Gaming parlours, television and shopping malls have cast their net far and in my opinion, most parents in cities, lack creative ideas to engage and help kids grow. It annoys me to see 9 and 10 year olds whiling away their vacations on Facebook. The other extreme of endless tuitions is equally frustrating.
The post is not so much about my skills but about the places I took these kids to.
Nehru Planetarium, Taraporewala Aquarium and Juhu beach.
The amount of joy, awe and entertainment shot through the roof at Nehru Planetarium. The place offers much to pique a kid's curiosity. Hell, adults have been known to squirm with delight during the screening of space shows.
Aquarium, on the other hand, even though unclean and poorly maintained, managed to interest the kids.
Juhu beach is an easy bet and always saves the day.
And if everything else fails, the streets of Mumbai and the local trains are a fun way to spend your day.
Some of my most cherished memories of summer vacations are of my father driving us across the city or taking us on foot tours through the lanes of Mumbai. I don't think we missed visiting any major area of Mumbai. Infact, we had been to all of Mumbai. Come vacations and my brother and I made endless lists of must see places, with several repetitions over the years. My father never tired of revisiting these places, pointing at buildings or narrating special stories about various localities.
When Vashi and other regions in New Bombay grew, we made an excited visit to all railway stations on the harbour line and understood how and why they were better than the older railway stations
One of our most interesting trips was a night spent outside the international airport. We spotted every departing airplane through the holes in the boundary wall and learned about the faraway lands these airplanes took people to.
We are no longer kids and our family outings are not the same anymore. Yet, a lot of my early education happened through the sights and sounds of Mumbai.
Thanks to my parents, I was happy to put these memories to good use this year.
If your grand parents are alive today - go and give them a tight, non fatal hug.
Food makes me happy.
Not just the eating part, but everything that goes in before the actual fare is ready to be consumed - the whole idea of a particular dish, its history, the method of preparation, the variations brought in by various regions, the trivia behind its sustenance...
I don't remember always being like this. Infact I was mostly content with whatever came my way. Simple, homemade dal chawal was often enough to make my day. Details never bothered me as long as whatever was served, was decent and palatable.
All through my teens, I prided myself on the fact that I could cook and survive, when cooking, was the last thing on the minds' of girls my age.It was so not 'in'! You cooked only if you had a guy and wanted to prove that you were a 'gharelu material'! Needless to add, I stopped stepping in the kitchen.
But how long can you keep the facade? Not long enough, if most ladies in your family love to talk about food, cook lavish meals and lap any opportunity to entertain guests with the newest recipe on the block!
Though this time around when I took charge of the rolling pin (belan, for the un-initiated), I was in for a rude shock! Gone was the bachpan ka pyaar and dulaar. All that remained were the perfection and finesse with which my mom prepared food, a model, I was asked to quickly follow. My lazy ways, slipshod methods and lax attitude had to be made redundant, if peace had to be given a chance in the kitchen.
'There is nothing like a bad food day Mukta!' Was often mouthed when I served anything less than good.
Now before you put on your over-imaginative thinking caps, let me assure you that my mom is not a devil. Far from it. Yet, when it comes to food, she can be very hard to please. Her own experiments with food began after marriage. That she turned out to be a fabulous cook, was a boon for the family and my bukkhad friends and a big bane for me!
Mothers who are good cooks can be hard on their daughters - They would love nothing more than to be beaten at the game by their daughters. This dawned on me fairly late.
My true experiments with food started only when I was in HK. After settling into the office, unpacking and crying had bored me to death, I decided to take charge of my life!
Being independent meant being really independent. So I decided not to depend on friends, Indians and office lunch parties to take care of my 'Paapi Pet'. All those who think I am being filmi, yeah, go take a walk
This round of my kitchen experiments was truly an eye opening, funny, satisfying and mostly, a humbling experience.
My weekly shopping trysts were loads of fun, specially, if done with friends. While they fretted over which milk to buy and what roti packets would last long, I mulled over which veggies to stock for the next week and what spices to experiment with. That I had no one to seek help from was daunting and liberating at the same time.
I was free to cook, eat, experiment, waste, order when lazy, skip when sleepy, hog when moody.
But with time I realised, that I wasn't very different from my mom.
Though wanting in style and speed, I too liked being methodical, I was equally interested in the details and would just not use shortcuts to save the hassle. Just Like for her, cooking was always an enjoyable activity and perfection would definitely come, but with patience.
