Maximum city …. AND FOUND

This post would make lot of people very happy especially those who love the maya nagri Mumbai. After a long struggle of almost 3 years, I feel that the city has accepted me, I don’t feel a stranger here anymore. I can now identify with the crowd, the food, the breeze, the places….

I have started observing things closely here and wish to share some of my observations with all of you.
Firstly, it’s a very safe place for girls. There has been times when I have returned home quite late but there is no fear or apprehensions because you will find millions of people on the street at even late hours. Living in the ‘stare-free’ world instills a kind of independence in oneself.

Secondly, the train journey, I feel I can do a P.H.D. in it; it is like a new story everyday unfolding
layers of some known and some unknown facets of life.
(Though 4 hours traveling everyday gets on your nerves at times).
Everyone traveling by train has his/her train fixed in the morning, I too have but at times I take a different train just to break the monotony of commuting with the same faces. But as soon as I step in the new train, I feel like an alien and start to miss my co-passengers from my usual train. And when next morning I return to my regular train I get glances and smiles from my co-passengers implicitly asking me “where were you yesterday?” there is always an assurance that you are not alone.
The journey has also re-united me with two best friends- book and music which I was robbed off during the last two years.

Thirdly, it is a very romantic city. Sitting at Marine Drive feeling the scented breeze makes everyone sitting their embraced by the god of love.. And the icing on the cake are the kids selling red roses, they make the work easier by pestering the couple to buy roses. The place is also the abode of the famous buggi ride !!. So all you Rajs and Simarans out there, it a must place for all the dilwalllas !!

Fourthly, innumerous reasons to leave office early. I am sure you all have heard the song ‘yeh Mumbai sheher haadson ka sheher hai’ . this song is so true, there is always something or the other happening here- cyclone alert, political issue, social issue you name it, we have it !!. These news come as a blessing in disguise to people like me who wants to get out of the closed walls of the office and feel the fresh air.
So these are some reasons which make Mumbai a happening and special place.
But this doesn’t mean that I have lost feelings for my first love, Dilli. Infact I am fortunate to experience lives of two of the most beautiful and happening cities in India.

Would like to end my post with few lines…

I love the rains here but miss the winters there….

I love the sea here but miss the terrace there….

I love the bhel here but miss the golgappa there!!

Being a CENTRALITE.........

Throughout my school and college days I have been dreading of the day I will complete my education and land up in a job. I was always an academic person and never thought of my career before choosing any course or degree. I took commerce in school because I liked the subjects, (I always found a very high degree of correlation between economics and philosophy), then went for B.Com to experience the life of Delhi University. Through out school and graduations exams never made me tensed but results did.

Then the day came when I graduated, unlike my expectations, NM college saw an over whelming response from the corporate world. But I didn’t sit for placements, I had my way out….post graduation. During graduation I started preparing for MBA, I reached this conclusion by the ‘Principle of elimination’ (CA is too boring, M.Com is too theoretical, law is too argumentative). Two years of MBA went by in a flash, and finally the time came for placements. Though I was among the first ones to get summers but I had my apprehension during final placements. The year of 2009 was not like another years; there were lot of turbulence in the economy and the job market was not that good. Something, which was source of anxiety for others, became a blessing in disguise for me. Now I could confidently say to myself “I didn’t get a job, because of external factors”. But soon this confidence started quaking when I was left among the last 10 unplaced candidates.

Finally got through Central Bank of India, never thought that would work with a public sector organization, but I was never upset about it. Started my first job with a month and half long induction. It was a dream come true for me. It was reliving college days in the job and what more could I have asked for. But soon this tenure also came to an end. I was very scared to join the office; this is due to the fact that I am strategically misfit in the corporate world. I never understood what is meant by ‘Professionalism’. Had been hearing this word throughout the MBA life, but could never really find any meaning behind it.

Anyways carrying forward to my glorious past, I managed to perform lot of corporate bloopers at CBI too. Topping the list is a ‘falling off the chair’. While working on the PC I came on the edge of the chair and then a dhadaam!!. I pretended that I am trying to find something on the floor, but to my surprise a colleague saw me falling down and even came to help me.

The other incident was when my boss was talking to someone and I started laughing on what he was saying. He came to me and said, “ Don’t laugh at me”. This happens every second day whenever he tries to scold me, I end up laughing. And few days back I bumped my face on the door of his cabin and kept sitting with a puffed nose throughout the day.

