Grab the Silver Lining

The roses are no more radiant

The violets have lost their vibrance

Sky is always grey

It’s to loneliness, I fell prey

Satisfaction eludes when I pray

Music has lost its melody

Even comedy feels like tragedy

It is quiet outside but no peace within

Though there is no reason for it, I can pin

There is death everywhere I see

Oh, this world if I could flee

    But where would I go

    For, my mind is my foe

    I close my eyes and sit back

   But everything under the eyelids is growing black

         So, I cry and then cry some more

         And to myself I swore

         To hear my head's little voice

         which puts in the picture, that I have a choice

                          Let go love laugh and live a little

                          This whole caboodle is second fiddle

                          For, the grey sky will again shine

                          When the stars will align

                            Cut all the flowers you can

                                The spring does not follow a ban.

Being Positive in times of Corona

These testing times where the world is plagued with a life threatening illness and everyone seems helpless about it feels like a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie. In fact there was a movie named "Contagion" based on the reality we all are facing today. There is uncertainty about our health, our jobs, health of our loved ones and its okay to be anxious and feel overwhelmed about it. I guess, most of us feel so and its pretty normal. But we do have to hold our horses and make a conscious effort to get through the end of this tunnel, in One Healthy Piece.

Staying positive can be a task in these challenging times, so I have tried to come up with notes that can help as an anchor in days to come

1. Treasure the value of CONNECTION.

Toughest times reveal true identities of people close to you. We can take this time to evaluate who needs our attention and care and who is responsive to our love and affection to determine who we want in our lives.

2. This is not ETERNAL

The uncertainties we are going through now will not last forever. Time and tide changes so be grateful for the good ones and accepting of the bad times.

3. Cherish the LITTLE THINGS

If we miss something we were used to seeing, doing, or being, we will begin to notice the little things we miss in particular about that person, place, or thing which we missed noticing earlier. Count this as a sign to be grateful for what we have now and as a reminder to honor the little things, once we are back to our normal routine. 

4. New PERSPECTIVE

Our lives have taken a 360 degree and that too without our permission. We have been presented with a different view towards life. Lets take this time to pay attention to what we see now and how we feel about it.

5. Don't Fuck up on your FEELINGS

Don't be under the pressure of "Make the most" out of lock-down. This extra time on our hands has given us endless possibilities to take up some courses, create artwork, have meaningful conversations with people we haven't had in years etc etc. But lets not allow these possibilities to pile pressure on us. We humans are gritty and want to rise above our circumstances but we need to slow down and feel our emotions, give ourselves permission to grieve, feel what is happening around us and be humbled by it. Its okay to be messy, not to know what happens next.

"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you.

I LIKE MY CHOICES." - John Green (The Fault in our Stars)

That first night away from home

I ventured out from home almost a decade ago to pursue the golden degree of MBA. The experience of living away from home gave me lot of edges and curves. The most crucial part of this stay is the first night spent in the new surroundings with new people in absolutely brand new bedding. Okay, I got you there at the brand new bedding but frankly there is nothing dreamy about it.
I do have a distinct memory of my train journey from Delhi to Mumbai, the location of my college. The highlight of the journey was my crying marathon, listing to the songs from the Gangster, just above my mother's berth. I guess she was running her own marathon of sorts. My mind was filled with uncertain thoughts about future when we disembarked from the train at Bombay Central. The air was heavy with moisture and raw fish odor.
Seven hours later, I was waving goodbye to my mom trying to hold back giant wave of tears. And she let her oceans flow as the taxi sped off. I came upstairs to my room and tried to find comfort in my new bedding, instead I cried my heart out. And that's when the stark reality dawned upon me that
The Circus of Life has begun. There would be free falls, constant juggling of roles and responsibilities, some magical music, maintaining balance while walking on tight rope of life and I will be meeting some jokers along the way.

His college is few hours away from home but the thought of Hostel breaks his heart every time his mind wanders to near future. Its his first night away from home today. He is standing in his hostel balcony overlooking a garden with a fountain in between. Its pitch dark and way past midnight when he whispers into the phone with tears welling up in his eyes, "Didi ghar ki bahot yaad aa rahi hai". I want to transmit myself to the other end of the call and wrap my baby brother into a tight hug. Instead a thought takes over me, "The Circus of Life has begun", for him.