I also realised that I cooked the best when I had no standards to match or expectations to meet. I loved it when after a long day at office, most friends called me before dialling in for parcel, just to check if I had cooked for them too, or had any leftovers. I enjoyed being told to 'head' the food department at the innumerable house parties my friends organised. AND I absolutely loved to surprise my friends with kheer, biryani, cutlets or dal chawal when they missed home.
All the above, made me respect the lakhs of women, housewives as well as working mothers - who cooked everyday, mostly without much appreciation, and tried their very best to brighten the days of their families, for food is not just about taste and aroma - it is very much about care, love, affection and bonding.
About my mom, I still have a million years to go before I reach her state of perfection, we still bicker on how things need to work in the kitchen and she still thinks I am a lazy bone who won't be able to find her way through the complexities of a kitchen-life. Yet, she is my best supporter, gets excited everytime I try my hand at a new delicacy and the only one whose approval and appreciation I seek when I cook.
I am not known to express my love in the open. Yet, just for this time, I have to say that I love my mom and am indebted to her for shaping my thoughts on food.
Well this post is special for another reason too. It is my first ever attempt at mobile blogging!!
Watch out all ye morons (all my friends), who dared to call me 'tech dumb'. 2010 will make you eat your words.
Just got off the phone.
Usual Friend. Usual chatter. Just today it was about meri saat pedhiyaan.
Family trees have always been a source of fascination.
Who were the grand-parents of my grand-parents ?
Where did my family originate ?
What did my ancestors do for a living ?
What ticked them...what they ate...how they passed their days... their motivations ...the school of thought they belonged to...
And finally why am I the way I am ?
Do I have someone in the tree I have taken after ?
I learnt about my seven generations yesterday. Well. Not everything. But good amount enough for the time being.
I already knew about four and getting to know more about the saat peedhiyaan had proven to be difficult. But yesterday, during a family reunion, amidst lots of laughter, buffoonery and some real and fake hugs, I learnt about where my ancestors came from and what they did for a living.
Digging out all that there is on Mattas will always be a labour of love. I can't pin it down to a single reason.
I don't even know what I will do with the Family Tree, that is, if it ever gets completely made.
I am sure I wouldn't want to get in touch with all the cousins. Definitely not.
Yet, filling in the blanks would make me happy.
Cut to the "Phone-a-Friend". All I got from my friend was some laughs, lots of his usual blah and blah and general disinterest in talking about his Roots.
Yet another showed a mild disinterest in the topic and waved it off over chat.
A colleague dared to laugh when I bubbled with excitement over this whole business.
Heck even my cousins couldn't stop laughing over my wide eyed expression as I drank all the information floating around yesterday.
Really, are people in general not interested in their History, Culture and let me be a little mean here, their roots ?
Or Do I really get excited about stupid things ?
The below mail forward has been successful in forcing me out of my self imposed sabbatical. I am very very happy to be back. I missed alltalkandnoaction a lot. Sachi. ************************************************************************************************* “What Crap!!”……. was lying on my bed on a Saturday morning.. ‘who the F is banging on the door on a Saturday morning’, I mused.. I stood up… rubbing my eyes… walked upto the door… opened it… “Hello” I looked down… and saw a short old lady standing at my door smiling at me… I tried my best to respond in a same tone… “Hii”… with a forced smile… “Son, I stay in the apartment right above yours. I wanted to discuss with you something…”… I guess I heard this only … was too sleepy to pay attention… Still… I replied, “ok…” “Can I come inside…?”, she asked “Yep… sure…”, I led her to the drawing room which was obviously – messed up (being a bachelor’s apartment). She looked at the sofa… bent a bit… held the side of the sofa… other hand on the seat… her legs and arms trembling… and she finally bent further and sat down.. Well… that for sure opened my eyes… “Son, I am an old woman, so I am sorry if I am bothering you at this time of the day.”, she smiled. “No problems aunty. Please tell me”, I said “Son, I came to know from neighbours that you work in some computer related stuff. I was having a problem in sending an e-mail. I am new to this. I have never worked in this thing. So I thought, if you can help me”, said