Fish Spa

I had a strange experience on 23rd September,2009 during my one week stay in Bangalore thanks to the swine flu spreading in my college back in Pune. My mother, sister & I passed the Kenko fish spa on our way to lunch and the concept intrigued us. We decided to see what this strange spa had to offer. To our delight, we found out that it was nothing disgusting but all we had to do was to dip our feet for a minimum of 10 minutes into a tank full of very pretty fish as can be seen in the photograph above. The money was paid, our feet were washed with astringent and then...We dipped our feet in. It felt like I had put my foot on a vibrating machine of some sort. The hungry little nibblers started doing what they were supposed to and apparently ridding me of the dead skin on my feet. It was a strange and slightly disgusting feeling if you shook your foot even a little bit because they would disperse and then come back in full force. After the first few minutes, I became more relaxed and tried not to make any sudden movement. It was quite effective as a pedicure,I suppose, because the feet did feel softer and looked a lot nicer after I took my feet out. The gross part was the dead fishes on the water surface.Apparently can't be helped though. Well, anyhow, a nice new thing to try out. And cheaper than a pedicure at a salon anyway! :) Try it!

Paradox

There is now a blur hovering around the once sure self. There are questions that are perplexing the mind. There are statements passed backed by no rationale. There are dreams that will not be fulfilled. There are hopes that are going to be dampened. There are births alongside deaths. There are always images that can be interpreted in ways other than the creator’s way. There are differences within you. There is enough in this world to influence you. But you may not get influenced. You may not succumb.

There will always be new beginnings and even, unfinished endings.

Complete your life story yourself. Don’t let someone pull your strings as though you were their little puppet. It isn’t much fun. Be your own puppeteer. Control. Aim. Achieve.

To Y-Y (Yashvita)

On August 21st, my roommate Yashvita aka Y-Y and I, Ro-Ro were stuck in Room 327 in the college girls' hostel the whole day. The boredom finally got to us and then, we started having status wars on Facebook based on silly things the other person said because their brain stopped functioning because of the inertness that day! The names are given to show whose status it was.

The first attempt to hide her stupidity was with this status on Yashvita's profile.What she said WAS funny:

Yashvita Bhasin:

TO EVERYONE who has read Ro-Ro's status:it went like this. I kept bringing in ADITHYA into things,because she was going on and on about farmiville and bugging me so i bug her with ADITHYA. and consequently she wondered why i bring him up. cuz she was getting annoyed.in the good way. SO i went all- "you do farmville with me i do HIM with you." it implies NOTHING else. ah.this was long!!!

Rohini Kejriwal:

The following happened one evening when Yashvita decided to check out what the fuss was about Farmville: On hearing a chicken, she thought it was a dog! On hearing a sheep, at different attempts to guess what it was, it was a horse, a cow AND a pig according to her! When I downloaded a sound clip of a cow moo-ing and played it for her, 5 minutes later, she said "Oh! It was atually a cow!!" :D

Rohini Kejriwal: Yashvita just saw the photo of a parrot and said "Dude, that's a pidgeon!". When I looked at her in disbelief, she said to me " I don't like birds. Just shut up."

Yashvita Bhasin There's a new way to keep time in RO-RO land.she said the following-"dude,i can tell time is passing slowly" i ask really? she says,ya.i can tell cuz my crops are growing too slowly."

Yashvita Bhasin: RO-RO TRUCE?

Yes, after a while of making her persuade me, she got what she wanted. Later that night, we were chatting in the hostel and i was suffering from extreme boredom.However, this sweet wall post ahead made my day! :0

Yashvita Bhasin: so,you've just gone to sleep next to me.
i want to say i love you.
and that you make my day/night BEYOND ADORABLE.and i love you,no matter what.
i have all the patience in the world for ALL your phases.

New

I am in a state of utter confusion. There is too much newness in my life-new faces, feelings;unfamiliarities; vomit clean up sessions; a strange perception of reality; new ambitions, wants. The new feelings especially scare me because they leave me feeling lost and even downtrodden sometimes. Even the strange academic subjects like Radio & Communication instead of the earlier ones like Mathematics & English & Economics, which I actually miss studying now. 'Dust In the Wind' plays in the background, bringing about another weird sensation in me because, for once, I find myself keenly listening to the lyrics and they seem to be reflecting my feelings:

"All we do

Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Dust in the wind

All we are is dust in the wind"

Suddenly, things I've been dwelling on seem to make too much sense for my own good. Still, some things don't make sense-like the seemingly 'normalcies' in my life that I cannot fathom as 'normal'; recent circumstances and decisions that seem irrational to me but rational to most; ways to deal with particular situations one might be faced with in life; and other things that I can't figure out...I might be weird or normal. It doesn't even matter.Three more years to go. Time will tell.

