My 100th post ! Wishes Galore!!!

Wishes galore thanks for reminding me that it’s going to be my 100Th post else, i would have forgotten it like my blog's numerous birthdays. But how can I forget that I met Wishes galore through blogging after almost like a decade. So I am dedicating this 100th post of mine to Wishesgalore :)

Me and Wishes galore met when we in standard 6th! We both changed our school and took admission in this new school. We used to live in a small town and would generally walk up to the school. I along with my friend A and S would meet wishes galore on the way. Our class had only a few girls and we become friends instantly. How can i forget the walk we used to take to the school together and then again back to the home? We used to talk and talk about anything , would buy some toffees or some churan or other eatables, would find out alternate shortcuts , would gossip about other students or just talk about a new song or a movie. We would share tiffins with the rest of the girls, participated together for many cultural dance competitions in school and made “awesome khatai” during winters and enjoyed it on the school rooftops. Although it was the most carefree time of our life but still,we guys worried about our exams and marks .We both were actually very competitive: P. We were together for three years and then in std 9th I moved to a new city but we kept in touch through mails(not emails;)) for some time. We were in touch with each other till out std. 12th and after that somehow we both lost touch. She moved to a different city for education and her parents also shifted. My aunt used to work with her mother and somehow we both kept on getting news about each other. Still we never had cellphone in that time and frequently we lost contact.

Years later, I started blogging and while blog hopping one day I read this post on a blog by wishes galore. Wishesgalore has written the post about her friend D (who was our common friend in school) and mentioned places and people(though just by initials) whom I know. Still I was not sure if it’s my friend as she has not mentioned her real name in the blog. I decided to take a chance and dropped a mail to the email ID mentioned in the blog. I received the reply next day and I was right! She was indeed my long lost friend from school! It was indeed a serendipity ! I never thought if you can meet someone like that. I would have blog hopped a number of blogs that day before landing on wishes galore’s blog and it was a chance in itself that out of so many posts written by her , I read that particular post!. Today we keep in touch through mails , facebook and calls but I still cannot forget the way we met . I think it was destined!

Colors Of Republic

This year on 26th of January India celebrated it’s 62nd Republic Day. There are so many instances associated with this event that I remember it in one way or the other. Foremost being my brother’s birthday on the same day.

It was my brother’s fifth birthday and we didn’t celebrate it that year as I lost my grandfather a few months back. My brother was upset that this year he will be devoid of the entire frolic, gifts and of course the attention! He went to my dad and asked him that why are we not celebrating his birthday and my dad answered that his birthday is being celebrated by the entire nation and not just us. He showed him the parade on TV with our nation’s military prowess, tableaux from various states and of course the performance of school children. My brother of course was on cloud nine seeing this huge celebration on his birthday. It was only after few years that he realized that his birthday coincide with the formation of great republic of our country.

Another memory is of our participation in early morning “Prabhat Pheri” in school. All the children from different schools would participate in parade singing patriotic songs and slogans. The parade will end at a ground where the Mayor of the city will hoist the flag followed by some speeches and cultural .

One day, my brother came home all excited after school and told my mom that he is playing a role of freedom fighter in the play on republic Day and need to get a white “Salwar Kurta” for this. My mom was very happy imagining his son playing a freedom fighter, she bought the brightest of cloth material for stitching and the best tailor was searched to stitch it as per his fit. Every day she would tell my brother the stories of my great grandfather who was a freedom fighter and ask him what role is he playing? Whether it’s of Bhagat Singh, Raj guru or Chandrasekhar. My brother being a seven that time knew none of them that time and replied that he is with Gandhiji. My mother felt more proud thinking his son to be either of Nehru or Sardar Patel. My brother will come home late after “rehearsals” and my mother will shower her adulation upon him.

