three days off, or worked from there, or done something, just something, but stayed for a while more. Till the very last minute before leaving India, I felt that I should extend our tickets and stay some more. But what's the point of repenting now?

It really feels like a sweet dream of us visiting home, spending time with our loved ones, and eating home-made food. I only wish the dream would never get over!

Quotable Quotes

That’s how I fell in love with quotes. Reader’s Digest carried a column on some wonderful quotes. I remember reading and memorizing those quotes in my teen years. Even before that, I would always enjoy inspirational quotes which my teachers used to write on the school board.

I always take a moment to ponder on a quote and analyze its deep meaning. Really, quotes are just a few words, but they carry such deep meanings. And once in a while you find a quote that just tugs at your heart. You can totally connect with some quotes; some make you smile, while others leave a lasting impression and bond with us forever.

Over the years, I luckily bumped into people who also had a penchant for knowing and sharing good quotes. Be it my ex-boss who would email me a few chosen quotes, be it friends who would put up beautiful quotes on Facebook, or my dad who would always get wonderful diaries filled with numerous quotes.

Still, good quotes are hard to find. My chosen topic for this month’s group blog activity was “five quotes you love and live by”. I thought it would be an easy affair to write this post as I had chosen the topic. But as I sat down to write this post, of course, just an hour before deadline, all the quotes I knew over the years screamed at me “Pick me, pick me”. After much deliberation, I picked these:

Tough times never lasts, but tough people do!

This is by far my most favorite quote. I love the quote, the poem based on it, and also the book by Robert Schuller. This quote, poem, and book have given me immense strength when I went through a rough phase or when I feel down.

What it means to me?

We all go through ups and downs in life. But when we are going through the down phase, we have to remember that the “up” phase will soon arrive. And while the down phase may not last long, the strong people, who have the courage to keep it going during the down phase, will definitely lasts.

This quote is a reminder to me and my advice to everyone who’s reading this. When you are faced with a difficult situation, just hang in there and good times will meet you soon. I highly recommend the book to everyone.

You have to walk before you run

In one of my previous jobs, we had to attend conference calls with the clients. Our boss handled the conference calls and we girls just sat around pretending to listen.  I wouldn’t follow 80% of what was said during those calls because I couldn’t follow the client’s accent, or I would be far away from the receiver. One fine day, my boss didn’t come to the office and asked me to handle the call. I was truly terrified and unsure if I would be able to handle it. My boss said “You have to walk before you run”. I hesitantly handled the first call, became a tad more confident in the next, and was superbly managing well within the next two months.

What it means to me?

You take one step at a time. If you are unsure of something, start slow. Analyze what’s holding you back. Trust yourself and take the first step. Then the next. And surely, you will be running in no time and then there will be no looking back.

Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

I first heard this quote in the movie “Princess Diaries”. The father has written a wonderful letter to his daughter and he mentions this quote, urging her to let go of her inhibitions and face the world.

The extended version is “Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. For now you are traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.”

What it means to me?

All through our life we are faced with something or the other that makes us pause before taking the next step. We are unsure of our self and find enough excuses from taking that next step. We are filled with questions. Will people mock me if I do this? What if I fail? Isn’t it easy to be where I am now?

But I guess I have realized that the best thing to do is to ask ourselves “What is the worst that could happen if I do this?” If I let go of my fear for a while, surely there must be something great awaiting me. It’s important to realize that something else; our happiness, our life, our future is more important than fear.

On a recent trip we went horse riding with some friends. My stomach developed a tight knot even before I sat on the horse. It worsened when the horse moved. And I was about to shriek when the horse treacherously went down a slope. But before screaming my lungs out, I took a deep breath and asked myself “What is the worst that can happen to me?” Surely, there was a guide who would come to my rescue if the horse galloped away. Surely, I would break a few bones if the horse skidded down. But I may not die. The minute I let go of my fear, I started enjoying the ride. I breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the nature surrounding us. It was the best 45 minutes of my life. Surely, the horse must also be questioning himself “For how long do I have to carry this horrible weight on my back?”J

Apologizing doesn't always mean that you're wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.

I don’t remember how or when I came across this quote. But it totally struck home.

