Once upon a time, there grew a Shoot, under a Banyan tree
It sprouted - and 'coz it was loved, protected and nurtured for -
The Shoot grew tall and carefree...
Growing up, in the Banyan's company -
the Shoot learnt happiness - to smile, laugh and be merry
To face the storms, the fires; and even when its leaves got plucked without a reason;
It learnt there's magic in all of life's seasons...
Then there came a time, there grew another Plant, under the Banyan tree
It was also loved, protected and nurtured for
And started growing tall and carefree...
The Shoot resented, grew agitated and threw tantrums,
For it had to share - the love, the protection and the care -
Of the Banyan it so adored, admired and considered its very own claim
The Shoot grew angry with jealousy, feared it would be ignored and may have to lie bare...
The Banyan said nothing, stood tall - peaceful, calm and serene
It continued to spread its branches far and wide - making a green canopy...
The Shoot looked around and about - across the green terrain
It saw a multitude of Shoots, Plants, Blades and Flowers -
Resting, growing, caring - all nurtured by the Banyan's hospitality...
Eventually there came a time, when the shoot said to itself -
The Banyan is not mine to lay sole claim to
It has had and will always have, a life - beyond me too...
I guess I should be grateful and happy -
someone I love is capable of being a canopy
A Banyan - everyone looks up to...
~Written on 22nd September 2016 #Original
Showing posts with label experiences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label experiences. Show all posts
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Thou shalt not judge...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge the traveller sitting right next to you
for no real fault of his,
Just because his belongings seem slightly askew...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge that friend who's now far far away
Yeah, the one who wasn't embarrassed to join you in singing songs out of pitch
Just because you weren't the first to know she's in love and getting hitched...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge a super woman colleague who's a real good Samaritan
For a cause greater than the two of you.
Just because she pinged in the middle of a Christie marathon...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge your little bro who you simply cannot do without
For something you've probably done many times too!
Just because he chose to celebrate his bday with a night out...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge your well meaning senior who's job it is to drive your project
For something that's just a part of who he is;
Just because his solution was something your logic asked to reject...
At times like these, know it isn't wise to set up a fight
When there's not much that crib chats and ice creams cannot set right :-)
And, thou shalt not judge is what you should often repeat...
Especially when it's tough to practice what you preach...
~Written on 28th Oct 2015 #Original
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge the traveller sitting right next to you
for no real fault of his,
Just because his belongings seem slightly askew...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge that friend who's now far far away
Yeah, the one who wasn't embarrassed to join you in singing songs out of pitch
Just because you weren't the first to know she's in love and getting hitched...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge a super woman colleague who's a real good Samaritan
For a cause greater than the two of you.
Just because she pinged in the middle of a Christie marathon...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge your little bro who you simply cannot do without
For something you've probably done many times too!
Just because he chose to celebrate his bday with a night out...
Thou shalt not judge
is what you often repeat
But sometimes, just sometimes
Its tough to practice what you preach
And so you judge your well meaning senior who's job it is to drive your project
For something that's just a part of who he is;
Just because his solution was something your logic asked to reject...
At times like these, know it isn't wise to set up a fight
When there's not much that crib chats and ice creams cannot set right :-)
And, thou shalt not judge is what you should often repeat...
Especially when it's tough to practice what you preach...
~Written on 28th Oct 2015 #Original
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Earth Day : Day#23/30
April 22nd is celebrated as the Earth Day.
Here are a few things _you_ can do to help :
1. Carry a cloth bag to buy veggies/groceries. Always keep one in your purse/laptop backpack, so it's easily accessible.
I really really hate it when someone next to me in the store buys a small packet of maggi, or a few eggs, or a single shampoo/oil bottle and asks for a plastic bag. Please please please do not ask for plastic bags. We already have enough of them :-|
2. When travelling, carry tickets on SMS, opt for e-statements from your bank. Avoid printing unless absolutely essential. And if you are printing, print on both sides, or reuse some old single sided printed paper.
