Christmas in Claremont!

So its Christmas time, the wind's howling in the trees, there is snow on Mt. Baldy's peak and I am on a break from KGI. It is an altogether different matter that I end up in KGI almost every night. After all, it has the pool table and the projector. Studying in the lecture hall may be difficult after meeting with Mr. Jack Daniels and trying out amateur karaoke in there :)

Have "guests" over - Jen and Rags are here. They insist I do not know the "right" way to make chai, but will I please make some anyways? Godot has been loaned to me. No wait. Godot has deemed our humble abode worthy of being his palace for a few days. Taking care of a crazy cat who doesn't want to return home at night and thinks that hiding in obscure corners of IHV is fun; is interesting, to say the least! Did I mention the time he climbed up on the roof and couldn't figure out how to get back down? No? Rags did the hero act by precariously balancing on one leg, on a rickety stool, and stretching his hand out to Godot, who promptly sank his claws in into the offered hand and grabbed on. Ouch. I realized I am absolutely not ready for the responsibility of a pet just yet.

Christmas dinner was at Uncle Marco's and Aunt Yanny's place. They are an amazingly open-hearted family, who have welcomed us all, sharing their time and affection and making us feel at home. The next day, we worked off the good food by going for a marathon. A five movies, back-to-back, marathon. By the way, is it weird that even after five months here, I don't feel homesick? I guess home is where the heart is, and I think my "extended" family keeps me centered. Love you guys :D

The year draws to a close and I am actually surprised at how fast time went by. This time last year, I was in Jodhpur, enjoying Marwari khana, with bajre ki roti, maakkhan maar ke. Today, it was "spicy" paneer tikka at Handee. Worries about are admissions over, (I should be) worrying about an internship now. The heat of Mumbai is a distant dream in the much appreciated cooler climes of Claremont. D Y Patil is buried deep down in my memory covered by layers of "awesome" KGI stuff. So many things change, and thank God that so many don't!

Bye-Bye 2009. You were a wonderful year, bringing with you a jolly bag of changes. Will miss you when you are gone, but I spy with my little eye a fun fun fun 2010!

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~ Lord Alfred Tennyson

Merry Christmas !

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Live, Love, Laugh !

Funny that this blog comes after the craziest week I have had in a long long (ever?) time... KGI does that to you... I have almost developed an attachment to yellow/green/blue walls, coffee that tastes like mud, running away in the middle of the night to stare at the stars... Having innumerable cups of tea (and missing tapri ki chai), pretending to eat healthy while gorging on an unholy amount of gooey, satisfying food, sleepless nights, sleepy weekends....and loving every moment of it!

Having birthday parties every weekend (yeah, we got lucky!) and getting the chance to vent our frustration via the time honored tradition of giving birthday bumps, sometimes to totally innocent people ... Can you believe that we actually decided to skip the tequila and rum shots and save them for next week? The bottles were right in front of us. Saints, all of us.

Also, the weather is so absolutely beautiful. I am enjoying the snow in the best way possible, away from me, on the peaks of the mountains up north! The air is chilly, makes me want to go out for a walk and come back with a cup of steaming coffee mmm.... The rain is the blah factor here, and I simply do my best to ignore it.

The week will end soon, and the real fun will start! I am super-excited about meeting 87 and Jen after almost five months. Will also be seeing other friends, a couple of trips are on the cards, so is exploring LA and a walk up the mountains. Taking a break from KGI sounds to be almost as much fun as KGI.

26/11/2008

26/11/2008

One of the few nights in my life I want to forget. Unfortunately, I can visualize it far too well. And the feelings of angst and anguish, remain.

My Taj burned (yes, I am a proud bawi first!), my city's blood spilled. Landmarks defaced, innocents murdered. Heroes made out of normal men, resilience and bravery seen from our much abused Brihanmumbai Police and the Mumbai Fire Brigade. Men from various agencies risked life and limb to get the young and old out from the Leopold Cafe, CST, Cama Hospital, near the Metro square, Taj, Trident, Nariman House......

My role in all of this? Keeping the memories alive for me, and for everyone who reads this.

I was at home, 11:20 in the night, studying for my semester VII final exams. I remember getting a frantic call from my uncle (who was in the UK) demanding to know where I am. His sigh of relief when I told him I am at home and "not dancing around town". That's when I switched on the news and saw how 12 men were ripping my city apart. From there on, it was a series of calls. Calling up my dad and telling him that for a change I was actually home. Calling up a friend who stays two streets down from the Taj, and being thankful he didn't go out for a walk! Glad a friend had just finished her shift at the Taj in the evening, but praying for her friends on the night shift. Worried about our exam the next day, life in DY was unpredictable, if nothing else...

I also remember when the shock actually set in. Next evening, a friend and I decided to go to our regular Juhu Barista to grab a coffee. We walk out into an eerie silence. Never ever have I seen Mumbai so quiet, not even at 3:30 am in the suburbs. Yes, that is when the pall of mourning that was in the air became real for me. We just got back inside the house and to the comfort of Nescafe.