What it means to me?

A lot of times, we spoil important relations because of silly squabbles. We hold on to the little three letter word with an amazing destructive power. Ego. So what if the person who was your friend for 10 years may never talk to you again. Your ego seems more important after a fuming fight.

Well, it always helps to remember that a few harsh words said in the heat of the moment may not be true. In any relation, differences are bound to happen. But it’s always important to learn to apologize before it’s too late. Apologizing doesn’t mean that you are a looser. That you bent down and let the other person hold the triumph card. It means that you valued the relation more than your ego and were ready to take the first step in amending things.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, those who cannot, and those who count

When I first read this one, it took me a while to figure out its meaning. But once I did, I totally agreed.

What it means to me?

To me, this quote simply means there are three kinds of people. The first are those who can count numbers; the second are those who cannot count numbers. And the third are those who make efforts to make themselves count/matter to anyone or anything. Their deeds speak more than their words.

This quote aligns with my purpose of life. For me, it’s very important to matter to somebody.

A few other chart busters

• A child gives birth to a mother.
• The only difference between ordinary and extra ordinary is the little “extra”.
• It’s better to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start.
• Change is the only constant in life.
• All that happens, happens for the best.

I always share inspiring quotes with my friends; I update my Facebook status using these quotes. I also like to add them as my email signature and make sure I change them regularly. After all, it’s just a small way to thank the quotes who teach us so much in such a short sentence. Great things always come in small packages!

Phew, this was a long post but I totally loved writing it. If you have a quote which is close to your heart, please share it with me. I would love to add in my collection.

Purpose of my life

(Ask a guy to choose a blog topic and he will invariably choose something complicated like “Purpose of my life”. Ask a girl to choose a topic and she may choose something uncomplicated like “Top 10 favorite shopping places in the world”. Just kiddingJ. Anyway, the background to this topic is that I and my 3 friends took on the 10 day you challenge and it was fun to complete it together. So we took it a step forward and persuaded 2 more friends to join us. Now the 6 of us will write on a common topic once every month. One of us will choose the blog topic and declare it by the 15^th of every month. We have to publish the post on the month end. Go to the end of this post to view the blog URL’s of my friend’s blogs.)

The first topic, chosen by Pradeep of RTOAC is “Purpose of my life”. Pradeep chose this topic as a tribute to legends such as Steve Jobs and Jagjit Singh who passed away last month. I guess they found the purpose of their life and followed their passion.)

I could have said “I don’t know” and gotten away with it. But Pradeep’s choice for the blog topic really made me think hard. There’s a certain restlessness, uncertainty, and anxiety in me because I am still searching for the purpose of my life. Why was I born? Is there any meaning to my life? These questions haunt me over and over again. A few years back, I met a man in Vivekanand Ashram, Kanyakumari. He had done his B.Tech from IIT, but had left his corporate career to travel throughout India teaching young minds. At that time, I had gotten hyper and wondered why he had wasted an engineering seat. However, as I grow older and hopefully more mature, I understand that maybe he did find the purpose of his life and was happy pursuing it. It was what gave him “nirmal anand”.

I won’t say I am 100% sure about the purpose of my life. But I do know what makes me really happy. It’s not the big, fat pay check (LOL) at the end of every month. A few years back, I went through this phase with my kid brother. He was going through that age where he was more close to his friends and engrossed in his own world. We would often go for entire weeks without talking to each other. No matter how many times I tried to talk to him, he found it boring. I was devastated and depressed with his attitude. I kept feeling that I am the only one who loves him and he does not love me back. When I was really down, I told my concerns to my dad. I said “He doesn’t love me back. He doesn’t do special things for me”. That’s when my dad said “Maybe it’s you in this relation who has to do the job of loving him. You are the giver and he’s the receiver”. Something in dad’s words clicked. I understood what he wanted to say. Now, where is all this leading us? And what does it have to do with the purpose of my life?

The purpose of my life as I have understood it or the things that make me happy are: spreading love and happiness, making my friends and loved ones feel special, and educating and inspiring people. If I am able to make even one person feel special, then I have achieved the purpose of my life. If I am able to help even a single person, then I have achieved the purpose of my life. This may sound very cliché, but it truly makes me happy. I do like to help people and also tend to give unsolicited advice at times.