the old woman smiling… ‘What the F. The production support which I do in my company was already on my nerves. And now this lady comes at this time of the day and asks to repair her computer. Sending a Mail!!!!!!...’, I mused “Sure”… ‘I don’t have an option’… latter half was not audible... I hope… I went back to bedroom… pulled my towel underneath the pile of clothes… cursing my fate… went to bathroom… washed my face… came out… and what I see… Her smiling face…!!! “Lets go aunty”, I said… The alley outside my apartment was not broad enough… and her baby steps assured that I walk the snail’s speed till I get bored to death… “It is such a beautiful morning… Sun’s out… cool breeze… perfect time to go and do some jogging… … …”, she went on… every statement of hers was followed by ‘yaa’ from my side… Anyway… we reached… I entered… It was silent… … I heard something… I guess it was my heartbeat…I heard her breathing… She looked at my feet and said “You can take out your slippers over there…” ‘Hmm… cleanliness freak!!’ I took out my slippers… went inside. It was one of the most beautiful drawing rooms I have ever seen. “Nobody at home?”, I asked her “I live alone, son”, smiled the old woman. ‘Alone, it was so difficult for me to believe that. This old lady who even found it difficult to sit on a sofa… had such a beautiful drawing room.’ “There it is, my headache”, she pointed towards the laptop on the desk. ‘Koool….. log in… send a mail for her… and run back to bed…’ I switched on the laptop… asked her the login id and pass and opened the outlook… “Well … my son bought me this laptop. He is such a sweet boy…”, she smiled I smiled back… concentrating on the screen. “He came … gave me the laptop… connected everything for me… the internet… I don’t know what it does… how it helps… but he told me using internet I can see the world… he taught me how to send the mail… how to receive it… how to make an email… how to start the computer… how to shut the computer down…”…. Second round…!! she went on and on… I smiled back… “So what is the problem, aunty”, I said pointing towards outlook. She looked at the screen. Her eyes almost closed with the radiations from the pc. “I … I used to send mail…”…. “I don’t know where I can find the mail which I sent….”, she said “In the Sent mails probably…”, I replied… “Ahhh… Where’s that…??”, she asked… I took the mouse from her… “Give it to me aunty!!” I went to Sent Items and showed her the sent mails. “Aunty, are these the ones you sent?”, I asked She touched the screen…. clapped her hands in jubilation… “ohh yesss... wonderful…. here they are…!!!.... they got stuck here… that’s why they did not reach him” , she smiled as a child. I was confused but I guess I understood her ignorance. “Aunty, If you see the mails in this folder which is ‘Sent Items’, this means… that the mails have been sent.”, I said. “Ohh… You mean… the mails are already sent to him!!”, she asked I saw the screen. Saw the name to which the mail was sent. “Ya… Aunty. The mail has been sent to Ashwin Tyagi”…”Who is he?”, I asked. “He is my sweeet son… I call him Ashu”, she smiled. “Hmm…” “Aunty, Why did you think that the mail was not sent?”, I asked. “Son, Ashu told me that if we click on the receive button, we receive emails. So I used to send a mail. Then I used to click on Receive. And I used to find no e-mail. I again used to send one. I clicked on receive. I found no e-mail. I have been doing this past 5 months. I guess you are mistaken. There is surely some problem”, she said. My heart skipped a beat. 5 months!! I opened the Sent Items again. My sleepy eyes missed the long list of e-mails sent to Ashwin when I saw it the first time. ‘Beta Ashu…. How are you… ? I hope you are fine. I am missing you so much. Come home some time.’ ‘Beta Ashu… did you get my previous mail? I did not get your reply…’ ‘Beta Ashu… I understand you will be busy with your work… don’t worry… reply whenever you are free’ ‘Beta Ashu… I thought I will mail you… I am doing good… I have made kheer for you. Do come’ ‘Beta Ashu… yesterday I had some pain in my neck… now it is fine… I applied jhandu balm.’ …… …. .. List was endless… And painful Was it the radiation from pc or was it something else in my eyes…!! Last email with the same ID was – ‘This is the test mail’ Swallowing what I saw, “Aunty”, opening the last mail, “Who sent this mail?” “Ohh… this mail was sent by Ashu only to show me how to send the mail”, smiled the old woman. I did not know how to react… when she spoke “I know there is some problem with the computer. I am sure. He called me a month back. He was in a meeting. So I could not ask him” “He works for a big company…. Earns a lot now. I am so proud of him”, she smiled. I did not want to. But I did say – “You should be aunty…” “Yess…”, she said with her charismatic smile … “He is such a grown up now… so responsible… he is married to a