3. Recycle newspapers, glass bottles and small metal objects. Your kabadiwalla /raddiwalla will gladly give you some money in return. Also most Nokia care stores have drop boxes to recycle e-waste. Drop your old, broken, unusable cell phone parts, batteries, headphones, chargers there; instead of dumping them into the normal garbage bin.
4. We use smart phones, its time we get smart with our garbage as well. Segregate. Wet and dry garbage. PMC has made it mandatory, but even in other cities, seperate the wet and dry trash.
How will it help if it ultimately is going in the same collective bin, you ask? Well, compost your wet waste. And recycle the dry waste - paper, metal, glass and ewaste should never reach landfills. They can be reused if we dispose them correctly - to the kabadiwalla, raddiwalla, ewaste collectors etc. You'll end up reducing the amount you actually"throw away" and the Earth (also your children!) will thank you for it.
5. Like I said earlier, compost your wet waste. Here's an amazing site to tell you all about home composting and how you can do it quite easily. They also sell products and provide support that makes composting much easier!
6. Please please please avoid using plastic cups and stirrers at office. Get your own mug for coffee. It's time you used that fancy mug (often you'll have more than one, am sure!) you've got as a gift!! :P Invest in a funky water bottle and keep one @your desk rather than using a plastic cup every time you want to drink water.
7. Ever seen someone in a BMV/Audi or some such "posh" car driving ahead at full speed, only to go a few feet ahead, and fling garbage (fruit skins/chips packets/plastic bags/even beer bottles and baby diapers!) from their "posh" windows? Quickest way to turn admiration to disgust, if you ask me.
Keep a small (yeah plastic! works just fine) bag or an old newspaper with you at all times so you could dump your trash in it, in case there's no trash can easily available.
There's no shame in carrying the empty coffee cups/chips packets you/your friends had (yeah, the chips/biscuits/chocolate your friend ate and didn't share, counts too!)
Simply carry them in a bag until you find a garbage bin, or dump them when you reach home. This applies to chips packets, biscuit wrappers you buy and eat in trains/buses as well... Please don't throw them out of the bus or train window... If you buy tea and think it's too messy to carry the cup, and you're too lazy to remember that trains have a dustbin that's located near the wash basin, then at the minimum keep the empty cup beneath the seat, but please don't throw it out the window. I really think Indian railways must come up with a "The window is not a dustbin" campaign. People unfortunate enough to sit next to me and trying to throw stuff have already gotten doses of unasked for advice :-P
8. Fix your broken/leaky taps immediately. Read this awesome story for inspiration and remember the man the next time you get too lazy to call the plumber on Sunday mornings. :P
9. Donate your old clothes to some charity. Donate old toys to an orphanage or just give them to your neighbour's kids. Circulate books you've already read amongst your friends and relatives. Borrow books you want to read from a library. Reuse.
Remember to teach children there's no shame in using second hand stuff. Teach them to be proud of the fact that they will send less stuff to the landfills. It's a consumerist world, and we need more people who will think twice (may be thrice or even more!) and look for reuse opportunities before actually "buying stuff" :|
10. Use water sparingly. Skip baths ;-) (It's one excuse to give to mom the next time she pesters you to leave the Sunday morning newspaper and hurry for a bath :P)
11. Be wise with electricity. Use it _only_ when you actually need it. Look for natural cooling options this summer. वाळ्या चे पडदे (curtains made from a certain kind of grass that cools and gives out a pleasant fragrance when its wet) is a grander option than any AC you'll find in the market. Wiki knows वाळा too :P.
Think about having staircase lights with sensors in your building, so they are ON only when needed.
Happy Earth Day people!!
Remember, every small act counts in the quest towards a greener planet.