The day arrived and he was given a flag by my dad, special Prasad from my grandmother and “don’t be afraid, perform well” from my mother. We reached early to the venue and took the firsts of the seat. Finally the play began, the freedom fighters came and went and we couldn’t spot my brother. And finally there he was in “Daandi March” with Gandhiji as one of his follower among 100s of follower and shouting slogans! He came running to us once his part was finished and asked my mom if he performed well? And the answer was “yes, the best”. BTW, I still tease my brother for his role and as for my mother; she still has his photo in that white salwar kurta with the tricolor in his hand, safely in the family album.

Once we were visiting Delhi during Republic day and my grandfather took all of us kids to Raj path to show the republic day parade. It was an experience which we all kids can never forget. We all were sitting in the Raj path with our woolens on and enjoying every moment of the parade right from the tanks to the tableaux.

I remember this day because of my memoirs but with no cultural festivities in school and colleges on this day and we treating it as just another holiday, it’s difficult to say if our children will ever associate themselves with this occasion. I feel good that the Republic Day parade is there to remind them of this :)

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 ;).

Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

It’s been a long time since I last watched this song and then I watched it yesterday in an entirely new format. This is one song that would be remembered by almost everybody from our generation. The generation who grew up by viewing Doordarshan (if not fully but at least initially, before the advent of cable). Who can forget”Baje Sargam”, “ Ek chidiya” or audio track of “Malgudi days”, “Jungle book” , “Karmanye (Mahabharata)”? These songs still remains in the heart of millions of people especially “ Mile Sur mera tumhara”.I knew the song by heart that time, even though it was in different languages and so does my PG friends . I can easily sense it because as soon as the new version of the song was aired for the first time in Zoom yesterday, all of us were glued to the idiot box and started singing it (though in bits and pieces).

Everybody was excited and was recalling old times. Though the new version has the same lyrics but still it has a new feel and obviously new faces. My P.G. is a mini India by itself, with girls from all parts of country. So, whenever the lyrics from a particular region will come, girls from that state will start singing that part. But the best part was me singing the Marathi part though not being a Marathi or my roommate from Karnataka singing the Bengali part. I think, that is the magic of this song, a perfect example of national integrity and unity in diversity. I still love the older version but felt it was a nice initiative on the sponsor’s part to have recreated the magic again. I don’t know if schools nowadays still have “ Saare jahan se accha “ in the morning assembly , or if our younger generation still remember our national anthem by heart. At least, by this way we cherished this particular song one more time.

The Six yards Story

My six yards story started some 3 years back when I got admission in a B school in Pune. My college brochure mentioned that there would be an induction for 7 days whereby we have to wear Saree, the six yards cloth. What more, we have uniform as saree (though you don’t have to wear it every day).So, my mom started giving me lessons on how to drape a saree (which I as usual keep on avoiding till the day I have to leave for Pune). I stayed up at my aunt’s place during induction and really, I am proud of my decision as my other roommates have to get up at some 5 in the morning so that they have one full hour to drape that six yard cloth(as we had induction starting from early morning 7). Thankfully for me my aunt would drape it in few minutes and I could catch some last minutes sleep ;). After I shifted with my friends, it really becomes troublesome for me to drape it myself. Thanks to all my roomies, they would help me in this cumbersome task but still our draping time didn’t reduce from 1 hr.(Thanks to my college which have a “ special way “ of draping saree which was no different than air hostesses. Full pleated, perfectly pallued and too much pinned).The worst part was walking in a saree. Guys would think that we are walking in full poise and elegance when the reality was that we would feel like an Egyptian mummy fully draped, toiling hard to move. The day we used to wear saree, we used to swear that after finishing college we won’t ever touch this six yard cloth. In the meantime I also learned to wear saree( thanks again to my college , we all roomies shifted to different sections with different class timings and I couldn’t ask my maid to help me in draping it every day). Then Came the summer internship time, whereby companies will visit everyday meaning that you have to wear it every day. Our draping time reduced drastically to half (since we have to wear it every day , I think we become accustomed to drape it) and we become more skillful in wearing and managing it(yeah, finally we were able to walk with poise and elegance in it, though by now guys stopped finding it elegant) . Then came placement time whereby we used to almost eat sleep and wake up in that , draping time of course reduced to 10 mins and we used to joke that if someone will ask us to take part in relay wearing this we will surly win.


