Music and Lyrics

Those who know me well might be surprised by what I'm going to write next. Can't blame you, I was stunned myself when I found myself swaying and humming along to an old song that was playing on TV - a handsome Dev Anand (yesteryear's of course) was serenading Simi Garewal with the melodic 'Khwaab ho tum ya koi Hakeekat'; perched on a piano and doing his famous, trademark head-nods. It brought back memories, some 22-odd years ago, when Dad would sing this beautiful song to the kiddo-me. Dad was a huge music-enthusiast in those days - he knew every popular Hindi song by heart (the older the song, the better) and showed off his vocal skills by singing to us, whenever we cried or were being particularly moody. My sister and I lapped it all up with joy... no wonder we still know these songs, despite they being churned out several decades ago. You still can't beat Dad at that so-ingrained-in-our-picnic-culture game of Antakshari, the mere mention of which evicts an agitated cry from me, mostly because I suck at it. A profound hate for this game is the sole reason why I don't travel by bus anymore, because you inevitably end up reflecting, 'Baithe baithe kya karein?' (how about sleeping, guys? Sigh, no takers!). Then someone gets a brainwave... the 'bright' idea of playing Antakshari has magically popped in his/her heavily constrained head, praise be the Lord! What follows next is anyone's guess. Very reluctantly, you are dragged into the silly charade, meanwhile fending off several allegations (don't be a spoilsport yaar/ so what if you have a sore throat/ so what if you don't know Hindi songs?/ don't worry, you are in 'both teams'). Then somewhere between Mumbai and Pune you find yourself singing horribly out of tune, clapping to imaginary drums, and making a colossal fool of yourself, because you know only the first 2 lines of the song, even fumbling with that. Almost immediately you hear wild cries of 'Cheating, cheating!! Minus 10!! Minus 10!!' Hey now, wait a minute.... WTF!! Didn't I tell you... no... INSISTED that I didn't want to play this dumb game before?!? Hmmmpf!! Bhalai ka zamaana hi nahi raha :(
PS: Note how effortlessly I have grossly digressed from the point of this post. Well, what can I say? Antakshari has that sort of an effect on me.

Anyway, I was saying.... that this appreciation for music (except Antakshari, of course) has passed on to me as well. During my teenage years, I underwent this metal/rock music phase (like most teenyboppers... in my time LP, and The Rasmus, for some reason were considered cool). However, sadly, this almost always had a disturbing and throbbing effect on any peace-loving soul that had the misfortune to co-habitat in my vicinity. Pounding headaches, cardiac arrests and even a burning desire to commit grave, multiple murders could not be ruled out; especially when Chester Bennington (of the LP fame) & Rob Zombie were yelling their lungs out from the confines of my speakers. My neighbour Uncle George, while passing by our house quipped one day, "Yeh Shastriji ka ghar nahi, koi Fernandes ka ghar lagta hai," then guffawing aloud at his own lame joke. Very funny uncle, HA HA HA. You couldn't get more stereotyped than THAT, even if you tried really hard to prove otherwise.

Fortunately, I have grown up (duh!) and am a much calmer and restrained version of the previous me. Uncle George now sleeps less fitfully and Mom has broken two coconuts at the local temple, as a symbol of great gratitude for rescuing her hearing faculties from total annihilation. Since this post began with a mention of one of my favorite songs, allow me to enlist a few more - songs that I can listen to at any hour of the day.

1. Home (Michael Buble) "Another aeroplane, another sunny place... I'm lucky, I know... but I wanna go home" Everyone of us can relate to that!

2. Starry, Starry Night (Josh Groban): "But I could've told you Vincent, this world wasn't meant for one as beautiful as you..." *goes weak in the knees*

3. Strawberry Swing (Coldplay): "Now the sky could be blue, I don't mind.... without you, its a waste of time" Awwwwww, Chris Martin... when you're around, everyone else is a waste of time!

4. Apologize (One Republic): "I loved you like a fire red, now its turnin' blue... And you say, sorry like the angel, heaven let me think was you... But I'm afraid its too late to apologize" Another broken heart? Too many of them these days! Misery loves company though!

