A letter to my best friend!

Dear Best Friend,

You left today…finally! It’s been precisely three months since you first broke the news. The news that your husband is being relocated to London and you will move there for good.  At first, I didn’t quite believe you…your sporadic pranks are to be accused. But in due course, as you shared the development and the ensuing planning, I was sure about the move…Damn! It was true….very much….and although it took me a while to get attuned to the fact, somewhere I was preparing myself for this farewell.

As days passed by, you got busy with all the formalities, kids’ vaccinations, visas, and so on and so forth. Gosh! It’s a agony to shift and double of it to shift to an overseas location. But you handled everything so well and with such great gusto…yeah…yeah! London it is, after all! And having spent a few months in UK, I know how it feels when such an opportunity just knocks the doors!

After all the essential formalities came very significant task…Yaayyyyyy! The S word…..Shopping. We shopped and shopped and shopped….everything that we could think of. You name it and we bought it. I loved carrying those M&S, Zara, Mango shopping bags around while you walked like a duchess….that’s one business I would never dislike!

I still reminisce the first time I met you. Our sons shared the same class last year and we ended up being a part of the same whatsapp group primarily created to exchange the school related notes and other communications. Out of 30 odd members, a bunch of around 5-6 grew awfully closer through the chats and considering the fact that we had never met, we decided to meet over a coffee. After casual greetings, just as we were settling down in the coffee shop, I saw you getting out of your car in a chick salwar suit with high heeled sandals. Your hair were duly done up and eyes lined up with kohl giving a boost to your personality. Yes, you looked no less than a royalty as you walked up the stairs. By the end of that meet, I had formed my opinions about everyone and especially you. I didn’t think that I could ever be friends with you in spite meeting you couple of more times in the school. And that’s the whole point……how did I ever reach a point in my life where you became my besssttteeessssttttt friend ever. It’s been a little over a year but it feels like we’ve known each other since ages. You can literally read my mind and vice versa. You can instantaneously guess my reactions to circumstances. You can lift me up when I am low. You and only you can handle my idiocy and occasional mood swings and still love me. You turned out to be a major part of my life…literally….or shall we say a sister from another mother….!!

And today you’re gone such far away. I recognize that technology has abridged the distance deeply…but I am still gonna miss those never-ending chats until wee hours in the morning. Those shopping trips exploring the bylanes of Pali Hill, Linking Road and Lokhandwala markets. Those whole-hearted laughs in rains over paani-puris, those little things you did for my kids, and those kiddies get-togethers we organized to sneak a chance to spend time together. Huuhhhhhh! (A long sigh) I am gonna miss all this. I am gonna miss you, BFF!

I wish you all the best for this move and a new chapter in your life…! Loads of love to your chipmunks! I am going to miss them too! I am ending this letter with a wonderful quote I found on Google....

Love forever,

Life after break....

Seriously, it’s been a heck of a lifetime since I last updated my blog. Yes, I’ve been busy with my hands full but that still doesn’t justify the reason for not updating the blog…especially when I am so passionate and possessive about it. Well, to put it in a nutshell, lots of things happened over the last 4+ odd months. 

My son’s Thread Ceremony was quite an elaborate affair with dear friends and family attending it in Goa. Me and Chetan tried to play perfect hosts ensuring that everyone is duly taken care of. It was a fun week meeting all the family and friends under one roof. New friends were made, new relations formed and I am glad everyone had a great time. By the time, it all got over, we were so exhausted and that’s when our quick vacation to Himalayan Village, Sonapani (Yes, we are simply in love with that place and we WILL continue to go there…over and over….) came to the rescue. Ashish and Deepa played perfect hosts making sure we totally unwind before we were ready to face our mundane routine back. This brief vacation was a much needed rescue to our tired souls and exhausted bodies. Kids had fun too…for the first time in their lives, they had witnessed something absolutely breathtaking. Plucking fresh fruits like apricots, peaches, pears straight from the trees and eating them. Well, honestly, it’s something even me and Chetan had done for the first time, too!