Lets give our dear darling Earth more reasons to smile :)
Here are a few things _you_ can do to help :
1. Carry a cloth bag to buy veggies/groceries. Always keep one in your purse/laptop backpack, so it's easily accessible.
I really really hate it when someone next to me in the store buys a small packet of maggi, or a few eggs, or a single shampoo/oil bottle and asks for a plastic bag. Please please please do not ask for plastic bags. We already have enough of them :-|
2. When travelling, carry tickets on SMS, opt for e-statements from your bank. Avoid printing unless absolutely essential. And if you are printing, print on both sides, or reuse some old single sided printed paper.
3. Recycle newspapers, glass bottles and small metal objects. Your kabadiwalla /raddiwalla will gladly give you some money in return. Also most Nokia care stores have drop boxes to recycle e-waste. Drop your old, broken, unusable cell phone parts, batteries, headphones, chargers there; instead of dumping them into the normal garbage bin.
4. We use smart phones, its time we get smart with our garbage as well. Segregate. Wet and dry garbage. PMC has made it mandatory, but even in other cities, seperate the wet and dry trash.
How will it help if it ultimately is going in the same collective bin, you ask? Well, compost your wet waste. And recycle the dry waste - paper, metal, glass and ewaste should never reach landfills. They can be reused if we dispose them correctly - to the kabadiwalla, raddiwalla, ewaste collectors etc. You'll end up reducing the amount you actually"throw away" and the Earth (also your children!) will thank you for it.
5. Like I said earlier, compost your wet waste. Here's an amazing site to tell you all about home composting and how you can do it quite easily. They also sell products and provide support that makes composting much easier!
6. Please please please avoid using plastic cups and stirrers at office. Get your own mug for coffee. It's time you used that fancy mug (often you'll have more than one, am sure!) you've got as a gift!! :P Invest in a funky water bottle and keep one @your desk rather than using a plastic cup every time you want to drink water.
7. Ever seen someone in a BMV/Audi or some such "posh" car driving ahead at full speed, only to go a few feet ahead, and fling garbage (fruit skins/chips packets/plastic bags/even beer bottles and baby diapers!) from their "posh" windows? Quickest way to turn admiration to disgust, if you ask me.
Keep a small (yeah plastic! works just fine) bag or an old newspaper with you at all times so you could dump your trash in it, in case there's no trash can easily available.
There's no shame in carrying the empty coffee cups/chips packets you/your friends had (yeah, the chips/biscuits/chocolate your friend ate and didn't share, counts too!)
Simply carry them in a bag until you find a garbage bin, or dump them when you reach home. This applies to chips packets, biscuit wrappers you buy and eat in trains/buses as well... Please don't throw them out of the bus or train window... If you buy tea and think it's too messy to carry the cup, and you're too lazy to remember that trains have a dustbin that's located near the wash basin, then at the minimum keep the empty cup beneath the seat, but please don't throw it out the window. I really think Indian railways must come up with a "The window is not a dustbin" campaign. People unfortunate enough to sit next to me and trying to throw stuff have already gotten doses of unasked for advice :-P
8. Fix your broken/leaky taps immediately. Read this awesome story for inspiration and remember the man the next time you get too lazy to call the plumber on Sunday mornings. :P
9. Donate your old clothes to some charity. Donate old toys to an orphanage or just give them to your neighbour's kids. Circulate books you've already read amongst your friends and relatives. Borrow books you want to read from a library. Reuse.
Remember to teach children there's no shame in using second hand stuff. Teach them to be proud of the fact that they will send less stuff to the landfills. It's a consumerist world, and we need more people who will think twice (may be thrice or even more!) and look for reuse opportunities before actually "buying stuff" :|
10. Use water sparingly. Skip baths ;-) (It's one excuse to give to mom the next time she pesters you to leave the Sunday morning newspaper and hurry for a bath :P)
11. Be wise with electricity. Use it _only_ when you actually need it. Look for natural cooling options this summer. वाळ्या चे पडदे (curtains made from a certain kind of grass that cools and gives out a pleasant fragrance when its wet) is a grander option than any AC you'll find in the market. Wiki knows वाळा too :P.
Think about having staircase lights with sensors in your building, so they are ON only when needed.