4. Say it Right (Nelly Furtado): "No, you don't mean nothing at all to me... but you got what it takes to set me free.... Oh you could mean everything to me" Nelly says it right!

5. Aaoge Jab Tum (Ustad Rashid Khan): "Aaoge jab tum saajna... angana phool khilege.... barsega saawan jhoom jhoom ke… Do dil aise milenge" You can't go wrong with lyrics like these!
6. New Shoes (Paolo Nutini): "Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything is right" How many of us have felt THAT way one Monday morning?

7. Oxford Comma (Vampire Weekend): "Who gives a f**k about an Oxford comma? I've seen those English dramas too, they're cruel. So if there's any other way to spell the word, it's fine with me. Why would you speak to me that way, especially when I always said that I haven't got the words for you? All your diction dripping with disdain... through the pain I always tell the truth " Smartest lyrics I've heard in a long time!

8. In Da Club (50 Cent): The lyrics are too profane to be included here ;) But I'm positive that the whole world and its uncle LOVES this groovy hip hop number!

9. Kiss Me (Sixpence none the Richer): "Kiss me beneath the milky twilight, lead me out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hand strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon's sparkling, so kiss me" Mushiness rules!

10. Hello (Evanescence): "Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken... Hello.... I'm the lie living for you so you can hide" How the HELL do they come up with lyrics like these?

There are so many more.... but that's all I can think of right now! And yes, I have included one Hindi song so don't accuse me of being the angrez wannabe. I relate to the Queen's language more... not Hindi, not even my mother-tongue.... so run off, naysayers!

I'm not here, am I?

Have barely got the time to relax this past month - so blogging is a remote possibility. Allow me to tell you why (as if you, poor reader, have a choice). There's always a price to pay for being efficient. And one must inevitably and quite deservedly pay for being an insufferable workaholic. By the latter kind I refer to one of those smart-alecs you may bump into: the omnipresent geek, the irritating prissy or the self-righteous know-it-all -- take your p(r)ick. They're all equally disastrous. Now, I don't know which category I fall into, but I certainly know I am not a geek (atleast not anymore), I barely have the bodily-constitution to make my scrawny-self available at any occasion that may or may not demand my presence and neither I am a full-of-myself-know-it-all. In fact, I am just a beginner. Still the new-kid-on-the-block. Yet, I am given responsibilities way beyond my calibre and capability. Why? Because I am good at what I do. Organized work is my forte. Shabby jobs, incomplete reports or missed-deadlines are out of question. Blame the Virgo in me for being a tad too finicky (to the point of manic obsession). And this very inherent trait is taken advantage of by all who are aware of these vulnerabilities. 'Avanti kar legi,' is the widespread assumption. Avanti is the one you dump your worldly worries upon. Avanti is the one who will make life easy for everyone around her. And Avanti is inadvertently THE damsel who will respond to distress. Unflinchingly. Gee, I feel like Mother Teresa already.

In all fairness, I consider myself fortunate that I am the first person that comes to the stumped mind in the event of dire straits. Still, I'm tired of being the fallback gal. I'm tired of being the resident, local dump. I must learn to protest. I must learn to say 'No'. And most importantly, I must give myself more of my own attention. Till then, the object of my all-too-frequent rants should be me. No one else.

So if I don't fade away into oblivion soon, see you at the next post.

Travelogues - Part III (Nainital-Corbett-Ranikhet-Delhi-Mumbai)

The last leg of our journey was perhaps the most exciting and most interesting one. For we visited the enormous jungles of the Jim Corbett National Park, which covers nearly 1300 sq. kms of Uttaranchal's land. India's oldest national park comprises a massive treasure of trees, exotic birds & wildlife including the famed Bengal tigers, thus presenting a rich visual treat to one and all who visit this place. A 3 hour open-jeep safari left us replete with lovely memories of the abundance of flora and fauna in the park and made us wish for more. A dip in the Kosi river was also on the cards and we had a fun time splashing around.

