Last month, there was an annual international food festival at Vishal’s office. During this fest (read feast) everybody brings a dish of his/her native country for everyone else to taste or relish as the case may be.After a little deliberation, we freezed on Aaloo bonda and tamarind chutney.I got up really early (Yes, 6:00 Am is really early in my case) and prepared them.I Had Vishal taste one and he said they were excellent. (Well, it couldn’t be otherwise)
When the dish was placed at the table along with the others, it came to be known as “Indian meat balls” While, I don’t know how that name originated, nevertheless it was very innovative. Being a vegetarian that I am, I don’t know whether it’s a compliment, if I can make a vegetarian dish taste like a nonveg one.
Vishal told me it was amusing to watch people eat this (the only one) “spicy dish”
Someone commented “One of these could take a week to clear from the digestive system”.
While I was having a hearty laugh at this one I was reminded of an incident in a train while we were traveling to Venice. We were feeling very hungry and luckily my mom had packed lotsa food and pickle. (Vegetarians can sure have a tough time in Italy).An Italian was seated in the next compartment. He came to us and asked if we were having Indian food, to which we replied in the affirmative. He again asked if it was pickle, we were surprised that he knew the name of an Indian delicacy.He appeared again after 5 minutes, which had us thinking that he has a liking for Indian food .we were jus about to offer him when he told the smell was so pungent that it was making him giddy.!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Some Embarrassing moments...
It takes lots of courage to laugh at one’s own self. Very few people have it in them to do so.And today I choose to be one of the few ;)
There were 15 looooooong months between my engagement and wedding.And like any other engaged couple, we used to send each other dozens of messages every day. Once, while I was busy at office, I suddenly had an attack of hiccups, and I wasn’t able to get rid of it even after drinking water. Now it is said that if you get hiccups it means that someone is missing you. So I had this immediate urge to send a sms to Vishal “Bahut hichki aa rahi hai honey…are you responsible?” .After a few seconds I got a reply “Pani kyu nahi pi leti”(how about some water??) I was shocked as this was a totally unexpected reply from Vishal. Only later did I discover that I had sent that msg to a cousin whose name also begins with V and it was his way of retorting.And to this day he teases me about it.
I was narrating an incident to somebody the other day. In my eagerness to use new words/idioms/phrases, I told her “I smell a fish” (I guess it came from the word “fishy”) for conveying “I was suspicious of something”. Only after blurting it out I realized that this expression is not quite right so I immediately corrected and told “I smell a cat”… smell a cat?? I still kept wondering if something was amiss. It was only after she left, I realized that all I wanted to say was “I smell a rat”!!!
She must be thinking if I had just returned from a pet store.
When it comes to embarrassing moments, all parents will vouch for the fact that their kids bring them many of those. I heard this one from Vishal’s grandma…
She told me that once there were a few guests at home during summer and she served them nicely cut mangoes. Now the kind guests wanted to be loving to the kid (Vishal) as well, so they offered him to eat the mangoes. Without missing the opportunity, he started eating them saying” andar jaunga toh sirf gutli hi milegi ”(I will get only seeds later)
I just hope Ady doesn’t take after his father: D
There were 15 looooooong months between my engagement and wedding.And like any other engaged couple, we used to send each other dozens of messages every day. Once, while I was busy at office, I suddenly had an attack of hiccups, and I wasn’t able to get rid of it even after drinking water. Now it is said that if you get hiccups it means that someone is missing you. So I had this immediate urge to send a sms to Vishal “Bahut hichki aa rahi hai honey…are you responsible?” .After a few seconds I got a reply “Pani kyu nahi pi leti”(how about some water??) I was shocked as this was a totally unexpected reply from Vishal. Only later did I discover that I had sent that msg to a cousin whose name also begins with V and it was his way of retorting.And to this day he teases me about it.
I was narrating an incident to somebody the other day. In my eagerness to use new words/idioms/phrases, I told her “I smell a fish” (I guess it came from the word “fishy”) for conveying “I was suspicious of something”. Only after blurting it out I realized that this expression is not quite right so I immediately corrected and told “I smell a cat”… smell a cat?? I still kept wondering if something was amiss. It was only after she left, I realized that all I wanted to say was “I smell a rat”!!!