beautiful girl who used to be his classmate. Now he has one boy and one girl…”, she smiled and said like a child… “Both used to work out of town, so they shifted over there 3 years back. He used to call me earlier, but then he got busy… so we could not talk much. My ears started giving me some problem and I was not able to listen to him on phone, so he gave me this laptop.”, she said. I was still… I was listening to her… and was watching her smile which was excited by the thought of her son. “So, can you fix this son?”, she asked I did not want to say that it is working fine. I didn’t have an answer better than this - “Aunty, I guess, the send button is working fine but the receive button is not working. So Ashu is getting your mail but he does not know that you are not getting his mail. But I don’t know how to fix it.” “ohh…”, she looked a bit sad. I was silent. All I could do. “…. Can you do me one more favour?”, she asked “Sure aunty… sure”, I said. If I could do anything today for her!! “It is very irritating for me to type. Hitting those buttons! It takes me ages to find the characters. If Send thing is working, I want to send one last mail to my son. Can you type one last mail for me?”, she smiled. I had no option. Yet again. But this time I guess I wanted to do it. I wanted to relieve her from this expectation of receiving a mail. “Sure aunty, tell me what should I type”, I opened a new mail. “Type…” “Beta Ashu… This is my neighbour typing from my pc…” “There seemed to be some problem in sending mails. So I called him to help me.” “He also works for a big company like you.” “He found the problem but he does not know how to fix it.” “The problem is that send button is working fine… but the receive button is not working. Hence, I am not able to receive your mails when I click on the receive button.” “Beta, it has been 5 months. Please come and meet me. I am missing you so much.” “I do not want this laptop. I do not want to see the world in internet.” “I want to see you.” “Come home.” “Your mother…” I typed the last words… I gasped and turned towards her… I guess I saw tears in her eyes … with the same smile… She wiped her eyes… smiled “Yess….please send the mail” I clicked on send. She stood up. Turned around. Went to the bedroom. I guess I heard her crying. I felt lonely… She came. Hurried towards the kitchen. “Do you love kheer??”, she asked. I smiled… with the tears which just didn’t go “Yes aunty…” From the refrigerator she took out the bowl and gave it to me. “Have this. I made it with my own hands…”, she smiled. I took the bowl from her. And I saw my hands were trembling. “Thanks Aunty… Thanks a lot”, I said. “Thank you Beta. I am so sorry… that I disturbed you this morning”, she said. A ‘tear-let’ fell from my eyes. But I guess I did well in hiding it. “No Aunty… Please don’t say so… do let me know whenever you need me”, I said. “Thanks beta”, she said. I put on my slippers. Went outside. “Bye Aunty”, I said. “Bye Beta”, I saw the last look on her face which saw the loneliness that was going to come. She closed the door. I stopped at the stairs. I cried for the lady who “sent” her love many a times… but did not “receive” anything in return… *************************************************************************************************
I don't ever forget Birthdays.
Ever.
Won't be able to claim this from today.
What's sad is that I not only remember birthdays of important people like family, relatives, friends and Chotu, but of, neighbours and their kids, teachers, colleagues, friends of friends, family friends, old uncles and aunts, long lost friends, acquaintances, actors, actresses and all other sundry living beings.
But today, I, forgot the birthday of the most important man in my life !
It hurts more to think that he thought of it as a ploy. He thought I would wish him anytime and that I was acting as if I had forgotten !
The fact is - I did remember and was excited till last night.
Don't know what happened when I woke up !
He, being as magnanimous as he is, laughed it off.
"Just because you forgot a birthday, doesn't mean you don't love me or vice versa ! Hota hai...grow up and be beyond such things...we are humans..."
These words fail to placate me. Specially, because I have inherited this quality of remembering all important dates from him.
I am verry verrry Sorry !!
Hope, to make it up.
Tomorrow might not be like previous years.
I shall miss my sister Anshu. She is back to her hometown after staying with us while studying.
Both of us love this fest of water and colours and always had a blast during celebrations.
The day always started with lots of excitement and anticipation.
Mukund and Anshu would often team up and make sure I would be the first one to be thrown off balance with truckloads of water and all the colours.
Fir aati Mummy, Papa aur Chotu ki baari. Baari baari sab ko gulal lagaya jaata.