Next on the stop was Ranikhet which boasts of a huge golfing ground atop a high-altitude mountain. Ranikhet is also a popular spot for shooting films as it has the typical 'running around trees' kinda look about it. Well, we did walk about the trees, didn't run around them as is the norm ;)

Ranikhet being the last on the itinerary, our trip was now complete and left us with many lovely memories of Mussoorie, Nainital & Corbett. The fact that we were so far from the bustling city life, rid of all worries and nestled under the wings of pure nature itself left us revitalized, perhaps for a few months. Rest assured, that piling work on my desk will be tended to with a new vigor and zest. Thank you Kesari for a memorable experience!

Pics of Corbett Park/Ranikhet:

With Deeps at the Kosi River, Corbett

Almost blown away by the wind, you think?

Don't go by the look, Khushi was very 'khush' splashing around in the river... was in the midst of performing a balle balle

With Heena, Khushi's sis

Took this snap while a lissome pony was trying to cross the river

Entrace to Jim Corbett Park

One of the many 'sambhars' (deer) spotted: such gentle creatures!

Interiors of the Park

The Kosi passing through Corbett Park (this view was featured in the National Geographic, took one of my own!)

Dense interiors of the park where the only sounds are that of the jeep's tires crushing pebbles underneath and those of various birds chirping

The open-air jeep, the ride in which was a thrilling experience

Lush green interiors of the park

Winding roads in the midst of the jungle (gave us a sore back the next day!)

Ahem. Ranikhet Golf Course. Bollywood's favorite spot.

Amidst gigantic pine trees

Hug-a-tree

Now all I need is a pillow and a blanket ;) Bliss!

Travelogues - Part II (Mussoorie-Dehradun-Nainital)

After a refreshing stay at Mussoorie, Nainital was next on the agenda. Though not as beautiful as Mussoorie, it nevertheless has a few tourist attractions... namely cable cars, a lake where one could enjoy boating and the Nainadevi temple. Our resort wasn't anything to write home about, but it was situated right in the middle of 3 mountains. Overlooking a large lake, little hamlets and scenic farmlands. The highlight of our stay here was a 2 hour trek (only Deeps and myself) in these mountains where we spoke to locals, clicked pictures with kids, ascended and descended mountains - off the beaten track that is.

Pics of the Nainital stay:

En-route to Nainital

At Dehradun, our bus dutifully parked alongside


At Dehradun


Splendid view from our resort, Khurpatal, Nainital

Farmlands of Khurpatal, Nainital

Serene view from Naini Lake, Nainital

Shikara ride, Naini Lake, Nainital

Those are the smiles the shikara drivers gave when we asked them to pose for our cameras

Nainadevi Temple viewed from the Naini Lake

Ritual of tying red scarfs at the temple

The temple (notice the priest peeping out)

That's tall!

Atop hills, as usual (Snow View Point, Nainital)

A stately pine tree at Snow View Point, Nainital

View from Cable Car, Snow View Point

Another View (Naini Lake on the left)

Our resort (top right) as viewed from the ghats, Khurpatal, Nainital

Bonzo, the adorable four-legged guest at our resort, Nainital

Fooling around with 'pahadi' kids, Khurpatal

A dangerous perch, but with a beautiful view

Travelogues - Part I (Mumbai-Delhi-Haridwar-Mussoorie)

Destination: Mussoorie, Nainital, Jim Corbett National Park

Purpose: Get outta Mumbai! Bye bye mundanity!

Days: 7

How to get there: Airplane, bus, car, van, jeep, cable cars (you name it!)

Route: Hail Google Maps:

View Larger Map

The trip was long overdue. A quick getaway was what we needed to escape from the confines of our mundane, city-slicker-lives. So, after procuring the necessary clearances from our respective bosses and parents (the latter being a formidable task!), Deeps and I set off for a 7-day sojourn to the northern terrains of India, to Nainital-Mussoorie-Corbett, nestled at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. Excitement was on the top of the agenda in the run-up to the start of the journey! No nagging parents, no tag-along siblings..... only the Himalayas for our company!

