My South Indian Connection

I entered late in the class and looked for a place nearest to my friends when I find her sitting alone. I asked her if I can sit there. Her reply was a BIG no. She is waiting for her friend to come she said. After some days, the scene repeated again. This time she said I can sit with her. I saw she has put her bag between us. I asked her if she can put it somewhere else. “Is it uncomforting” she asked? “No, I feel it signifies that you want to keep distance from person sitting with you” I said. She obliged and here starts my friendship with Pavi.

We were just opposite (and it includes from being two opposite part of country too) and I think that was one thing that complemented our friendship. “Are you a south Indian” I asked her surprisingly one day to which she nodded. “But your name is very short and you speak awesome Marathi and flawless Hindi” I said. She told me that she was born and brought up in Pune and that is the reason behind her good command over Marathi and Hindi. And after that like a typical north Indian I asked “so you are from Chennai (thank god I didn’t say madras)” and that’s where she exploded,” You know being a south Indian doesn’t always mean that you are from Chennai, like being a north Indian won’t always mean that you are a Punjabi. There are four different states in south with different languages and culture. Can you name me all the four states along with their capital”? I told her that the farthest south I have ever travelled is Pune, after that she made me memorize all the four states along with their capital and the language spoken there. She asked me this question continuously till our last day in college just to make sure that I don’t forget it. At her place I drank my first filter coffee and through her Tiffin I knew various southern delicacies. Her mom was born in Chennai and her dad was from Karnataka and she picked Telegu by watching various south Indian channels, so officially, she knows six (7 including Hindi ;)) languages which include Kannada, Tamil, Telegu, Marathi, French and English. She was my one and only south Indian connection (though she always emphasizes that she is a Marathi) till I moved to Bangalore.

My first dinner in Bangalore was at Pavithra Restaurant. I immediately called her up and said “You know there are so many places here by your name (till Pune I always thought that her name is very unique) but with an extra “h” “.Ya they put an extra “h” with “t” everywhere she replied. I asked her what she meant by “they”. To which she replied South Indians (still emphasizing that she is a Marathi.) And I was telling her look who is talking ;).

To Haiti......

They measured it in magnitude
They measured it in toll,
They measured it in building fallen
They measured it in injured souls.

They gave us tents, they gave us food
They even mend our hurting wounds,
They are bringing aid, they are mending road
Everything will be like before, we are being told.

I wish they could bring you back,
From the earth that cracked, and house that crashed
I go there every day and search for you in the rubbles,
What if they missed you? I will lose you forever.

They asked me to go away
And said you cannot be alive,
But I have seen people rising from rubbles
And that’s what my heart strive.

They say they understand, I wish they could
These searching eyes, these unspoken words.
I wish they can measure broken spirits,
My shattered hope, my pain beyond screams.

His Name Is Khan And He Is Not A Terrorist

Watched “My name is khan” this weekend. I hated it’s comparison with Forrest Gump and Shahrukh’s comparison with tom Hanks in the reviews which I read before watching this movie. I am not saying that it is nowhere close to the movie, of course it is (which half of the Bollywood movie are) but if you will watch this movie keeping Forrest Gump in your mind , you will never be able to enjoy it. That’s what I did and regretted. BTW I didn’t intend to write a review here so I better be silent in this regard.
This is about Shahrukh and his controversy with "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". We live in a democracy and have got freedom of speech which entitles everyone with the right to say whatever he/she believes, unless, it defames someone. If Shahrukh commented something about the inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL, it’s totally his point of view. It doesn’t make him insensitive towards his country or moreover a traitor. As for "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”, you have also been given the right to protest but in a manner which shouldn’t harm anybody. It doesn’t mean that you keep on threatening people, government and multiplex owners if they wouldn’t succumb to your demands. Coming to twittering now. Shahrukh, you need not twitter it every time that you are an Indian, a Mumbaikar and a patriot. Like all of us you belong to this country and everybody knows that. By emphasizing this again and again you are just giving “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” another chance to question your integrity. Just stand by your opinion and make them realize that your name is khan and you are not a terrorist.

A Cold Affair

I saw him chit chatting with my roomie and sister. I was avoiding him from quite a time now. Next day I saw him with my colleagues. Day by day it was getting difficult for me to avoid him any further and finally, I fall for him.
Aaaaccchhhhoooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm, I fall for common cold, commonly known as viral fever. You can easily sense that it is coming simply by your red running nose, watery eyes, itchiness in throat and feverish sensations. But that’s not the only thing that troubles you. The trouble to wade this trouble away is more troublesome ;).

1.Garrrrr garrrrrr gargle:
This is the one thing which is No. 1 on my hate list. Sadly, it is the most referred one. You have to put hot (beware of temperature) salted water into your water and start making all kind of sound(don’t get me wrong here ;)). The worst part is your roomie watching you while gargling, and when I asked (sorry I should say gestured ;)) why she is standing there she said she was just thinking how good I gargle since she don’t know gargling :p (I haven’t got such a nice complement ever I swear :( )

2.Rub Rub Vicks vaporub:
If you are not used to the menthol smell and you have cold then get used to it. As you have to apply it on your forehead, nose, throat, chest, back, feet etc. etc. . . It’s especially useful when you are still attending office in spite of being sick. Since its smell will let your boss know that you have cold.

3.Daadi ma ke nuskhe:
Don’t ever call your mother or grandmother if you do’t want to get nagged by advises which you are dreading to follow. Like, turmeric with milk(Though it looks like badam milk but surly don’t taste like that), ginger and pepper with honey(even honey can’t give it a sweet taste) etc.

4.Popping pills:
You have to go to see doctor and swallow antibiotics, anti allergic and other anti-tasting drugs.

5.Quality Time with yourself:
You can't go to office/college(ya, that's the only good part)but you can't meet your fiends also(or they wn't meet you until you get well ;)). So , ou have got quality time with your Tanhai. Enjoy maadi :( .

Now after all these remedies if it’s still there, then perhaps you have got the uncommon cold. Go and get yourself checked properly , it’s H1igh time N1ow.