With my mom, it's very formal...just "shagun" ke liye, since she hates colours.
But with Papa, it's the exact opposite ! He loves to play Holi and has always been a favourite amongst relatives for his cheerful celebration of the festivities...
Even as kids, when Mukund and I weren't allowed to venture out on Holi, lest we be thrown in water drums and spoil our skins with oil colours, we satiated our desires by using the pichkaari aur balloons on Papa.
As we grew, I always invited my closest friends for a Holi celebration to my house.
It was an annual function which we all looked forward to !
Lots of water, music, Colours followed by a sumptuous meal and lots of sweets prepared by my mom.
So much was our fascination and love for the festival that after the day was well spent and all were supposedly clean and bathed - we prided on the pink and red hues that covered our skin and hair.
Jiska rang pheeka pada, usne Holi kheli hi nahi !
Holi also reminds me of a very close friend, one I have known and grown with since the age of three and the one who today refuses to see me.
Lack of time is her reasoning.
Lack of inclination is my retort.
It's strange, how in this age of hi-fi technology, cell phones, instant messengers, networking sites and VoiP, people can't "manage" to keep in touch.
I say, it's not technology that makes the twain meet. It's the bond, the love.
Anyway, I hope if there are people you have kept waiting - the time to end the wait is now !
Go out, celebrate, play, chill out with your near and dear ones.
!!! Happy Holi !!!
One good thing that I did after watching Delhi 6 yesterday was to go and buy a new Carrom Board!
It's been an old love and I had been itching to get the board since a lonnng lonng time...
I still remember the family matches we had almost every other night...Papa, Mamma, Mukund and I...
Nights interspersed with carrom and ludo...loads of matches and bets... We had lots of friends visiting us...weekends were filled with gaming sessions with friends...
And then suddenly, we grew up....
Cell phones, the Internet, chatting, I-pods, friends took over...
We still played, though now it was taken over by card games and general bakar after dinner...
Yet, somewhere all of us also missed the lovely games that kept us happy...
Isliye, Carrom has been on mind since a long time now...
Today, Mukund and I set our hands on the board after ages !
Wow..what bliss !!
Both of us have to get back to our earlier form...and it shall take time...
Yet, it's a start...
A wonderful start...
Today I received Shaadi ka Nimantran from Dipal, an old friend from college.
She is getting married next week and my best friend and I shall be attending the ceremony together.
I loved her Invitation card since it had a traditional touch to it. It's always great to receive cards written in regional language along with English. Gives a very Indian touch !
This marriage makes me happy and at the same time nostalgic too. I shared some very nice days of my life with Dipal in college...from being bench mates to project partners to extra currics buddies...we did it all..
It seems just like yesterday when we passed out, she went for her MBA and I started working.
Can't believe it shall be a good 3 years in a few months...
Somehow, I always knew that Dipal would be the first one to get married - coming from a very traditional family...
Yet, in some ways, it seems difficult to digest that we are now "reallllyyy" out of the College mode and friends have started getting engaged/married.
As a little girl, I hated to discuss shaadi and vidaai...Even today am not a big fan of the topic...
Funny, seeing my irritation with marriages, my brother had started detesting the word too...He just thought ki shaadi karna matlab mummy papa ko chodke jaana padta hai....As kids, when marriages were discussed at home, he, more than I, would pledge never to get married !( He is very much over it now and is at his charming best with ladies ! )
The thought of marriage makes me realise that I shall have to LEAVE a family behind, adjust with new people and customs and try to get on with the inner turmoil.
It is difficult to think of a home without a mother fretting over you, a father providing his never ending support, a brother who is more of a buddy than a brother...
There are hearts to be won over and new roles to be played while dealing with the emotional burden of leaving one's family behind...
Though, these days, the transition into married life is not very tumultuous. With women staying away from families due to work or studies, the pain doesn't really surface.
Yet, for the many hundreds of "ghar ki badi aur zimmedar beti" this is one hell of an emotional roller-coaster ride.
I can't start to imagine what Dipal might be feeling right now...
I wish her all the very best... and knowing her, I am sure she shall make a smooth transition !
Indians are often spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals.
At any given point of time, there are more than 5 holidays in a month across various states for various festivals/birth anniversaries, etc. apart from Sundays !
However, Diwali tops the list for me. It always has. Always Will.
I absolutely love the fest of lights. There is an abundance of love, lights and mirth in air.
