31 January, 2010

My GOD

I would run if I were asked to have a conversation with someone about my religious views. I would run, really. I've had them before, they didn't taste good. They are always controversial, and they freak me out.

I think I'm agnostic. I believe in destiny. Things don't necessarily happen for a reason. Every second is born. Nothing is planned. I believe there is something that started somewhere and doesn't know where to stop. That's the something that started mankind and mankind has gone on and on. That's the something that starts the wind out of no where. And this something can get pissed when it wants to. Maybe that's what's controlling everything.

I pray. When I pray I say - If I fail this exam, dad should not be at home when the report card reaches home. And mostly, it never works. I pray saying 'I should have the will power not to spend this money, so I can buy my brother something when I go home'. My prayer totally depends on me - I undo my prayers when I know they won't work. It keeps me happy and I call myself Practical. I don't wait for anything when I know its not going to come. Well, after all that if it does come - then I thank what went right there.

Many of my friends ask me why I go to temples - I believe in being a part of my people's beliefs. If a friend of mine believes in something I don't disturb it. And if my going to a temple I'm help my family be happy and keep the tradition strong - I do go. I pray my prayers - and I never hope they are heard. It takes me a lot to want something. And when I say it out loud or even think too much - I make it a part of my prayers.

Every time I go home after a long time, I see my God in the smiles of my family. I see my God when someone I love somewhere remembers see something I like and call me just to say they saw it. The love that binds my people with me is my God. And if you'd want to call me anything - call me as religious as hell! Cause when I love, I love loads!

29 January, 2010

EIGHT - 8 - in & around

No fever or cold can stop me from replying to Hamsi's comments or posts. This one's for you Hamsi!

8 TV shows/News Channels I like to watch:
1) F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
2) How I Met Your Mother
3) Sex & The City
4) Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations
5) Kylie Kwong - Simply Magic (Except she calls it something else now!)
6) Dinner time losers drama - Splitsvilla/Roadies
7) Beach Getaways - Travel & Living
8) Anything Cooking Anywhere!

8 Places to eat and dine:

1) Sangeetha, Chennai
2) Anganan Kadai, Coimbatore
3) Aromas Of China, Hyderabad
4) Mainland China, Chennai
5) Gallopin Gooseberries, Chennai
6) Little Italy, Chennai
7) Wanton, Chennai
8) Chinese Room, Hyderabad

8 Things I Look Forward To:

1) Any phone call from a long lost friend..
2) Getting married and settling in my very own house
3) Starting a play-school with no text book syllabus
4) Opening a KFC/MC Donalds franchisee in Tirupur (sigh)
5) My brother's wedding - (i dunno why!)
6) A get together with all my Chennai friends with their spouses
7) Starting a home for physically challenged children
8) Building a Temple


8 Things That Happened Yesterday:

1) I spent the whole day working from home
2) Skype was on the whole time. Padhu and I were talking the whole day.
3) I called Sus out of the blue and had a nice conversation with her
4) I missed my bride's maids (Hari Saran, Naveen Murugesan)
5) I missed a movie - Avatar on 3D
6) I ate potato poriyal after ages!
7) I sang out loud and worked thinking my throat would get better
8) I realized I remember lyrics of very old Tamil songs and felt proud!


8 Things I love about Winter:

1) I love to cuddle in my blankets without the fan
2) I get to lie on my bed for as long as I want
3) Sudoku loves to be chased more during winters (dunno y!)
4) Mummy give me hot chocolate first thing in the morning
5) Most friends abroad ignore the outside and prefer the internet - so we get to catch up!
6) A little bit of sun is to soak in
7) Clothes dry slow, so I don't have to wash everyday! :D
8) Sleep comes easily.


8 Things on my Wish-list:

1) A car for my brother's wedding
2) A Harley Davidson for Padhu
3) A super-duper 25 year Anniv celebration for mum and dad.
4) The perfect home with a room that's completely red - for my photo frames and collectibles :)
5) Starting a home for the physically challenged
6) Meeting AR Rahman (sigh)
7) Nikon D3000
8) -------------


8 Things I am Passionate about

1) Love
2) Writing
3) Photography
4) Singing
5) Gardening
6) ------
7) ------
8) ------


8 Words/Phrases I often use:

1) Duffer
2) Yeah, RIGHT!
3) what nonsense
4) Yayy!
5) So, what do you think?
6) Does this mean....
7) Illa Paa!
8) I don't care