Come mid-June and we were back to our routine. The kid’s vacation time got over and before I could blink my eyes, they were already back to school….in Second Grade! That’s another thing I just can’t bring myself to term with….the rate at which kids are growing. It feels just yesterday when I dropped and picked them up from their Nursery across the street and here they are…all grown up…already in their Second Grade. I guess, that’s something I will have to live for the rest of my life…although they grow bigger, smarter and better with each day…somewhere deep down, I still wish for those babies still in the diapers, crawling on the floor just longing for attention.

The weekends are just fleeting by….they just don’t exist beyond the normal grocery shopping, a visit to the market for veggies, the weekly laundry, lunches/dinners out or a movie. Oh! I just realized that I pretty much covered everything what one is actually supposed (???) to do over the weekend. Basically, we both like to do almost the similar things so there’s hardly any debate over the choices as how to spend the weekend. However, with my growing bundles of joy, it’s more like a juggling happening. My son is more like a peace lover. If given a choice, he would spend the entire day at home lying on the couch or on his iPad than stepping out with us. My daughter is more of an attention seeker. She’s totally me. Fun loving, outgoing, don’t-like-to-be-trapped-at-home kinda. Hence, juggling between son’s preferences and daughter’s choices is a bit of a challenge for us these days. But I guess, if we manage tactfully, we can still steal a few more years to dictate our terms and get the things moving….So, here’s to parenting….parenting of the Twins…parenting of Twins with different choices!

And just before I say bye...Here’s a short incident that happened at a Mall yesterday where we spent our leisurely Sunday evening. While the boys stood in the line for the movie ticket, daughter and I decided to just sit and watch people. We happened to grab a seat bang opposite the store ‘Lifestyle’… After she watched consistently at it, she just popped a question out of nowhere… “Mamma, why are some people going in that Lifestyle while some choose not to go?” I was a bit startled at her out-of-nowhere-question and before I could collect some ideas to answer it to her satisfaction…she just screamed… “Oh! I know it… The people with Style in their Life, go in the Lifestyle and people who have no Style in their Life, choose not to go in the Lifestyle…” OMG…I didn’t know how to react to it….but the lady sitting next to me, certainly did. She stood up and extended a warm handshake with my daughter and said..”Young Lady, I don’t know about the people you are referring to…but you certainly will have lot of Style in your Life…” While she left with her own sweet daughter, I couldn’t help see my daughter blushing at her remarks….

Today’s kids…I tell you…..

Happy Birthday Chipmunks!

Today is my Chipmunks' birthday and I wish them health, wealth, success, loads of love and prosperity! 

Love you Akshat & Aashvi...here's a birthday song I found that I am sure you'll enjoy watching....:-)

Long time no see!

Yes, it's really been quite a long time! However hard I attempt to stick to my pursuit of updating my blog regularly, I, one way or another, fail to stick to this commitment! More than you, I should be seeking my own mercy which doesn't sound that cool!

Things have been stirring at a melodramatically faster pace. Although, we let go of the plan to shift home for the time being, there are oodles of other tasks that were nippy enough to brawl for the top slots on the to-do list. For those who are not aware, we have planned (or rather still planning) a function in Goa to mark the Thread Ceremony of our son. We hope to keep it quite a homely and private event as he isn't too comfortable amongst too many unaccustomed faces. And because it’s HIS day, we have made it obvious to respect HIS feelings. It’s in May, and I am already dreading about how hot and humid Goa will be by then considering I've already had an extreme spat with it just this weekend. With all that holy fire around, the people and the weather…God help me in dealing with my little man! Trust me; he’s one hell of a monster when it comes to crowd, heat and rush!

Planning, as I said, is still underway. Just finalized the venue decorator this weekend and I must say man...it does cost a bomb! However, many things are still in the To-Do list. Hubby is no good when it comes to assisting in all these matters. I am glad he lent a hand while dealing with the most important task…the saree shopping! I guess, he feels that it’s the only agenda that takes such a function to its own sweet end. And Hubby, if you are reading this…No, it doesn't…there are million other stuffs that I am single-handedly dealing with and you have absolutely no idea about…..(Well, I can say, I prefer to keep it that way....remember the old saying? Too many cooks spoil the dish??? Yes, exactly.... :-)

Kids are back in school with a brand new academic year…a sleek new classroom, new friends and most prominently new teachers. Daughter is pretty excited and happy with her new teacher…well, Son takes time to adjust to anything that’s new and a new teacher is just another human…wish she had a remote control with her to tickle his ‘interest’ bones!