This is that time of the year when people come together, forgetting their differences and sharing the spirit of the festival with family and friends.
Moreover, in our pursuit for instant success and fame, Diwali reminds us that good, old fashioned values, time with family, laughs with friends are the only moments one shall cherish and take away.
Rest are transient.
Yesterday was my parents' 25th Engagement Anniversary and we celebrated it in our style - a cosy dinner for the whole family at our favourite restaurant.
It was absolutely amazing to hear them recount how they had met, their engagement and the pre wedding months.
My dad was quite a Shayar it seems...having written loads & loads of letters. Mom on the other hand was reticent and shy to resppond.
The story I love the best is - My dad had gone to see my mom with his family.
While the two families sat in the drawing room getting to know each other, my eldest Maami (For the un-initiated, my Mom's Eldest Brother's Wife) came along with a tray of tea and snacks.
As luck would have it - she slipped and fell into my Dad's lap !!!
While my Dad and Maami turned red with embarrassment, it was and still is the most memorable and laughable moment shared by both the families !
I still tease my dad saying that God spared him since I didn't witness such an event. For all I know, I would have laughed my head out and irritated him to death !
On this note, have a great weekend and and a pulsating countdown to a Fiery Festival !
'I hate to ruin your day son, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 35 years of marriage... and that much misery is enough!'
'Dad, what are you talking about?' the son screams.
'We can't stand the sight of each other any longer,' the old man says. 'We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Hong Kong and tell her!'
Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.
'Like heck they're getting divorced,' she shouts, 'I'll take care of this.'
She calls Mumbai immediately, and screams at the old man, 'You are not getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then , don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR??' and she hangs up.
The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. 'Okay', he says, 'It's all set. They're both coming for Diwali and paying their own airfare!!'
MORAL:
No man / woman is busy in this world all 365 days.
The sky is not going to fall down if you take few days LEAVE and meet your dear ones.
WORK IS NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE and MONEY MAKING IS NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE.
Dear All - This email forward couldn't have come at a better time.
With the festive season on it's way - do take time off for loved ones.
Cheers !
Jab raat 3 baje Mummy-Papa gale lagne ke liye jagte rahe...
Jab bhai-behen har aadhe ghante phone karke pyaar jatate rahe...
Jab koi 12 baje ka alarm lagakar soya taaki mujhse baat kar sake...
Jab koi door pardes se 11:55 call kar baitha taaki traffic na mile...
Jab kisine class test ke dauraan mujhe msg karne ka risk liya aur professor ki daant kha baithi...
Jab koi pure din ki thakaan ke baad, Mumbai Locals ka saamna kar, sirf mujhse gale milne aa pahuchi...
Jab kisine "In search of the perfect Cake" 50 calls ghumaaye...
Jab bachpan ki saheli din bhar call karti rahi...aur phone na lagne par gaali deti rahi....
Jab kuch logon ne mujhse sampark na hone par "We hate you BUT God bless You" ke chain mails shuru kiye...
Jab kisine yeh din yaad aane par Client meeting ke dauraan mujhse batiya ladai...
Jab koson door baithi..Maa jaisi ne bada laad aur pyaar jatate hue mujhe bachpan ki shararat yaad dilaai...
Jab kisine jald baazi me apni padhai, quizzes, assignments puri kar...mujhe der raat office se nikalva kar coffee treat di...
Jab kisine apne fiance se meethi baaton ka tyaag kar mujhse phone par bakar karni chaahi...
Jab kisine bade gusse se mere pura din "not reachable" aur "out of coverage" hone par new battery gift karni chaahi...
Jab kisine 21vi baar finally phone lagne par..."Kyun Bey Kameeni kahan marr gayi thi..." se shuruaat ki....
Jab mere chote se jaan ke tukde..mere Chotu ne mujhe pooch lehraate hue chooma chaata.....
Tab mujhe bahut rona aaya.....
Lekin jab yeh ehsaas hua ki bechaare Shivji ko mere saath apna janamdin share karna pad raha hai....toh mai fir se kameeno jaise has padi :D
All, near and dear ones, who made my day special....THANK YOU ALL :-)
Love You all...
Some seemingly innocuous wishes can shape your life for better or worse. One such wish was made by my Dad.
