Sunday, February 28, 2010

Introducing!!!

Okay! So I’ve been getting loads of e-mails, SMSs, phone calls and letters regarding my previous post. I wonder why cant people just leave their queries in the comments box. It’s so much simpler, plus an increased number of comments make the blogger look popular.

Coming back to updating you guys about current happenings in my life, YES, I have finally found my “Mr. Right”. Boo Hoo to Abhishek, who always thought that no person would ever be patient enough to spend entire life with me and that I’ll end up living with Cats and Dogs. Well! Ashish proved him worng (or seems so at d moment).

Ashish Chauhan (had to write his name down a hundred times, to make sure I didn’t introduce him to my colleagues and friends as Ashish Chaudhary AGAIN) is a Delhiite (no offense, but when he sits down to talk, his UP wala accent can not be missed). The first thing I noticed about him was, innocence dripping down from every bit of his face which said “I am a good boy, please don’t bully me”. And his charming personality, ignoring the cold “Hi” he gave me.

He’s exact opposite of me. For one, he’s matured and sensible. He’s a perfect marriage material, whom you can proudly introduce to your parents and can be rest assured that they’ll love him too. He’s sensitive enough and would never do anything to hurt a fly. He’s a complete blend of intelligence (or am I the only one who thought HISTORY was boring?), humbleness (his trait of treating rich, poor, pretty and ugly in a similar way, totally floor me), simplicity (after all, not all Delhiites are show-offs), argumentative (did I mention he’s a Gemini, and will always get his way through. Sometimes, he wudn’t even make u realize that u have already lost).

In all, this Delhiite is perfect for me. He is patient, so listens to all the crap that I have to say. He is calm and soft spoken, so we have a perfect balance there. He’s an excellent cook, so needless to say, we strike a balance there as well. He’s a good person. But you know, how they say, “a good person need not be a good singer”. :-) Yet he manages to sing to me everynight and every morning. The man is full of self confidence as well.

He’s fun loving (even though he wouldn’t agree to it, since he likes to maintain his “grown up” image), hard working, very responsible and he is always there for his friends. He is an excellent counselor and can help you get out of the biggest mess, without any difficulty.

Since this introductory post was supposed to have all goody goody stuff, Ashish u escaped.

P.S.: Here's d link to his blog, which has my introductory post. And the self- obsessed person that I am, I would like all my followers to take a read. http://cleaningupmycloset.blogspot.com/

Cya soon!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

My world is suddenly crowded

Till a week back, my family consisted of my mom, dad, sister and Mishti. Now it has multipled. It consists of my mom, dad, sister, mishit, Ashish, his mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Phew! (and mind you, I am not even starting with the extended family).

On Feb 12 (the day families exchanged gifts and officially our status changed) the photo-ops were many and there were 3 cameras and 2 video carmeras. That is if I do not include the Handycams brought in by NDTV, Aaj Tak and Headlines Today. As a result, there could be a few snaps where the smile is fake. But I can assure you, those lines on my forehead (save-me) are real.

Now for the picture time. Each picture comes with an explanation….

The redden moment: When everybody had arrived and were seated in the drawing room, my dad brought me in front of everybody from behind the curtains (where I was watching Srilanka v/s New Zealand match) like any typical hindi movie. You can see me, fiddling with my ring and bangles. This is what happens when you are seated in an uncomfortable position and can’t even re- adjust coz any slight moment of yours would make head lines in tomorrows paper.


















The Moment: This pic was snapped when Alka di (Ashish’s sister) was covering my head with the dupatta, symbolizing that I have been booked. You might notice the picture is a bit blurred, that is because my dad’s eyes were moist at the moment with tears while clicking the picture.



















The mother-in-law moment: This was the only time when I had no thoughts running in my mind (apart from the I-hope-bindi-is-positioned-in-the-center-of-my-forehead). She’s a gem of a person, and I was at peace in this moment shared with her. I think the picture is dark, because by this time my dad was wiping his tears.



















The what-next moment: This was clicked when my lap was overloaded with gifts. Even though my expressions suggest that I am smiling and blushing, I am actually confused and looking at my mom, waiting for a signal from her to tell me when to bow down and touch everybody’s feet.



















The bowing moment: I was instructed by mom that I should touch every elder’s feet after the function. As luck would have it, I was the youngest in the room (if we exclude 2 year Vidyut). Even though this was something new for me, it didn’t show. Thanks to the one hour practice with my dad. Even though my expressions are not captured, I am wondering, when would be the right time for me to stand up?



















The Big Family: Now we are a big happy family. First row (left to right): Alka di, Ashish’ Mausi, my mom, the shy me, Ashish’ mom. Second row (left to right): Vidyut (who had no clue what was happening), Kanishka (Ashish’ brother-in-law), Ashish’s dad, my dad (if u look closely, his eye are still moist) and Ashish’ Tauji. The only ones missing in this picture are Ashish himself, Shanu and Mishti of course, who likes to be clicked individually and hates group pictures.



