8 Places I would like to go /Visit:


1) Ladakh/Leh
2) Dal Lake, Srinagar
3) The Taj Mahal, Agra
4) Darjeeling
5) Maldives
6) Coconut Lagoon, Kerala
7) New York
8) Australia


8 Things I currently need/want:

1) A working model charger for Hari's Nikon D70
2) A Nikon D3000
3) A book shelf for my room in Tirupur
4) -----
5) ----
6) ----
7) ----
8) ----



8 Blogging Buddies I want to Tag:

1) Hamsi (If i can, again)
2) Saranya Senguttuvan
3) Naveen Murugesan
4) Arunlekha Sengupta
5) Pradeep Subramaniam
6) Nagalakshmi
7) Arvind Dink
8) Upasna Nath

Waiting to see your completed versions friends!

17 January, 2010

potted daisies | cartoon strips | retirement | life

These characters made me laugh everyday. My mornings always started with them.

After I retired I took an oath. An oath to never oversleep. When I was working I always woke at 6am, had bath, plucked flowers from my garden and arranged them for the idols in the pooja room, prayed and then sit for breakfast and leave to work. My oath was to wake at 7am and do all of the above and not go to work. The first day after retirement was bliss. I was happy after the farewell they gave me in my office.

I was staring at the morning paper and smiling as I read through the cartoon section. These characters made me laugh everyday. My mornings always started with them. With little time every morning before leaving to work, I never paid much attention to these comic strips. Now I sit down with the paper after breakfast and read through them. Sometimes in the evenings when there is nothing to watch on TV, I read through them again and smile. Some of these comic strips make me laugh.

I was getting used to my schedule now. I would finish reading the paper and then I would water some potted plants on my balcony. Then I would finish lunch and take a long afternoon nap. I would wake and have tea and then walk my dog for 2 hours. Fudge liked these 2 hours. He would walk with me in style. I knew I was old. But my evening walks was my time to show off my track pants and sunglasses. My daughter in law got them for me when she went to Hawaii. Fudge wore his super strap collar with his name engraved on a silver dollar. He didn't walk like a normal dog after he left the house gates. His walk always changed to a little trot and a stylish one. Fudge was 5 years old.

I was done with my morning paper. I walked to my to get my hat. I used it to escape the sun while I watered the plants. I wore the hat and walked out with the bucket and mug. I usually cleaned the pots when they had old leaves in them. I threw away the old leaves and just when I was about to enter the house I heard a car horn. I turned to see a Grey Civic enter the lane. I stood to see who it could be. Our house was the only one in that lane. The nearby plots were all empty. Any visitor had to be our visitor. I watched as a man in a white dhothi and white shirt enter with his wife. They were both in their mid forties I assumed. They smiled and me and said Namaste. I smiled back and did the same by joining my two hands.

I assumed they were my son's friends so I called out for my daughter in law. Sathya came to the door and welcomed them inside. I walked back to the room to get rid of my hat. I loved it when we had visitors. I had people to talk to. After retirement I spoke to my son, my daughter in law and my grand kids. It was usual daily stuff. When we had visitors people asked me about my retired life and I liked the attention. I walked towards them and seated myself on the sofa. The two of them stood up as I sat and then seated themselves.

Meanwhile Sathya had inquired who they were. They had come to ask my grand daughter's hand in marriage to their son. I was overjoyed. I realized at that moment how old Preethi was and smiled to myself. The man introduced himself and his wife. He told me about their family business and what his son was doing. He handed over his son's horoscope. Matching horoscopes are an important part of South Indian marriages. Sathya asked me to accept it and then received it from my hands. They spoke to me for a long time. Sathya kept the horoscope in the pooja room and prayed and came back to the hall. She offered sintoor to the lady.

They told me how they had heard about Preethi and where they had seen her. After having tea and some snacks they left. I sat on the sofa thinking for a while. I then smiled to myself about how time had flown so quickly. It felt like yesterday when Sathya was carrying Preethi her first born and bringing her inside the house. I remember how I had blessed her as a baby with hundred rupees. Sathya came back to the hall after she sent them off. She spoke to me about their family and then said she would go to the astrologer with my son in two days. I prayed that very instant that Preethi have the best in her life.


After sometime Sathya called me for lunch. I sat at the table and waited for my son to come home. We all had lunch together. We spoke nothing. I had a feeling everyone at the table was thinking how quickly Preethi had grown up.


After my afternoon nap I walked to the hall to find no one. Sathya had left a note for me. It said that she and my son had left to the astrologer and there was tea on the stove. It also said she would pack dinner from outside for tonight. Sathya was always protective about me. I knew to make tea but she made it a point I go through no trouble every time she wasn't home by tea time. She was literally my daughter ever since she married my son.