Its pretty humid in Mumbai these days, so around 5 in the evening I went to restroom to was my face. I applied soap on my face and then when opened the tap, there was no water. I waited for someone to come for sometime. Finally when left with no option I had to come out in the office with my face smeared with the soap and again became the laughing stock for everyone. There are numerous small incidents apart from these.

Today I have completed two months in the office, and it feels great that I am still not thrown out of the organization. Jokes apart, its not that bad. Meeting deadlines, attending meetings, eating sweets on everyone’s birthday and anniversaries, at times getting scold by boss is fun. I am enjoying my stint at CBI. At times I get very special treatment, all Sirs and Maams in office are too sweet and caring. (I miss U Sonabar Maam). They treat us like kids, noone tries to play any politics with us and there are some naughty Maams too ;) (Rashne Maam how can I miss to mention you ). We spend more time in our offices than at home..and what matters at the end of the day is few smiles and blessings...I am fortunate to get this precious gift everyday..

Have made some special friends here. Everyday after office we catch up at Marine Drive to
share our everyday happenings, eating chana zorgaram and checking out girls (my preferences have not changed, this is because of Changu-Mangu). May be its too early to reach a conclusion but I believe “agar kuch achha hi sochna hai, to dair kyun”, I am completely enjoying my first job. :)

The Chain---------Train reaction !!!

Finally after a long time I have got an inspiration to write. In a maximum city what can be a better subject to write about than Mumbai’s Local Train.

These days I have developed a peculiar habit of observing everything too closely and linking them to each other, by doing this I keep my mind occupied and avoid it from brooding over irrelevant stuff (which is a chronic disease I suffer from and Meggu n Vinu can vouch for it).

My typical day consists of various activities. The first thing that I do after leaving home is to catch a rickshaw to the station. If the first rickshaw I ask refuses to go, then all the further activities of the day take place in the similar fashion. The train would come late, I would not get a seat, it would be too hot, and there would be a long queue for taxi et.al.

I reach office with a staunch belief in my theory and already a dash of pessimism, anticipating not a very nice day ahead. (Just for the information sake, I was supposed to join Delhi Zonal office but made a request to retain me in Mumbai itself. So the kind and amount of work I get varies everyday). Validating my hypothesis that day would be a gloomy one in the office too. I would not get meaningful work, boss would be in a bad mood etc. and the journey on way back would also be a snapshot of the morning session. (The only good time would be the vella panti with Changu-Mungu on Marine Drive sans Chhoti who always has some excuse to go)

Every event in the chain follows the other thus building on the premise. There had been completely opposite days where everything went perfectly fine. So everyday when I wake up I pray to got that the first touch point of the day goes positive.

One thing, which stays constant in the chain, is the train journey, the crowd, the panting and the struggle to get a seat. Those 70 minutes in train is a time where one can experience plethora of emotions.

(For non-mumbai people, here are some of the facts about Mumbai local train

• There are 3 lines, western, central and harbor. I travel on western line, which starts, from Borivli, where I reside and ends at churchgate, where I work.
• There are two types of train- slow and fast, slow halts at all the stations unlike fast, which halts only at some major stations.
• There are two kinds of compartments- I class and II class. There are basic three differences between them:
• I class has cushioned seats compared to fattas in II class.
• People in I class fight in English unlike in Marathi in II class.
• There is no smell of fish in I class.) so you pay three times the fare to avail of the above three benefits.

Moving on, engrossed in the book, enjoying the music, I look forward to those critical stations where mass exodus of people would take place and I will feel the fresh air again. Among these everyday rituals, at times I get into conversation with my co-passengers some going to office like me and some going to college (which I also used to, just 3 months back ).

Two days back when I asked an aunty to shift and make a place for the 4^th seat, she snapped at me saying “ki yeh II class nahin hai”, It saddened me. I came to the door where helped a girl to get on the train, she thanked me with a smile and that changed my expression from a frown to smile :) She got down at Lower Parel. I again switched back to FM, (I only listen to 107 AIR FM. It plays the most melodious songs of the golden era; aiye ab sunte hain yeh madhur geet jiske lekhak hain shalenedr ji , sangeet diya hai lakshimikant pyarelal ne lata tai ki madhur awaaz mein BLISS!!), Wondering how a small gesture makes one forget about the crowded train and discomfort of standing for more than an hour and cheers up some one. And when you reach office with a sweet smile on your face it becomes contagious and makes people around you smile too. Thus establishing one more chain reaction :)

Kitni baaten yaad aati hain.......

