School Reunion

Goosebumps and gratitude... The two words that came to my mind today!!
A group of fifteen people in their mid-thirties discuss what the others are doing, where they are staying and what's going on in each one's life... 
Are they strangers?? Yes, because they are meeting after 21 years...... No, they have known each other as young, innocent, vulnerable and sensitive school-going kids who sat in the same class, sometimes on the same bench... They have studied together, waited for each other while copying the notes, helped one another in exams, practiced for the class plays together, shouted the same answers, competed in the race for the best ranks, played kho-kho and dodge ball together, shared the silly jokes of childhood and early adolescence, enjoyed the best lunch box of the day and went home together at times!! They have grown up together during the most vital formative years when the minds were just like plain paper and acquired the basics of learning and building character.
After 21 years, what you find is the adult versions of those youngsters, the wonderful ladies and gentlemen who went around the world to find a footing for themselves and a career, living happily now and enthusiastic to share their stories, joy and delight with the classmates who meant their world few decades ago!! The shy girl is now a mother of two and managing a lot of things at a time... The calm boy has become a Businessman; the talkative guy is now venturing into new and untouched arenas!!
Few wrinkles, grey hair here and there and the extra spectacles to go through the menu are just signs of adulation. Maturity and decency integrated into the minds with the age and experience leave the group with huge respect and gratitude for the school that has been instrumental in moulding their lives so beautifully!!

My Pets

This time it is love birds. Though we started off with the guilt of having caged beings as pets, we were totally convinced that if we set them free, these colorful and eye-catching birds would fall prey to the other ones.
Opening the small door of their cage, cleaning the remains, arranging food and water for them is such an awaited activity of our routine!! In return, they keep chirping away throughout the day right from the sunshine till our lights go off!
The best thing is even my youngest son can participate in caring them and guess what....the tiny birds learnt to repeat his name!! He is all the more excited to be with them!

RIP Mavayyagaaru!!

I might have been in the illusion of getting situation under control while boasting about budgeting and sourcing the demonitization period.... but, things were put back into perspective when the reality of how fragile life could be, has hit us hard a week after posting this!!
Sudden demise of a dear family member(my father-in-law) has pushed us into the need to overdraw amounts much more than the limits set by demonitization. But, no one left us time to sit and despair over the financial crunch while we were still grieving the loss.
As Robin Sharma states, 'The second stage of self-realization occurs when you understand that the world is full of good and positive people who are enthusiastic to help you..'
The great work, helpful nature and deeds of my father-in-law started pouring back as enquiries whether we needed change, followed by bundles of cash in usable denominations in exchange for electronic transfers!!! We started believing in the statement.
Paying homage to such a great person helped us recognize the strong network of support (not just financial but also emotional, psychological and spiritual) he has left us with and also enabled us attain the maturity in terms of self-realization.
Proud to be a part of his family!
May his soul rest in peace!!

Modi - Ji

Modiji has made it to the distinction list among PMs through the extra and daring miles after the economic reforms during PV Narasimha Rao's leadership and Pokhran tests by Vajpayee government set up the first class standards. 
Watch out world.... India is not just talking but is happening!!

Heart's Gift!!

Let the heart rule, listen to it each time you act;
It cares for you, but just does that with some tact!!
Keep it open enough to realize the magic it performs,
The actions are knit into a wonderful experience!!
This heart's thriller is screened especially for you,
A surprise reward unwrapped for staying sensitive!!

Trip to Tirumala

The 3-month long process of getting a slot for darshan, booking a room for accommodation, making arrangements for the 13-hour journey, gaining mental approval necessary to be away from home on Diwali, budgeting the savings necessary for the trip, back of the mind thoughts about 'is it going to happen, especially during festival time?', speculation over what other places to cover in the two days, coordinating with the family, physical strain of moving around with backpacks and ensuring health and safety of children and wading through the chambers of crowd for 3 hours just to catch a glimpse of the Lord for a fraction of a second might sound crazy. .
The 10-feet tall statue entirely covered with garlands of colorful flowers, decorated with three-striped naamam on forehead, the mesmerizing eyes, wide feet, the aura created by the soothingly dull light created by the oil-lamps; Lord Venkateswara stands tall representing might, pleasantness, composure and peace. Every bit of planning and every Joule of energy spent on the process were worth and well-utilized.
Descending down the seven hills, I am thinking, 'When am I destined to ascend them again?!'

