And then yesterday, I was tempted. I think marriage and relatives give me a kick… Kick enough to start writing again….

It’s been one and a half years now since I got married. I can now almost anticipate the response I am going to get at a relative gathering.

This gathering was a mix of relatives I have met over the year and some I had met for the first time after the WEDDING.

Some extracts……

“…. Does not look married…. has not changed one bit……”

” …. beta, you need to put on some weight. Shaadi ke baad tu weight gain karna chaiyee…”

” … Still look like u study in school… what class…”

“…. she needs to eat… kuch kaathi hi nahi hai….:

” … u have come alone… saabji kahan hai…..”. This one is the best. The first time I heard this one… I though someone was asking for saabzi…. I looked completely confused in life. Took me 15 tubelight seconds to realize they were asking for husband  with due respect. he is saabzi…. allo and bangan wali saabzi.

The point is – it is the same conversations with the same responses everytime with the same people. I have tried to be innovative sometimes….

“…. ghar mein bahut kham karna partha hai…. cleaning, cooking, washing clothes… all I have to do…”

“… My husband makes me work and does not give me food…” I get some interesting reactions.

“… I live on air…..”.

And then u get bored, sometimes fried and sometimes just plain simple give up.

I dont know if the below piece of work, is out of entertainment, amusement or pure outright frustration. He is creative I must say. I like the theme, the letters, I would keep coming back to this one.

- Have fun.

Innovative ways to sell boring products.. GRAB EYEBALLS.

-

-Quay

Let's get Married

I have wondered why people get married when most times individuals are unhappy in their marriage.

For most people, it seems like they would have been happier without it but as it is the done thing , so they have done it too and would recommend the world to do it. Post the damage,  you can bond with your friends (same gender) on the common issues you are facing. U back slap each other and feel good that you are not alone in this screaming, fighting, blaming, hair pulling world… situation …. or whatever u call it.

Issues for men… shopping, relatives, talking, not getting a boys night out and more shopping….

Issues for women… house chores, TV, sports, House cleaning, Not spending time with them, other women……

This got me to thinking on why people get married in the first place … is it really undying love and wanting to be with each other… or simple logic- afraid of loneliness, convenience , freedom. WHAT?

Some of the thoughts which came my way:

- Parental pressure

- Guilt free sex or let’s say societal permission to have sex

- To raise a family …continue their lineage

- Emotional bonding (I found this to be a rare one)

- To get out of their parental house .. some level of freedom (More applicable to women then men in the Indian scenario)

- To Travel : Not having to depend on others schedules. To be able to take off , do stuff together as your schedules are easier to match

- Plain Boredom

-  Peer pressure – Your friends have got married and you are left out. You want to fit in.

- A sign of having grown up and become responsible

- Financial support

- As we grow older I think, LONELINESS takes over most logics and becomes a big reason to run and find comfort in some company

Usually, its a combination of the above and more, instead of ONLY one reason.. there are 1-2 which dominate the process.

Thoughts are welcome.

- Quay.

Hippo Chips

I am a chip addict. I grew up on uncle chipps when they were in a  bottle green and orange cover… came for 5 rupees and twice the amount of chips then what we get now a days in the 10 rupee pack.

And then they disappeared from the market and Lays came into being. Lays have dominated the market for such a long time that I for got there were any other which exist.

Then came Bingo, ok types… and pringles (way more expensive)..But Lays ruled.

Then one day about a few weeks back I walked into the local grocery store… I saw these shiny orange colored chip packet with a Big Hippo On it. It said ” Thai Cilli”.

I could not resist …. and they are yum!!! Some of their other flavors like chinese Munchurian are yum!!!

I have been so hooked to them that I have not ventured close to Lays since then. And I want the world to check them out.

_Yummy!!!

So, when friday evening came close, I was excited. I had a good line for the weekend. A musical on friday evening, then maybe hangout, go for a drink somewhere… dance class on saturday… Maybe a movie.. catch up with friends….

I was looking forward to it… in the midst of work and whitewash going on at home.

Disaster 1 : So me and T land up all excited for this musical we have been planning to attend all this week. A much talked about event on our ” forever connected” facebook.

It’d called HAIRINDIA -  an indian rendition of a cult American Musical – “HAIR- The American Tribal Love Rock Musical”.

Hair India

I don’t know much about the American Musical besides what I found on Wikipedia… But if it was anything like what we saw, either it could not possibility be a cult show or people are demented.

HAIRINDIA- we walked out around 9:30.

Good costumes, great dancers, good music set up…But that’s it.

Beyond that, it was outright boring. There was nothing which held my attention in any form. I understand the focus on love and peace, no war, sex, drugs, freedom, living my life…. We have heard that done to death in association with the 60s and the 70s. To get attention on this, there has to be something more… great sets, awesome singing (some of the singers were good but…… on the whole….), performance, story line, something ……

I can’t digest this is the actual rendition of the cult – HAIR musical. There was a lot missing. No depth, no nothing.