The second night would be much better, I promise him.

In the land of Jews

I had the privilege of visiting the Asian nation called The State of Israel due to my husband's work commitment. Little did I know that the country has an amazing heritage and urbanity.

Tel-Aviv City (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

We flew via El Al airlines from US to Israel and back, which apparently holds the world record for most passengers on a commercial flight (1088 passengers). We were destined to the financial hub of Israel, a city called Tel-Aviv. While we had our reservations about the safety and war between Israel and Palestine, delving into some research revealed that Israeli defense forces are one of the most battle trained forces in the world. During our walks at the the Tel-Aviv beach, we felt as safe as in Delhi or NYC. In fact, Israel is the second largest defense equipment supplier to India after Russia. During our dine outs at the Indian restaurant, we met some defense personnel who came to Israel for defense equipment training.

Also, contrary to popular belief Israel is not a Muslim country. The majority of the population constitutes of Jews, who follow the religion of Judaism (Yahudi, as we know in India). Apparently Jesus Christ was a Jew as told to us by an Indian restaurant owner, who himself is an Indian Jew. So yes Jews are different from Christians and Muslims. There are places in Israel where the Jew, Christian and Muslim population co-exist such as the old Jaffa Port. It is one of the oldest sea port in the world.

Old Jaffa Port (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

Israel is a country with a visibly young population and only ten percent of the population is above the age of 65 years. During our excursions in the city of Tel-Aviv, the numerous restaurants were filled with young people enjoying the euro cup with a beer mug. 

Also, unlike America, people here are pretty fit  always running, cycling or swimming. The fitness is due to the fact that every Israeli citizen, male or female, is required to serve three and two years respectively in the compulsory military service.

The place is not conservative, again contrary to popular belief,and the PDA was more than I have witnessed in any American city. Israel is the only nation in Asia to recognize same sex marriages. Tel-Aviv is one of the most friendly cities for gay in the world and the fact was very evident during our walks at the Tel-Aviv beach in the evening.

Hare Rama-Hare Krishna Society 
member of Israel (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

My favorite moment in the land was encountering a Hare Rama-Hare Krishna brigade singing and dancing by the beach. It was in the evening when we were returning from our city tour and walking at the beach side and heard chants of Hare Rama-Hare Krishna on dholak beats, it was truly mesmerizing.

Hubby leading the Hare Rama-Hare Krishna dance group (PC-Shikhaa Sharma)

During my research, I came across below facts about Israel

• Its the only country in the world to draft women into its military service.
• Israel is so small that one can run through it east to west in two hours flat.
• Jerusalem, which is one of the oldest cities of the world and a holy land, receives about a thousand letters each year addressed to god.
• All Pakistani passports bear the inscription, "This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel."
• Dead Sea in Israel is the lowest point on earth
• Apart from Silicon-Valley, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world.

Happily Satisfied or Satisfactorily Happy

So it seems that I have reached at the top of the pyramid called Maslow's hierarchy of human needs or its an early onset of mid-life crisis. But whatever it is, it has forced me to put my thinking cap on and ponder upon important aspects of self actualization/fulfillment. Lightning struck soon after leaving me wondering, What is more important - Happiness or Satisfaction?

Happiness is a state of mind, a positive emotion which brings a state of well being. As an individual we all indulge in positive sensory experiences do things, look for things that make us happy. Satisfaction is about meeting an expectation, being content with life and being sufficient enough in your own ways. And yes, satisfaction is definitely not an emotion. It may be apt to say that money can't buy you happiness but those who have it, know the satisfaction.

When people say that satisfaction lies in having all the answers to the problem while happiness is having no problems at all, I scratch my head hard thinking about the innumerable possibilities of problems occurring in our grand dramas of life.

It’s worth thinking about standards of a satisfied life and the possibilities for happiness and joy in our lives.

Seeking the Great "Perhaps"

We live..we die, and everything in between is our quest to attain an insight as to why we were here in the first place.