Happy Earth Day people!!
 |
| Image sourced from somewhere on the Internet |
Remember, every small act counts in the quest towards a greener planet.
Lets give our dear darling Earth more reasons to smile :)
Friday, April 18, 2014
Fireflies : Day#19/30
A tiny spark that disappears if you blink, suddenly reappearing somewhere else.
Surrounded by the fragrance of moist earth, the twinkling with a orange glow seems almost surreal in the cool monsoon night.
You stare and suddenly there are many more of those tiny lights glittering about.
Fireflies! :)
My first encounter with fireflies was when I was about 4-5 years old, and although I don't remember much from times back then, I can clearly remember standing in our balcony after dinner and looking out for fireflies with my father. We used to have a firefly spotting contest and I used to pester him with lots of questions on light, sky, night, the moon, why the flies glow, how the stars twinkle, blah blah, the usual questions kids demand an explanation for and he used to patiently try his best to explain the workings of the universe to me...:)
Then I didn't think much about them, couldn't spot them that often after we moved homes, and our new home didn't have such a huge open space nearby...
So they were a reserved sight on the occasional monsoon trips/train journeys where you could spot them just for a moment or two.
Much later, during hostel days, as I walked back late nights to H11, they became a regular sight once again. This time around, I spotted a few glow worms on tree roots as well...It was almost magical...Fireflies and glow worms pottering about on cold windy rainy nights. :)
Of late, when I travel by trains frequently to Mumbai, there's a patch just before Palasdari station that has lots of fireflies flitting about. And the train almost always stops by for a signal here. The twinkling sight makes me super nostalgic...and I've started taking the train's stop and their being there almost for granted, a part of my journey home... :)
Surrounded by the fragrance of moist earth, the twinkling with a orange glow seems almost surreal in the cool monsoon night.
You stare and suddenly there are many more of those tiny lights glittering about.
Fireflies! :)
My first encounter with fireflies was when I was about 4-5 years old, and although I don't remember much from times back then, I can clearly remember standing in our balcony after dinner and looking out for fireflies with my father. We used to have a firefly spotting contest and I used to pester him with lots of questions on light, sky, night, the moon, why the flies glow, how the stars twinkle, blah blah, the usual questions kids demand an explanation for and he used to patiently try his best to explain the workings of the universe to me...:)
Then I didn't think much about them, couldn't spot them that often after we moved homes, and our new home didn't have such a huge open space nearby...
So they were a reserved sight on the occasional monsoon trips/train journeys where you could spot them just for a moment or two.
Much later, during hostel days, as I walked back late nights to H11, they became a regular sight once again. This time around, I spotted a few glow worms on tree roots as well...It was almost magical...Fireflies and glow worms pottering about on cold windy rainy nights. :)
Of late, when I travel by trains frequently to Mumbai, there's a patch just before Palasdari station that has lots of fireflies flitting about. And the train almost always stops by for a signal here. The twinkling sight makes me super nostalgic...and I've started taking the train's stop and their being there almost for granted, a part of my journey home... :)
Sunday, April 13, 2014
S.O.S : Day#14/30
This Sunday, went on my first night trek (Katraj to Sinhagad, or K2S as its popularly called). It was a huggeee gathering of people (almost 120 in our group and some 60-odd of another group!) and full moon night being just two days away, we didn't really need any torches.
Although there were patches where one was better off with a torch and also one slightly teeny weeny time frame where I thought I had lost the track, and couldn't see anyone ahead or behind me. :P
This, and the fact that I am fascinated by Morse code, and have tried to read/remember it quite a few times made me post this here.
Morse code, simply put, is a universally accepted signalling system, usually used by ships/planes/defence personnel etc. It consists of dots and dashes that denote alphabets. More on the wiki page.
(... --- ...) dot-dot-dot dash-dash-dash dot-dot-dot
And if you are using a torch/flashlight to signal, the dot is usually one second long, and the dash is two/three seconds long.
GK++ ho gaya :)
For now, (-... -.-- .)
