Travelling Times

     I had not intended to pen another post till the dawn of the new year. But unforeseen circumstances and lack of work instigated it. Let me start off by explaining the circumstances. Over the past few weeks, Shopper Stop had been a regular adda for our shopping. We didn't notice much when the salesman handed over a flyer and a "lucky draw" coupon. A couple of days later, Sneha received a call.      It was basically a verification call regarding her identity. Our coupon was about to be processed, and they wanted to ensure that it was an original person (like the verification code we need to enter in most sites, internet is so smart, no???). They informed us that the draw would take place on the following day and if we won, they would promptly inform us. My luck had always been on the downside with such events but my lady's luck seemed to be on the better side. We "promptly" received a call the next day regarding our gifts worth "30,000 I...

     Run! The world's coming to an end. But, hold on a sec! Where would I go? "Maine suna hai ke marne ke pehle saari zindagi ka flashback aankhon ke saamne aata hain," - Musafir (Hindi Movie) Jan 2011: Remember the time Stone Cold used to walk in. All that glass shattering. Something similar happened when Chottu made his entrance in shtyle. He wasn't expected till March, so a New Year gift for my brother and sil. Chottu knows best! Feb 2011: I was home for Para (an annual ritual at the temple) after missing out for 4 years. Surprisingly, it was the first time that the 4 of us (mom, dad, bro & me) were part of it. The Invitation March 2011: My new bike, Apache RTR 160 on the same day that India beat Pakistan. Double Dhamaka! (For the highlighted word -No, not Dhaka - Dhamaka!) Red Riding Hood   April 2011: In the midst of summer, I played Cupid. Or rather, my cupid-ity promoted this event . Not to forget, the one tr...

"I don't take things for granted, because everything feels more fragile. It's made me wonder about mortality and how long you've got somebody in the world. I'm more fearful than I used to be." ~ Robin Gibb      Over decades and centuries mankind has progressed, socially and culturally. And now, we question God's prowess through our actions, empowering ourselves in decisions pertaining to life and death. I've not turned over a new leaf by re-organizing my faith or delivering sermons. It's just that the past few days have left me disturbed and distraught.       For over a month, my access to the newspaper and news channels were limited. Initially, it left a vacuum from my daily activities, but I was at peace with myself. Since the time the services have resumed, I've made it a practice to read the news as soon as I'm up everyday. And everyday, I read about my fellow beings taking their own lives. Is the human life following suit w...

     16000 Kms. 2 Countries, 4 States. 21 Days. And it all comes to one question - Why this kolaveri, kolaveri di?      It feels so good to read the newspapers again. Watch Television and listen to the radio. And get back to Facebook :). I've had my biggest break in service in the last 5 years. In fact, I stayed away from Facebook for 3 days flat (Another record). The only thing that I've been consistently doing is smiling & posing for photographs. Yeah! Yeah! We are happily married. Every time I see a flash of lighten, my lips widen and the teeth peek out. I can imagine doing it in my sleep as well. At times, it scares me. Most times.      My itinerary went from Bangalore-Kerala-Bangalore-Jaipur-Delhi-Bangkok-Delhi-Bangalore. The weather was a great sport throughout the trip and although I wanted to see the crocodiles floating around in Bangkok, it never happened. Though feeding a baby tiger milk from a bottle compen...

“Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”      5 am. A cool, breezy November morning. The rain clouds seem to meander as the fresh smell of earth tingles my nasal senses.      As I enter the bus, the soft Hindu devotional music soothes my spirits. Perhaps a far cry from the metal that had kept me on my toes a week back. The conductor hands out the ticket to me, a warmth in his tone. He enquires about the whereabouts of my trip, hardly probing, plain courtesy. He is dressed in the attire of a pilgrim, preparing for the annual trip to a holy abode like a million others. His hard earned money spent for a couple of minutes at God's residence before he gets pushed away with the crowd.      Every passenger is greeted with an air of recognition....