Sitting in my patio under the afternoon sun and looking out at the brown-green grass carpet around me, the simplicity that I see around is in direct contrast to the complexity inside me. And here I mean, the complexity of my mind and heart not in the routine way that they work, but in the psychological way.
We all undertake the arduous journey of life in search of our Great Perhaps, be it going to school/college, getting a job,seeking for our soulmates or towards a goal of sacrificing and giving endless love during parenthood. The only "If" is that - If we were empowered enough to see the endless train of ramifications that result from our smallest hooplas. If only...
The only way out of this labyrinth is to never get hopeless and continue the search. Because..
"Without hope life is meaningless. Without hope life is meaning less and less."

Whenever one sits back and think in retrospect, there would be a zillion moments where just a thought about, "Perhaps", would have changed the course of our lives.

During our times on earth, there would be so many of us who would have to live with things done and things left hanging on any day. Things that could have gone right, some that weren't meant to happen or things that seemed OK initially. But because we cannot foresee future, clinging to that "Perhaps" is all we do at the end of it.

P.S. - "I go to seek a Great Perhaps" were the last words of the poet Francois Rabelais. And these words have been  talked about in the book "Looking for Alaska" by John Green, in great depth.

From Femi-NIST to Femi-NAZI

For India, feminism is the need of the hour, but its interpretation has been twisted, battered and bruised. In concept, Feminism has a noble agenda of achieving equality between the sexes, right to vote, be educated, freedom to work, equal pay for same work etc etc. But this etc etc does not include hating men, praising slut hood, showing off bra straps. Feminazis, on the other hand,  have have decided to throw the noble concept of feminism away and act crazy. Rather than achieving one goal — women equality — it’s become an autocratic coercion, where supporters are required to walk in cerebral chains, timid to think differently than the leaders of the movement.

And here's why they are called Femi-NAZIs

1. Reservation -  Frankly, the seat reservation for females in buses and other means of transport is uncalled for as  reserving the seat might not make a man respect a woman. Instead, Its shouting -out-loud that woman is physically weak and incapable to even stand on her legs. 

2. Shouting-out-loud - So yes, sometimes the feminazis are just acting as high pitch bitches and being heard less. The volcano of feminist eruption has been so aggressive off late that most people fear of getting burnt in the lava of women empowerment. 

3. Confused Priorities - While the feminists are fighting against female infanticide, girl education, feminazis are on their own trip hogging limelight for issues such as, "My choice: to be size 0 or size 15", or ‘why should I cover my pack of sanitary napkin in black bag’.  

4. Men Stereotyping - Feminazis have mopped all men of the country with the same broom. Stereotyping men as wife-bashers, rapists etc is just ridiculous.

Feminazi in the making

5. Rage or Revolution - While feminism started as a revolution, feminazis have reduced it to some chal-beta-selfie-le-le-re kindda rage. Feminazis aim at wearing the skimpy clothes, late night partying,  being a rebel  without a reason as their focus areas,  giving a zilch care to the genuine concerns entailing women empowerment.

                                                                                                                                                                   

People deserve respect for their actions not for the gender they belong to. 

Seems Femi-NAZIs have  butchered the subject beyond recognition.

Why should Babas have all the FUN

Going by the intensity of expose of the spritual gurus, the aastha and sanskar channels will soon be filing for bankruptcy. Supposedly, everybody and anybody is proclaiming themselves to be dharma gurus and now have expansive platforms to broadcast themselves. Money, fame, following come in tow when these self professed gurus resort to antics like dancing on stage.

Its very hard to imagine a dharma guru, all decked up in heavy layers of makeup, latest glitzy jewelry and dolled up in red from head to toe, be it the long red tilak, the dark red lipstick, the red chuda on both wrists. Ideally, a spiritual guru's attire and conduct should be such that it invokes spirituality and simple living amidst their followers. And the way Radhe Maa dresses surely conjure carnal desires rather than spiritual ones. We Indians, follow everything too closely, be it superstar, a spiritual leader, a politician or for that matter the car ahead on the road and in the proceedings forget about our beliefs, our thought mechanism, our lifestyle and end up trying to be "that" person. The fact that spirituality has been turned into a commercial venture can be seen from the fact there are close to 30 religious channels in India in different languages.