PS: See this Morse code translator, for tp and if you want to annoy your friends next time you are bored ;-)
Although there were patches where one was better off with a torch and also one slightly teeny weeny time frame where I thought I had lost the track, and couldn't see anyone ahead or behind me. :P
In that infinitesimally small time frame, I thought I had no "effective" way of signalling for help, except obviously shouting till I went hoarse (and there was no need for it thankfully as well :P)
But, at such times, one realizes how few 'life saving' skills one has, and you wish you had paid more attention to all those 'knot tying', 'signalling' and other such sessions you had back in school ;)
But, at such times, one realizes how few 'life saving' skills one has, and you wish you had paid more attention to all those 'knot tying', 'signalling' and other such sessions you had back in school ;)
This, and the fact that I am fascinated by Morse code, and have tried to read/remember it quite a few times made me post this here.
Morse code, simply put, is a universally accepted signalling system, usually used by ships/planes/defence personnel etc. It consists of dots and dashes that denote alphabets. More on the wiki page.
You can't really remember every single thing...especially so since there's no real need to use it as often...
A simple S.O.S (Save our Souls) signal in Morse Code is :
(... --- ...) dot-dot-dot dash-dash-dash dot-dot-dot
And if you are using a torch/flashlight to signal, the dot is usually one second long, and the dash is two/three seconds long.
GK++ ho gaya :)
For now, (-... -.-- .)
PS: See this Morse code translator, for tp and if you want to annoy your friends next time you are bored ;-)
Monday, September 10, 2012
TGIM!
Monday morning, almost noon. Mid September, if you stand looking out from one of the windows @ my office, you can see the huge expanse of green in front, displaying a whole gamut of shades, as if daring the camel/asian paints/colour-making companies to catalogue the numerous and varied shades of green...
Amidst this serene atmosphere, a solitary eagle takes flight. A gentle flap-flap of wings and then it soars, turns and circles - smoothly, calmly, effortlessly - gliding across the cloudless blue sky and over the lush green meadow - once, twice, thrice -
without a single flapping of wings. Round and round it goes, its rich golden brown wings glistening with the moisture of freshly fallen rain drops. Its eyes sharp and
sparkling, ready to take on the day.
I stood at the window for a long long time, trying to capture the breathtaking sight...Marvelling at the graceful flight, the magnificence of nature that never ceases to awe, you can't help but feel grateful for everything in life...
Some days just start on a super awesome note...this is one of those days...
Makes me say, Thank God it's Monday!! :-)
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Closed bridges and open umbrellas...
Something funny happened today - something that made me smile a lot, and then ponder a bit...
I closed my umbrella as I approached the bridge on Kanjurmarg station, glanced on the platform to see which train was scheduled, and then started climbing the steps; when I saw something that made me smile - a guy on the bridge was walking with his umbrella still open - in the hurry to reach the platform and catch a train, he had forgotten to close his umbrella - didn't realize that the bridge was covered and he no longer needed to shield himself from the rain anymore. Quite commonplace. Have seen it happen quite often, and sometimes even have climbed halfway through a bridge before being aware, smiling goofily and closing my umbrella. :-)
Don't you think our prejudices, judgements and preconceived notions are a lot like these open umbrellas? There might have been times when we needed them and their protective shield; but after some time, we eventually come under safe bridges, where we no longer need the shield of these "prejudiced" umbrellas.
But we are unaware, and continue to keep them open. Perhaps, we often need to pause, think and decide whether it's time to close these self-created umbrellas, make ourselves free and move on...
After all, it's ridiculous to be seen under a closed bridge with an open umbrella, isn't it? :-)
I closed my umbrella as I approached the bridge on Kanjurmarg station, glanced on the platform to see which train was scheduled, and then started climbing the steps; when I saw something that made me smile - a guy on the bridge was walking with his umbrella still open - in the hurry to reach the platform and catch a train, he had forgotten to close his umbrella - didn't realize that the bridge was covered and he no longer needed to shield himself from the rain anymore. Quite commonplace. Have seen it happen quite often, and sometimes even have climbed halfway through a bridge before being aware, smiling goofily and closing my umbrella. :-)
Don't you think our prejudices, judgements and preconceived notions are a lot like these open umbrellas? There might have been times when we needed them and their protective shield; but after some time, we eventually come under safe bridges, where we no longer need the shield of these "prejudiced" umbrellas.
