The Monetary Chimera.....!

          I love dreaming....day dreaming to be precise. Dreams are a kind of hope boosters which in turn leads to optimism. On the contrary, some bizarre dreams can be the most weird..!...nightmares!....I had had bizarre dreams too which completely lands me in a mysterious wonderland. The best one which I could recall now is when I dreamt of Mr. George W. Bush visiting my house....when the terrace was converted into an aerodrome; concluding to the immense appreciation he made on the ripe jack fruit consumed!!...
                                                                 * * * * *
         Eyes tight shut and opening to a million dollar bucks!...An awestruck wonder surrounds....A dream of every common man, which always remain unaccomplished; a chimera. If at all such a mysterious incident happens, I will create a never-ending to do list; or will I??......
         Money is always necessary...an essential commodity. Every single penny earned is a kind of blessing, a value to be saved, spend wisely.
         One million dollar!!....Indeed a huge sum! But, to be frank I am illiterate about it's value in Indian money, though I know it exceeds the five numerical digits. How much exactly?...clueless...
         It never depends on the amount received, how much ever I receive the first thing which happens is a wide grin....my happy twenty eight teeth shining with pride and ecstasy!!
          Sensitive in nature I express all my emotions at the earliest...very much clearly depicted on my 'circular' face..... Genes they are!
          So now when I see a million dollar bucks together for the first time, I might smile....simultaneously I might faint too!....I believe when the unexpected happens in a woman's life, the utmost queer reactions occur...A while later, when the complete scenario is back in action, I might stare at the money thinking about the probabilities that can be made....
          Buy a new house.....Buy a car....
          A shopaholic like me can speed to the nearby mall too with some amount...Clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, watches,etc....Everything I can carry...all bought in a single stretch!
          Buy the best technological devices (even though I am not a techno savvy)....
          Spend some money to buy the best furniture...My generous mind will also gift my kith and kin some amazing items, though not in the form of money as such!...Of course charity will also given some priority. And finally the remaining to invest in a bank, fixed deposit!!
          All, except the latter will remain as unfulfilled mere wishes.
          After the initial shock has been subsided, I will only try to invest the huge amount in a bank. The most unexpected to the most ravishing surprises awaits each one of us....So better save it for the future and relax, than indulging in the present happiness blindfolded!...Wait and watch the future...have faith!!..........


This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

The Bengali love!...

       "Hey, my bro is getting married!"....
       "Yes, all fixed!....the alliance is all the way from Kolkata."...
       "He found her all by himself....he has fallen in love!"
    The very excited little sis screamed via the phone. A Bengali bride to place her footsteps in the house! Being educated in Maharashtra she was quite familiar with the North Indians and of course Hindi fluency was at the peak....Confident enough to begin a conversation with her Bengali Bhabi!
                                                                  ******
      That was about three years back when we were blessed with a new member...A bundle of special memories!
      Dusssehra, Vijayadashmi and Durga Pooja...these festivities remind me of the first time when I visited Kolkata. Regardless of my visits for the marital functions, my travel to the city of joy to experience and explore the Durga pooja celebration was splendid.
      The Pandal hopping began from the first day we reached. It was magnificent!!...The Bengali creativity, crafstmanship and all artistic skills could be sensed through theses Pandal structures. They cannot just be described as beautiful. To be precise, they were unique masterpieces with notable intricacy and the highlighted idol of Goddess Durga, the centre of attraction.

        The vivid lights..the remarkable soothing music of eminent Bengali musicians which add to the background score.....Everything together immerses oneself in the joyous environment leaving behind all those sufferings, worries and grievances.
        The culture, the custom and the tradition of Bengal is much highlighted in these Pandals. We, coming all the way from the very own God's own Country was quite strange to these ornamentation then!...

        The Pandal hopping was a lifetime experience for us. But, Amma and myself had glances on something else as well!!....The vibrant Bengal cotton sarees draped on women...the way they dressed! Along with the deity, they themselves were decorated well...beautiful enough! The color red dominated. Majority of the women were draped in a red coloured saree with a prominent red bindhi and sindoor which signifies the married. Unique!!...We remained spectators.

         The exquisite Bengal cotton saree is a must have. But, we had to leave empty handed then due to the closed shops for the pooja celebration.

         The cuisine is also a masterpiece there! The scrumptious meal we had...the mouth watering, tempting delicacies....and finally the concluder of the meal...the dessert...The very sweet rasgullas to the tanda-tanda misht doi!!

         The experience will forever be memorable.... And luckily, that was not the end. We had even more chances to visit Kolkata, indulge in it's beauty and pack home a bundle of Bengal cotton sarees and other varieties!...

         At this moment, I owe my bro for the Bengali love! 

        

The Mixture...