Sometime back, I helped a friend by simply passing on the contact number of a reputed gynecologist. She was having some trouble and was advised to go for surgery. Luckily, with the treatment of that gynecologist she delivered a healthy baby boy. I was amongst the first people to receive a call from the hospital with the good news. I can’t even begin to describe how happy that made me.

I really love the movie “Lakshya” which depicts a great story of a young boy and how he strives to find the purpose of his life and achieves success in the end. I do believe that whatever you do, you should do it with all your heart. I really like this dialogue from this movie “Tum jo bhi karo, accha karo. Agar tum ghaas katnewale ho, to tum acchese ghaas katon”J

Moral of the story: do whatever makes you happy. And then no matter where you are, or what you do, you will always be happy!    

My blogging gang includes:

• Deepa from Life through the lens of a kaliedoscope
• Sonali from Straight from the heart
• Pradeep from RTOAC
• Bhagyashri from Predictably Random
• Swati from Finding myself (invite only)

While you were sleeping…

(I like to write blog post titles which sync with movie names. I am writing this post to describe my kid’s mischief when we were taking a nap. This is an attempt to write a blog post through her perspective. The title also happens to be a favorite movie starring Sandra Bullock.)

Dear Readers,

My parents are still a bit angry over the stunt I pulled this Sunday afternoon while they were sleeping. But give me a chance to explain.

Now, don’t blame my parents for falling asleep without putting me to sleep. After all, they tried their best to put me to sleep for over 45 minutes. However, I now have very strong opinions about when I should sleep. And 3pm was not suitable enough. Mom and Dad dozed off in two separate rooms, each assuming that I was peacefully napping with the other.

What they did not know was that I got my little hands on a small jar of Vaseline. I am a very keen observer. I have seen how Mom opens the jar, dips her finger in the jar, and applies it over my lips when they get too dry. However, I thought my whole body was a bit dry and thought it would be good to apply Vaseline all over it. So, off go all my clothes. I dipped my finger in the jar and started meticulously applying Vaseline all over my body.

Imagine dad’s surprise when he woke up and saw me without any clothes, covered entirely in Vaseline. I was determined to finish the entire jar when he yanked me from the floor and carried me unceremoniously to the bathroom. All the while, he kept muttering to himself. Thankfully, Mom was still sleeping. Splash, splash a hot bath. Dad used a lot of soap in a vain attempt to get the Vaseline off me. Dad was giving me a piece of his mind all through my bath. Mom woke up because of the commotion. Now, dad really can’t shout at me. After all, I am daddy’s girl. He tries to look serious and raise his voice. But I am really not too scared of him. Mom is an entirely different story. One look at me was all she needed to know what had happened. She started the big fundewala lecture, rolling eyes, all the works. I thought it best to look scared and then quickly dozed off to put an end to her shouting.

Why you may ask did I pull this stunt? Now, I have tried to teach my parents N number of lessons, so that they would keep everything in its right place, far away from my reach. Alas, my parents just don’t get it. Once, mom woke up to a good smell. But there was too much of it. When she turned her head, she saw a cloud of white powder. I was splashing it over myself and over the bed sheets. Well, I got a bit carried away. But why couldn’t she keep it off my reach? Then there was that other time when they forgot to keep the iron on the top shelf. Mom was having her bath and I thought I would iron my clothes. So I plugged in the iron. I did get a bit scared when it turned hot. Imagine my mom’s horror when she came out and discovered that the iron was plugged in and I was sitting right next to it. Do I even need to tell you how she shouted at dad who had forgotten to keep the iron?

Anyway, I really hope that my parents keep all things at a safe place. And I also hope that once in a while they forget, and I get to play with them:)

10 day challenge: one picture and a recap

Finally the day is here. I and my comrades have successfully completed the 10-day challenge. Special thanks to Deepu for initiating this challenge. Big round of applause for Sonali who always posted on time. The rest of us started with much gusto, but we missed a few deadlines and then missing became a habit. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed writing each and every post.

