Another night passed me by

Inspired by Nick Drake's 'One of these things first', among others.

I could have been a writer, inky fingers, high on coffee, surrounded by books and papers, unaware of time passing by.
I could have been an archeologist, brushing earth off another world.
I could have been an adventurer, riding horses in the Kazakhi steppes, climbing Mount Everest; or diving into the depths of the Pacific.
Could have been a travelling musician, strumming my guitar; a fiddler or a flautist.
Could have been a dancer, a graceful figure across a wooden floor.
Could have been a potter, sticky muddy fingers, wet earth.
Could have been a sailor, under open skies, tasting salty air.
Could have been a painter, my world a canvas of many hues.
Could have been an actor, reveling in dramatics.
Could have been a singer, music reverberating through my soul.
Could have been a farmer, coaxing new life through the ever giving earth.
Could have been an architect, raising a city from scratch.
Could have been a trader, of dreams, of stories, of words.
Could have been a kite, floating off into the sky.
Could have been a steam engine, chugging my way through mountain passes.
Could have been a bell, chiming my delight.
Could have been the breeze, gently blowing through cracks and corners of windows and doors, through narrow alleyways and over open fields.
Could have been the rain, pattering down on roofs and leaves.
Could have been a tree, waving my branches just because I felt like it.
Could have been a star, twinkling down at night.
Could have been the Sun, smiling cheerfully at the world below me.


Here I am, just a student, blinking away the night.

Home!

Its 1.30 am and thanks to the nice cup of black coffee i had earlier today, here I am, bright eyed and bushy tailed, updating my poor ignored blog :D

As most of you know, I am in London, studying (At least supposed to be) at SOAS :) Second week here and it feels great - I have met so many interesting people, from such varied backgrounds and seen...actually not much. Yes, will get down to that soon.

SO anyway, this post is another list of sorts, of things I miss -

Family - Chattering with mom or remote claiming competitions/grocery shopping with dad. My ultra cool grandparents.

Friends!!!!

Dumb Charades, Uno :D

Pani Puri! Pav Bhaji!!

Drums classes, the picnics, the very recent and unfortunately short jam sessions. The long chats with everyone there.

Singing aloud, completely off key > Thin walls here, I freak out every time my alarm clock rings, thinking that my other flat mates will wake up as well! So singing is out of the question.

Btw, news - I have almost completely stopped swearing. Just noticed it yesterday.

Dancing to music playing on the computer > No, no one sees this, its me dancing when I get bored at home. Completely insane :) Unfortunately, if I dance in my room here, I will probably crash into my bed or study table, or knock down a lamp

Normal drinking water!!! Hard water here :(

Kurtas > Need I say more on this?

Vt - Colaba -Fort > Call it whatever you want, that is one hell of a place to wander about in. Asiatic Library.

The Dhobhi :D :D :D Seriously. Ironing my own clothes = not fun.

Sunlight!!!! Marathi! Hindi films, songs, Hindustan Times, Mumbai Mirror (I know, I know), my books, Federer pics.

Diwali > the cleaning, sweets, lights, though they do celebrate it here..

So clearly, I do miss Bombay. And my crazy family and friends... See you in a year!

If wishes were horses...

If ever in your life you get the chance to relocate, where would you go? A city that 'never sleeps' or some place near the ocean or mountains?

I would, if i could, run to a place far from the maddening crowd, to live in a wooden cabin with a porch that has a swing, a rocking chair and a lantern.

A warm cabin that would be lost among rolling hills, where sheep and cows would graze peacefully on nearby slopes. Where I could lift my face up to the bright sun and feel the cool air caress me. Every season would march in with fanfare : Summer - glorious, and bright, butterflies and flowers, new life. Monsoons - water dripping from the trees at twilight, thunder, mist descending every evening, rendering everything around obscure. Autumn - Fiery red-orange-yellow leaves twirl down around me, leaving bare trees reaching up to the sky. Winter - Silent, a warm fire and a dog near my chair. Peaceful walks in the woods.

