Going uphill and back in time...

After my enforced writing spree, I am off on a break again.


 This time it is a vacation. We are off to the land of Momos and Lamas. Will share the experience when I am back

We are also going to Kolkata, my summer home, for all the memorable, growing-up years.

It’s a city I have avoided for almost a decade-because for me, it was my grandparents’ home. Now they are no more, and even that home is not there anymore. I just didn’t feel like going back to the changed city.

Yet there was a lot to go back for. A big part of the family, who’ve always been a part of me. A bit of the heritage our children need to know of course, a whole lot of memories---the rolls and mogali porota at gariahat, the tram-n-metro rides to esplanade, shopping for junk jewellery in new market, alu-dom at the lake, spicy chinese in Tangra, and our all-night aadda sessions.

Can we go back in time to all of those?
I know we can’t.

I just hope we are able to build new bond and shore up new memories to bring back with us.

Wishing everyone a great time ahead.

My Mom and me

The galaxy changes when you become a mom, doesn’t it? It starts revolving around a new center.

The realization hit me a long time ago when I was going to the hospital for a c-section. Every time I had been seriously sick before that, I had needed my mother. Yes. Even as a rebellious teenager, and independent adult, whatever…

This was the first instance when I was insistent that Mom should stay at home with Elena. Just so that my daughter can see Nani when she wakes up and know that all is well with the world.

Over the years, as life became more about taking care of others, I needed my mother even less. To the extent that this time when I had to get admitted for an emergency op, she was one person I didn’t inform at all. She would not have been able to do anything from so many miles away, and have got more stressed because of it.

But I still missed her…

One Night in a Hospital..

..and you realize how much you have to be grateful for.

You realize that beyond a point your wealth, your education, your contacts, your smartness (or the lack of any of these), just doesn’t matter. Only the skill of your doctor does. Pray for her.

You are wiser. The next time you feel a niggle, you’ll check out immediately with your friendly GP, rather than waiting till there is no option but the XYZ certified, swanky, multi-specialty hospital.

You see a live demo of the value of medical insurance. You need to stay in the floral-disinfectant smelling bed, eat “healthy” food, and wear a striped uniform for two days for what might have taken a few hours in the OPD.

You are so much better at playing sudoko on the phone that you can even beat your kids at it.

You pray. Specially if the bright red door painted “FIRE EXIT” in big bold letters has a shiny, big, padlock on it!

Elena's world

What do you do when you are frustrated?


As a mother of a ten-year old who already behaves like a teenager, I tried to convince Elena that there are ways to channelize your frustration. Creating a different world with your words is just one such way.


Does it work?


Please check out http://elenawrites.wordpress.com/ where she does it and share your suggestions..

In Absentia

It's been so long..


That I found the time and space and the mood and the keyboard all together...


I've missed blogging. But there was almost something else to do. 


And then the time was wrong. I even wrote a post, only to delete it in fifteen minutes because it was just a reflection of rocky times. Not something I would like to keep as a permanent reminder of these times.


So I just decided to wait till things are better and start all over again.


And when will that be?
Let's just wait and see!

What women really want

Battling the peak-hour Bangalore traffic in the rains I disconnect a call offering a free for life, platinum card. Then there is a huge billboard announcing something about diamonds and women’s wish lists.

At that moment, I just wish I had the time to make my breakfast.

I wish someone would make a microwave that could run on a car battery.

It wouldn’t take too much improvisation to rig up a conferencing system in the car would it? We could just finish with the meetings on the way and get straight to work.

Oh and while we are on the wishlist..a toggle to shrink the sides of the car by just a few inches so that I could squeeze by these competing BMTC buses would be such a welcome innovation. Nothing James Bond about it surely?

and just one thing more: a distance monitor to see what the kids were upto while the light turns red for the third time and I move ahead by exactly seven inches.  Those people had it even during the Mahabharta…

Hey anyone knows how to get in touch with Mr. Phungshook Wangdu?

Since we moved years ago to branded, ground Atta we don’t need that Atta chacki anymore-but something which churns out Paranthas as we juggle the clutch/accelerator would be such a blessing.

Another wish: A calorie burner/vitual treadmill that churns as I drive. 

All the marketing magicians who keep insisting on selling ULIPs and Credit Services, could you please sell me these instead?

I need them more than diamonds…and so do many other women.