This happens to be my favorite snap. This was taken on my husband's birthday in 2007 in our Louisville apartment. We had invited some 35 close friends for a small celebration. He clicked this snap while we were waiting for our guests.


I love my slight smile, the hair that for once stayed intact, and my general aura in this snap. I always use it when I need a decent close-up.


I would like to recap the lasts nine posts in this post. There were things that I either forgot or didn't divulge. Have fun reading:

1. Ten secrets: I suffer from mint kleptomania. Just kidding. I like to joke that I do. But I can't resist stealing atleast 4-5 mints from restaurants. I steal only one type. The white ones with the red design. Once, a waitress charged us 6$ for an item she didn't tell us about. We assumed it was complimentary by her casual mention. We didn't want to reverse the bill. I picked up 20 mints on my way out just to feel better about the whole thing. I intend to stop doing this. I hope no restaurant owners are reading this.
2. Nine loves: Sleeping. I love sleeping for long hours. There was a time when I used to sleep for 12 hours. Half the day gone. I even slept for long hours during my board exams.
3. Eight fears: In the haste of finishing the post on time, I totally forgot my biggest fear. Visiting dentists. I am so fearful that I wait till the pain gets impossible. I have sacrified 2 teeth, which could have been saved had I gone earlier. I just hate everything about dentists. The smelly clinic, the odd smelling gloves, the drilling noise, the excruiating pain. Yucks! I would prefer having a permanent denture than go through the pain of visiting a dentist.
4. Seven wants: To ride a motorbike wearing all leather gear. I have this vision of myself roaring on a bike wearing black leather pants, black leather jacket, black helmet, and black sunglasses. I have never been able to figure out why I need the sunglasses inside the helmet:)
5. Six places: Surat. Love visiting my aunt who stays there. Visiting her gives me an oppurtunity to sample all Gujrati foods. She always makes undhiyo, which is a treat in itself. Earlier, I would visit her in vacations and just laze around on her sofa:)
6. Five foods: Dadpe pohe! Always has and always will be my favorite breakfast or snack. I can easily gobble up 4-5 plates. Check out the recipe on my food blog.
7. Four books: Tough times never last, but tough people do! This book and the poem have always been a source of inspiration.
8. Three films: Legally Blonde. Totally love Reese Witherspoon in this one.
9. Two songs: Gagan sadan tejomaya. Of course, my husband always covers his ears when I try to match the high notes.

Thanks to all those who took the time to read my posts. Adios!

10 day challenge: two songs

Songs. Music. Lyrics. Wonderful companions during a long drive; cooking for friends and family; late night studies; picnics and parties; putting your baby to sleep.

I am a big fan of old Hindi songs, and an even bigger fan of all of Lata’s classics. I like a lot of new songs as well; but they don’t seem to stick around. Somehow, it’s always oldies which come to mind when playing antakshari. I haven’t heard a lot of English songs. When I was an engineering student, I would stay up late to study for exams. I would tune to the radio and listen to English songs for company. Two songs that would always play and I over the years, I have fallen in love with those. One was “Hotel California”. This always makes me imagine myself strumming a guitar. The other is Celine Dion’s “A New Day has Come”.

This post was an easy one for me; not because I don’t listen to a lot of music, but because I knew which songs I would choose as my favorite two:

Every couple should have a special song for themselves and ours is: Rimzim Gire Sawan  

We both know the entire lyrics of this song and have troubled a lot of friends by singing the entire song: he in his lovely voice, me in my croaking voice.

The second song is one that I heard only recently and completely fell in love with: Saibo from Shor in the City.

The music is very refreshing and this is my type of song with its high and low alterations. Shreya Ghoshal is outstanding, and Tochi Raina supports her with his upbeat voice. The lyrics are sensible and wonderful.

Other songs that I have to mention:

• Third Hindi Favorite: Barse sapne boond boond from Wake Up Sid. This one’s a lose third favorite after Saibo.
• My ideal Bollywood playlist: As far as Bollywood goes, my playlist would contain all songs from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Khamoshi, Devdas, Abhimaan, Sathiya, Sapnay, Roja.
• Marathi: All of Padmaja Fenani’s songs from the album Ghar Nachle Nachle, all songs from the movie Nivdung, majority of Asha’s songs.
• English: Uptown girl, 500 miles (Benny and Joon).
• Telegu: How can a Marathi mulgi love a Telegu song?:) Our group discovered Ringa Ringa and are obsessed with it. So much so, that we found that song with subtitles. During a recent trip, where we drove for 10 hours, we must have heard this song atleast 50 times. My little daughter is an ardent fan and tries to rote it.