Microcosm

Every morning at five, it springs into activity;
With people walking around endlessly;
Whether the leaves are shed or the flowers blossom,
The Joggers’ Park in itself is a microcosm!!

Some jog, some run, some walk;
While some just like to sit and talk.
Breakfasts, children, gossip interest the women;
Politics, sports, careers are favorite topics for men!

Children bring their bat and ball to practice their game,
Young men skip, train, bend and stretch to build their frame.
Seniors move at slow pace to balance their body better,
Couples love it as they hold hands and take the strides together!

The messy hair, the sleepy look and the wrinkled pajamas,
Some seem to have just stepped out of the beds!!
With the perfumes, labels, tags and the brands,
Some look ready for a catwalk and nothing less!!

Some sprint through the crowd to satisfy their Fit-bits,
While some run to catch up with their companions,
Some take pride in their ability to be swift,
While some take the challenge of beating their best!!

The elderly and single come down everyday to drive away their loneliness,
The proud fathers wish to discuss their children staying overseas,
The mothers always like to put their multitasking skills at display,
And the grandmothers flock to keep their daughter-in-laws at bay!!

The vendor at the gate is ready with bottles of herbal teas and juices,
And the bicycle of the green-grocer is full of expensive fresh vegetables.
The dosa-carts tease the hunger pangs with their fumes and flavors,
While the lab technicians are set to run tests from their makeshift tents!!

Yoga team has the t-shirts and mats organized by eight,
Men from laughing club crack out into ha-ha-ha every minute,
Fitness lovers warm-up first and then go about with exercises,
Laggards like me just enjoy being in this little world to treat the senses!!

Dussehra and Gudivada

Two things that come to my mind when I think of Dussehra vacation are my grandparents' home in Gudivada and being the 'Baalamuttaiduva' (the young girl who is prayed as a representation of the Goddess).

Our portion of the house had 3 rooms consisting of a kitchen, a small bedroom where normally four people could sit besides the single cot but was replaced with 5-6 steps decorated with dolls specially saved for the festival time during Dussehra and a hall......one-third of which was covered with a swing made of iron chains, a teapoy table, a dining table, a Godrej shelf and an almirah with innumerable memorabilia. The walls were totally filled with photoframes with portraits of the deceased elders. An ancestral clock also hung on one of the walls and the most striking one among others was the picture of a spectacled and chubby Little Miss Muffet posing sideways with her hands folded and a broad smile. The rest of the house had another portion leased to the tenants, few rooms around the border of the compound wall in totally shattered state that made them unusable, a part of the verandah roofed with tiles, an open verandah, a long backyard, a well and a terrace in poor condition with shaking steps. This description is not intended to portray the house in a negative sense or belittle anyone but to give a picture of what it meant to live there!! I am actually proud of being able to stay in the house at least for a few days during vacation.

My granny had 7 sons and 2 daughters. A couple of elders from the previous generation also stayed with them (my great grandmother, her sister, etc.,). Now, imagine all of their children along with their partners and kids visiting the place for the occasion and staying there for 5-6 days, which is already inhabited by half-a-dozen people, bringing the total population of the portion to 25 members!! The kitchen was devoted to Puja and cooking. The puja has a standard procedure which is followed till date to the T. A six-course meal with a sweet, savory item, dal, curry, pulusu (traditional sambar without onion) and curd, along with crunchy appadams and home-made fryums is offered to the Goddess and special songs from a collection of 20-25 prayers are sung in her praise.

I was the obvious choice for Balamuttaiduva as I was the eldest grand-daughter (eldest daughter's daughter) of my grandparents!! This gave me the privilege to be the first one to start the meal and also the one whom my grandmother offered the first dress on the last day, Vijaya Dasami!! However, as in any other case, with great power came great responsibility!! I had to stay away from solid food (skip breakfast) until it is offered to the Goddess after detailed procedure of making the delicacy of the day and a sumptuous meal, followed by the puja!! The smells and flavors emanating from the breakfast never left my hungry mind which was fed with a glass of milk once again!! Even during lunch, the plate for me was separately placed in the kitchen, while all the others sat in the hall and created a chatter while having food in the hall!! Besides the craving for food, I felt like a queen as everyone was concerned about me and had a soft-corner. I loved the attention. It was just a matter of 5 or 6 Dussehra celebrations, after which I was promoted into the hall and discharged of the duties to enjoy the gathering to the full potential!!