I heated my tea and sat by the lawn and watched the setting sun. They came back at around 730pm. I waited near the door as he parked the car. Sathya came towards me and told me that the horoscopes had matched. I was overjoyed. I thanked God and walked to the pooja room. Sathya offered me some sweet.

The next three weeks were sheer celebration. There were ceremonies for the families to meet. There was a private dinner party in the house. Preethi had quit her job and was back home. The house was lit up always. It was a very happy month for everyone. Preethi had grown up so much in my eyes in that one month. She usually pressed my feet at the end of the day and spoke to me for an hour or so. Now she was with me throughout the day. We shared our morning paper. She would read the comic strip out and laugh with me. We watched TV together. She cooked different dishes from her cooking class and feed me. My usual answer was 'Amazing' not because it was but because it was her!

The day finally came. The whole family had left to the marriage hall to spend the night there. It was early morning muhurtham. I stayed back at home. Sathya had arranged for a driver for me and some other people who were staying over at home that night. I woke early for Preethi's big day. I woke at 330am. I had a quick shower. I prayed and waited for the others to get ready. I was wearing a new silk dhothi and shirt that Sathya, my son and Preethi picked out for me. I got into the car and we were on our way.

As we crossed the temple at the end of the road, I prayed for a moment. I thought of those days when Preethi was a little girl and we would walk to this temple every Friday. She would hold my hand and never let go. She would get the sintoor from the pujari without standing in line and bring for me as well. With her I never had to stand in line. I thought of the days when we both had sat on the steps of this very temple and had coconut prashad. I smiled at how quickly days had gone by and in a few minutes we were at the marriage hall.


I assumed Sathya was busy getting Preethi ready. The rest of the immediate family was at the reception. I joined them to welcome the guests. I heard Sathya's voice. I saw her talking to a few guests. I called out to her to tell her I had arrived. She walked towards me and told me to get some coffee before the muhurtham. I asked her if Preethi was ready. She said Preethi would be ready in a while. I walked to the dining hall where they served coffee. I spoke to a few guests and walked back to the reception. My friends from my work place had all just arrived. I was having a nice time with them. Family from different places had come clad in their best. They all spoke to me about my retirement. This day couldn't get any better.

It was almost time for the muhurtham. All of us from the reception walked inside the hall. I went straight to the first row to find myself a seat. I watched as the pujari and groom sat by the agni and chanted mantras. I heard a little hustle around and I saw everyone craning their necks towards the flight of stairs. I tried to catch a glimpse and I saw Preethi in her wedding attire accompanied by her friends. She was in a gorgeous red saree and clad with jewelry. She was looking prettier than ever. She had her head down and she walked towards the stage. As she sat near the groom I smiled at her and waved. Preethi looked and me and smiled a shy smile back. I remembered the very smile a few years back. She had worn a saree for the first time. She came walking to my room in an uncomfortable limp to show me what she was wearing. She was trying her mother's saree for her farewell in school.

I smiled to myself. I looked up to see she was smiling back. She had an impish look in her face. I called it her 'Preethi look.' When she knew she was up to something, she had that look. I grinned at her. After a lot of mantras, the pujari signaled for them to stand up. The complete hall stood up along with them and threw the flower petals as the groom tied the knot around Preethi's neck. I could see very little with all the photographers hiding the main stage.

In another five minutes the couple walked towards me and fell on my feet for blessings. I blessed them and hugged the two. Preethi hugged me back and pinched my cheeks the Preethi way. We shared a laughter. A laughter we shared every morning with the cartoon strip. A laughter we shared with every grandpa story of mine. A laughter we shared while the TV rambled. A laughter we shared at the table. A laughter we shared while trimming the lawn. A laughter we shared while she misspelled a word in scrabble. A laughter we shared on the temple steps while eating coconut. A laughter we shared while she taught me how to use the internet. A laughter we shared as we both grew as grand father and grand daughter.

I watched her walk to other guests to get their blessings. I smiled with pride at my grand daughter.

11 January, 2010

One night after work..

I was done with my pile for a day. It was 10pm already and I knocked on the Chopra's door with great difficulty. I was carrying 111 pieces of clothing. As usual, they grandson Bunty opened the door and yelled, 'Dhobi hai.' Mrs.Chopra came to the door to collect the clothes. She counted them all and paid me 300 rupees. I searched for change and managed only 20 rupees. She told me to keep the change.