Listening to good music always uplifts my mood and leaves me feeling fresh.
I might post mid-week about my favorite photo.

10 day challenge: Three movies

I have cribbed endlessly about writing only five foods and four books. But that cribbing isn’t going to
come even close to my cribbing to write only three movies. Find out why.

My love saga with movies began when I was four. I still remember clutching dad’s hand and going to
watch my first movie: Jack and the Beanstalk. That movie and the story has always been my favorite. My
dad is an avid movie watcher and he has been responsible for getting me addicted to movies. We both
have common favorites, including, but not limited to Amar Akhbar Anthony, Guide, Sholay, Mackennas’s
Gold, Where Eagles Dare, The Guns of Navaronne. We have seen these movies so many times, that we
have lost track.

We did not have Cable TV for a good 24 years of my life. But we did watch a lot of oldies on
Doordarshan. Come summer vacation and we would rent out movies. I still remember all of us watching movies late into the night, with the perfect setting: a couple of pillows under your head and a bag of chips to munch on. Mom also tries to stay up late to accompany us, but she has her own limits and soon sleep in the chair:)

Luckily, the friends I made over the years also loved to watch movies. A certain friend B is a big-time
Salmaan Khan fan, and she has dragged me to all of his movies: good or bad. In my engineering college,
our group would often bunk lectures and catch latest movies at the nearby theatre. How I love all those
memories.

Then came Mr. P in my life; my husband who loves movies so much and goes around throwing movie
dialogues at everyone around him. So much so, that I often complain that he lives in a world of movies
and should come out of the imaginary life and look around him! During our last trip to US from Sep06 to
Dec 07, we watched loads of movies every weekend. We had a set schedule. Go to Blockbuster on Friday
eve, get 2 DVD’s, finish them off, go back on Saturday, get two more, finish them off on Saturday night,
and then watch another one on Sunday. Do the maths!

We watch movies and often discuss them. He made me watch “Memento” and we discussed it for 2
hours after watching it. We often fight about which movies to watch, which ones to order via Netflix.
More than once, I have quietly changed the movie priority and moved my favorites up in the queue.
Once, I even changed the password and refused to share it with him.

It’s not that I like watching only a particular type of films. I have a definite inclination towards feel-
good-romantic-flicks!:). But I can watch all types of movies: action, thriller, comedy, horror, romantic.
Sometimes I just feel like watching a family drama and turn to movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi
Khushi Kabhi Gum, Hum Saath Saath Hai, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

I don’t know if my three comrades have noticed that we have limited options as we approach the end
of this challenge. I mean, I would happily trade three movies with ten secrets. Who would like to divulge
ten secrets, but food, book, and movie lovers would definitely jump at picking up 10 items in those
categories.

How can a girl who watches almost 3 movies every week, pick only three favorites? Anyway, here are
the top ones:

• The Shawshank Redemption: This was an easy one to pick. My husband introduced me and my parents to this movie and we all loved it. My favorite quote from this movie “Hope is a good
  thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies.” Truly, the movie tells the story of a
  man who lives on hope, believes in it, and works on achieving the best in life.
• Father of the Bride: I had a tie between P.S I Love You and Father of the Bride. But in the end, I picked the movie based on dad’s love, his daughter’s marriage, and what the dad endured.
  There has not been a single time when I have seen this movie and it failed to bring tears in my
  eyes. Steve Martin is outstanding in this movie. I always imagine me and my dad on screen
  when I see this movie. The first time I saw it in the US, being miles away from my dad, I had
  cried hysterically. Truly, this movie always reminds me of how my dad let me marry the guy I
  love, and made my wedding day a memorable one.
• Parichay: Inspired from the Sound of Music, our very own Bollywood version touches my heart
  every time I see it. I am not a big Jitendra fan, but he’s acted very well in this one. Then there
  are my favorites: Jaya Bhaduri, Pran, and the lovely kids. The songs are beautiful. The morale
  and the climax are awesome. Be sure to see this movie if you haven’t seen it.

