Let the music play!!

Last week being a musicilicious one gave way to this post trailed by a few awry thoughts.  It was music day on 22 June which was unknown to me until this year. It was great to know that the significance of music is acknowledged and that an entire day is dedicated to it. What came next was the death anniversary of Michael Jackson better known as “King of Pop” who conquered hearts with his impeccable moonwalk and heart-thumping music. It feels like yesterday when he was all set for his musical concert to make a comeback. Alas! He never came back but he will always remain an icon in the world of music and dance. His songs still hit the top charts and there are millions of imitators of his pelvic dance moves and toe stand.

On 27 June, we celebrated the birthday of legendry music composer RD Burman who revolutionized music and gave it a new meaning. His melodious and soulful tracks make me lose my mind and drown me in the profound harmonious sea. His contribution to the cabaret music took the form to an entirely different level and the peppy numbers composed by him are still being remixed. Unfortunately they all fail to give a competition to the original. Bollywood is certainly missing some marvelous music.

Hey! Did you ever realize how depressing and futile life would have been without music. No instruments, no notes, no melodies, no songs, no singers and no composers. I can’t imagine a life without it and I feel crippled when I forget to carry my ear plugs. For me music is a passion, a respite from the worldly absurdity, a breather when I am suffocated, a hiatus from monotonous schedule, a connector when I am at loss of words, a reason to groove and a companion when I am alone. No matter what mood I am in or what season it is, there is always a song to play.

It’s phenomenal how music connects with memories of the past, the way it conveys a message without a word, the way it triggers emotions silently, the way it unites two souls and the way it suffices in itself.

I wish...

Today I wish I were a poet to have been able to write a beautiful verse sitting in the loggia holding my coffee mug. I wish I could admire the grandeur of nature and articulate how splendid that ephemeral splash of rain was. I wish I could reach out to those thousand parched souls who have been frantically waiting for a respite just like me.

It was yet another day when I had to pretentiously work to justify my salary. I wonder why I came today in the first place when I could have enjoyed the weather at leisure. I could have listened and crooned some nice romantic songs exhausting the high calorie plate of pakoras. Sigh! Just the thought makes me drool.

I forced myself to come to office only to realize there’s no work (I wasn’t in a working mood too) and fortunately no Boss. Didn’t feel like reading the newspapers as I knew they would be inundated with the escalating gold prices, stock market jargon and the appalling Bhopal gas tragedy verdict. Logged on to my account but watching the names in my friends list moving up and down from available to busy to idle was no fun. Searched for an e-book but couldn’t find it. Damn! Nothing is available for free. So I sipped the tasteless coffee and heard some Bryan Adams stuff.

All thanks to the climate that I survived a bugging day like this. It was one of those days when I deliberately wanted to sit down and have a wasted unfruitful time. I did exactly what I wanted just that it could have been far better if I were liberal and not stuck here… 

WTF

Radio can be so much fun at times. Thanks to Delhi Metro that I get to plug-in my ear phones. While switching the channels in search of a peppy number, I chanced upon an amusing ongoing contest. It’s an initiative by jeevan-saathi.com where a caller wins exciting goody-bags. All that the callers have to tell is an absurd question they were asked during the pre-marital meeting.

I stayed on for a while hoping to hear some exciting stuff. A girl called to tell her listeners how pissed she got when the guy she expected to marry asked ‘If his mother asks, would she wear a saree??’

What? Is this for real? I am certain he asks his mom before peeing too :)

The next caller was a guy who endured the excruciating session with his prospective mother-in-law. According to him everything she asked was absurd but he just barfed when she popped the question ‘Is your maid a male or a female?’

Aunty, don’t you think it’s not the right time to joke? Well ideally she should have first asked him, if they HAVE a maid or not but isn’t it equally outrageous. And btw whose intention was she doubting, the guy’s or her daughter’s??

This wasn’t over yet as another girl caller shared her intolerable experience and how embarrassed her mother felt when the guy questioned ‘If the girl is actually Mr. K’s daughter because her looks don’t resemble a tad with her father’

Just FO dude. You don’t deserve to get married at all. With this kind of observation, there is huge possibility of him disowning his wife in case she gets a zit on her face.

It seemed unbelievable to know these questions even hold any relevance for marriage. Either they are dumb-asses or I am not too qualified in this domain. Aren’t marriages made in heaven? Never knew finding your soul-mate can be this insane.

Anyway, the above-mentioned victims are all happily married now, to someone else obviously.

What’s your story??