A complaint lodged regarding Radhe Maa's involvement in a dowry case brings one more fact to the horizon, that is - " A woman is a woman's greatest enemy". In spite of being in a stature of a person who can help the society get rid of the issues such as domestic violence, dowry harassment, female infanticide, she has been an enabler to these derilictions. It has not been established whether the current pictures of Radhe Maa in short dress, boots doing rounds on internet are real as they have been reportedly  leaked by another famed notorious personality, Rahul Mahajan. But, its time people learn their lesson and eliminate the third person (read Dharma Gurus) in their divine connection with God.

Apparently, the below lines have been written for Radhe Maa

Kal raat mata ka muje email aaya hai,

Mata ne mujhko facebook pe bulaya hai.

Last heard, Radhe Maa has been entitled as a potential contestant on next season of Big Boss..

Business is NOT as usual

Today is Friday..lets work!

There are very few people around, who know what they want in life. Actually most of us are a combination of "I could do this, that,there.." and some gas (read bragging). I am no Rajnikant in this regard. When I worked, some days there was extreme focus on my career and future goals. Other days, it was just quit and sleep hangover. Now, armed with the opportunity to sleep all day, all I miss is going to office and here's why

1. The Drive

While the morning drive to office was associated with cluttered brains, boss's con-calls and plenty of under-the-breath swearing, coming back from office drives were more fun. A packet of Kurkure with a bottle of Slice along with songs on FM were good enough to beat the bumper to bumper traffic. Fridays were super as its easier to drive in casual shoes than in weekday heels. I have had some of the wow moments while driving, be it driving in rains and listening to Teri Meri Prem Kahani from Bodyguard (being a hopeless romantic) Kab se kare hai tera intezaar on a cloudy morning(feeling all enthusiastic to work) Manali trance while coming back from office on a Friday eve(upbeat about the weekend) and Mat pooch mere mehboob sanam (yes, sometimes I can be that classy in my choice of songs). Be it a traffic induced clutch-break routine or a smooth ride, driving used to be definite a stress buster, for me atleast.

2. The Food

Here, I am not talking about what my mom used to pack me for lunch or what I used to pack myself in the after marriage era. It is all about the gastronomical pleasures that one can experience and indulge in while having the palak paneer-rice combo at Nehru place, the Paranthas at Not Just Paranthas in DLF Cyber Hub (If one happens to be working in Cyber City area), the mini idlis at Sarvana Bhavan in Connaught Place in addition to all the Domino's, Pizza Huts , Subways and corporate park cafeteria offering almost every cuisine edible in India. Be it the 4pm  snack or 11am hunger pangs,choices ranged from samosa to bread pakora to the upmarket sandwiches, puffs,muffins from the CCDs around. 

3. The Talk

The morning greetings and evening goodbyes were exchanged with real people. While at home, that too in a foreign land, virtual communication is the only means of verbal exercise. From Kejriwal's antics to new vacation destinations to yearly savings fiasco to quick home recipes to the new couple sightings in office premises and some more irrelevant nonsense talks were like a whiff of cool air in the otherwise balmy work atmosphere.

4. The Fashion

Yes, office premises and beyond can give you a sneak peek into the latest fashion trends, especially Fridays, when its casual attire in most offices. The tapered ankle length trousers with peep toes, slender belts with tuck-in shirts, the high ponytail with western formals have been some of my takeaways. Come Fridays, and its all colors to eyes with everyone chic and stylish with skirts, summer dresses, head gears and danglers.

5. The Routine

After being a witness to the dapper dressing routine(sometimes forced) for almost a decade, the current lower-t shirt routine feels a drag. Office going sets the body clock ticking with sleeping, eating and working schedules and being at home is more like "do what you feel" kind of drill. As per a study by Forbes 84% of American working women want to opt out. 

And I am as Indian as it gets.

The Morning Saga.....