Dear readers of my blog, by now you must have realized that I am a very filmy person; I am highly influenced by movies and songs. They are an integral part of my life. Infact I believe that if a movie cannot make me think about it for atleast 3-4 days then it has failed to create any impact on me. Anyways coming back to the post, this post is dedicated to all pleasant memories of the past.

People often ask us why are we clinging on to the past, let bygone be bygone at al. but just imagine life without past, without memories, without yaaden……..

Many a times dark clouds surround us in present and then the sweet memories of past help us come out of it. It never makes us feel lonely, they are always with us.

These days I have lot of spare time with me, I spend almost 3 hours every day in travelling and that’s the time I involve myself in remembering my pleasant past. Everyday I take a journey down the lane, I relive my school days, college days and all special moments with special people I have met in my life.

Schooldays are the most unforgettable days of life. Innocence with mischief is what that can be associated with those days. I was a very naughty child, always upto some mischief. I had most wonderful days in DAV. Made most amazing friends there, our group was the most notorious group but at the same time we were fave of all the teachers.

• · My first group of friends MASK- Meenakshi, Anita, Shilpi, Karishma
• · Dancing anywhere anytime with Anita
• · Humari day long birthday parties
• · Rides at town park
• · Himanshu k saath innumerous fights and then patching up
• · Abhas ke sath butter scotch scene.
• · Shweta ke saath longggggggggg chats and many many more

Then came MVN, had lots of apprehensions before joining it but I thoroughly enjoyed every second there. Did my 11^th and 12^th standard from MVN. We were the most talked about class in the entire school.

• · Dhawan ke saath ice cream competition
• · Anshum ke saath batra sir ko irritate karna
• · Sehgal ki vajah se maths mein fail hona
• · Chaitali ka “noooooooooooooooo”
• · Itika ka ‘ I am not dancing ok’

Then came my first year of college life, I joined Gargi college. Had same set of frinds at gargi. 2004 was the most beautiful year of my life. I remember

• · Playing pranks with Rashi
• · And most important met my soulmate that year.

I would very conveniently like to skip the next two years as here I am only concentrating on pleasant memories.

Coming on the most recent past IMI. It fulfilled my years long dream of staying in hostel and no doubt I have spent maximum of those two years in my room only. 2007 and 2008 offered the maximum variety in my life.

• · My first interaction with pooja “tum to bade sheher ki ladki ho, humse kyun baat karogi”.
• · Food hunts and movie nights with Devina
• · Ankit, his awesome voice and the jokes which only I could understand
• · Meghna aur Vinita ka torture in form of shopping spree
• · Meggu ke family trees
• · Maruti days with Jhungu, chiuahaha n meggz
• · Spending time on terrace with KK (punishment wali night)
• · Vini n her knitting lessons
• · Long walks with vinu
• · Rinkal ke sad jokes
• · Sensible discussions with shruti on topics like sarabhai vs sarabhai
• · Din mein 7-8 baar chai at pandey ji

And many many many more…………

A new phase in life has just started. Just hope to gather many more such sweet memories from this. Don’t know how much I would be successful in my professional life but the only thing I desire from this phase of life is a big list of pleasant memories.

Life in a Metro !!!

It’s been half a decade that I am living in a Metro, have been oscillating between Delhi and Mumbai, Started with my college life in Delhi university in 2004. Initially it didn’t appear different. Used to go to college with utmost sincerity, attended all the classes, had more than 90% attendance in my first year. I had my comfort zone there as 3 of my school friends were with me. We used to commute by Ladies special bus, it was a very convinient source of travel. I was the same girl who was highly dependent on friends for everything....Had the most beautiful day of my life in that year.