One advantage about not moving the home is you get to keep your old, obedient and honest staff. I was so anxious about the cycle of finding-trying-liking-changing-maids and I am so happy that I will not have to go through it all over again! But yes, kids will spend a little more time in travelling to school which was the foremost motive behind the decision to move. I guess for every little pleasure, one has to pay the price. For right now, I am gratified with wherever I am and I hope that any move, if there is at all, will be for the better!

Yyyyaaaaaaayyyyy! Its kids’ birthday this weekend. Can’t believe they’ll be seven! Seven exquisite years spent with them with most beautiful memories to cherish! They’ll grow bigger and brighter with each passing year but for me and Hubby, they’ll always be little bundles of joy that were handed over to us on 12^th April, 2007! No one can ever take away that moment from us! Something that’s too priceless to even share! We have nothing special planned for them this year but we do want to do whatever they wish on their special day –even if that means swimming in the beach at 2 o’clock in the afternoon under sweltering sun! God bless the chipmunks and their weird wishes!

See you soon! Have a great week and then the weekend and then the week again and then the weekend again……! Well, you know what I mean..:-P

A busy trimester!

With kids’ final exams, come other associated undertakings like projects, assignments and loads of other stuffs. I am surely not grouchy about them as I really enjoy myself being a part of these activities. When I was a kid myself, I remember spending a lot of time and efforts in researching, collecting pictures, etc. to complete these projects. Today, life’s become laid-back with Google at our service.  At a click, you get the information, pictures and everything that you need.  Jai Google Baba ki!!

Kids finals are scheduled during the first week of March and if you are thinking that it would bring some respite to me…hold that thought right there! There are loads of other activities in planning stage… shifting into a new place is the first one. And just while we would be settling down there, approaches their birthday which I have been ‘informed’ would be quite an affair with all their friends from school. Bingo! After the birthday, it’s time for son’s ‘Thread Ceremony’ which is planned in Goa in the month of May.  So, I’ll be spending a considerate amount of time in Goa before the function tackling plentiful preparatory activities.  And as Hubby plans to join in just a day prior to the function, it’ll be a solo show.

After the ceremony, we plan to head straight to the Himalayas to unwind ourselves after all that hustle bustle. Yes, we’re heading to The Himalayan Village at Sonapani. Yet again! Kids just love that place and it was their appeal to spend some time there which we decided to honour. We have been told by the owners that June is the best time to visit as their orchards will be thriving with fruits like peaches, apples, oranges and so many others that kids can enjoy! So, we are highly looking forward towards this trip. I am, particularly, looking forward to the peaceful atmosphere, the clear blue sky, the enthralling Himalayas that I can park myself and watch for hours and the home-cooked and absolutely tasty meals and deserts. Now that I know the surroundings pretty well, an idea of a lone and peaceful walk cannot be ruled out, too.

Aaah! I hope that by the time we are back to Aamchi Mumbai, we all are super charged up to resume our daily lives!

Will post more updates as soon as I am ready!

See ya!

Motherhood:Part II

Few days back I had a post on my Facebook page. It read as below:

“Many a times, I feel totally irritated sitting with kids and helping them in their studies. My patience is at its peak when any of them takes a longer time to understand any concept. I get upset while I am at it but when I tuck them in bed at night, I feel terribly guilty...feel like a monster mom for not handling the things properly. Gosh...it's like an emotional turbulence within me. As Moms, are you girls facing the same or it's just me???”

Yes, I meant every word of it. I am feeling that I am losing out on something. I am feeling that my patience levels are suddenly dropping. I have a feeling that I am turning into an insane and oblivious human being….a Monster Mom!