Coming back to the stay in the house, the ladies, children and 2-3 men were to be accommodated in the 12'x12' space left in the hall under a single ceiling fan during nights. The places for each of us was more or less fixed, though there was no set rule and the gathering happened only once a year most of the time. The others slept in the verandahs. Even I can't get how we worked out the way 25-30 years ago!! But, those are the days that still spring into my memory whenever I think of the best times of my childhood!! There was not a second that we wasted without enjoying the togetherness!!

Dussehra has thus become a memorable part of not only my life, but that of all my siblings, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. Unknowingly, those days have ingrained the process and routine of celebration and association in our minds and inspire the whole family to observe the Navratri with the same aura, sanctity and devotion, wherever we are and however far we stay from the ancestral home. Thanks to the social media that has been facilitating to share the memories of those good old times!!

Date and Deserted Island :)

As I went with the kids to attend a puja in my aunt's house, they played with the toys that they took along with them and then spent sometime watching their favorite cartoon. The puja has just begun. We were just one hour into the visit and the children were already bored. They had lots of time to kill!! My cousins are in their early 20s and were not at home. So, the kids started searching for something to play with and.....Eureka!! They find Jenga blocks. Karthu arranged them one over the other into a tower and started the game by pulling out one very cautiously to not disturb the other blocks. He gave it to Prithvi who read the question written on it, 'On a deserted island, whom do you want to stay with?' Karthu thought for a while and replied (after learning the meaning of 'deserted island' from me), 'I want amma to be with me because she will take care of everything and I can feel happy even at such a lonely place.' Then came Prithvi's turn. He took the block and gave it to Karthu customarily. Karthu asks, 'Describe your dream date..' 

I was alerted by this question and was waiting for his answer expectantly as lot of questions were running in my mind ('Does he know?', 'No, he doesn't....', 'Will they come to me to ask what a date is?', 'How should I explain?')... Zap came the response, '24th August' (the day of his birth for which he keeps eagerly waiting throughout the year)!!!!
 

Hahahaahaaa........... relieved to a great extent!!

Then I think.....It's just a matter of time before these boys know exactly what they were asked and how they were expected to react!!!! In the meantime, childhood is as much a bliss as ignorance!!

Dark Times

When the images of the dark times of your yesteryears resurface as the present day reality (problems) of others.....it is heart-breaking!! Such passing clouds are too dark to wade through or keep going with the fingers crossed with the hope of finding rays of sunshine at the end....
Now I understand why elders keep saying, 'Even the enemies should not suffer this fate'!!

The Two Strings

‪#‎OkaManasu‬- The film depicts the tenderness, innocence, sincerity and idealism with which two hearts start their journey of beating together!! 
The story-line has sent me into deep afterthoughts. 
Is this not the usual humble way in which the lives of a couple begin to intertwine!! The twists become intricate and the knots turn inseperable as the life of togetherness progresses and constantly puts these very values of the bond to test. 
However, at times, the constant pressure of these tests make it seem as though the two individuals have become a couple of un-tuned strings tied to an unused instrument and preserved just for the sake of showcasing its antiquity!!
While standing at these crossroads, the best intervention is to give way to thought rather than loud talk. Remember the promises and humility of the first steps and reminisce the amazing journey of getting together.... then you realize that the hearts are still longing to be tuned to create that unique magical symphony once again!!

Sunday evening

It was a tug of war and the conflict could be clearly concluded from the changing hues of the surroundings....first it was grey as the clouds pulled the rope towards them and within a matter of minutes the scene transformed into orange and yellow as the evening sun was in no mood to give up... neither the challenge nor the coloring game, even during the setting time. The contrast and brightness settings kept switching between grey and orange. Finally, the mightiest king of our world, the Sun,  played the winning streak by spraying its orange graffiti on the clouds itself before calling it a day!!
A wonderful collage for the Sunday evening connoisseurs!!