A place where the only sounds I hear are the calls of the birds, crickets' chirps, the hooting of owls, the wind and whispers of trees, the crackle of wood burning at the fireplace. Where an evening means - Plenty of books, dvds, coffee, a blanket and me.

Ah, life :)

And I now present before you....

Well, the moment I mentioned one in some post, I knew I was dead :P

So, this is a post about my 'bestest' friends - people I have known from school and college. Probably not of interest to those who don't know them, move on to the other posts :)

Alphabetical order (I try to be politically correct)

Maansi - Partner in crime, fellow movie lover, and we believe that we are the best dumb charades team around. Hah.

She (often with Namrata) comes up with half of the crazy plans that we put into action. Is extremely aware (political, economic stuff, AND gossip, so important), appreciates my sarcasm :) Most of the stupid plays and excellent films I have seen are thanks to her, and I firmly believe that I have introduced her to some of the better music around (definitely better than Metallica :P , and no Namrata, nothing can beat the Beatles)

AND - Elephants are NOT purple. This is wrong!!!

Manjusha - We were in the same school for 15 years, but I think we spoke for the first time in college. Unusually patient.
Can make Mona behave. Is excellent with small animals; my father thinks she is sensible (He is the only one to think so) :P I've spent half of my college years covering for her, while she was stirring up trouble somewhere. Is my constant shopping, bird-watching companion.

Mansi B - She's perhaps the only person in our 'clan' who can actually understand what the guy on CNBC is droning on about. Has real

work experience. Hates kids, is currently teaching brats at a school she says should be shut down. Watch out for her, she'll be one of those people you see on tv, commenting on financial...stuff or running a big financial consultancy or or, doing something big at Bombay Stock Exchange :) Does not like posing for pictures.

Monisha - Mona Darling! If there is one person who she is scared of, it is M ;) Mona, to a great extent, taught me to be

objective and non judgemental.
She is the one with whom I discuss everything - tv stars, sitcoms (we watch all the dumb ones), other people, food - everything! Is my ex-class companion, gaddar :P


Namrata - I could write a complete post about Namrata Patel (to be pronounced Pa'tell'). My first memory of her is of a hyperactive 11th std student with her hair braided into 2 pigtails. This alone would have made me do a double-take, as, for the rest of us, one of the high points of starting college was kissing pigtails/plaits goodbye. But let it never be said that Namrata did not do a job thoroughly....the braids were topped with a bandanna. A red bandanna.


You cannot help liking Namrata. She is utterly unique, high on life and a Beatles fan (This is the part where I confess I have never heard a Beatles song. I can almost see her jaw drop) Another thing about Namrata is that she is kind and exceedingly generous - with her time as well as her dabba :)
Dancing Phalanges!!

Sasneha - 'Rabbit' is what I call her. On the 'sensible thinking' scale, she's right up there with Bhambhani. She was the

financial secretary and/or the hospitality head of almost every club and event in
college. Very adept at organizing, calm and very, very good with dates and events, especially Indian History.
And in addition to all this, she is probably the only person who can actually handle Namrata :)


Snehal - Moonface, school buddy, we meet up

once in a while, but always know whats going on in each others boring lives :) Very
perceptive. Usually the mediator, and tries to keep me honest :) Named me 'Soup'! (Unfortunately, no individual picture of her. Send me one Sne.)


Vishal - Ah. Shouldn't even write about him, he hasn't read my blog yet :P Best bud since the last 5 years, he's always

around to calm me down when I am panicking, is amazingly sensible, level headed
and very, very focussed. Of course, my contribution to his mental well being is monumental - he wouldn't have lasted college if it hadn't been for my wise inputs and commentaries on so many, many issues in his life :P


Well, I will conclude my testimonial about these lovely people who, after my parents, have perhaps had the greatest influence on my behaviour - those who know me today think I am slightly er.. quirky/eccentric/crazy/talkative/childish (you must have seen me skipping, nodding my head to imaginary music or sticking out my tongue when I am bored) - now you know why.

It's all about Love

I’d written this one some time ago, but in light of the current debate over Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, I guess its the right time to post it.