Other favorites include:

• The Ghost and the Darkness: No, this isn’t a horror flick. If you haven’t seen this one, you should definitely check it out.
• The Pink Panther: Absolutely loved Steve Martin in this one.
• Kill Bill 1 and 2, Final Destination 1,2,3
• Romantic flicks such as: 27 Dresses, Sweet Home Alabama, Pretty Woman, Addicted to Love, 50 First Dates, and so on.
• Bollywood Favorites: Dil Chahta Hai, Sarfarosh, Chak De India, Anand, Abhimaan, Khatta Meetha
• Marathi Favorites: Gammat Jammat, Ashihi Banva Banvi, Navri mile Navryala, Matichya Chuli

After seeing so many movies, I and hubby consult friends on which movies to watch. Maybe, we should
open a movie consultancy firm. What say?:)

If you have seen a movie that you thought was outstanding, please leave a comment. We have
exhausted our list of “movies to watch” and would love hearing new ones.

10 day challenge: Four books

Books. The very word conjures up so many memories. I don't remember the first book I read or held, but I do know that my parents instilled good reading habits in me and my brother. I remember them buying Childcraft series for us, which in those days costs 12K. They also subscribed to Reader's Digest, and for years we archived them in the house. In 2000, we discovered magazines dating back to 1993 and realized it was high time to give away some of them. I remember reading novels late into the night, when my father would discover that I was still reading at 1am he would tell me to go to sleep. "Five minutes baba", I would say and continue reading till 4am, satisfied that I had finished the book:)

Our school library also housed a good collection of books. It is through the school library that I fell in love with Nancy Drew, Famous Five, and Secret Seven. Oh! How I loved those cute gangs and their parties with cookies and lemonade.

Then I reached college and discovered Sidney Sheldon, Arthur Hailey, Jeffrey Archer, and John Grisham. I think I have read all of their novels. Of course, my college buddies also introduced Mills and Boons, and I remember reading a few of them and wondering about love and romance:) I still remember spending hours and hours near Churchgate station and picking up books for cheap prices.

I have always been lucky to meet people who are passionate about reading and I often wonder about people who don't like to read. Some people find libraries boring, but for me they are a treasure trove of discoveries. Books have never let me down in my entire life and I consider them to be my best friends. I wonder what my life had been had I not discovered the wonderful world of books and what one can learn from them.

This post is about four of my favorite books. Again, it was very difficult to choose just four amongst the thousands that I have read. But still, here's an attempt:

1. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl: I haven't read a more touching book till date. I was horrified to discover that at an age when I was roaming around freely with my friends, a girl much younger than me had spent years trapped inside a cramped apartment. Anne's writing and its simplicity made me feel as if I was experiencing what she had. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
2. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer: I love reading this book over and over again. The climax is superb. This was my first Jeffrey Archer novel, and the rest I read didn't match up.
3. Not without my daughter by Betty Mahmoody: An amazing story of an American woman, trapped in a foreign land and her courageous attempt to escape the country with her daughter. I read this pre and post giving birth to my daughter. The latter reading touched me even more than the first one as I could totally connect with the author. The Bollywood attempt at adapting this story (Shakti) totally sucks.
4. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: I loved all the characters in this book; each and every one is so different, yet so special and convincing. Ashima, the mother who leaves her homeland at a very young age and settles in a foreign land. Accepts staying there, yet, no letting go of her roots. Ashoke, an intelligent professor who loves reading books. Gogol, a true ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) in his earlier years, soon transforms into a total American. Jhumpa hooks her readers right from the first page, wonderfully builds up the story, and leaves them with a satisfying end. Read my review here.

Other favorites include To kill a mockingbird (Harper Lee), The Godfather (Mario Puzo), The Final Diagnosis (Arthur Hailey), The Hindi Bindi Club (Monica Pradhan), 2 States (Chetan Bhagat), and The Client (John Grisham).

See you next week with my list of three movies.