Sarashwati Puja

At home.so at peace. have been chatting with friends.suddenly heard few kids shouting loud at out gate saying "kakima kakima" (aunty). Well I dont like being disturbed most of the time but had to go out to see the need.Kakima ( the aunty of the kids and my mom) was taking rest so I had to attend the kids.

Well, as soon as I went out they asked me "Sarashwati pujo r chanda" Ohh... they were collecting fund for Sarashwati Puja, the puja for godess Sarashwati and more than that its another version of Valentine's day in West Bengal.

On this very day all the teenagers can walk out of their home freely since morning till late evening. Girls look beautiful in sari and guys wait for the day so eagerly. Since morning, the single hearts wait to meet another single heart, and engaged hearts get another beautiful day to spend together.

During my childhood, life was more simple. I too used to wait for the day for the whole year. Being brought up in a bit conservative family I was not so allowed to freak out so this day was my golden chance to put on some make up and wear sari and go out with friends.having gol gappas, sweets and chat for long.I remember, our school and most of the schools used to have big time puja and everyone used to gather. Ours was girls school but we could see the crowd of guys too with girls.Khichdi was being served at school. We might not like the taste but yes loved being with friends beyond school timing.

I remember, we used to collect chanda from the area so do this puja,people were not so willing to trust the kids and contribute. But few of them wanted the puja to happen so not by assisting financially they used to guide too. From buying the idol, arrange everything else - it was so much of fun. 3 days we never used to study. It was a good excuse not to study. We had a rule to study every evening for 3/4 hours!! It was so different that time. No TV, no fun nothing. Life had the same routine. And all of us used to follow that.

Now I dont remember its been how long that I didnt even see and enjoy Sarashwati puja. Those days things were not so easily available so we used to wait for the whole year to wait for this one day - a day of freedom, a day of love, a day of fun and a day where we used be a bit independent.

So much planning we girls usd to do - what sari to wear, what make up to put on (make up that time means lip stick and a bit of junk jewellery nothing beyond) so in schools and after school for few weeks our discussion point used to be Sarashwati puja.It was fun when each of the girls knew they were being watched and appreciated by few admirers and we used to cherish that feelings. Those moments where silence used to express more than words, where eyes used to speak more.

And finally after a day, this used to come to an end. We all with tears in eyes used to go to bid good bye... to the day and the idol. I still remember we all used to shout for hours saying "Asche bochor abar hobe" ( next year it will happen again)

I miss those moments of Sarashwati puja. I wish to go back to those days.

Being a little Bizarre

Its a Sunday.Having one long weekend and trust me I am wasting it. I planned a lot for today but didn't bother to step out of my room Didn't even cook for myself.Yah, I have been feeling so so so lazy. The morning was beautiful, it was sunny & its no more hot.Its pleasant. So much I felt to hop on to some less known place - even may be Chandni Chawk - but at of the day I am at my room and on my bed.

I have been thinking what I actually want to do?My passion? I found myself blank. I love speed - i love biking, I love photography, I love movies and music and books...sometimes cooking too then what stops me doing so?I am blank, i can see things but fail to feel and analyze. Where are those crazy yet funny out of the box ideas and plans?

Somehow over a period of time, I have stopped thinking crazy (which i believe to be creative) and i think what i am supposed to think or i am expected to think, which is normal.The word is mechanical.Its true, the more convenient and easier life has become, the less are using our brain - being more tech savvy means using less our our grey cells. Loosing the capability of seeing the ordinary thing in an extra ordinary way...

I wish,I get back my craze and the enthusiasm to think and do everything which most of the people thing to be bizarre. I love being so.

My idea about Happy Birth Day

My birth day...( when you are away from family)

I have always been very excited about it. Does not matter how old I am but I believe i will always be so. Its a day when you have all the luxuries in your life, people treat you as a princess.Every one makes you feel as if you are the special most person on this earth and trust me I completely enjoy it.

Birth day for me is always to be celebrated big time at night - bang on 00 hours, the very moment the date starts. How it should be?hmmmm... Since I am so fond of candles, flowers and balloons - it has to be filled with candles and petals and balloons everywhere. And a chocolate cake is the must, so as lots of friends or even select special friends will do. Then chit chat, music and dance and some madness ofcouse.

Then comes the next day. The morning seems beutiful because you still can see the petals, the balloons all around and the memories of last night. You get up and start rceiving lots of calls and messages - your friends and relatives still wish you. Though sending paper card these days a little back dated so people prefer wishing on SMS or even social networking sites. Some close friends and family call you. Then you get some special menu for break fast and lunch. Probably you wear new clothes which you mom sent you for your birth day or start usuing the new mobile phone or camera that your dad or brother has gifted you.

Of couse the evening party is the craziest thing. You invite all your buds to go crazy. Another cake, friends and lots of fun...

And the best thing amidst all these is if you receive some unexpected call or sms from someone special...and I am sure one will go mad if its beyond a call or sms...like a bouquet or chocolates or even a teddy....or any damn thing....

Ahhh... a busy day!!!I wish everyone of us can celebrate his or her birth day at least 3 times a year...who doesnt wanna be pampered?to feel like a princess??

I am waiting eagerly for my Happy Wala Birth Day...

No Title...

Don't know why but each city looks different during festivals,and trust me its a very different feeling during, pre and post festivals. I feel nostalgic. I feel as if the same sun set, the same breeze, the same moon, the same nights and same sun rise for years - the only difference lies between the people around you. Everything remains the same then why not people?the weather becomes a little heavy...you can actually feel the memories...as if they come one by one and touch you gentle...and pass by gradually.