Tongue twister

Tongue twister of the day.....
The British brouhaha over Brexit and Bremain is breaking both the browsing and (stock) broking records!!

Gentleman

Gentleman.... The genre reads love story and thriller.
The first part is very much justified and pleasantly presented in the first one hour of the movie. Ahem!!...speaking of the second one... the quantum of thrill is inversely related to the number of Telugu and Hindi movies one has already seen!
If the actor makes couple of more similar choices, the image of the Natural Star would fade away behind the sigh the audience would leave with the relief of finally seeing 'The End'!! (in fact could hear similar sighs after the show even today)

Birth Anniversary!!

It has always been an issue of contention whether the date is 10th, 12th or 13th of June. While the date registered is 10th, my grandmother remembered it as 12th and my grandfather's niece was sure that it was on 13th, the 13th day after the death a dear relative that they heard the news of the birth of her new cousin!! So, the official, unofficial, the star connection or whatever might be the combination, the occasion was celebrated on one of these three days. Even when we want to commemorate his birth as it has been 64 years and about to enter the 65th one, we are still to arrive at a date. His dreams and words still keep ringing in our years.

He dreamt of a happy life post-retirement. He wanted to just go for a walk with a couple of his close friends early in the morning, have a chat over coffee with Amma, see off his grandchildren to school, get into a matured discussion with his son, have an early lunch and then retire with his transistor radio, cellphone and newspaper into his den.

He had a treasure trove of books and wanted to collect more to compile a library. Then, add the cuttings of his favorite stories from Vipula and Chatura and top them up with Koumudi and Jeevana Kaalam posts by Gollapudi Maruthi Rao.

He also loved discussing matters of childhood and household gossip with his brothers, sisters and have a family time during tea. I think this was the intention behind all of them building their houses close to each other and planning to settle down there once they are done with the responsibilities!!

We should have certainly found him at 3:30pm near the school gate (exactly behind our house) as it would be the closing time. He liked watching the young ones struggling with their bags, walking slowly without any consideration for time as they are done for the day and are busy sharing their experiences with their friends and parents!! He should not have ruled out the idea of meeting up a friend or two who would have come to pick up their kids or review the plans for the development of school and their repercussions on the immediate neighborhood (our house), with the teachers or administrative staff, as he knew most of them in person.

Next on his itinerary would be to catch up with any cultural event, book fair or stage act in Guntur. He should have never missed any one of these!! All these engagements should have left him time just enough to catch up with the rest of his children, grandchildren, kith and kin over Whatsapp and Facebook before going to bed!!

These were the ideal days he planned for throughout his life!! He was so much in love with life and wanted to feel alive every minute of it and the days after turning 60 was the time he longed to live!! God had hijacked his schedule and had a Plan B for him!!
So, celebrating Naanna's fantasy time, especially birthdays from his 60th one is the way of paying homage to him truly!!

(Though dated 13th June, I have been late by 3 days in publishing the post)

Wedding Invite

The bells started ringing inside me...
And she was the only thing my eyes could see;

She is the one I have been waiting for...
A voice said, ‘Take her to the altar’!!

I could see the sparkle in his eyes, 
On the first day when we wished each other goodbyes;

Casual looks, sweet words and the calm tone, 
My heart rejoiced, “He is my kind of person”!!

As we take this mutual and eternal appreciation
To the level of making it a grand celebration,

Both of us cordially invite you to grace the occasion
And bless us for a long and happy association…..

Summer Vacation

The day starts at 6am, as the boy is in a deep sleep kicks his brother off the bed, who lands on the nose of his aunt. The brother loses his sleep, along with the aunt who squeaks with the resulting swelling and pain; and his mother who has nothing to say but gives a sheepish smile to her sister, as a justification for her sons' deeds!!

