Pinku-Enchanted Life

Hi! My last post gave rise to a lot of disbelieve. People wondered how buying a camera could become such an arduous task. So I thought it would make sense to give a step by step process note on the same. Before I begin may I say “this happens only in India”? Those of my dear readers who are ensconced in first world countries do give your inputs on whether this phenomenon is at all seen on those distant shores as well. So here goes: Step 1: Swadha sees an ad by Canon for its high end SLR cameras – that also promises easy repayment schemes along with freebies. The time is mid September. Step 2: Swadha (lets call her S cant be writing her name so many times) hop skips and jumps over to the store alongwith a colleague who is also interested and enquires about the equipment. She is shown the camera and she falls promptly in love with the Thing. Step 3: S now wants to know what all she needs to do inorder to make her love her very own. The shopkeeper tells her to take out her credit card and

Dictionary meaning: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. This post is for Swadha , who persisted in getting exactly what she wanted inspite of silly sales people, sillier credit card people and the daily disappointment of knowing that something that comes so easily to other people, takes ages to make it to her door. Sounds like a mystery? Well all she was trying to do was buy a high end digital SLR, the harassment for which (since she wanted it within a certain scheme and on EMI’s) went on for months. Well she persevered and finally got it. These pictures she took with it in Delhi and on a recent trip. Hats off to you Madam , you did do it ….finally.

Hi! Am doing a tag on characters in literature that are my favorites because I identify with them or would love to have their qualities or maybe their experiences. The liberty I am taking is to add comic characters and those from movies. Want you guys to tell me which you think I resemble most and more importantly use my comment space to tell me your favorite character. So here goes….. Eve from the Bible – imagine having the whole of paradise to yourself, no competition for your man’s attention…..the option to roam naked all over without worries and lots of cute animals for pets. Only thing missing would be chocolate…which I think I will wheedle out of God by being extra sweet to him one day. (Am sure him being a man and me being the only woman around, he would relent) Athena from the Odyssey – imagine being beautiful, intelligent and a warrior with magical talents to boot….can fight and defeat the best of men and gods. Wish I could be her for just a day…would have a long list of peopl

I was born late in the afternoon on a Friday in april, in a suburb of Delhi. My grandmother (dad’s mom) who barely spoke hindi and had come from Assam to be there with mom during her delivery distributed sweets to the entire neighborhood. Though the largely Haryanvi and Punjabi neighbors found it hard to believe that anyone could be happy at the birth of a girl child. Earlier grandma had stopped mom from going to her parents place for the delivery (as is the custom in most parts of the country). She insisted mom was a part of her family and therefore looking after both mom and the newborn was her job. She stayed with mom for three months, helping mom recover and then teaching her how to handle small children, their symptoms etc. You see I was my parent’s first child and mom had never handled a small child before. Three and a half years later my sister was born. My parents prayers for a healthy child was answered, the sex of the child had not been a part of those prayers. Throughout o

I'm: a child woman I think: honesty is the best policy especially in relations of the heart I know: the earth is round so everything comes round. Make sure you do good therefore. I want: to travel across the world and return to my country to be able to cherish its beauty afresh each time I have: confidence and a ' can do' approach to things I wish: I was taller, slimmer, prettier, smarter...naah I just wish these were not the things we judged fellow human beings by I hate: hypocrisy I miss: dad and my sister I fear: religious fanaticism will take over sanity in the country if we don’t do anything about it I feel: I have magic within me I hear: our actions in this birth determine the next...(more motivation for being good) I smell: of secret desires, enchanted lands and mysteries I crave: love I search: for fellow travelers on the road of life who share my passions and thoughts I wonder: is the world really as black as some people say it is I regret: not being always able to

It was father’s day yesterday. And today is baba’s birthday. The last time I saw him was fifteen years ago. I saw him gasping for air as his body slowly descended to the ground trying hard to resist the massive cardiac arrest he suffered. How would my life have shaped up if that fateful day he had not died but recovered? I have often wondered. Were he alive today his hair would be more grey than black. At that time it was just turning grey at the edges. Mom would still wear red and not say that her life is over. Payel, my sister might also have been alive. Might have been. Could have been. Should have been. Failed plans all. The reality is that he died fifteen years ago. Payel followed five years later. Mom looks grim and her eyes rarely smile. I am anchorless. Miss you Baba. Happy Birthday!!!

Can see only the top of your head. The nose and mouth are snuggled into my bosom. The arm thrown over me holds me tight as if the fear of my going away is real even in dreams. The legs are wrapped around mine. I can't move. Nor do I want to. Can't bear to disturb your sleep. Caressing your hair, I wonder how many more hands have done this. How many other women have lain awake, in order to cradle you this way? No, you didn't say you wanted me to But your body says it wants to be held close It wants to be reassured It wants to be loved. I am tired too, Sleep touches the corners of my eyes But I don't want to miss this exquisite moment I have lived through so many sleepless nights for this this opportunity, this right to hold you close, to touch the tip of your ears with my tongue and watch as you shiver ever so slightly what is it that I am feeling right now? Its not lust, its not even love like the romances describe it to be I feel like a mother watching over her youn