Sometime,im sure, it happens so that few people come in our lives who become so special that their very presence fill up the surrounding with so much of passion,so much of colour, so much of happiness and meaning in life. It boosts the spirit of life. And you end up feeling that you can go to any extent for that person - there remains nothing call 'impossible' when just a smile on the face of the person is concern. You feel to get all the happiness for that person. You feel like gathering all the treasure in front of him / her. You go wild, you go creative, you go complete crazy for that special one. Even boring college lectures seem wonderful with that person's presence or even a bad hectic work day seems to fly in a rosy wings with that person's presence in life. The the only aim of the life seems to be with the person forever - to grow with the person. Life starts looking smiling,bright always. Even rain on a working day seems a bliss.

All dreams get that person centric. Each day seems no less than festival.

But what happens when that person leaves?

Nothing much....a thin line grows in between dreams and reality, between living and surviving. Life doesn't stop for anyone but yes....the passion, the dreams, the craziness do. Life becomes an compulsion - no one can escape. The light, the candles, the diyas are not enough to brighten a empty soul.

Owning an Auto rickshaw..in Delhi

Tired, irritated and actually angry. This is the state of mind I have almost every morning. Most probably not only me but also some more people who travel by auto rickshaw in Delhi have the same state of mind every day.

Yes I am talking of auto ( read Autowallas) in Delhi. Its easy to find anything else but an auto in time. They have some strange excuses if you ask them to drop you at a certain place. Most of the time they completely ignore your request, you keep begging at the mid of the road under the scorching heat or at cold night. Situation gets absolutely crazy if it rains in Delhi. Then forget to reach home or office or any damn place if you are depending on auto.

If you want to travel within 4/5 kms then the autowallas wont go because its so near!!! If you want to travel far then also they wont go because that's so so so far!!If you want to go to some market then they don't go because the area is crowded and if you want to go to some residential area they wont go because they might not get any passenger. Even places like CP,Okhla,Lajpat Nagar,Green Park and so many other places where they get plenty of passengers within a while, they refuse to go. Reason??? Plenty of they have. " Madam, raasta kharap hai / traffic bahot hai / yamuna par ki gaddi hai / gas nahi hai /" and sometime they just ignore your existence.

There is a part in the front side of the vehicle called Meter Box!!! dare you ask them to go by meter!!! That's just for show - you have to be lucky enough to see it working.

The Delhi Autowallas are the God - we are the mighty beggars begging to give us a ride and take double the money. We do it happily as we are left with no other option!!!

What about saving some money and all of us buying auto??Not a bad idea...

I look back to look if you are looking back…
Vast emptiness spreads all over my senses
As you are gone…
I close my eyes to hide the agony flowing down
My senses go numb
My heart cries loud within
my voice too frail to call you once
How I wish I could stop you …
I could take away the moments
The moments of togetherness
The moments of love
The moments of dreams
The moments of taking vows together
The moments of holding hands
The moments of walking together
And the moments of sharing the breaths
How I wish I could take my life that you took away
I am left frozen and forlorn
How I wish I could hear my heart beating again
And my eyes sparking with bundle of dreams
How I wish I could paint my world with colours again
And fly the kite high on the sky again
I gaze your steps going a long way keeping me behind
How I wish I could harmonize my steps with yours
And walk together
How I wish I could make you look back
And make you witness the excruciating storm within
The storm is turning me into debris of scattered feelings
And I still look back to look if you are looking back…

Celebs and Ads

Its sometimes so difficult to understand why a particular ad.is being made.That is the goal that the brand wants to achieve through the ad.?

Well,while tuning the channels one recent ad. caught my notice.Amir Khan and Incredible India.I quite liked the ad, some how Amir seems quite credible. He seems real and credible on election ads too when we appealed for vote.

But few ads. I see and fail to understand the message...they seem to be so confusing.Once I have heard that there is no good ad or bad ad. But I doubt.Its all about conveying the right message to the right TG. For an example, we see SRK using some cool oil or cool talc to be relieved from this scorching summer, I feel like laughing out loud. Does he ever even used any of them?Or after his stardom has he ever experienced heat?Im sure King Khan is always surrounded by AC - the real one,not the oil or talc.

In fact most of the celeb brand ambassadors seem so fake, we can not connect the brand with the celebs.Why only SRK,does it at all seem credible seeing Badshah of Bollywood using the thanda thanda Rs 10 oil?And Katrina Kaif sensually sipping in a mango drink...does the beautiful figure conscious actress has ever tasted it?and how come a mango drink becomes sensual?There are so many stupid ads, Once I got confused with an ad which I thought to be vulgar and seemed a contraceptive ad which was not, it was for some ordinary FMCG ad.

And the recent trend to change the brand ambassadors with their fame and popularity. So every year we see new faces for one brand.

I used to like Surf's ad..faintly can remember Lalita ji whom we could connect to a detergent powder. Imagine, what if the creative team uses a very glamorous super model or heroine for a detergent soap's ad? will be hilarious for sure like we can see the glamorous Karishma Kapoor's face for some mass atta brand.

There are hundreds such ads where celebs are used so blindly just because they are popular and people love seeing them. But at the end of the day will be product be sold due to that ad?May be by creating some controversy brands can have a better recall value but that can be negative too. Probably the creative minds use the celebs in a better way.

I really appreciate the Vodafone ads - awesome. So as Happydent ads too. They are excellent and superb from the creative point of view.

Consumers will anyways buy what they want - no celeb can convince them be it anyone. They are smart enough to invest their hard earn money wisely & just not follow the heart throbs' or their favourite stars' words even if its a 10 Rs. oil or chocolate or cola drink.Celebs are required but not everywhere, they are loosing their face value gradually.

Yes, ads give us information, awareness but do celebs really be needed for that?or people prefer a common face whom we all can connect to?

The debate and examples can go endless...