            The spicy Bengali mixture or be it the typical Mysore mixture or the sweet and salt one...the crunchiness to munch upon...an any time snack! The amalgamation of a variety of components to create this delicacy! I am quite choosy to pick up 'that' one particular component from this mixture....peanut being the luckiest always. This is the same in the case of the so called linguistic mixture too....I stick to one language in the mixture!!
            The mixing up of two or more languages in a conversation is quite common these days. But, sorry I am totally against it and is indeed irksome. Somehow I feel that this trait is not natural and has been adapted to show off their 'linguistic skills'!
             It always happen when an individual begins a conversation in one particular language, later combines a foreign language and finally concludes in the former. This in fact makes the listener reply in this similar manner to showcase the latter's 'linguistic skills'...This is common when a conversation begins in an indigenous language when mostly English arises in midst of it.
              I always believe that no matter how polished one's vocabulary is, it is highly appreciative to begin and conclude a speech in a single language. It is an irony to show off one's English speaking skills there. It is rather better to remain silent. Previously this was quite common or natural among the celebrity actresses adopted from a different state.......thanks to the frequent interview telecasts.
              The worst part is that, some consider this as a self-conceit in showcasing their minimal skills in indigenous languages when compared to English!...Then why a mixture?...Stick to a single element here being a language! Hoping for the growth of an indigenous society unacceptable to such changes!!..  
               Stay unique!

Celebrate the beauty of life...

P.S. : This is rather not to promote a jewellery brand which apparently has the same tag line!
          Life.....the widest arena with utmost events and celebrations. In fact, life is an eventful playhouse with an amalgamation of joy and sorrow with distinct characters involved. Blessed that we are born as human beings....confounding with the fate of other existing creatures; bizarre!.......
          Human beings, the only creature in this universe who values money!....go to any extent for a productive income...and finally saves it. 'Save it!'...something that has been practised since ages. Money substantially has to be saved considering the future cause. But, when it exceeds a limit; unfortunate enough to live in this world to enjoy the present....to live life to the fullest!! A contradiction with the current situation were emotions are saved and when emoticons are spend.....and to exist like other creatures than to experience the joy of living!.....
          Though born to a middle class family, I am glad that my Dad never insisted me to be a miser. I was not born with a silver spoon; my Dad too saves money, made us aware about the value of a single penny. Regardless of this, life was celebrated...we never missed a single occasion to celebrate and still continues. Birthdays to anniversaries....New Year to Christmas....Onam to Vishu...none was excluded, period.
          Lately, I learnt that this is not the situation elsewhere. People with the mindset to avoid occasional celebrations with senseless justification of saving money! When even the major festivals are avoided just to save money!...Or when you abandon the birthday celebrations, the event to rejoice ones birth? These memorable days which will be vivid for a lifetime...all to be avoided considering only the expenditure!?....
           Everything depends on us...Enjoy with the maximum expense or the minimum. But, in the end both will be remarkable, memorable till the journey continues despite any differentiation. I do remember a quote...
                "The miser, starving his brother's body,
                  Starves also his own soul, and at death
                  Shall creep out of his great estate of
                  Injustice, poor and naked and miserable."
                                                   -Theodore Parker
           Rich or poor, miser or spendthrift, celebrate the beauty of life...experience the inner joy and cherish the wonderful memories!...
        

What will I eat??.......

       Food.....the varicoloured temptation with lip smacking aroma arising!...this is how I can define it.
       To some, food is a mode of joy and leisure....to some, it is a means of uprising and a mode of resistance to the hazardous....and there are some who consider it a therapeutic to de-stress and relax......and last but not the least who perceive it just as a fuel for the survival!!
       Irrespective of what we eat today, I believe childhood food memories are the best....Maa ke haath ka khaana....now and then it is the best!... The dollops of ghee spread on the crispy dosa, the double poached eggs with innovative toppings, the scrumptious biriyani, the sweetest dessert with some extra added love, anything it can be; feast of delicacies ranging from breakfast-lunch-tea time snacks-dinner, everything is the best. I literally believe that the first Master Chef we meet in life is always our Mom.
       My adorable Amma is no way behind.
       I remember those days when I could sense the aroma of the home made evening snacks just by entering my house compound after school. I still wonder how she managed to make such varied snacks on each day with much ease and expertise. Most of the dishes were prepared keeping in mind the health benefits of them and my Amma always made sure that we kids empty our dishes and fill our bellies to the maximum.
       Every time when I made fuss to have food, she said, "It is good for your health...It consists of ...(ranging from proteins/ minerals/vitamins, etc. to all that I had studied in my lower primary classes)." Educated Moms are at times annoying!!..:D
       This was the scenario almost six-seven years back. Today, it is different. Lately, when I discuss with my Mom of what I cook for myself and my husband, the quickest reply comes, "Don't have it!..Is it pesticide free ?...It is poison coated!...It might be adulterated!...Soak it in salt-turmeric water for hours!....Did you wash it well?.....Is it of a good brand?....Was it sealed properly?..." It continues.....
      And in turn I have to think twice before cooking.......I have afterthoughts....Is/was it safe?...not adulterated?...devoid of chemicals?...It usually happens that whatever I eat these days are either adulterated or stuck with chemicals......Misery!!
       The miserable plight of the mankind! Once when fruits and vegetables were considered the best source of nutrients are extremely dangerous today, due to the pesticides ....and the pulses, cereals, etc. are mostly adulterated. Every individual is very much aware of all this; I really appreciate the move of the media in this. The rising population is very much concerned about all this.
       But, is there a remedy? How can we stop it? When the Government encourages to farm vegetables in one's household how far can it be successful and what can be done to the residents living in apartments? Where is the space provided?...
       What can be done to stop adulteration? In this fast paced world are we genuinely stopping by to check this?...
        I doubt whether there might be a generation in future who says, "Chemicals in food?!...Are you kidding?...Nothing to bother..My body is resistant!!..."

