Bare… feet!

Have you ever walked on the road and have people staring at you and pitying you? There I was yesterday on the road, dragging one foot. It had just rained and there was mud on the roads. I’m sure it must have been a sight what with me having four bags on me and trying to save the dress from the muck at the same time. There I was and trying to cross the road at my own pace when people usually have to run across to avoid being hit! Ok I am exaggerating but only about the running bit but all those who know pune and Karve road and especially the Karve statue chowk in the evenings would agree with me!


Well coming to the point, I received a lot of sympathetic glances when I didn’t need them. I had to drag my foot not because if was hurt but my chappal strap strapped! I had no option but to drag that broken sandal on my feet.

What option had I? Walk barefoot you say? No sir, not me! I have always tried to take good care of my feet. And from my childhood too! My mom tells me (I was too small to remember this!) that I used to not walk on the floor at home at all. I used to walk only on the beds and mattresses. And then when the others in my play group in the society used to play barefoot, I used to be the one with shoes all the time!
Well then there came a time when I had no option but to shed the shoes. I have once had to descend the Sinhagad barefoot. I have! Let me tell you it was not easy but even more difficult it would have been if I tried climbing down with bad floaters. We were 1/3 from the top and to go back up and take a cab down was not feasible. That was one time I was mighty proud of myself and my blistered feet.
That was also the time that you thank God for his grace as that is when you remember all the poor you have seen countless times passing you barefeet and you not giving them a second glance!

Little things

I lost one of my hairclips yesterday. I had it pinched on to my purse as I had carried it as a spare and in the rush of boarding the bus, I don’t know when and where this one fell off.
Well what of it, you might think! I’ve been trying to convince myself the same.
I’ve been sorry about it ever since. I even mentioned it to my sister saying I would not mind missing the one she was wearing (which was mine too) and she could have put this one instead. Not her fault of course but she could not understand my glum over it.
Come to think of it, it was in mixed hues of brown and deep orange, had no sharp edges, lovely texture, and it was plain nothing very ornamental which is why I just loved it!
Its not that it was new – I’ve used it atleast for the past 6 months if not more. But somehow I cant get it out of my mind – not yet that is.
These small things, mean a lot… to me… and maybe for a lot like me!

Call me possessive. Call me material girl.

Twists and turns and somersaults

--I wrote this some time ago but it never got posted - due to blocking of blogger from office!
Time: till about 10-15 days ago
Extreme water shortage. Pune city which normally gets 24 hrs water supply suddenly faces the situation where people are forced to store water, conserve it. Power cuts are on the rise affecting business. Households are not spared either – electricity being cut during the morning rush hours as well as evenings as load shedding measures. This affects water supply two folds – no pumps to pull water!
China sends rockets (1104 no less) to deter the rains. India, this being monsoon badly awaits rains. Like it or not, India still is very much dependent on the rains!

Time: Cut to about 4-5 days ago
The reservoirs of the dams are more than half empty. No signs of rains. Whatever water is available would have to be frugally used and has to last for a whole year ahead – till the next rains at least. State government declares the impending drought. All the news papers flash the news that all over the state is drought situation. People dread to think about the effect on the agriculture industry and the crops failing, the imminent inflation!

Time: About 2 days ago
When it rains it pours! Yes. Here the weather takes a turn.
There has been lashing rain all over the state. Almost all the rivers in the state are now flooded. Lots of towns/cities under water. People need to be evacuated for the fear of drowning. The dams which were partially full have now the need to release water. This may lead to more flooding! New measures have to be taken to deal with this crisis situation.
Weather was never predictable. But this level of uncertainty where situations change in a matter of 2 days – is this something that we have drawn on ourselves? Is this also an effect of global warming?

Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu…

I shall narrate some very funny incidents that happened long ago–
At school we were taught to pronounce circle in a very specific way. We used to call it ‘sek kel’ – with the ‘r’ being silent and the k heavily pronounced. As happens in childhood, whatever is taught in school, I used to come home and repeat (read teach) to my younger sister and parents! Now imagine the plight of my parents when they used to pronounce ‘circle’ as ‘seRkal’ and I used to ask them to repeat it over and over till they get the pronunciation right!
The next incident is told to me by mom and some of her friends (me being too young to remember it – 4 year old to be precise). Mom had come to fetch me from school when it was closing time one day. Our teacher was leading us from the play area back to the classroom. Mom was their with some other student’s mothers (who turned out to be great friends later on). As instructed by our teacher, we all (at least the obedient ones) were walking with our hands folded and fingers on our lips – to curb the noise and limit the ruckus created! Mom spotted me walking in the line and called out. And what could be my reaction? I tell mom – ‘Shhh. No talking while walking back to class.’ And I just walked off while mom and friends burst out laughing after recovering from the initial shock!

Why am I reminded of these incidents now? Well, today is Guru Pournima. How much ever we write about our gurus or teachers it would never be enough! We can never thank them enough either. Thus, I decided to muse upon (on a light note) the earliest incidents relating to the impact that a teacher could have on the students!
My sincere regards to all the teachers, mentors and not to forget the first ever teachers- our parents.
Guru Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshat Para Brahma
Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha
Meaning:Guru is verily the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He creates, sustains knowledge and destroys the weeds of ignorance. I salute such a Guru.

Cleansing

I was cleaning out all the e-trash from my machine. I have a lot of old-stuff hanging about and it was time I cleaned it and made some space. I had some idea of how much of old data I have been carrying but I did not realise the magnitude till I actually started the clean-up drive! Phew! Its gonna take me days.
One thing led to another and I started cleaning up my mails as well. Now that was a mammoth task. Consider some mails lying around since 2002 – yeah that’s what I said 2002! I have been pretty organised (some modesty huh!) but that sometimes is a curse. I have some 20 personal folders (pst) files to be cleaned. Now you know why I say it’s a curse! I wish it were as easy as deleting the whole pst at one shot. Alas! I compel myself to keep some important communication and delete the rest.
So there its quite a bit of stuff to keep me occupied for the rest of the week, if not more. I have no reason to complain (you would know if you have read my t…i…c…k… t…o…c…k… blog). So what is this all about?
The point to ponder on was – while I was cleaning out some of the old mails, I realised it is not only the mailbox or the machine that needs a clean-up. I need to de-clutter my mind too. This led me to thinking -

Maybe its time to cleanse my system as well.
Maybe its time to stop dwelling in the past.
Maybe its time to move on.

Utterly Butterly!

Yeah that’s right, this is the tag line of Amul butter and I am indeed going to talk about it.
I shall not talk about butter though and only about Amul butter as a brand. I am very much impressed by the advertising agency who works for Amul. They come up with the campaign with the most recent topic for the week and it is linked to Amul in an amazing way! For quite a few months (years is it?) I have been noticing this hoarding at the main crossroads at Deccan – just at the onset of the Lakdi pool. The spot they secured was great too as it is a busy crossroad and the waiting time at the signal quite a bit.
They say you don’t miss something until you lose it! How true it is. It is a treat to watch this and I quite look forward to it. I had not realised that I like to know what is the latest that they have come up with. This was until sometime last month or before that, the hoarding I am referring to was pulled down. Some construction work began at the location and I started missing this Ad campaign. Last week, on my way back from office, looking out of the bus window, I notice this black and white billboard! From all my ranting above you would know that this was for Amul and I was glad about it!
A tribute was being paid to the great Sam ‘Bahadur’ Manekshaw who recently passed away.
This week the theme is – There is an arena and a person sitting on a bull (as it is so closely associated with Spain!). He has tennis gear on him. Clearly they are celebrating Rafael Nadals’ victory at Wimbledon. And the punch line says 'Rafa ka Lafa' and tag line says Amul ‘Fed on it’ so honouring Federer as well!
Delicious I would say!

Dictionary:
delicious
(dĭ-lĭsh'əs)
adj.
Highly pleasing or agreeable to the senses, especially of taste or smell.
Very pleasant; delightful: a delicious revenge.

Bright Yellow

Today I thought I would post a picture!
Loved the colours of the flower against the background earth shades. Clicked at Lakewood resort.