Kids are growing up and so are my duties and accountabilities as their Mother. They are no longer nappy-happy broods. Their interests are mounting beyond my judgements. Their hobbies are altering with each fleeting moment. Their vocabulary is sky scorching every minute. Their reactions, retorts, jargon, lingo and ever fluctuating moods…their inquisitiveness, their exasperation and their outlook makes me brood over whether I am sinking in my futile efforts in coping up with their intensifying sensibilities.

All this strongly makes me believe that I am entering a second phase of this journey called Motherhood. Kids want to be treated as one of us…more specifically as Adults. They demand that their opinions be considered while taking any decisions involving them. Their privacy be respected, their choices be honoured and most importantly they be treated with lots and lots of esteem. 

Things are really changing…or should I say they're already changed beyond one’s imagination. Until I was well past my schooling, I just don’t recall a single thing bought for me entirely by my choice…well, my mom always had a final say in what I would wear, which colour would suit my personality the best, what hairstyle will look good for my face cut or even whether I should participate in events at school or not. Well, today, I am being ‘informed’ that a ‘certain’ kind of dress is on the next ‘to-shop’ list, a crave for a McD meal over weekend or even where to go for the vacations. Whoa! All the innovation in the technology, the remarkable progress man has made over these years and the exposure these kids have today is finally taking a toll on Mothers…that’s the final word!

So, here’s to all those brilliant Moms out there who are screaming their guts out to ensure a childhood their kids will always be proud of….you rock, Babe! Nothing and no one can beat what you do! 

Sharing here some wonderful quotes I found on Google..... :-)

Christmas 2013!

Well...this post should have come before the 2013 ended but true to my legacy, I am late with this one...so, please excuse...

Sharing here some snaps of our Christmas celebrations. Some of you must have already seen these through Facebook.

Standing in the queue for the fun to begin....

Whoa...I am all for it.. :-)

And the fun begins...

Am I not total Christmassy??

Our favourite!

Some snacks after the games

Thank God for the Frooti!

Such discipline I tell you :-P

What is it that I am missing on?

Our favourite pose :-)

We decorated this.....!

We love this...

Such pleasure..

Isn't it cute?

Singing carols...

I am at my favourite activity....modelling for Mom!

Is this a good pose?

Oh! C'on..I am just tired!

Ornaments at our home..

Merry Christmas

Cute Little Fairy!

So nice...

Isn't it cute?

There are loads of other pictures too but I shall resist my temptation of publishing them all here....But I warn you that you'll see a lot more of my pictures in 2014 as I seriously intent to click and publish some of the best shots....!

On this note....see ya soon!

Happy 2014!

2014….yet another new beginning….yet another fresh expedition…

I would like to start this New Year with a small appeal…

God grant me the serenity to

Accept the things I cannot change.

The courage to change the things I can.

And the wisdom to know the difference.

                                     -Reinhold Niebuhr

I am not somebody who stalwartly believes in making the resolutions at the commencement of each year. It’s not that I never practiced so…Of course, I did! However, I soon recognized that most resolutions meet a disastrous finale….some gets just overlooked over the period while some just gets out of the memory lane and the lingering ones are just given a clean miss over other urgencies… In all conscience, I have experienced all of the above and hence I do not make any resolutions and take life the way it’s thrown upon me.

We had a fabulous Christmas vacation with my Mom joining in from Goa. Kids were exhilarated to be with their Aaji and so did she. Those 10 days were truly remarkable as both of them could spend some quality time together. Well, as far as I am concerned, I have outdone the age of being ecstatic at my Mom’s arrival. It’s not that I don’t like her being around…I certainly do. However, I like to find pleasure in doing things which at times she doesn’t favour. And the real awkwardness is born when she finds it tough to express it. My relations with her now are more like soul mates than mother-daughter. We discuss the entire world under this moon may it be from her job to my maids to what-she-should-be-wearing-for-a-function….And I love it that way.  Well, I love her and I wish her a very healthy and happy life.

Now that the schools have resumed, I am back to the grind….and so are the kids.  I am hoping that 2014 will motivate me harder to keep up to writing and updating my blog in addition to my other assignments.

Have a wonderful 2014!  