The girl on the train.........

      Here, the protagonist is not Rachel as in Paula Hawkins' novel. The plot is completely based on me. I had neither read the novel!
     My solitary train journey experiences....those journeys which made me a more confident and strong individual...
     Studies made me an avid traveler! Three years of Karnataka-Kerala and two years of Maharashtra-Kerala transfer made me proficient in understanding the geography of these states. Observing is learning; which I wish should have done during my school days...then when only scoring good marks was only the target!
      My miser Dad with an eye on making me understand the value of money was always reluctant to the air transportation. Bus is always annoying to me. I can't imagine travelling hours being seated at the same place. Hence, I had to stick to train.
     Those blissful days!..Studies in par with fun and enjoyment. Though my studious soul instilled in me from a younger age kept me busy with the assignments, on contrary when my counter parts preferred photostats! But, still I enjoyed.
     The pre announced vacation period when my train ticket reservation would be done in advance or those unexpected holidays when I had to hit the 'tatkal' reservation queue speeding to the railway station.....and finally when the train reaches the destination...eternal happiness!!...Pleasing memories to cherish forever!
      It is often advertised about how unsafe it is to talk to strangers on train or as a precautionary move. Due to this and my preference, I enjoyed sitting alone accompanied by a book or playing some music or at times just observing the motion around me.
      But there had been strange incidents when people irrespective of their gender or age begin a conversation with me. However, I hate that moment; similar to a foreign army subjugating a colony! Many a times I wished I could hedge them. A nod or smile will in turn result in the beginning of a conversation! Apparently when it is to a reserved person like me, the latter eventually concludes it at the earliest...Glad I am less spoken!
      Somehow there are loquacious minds which converses on a simple subject which later explodes to a much higher level. There had been incidents when I just wanted to scream loud and inform them how unethical it is to speak to strangers on train! But, my well mannered etiquette kept me 'mum'...
     Those were the days when I was 'single'. These days when I am accompanied by my husband, the scene is different. There are times when I actually wanted to converse to my co-traveler and when he knowingly avoids me!...Is it because of the same feeling which I had earlier?...to follow the ethics?!...Or is it that I am beside a shadow of a man?...Are only young girls the victims of such arising conversations on train?!...Clueless!!
   
  

1,2,3...........the endless count of 'likes' !!

         Facebook!.......the most popular, with the most widespread usage and at times the most powerful social networking site to influence mankind!
         I wonder whether Mark Zuckerberg when launched this platform then in 2004 might had ever imagined about it's huge success now. 2004 was far behind the days when I started using it...2010. I clearly remember those days when permission was obtained from parents to get signed up. To me it is an arena to spend time; with networking itself as it's much applauded merit, to keep in touch with those old buddies and childhood sweethearts.
        Since 2010, I had had immense online chats with those schoolmates whom I had conversed since ages; after school or during school!...Glad that I was typecast-ed as a shy and reserved kid back then in school!
        Anything and everything can be posted in Facebook; share pictures, important announcements, lifetime achievements and even a platform for micro blogging alike twitter.
         I am never against Facebook...the best means to stay interconnected and maintain the humane bond. But, is it high time that the word 'privacy' has lost it's ultimate meaning and when Facebook is directly or indirectly involved in this!
         Even I did and do continue to post my snaps in this site. I eagerly wait to count the number of 'likes' received for it. But, it was only recently I had an after thought....Are these likes much vital in our day to day life? Or is it necessary to showcase one's very personal snap to others?
         May be a mere sharing with well-wishers. But, are these posts liked and appreciated genuinely, when Adam and Eve themselves were jealous and selfish then?
         The bitter part is that when people depend on this social networking site even to express love and gratitude to their dear and near. The worst is seen on all those 'celebratory days' like Father's day, Mother's day, Valentine's day.....the endless list.
          Today I cherish those good old days when I used to accompany my Mom to buy those beautiful cards engraved with spellbound quotes. I myself hardly buy cards these days. But, never depend on Facebook for the same. Because these are meant to be personal. I believe a very private message is far behind a Facebook post!
         Recently I saw a post on Mother's day wherein the person involved had quoted,"All have posted, so why not I?" Needless to say, there should have been a post which said, 'Graphic imitations are punishable!'
         So at the end is the present generation unaware of their personal space? Is the man craving for a space...a space for oneself wherein nobody else can interfere in their uncommon lifestyle or is he eager to popularize his close-knit zone to the outer world?....
         Are the 'likes' received for our pic more important when the Almighty himself loves you the most and is the reason for your existence today?