Man's Best Friend

For all that counts, I do still miss you. I can't go and say that to anyone because I don't know how many you did impact by your being, despite no words. But you mattered a lot to me. The first time I set my eyes on you, timid, cooped away in the corner of a cage, I wanted to keep you. I was 5. Small flat on Gariahat. You'd even fit into Papa's boots! Once, you ran down when someone left the door ajar. We got the fright of our life seeing you on the road, scared, unprotected. I made you a card to apologize. I still keep it. I remember bringing you to the house we now live in, where you took leave.Or more so, were made to. But it was for your own good. You should not have suffered so. All the times when I just needed to hold something, it was you. I'd whisper silly things as a child into your ears when I felt I had no one. But you were there. I didn't realize it till I grew slightly older. You were even my roommate in the Doll House I constructed. With your own black and gray blanket & red and brown jacket. We both had Hydrophobia at first. I eventually got past it. You did not. But I tried to help you get over it. Some things never change. You'd fight with me over pebbles. You killed the mouse that jumped out of the A.C on the neighbour's doormat! You never did like them, did you? Why was there a mouse in the A.C again? I'd love seeing you run across the big field in the college nearby. I never did have as much stamina as you did! Never failed to amaze me. Your green bowl for the rice and the remnants of the sweet or the cookie crumbles or the milk. Your lovely brown eyes. Your bad ear, flopped down in the cutest manner with the other one standing up at the ring of the door bell. Your running and barking at whosoever it was. The umpteen bites I deserved for putting my hands in your mouth. Your eating biscuits off my head. Your licking my face when I'd wake up. Your jumping onto the bed and making your way to flirt with the German Consulate dog whose name started with an 'L'. Your apparent shyness towards the street dogs!

The last time I saw you before I drove off in the car and went to school. The hug I suspected I would never receive again. The disappearance of the hair, the fat, the energy. The call that told me that it was better for you. That you would not have to suffer anymore. That at your age, operating would be more painful and risky. Holding onto the receiver awaiting the news of your demise. The emptiness and guilt being so far away, not having had the chance to say Goodbye. The love that came rushing knowing that it would never be the same. The unwillingness to enter a house again where no barks welcomed me, no jumps & licks to make my day. The visit to the grave. The gravestone with your photograph and words to hope that your new home is nice enough. The hope that you are okay up there. I'm not,down here. But if you are, it's fine. I miss you,though.

Much love,

:)

"When we are in deep sleep, we are apparently dead to the world.

But Death is eternal sleep."

Rishi Valley Times

*Country Roads-John Denver playing in the background*
As I sit on the windowsill & look at the raindrops falling off the leaves on the trees swaying in the wind,I am taken back to Asthachal on one rainy Saturday in Rishi Valley,my own little paradise on Earth.Sitting there by myself & just thanking whosoever's plan it was to send me there.The dark skies,my illegal Ipod playing my favourite songs,a pen & a paer in hand but nothing to write.Just sitting there on the wet rocks after the downpour in awe of the beauty of the hills.
Astha
And then,taken back in time,to the prettiest evening on Astha!I stayed back after everyone had gone from "Astha"(15 minutes of silence on a particular hill every evening..It's beautiful!) & went & sat on my favourite rock.It always provides me with an amazing view.That evening,to my left were the silhouetted three Kondas(Rishikonda,Middle Peak & Bodikonda)looking majestic as ever.Straight ahead was a forest fire near Red Rocks. The full moon in the sky amidst the dark ominous clouds added to the perfection.I ran home & dragged Nehal back with me,in her lovely pink pyjamas!!When we got there,she noticed something to our right-two more forest fires on the adjoining hills.Altogether,a most fantastic experience!

Now,I recollect myself walking to the K Tree(a banyan tree under which the philosopher & founder of my school,Krishnamurthy,used to sit)with Gagan,Sujay,Hari & Sabu on a hot afternoon in February,2007,during our study holidays.When we were supposed to be studying for our boards,the 5 of us retards would be sitting/sleeping in the shade of that tree on our stone benches(each had one where we'd sit regularly)cracking silly jokes, talking about life/family/food,etc(nothing study related-a rule),bitching about people flirting with the "respective other"s or simply jumping off the tree onto a pile of stacked leaves to feel worthy of being knighted.As Hari once advised me,"If you ever see a banyan tree,think of us,climb it & let yourself go wild!".I shall,Knight of Hibernation!

In my head,I am on my hike to Bodikonda. Zohair,the nice guy that he is,is offering to carry my bag because I,as usual,am falling!Backwards,that too,which adds to the agony of Abhiroop,who is behind us.I am determined to make it to the top myself without any help,but at one point, Poopy insists & I give it to him.Next,I see myself walking with Athang & Sneha. Athang & I following our tradition of singing random songs on hikes.We now find out that Sneha despises our songs.She says that I am better than Athu but I shall not stand this insult of my singing partner!We sing louder, now joined in Babu, Rajan & Arya(who I accidentally walk into a hook thorn bush with!).The poor girl is subjected to mental torture & finalls runs to Madhuri or Radha for help.We are overjoyed with our victory & now start counting the number of times I trip on the hike.Babu tries to beat my number but alas! I prevail as the winner.Clumsiness is just my thing!