It is midday. The youngest of the cousins are trying to let the Barbie clutch the shopping cart. Unable to accomplish it, they give up. The 4-year old then orders the 3-year old to ‘handle’ the doll (drive the cart and Barbie together so that they appear to be moving together). Unable to neither decode the meaning of the word nor the context of its usage, the younger one retorts, “You ‘handle’ it by yourself”!! Hurt by the defiance, the first one says, ‘I am 4, you are 3. You must listen to me’. In no mood to literally handle the domination, the young girl replies, ‘Even I shall turn 4 this December!!!' The argument continues until a complaint is lodged with the elders at home.

The clock shows 3pm. After a detailed lunch, the elders retire for an afternoon nap. The 8-year old is playing a code breaking game with his younger sister (younger just by 10 months). When the brother cracks the code, the sister cries foul as he already sneaked at the code while she was making it!! She shouts at him for deceiving her. When the sister cracks the code, the brother has the same objection and reaction. By the time half-a-dozen codes are broken, all the adults are around them solving the disputes!!

The time is 6pm and all the 5 cousins go for a swim in their specially-bought cute costumes. One acts to be as professional as a fish and displays his skills. The other holds on to the edge wall with one hand and shows off all the tricks with his other three limbs. One tries hard to get the basics right and keeps paddling the legs for the first half of the hour. One of them neither knows to swim nor wants to act so. She is not even interested to learn it immediately and just enjoys soaking and bumping in the water all around her (to the fear of her mother!!). The youngest one is seen crying before and even after entering the pool. But, soon forgets the reason for her grief and has fun with her companions!!

After having their dinner at 9pm, the cousins move into the bedroom and switch on music. The songs for which they have performed at the Annual Day celebration of their respective schools would be played and all five of them would dance, oblivious of the fact that these songs are being so many times over all the devices at home that they have become the most searched ones on YouTube on all the smartphones, laptops and tabs!!

The time is 11:45pm, the cousins are cracking their childish jokes, laughing and giggling aloud. The uncle is bothered about disturbing their neighbors. But, the merriment doesn’t stop until the mother of the eldest of the cousins switches off the lights, strictly warns them to close their eyes and call it a day!!

Four weeks of this crazy routine!! And it is now time for the cousins to part ways for this year, as the first leg of their summer vacation is about to end!!!
It has been as much a bonding time for the elders, as it was for the kids!! They left no stone unturned to make the best of these days........multi-language movie marathons; combined singing, stitching, walking, cooking and gossiping sessions of the adults continued round the clock too!!

Mother's day

Children are definitely mischievous in one way or the other. They climb up and reach out for the toys hidden on the uppermost rack of the wardrobe, jump from the kitchen counters, shout aloud irrespective of the hour of the day, tumble down things that come in their way, break the crockery, spill the milk and water, touch things which they are warned against, sneak on the screens to find out the magic that keeps their parents glued to them..be it TV, mobile phone or tab!! 

Their energy never exhausts while playing but an hour of study time drains them out completely!! 

They fight with their siblings, defend themselves even when caught red-handed (though they give up eventually!!)!! They do resort to telling lies at times!! 

They can't have permanent enemies or learn lessons from experience!! They befriend the child they like even if he tries to avoid them rudely!! They can't get their eyes off anything they want.... If they want something, they mean it, irrespective of the necessity and situation.... They cry over petty things and create ruckus for least expected reasons.

The list of their wrong-doings is endless and no amount of gyaan can put them off from doing these!!

The inconsistencies only direct the world towards their upbringing. There is only one person who can join the dots, connect the negatives with the positive side of the children, appreciate it as a part of their 'growing up' regimen. Nevertheless, being adults themselves, they can't stop themselves and pronounce punishments, act angry, scold, then explain the matter to put them back on track.

These people take the blame for the acts of the children for the time being and patiently wait....only to get back with vengeance and display their trophies...... their grown up and mature children who made a small yet significant difference to the world, but for the mistakes and misdeeds!!

No prizes for guessing the best form God has given to the patience, tolerance, endurance and unconditional love needed to nurture the mischief and take it into stride......The Mother!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms (though they don't need just a day or time for them, they definitely need a special mention at least once a year)!!