Single, carefree and irresponsible; that's how my friend Ritu was pre-marriage. For every other thing she had dear Mummy, from giving her sumptuous hot lunches and dinners to getting her undergarments..Literally!!!

All she had to do was get up, beautify herself , work at office, come back and occupy the bed..thats it!

This world of luxury was the price she had to pay for her marital bliss because now she is "The Working Wife".

In early morning sweet sleep she has ten things going on in her mind, already. Its like sometime in the pre-morning she is hallucinating about her maid's presence and giving her directions for work. A mental debate going on in her mind on whether to cook a healthy, not-so-tasty meal herself or again rely on office canteen's tasty, not-so-healthy food and then coming up with side effects of eating such food at office. All this going on from 6am-7am time slot when her alarm actually rings at 7.15am. Like always, she finally decides to cook for dear Hubby. Oh yes, she, as a wife has a responsibility to take care of her  husband's health.  

So after all the morning nuisance, she gets ready for office . Now there is no time for beautification, all she does is look acceptable for office. 

The so called...Working Wife!!

My friend, Ritu was having a conversation with her to-be husband ( Wudbe) about their future plans. She asked her Wudbe whether he has any objection if she works post marriage. Also, she was well aware that solitary earnings of her Wudbe will not be enough for their sustenance and keep up her lavish, not-so-expensive lifestyle. Mr. Wudbe suggested that it is ok for her to work but her marital responsibilities should not be neglected. Additionally, choice of job will be his not her's.

In the flashback..

Ritu had graduated from B-school with a decent paying job in Hand. With the salary being offered, she could get all the ammunition for the aspired fireworks in her life. From fulfilling her own aspirations to shouldering responsibilities with her Dad...she could do it all now!!Things changed after she got engaged. Her so called job was not really appealing to her fiance & his folks, though she was aware that in absence of her earnings it would be difficult to run the house.

Now Ritu has two options, either to carry on with her high paying job which gives her freedom to do what she wants but lesser time and energy to do anything else or to do a lesser paying job wherein she can fulfill responsibilities of being a wife, daughter-in-law but cannot follow her dreams.

The above two options become null and void as she enters marital life. The reality is she has to do a decent paying job and fulfill her other responsibilities as well, the way that is expected out of her. So she gets into real estate much to the displeasure of her husband who gives her a virtual list of jobs she could or could not do.

The big question that arises here is, should it be a woman’s choice whether she wants to work or not post marriage? If yes, then she should be the one to decide the terms of the work she is into, not her husband. On the contrary, when some women want to stay home and raise children, it is expected out of them to bring something to the table.

The concept of working wife takes a back seat when the husbands who encourage or coerce their wives to work or have a career in the first place, turn back and complain when she starts enjoying what she does?

Come on Indian Media..You can do better!!

Ekta Kapoor has surely ruled the roost when it comes to generating TRPs and it seems Indian Media is taking immense cue from her. For a skyscrapping TRP recipe,  involve a celebrity as the main ingredient, the mango man as a side ingredient, bring everything to a boil and serve it with hashtags of nonsensical outraging one-liners. So here we have a-la- Sanjeev Kapoor recipe type news served along with snippets on social media.

Last week news of Hema Malini in a car accident was one such dish served to us. I have my heart going out to people who have lost their lives in the road accidents and the little girl in this particular one. Though about 400 people die in road accidents everyday in India with just a tickr of the mention at the bottom of our TV screen but this particular one was breaking news on every channel for the simple reason because it involved a celebrity. The high resolution pictures doing rounds on social media and TV of Hema Malini's ripped face, her blood soaked pallu aimed at stirring the moral souls of us viewers and a tiny thumbnail of the other car(Alto) hit in the accident, aimed at non-biasedness of this coverage. With basic facts being curtailed due to the TRP race, there was lot of hue and cry made about why the little girl was not taken to hospital. Had media delved more into facts, it would have shown that the girl died in her mother's lap in a while after the accident and it was sensible to take her to a nearby hospital instead. The worst is when media coerce the people to their brink by asking stupid questions about they feel after loosing their daughter? Who should the parents blame for their child's death?