The first time I was told what ‘Gay’ meant, I was 12. What I did not understand was the hushed tone, the eye rolling, the shrug....I still don’t. So really, what is the big deal? You love someone, how does it matter who it is? Hey, if you do, then you do. So few are lucky to find true love, and love comes in many forms.

I was discussing the topic with someone once, who said ‘homosexuality is a perversion’. Pray, tell how? They justified it with this – “If homosexuality was ‘natural’, then why would there be two sexes-male and female, and not just one?” In that case I can ask, why all these varieties of flowers, so many animals and plants? Why don’t we just have roses and donkeys? Why bother with lotuses, marigolds, jasmine, tigers, lions, rabbits?

And WHAT is with the term natural?! Who are we to decide what is natural and what isn’t? Devdutt Pattanaik hits the nail on the head in The Pregnant King (That’s right, KING) –

"Careful of the word unnatural, it reeks of arrogance. You are assuming you know the boundaries of nature. You don't. There is more to life than your eyes can see. More than you can ever imagine. Nature comes from the mind of God. It is infinite. The finite human mind can never fathom it in totality."

Another thing I heard in a movie – ‘Nothing is unnatural really, whatever happens, in the end is happening within nature, and hence, natural and more importantly, possible.”

As we progress, our minds seem to regress. Religious scriptures are quoted by conservatives to justify their stand. But what everyone seems to firmly turn their eyes away from is the fact that every religious scripture is open to interpretation. Nothing is written in stone. Let’s be realistic. God did not beam down any of the books to earth – it was man who claimed to hear God and translated His teachings for the rest of us less enlightened mortals.

Over time, many such men decided they were entitled to interpret these scriptures, and the fools that we were, we allowed them to. Today, they decide what is right and wrong, sin and blasphemy. Which actions will take us to heaven or hell. Key here is the term decide. They don’t know for sure - no one does. Do heaven and hell even exist? Really, do you think we are going to float around sitting on clouds with harps, or stew in cauldrons, with little demons poking us with pitchforks?

Chew on this - None of us have seen God, spoken to Him. Perhaps in those who raise us, who teach us, in the kindness of strangers and, if we look hard enough, in ourselves, we may find Him.

My conclusion – I like to think there is someone out there who has got my back. I am going to assume this is someone who is understanding - if He really created us, he knows we are all goofy (FYI, I’m firmly with Darwin on evolution). More importantly, if there is a judgement day (which would reinforce the concept of heaven and hell, which I really, really don’t believe in) He really isn’t going to ask us who we loved. I think it will be our other actions on earth – kindness, honesty, courage - that are going to count.

P.S: For those concerned Indian citizens who have been greatly traumatized about the legalization of homosexuality and who claim that it will ‘corrupt’ the great Indian culture – wake up and smell the garbage : dowry, child marriage, cruelty towards women and senior citizens, child labour, illiteracy, eve teasing (ugh!), demolition of religious buildings by politicians, corruption, defacing of monuments, lack of general civic sense - spitting on streets, littering – Really? What are your priorities? Do you truly love your country? Deal with these then.

Reminiscences of college days past

I MISS COLLEGE!!!!! :(

I miss waking up at 5.30 in the morning (of all the things)

I miss travelling on the train, rushing into class at 7.40, fifteen minutes late, sitting on the first bench (no, not a complete nerd, but when there are only 10 people in class, your choices are sort of restricted. Besides, its fun, try it)

I miss pining for Vishnu's coffee early in the morning, then drinking gallons of it when I finally got to the parking lot.

I miss the 7.30 video sessions on architecture of Indian monuments, during which I slept soundly in the audio visual room.

I miss the dumb college festivals, film screenings and incomprehensible plays we've attended.

I miss playing charades (if there is a National Charades competition, we'd qualify), GK quiz (Watch out Derek O'Brien), slurping solos (ice candy), the marathon gossip sessions in the parking lot.