As I turned to leave, she called out for me. She went inside the house and for a while I could not see what she was doing. I wasn't allowed to enter anyone's house. My job was to collect clothes outside the door and return the same ironed there itself. The Chopras had been living here for over 12 years. They moved here when Mr.Chopra got the senior manager post with the electricity board. He had worked in Chennai before he shifted here. He retired about a year back. Mrs.Chopra came back with a few bags and gave them to me. She said they were used by her grandchildren in school the previous year and they didn't need them anymore. I took it from her and thanked her and left. As I was walking downstairs, I heard Mrs.Chopra yell at Bunty for spilling water from the water can.

I walked down 5 floors and reached the gate of the building. I moved to the side to allow a nice black car enter the building. The car stopped for a moment and the driver lowered the window on the back side of the car. It was Natalia Madam. She was the fashion designer who lived on the 8th floor. She lived alone, but she had many people guests. Today she was with a new guest. He was dressed in subtle jeans and t-shirt. From his looks I guessed his age to be 28-32. But what do I know; film stars look young even when they are sixty. Natalia Madam called out for me and asked me to collect clothes and leave.

I went back to the stairs and started climbing. I heard her again. Natalia madam always called me 'bhaiya.' I had seen her with many men in the past. They were either friends, or boyfriends. I had never seen her with any woman except when her mom visited her once a year. She had been a resident of the building for over 20 years. She started her career as an assistant designer and now she was one of the top designers in the town. Her house was her workplace plus studio. She called out for me and asked me to take the elevator with her. I was not allowed to use the elevator of the building. But whenever she saw me climbing stairs she would ask me to take the elevator with her. She treated me like just another friend and never forgot to tip me. Every Diwali she would give my daughters a gift - either clothes or money. She even once visited me in my house or hut rather when I fell ill and didn't work for a week.

I joined Natalia madam and her friend in the elevator. In the light of the elevator, I could see his face even clearly. He was the model who was in many billboards above our huts in my slum. I could see how clean his face was with no spots. I looked down to avoid staring. We reached the 8th floor and I waited to close the doors. Natalia madam had one of the best looking houses in the building. She lived on the penthouse which was equal to 2 normal apartments put together.
Her apartment was different. There was no picture of God anywhere. There wasn’t any pet. Years ago she had a dog for about 3 months and when he went missing she was so shattered she didn’t buy/adopt any pet. Natalia madam came back with 3 big bags of clothes for me. She called out for me as I was still standing outside. She had no problem with me entering her home. I went in and her friend handed me the 3 bags. He then explained that one bag was for my children. I opened to see clothes inside and smiled at him and thanked Natalia madam and left.

I smiled as I walked downstairs. Lakshmi and Ponni would be very happy to see new clothes I thought. I walked downstairs and walked to the security cabin. I realized I hadn’t given back change for madam’s clothes last time. She had generously given me Rs.200 for a bill of Rs.145. I ran upstairs hoping to reach before she could lock the door. When I reached her floor I saw the elevator beeping. I closed it to make it stop and watched it go downstairs immediately. I walked to madam’s door. The door was open to my relief. I still rang the bell and called out for madam. There was no answer for 2 minutes.

I rang the bell again and waited. It was almost 5 minutes then. I was wondering why she wasn’t coming to the door. I rang the bell again and waited thinking this would be the last time. In the eerie silence, I heard a muffled voice. I tried to locate this voice near the elevator till madam answered the door. I couldn’t figure out what the voice was. I came back to madam’s door and took one step in to check. Something told me I heard it louder. I walked in confidently and called out for madam. This time the answer was a little louder. Something was wrong. There was no way madam could not go without answering the bell so long. Maybe she was bathing, but her door was open. Where was he? Why was he not answering the door? I decided not to enter then. What if he was there? What if he didn’t like it that I entered? I walked back to behind the door. I decided to return the change the next day and walked towards the stairs.

As I walked down the stairs I saw drops of blood. They were leaving a trail of course – downstairs. I for sure knew they weren’t there when I came upstairs. My heart was beating faster now. I touched one drop to check if it was blood. Well, it was. I walked down two flights of stairs to see where it leads to. The blood trail led to the elevator area on the 6th floor. The elevator’s button had blood stains on it.
The voice, the elevator door, the blood. I ran back upstairs and straight into madams flat. I ran into her bedroom and found her in a pool of blood. She was bleeding from her stomach and it looked like she was stabbed. The room looked like there was a tornado inside. Vases broken, papers thrown around, curtains on the floor, mirror broken. My mind was racing. I couldn’t decide what to do. She was the muffled voice, she was the answer to my calls. Where was he? I knew I evidently remembered his face. If I didn’t the watchman would. Now all I needed was to carry madam to the car park and then call for ambulance.