But we are unaware, and continue to keep them open. Perhaps, we often need to pause, think and decide whether it's time to close these self-created umbrellas, make ourselves free and move on...
After all, it's ridiculous to be seen under a closed bridge with an open umbrella, isn't it? :-)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Faces
As the bus comes to a halt, you scamper and hurry to get in. The peak hour traffic is building and the bus gets crowded with every approaching stop as people scurry and squeeze in. Sandwiched between people, as you struggle to maintain your backpack, wallet, ticket and the change given back by the TC, you spot the Face.
The same aquiline nose, the same brows, the same hairstyle, the same eyes. A sudden smile of recognition lights up your face, and on an impulse you call out,"Hi Dd! It's so good to see you again!" Imagine your embarrassment when the Face looks back blank, without a trace of recognition - only to make you realize that it's not the friend you thought it was! (and in a crowded bus caught in traffic, where people have nothing better to do than hang on and balance themselves, you have provided some comic relief :-| ) You try to salvage the situation by smiling impishly, and mumbling an apology. The Face is someone else...and when you think of it, it does make sense. Your friend, Dd, is nowhere near town, in fact she's not even in the country! Then how the hell did the Face trick you into believing it was her, and making a fool out of yourself?
How many times does it happen to you that you 'think' you spotted Faces you know in the most unlikeliest of places? How many times do Faces, Noses, Eyes and Hairstyles trick you - almost till you call out the person! Your Professor from Powai in the lane next to your home, your friend (who's in Pune) at a bus stop near Kurla? The friendly clerk from your Chembur college in a lift at your Bangalore office? Your Manager (from Bangalore) at a temple near Dadar? Most of these 'oh-i-thought-its-someone-i-know' moments span geographies, time zones and (yes) logic! :-P
What is it with Faces and associations that make you jump to conclusions? Remember the email that was doing the rounds some time back, about being able to read words even if they were misspelled (but the first and last letter were kept intact)?
Wonder if that's the sort of thing which our brain does with Faces as well? If the eyes/nose/hairstyle/features look familiar, we decide the Face is the person we know - without taking into account the location, the time, the context or (yes again) logic! :-P
The same aquiline nose, the same brows, the same hairstyle, the same eyes. A sudden smile of recognition lights up your face, and on an impulse you call out,"Hi Dd! It's so good to see you again!" Imagine your embarrassment when the Face looks back blank, without a trace of recognition - only to make you realize that it's not the friend you thought it was! (and in a crowded bus caught in traffic, where people have nothing better to do than hang on and balance themselves, you have provided some comic relief :-| ) You try to salvage the situation by smiling impishly, and mumbling an apology. The Face is someone else...and when you think of it, it does make sense. Your friend, Dd, is nowhere near town, in fact she's not even in the country! Then how the hell did the Face trick you into believing it was her, and making a fool out of yourself?
How many times does it happen to you that you 'think' you spotted Faces you know in the most unlikeliest of places? How many times do Faces, Noses, Eyes and Hairstyles trick you - almost till you call out the person! Your Professor from Powai in the lane next to your home, your friend (who's in Pune) at a bus stop near Kurla? The friendly clerk from your Chembur college in a lift at your Bangalore office? Your Manager (from Bangalore) at a temple near Dadar? Most of these 'oh-i-thought-its-someone-i-know' moments span geographies, time zones and (yes) logic! :-P
What is it with Faces and associations that make you jump to conclusions? Remember the email that was doing the rounds some time back, about being able to read words even if they were misspelled (but the first and last letter were kept intact)?