Incredible India! Happy Republic Day :)

A visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Many a times I have crossed Rashtrapati Bhawan and every time I saw, I wanted to transcend. It looks huge and beautiful from outside but being a civilian I was obstructed to walk in. This time a friend bestowed me an opportunity to have an explicit view of the place. The only sad part was that the cameras and mobile phones were not allowed inside so all I could click was the exterior of the Bhawan. I wanted to capture so many things there but unfortunately I had to feed it all in my memory which is already overloaded. Thankfully we were allotted an attendant who told many informative things and showed every allowed nook and corner with ease. Without him, I seriously would have been lost in the enormity of the space.

So there I was on the spree of exploring that prominent and perplexing place. We began with ‘Durbar Hall’ where all the ministers gather to take an oath. The President’s chair is positioned in front of Lord Buddha’s statue that was found in 15th century. Though the statue looks a bit wrecked but the significance compensates it all. The wonderful part is that a straight road from the hall connects to India Gate. Then came the ‘Ashoka Hall’ that has a wooden floor and this hall was initially a ball room. I loved that hall the most as it has strikingly attractive paintings all over. The king on the ceiling kept a constant eye on me where ever I went.

The calm and soothing passage then lead us to the dining room that accommodates more than a hundred people. As what I have known and seen, the head always sits in the front single chair but here the President’s chair is positioned in the middle. The chair confronting hers is the chair for the guest President. Yes these two chairs are larger than the others to make the difference visible from a distance. There are two British Pianos in the entire Bhawan and I played whatever little I know on one of them.

The plush museums have their own charm. The art museum has the paintings of the Kings and Queens and the one thing that stands out is the marbled statue of Queen Mary of her original and impeccable height. I stood on my toes and still could not reach her shoulder. She looks so divine, stunning and live. Down there is the ancient kitchen with an assortment of olden utensils that gives one a feel of those times. There is an interesting crockery that has the capability of detecting acid and henceforth changes its original color.

At last I saw the spick and span gardens ‘Mughal Garden’ and ‘Rose Garden’ that have almost all the flowers and half of them were blossomed. The best time to see these gardens in full bloom is February and at that time it is open for civilians. The Mughal Garden is surrounded by a tennis court and a wide park reserved for rabbits, deer, geese and hens. The Rose Garden has a variety of roses in different colors that make it look splendid.

It was certainly an enjoyable and a worth visit.

Happy New Year 2010!!

What different was the last year from the year before and how can I make this year better than the one that had just bid adieu to some worries and stocked a few more memories.  This year brings some more hopes, some new plans, some more cheer, some more chill actually a lot more chill and some more resolutions. Talking about the resolution, I think about the one I took last year. I am one of those kinds who make sure to have a resolution every year, practice it enthusiastically for a month and gradually forget it. Today I don’t even remember the one I made last year let alone the execution.

I believe one shouldn’t make a very resolute resolution as the firmness makes the implementation all the way more difficult. If we notice we will find umpteen options around us that one can to do something new every day then why stick to one? Let there be some flexibility to make the amendments easier as per the swinging circumstances.

To me a new year marks the beginning of a new phase of life. It is much more than the grand celebration, warm greetings, a new calendar and a pleasant holiday. It presents a reason to find what was missed last year, to learn and henceforth improve the mistakes to have a fruitful year ahead. I don’t know what this year has in store for me and I am not curious too. The question is how I make use of these 365 days to make myself a better person.

A Grand, Improved and Happy New Year to all..

Merry Christmas!!

Doesn't a festival bring another reason to smile, a reason to exchange warm wishes and gifts and a reason to feel and make someone feel special. Those small little surprises add a rosy hue to the otherwise bland and monotonous routine. Markets are swamped with people and shops are festooned with tinkling souvenirs. The whole feel of festivity is so amazing that one tends to overlook all his worries no matter how worse the circumstances are. A mere wish brings a dilated smile to the face. You may not connect with your friends and family the entire year but occasions certainly lends an opportunity to acknowledge their presence and thank them for being a part of your life.

I never celebrated Christmas the way I celebrate Diwali and Holi. The things I related to Christmas were Jingle Bell song, a nice holiday and a paunchy Santa that I only heard in stories and saw on television. As a kid I remember how I used to think that as soon as the clock strikes twelve, my Santa would appear out of the blue to hide the present I have been waiting for. It never happened and that time, I thought I knew the reason. As per the story, Santa is supposed to hide the gift beneath the tree and the only reason I never got a gift is simply because I did not have a Christmas tree :(

But this Christmas is different as I got the privilege of having a ‘Secret Santa’ who initially made me wait but later pampered me with cute gifts. The whole day I kept receiving something or the other that not just kept my belief in Santa alive but also made my Christmas the most special ever. The soft and cuddly teddy bear I got was worth the wait.

Be a Secret Santa for your loved ones and make their Christmas a memorable one.


Merry Christmas to all.