And now, on 26/11/2009, I am away from my city, and I wonder what has been done. The normal: Politicos going about reforms and upgrades, Pakistan talks about prosecuting a couple of minor players, US and the rest of the world condemn the attacks, DCPs shout about more training, Ram Gopal Verma plans a movie with Ritiesh (or whoever), Mumbai Police tells citizens to be aware and alert (the contact link on their website doesn't work, I checked), MNS still wants the Uttar Bhartiyas out, the Mumbai/Bombay/Bambai argument goes on along with the other usual hoopla-hoop.

But what has been done?

The moongfali-wallahs are back at Gateway, the chai-wallah paddles his way around, the horses trot with the colourful 'Victorias', the awed tourists still pose in front of the Taj, the lights from the Trident gleam bright on Marine Drive, CST is as busy and probably more crowded than ever, beer guzzlers and dragon chicken lovers are back at Leo's. Before leaving her city, missydee went there with a group of friends and toasted the three bullet holes in the glass pane with our cold Kingfisher, see pic! Mumbai's spirit lives on in the lives of its people, who have absorbed the repeated attempts to hurt their city, regrouped and recouped (showing the figurative middle finger) and lived, loved, laughed and cried there, embodying the eternal Mumbai spirit.

Love this photo clicked by a friend, KD. The lights and speed of Mumbai captured beautifully along Marine Drive!

Mumbai, miss you. Bombay, love you.

Those days..........

Writer's block ??

Not so soon.... Shall be pushed away by the force of my awesome willpower .... ARRRGGHHH!

There goes!! :D

I seem to be living in, and being surrounded by a constant world of nostalgia these days. Which isn't too bad, but makes me wonder: what will I miss about KGI? The yellow walled corridor or the green walled one? Nope. The "library"? Probably not. Seeing movies in the lecture hall? Maybe. Free coffee/tea and losing zillions of ping-pong matches? Yeah, that sounds about right! Oh, also the freedom of having beer and wine in an academic institution! Who would have thought that possible back home? :P

But however I may brush it off, DY had its moments. Crazy, frustrating, traveling 4 hours a day (1/6 of my itsy-bitsy day), clawing at vicious women to climb in from Kurla and getting nailed, clawed, hair-pulled and once memorably, bitten, moments! Running to catch the Andheri direct. Going out to our dearest Centre One, the newest Belapur CCD, a lazy afternoon at Ashwith/Nimantran with a beer, seeing movies at Meghraj (with the unparalleled cramped toilet feel), and feeling so proud when the new malls cropped up!

Walking into class early at 8:15, late at 8:25, or just plain bunking it all! The days when plagiarism was just a long word in the unused dictionary. Playing X and O's and Join the Dots in the maha-boring lectures. Time-pass in the garden. Tapri-wale bhaiyaji ki chai(s) and "ek cheese toast butter, do veg cheese toast, ek mausambi-shakkar nai-bafar kam, ek banana, ek collllld coffee aur ek classic milds". Canteen anna ki special chai/coffee, aur khaas garam vada pav "ekdum fresh"! Omelette-bread and another cold coffee at Sidewalk Cafe, "bhaiya thoda jaldi"!

Oh, and Species, the abso-fucking-lutely unforgettable Species. The random galli spray from Taklu Deanie. The nights at the main campus, eating the most disreputable Chinese food ever. Making sure the staff doesn't see anything they aren't supposed to (aka, everything). Getting totally sloshed/shit-faced/high/horny (who remembers!) in the basement on the last day, and the fantabulous hangover the next. Pure bliss.

Those, my dear friends, were the days of DY past! *sigh*

Push and Shove!

Hello Blog-World!

Why am I typing this out? Because a smart lady told me that that's the best way to start!

Thank you gkam.. for the push and the shove! :)

Basically, I am trying to find a new source of entertainment. For me. 

Also, because I have these weird random thoughts. I hope someone gets a kick out of reading them. Yes, as you can make out, I am doing this for the greater good of mankind and the world. *angel halo*

While on angels, Halloween just went around the corner. My first Halloween, woo-hoo! I think I have decoded the mystery. It's the one day in the year when society gives you license (almost forces you) to do whatever you want to - dress up/down, get shit-faced drunk, high/low, on top or bottom (your choice ;)), make-up, make-out, what ever floats your boat, just do it! Another first, a green fairy (no, I was not hallucinating) came in with Absinthe! Ahhh... bliss!

Oh, and lets not forget the sugar overload. I had two candy-high kids knock (in a very loud, scare the shit out of me kind of way) on my door in the evening. Got to spread the chocolate joy! Next up, Thanksgiving. Lets see what surprises does that bring!

And now, the laziness is catching up. So long, everyone, till next time :)