एक हितगुज..माझं माझ्याशीच!

खूप दिवसांपासून एक खतरनाक विचार माझ्या सुपिक डोक्यात घर करून होता...आपण काहीतरी, एकदा तरी मराठीत लिहावं असं खूप खूप मनापासून वाटत होते. पण तसं करायची हिम्मत एकजूट होतंच नव्हती. पण आज म्हटलं काही तरी खरंच लिहून पाहावं...निदान प्रयत्न तरी करावा...नाही जमलं तर द्यावं सोडून..त्याच्यात काय? पण निदान प्रयत्न केल्याचं समाधान आणि सुख तरी अनुभवता येईल. 

मराठी हा माझा तसा फार काही आवडीचा विषय वैगरे नाही पण शाळेत दहावी पर्यंत ह्या विषयात सर्वात जास्त मार्क मी कधी सोडले नाहीत. त्यामुळे ह्या भाषेशी एक वेगळंच नातं निर्माण झालं होतं. पुढे एका मराठी कुटुंबात लग्न होऊन मुंबईला आल्यापासून तर ह्या भाषेचाच आसरा होता. पूर्वी नवीन लग्न झाल्यावर बऱ्याच जणांनी विचारलं की मला एव्हडं मराठी कसं बोलता येतं! पण बऱ्याच जणांना अजूनही माहित नाही की गोव्याला मराठी हा एक विषय असतो आणि बहुतेच कोंकणी बोलणारे सगळेच मराठी पण फार सफाईदार पणे बोलू शकतात.

माझी मराठी काही एकदम कुशल पातळीवरची वैगरे नाही पण तरीही चेतन एव्हडी वर्ष माझ्याशी यशस्वीपणे संवाद साधतोय म्हणजे जरा तरी चांगल्या पातळीवरची असली पाहिजे...नाही का? अजूनही बऱ्याच ठिकाणी बोलताना कोंकणीचा अंश जाणवतो... अजूनही माश्या आल्या म्हणायच्या ऐवजी मूस आले हे अगदी सहजपणे तोंडातून बाहेर पडतं. अजूनही घरातल्या कामवालीला मुग भिजत घाल म्हणताना कुठेतरी फुगत घाल म्हणायचा मोह आवरायला बरेच कष्ट घ्यावे लागतात. आणि मग स्वतःवरच चीड येते कि एव्हडी वर्षं झाली तरीही एका भाषेवर आपण प्रभुत्व मिळवू नाही शकलो....पण असो...सगळ्यांनाच सगळंच कुठे जमते, म्हणून तर हे जग चालते....

पण आता जेव्हा मुलांना वेगवेगळ्या भाषा खूपच सहज आणि सफाईदार पणे बोलताना पाहते तेव्हा मात्र खूप समाधान वाटते. इंग्रजी भाषा हि आज-काल काळाची एक गरज झाली आहे त्यामुळे मुलं ही भाषा पटकन शिकतात. त्या व्यतिरिक्त त्यांची शाळा इंग्रजी माध्यमाची असल्यामुळे अजून भर पडते. पण घरी जेव्हा ही पलटण माझ्याशी एकदम शुद्ध कोंकणीत आणि बाकीच्यांशी शुद्ध मराठीत बोलते तेव्हा मात्र खूप गर्व वाटतो ह्या मुलांचा. बंगळूरू मधून जर मुंबईला आलो नसतो तर कदाचित दोघे कन्नड पण सराईत पणे बोलले असते. असं म्हणतात कि माणसाला जेव्ह्ड्या जास्त भाषा येतात तेव्हडा तो माणूस विद्वान. त्यामुळे जेव्ह्ड्या भाषा शिकता येतील तेव्ह्ड्या जरूर शिकाव्यात.

शेवटी मनातली एक इच्छा पूर्ण झाली ह्याचा आनंद आणि अभिमान, दोन्हीही आहे...काहीही झालं तरी मी मरेपर्यंत स्वतःला गोयंकारच म्हणेन पण  हा अभिप्राय मराठीतून लिहिताना एक वेगळीच मजा आहे!!! आणि ती मजा मला खूप दिवसांपासून अनुभवायची होती!!