On the morning of 13th, with groggy eyes and a thousand instructions ringing in our ears (Moms will be moms!); we boarded the 5.50 am flight to Delhi. We needed to be on time at Delhi's Nizamuddin station in order to be collected by our tour leader. As luck would have it, the plane developed a snag and was delayed for over an hour. Some nail-biting ensued, however the problem was solved and the flight resumed. I had the misfortune of having a chatty-yuppie-thing for a neighbour who desperately tried to strike a conversation with me. I am at my unfriendliest-best in the mornings and the last thing I needed was an irritating chap next to me, trying to discuss the condition of my being, where I was headed to, blah blah blah. So I shut my eyes and pretended to sleep, shutting the guy out from any further conversations. Rude, I know. But this minor annoyance had to be dealt with a firm hand. Delhi beckoned and out we stepped into a surprisingly pleasant weather. Hailing a cab to Nizamuddin was the immediate task and we couldn't have got a more colourful chap as our driver. Slow-to-understand, muttering incomprehensibles under the breath and his cab's dashboard dotted with pictures of lingerie models, we had a tough time controlling our giggles at the man's utterly honest flamboyance of a typical UPite (no offense meant to anyone, we all have our own peculiarities). But reach us he did, and that too on time. Full marks to him for that.

Now the hunt for our tour leader from amongst the swarm of passengers at Nizamuddin began. No sign of him. But then, we see a flash of gold. Then a black mass appears. No it isn't another taxi. That's Chetan (aka Rajnikanth aka Pappu) for you. Our tour leader and a man on a mission. Also a man with a terrible tan and in desperate need of a stylist.

We begin the long 12 hour trip to Mussorie, on route halting at Haridwar for a quick aarti-darshan on the banks of the Ganges. Needless to say, the place teems with devotees and fervour of the faithful. My second visit to the place was as enjoyable as the first. Only this time, I took more pictures than the first.

Welcome to Delhi

Directions please?

God alone: Abandoned statues on the banks of the Ganges, Haridwar

A mighty statue of Lord Shiva at Haridwar



A hawker with her wares, Haridwar




Hawking Mirrors (Notice Lord Shiva's reflection on the top-right mirror)

Aarti at Haridwar

The first thing that strikes you about the highways of Uttarakhand is the number of people on it. Lined up along the roadside, all gawking at you as if you were a shady alien from an equally-shady Bhojpuri film set. A few even manage to stand agape with their jaws slightly open for added effect. The counter-effect on your part is that of extreme amusement. Another feature of this strange place is the number of blatant advertisments of 'gupt-rog clinics' that dot EVERY wall. Painted in bold-white and promising a cure for 'jawaani ki niraasha', these ads are in your face and make you wonder if Dr. Samrat, Dr. Sagar, Dr. Hakim, Dr. Saif, Dr. Rakesh Agrawal (real names I've read off the walls) and other luminaries are indeed responsible for the mounting population problem of this country.

Not so 'gupt' about their ailments: Roadside Graffiti, NH72, Uttarakhand

Mussoorie soon arrives. The sight of our hotel leaves us breathless. Beautiful, luxurious rooms and a wonderful view from them. But we are exhasted owing to the arduous 12-hour journey and fall asleep as soon as we hit the bed.

Days 2 and 3 were spent in a cool, mesmerising Mussoorie. Pictures below:

The magnificent view from our hotel, Mussoorie

With Deeps and Khushi

At Kempty Falls

Cable Cars, Kempty Falls

The majestic Kempty Falls

Mussoorie in its green splendour

Green Breeze Resorts, Mussoorie

Lavender flowers: a rarity!

Cyclewaale Chacha smiled a toothy smile when I showed him this pic on the camera

Not a bad shot (I'm pretty good with guns, only missed 2 shots out of 15!)

Khushi - the little dahling of our group

Royalty, huh?

Against Murals

The Londonesque Streets of Mussoorie

U.K.? : Not the United Kingdom.... but Uttara Khand (dum-dums!)

Who's the stud now?

Monkeying around with the backdrop