Lemonade

As the kids come back from their prolonged cricket session, Karthu sees that I am making lemonade for them. He picks up the halves of lemon and declares that he knows the recipe for the juice, doesn't want me to help him and wants to make it all by himself!
He puts half teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of sugar in each of the small glasses, squeezes one half of a lemon in them, fills them with water and quickly mixes with a spoon.
Prithvi is completely excited about his brother's newly exhibited skills and is ready to have it. He drinks till the last sip, licks his lips, sighs and looks at Karthu, who is eagerly waiting for the feedback.  Both of them are used to watching the tasting followed by judges' comments on the 'Masterchef'.
Prithvi, the boy who never likes to withhold any thoughts but is sensitive enough to not hurt anyone, passes his remarks carefully this way...'Good Anna!! I drank away all the salt and ate the sugar at the end!!'....Karthu, who is straightforward and perceives the world in just black or white, is puzzled as to what he meant.... Did he like it or not??!!!
While the stark contrast between the children becomes strikingly evident, I realize that their innocence, quick-wit, subtle humor, sensitive nature and soft-spoken behavior reflect the traits of their grandfathers from both sides (maternal and paternal).....

Oopiri......Reiterated

Two weeks after watching the movie, I realized that my take on Oopiri was a knee-jerk reaction, when I happened to keenly observe this poster at a busy crossroad. It was neither about the story, nor the actors who played the roles....I became aware that I missed to notice the chemistry between the two male protagonists, one challenged physically while the other couldn't surpass his emotional deadlock. The rich and poor economic statuses were devised to just make the contrast between them felt by the audience. The film has particularly concentrated on the small ways in which they encourage and provoke each other to act, rather than miss being themselves. This cognizance is created in a no-nonsense manner and there lies the true beauty of the movie.

I particularly feel guilty for not having caught this point of the movie, not because it shows lapses in my perceptive ability, but because I happened to stand witness to this phenomenon for almost 20 years. It should have been the first point that should have struck me. Once known for his swiftness, briskness and high energy; people had to practically 'run to catch up' to reach Naanna. Twenty eight years of the speed was jolted by a congenital hiccup that has surfaced after having carved a career and creating a happy family for himself. Even after that, his willpower was unbridled and he was steadfast. Though he had better motor abilities than Vikramaditya, Naanna more or less could not continue at the same pace. The near and dear who had seen him during the good old days had compassion, sympathy and felt sorry for him. But, that could never match up with his aspirations of being the man he wanted to be!!

At this juncture, a childhood buddy stood by him, exactly like Srinu.....The Man Friday in a true sense!! He ignited the engine, took Naanna to all the happening places; be it the Union office, secret spots to take a couple of friendly puffs, holiday spots, pilgrimages, ice-cream parlour and everywhere both of them wished to be!! Though it was not a give and take relationship, Naanna buttressed and stood as a pillar of strength in every possible way beside his friend and boosted his morale whenever necessary. This uncle was also with Naanna on his bedside during every visit to the hospital and stressfully waited outside the theatre whenever Naanna had to undergo a procedure. His help was priceless. However, neither of them poked nose into the other's family affairs. Their respective wives and kids were totally supportive of all this, as they understood that happiness lies in staying oneself, rather than sit and cry over spilt milk. I appreciate the support of the Uncle much more now, since Oopiri just put it into perspective.

Thus, Oopiri was not just a movie, but a trip down the memory lane for me!! Oopiri is the breath of fresh air that blossoms new bonding, inspires the two men to overcome the obstacles and beautifies their lives. It is a tribute to the evergreen friendship between Naanna and Santoshkironvedantam Vedantam Uncle. 

I am still burdened by the way I missed noticing this crucial aspect while watching Oopiri!!

Uncle.

I am still burdened by the way I missed noticing this crucial aspect while watching Oopiri!!

Bad Posts

It is obvious that the social media wall is a reflection of the person's mind and you could have easily understood by now that people give it space to imbibe one experience, one thought and one thing at a time and make a point to respond the same way. But, it is not the same on all the days.
Some of the business, clutter or confusion imposed by circumstances do not provide the mind with either enough space to absorb the finesse of the moment rationally or do not leave it open enough to react reasonably, at certain times. The feel-good hormones go on a holiday. Then, despair, frustration and negativity quickly barge in and try to steer the stirrups of the mind. The same flower now appears ugly, the same lovely person seems irritable, the same soothing voice sounds like heavy metal, the same beautiful movie turns boring!! Thus, bad judgments, bad decisions and bad posts are also a reflection of the same mind that are backed by innumerable disturbances that skewed them that way!!