One sunny weekend I was jolted out of my cosy date with "Buffettology" when mere Pitaji ne ek googly fekte hue kaha " Beti, hafte bhar tu kaam ko lekar vyast rehti hai. Isliye 14 mai se 1 baar hi sahi, par tere haathon se paki Roti khaana chahta hoon.."
Le..First Ball and Clean Bowled !
"Papa, agar yeh koi test hai toh bata doon - Mujhe khana pakana aata hai ! aap jo bolo..mai banakar dikha sakti hoon!" No sooner were these words out than I found myself cornered.
"Haan beta, jaanta hoon ki tu badhiya khaana pakati hai. Kya mujhe haq nahi apni beti ke haath ka swadisht khaana khaane ka??"
Reasons ranging from giving weekly aaram to our cook to preparing me for larger roles like that of a Biwi to just plain making me forget Buffett's pearls of wisdom raced through my head.
"Lekin har weekend karne ki kya zaroorat hai?" I asked, miffed with him. "Tujhe tere sawal ka jawab mil jaayega. Bas meri yeh ichha puri kar".
Ab jab papa itna pyar se, behla fusla kar kuch maang le..toh bhala mai kya kar sakti thi?
Thus began my weekly encounters with the kitchen, cheeni and masala.
Now, I am an above average cook and till then had always thought of cooking as a good leisure and stress busting activity. However, this weekly assignment unnerved me since cooking under my Mom's surveillance can be quite a test ! Not only is she blessed with great culinary skills but demands perfection! Khud toh chutkiyon mai khana pakati hain...aur ab toh inhone kasam kha li thi ki mujhe bhi apne jaisa banakar dum lengi...every grain of masala is monitored and no clumsy work is accepted ! Plus after the cooking is complete...the kitchen should look as spic and span as one of those "Good Housing Keeping" idyllic kitchens....phew! I braced myself for the "Mirch-Masala" sessions with her.
Week after week I prepared dinner for the whole family - dal-chawal, parathas, Mughlai Gobi, Shahi Paneer. Kabhi "perfect" Dal banti , toh kabhi namkeen bhindi...kabhi khana lazeez hota aur kabhi sazaa samajh kar ghar wale kha lete..
As weeks progressed, I started enjoying the activity. I did miss my lazy sundays and had to forego a few plans with friends - But I tried to fulfil this one wish my Dad asked of me.
Yet, I still hadn't got the answer to my question.. "Har hafte Kyun??". The answer came to me in bits and pieces.
Work took me away from family for 6 months. Naya Des, anjaan log and dher saara waqt! Since I was on my own, cooking became a necessity and no longer a stress buster. Uff yeh paapi pet kya kya karvata hai ! I started with simple dishes like aloo-gobi, bhindi, dal-chawal, and the like. However, I got bored in a few days and decided to try my hand at more challenging delicacies. I made them all - from puri to pasta. I started surfing bawarchi.com and making frantic calls to Mom every time my elaborate cooking plans derailed due to some reason. I enjoyed the "waiting" game, loved the phhisshhh of the cooker, the pungent aroma of the curry and the delicate feel of butter.
However, it is here that I missed Maa ke "nuskhe". I missed the special bonding that had developed between us due to our weekly sessions. I had always been close to her. But this new relationship between us had various shades - I saw her as a mentor who shared her precious tips, a teacher who scolded me for goofing up with the Curry and a friend who gave me a Thumbs Up every time food turned out to be remotely edible. I missed the anticipation and excitement of feeding my family. The first bite, the oohs & aahs, the ragging sessions by my brother and the bear hugs by my Dad. Cooking teaches you patience and rewards you with love & appreciation from your loved ones. Humor comes along as a by-product too since NOT all your experiments go down well with the guinea pigs. Nothing beats the bonding that takes place at a dinner table. I missed all of these ! On more thought, Life resembles cooking - everything depends on the ingredients you put in - love, humor, care and perseverance. You can be dry & methodical and spoil the fun or be creative, take risks and add zest to it.
Finally, I had the answer to my question !
Thankfully, I made a few close friends who shared my love for cooking. We all had a blast cooking for various occasions. Bhagwaan unka bhala kare...jinhone mere pakaye hue khaane ko itne maheeno saha :P
Now that am back home, I try and keep my weekly dates with the kitchen. Pichle hafte Paneer Kofte banaye jise Master Chef ka stamp of approval mila ..Any suggestions for the coming weekend?
