None of it matters

Mumbai Voter turnout- 45%....Such a shame!

One of the most popular , rich, urbane city, the economic capital of India , city of dreams...none of it matters. Peace march, candle march, angry outbursts..none of it matters...terrorist attacks, slums, horrible infrasrtucture, roads caving in ,skyrocketing prices...none of it matters..

What matters is the break you can take..long weekend..Alibagh, Lonavala,Ganpatiphule here we come..and the ones with deeper pockets..USA, UK, Spain, Australia..

And it is so so so HOT! The temperatures are soaring and we can`t step out in this heat to like vote or something..Puhleeze..

Such a shame. I am ANGRY..Mumbaikars or is it Bombayites ( whatever) have stuck to what they are great at..APATHY..Mumbai always bounces back and it has and how...we loose, we suffer, we cry , we forget and we move on and then go for a holiday to regain our spirits..vote? For what? For whom? Forget it ! It`s a fabulous opportunity to take that much needed break..Anyways if a couple of us don`t vote it hardly matters...

But it does..And it`s a shame that educated people are the ones who have chosen to ignore their right and power..

Ji Nahi Karta

Baatein hain bahut si ,

Par kissi se kehne ko ji nahi karta.

Ajab se mod par hain zindagi ,

Par kadam uthane ko ji nahi karta.

Jaanti hoon ,tum ho paas

Phir bhi ,haath badhane ko ji nahi karta.

Kya yahi hai Zindagi ?

Jawab jann ne ko bhi , ji nahi karta.

Happy Holi

As I sit by my window and look out at the beautiful palm trees, I can hear loud music playing in the building behind our garden. The DJ is playing loud thumping music and playing all holi songs. Holi ke din dil mil jaate hai, maaro bhar bhar pichkari, holi khelat biraj mein, rang barse ..it gets me nostalgic.

When we were growing up there was no DJ. Mom made Gujhiyas, dahi bada, Pulao, got Gheear ( a big thin jalebi, v crisp and syrupy!). I, on the other hand buy it all.We filled water balloons and filled buckets of water and threw them at passersby and derived great sadistic pleasure in wetting Aunties and Uncles. Different tolis would come and we would splash colour ,water and balloons over them. My brother would then join one of the tolis and go visiting . The toli would thus grow bigger and bigger.Later we would be bathed and scrubbed mercilessly by mom with Mitti ka tel ,and then devour all the homemade goodies. I wonder ,if Mom really enjoyed this festival? She had lots of extra work on her platter. Cooking delicacies, scrubbing children,wiping and cleaning the house every 15 minutes, greeting and serving the colourful guests who dropped by.

The holi that we celebrate now. My children play in the garden with pichkari and water pipes.Followed by Rain dance, DJ, Samosa, jalebi, kachori, soft drinks ( All sourced out ) for adults-Beer,breezers, bhhang. We don`t visit anyone neither does any one even dream of coming to our house. (Remember no house help on this day. So no one even wants to look at a visitor ,let alone a dripping colourful one!)We all chip in and meet at any one friends building compound, dance,eat , play a bit and go back. Though all our children are allowed to fill water ballons they are not allowed to throw them at others. Only at their friends below the hips!

And though with times celebrations have changed too,what remains constant is the thrill, joy, happiness we feel during various festivals. So Happy Holi to you all. May this Holi add more colour and brightness to your lives!

Ps..now they are playing ..saat rang mein khel rahi hai dil waalo ki toli re...Rang de gulaal mohe aayi holi aaye re

pic courtsey www.indiacultureblog.com

So Coool

A bright, sunny ,lazy Sunday afternoon.
I was driving and humming, with my daughter T and her friend N sitting and chatting away in the backseat.I let their constant chatter wash me over and continued driving and humming. Suddenly, got interested when I heard T say.."At least One we should get."
I turned and smiled, “ What do you want T?”









T ,smiling beatifically, "A fracture Mamma.”
"Fracture? Are you mad?"
N :"Aunty ,it is sooo cool.”
"Cool? A fracture? It`s painful!”
T and N both insisted that it was more cool than painful.
"Mamma When I get a fracture , I will get a plaster. And then All my friends are going to write on it. And N will stick that Barbie sticker for me and she will even draw smileys, and a butterfly too!"
N " Ya, I will. And if I get it first, then T will do it for me.I want it on my leg."
T : ' Hmm. I prefer the arm."
N: "And you know Aunty ,my brother is getting braces."
T :"So lucky na? I wish I would get them. Mamma ,don`t you think I need at least plates? See this tooth. Its all crooked.”
"So?”
"Please Mamma ,can I get braces. Please. I want the blue ones."
N : "No don`t take blue. Take green or pink. My brother is getting Blue. My mamma says I can`t get them because theres Nothing wrong with my tooth!"
I glanced through the rear view mirror and saw two long faces!
So unhappy that they have perfect teeth and No broken limbs.
The pressure of being uncool is getting on. Sigh!




pic courtsey : http://www.prevention.com/
www.superstock.com/

LOUSE-Y TALES

Yesterday, while combing my daughter`s beautiful tresses, I stumbled upon-hold your breath- a Louse!  A fat dark brown louse crawling full speed. I gingerly pulled it out and showed it to my daughter.

 "EEEWWW! Mammma ! What`s that?"

 "A louse, what else? Who is your partner in your class?"

 "A boy!" she grimaced.

 I was frantic. I started combing her hair carefully, concentrating hard to find any such creepy crawlies. And then to my horror spotted two nits(I think that`s what the lice eggs are called). I ran a fine comb through her hair and out they came on its teeth and I showed  it to my daughter. She looked horrified and at the same time fascinated. 

"Oh ! So these will hatch now? After how many days Mamma?" 