Oopiri

Oopiri..... not totally worthy of the breath of inspiration it promises!!
An interesting storyline that starts off well but becomes predictable as it gets disturbed by sentiment.
While Karthi looks completely at home in the character, Nagarjuna seems to be caught between indulgence and restraint (and also between make-up and wrinkles...smile emoticon )

Rehman is a redeemer!

On a saturday or sunday, getting done with the chores is the hardest thing. The easiest and the happiest option is just have an early breakfast and laze around! However, the clock keeps ticking, the message notifications on the mobile keep blinking while the mind is reeling around, thinking of the list of things to be done, but none of them kicking off the body to take the plunge!! The burden of the tasks settle down as monsters and mountains in the mind slowly sending us into slumber (I call it 'Snap'......similar to brunch, the drowsy way of dozing off between the night sleep and afternoon nap due to the load of heavy breakfast and long list of jobs)
I badly fell prey to this regimen today, but the savior comes as Saavn notifying me of the radio channel exclusively dedicated to the songs of the maestro. I just click on it. Swaying the body into motion, breaking the inertia, the player starts Matargashti…....karthu and prithvi enjoy the music and lift me up to join them in the dance....(they have failed to make me dance, as always)
Heer bhi badi sad hai......all the things clumsily littering the floor are replaced

Saans me teri..... dusting the shelfs and surfaces is done

Agar tum saath ho…..pressure cooker on the stove

Neevunte naa jatagaa and pataka gudi…….. sweeping and mopping the floor

Hey…..the house is spic and span and the mind is relieved in a matter of 40 minutes of Rehman’s magic!!

Now, when we have such a pleasant way of countering inertia, why could Newton only think of such a depressing and crude term to describe it, ‘external force’???

Women's Day!

Womanhood is in the soft touch of showing care,
It is also in the firm schedules that they never think twice to dare!!

Womanhood is in the warm embrace that she fills her loved ones in,
It is also in the cold shoulder that she gives to those who speak mean!!

Womanhood is in the sharpness of analyzing and adapting to situations,
It is also in the bluntness with which she defends against stray comments!!

Womanhood is in the beautiful looks that she presents herself to the world,
It is also in the ugliness that she never minds while cleaning up the sick ones' bed!!

Womanhood is in the long hours that she waits patiently for her husband,
It is also in the short naps that she takes while having to change diapers and feed!!

Womanhood is in the small things that she does to express her affection,
It is also in the big sacrifices that she makes to serve her people with satisfaction!!

Womanhood is in the way she argues and fights for what she believes,
It is also in the silence that she imposes upon herself while handling chaos!!

Womanhood is in the loudness of clearly debating her point of view,
It is also in the muteness while thinking hard on the solution to an issue!!

Womanhood is in the mild way she pats the child singing lullabies,
It is also in the hard way she slaps the co-passenger who misbehaves!!

Womanhood is in the labour to keep the house spic and span,
It is also in the striving she takes to prepare a business plan!!

Yes, we are the people with endless contrasts,
And be ready to accept us with these opposite natures!!

You can rely on us for anything to be done,
By any means, we are not less than anyone!!
We expect nothing more than respect in return,
We are the WOMEN, who proudly seize the heart of men!!

Happy Women's Day!!

Stand for yourself

No'thing' would be alright unless you take charge of setting it right!!
Time will do the job.....no, it is going to take it's own span, may be a lifespan!! They say 'patience is the key', 'every dog has it's day', 'wait for your turn'!! I think patience is the only virtue and time is the only scale that are highly abused by using them for rationalizing our in'ability', shifting the focus and finally shutting up from the imaginary 'worst-case scenarios' or 'disruptions to peace'!!

People would help set them.....no, no one has the time to think of you or your problems or your concerns, as they are busy in their own lives. They can't go beyond the smiling face or the superficial conversations and do the things for you!! It is always the calculation.....'in what way am I concerned with this', 'so what would I get back', 'I'm safe....so, better not get into the rut'!!!