She must be thinking if I had just returned from a pet store.
When it comes to embarrassing moments, all parents will vouch for the fact that their kids bring them many of those. I heard this one from Vishal’s grandma…
She told me that once there were a few guests at home during summer and she served them nicely cut mangoes. Now the kind guests wanted to be loving to the kid (Vishal) as well, so they offered him to eat the mangoes. Without missing the opportunity, he started eating them saying” andar jaunga toh sirf gutli hi milegi ”(I will get only seeds later)
I just hope Ady doesn’t take after his father: D
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Three Most Important Men In My Life
The First Man in any girl’s life whom she adores completely is her dad, and am no different. My daddy strongest!!
I am what I am today, because of my dad. I had taken science group in my 12th grade aspiring to become an engineer, and by the time I could finish it, I was so besieged with physics chemistry math and what not, that I didn’t have any courage to go ahead and take up the Engineering entrance exams. My dad made me understand that life is not a bed of roses and that perseverance always pays off. He was in no mood of letting me quit. He wanted me to pursue my dream. He told me to take the entrance exams and that it didn’t matter if I clear it or not. An important lesson there “Karm karo phal ki aasha mat karo”-Bhagvad Gita. (Do your deeds don’t but don’t expect results)
And here I am an engineer today …!
When people asked me what kinda guy I’d wish to marry I’d say “He” must be jus like my dad…
And so entered Vishal in my life (though he is not like my dad completely)and life became all the more beautiful.It has been a wonderful 4 yrs of this companionship which I cherish deeply.He is not just a husband; he is also a friend, a guide and a great connoisseur of food ;). Of course, we have had our shares of misunderstandings and arguments but that doesn’t stop us from learning and understanding each other even better. In fact, every time we fight and then make up we feel more in love.
And so here we are inspiring bachelors/spinsters to get married…!
And the third little man is … my dearest Ady, my lill bundle of joy.
He rules my world, it sometimes amazes me that how this 2 feet something lill being could make me happy and grouchy both at the same time. There are times when he messes around the house and I get really overwhelmed with his naughtines. He amazingly senses it- looks at me with all the love and innocence in the world ,that I cant help but laugh .He acts as if he deserves all the sympathy and love one could give. But he is a complete brat. He showed me the new side of me, which I thought never existed…Never imagined I could sacrifice my ‘8-hrs-mandatory’ sleep for someone, cry at someone elses’ slightest pain (like that of a mosquito bite) ,miss someone terribly if I didn’t see them for an hour.
And so here I am a proud Mother…!
I guess life is all about growing up and donning new roles…First a Daughter, then Wife, and now a Mother. Am glad I have lovely people to share my life with.
I am what I am today, because of my dad. I had taken science group in my 12th grade aspiring to become an engineer, and by the time I could finish it, I was so besieged with physics chemistry math and what not, that I didn’t have any courage to go ahead and take up the Engineering entrance exams. My dad made me understand that life is not a bed of roses and that perseverance always pays off. He was in no mood of letting me quit. He wanted me to pursue my dream. He told me to take the entrance exams and that it didn’t matter if I clear it or not. An important lesson there “Karm karo phal ki aasha mat karo”-Bhagvad Gita. (Do your deeds don’t but don’t expect results)
And here I am an engineer today …!
When people asked me what kinda guy I’d wish to marry I’d say “He” must be jus like my dad…
And so entered Vishal in my life (though he is not like my dad completely)and life became all the more beautiful.It has been a wonderful 4 yrs of this companionship which I cherish deeply.He is not just a husband; he is also a friend, a guide and a great connoisseur of food ;). Of course, we have had our shares of misunderstandings and arguments but that doesn’t stop us from learning and understanding each other even better. In fact, every time we fight and then make up we feel more in love.
And so here we are inspiring bachelors/spinsters to get married…!
And the third little man is … my dearest Ady, my lill bundle of joy.