I ran to the building intercom. I dialed for security and informed them. In less than 3 minutes, the security guards were helping me carry madam to the elevator. Someone had informed the police and called for the ambulance. We reached the ground floor and got madam out of the elevator. Before we could reach the gate the ambulance arrived. Two men dressed in white carried madam and set her on the stretcher. For a minute the whole scene was white. Residents from the building were assembling to see what had happened. The police as usual arrived last. A team of 5 men ran towards the ambulance and spoke to the nurses. I looked for someone from the building to go to the hospital along with madam.

I walked to the secretary and asked him to send someone. He refused to go along or send anyone till he knew she would survive. No one was ready to accompany madam to the hospital. When the ambulance was just about to leave I jumped inside. Along with me, madam’s driver Sukri also jumped in. He held madam’s feet and cried. I was in tears. I was scared for madam.

The ambulance was really fast. The 6 minutes it took for us to reach the hospital were the longest 6 minutes of my life. Madam’s face flashed in front of my eyes. With all this, I realized that I hadn’t really thought of informing madam’s mother. I asked Sukri if he had her number. Sukri had all contacts that madam possibly had on her phone. He immediately called her mother and informed her. While he spoke, he mentioned that madam had met with an accident and was being rushed to the hospital.

We reached the hospital and the nurses and the emergency team hurried to get madam out of the ambulance. A few doctors came by and asked me how long it had been since all this happened. To me it had been like eternity. But it was just 20 minutes before that I was standing outside her door and ringing the bell. They asked me if I knew her blood group – Sukri answered immediately saying B+. The doctors checked her eyes and asked if she was a drug addict. Sukri answered with a no and said she was on high medication for a skin disease. They asked if any immediate family was around for paper work. Sukri offered to sign papers as a friend. He signed so many papers and said he will get her insurance papers from her office. Till then I had no idea madam had an office. To me her house was her workplace and studio.

By then they had wheeled madam into the emergency area. I waited outside not knowing if I could leave. After a short while the police arrived at the hospital. One of them came right up to me and asked me what had happened. I narrated the whole story to them and told them that madam was with a man and how he was missing. I was so angry. So scared. And then I started crying. I cried to the police. I told them how she had just given me a bag of clothes for my children. The policeman with the bigger moustache stopped me from crying and said madam will be fine.

I was asked to sign a few papers. They had drafted in 3 pages what I had said and I was asked to sign it. The police then sent one of them to the doctor and then asked me to accompany him to the building. I got into their van and sat. I tried to rest my head thinking and praying that madam will be fine. As I entered our building I saw the crowds flocked around in groups talking. I got out for the van walked with the police upstairs. As we came to the 8th floor I could see crowds outside madam’s apartment. There were people with cameras and notepads. They took me straight inside the house and I saw men with brushes wiping tables and chairs with white powder. When I narrated the story to the police I told them about the missing man form madam’s apartment. When I entered the bedroom I saw a group of men suited up on their mobile phones. I showed the police where I had found her. I took them to the stairs and showed them the trail of blood and where it ended. I explained how I had found the trail and returned to the house.

The senior officer asked me where I lived. I told them and then he asked another officer to give my house security. I didn’t know what was happening. I softly asked him why that was required. He said in a kind soft tone ‘Brother, you are the witness to this incident. If I lose you then we won’t be able to punish the culprit.’ I didn’t know what I had to do. After sometime they sat me down and walked around me. I was clueless.
It was late. The building lights were all on. One policeman accompanied me to my home. He walked with me. He offered me a cigarette. I refused it and walked with him. I walked home with a heavy head. I didn’t want to go home and see the worried look on my wife’s face. I was carrying the very bag madam gave me. I reached home and told my wife everything. She sobbed with her face in her hands. I asked the policeman if I could go to the hospital. He said it would be ok.

I took Munni along. I stood outside the hospital gate and prayed for a minute. As we entered, Sukri came running from the car parking. Sukri was carrying a suitcase. I caught up to his running and asked him how madam was. Sukri reached the cash counter. As we waited in the line, he said madam had lost a lot of blood. They were going to operate her early in the morning. She had survived the worst part of the incident. She needed to be operated and she needed a few stitches. Sukri told me to count some money. I lost count after Rs.10, 000. I counted Rs.10, 000s separately and gave it to Sukri ten times. He smiled and paid it at the counter. I went back to where my wife was standing. She was walking towards me saying ‘Madam is going to have an operation in the morning and then she will be alright’. I wondered at how she always knew where to find information and how quickly her sources worked. I smiled at her and asked her if we could go to the temple to pray for madam.