God willing.. (and our family photographer willing) you will see many more such snaps on this website.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Beware

If you know me, then this post will ring bells, so read ahead. And if you don’t know me, this would give you an idea of things to keep in mind before you intend being friends with me:

As most of you know, how humble and modest I am. The unpretentious me, cannot stand criticism. It is a very common trait in Virgos. We are very critical by nature and hence, know all about our short comings, so we don’t need people to tell us what we lack. Just to state an example, the first time I drove a four wheeler, I didn’t need Abhishek to tell me I messed up. After me knocking down one pillar, two dust –bins and one professor and after the college Administrative department deducted Rs 4500 from my deposit money for reconstruction of pillars, Rs 100 for dust-bins (don’t know why they cared so much for dust-bins, even though they weren’t used much) and a sincere apology letter to the professor, I didn’t need anyone else telling me how chaotic my driving skills were.

So, if you are thinking of criticizing me, think again. And know it well that even though I would be smiling at you while you tell me what I suck at, from deep within I would be cursing you and you’ll always be the person who CRITICIZED me.

Another thing that I can not handle well is someone pinching me. I swear to god, I can never forget the day when on my B’day I wore a clean white new dress, when my best friend (I am forgetting her name) came from behind, pinched me from behind and yelled “new pinch”. Mind you, I can hold a sword with my bare hands for five hours (with my palms bleeding, of course) but I can never take a pinch. That was the day and today is the day; I have not spoken to her. And now it’s too late to make up for the loss considering I don’t even remember her name.

Can’t think of more stuff that I can’t handle well (except for my sister of-course)… for now, keep these in mind. :-)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

That's how I gain points

My mom is here in Ahmdabad giving me company. As much as I love her, I can not over look the ‘cleanliness freak’ and ‘organized’ her. Even before she was to arrive, I got up early and started cleaning my apartment. Trishna (my room mate) was so puzzled to see me cleaning that she thought I am under some sedatives and not realizing what I am upto. Else, which other person would puff the same cusions over n over again?

So while I was running at the station looking for my mom, I got a call from her telling me that she’s waiting at platform number 1. My heart pumped faster and I knew this wasn’t a good sign. She had reached before I did. That was minus one in her books.

From afar, I counted the pieces of luggage she had… there were 6 in all… not including her.

“I thought you will be leaving in a week’s time?” I asked.

“I’ll see how you’ve been managing uptil now and will decide accordingly”. She has a way about her that forces you to keep quite for at least ten minutes after she delivers a sentence, lest you kindle an erupting volcano. I kept quite.

In life there are moments when you gain points by arguing (like in a Placement Group Discussion) and there are moments in life when you gain points by keeping quite. I kept quite.

We reached auto rikshaw stand where drivers pounded on our luggage like it was their’s and started to yell “kahan jana hai” (where do you wanna go)? To avoid any more scenes, I quickly blurted “Manav Mandir Jaan hai”. Everybody then, started quoting prices. The scene was no less than a bid process, only difference being, here they couldn’t bribe us.

I pointed to a driver who had quoted the least and said “80 rupees theek hain.”
“What 80 rupees? Are you crazy?” I am not good in math so could only do a rough head- count to the number of people who turned their heads to see us…. Some 87 of them. Mind you, no one from her reaction could tell that she’s come to Ahmedabad for the first time. :-)

Somehow we managed to reach home and she saw my clean apartment. I can’t say much from her reaction but I think she liked it. I can say that coz she puffed (my already puffed) cusions only once. Dad will be arriving soon. I gotto plan to gain points there as well.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

About the Dogs in my life

How many of you, after reading the heading, thought this post is about my sister? I agree man is an animal (a few believe that even women are animals), but, I am in no way referring to her here.

Guess I should start with our first pet – Sandy. Don’t remember much about her, but I do remember her greeting guests by getting onto 2 legs and folding her hands, as though doing Namaste. Our dad not only managed to imbibe manners in us but also in Sandy. She was succeeded by Toffee, Pepsi, Tuesy and now Mishti. Our family is a dog lover family. Or should I say, they are “forced” dog lovers. I remember the first time Abhishek got me Mishti, this small little ball of fur who cudn’t even walk two steps without slipping, yet would try jumping off the basket she came in. When I took the basket to mama, she thought mishit was very cute, and asked me whose dog was it. I told her, it’s ours and that’s when the first blast came.

The series of explosions continued for about 4-5 months, where dad also suggested we should take her to the sai baba temple and leave her there. Somehow, it’s a very common phenomenon in Indian families, leave any unwanted child/ animal at the door steps of God and let him handle. Apparently, that’s where my parents found me too. Whenever, I misbehaved, my mom would threaten me to leave me back at the same temple where she found me. I was a smart child and gave it back to her once, “Ok, I’ll go where you found me from. Only the gold chain and bangles that I came with, return them to me”. Somehow, after that, this topic never came up.

Coming back to the topic “My parents being Dog lovers”, are now so fond of Mishti that now they don’t miss their own blood so much, since they always have Mishti around. This is how a usual conversation takes place at our home:

Me: Ma, I am coming home

Mom: Why, you just came 2 months back. At least give us some time to miss you

Ma: It’s been 4 months I was home

Mom: Oh! It’s been that long? Yeah, yeah, come down. Mishti’s stock of Chews, Shampoo, conditioner, and biscuits is almost over. Get the ones you got last time.

Now I am headed back home on 10th. My first bit of shopping would be for Mishti Jamwal and then for the rest of the family. I cant risk it!!!