He rules my world, it sometimes amazes me that how this 2 feet something lill being could make me happy and grouchy both at the same time. There are times when he messes around the house and I get really overwhelmed with his naughtines. He amazingly senses it- looks at me with all the love and innocence in the world ,that I cant help but laugh .He acts as if he deserves all the sympathy and love one could give. But he is a complete brat. He showed me the new side of me, which I thought never existed…Never imagined I could sacrifice my ‘8-hrs-mandatory’ sleep for someone, cry at someone elses’ slightest pain (like that of a mosquito bite) ,miss someone terribly if I didn’t see them for an hour.
And so here I am a proud Mother…!
I guess life is all about growing up and donning new roles…First a Daughter, then Wife, and now a Mother. Am glad I have lovely people to share my life with.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire
It has been a wonderful weekend, quite refreshing –jaunted out after a long long time (thanks to the freezing weather).We had been to CT for skiing. Though, I didn’t try it, Vishal did and he enjoyed the experience. So what was wonderful in it for me?? I Got to eat yummy home made food (which was not cooked by me) and watch a movie in the cinema hall (yes, I love watching movies only in the hall) after about 10 long months. Thank you- Kavita and Manjunath
The movie hall was full of Americans, only the two of us (Vishal and I)were Indians. We sat there in pride as this was the movie (from India) which had won 8 Oscars.But our pride soon converted into embarrassment as the movie progressed.The way we are embarrassed, When we have surprise guests at home and they catch us in the midst of a disorderly house (thanks to my lill one who is out to ransack the house every minute of the day).It felt exactly the same way watching my home country depicted at its worst, amidst American guest.
I didn’t know if I wanted to request all my American friends there to shut their eyes & ears or to order the cinema operators to quit playing the movie immediately.
Vishal was so overwhelmed that he wanted to declare to everyone there “This is not true”. Am sure that, the majority of Indians wouldn’t have seen that face of India just like the way Vishal and I haven’t seen it before.
But as we got ourselves together we began to appreciate that this is real...it’s no fiction! And we ought to accept this fact no matter how disgusting it is.
For all those of you who haven’t seen the movie let me tell you something so that you will reckon with my feelings better. The makers of the movie have left no stone unturned to portray every negative that exists in India. Starting from the unhygienic and poverty struck slums they take you through the communal riots, red light area, child abuse, tourists being swindled, impure water sold as mineral water, child labor, police torture, local goons ready to kill innocent people for a few bucks.
At the end of the movie, it was hard for me to believe that there were no better movies to win the best picture Oscar award?? (Or was there some other reason)
I have definitely seen better movies than this one, haven’t you?
PS: If I for one feel that I would do anything to take this movie off screens …why doesn’t the government of India share the same feeling. On the contrary, I have heard that this movie has been made tax free!!
The movie hall was full of Americans, only the two of us (Vishal and I)were Indians. We sat there in pride as this was the movie (from India) which had won 8 Oscars.But our pride soon converted into embarrassment as the movie progressed.The way we are embarrassed, When we have surprise guests at home and they catch us in the midst of a disorderly house (thanks to my lill one who is out to ransack the house every minute of the day).It felt exactly the same way watching my home country depicted at its worst, amidst American guest.
I didn’t know if I wanted to request all my American friends there to shut their eyes & ears or to order the cinema operators to quit playing the movie immediately.
Vishal was so overwhelmed that he wanted to declare to everyone there “This is not true”. Am sure that, the majority of Indians wouldn’t have seen that face of India just like the way Vishal and I haven’t seen it before.
But as we got ourselves together we began to appreciate that this is real...it’s no fiction! And we ought to accept this fact no matter how disgusting it is.
For all those of you who haven’t seen the movie let me tell you something so that you will reckon with my feelings better. The makers of the movie have left no stone unturned to portray every negative that exists in India. Starting from the unhygienic and poverty struck slums they take you through the communal riots, red light area, child abuse, tourists being swindled, impure water sold as mineral water, child labor, police torture, local goons ready to kill innocent people for a few bucks.
At the end of the movie, it was hard for me to believe that there were no better movies to win the best picture Oscar award?? (Or was there some other reason)
I have definitely seen better movies than this one, haven’t you?
PS: If I for one feel that I would do anything to take this movie off screens …why doesn’t the government of India share the same feeling. On the contrary, I have heard that this movie has been made tax free!!
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