I miss the winter fun, coming all bundled up in sweaters and laughing at people wearing shorts, tank tops AND then a shawl - Whats the point? (Thanks for reminding me Maansi!)

I actually miss my teachers and lectures - they were fun.. The absolutely brilliant history teachers, to the fun ones - Wouldn't you miss someone who keeps a straight face while teaching Dating Techniques and Open Striping Method (Archaeological Survey terms, what ARE you thinking?) to the political science teacher who announces that Prince Charles is the British monarch (And when it is pointed out that the British Monarch was Queen Elizabeth, says, "Is it? I don't know, I'll check.")

I'll definitely miss the canteen. So many things happen simultaneously - birthday celebrations, people tripping over a loose tile halfway through the canteen, juniors dressed in bizarre outfits, at least three different people screeching each day when one of the many cats that throng the place brush against their feet or jump at their table, the canteen aunty screaming at the canteen staff.

The exams. I know. The 'who cares?' attitude 20 days before the exams, the 'kal se pakka' declarations 10 days before the exam, the 'uh-oh' in our heads when there are 5 days to go and the frantic notes exchanges, marking, cramming, panic calls the night before the exam.

The crazy 14 hour sleeping pattern that lasts for 3 days after every exam (in my case, it lasts the whole vacation)



For five years, I was on an extended vacation, one that my parents paid for quite willingly, and while I may have learnt a few things about politics, economics, psychology and history, I have...(dramatic pause)...learnt a lot about life.

Oh well, maybe not all that much. :)

Last thought - I have no pictures to go with this post, nothing that will come close to giving you a glimpse of what the last few years have been like... think sunrise, trains, tree lines avenues, sunlight, silence and noise, rain, cold, books, chalk dust and blackboards, wooden benches and echoing classrooms, coffee, exhaustion, staircases, music, old buildings, steam billowing out from restaurant kitchens and the canteen as dosas and pav bhajis are made, wet umbrellas, wading in knee deep water, running nowhere and laughter. That's college.

Why So Serious?

I'd written this post last August, just edited it...

I still remember the moment when I first read about Heath Ledger's death. 23rd January, 6.30 in the morning, I was at Mulund station, waiting for the train. Flipped the folded paper after reading the headline and there it was, the tiny headline which made me do a double take : 'Brokeback Mountain star dies at 28'
My jaw dropped and I had to read the article 3 times before the whole thing sunk in. Ledger had been found dead, lying next to his bed, by his maid. The cause was later determined to be an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.

I have seen very few movies of his. So when The Dark Knight came out - the latest Batman film and the last movie Ledger completed, I looked around desperately for someone to go with to see the movie, which had garnered rave reviews. After delaying for weeks, I finally grabbed M, one of my best friends, on a very wet, cold afternoon and went to see the movie. And what I saw blew me away.

Christian Bale as Batman was good enough, but his face was concealed behind the Bat mask for about a third of the film, so I couldn't really appreciate his acting. But Ledger(playing Batman's arch nemesis-the Joker), who had burst upon the screen in the beginning of the movie itself, was a force to reckon with. His beautiful (OK, handsome) face hidden under ghostly white and red makeup, green tipped grimy blond hair, shabby purple suit, voice modulated to sound whiny & sinister, a lopsided walk and posture all culminate to bring on screen one of the most impressive performances seen in recent cinema (How many movies adapted from graphic novels can say that?)
He was quite creepy, with all the shuffling around, the nasal laugh and no apparent conscience. And of course, his "why so serious?" is definitely the line of the year.

On a high after the hugely successful Brokeback mountain which garnered him an Oscar nomination for best actor in a supporting role, Ledger had, with this role in Batman, completed dabbling in almost all genre of cinema - romance, drama, action, science fiction...One can one ponder where this actor would have been 5 years from now. He might go down in film history as one of those great, would have beens, a la James Dean and Leaf Phoenix

Heath Ledger has, quite literally, delivered the performance of a lifetime (reducing Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the same character in one of the earlier versions of the batman movies to a mere caricature). I smell an Oscar (Hey, he won it). What is the saddest part is that it will be his first and last.