Now with the accident fading off from the idiot box, both parties involved in  the accident have taken to media to pass the buck for blame amongst each other thereby grabbing headlines again. It is very clear from the media coverage of this accident that it was news because Hema Malini was involved in it, else this incident would have been hushed underneath the sheets long back. 

Last heard, the Rajdeep Sardesai s and Barkha Dutt s are tweeting that Vyapam Scam be covered more widely by media. Finally, they realize news has to be beyond TRPs!

People are sheep. Media is the shepherd.

Through my eyes

My friends and family back in India keep asking about the wow experiences I am having, living in a foreign land. In fact, I subconsciously feel myself comparing things here and back in India. And frankly saying, India is competing fiercely because there are only a few things which stupefy me as compared to my peers who came to USA about ten-twelve years back. Because now I have seen the malls, metros, the Hauz khas markets and Sakets of India. 

The most important aspect that sets US apart from India is the weather. The picturesque landscape mesmerizes with its lush greenery and clear blue skies. But the Americans are as confused about the weather as we Indians are about women empowerment. Until June the temperature here was hovering around twenty which is like November and early December cold in India. Come September and there will be chill in the air and leaves one wondering, when the hell did summer came!

The weather changes are so abrupt at times that it keeps raining for a whole week with such loud thunders and lightening that it gives all the San Andreas and Ice Ages of Hollywood a run for their money.

Chevrolet Camaro

Since the time I am here, I have seen some of the most exotic cars that I had only seen on screen. Right from the Porsche's F Type to the Mercedes and BMW convertibles to Camaro and Mustangs. Not to forget the chevrolet and ford trucks, family vans of Honda, Lincoln, Ford. Though the major part of the roads is occupied by the chevys (Chevrolet) and Fords as they are American brands but Hondas, Toyotas and Hyundai have their own space as well. Brands like Lincoln, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Chrysler are brands whose cars are driven by people from latin america and mexico. While Mika Singh and Harbhajan Singh are some of the few piviledged who own a Hummer in India, the car has much higher visibility here owing to the fact that its an American brand.

For the record, the Indian's are confused about women empowerment because on one hand Mr. Prime minister makes it his agenda and on the other he makes some sexist remarks (#DespiteBeingWoman) in his speech. America is very clear on that subject. With a sex ratio of 0.97 male per female, women in America are much visible in the areas of importance. Their outnumbering presence can be seen right at the Walmart billing counters to the more posh premises of corporate world. This country surely knows how to respect the majority, women occupying that chunk here.

Another inquisitiveness among my friends back in India is that of PDA (Public display of affection) by the Americans. Yes, I have been a witness a to PDA between couples but I have seen the other side of PDA (Public display of Anger) as well between the couples, be it at the malls, airports etc.

The Good Indian Garlic Naan 

Being a country that serves as a culmination ground for many cultures, one gets an ample amount of choices when it comes to indulging in gastronomical pleasures. From the burgers to burritos, tacos to Thai
curries, garlic breads to gluten free vegan diets, its our Indian naan that has caught the fancy of Americans. And why not, while here, I have had the best naans till date. They have a subtle softness but without the elasticity which is associated with half cooked Indian breads.

After having our share of tryst with the All American dinners, snow, leather boots, driving rules..we have made a home away from home. Grass is turning greener, so I believe its spring for sure but I am as confused about the summers as rest of the Americans.

Life and all that Jazz

After working 7 years full time, I have embarked upon the role of being the lady of the house. Yes, I prefer being addressed this way and not the cliched "Housewife" because it demeans the existence of women who stay at home, do zillion other things and yet other house-members remain thankless to her, at the end of the day. And when you do spend these many years working, the daily routine gets into your skin. The realization of happiness in doing nothing, doing impromptu things, carelessness, lazing around leisure time do not dawn upon. Initially it feels like being Alice in Wonderland  because you no longer have to squeeze in a couple of days work into couple of hours, failing at it mostly-then thinking what went wrong-trying again-having tea-failing again-having tea-putting it on to next day chronic work schedules.