We walked to the public bathroom. I washed myself and changed my banian. We walked to the temple in the hospital campus. Sukri came with us. We prayed and took the prashad to the room where madam was kept. We weren’t able to see madam. Sukri was looking more peaceful now. He kept getting calls on his mobile. He was talking non-stop. He looked peaceful and hopeful now. He was waiting with us when he asked me what happened. I then realized he had no idea what happened. I narrated the story to him once again.

We fell asleep on the hospital corridors and woke around half an hour before madam’s operation. We washed up and prayed once more. Sukri and I walked around the hospital corridors for hours. After a while we bought us some food. I sent Munni home to take care of the kids. She took some food and left. We sat on the corridor outside the operation room. After a long time the doctors came out. Sukri ran to the doctor and asked him. I stood behind him and heard the doctor say she will survive. We breathed out and thanked the doctor. Sukri fell on his legs and started crying. I wiped my eyes and asked when we could see madam. He said something about being transferred to another room and left. Sukri saw how confused I looked and said we could see her the next morning.

I said a silent prayer that she be fine. I prayed for her happiness. I prayed life was never lonely for her ever again. I prayed her sins be forgiven in the blood she lost. I prayed she be blessed with a family. As I prayed I thanked God.

07 January, 2010

mixed feelings

I woke up this morning thinking my countdown does not start with 5 anymore. 49 days left in hyderabad.

I have never cursed life or what it have given me. I believe in destiny. Wherever my life has taken me, I've packed my bags and reached there. Destiny's plans for me have been solid and have made life easy for me. I have had no troubles settling in a new place, I have no troubles making new friends. I sat near 25 unknown children when I joined my first boarding school in Ooty - Nazareth and I was pretty happy. I cried to see my parents go back home without me and that's the only time I've cried because I was scared. After that every hostel, every boarding school has been my home. My very home with my own little happy, chirpy family. From my own little tooth brush holder to my very cot to lie on. Home was summer holidays and winter holidays. I grew up with similar minds and minds of the same age.

My family has been extremely supportive of everything I do.. even now. They allowed me to contest an election in college, they allowed me to organize music concerts with friends in college, they allowed me to back answer a teacher in school (they came to school and stood up for me), they wrote to me every week, they have been there for everything. Its like the mother ship is calling me back home with this wedding coming up. I'm excited, to a great extent. But somehow the thought of leaving this place makes my vision blur.

My dad was dead against me joining Google. He wanted me to do my MBA in a college in around Coimbatore. I then had no mindset to remain within my city limits to study the course. He was adamant and he applied to colleges for me. Many colleges. He received the interview cards and I attended interviews everywhere. I got through to all and I still had no interest.

I sat him down and said I was not prepared to call myself a student within a campus wearing a blazer. He let me go. My mom as always let me go. My brother AS ALWAYS let me go. And that's all I have wanted! They always knew I would come back and they sent me wherever I wanted to go.

Among the many ppl who arrived at Hyd, I was one of them who didn't bring my parents along. I arrived with absolutely no idea about what was ahead of me and started work. It's been 2 years 9 months now and more than fabulous.

So far, my life has been a story of 'in a suitcase, up and down.' Soon, I'm gonna be at home. A new home.

But to leave the present home, it pinches me. I wake and realize its 2010.

Hyd has been a wonderful home.. so far. Friends have been so great. I wish I could pocket everyone and take them home as little people.

Little people who can - switch on my geyser every morning, give me a hug anytime, cook delicious meals with me and hog it with me, fix my mouse/keyboards/laptop anytime, get drunk and come home at 4 for me to open the door, buy me my favorite chocolates wherever they see it, wait for my mum's murukkus whenever I get back from home, talk to me for hours about their favorite food, make instant food plans, waste a lot of money on food just cause WE LOVE IT, log in to check my work for me, call me to tell me what's the lunch menu, message me form the loo, scream at lizards with me, go for shopping sprees with me when I don't buy anything, pick up my dad's calls and say I'm bathing, shout at me for spoiling my brother .. be themselves around me.

My Hyderabad chickas and yeah of course the Fat Boy Clan and the other great men - I'm gonna miss ya all like mad!

Winter soup - Recipe

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