I didn`t know. I mean I have no clue about their life span and have just concentrated on keeping away from them.

 "And now they won`t hatch. You threw their Mamma also!" 

I felt a little guilty looking at those nits and then caught hold of my sentimental side. These were out to suck my daughter`s blood!

 "And Mamma do the lice sit on the eggs to hatch them? Like the hen does?" 

I had no clue. 

"Well I hope they hatch into baby boys. What are boy lice called Mamma?" Boy Lice? 

And why hatch into boys? I was intrigued. Why would my daughter who adores girls in every shape and size( her youngest friend is a chubby 1 ½ year old) want baby boy lice?

 "Why do you want baby boy lice?" 

"Well they can`t lay eggs or make babies. So when they die I am free of lice! Simple." 

Simple logic eh?

 Psst…we have shampooed her hair twice with medicated shampoo and spent our waking hours frantically Looking for any further specimens!

I Don`t Know

Last night DH went for the wedding reception of my dear friend G. I could not make it and was really looking forward to all the details. So though it was way past my sweet dreams time ,I waited for DH to come. And this is what followed.

DH = Darling Husband. EW: Eager Wife.

DH: What a party man! You should have come. Awesome place .

EW: Really? How was it?

DH: Awesome.

EW: Was it all done up? Flowers and all ?

DH: Flowers? What flowers? I don`t know.

EW: Arrey you said na, it was awesome. So was it done up with orchids or marigolds? And had they draped tissue or was there a theme?

DH: Orchids. The purple looking flowers ? I don`t know, I didn`t see all that.

EW: Trust you. So ?

DH: So what?

EW; Arrgh.. what else? You said awesome party .What was awesome?

DH: (CONFUSED) Party was awesome. What else.

EW: Ok .Whatever. Did you wish G? And did you give her the envelope?

DH: Envelope? No! Sorry I forgot!

EW: Forgot? Are you crazy? You go for the..

DH: It`s ok. We will send it across later. (G is my neighbor).

EW: And how was G looking?

DH: What do you mean looking? Just as she always does. Nice. She did something strange to her hair. But still –nice.

EW: Yeah ? What had she done? Wore it Mumtaz style or that old 70`s style?

DH: I don`t know, HOW? But she looked good.

EW: And what was she wearing?

DH (Eyebrows drawn in concentration) I THINK Lehenga, or may be a saree. I don`t know.

EW: And what colour did she wear ? Did she coordinate with the groom`s outfit?

DH(Thoroughly perplexed look).Color. Must be red . That’s what brides wear. Groom…I don`t know.

EW: What do you mean don`t know. You were sleep walking or what? And Food?

DH: (Relieved and brightened Look!) Arrey awesome food and drinks.

EW: Yeah? What did you eat?

DH: Chicken –really good. And there was a live Thai curry counter.

EW: Live Thai curry counter? What were they doing?

DH: Serving us piping hot curry what else?

EW: Whatever. : And did they serve alcohol?

DH: Of course. There was Bacardi Limon, Vodka, Teachers , Black label whisky and Yeah Sula wine. Even the cocktails were good. Screw Driver, Kaprioshka, Bloody Mary…

EW: And did you meet P? How was she looking? She wore that huge rock that D was talking about?

DH: P? Ya I met her, but diamonds? I don`t know.

EW: You don`t know a thing!

DH: So much I told you and you say I don`t know a thing? With you women around I really don`t know.

Just a Housewife !

So..what are you up to these days??

Welllll…not much. You tell me?

You mean you are not working? Not even part time??

Noooo..too much on my platter right now. It is tough..No time..

Why NO time? You are doing nothing! Wasting your time. What`s` wrong with you? So much you studied. For what?

Well I did because I enjoyed it.

Hah. Just TP? What`s wrong with you.?How can you just while away your time? Do something concrete in life. Don`t be JUST a housewife.

Well, I am not JUST a housewife. Do you know how much effort it requires to run a house? I am the CEO of my house and have to face staff attrition, poor quality work, budget constraints.. everything like you do in your office.

Yeah.. Why not?

What do you mean why not? It requires serious management skills to run a house efficiently..

Yeah and the ones who are working don`t have efficient homes. Right? Stop giving silly excuses to cover your lazy attitude.

Of couse they do .But I am sure they have to make tough choices.And what do you mean Lazy? I get up at 6am to ensure that my son leaves for school with hot lunch from home. And when DH is up he has milk for his tea. Get the house cleaned. Oversee all the maids, iron out their fightings (Yes in -house fights happen here too) pay the bills, buy groceries..

Hah !So what is so great about it? My 8th pass Mother does the same and if I may say so..maybe more efficiently.

Yes . maybe,but that`s because she has 34 years of experience.

So ? You are so educated. Living in a modern city ,all household help at your beck and call, modern appliances, take away joints, home delivery of grocery ,medicines and You DON`T have TIME??? How crass is that?

Crass? Really ?Well I have no time because I love to maintain a beautiful house,and also love myself. So I go for Yoga, singing, lunches with my friends, for a walk in the evening. And I plan to learn an instrument and a language soon. And I do NOT feel guilty about it. I help my children with their school work, my husband with his official documents and bank work. So where is the question of wasting my education?

In short whiling away. And what is this teaching my kids? Have you lost it? A 12th grader can handle it. Bank work ? Really? A peon can do that. Why did you block a seat and deny someone needy of a chance?

Needy? As in monetarily? And what about my need? My desire to learn ?

All rubbish. It`s true the more you study the more you get confused in life. I wish a talented person like you would not just while away their time.

Grrr..It is my life and I choose to live it like that. I will work when I feel like.

Hmm Sad . But what to do. You want to be JUST a Housewife..