Don't we get fed up of these oppressive band-aids that we use to close the cracks, and feel like yelling out into the open no-man's space?? Patience, time and people only sound good to the brain to keep the things going, but the heart is broken and still yearns for the therapy. So, realize that the 'thing' in no'thing' includes your heart!!

Gather the courage to speak out (not shout) when things are not going right!! Time is uncertain and unpredictable!! After the delay, you might not even care for the things that bothered, irked or hurt you once!! But remember, by voicing them then and there, you are building a security gate not only for yourselves, but also the others in similar condition and giving them the boldness!!  No one is standing in your shoes. Everyone is busy polishing their own rusty ones!!

My Darling!!

Every time I prayed for happiness,
I got back a happy smile!!
Every time I felt guilty of my fit of anger,
I got back a friendly smile!!
Every time I woke up to the terror of a hectic day,
I got back a hopeful smile!!
Every time I thought of the loss of my father,
I got back a reassuring smile!!
Every time I had the pressure of a deadline,
I got back an encouraging smile!!
Every time I was exhausted of hard times,
I got back a cheerful smile!!
Every time I wanted to give up and walk away,
I got back an affectionate smile!!
Eleven years of the courtship has been a vibgyor of emotions for me,
And the ups and downs were crests and troughs on my profile you could see!!
While all the colors, waves and sharp lines are always rounded off into a curves,
And yours is a nice rainbow of wonderful smiles that would calm all my nerves!!

Power of an Irritated Kid

The enthusiasm of children is evident on their faces when we try to teach them something new and interesting. They invest all their senses to listen and follow the instructions and capture even more lessons through imitation. They go through the learning process carefully with patience as long as it holds their attention. But when we try to exploit this curiosity by asking the kids to repeat the recited poem, write an imposition, sing the song again, redo the craft all over for the nth time....then stay ready to get back the wildest responses...their distorted faces, crooked words, curved shapes or the gibberish lyrics... Their unrest would be clearly written in their actions, body language and gestures. All these reactions would not only deliver their intended message but also make us conscious of their young age and innocence and guilty of the way we are trying to push them to peak above their tender fences....

Moral: Do not underestimate the power of an irritated kid...

My Grandma

She never made us flock around her to grab our attention to narrate stories, but we always knew that the lap was exclusively reserved for us, as her grandchildren, whenever we needed it. The more open and warm you were, the more affectionate and protective she was!! However, the more cunning and shrewd you were, the tougher she became....such was her nature!!

You could walk in anytime you needed some help (be it a family member or an outsider). She knew when, how and where to get it done, had a quick plan and delegated it then and there to the concerned member. The entire family trusted her instincts and were ready to extend the needed support. Her focus was always on the need of the hour, which was 'togetherness' and facilitating the things function smoothly. Emotions and sentiments could never hamper her from performing her duties. She invested and utilized every paisa wisely, though shopping for the entire family was her favorite hobby!! She was the person from whom everyone in the family drew their inspiration from. She led by example!!

No, she was not 'the man of the house'....she managed it very ably staying a woman!! The wife in her blushed every time my grandpa passed a husband-ly comment on her!! The mother in her bloomed every time her children went to her for advice or reassurance!! The grandma in her peeked every time we were on her lap. She kissed us sweetly (irrespective of the age...I was 21 when she made me sit on her lap and kissed me gently on the cheek)!!

Her image in my mind is still intact. The hair was always tied into a bun, secured in a net and pins; the forehead always was decorated with vermilion shaped into a broad oval using Nova cream as the base; her nails were always colored with mehendi. If she was to attend an occasion, clad in a silk saree with wide zari border, white blouse and a necklace with little bells jingling; she was grace personified!!

Today is the occasion to pay homage to the 'Iron Lady of the Family', my Grandmother!!

Naannaku Prematho

The thriller started off well but, the sentiment added to suit the target audiences and the restraint maintained by Sukumar to ensure box-office collections apparently changed the trajectory of 'Naannaku Prematho' at times. Domino effect from title to title literally!! A welcome change to heroism by Jr.NTR, while Rakul Preeth truly stole the show. A casual and realistic performance by Srinivas Avasarala and on the whole, an entertaining movie by the team!!