Then came the biggest shock of my life when my dad got transfered to Mumbai!! God my world changed. I was in a MAXIMUM city where I knew no one. We moved to Mumbai in May 2005, shifted in a temporary apartment at Malad. The moment I stepped in the flat I could not stop my tears. I just wanted to shout loud. Whenever I went out it seemed that all the eyes are staring at me, telling me that you do not belong here. The place was so full of people but I didnt have anyone to talk to. It was like 'water water everywhere but not a drop a drink'. It was the year of massive rains in Mumbai, but it was a blessing in disguise for me. Central office of Mumbai University got submerged in water so they had to postpone the last date for admissions. Finally got admission in NM college in August. Traveled to college alone by train, sat there alone, came back home alone EVERYDAY. Those two years made me my closest friend. I discovered myself, I always thought I am an outgoing person who loves to be with people. But these two years made me realize that I am an introvert who does not open up easily to people. There are very few people (2 or 3) I have actually got close to in the last 4 years. I had a focus in life which was to move out of Mumbai, so I devoted my heart and soul towards CAT preparation. With lot of time at my disposal, the only thing I did was to study which helped me to go back to my Delhi.

Finally I reached Delhi in june 2007, I was in all exults, was back among my people. It didn’t take me any time to settle there and create my comfort zone.IMI became a home away from home. College life was full of fun, had both the most beautiful and most shattering days of my life at IMI, saw closest of friends going away and complete strangers becoming important part of life. I chatted with people, shared jokes, went out with them but still there was something missing.

I realized that two years in Mumbai have changed me, it became me a loner. Usually its people we miss, but along with people I also miss some special places in IMI…my room, amphi n terrace, have spent some of the most beautiful moments there.

Now I am back in Mumbai, got placed here but its different this time. I don’t feel like a stranger any more, infact I enjoy being alone here. I have colleagues, acquaintances but no friends. I have stopped making friends now because I don’t have the emotional stability of seeing people come close and then go away. I still travel by train alone, attend my training program and come back home. This is my typical day and that’s the way I prefer it to be !!

The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand

Hmm...what to say about this chap..Moon is my best friend..has always been there for me...it's a patient listener, silent observer. It pacifies me when ever I am sad or stressed and cheers me up.
I wrote these lines for my dear friend some time back.

Jo karta hai mujhse bahot saari baaten

Jiske saath ho jati hain meethi raaten

Hai yeh mera bahot purana saathi

Iski har chandni mujhe dheeme se hai chhoo jati

Iske sath guzara har lamha khaas hai

Jab bhi chahoon yeh mere paas hai

Lekin jab chhupta hai baadlon ke peechhe

Lagta hai yeh mujhse naraaz hai

jab iska sath deti hain barsaat

aur bhi khoobsurat ho jati hai raat

padti hai jab chandni boondon par

aisa lagta hai ki mil gaya ho har manzar

log kehte hain chand mein daag hai

uski chandni sooraj ki aag hai

humara rishta kaise samjhaoon main

mere liye to mere har geet ka raag hai

To catch a smile

A smile is a facial expression with the upward contours at the ends of your mouth Sometimes, it may not be mouth that is telling of a smile; it may just be that sparkle in your eyes!

Ok starting with the title of my blog. I really like this phrase ' To catch a smile'. There is so much around us in this world. Infinite opportunities to smile and even more to frown at. Now it depends on us what we chose. Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. I heard this line in the movie PS. I love you. Though I cried like hell watching the movie. But realized how true it is. Smile not only brightens our day but also of many others we meet and that little smile makes them remember us forever. Smiles can be of various types. It can be a cute smile, Contended smile, Confident smile, Beautiful smile, Naughty smile et al. Whichever it is, smile is the best way to de-stress. It takes out all worries of work, personal life and social life.

There are myriad reasons to smile. If I list down the things which make me smile; the first one that comes to my mind is a naughty smiling baby. God that’s the most innocent smile. It captivates you with it’s charm and mischief. Another thing which brings a smile on my face is Rain. Rains give smile of hope to farmers. It invigorates the birds, trees, flowers and everything around us. Makes everything look so beautiful and pure. I love eating Bhutta and sipping chai ‘On the roof, in the rain’.

“There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.”- Vicki Baum

This is one activity which unites all senses; it makes me feel I am in a complete different world.

Watching a nice comedy movie is an easiest way to smile (laugh). Though not a comedy movie Jab we met is one movie which brings smile to my face whenever I watch it. It’s simplicity and naughtiness leaves with no option then to smile.

Spending time with friends and family is always full of smiles and banters. Recently I have got one more reason to smile, our yearbook. Reading the funniest moments, nicknames, and Arvind Sir’s message makes me smile.

I think I have given good number of reasons which make me smile. What I request everyone is to make their own list of things which make them smile. Trust me its fun. With this I wrap up my first post. I hope you don’t forget to smile !! [:)]