Wonder if that's the sort of thing which our brain does with Faces as well? If the eyes/nose/hairstyle/features look familiar, we decide the Face is the person we know - without taking into account the location, the time, the context or (yes again) logic! :-P
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
People
These days whenever I travel by trains, I really don't have much to do - no papers to read, no music to listen to (thanks to my cell sans its display - which resembles a landline now - just can call and pickup calls..zero display :P)
So I don't have much choice to pass the time - except stare, and stare some more at the people in the train...and this post is the result of all the staring and "people-studying" I have lately indulged in...
Not a character sketch or something, just an outline of the various people I came across...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady who sells khaman dhokla and sev papdi. I had previously written about her here I just love it when I get to see her in the compartment..although I still haven't bought anything from her...
She makes me super nostalgic somehow...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A vegetable vendor cursing her 3 yr old daughter and blaming her for nearly everything under the sun - from the crowd in the train to the fact that the vegetables were rotting for lack of customers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A blind couple who boarded the same train as mine and supported each other throughout the chaos on the platform and journeyed together - every single day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady who used to be in my train when I went to VESIT and used to ask me where I had been, every time I resumed college after the vacations...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady who had her head covered with her pallu - only to reveal her 70 earrings - (35 per ear! - and I am not kidding!!) to the bewildered people seated beside her..
and went on to tell them about her entry in the Limca book of records.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A group of collegians doing last minute train revision, through notes heavily underlined in ink of various colours,and an old lady advising them on how they better use pencils for marking the notes...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady when troubled by a road-romeo, hurling abuses at him and threatening to call the police fearlessly. (We don't see many of these even though we claim on being fearless and liberal!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady selling ayurvedic powders and facepacks.Never missing a word out of the mugged up advertisement of her products and relentlessly goes into the detailed benefits of each of the products. I almost know her entire ad by heart after listening to it 8-9 times now!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Different people different tastes,languages, religions - yet all of them have something in common - they all have dreams, aspirations, fears, grudges, tensions, payments to be made, taxes to be paid, and loved ones eagerly waiting for them to reach home - which makes them the same as you and me...
PS: Wanted to title it "We The People", but restrained myself from copying titles again! :P
So I don't have much choice to pass the time - except stare, and stare some more at the people in the train...and this post is the result of all the staring and "people-studying" I have lately indulged in...
Not a character sketch or something, just an outline of the various people I came across...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A lady who sells khaman dhokla and sev papdi. I had previously written about her here I just love it when I get to see her in the compartment..although I still haven't bought anything from her...
She makes me super nostalgic somehow...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A vegetable vendor cursing her 3 yr old daughter and blaming her for nearly everything under the sun - from the crowd in the train to the fact that the vegetables were rotting for lack of customers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A blind couple who boarded the same train as mine and supported each other throughout the chaos on the platform and journeyed together - every single day.
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A lady who used to be in my train when I went to VESIT and used to ask me where I had been, every time I resumed college after the vacations...
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A lady who had her head covered with her pallu - only to reveal her 70 earrings - (35 per ear! - and I am not kidding!!) to the bewildered people seated beside her..
and went on to tell them about her entry in the Limca book of records.
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A group of collegians doing last minute train revision, through notes heavily underlined in ink of various colours,and an old lady advising them on how they better use pencils for marking the notes...
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A lady when troubled by a road-romeo, hurling abuses at him and threatening to call the police fearlessly. (We don't see many of these even though we claim on being fearless and liberal!)
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A lady selling ayurvedic powders and facepacks.Never missing a word out of the mugged up advertisement of her products and relentlessly goes into the detailed benefits of each of the products. I almost know her entire ad by heart after listening to it 8-9 times now!
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Different people different tastes,languages, religions - yet all of them have something in common - they all have dreams, aspirations, fears, grudges, tensions, payments to be made, taxes to be paid, and loved ones eagerly waiting for them to reach home - which makes them the same as you and me...
PS: Wanted to title it "We The People", but restrained myself from copying titles again! :P
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