The saree survived for complete two years with us and by the time we finished college we were so accustomed to it that we really miss not wearing it now. After placements when I went home, I helped my mom in draping her saree once. My mother was both surprised and happy that I can actually drape it so nicely. That six yard of Navy blue silk with copper border has actually taught me so many things apart from draping. I have actually become acquainted to so many cultures through it. You can easily recognize a Maharastrian, Guajarati, Bengali, Keralite, Tamilian and Coorgi simply by looking at the saree. This garment is the most adaptable one. It is suitable for any occasion and the best part is it never goes out of fashion. So, better to include at least one in your wardrobe and take my words, you will never regret it.

Memoirs @ Pune

Pune known as Queen of Deccan is the second largest city in Maharashtra, a city known for its cultural heritage and history. But Pune for me is something different, a city which still makes me nostalgic remembering the days I spent there. The days when I was studying in the place which is known as Oxford of East, truly a student’s paradise. Pune for me is a city bustling with youthfulness . Pune for me is my college, my friends and celebrating every small moment with them. Pune is driving on Hijawadi’s broad and empty road, watching all IT giant’s buildings and dreaming to be there one day. Pune is having Vada paav, special cutting and kaanda poha for breakfast and still not getting bored of it. Pune is having the cheapest and the best coffee at Durga’s at Kothrud. Pune is going to Ozone(the only mall at Aundh ) at odd hours and having special roadside grilled sandwiches and paani poori.Pune for me is paranthas at Chaitanya, South Indian food at Vaishali and lunch at Andhra Mess. Pune is shopping spree without money at MG and FC road (Bet me you get trendiest and yet cheapest things here), looking for junk jewellery and chatai chappal at Fashion street and trendiest clothes at Hongkong market. Pune for me is meeting friends at the landmark Dorabjee’s on MG road, and window shopping at Nucleus, Pyramid and Central with a cup of coffee at CCD (I think that was a bit affordable).
Pune is the thick lassi and basundi at Shree Kailash at Pune station, cake from Monjini’s, sizzlers at Kobe’s and dabeli, SPDP’s (till now I haven’t remembered its full form)at roadside. Pune is strolling at Koregaon Park, dreading but still visiting House of horrors at Gold Adlabs, Osho ashram and German bakery at KP. Pune for me is movies at E- Square (I still wonder how we used to get ticket there easily after seeing the situation here esp. on weekends),visiting Sinhagad fort only when it rains( and you can’t see anything except fog ,forget about scenic beauty) and having the best tea and Kaanda bhaaji ( sheer heaven considering the cold there).
Pune, where it doesn’t rain but it pours and still planning to go to Lonavala and Khandala in that weather. Having strawberries at Mahabaleshwar and best fast food and desserts at Mapro’s. Pune, where all women drives wearing sun coat and head mask (much to the disappointment of guys) and where you can see Shivaji’s statues at every park. Pune is visiting Dagduseth halwai’s temple and Chaturshingi devotionally after clearing your exam and before/ after placements. Pune is driving through potholes (and not roads), passing Mula and Mutha river on our way back home and wondering whether it’s a river or a drain.
Pune to me is Ganpati Festival in full swing, chanting Ganpati bappa morya and watching people dancing to the tunes of Himesh Reshamiya in front of Ganesh statues for 10 days, so if you are wondering why Himesh’s tunes then the answer is Bappa is happy when he see his devotees happy, devotees are happy when they dance and DJ’s favorite is Himesh (that’s logic was given to me by one of my friend).
I still miss that vibe here and do try to visit Pune just to refresh my memories.If you are a pakka Punekar then you too must be having some memories similar to mine and may be much more. I think thats the spirit of Pune that you can't forget this city once you are there.