I was abused for dragging a few more people to the musical.

Disaster 2 : Went to Saket  for dinner to bitch about how our precious time got wasted…… to end up at ‘BUZZ’. I have had great memories of BUZZ, a bar belting out ‘Bollywood’ beats in full swing…and running packed house even on a weekday.

Buzz, Saket

We walked into PUNJABI LAND straight from KAROL BAGH, grinding away on the tiny dance floor. The place was pretty empty. I had not seen the crowd I saw there for a long long time. I stood eyes popping, jaw dropped… Had  a horribly made mojito …. and  ran to rescue ourselves to the confines of our half unfinished paint smelling house.

There was hope… Sat and Sun to look forward too….

Sat went lazy, happy, dance class… to a movie. That’s when the Disaster stuck.

Disaster 3: A movie which has been given 4 stars in the leading newspapers of the country. ‘The Bounty Hunter’ starring Jennifer Aniston and Hottie- Gerard Butler. Post ugly truth, I was pretty excited to watch him again in a movie. What a disaster.

It’s  not even a chick flick… I don’t know what to call it. A bounty hunter next assignment is his ex-wife…. and it get’s complicated with her… Predictable, no story, soppy little thing. It sucked.

I have decided to not do any activity for the balance weekend. 3 Disaster in a single weekend is good enough.

I sit in the summer heat and watch the house getting white washed.

Cheers !!

Now even God cannot resist  but take a peep at the scantily dressed women. And mother nature (technically referred as  a ’she’) has turned lesbian. She unleases her unbridled sexual urges in the form of  earthquakes today, tomorrow it would be tornadoes and god knows what day after….(Hmmm… I like the tornadoes part I think!! Fits a little better)

Completely logical. I wonder how much time, currently a cleric, spends in conjuring such insights. I would love to get my hands on some detailed research he may have done in this case. Very very insightful !!! It would provide far greater entertainment and amusement then the ’saas-bhau’ serials we get to watch on TV.

An article from BBC:

Cheers!!!!!

100 years old bridge in the middle of nowhere

Found a bridge in the middle of nowhere. It’s a over 100 year old bridge, made by the british, but what purpose no one knows. It does not connect to any really big town or provides  a walk over any major stream.

Bridge over a stream

There are no proper roads near this area… Just green land, farm land, forest, tiny villages and mountains. The only logical explanation we could get of the place is – must be used to transport armies across. The bridge is gorgeous. Super intact and in great condition. Nice grand entrance and exits as you can see. Hard, rock solid cables holding it together. It’s just gathered a grass top though .:-)

Clear blue water stream! It might just be cleaner than the water we drink in the cities.

Trees

Upturned trees!

Barren Tree

Green Balls......

And our destination. A hidden small water lake …. The myth goes if you can stay the night here, you will see “apsara’s” dancing and music playing. But you have to manage to have the guts to spend the night there.

As far as i could see you would have ‘langoor’s dancing on you.  The water is beautiful. Aqua blue and gorgeous green… U would want to jump right in. But they don’t let you. There are strong currents and the villagers consider the place scared. They don’t like people taking a dip in the water. Scared/Not scared.. keeps the place clean and non accessible in monsoons.

A beautiful hidden water Cove

-Quay!

It’s a pop up house out of the’cindrella’ story or any fairy tale book which I read when I was a kid.

Warm, colorful, yellow tea kettle on the fire place in room, the other room sporting a pink one, skylights in rooms and some loos to lie in bed and watch the stars and trees in the night. I don’t have words… I fell in love with the place.

Top view to the pop up house

Top view of the house, snow peaked mountains and the valley!

Look up to the cottage

The Cottage we were staying in. We could see the main house and the valley around from here.

Mushroom garden in front of the house!

Cutest little garden I have seen. The tree has a swallow tap attached to it and fully functional. Check the little mushrooms.

Spring man

Springing Guard of the little garden!!!

Stars and trees

Each room had a skylight ! This one is from the study.

Food Place at the main house

View from the bar to the food place. and What food!!! Every meal we would eat more than we could handle. And then say no more for the next meal. But when the food was laid out…. we PIGGED !

Home cooked, all varieties, esp the fried Bhindi’s…… Yum!!!

And the bread rolls for breakfast.

The view of the mountains from the lounge room windows.

The yellow kettle at the fire place, the ceramic ducks. Imagine the winters, with the snowed out view, a fire roaring in the fire… you inside with a warm blanket and coffee!!!

I end the post with the thinking turtle …….!!!!

(Sitting on a shelf  of the little book library!)

Chao!

The thinking Turtle

Some cool ones …..

* Tapping someone on the shoulder and making them look the other way.

* It absolutely KILLS when I bang  my little toe on the leg of a table.

* I’m PMSing? What’s your excuse?

* I find it hard to keep a straight face when I get told off.

* Pretending to understand someone when you have no idea what they just said.

Add more pages…………..:-)