Prep time-supervised studying for 70 minutes in the evening every weekday.Torture for restless kids like me!I tear a piece of paper from my commerce notebook which I never use & write something silly & pass it to Tejal(Mommy 1-calls me Duckie).I am very bored,as usual.She curtails her laugh so that Mitraji does not find out,writes something in it( a reply to what I wrote) & then,passes it to Chetana(Mommy 2-calls me Sushipa) who is seated far away from the two of us.Chetana replies & then,again Tejal,and then me,and then...The viscious cycle continues till the one who is passing it for us gets annoyed or till we get caught or till we hear the lovely bell that tells us that dinner awaits us,whichever is first.Then,the 3 of us walk to the DH(Dining Hall) after cribbing because one of us made the other 2 wait for some reason or another.

Dinners.The best meal according to me,though many would disagree & choose dull lunch!Grab a plate & "butt into the line" to get food faster! Being a senior helps as we can TRY(in my case) to bully my juniors sometimes!It is a special day for me.I see it there being served so sparingly by the Pappamakkas.The look & smell of the Gobi Manchurian on these rare Saturdays(twice or thrice a term)gets me hyper!I take my share & Babu comes & gives me his share in exchange for the paneer I gave him on Thursday!"Today is my lucky day",I sing.Next walks in Sharat,entering the DH late & walking like a stud!He is a football stud after all..I catch his eye & ask "First for yours?!" with pleading eyes.It has become a mutual understanding now.He either nods(& I get the whole share) or mouths "Half".I run to DP(Deshpande Sir) & I'm now on Cloud 9 as I am getting his Gobi too.I sit,thank my well wishers who gave me their shares,& eat it all up without talking much(Surprising since it's me & I love to talk!).If I can eat more,I take extras from the counter.I wash my plate,swing for a while with Kiran or Nehal and go home,rush to my bed & have a good night's sleep with a big smile on my face.

Who was he?

This is a poem about a very close friend of mine who would think like a very mature person, well beyond his age.He was very unique & different as compared to his friends but he still did have to fit in.I hope he can find the strength to be the him I once knew.

Feeling so intense yet can act not on it.
Shunning society in his mind but adamant to comply.
He sees himself yet will part with the sight,
He knows he can but pretends otherwise.
He may not give in to changes,
He can take things in his stride,
But will not.
She can hope that he holds on to the man she once knew.
A numbing silence follows,piercing the heart.

Unplanned End

Catch me by the hand before I fall completely into darkness where I can't even see myself,
The path you led me through has left me lost and confused as to which way to go,
You leave me no choice but to keep walking,hoping fot the best and wishing you were here,
Even so,I sometimes wish you were'nt here,
Because you reside in my thoughts,so very clear.
I've dreamt a dream which is far from real,
My fairy-tale ending which I shall never see...
To a glimmer of hope I still hold on,
for what real hope? Those that are gone?
Where did I go wrong and what did I do?
That this fate lies ahead of me,where I am not with you.
Dont answer that question,I must answer it on my own,
I shall some day find the answer,and till then I am alone.

Mummy-A Tribute

My first call to her kept ringing for 45 seconds.
She did not pick up.
Second call-26 seconds.
Panic seized me.
Without caring about what could adorn my feet, I ran down the steps,2 at a time, all the while, trying her line persistently.
Still no reply.
The worst thoughts cross one’s mind when they know that a loved one might be suffering in the brewing storm outside.
Fear. Loss. Suffering. Love.
When we do not have contact with that person after being so used to their presence, it gives us shivers down our backs.
I didn’t care about the trees falling all around me and the shattering of the glass.
I held the trees for support on my way out, with the wailing wind & the slaps of rain against my face.
The call got through & she said that she was in front of a shop close to home, walking it till here because the car got stuck in the storm.
That shop is not too far from outside my building & her claim was false as I could not see her in the maroon kurta she had left the house in this morning from afar.
I held on tightly to the gate and looked around me at the road ahead.
There was at least one tree fallen every 10-15 feet, peoples’ umbrellas were turned upside down as the velocity of the wind was so strong, desperate looks on the few people on the road dying to get home to their loved ones.
I strained my eyes to the left to see as far ahead as I could against the rain.
I finally saw her coming.
Approaching as fast as she could with wary steps.
Not too pleased to see me down there that way as she came closer & saw me drenched, clutching on to the iron gate of the building, with a worried look on my face.
Though she realized that my action was justified.
I hugged her & together, we came back home to the warmth of familiarity.
I love you,Mummy.
Happy Mother's Day


This is my entry for the BlogAdda Mother's Day Contest : http://blog.blogadda.com/2010/05/05/mothers-day-tribute-to-your-mom-contest


My design choice is: http://www.pringoo.com/custom-designs/did-16695/ppid-44#widget