(ह्या लेखनात अजूनही चुका असू शकतात..कृपया तुम्हाला आढळल्यास खाली कमेंट्स मध्ये त्यांची नोंद करायला विसरू नका.)

The Lunchbox - My first film review!

Finally watched ‘The Lunchbox’. Since I saw the trailors of the movie, I wanted to catch it anyhow. Besides, the entire cast of the film was just fuelling up my desire further. I love Irrfan Khan. His acting has always charmed me right from the Badrinath/Somnath Twin characters he played in the epic tele-serial ‘Chandrakanta’.  Films like Maqbool, Pan Singh Tomar, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Slumdog Millionaire, New York and not to forget Life of Pi further substantiated his acting abilities and tagged him as one of the hand-picked actors this industry has to provide.

About the actress Nimrit Kaur, she’s certainly awesome with a very stout existence on screen. It’s not easy to leave a noteworthy mark especially in the presence of two biggies, but she’s done a decent job in mitigating her role as Ila. Considering this is her debut film in a lead role, Nimrit Kaur enticed me with her terrific performance.  

What do I say about Nawazuddin Siddiqui! This man has just wooed me right from the first time I saw him on screen. He has portrayed strong characters in films like New York, Dev D, Firaaq, Black Friday, Gangs of Wasseypur I & II, Kahaani, Peepli Live & Talaash. In The Lunchbox, he plays Irrfan Khan’s assistant in his office doing a delightful job and flawlessly complimenting Irrfan Khan. The duo efficaciously crafts a total mystic on screen carrying the audience in a different domain.

Ila (Nimrit Kaur) is like any other middle-class Mumbai housewife. Her day starts early and involves the daily doings like getting her only daughter ready for school, preparing food for her husband who doesn’t seem to have any interest left in either Ila or their marriage,  laundry, shopping, etc.  She’s intensely alone. Call it a blunder, fluke or sheer fortune, one day the lunchbox is not delivered to her husband but reaches the desk of Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan). This lunchbox brings certain passion in this widower’s lonely life. Saajan tastes the flavours of love after years of depending on the boring mess food. His soul is warmed by this food. Ila realises that the tiffin she so dearly packs for her husband is had by someone else but is happy to see it all clean at the end of the day. On the insistence of her neighbouring ‘Aunty’ (It’s just the voice that’s portrayed and I have a strong feeling it’s of Bharti Achrekar, another noted actress), she decides to write a note to ‘the other man’ and sends it along with the lunchbox the next day. Saajan replies this note and thus begins an exchange of notes on regular basis leading to a vague bond. Ila and Saajan revive themselves with these handwritten notes. They decide to give life another chance.

The film beautifully deals with depression, isolation and unanswered love. The Lunchbox is also an ode to Mumbai. You peep into the jam-packed local trains, the over-crowded buses and the busy roads. It displays how gentle relations and ties are formed amongst the hustle bustle of the city so well-known to us. The film also takes you in your earlier years while taking a glimpse of certain scenes from Doordarshan’s Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and songs from Saajan.

Full marks to debutant director Ritesh Batra for generating a world so current yet so ancient. It’s a decent variation to see two people involving over love letters than SMS’s and Whatsapp messaging. Ritesh also has a robust grip over the storyline of the film. There are few sections in the film which are a bit stretched but you are so captivated into the film’s expressiveness that you overlook the lengthy parts. Ritesh is aided by a talented star cast who uplifts the film to, all in all, a diverse level. Adjectives nose-dive when it comes to unfolding Irrfan’s enactment. He hardly speaks in the film and just lets his body do the talking. Nimrit Kaur is a discovery. She’s the lash of fresh air that’s so required in our cinema today. She demonstrates all feelings; love, desire, grief and delight with copious ease. Her efforts seem graceful.

All things considered, The Lunchbox is one of the finest films Hindi film industry has created. It lifts us a notch higher. Do yourself an act of kindness and catch this film. And you are cautioned… you might be starving for some good home-cooked food and affection when the end credits roll.