While at it you get so lost in making the money cycle go around, that you forget to notice the iota of things happening around, not making enough time for your loved ones. Yet the concept of weekend amuses me as half of it is spent dreading Mondays. Though a mere thought of change from this schedule will give jitters to some but having experiencing the change myself its not that a bad thing at all. Because we all have the Fear of Change.

So while experiencing this side of the life, my heart goes out to all the mothers who have untiringly taken upon the onus of turning the house into a home, provide for everybody's comfort. Yet,  I constantly think whether I will be so giving  because that is something the corporate world does not teach you.

Sometimes thinking too much spoils the moment hence life should mostly be in be action mode. When you feel, you don't have much action up your sleeves, try getting into unknown territory and learn the intricacies of it. The territory I am in currently (being the lady of the house) was hitherto unknown to me but it has given me some openings in life and I am ready to embrace more of it.

Now that the monthly handsome thousands have ceased to stop at my bank account's gate, I am adhering to the adage

Spend to learn, How to earn!

My Choice..Really!!

So I got up today morning with a mystified overcast in my head. Yes the happenings around me confuse me to the core. Like this Deepika Padukone video on "My Choice". And the first question that I ask myself is - Is she kidding? In a country like India do we really have a choice to follow our choices. And even if some elite class women (I don't necessarily mean the rich one's here) do have this choice then do they need to blow the trumpet of having a choice of engaging in extra marital affairs/ infidelity. I mean they can do so without shouting from the rooftops about their choices. And for the lower class who don't even have a choice in deciding what to eat for the next meal..does this "My choice" anthem really makes sense. 

And then Mr. Director of the video (Homi Adjania..same lad who made Cocktail) confuses me even more. So on one hand,in his movie Cocktail he is depicting that the hero falls for the Sati Savitri/ suit clad Diana Penty instead of a rocker and happy-go-lucky-my choice-theory following Deepika Padukone and here in the "My choice" he is depicting an entirely different theory. Deepika had challenged the equation of beauty*brains=constant and I had better expectations from her but here she completely fell prey to what was being asked her to do rather than using her grey cells. So in plain theory a woman did what a man thought was righteous of his thoughts on woman empowerment. So rather than an empowerment motivation this dude has challenged the choice sanctity of a woman. Because I do not think having a baby can be choice for any woman - "Its a boon that god has showered on us women". Period. But yes it seems unfair to direct all angst against the Dips lady as she is doing what she has been asked to do or acting in the video so to say.

And closer home in this foreign land, these Americans fuddle me to the hilt..more-so in their environment conservation sense. So I am not really sure whether they want to save water or paper. Picture this, a basic apartment infrastructure here is such that they do not use a water jet in their commodes (apparently to save water), instead having zillion rolls of tissue papers to clean up and then they have a big bath tub (taking water conservation for a toss). So neither the paper/trees are being saved nor the water.

If the maiden step to knowledge is confusion...I might become a genius one day!!!

Happiness is...having paranthas in America!!!

Touched the American land late Saturday evening and boy..it was chilly. In the 24 hours of my journey from India till here one thing I was well sure off was that the more dearer the American dream is, the more torturous the journey.

As a first time international traveler I had the privilege to touch two most important countries on the world map..USA and UK. Stranded at airport, some cancelled flights, some curses and then the focus was on the growling stomach and its emptiness. An Indian's  nightmare during international travel occurs when one happens to be a vegetarian. God,With the heart missing the daal chawal to the core and mind focusing on the Starbucks ahead, the vegetarian buds had to be satisfied with hummus with pita bread as every other item on menu had some sort of meat as its ingredient. Cold - uncooked-dollars wasted.

American reality and unheigyne faced us when it was told that sink water can be used for drinking. Back in hotel, the big question again..what to have for dinner?  And then the miracle happened..we were introduced to the big fat world of ready to eat Haldirams stuff. The stuff was existent in India as well but not of this variety. So we had the privilege of paranthas with different filling options/veggies/paneer and the best was the frozen samosas. After the bread butter routine gorging on the paranthas was next to getting a bonus along with a salary hike. So the happiness and excitement of being in a foreign land was subdued by the possibility of Indian home style meals here.

Perhaps we are all looking for happiness but in the wrong places!!!!!