Sunday, July 29, 2018

You Never Know


'I love you', he said.
'I know. How many times are you going to tell me?' she chuckled.
They laughed!
Little did she know that she will yearn to hear those words again. 
He wondered if he would ever find someone who could make him feel the same. Or so she thought. 




Monday, May 21, 2018

A Perfect Day Off


“Should I quit my job to spend more time with my baby?” She pondered as she walked towards the train station after dropping her one year old to daycare. It was hard for the first few weeks as he cried his lungs out but it isn’t any easier now that he runs and hugs his teacher and doesn’t even look back to wave ‘tataaa’.

Spending quality time with her only kid was more difficult than she had thought. With a hectic corporate job and tight deadlines, she could barely make it home by 7 when toddlers are supposed to sleep by 8! What was she working for if she couldn’t even be there for his important milestones and to savor those sweet kisses and embraces?

A phone call from the Manager broke her chain of thoughts. “I was on the call till late last night and the deployment was successful, Sameer. No problem. Yes, I have sent out emails to our stakeholders. Thank you for appreciating, it was the entire team’s effort. We sure should, I will arrange a team lunch.” This team was her second family. From exchanging professional to personal advises, happy and sad news, they were all in it together. How could she leave them? It felt like running away from her responsibility.

‘Thank you for the great work team. Let me make up for the late hours, why don’t you guys take tomorrow off?’ She didn’t know her wish was going to be answered that very day! Of course, she decided to spend that extra day off with her son.

They went to the park where she devoured all the giggles, ran on the track and rolled on the grass, didn’t miss a single hug as she caught him on the slide. Later, they went for brunch and came back home for a nap. He kept talking to her in baby language while she sang lullaby and before she knew he fell asleep on her. Wasn’t this the kind of day what she had been longing for? Enjoy more! She took out her phone, closed her eyes to feel that moment and took that selfie which still smells of her baby and froze a moment to be cherished forever.



An imperfect selfie that captured a perfect moment

Years later, as she stumbled upon this selfie while browsing for some pictures during their lunch break, she beamed with joy as she told her coworker all about that day, 'Though this selfie couldn't be perfect due to front camera's limitations but with the upcoming Mobiistar phone's front, dual selfie camera, I can soon take 120° wide-angle shot and enhance these heart warming selfie experiences!'  And excited as they were, they discussed all about Mobiistar's selfie camera till they were back to their desks!

Mobiistar is soon going to be a blessing for getting those perfect selfies during those perfect moments. So, don't compromise on your memories anymore, check out http://mobiistar.in/ and Mobiistar on Flipkart and never have an imperfect selfie again!

#EnjoyMore #selfieexperience #selfiecamera #mobiistar
  

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Festival of love and light

                                         

Seeing mom glowing in her new saree
And dad smiling through solid white kurti
Kids faces lit up more than the lights on the tree
Of course, the dining table overflows with delicacies!

 

Floor filled with beautiful rangoli(s) by sister and me
Brother occupied with crackers, enjoying festivity
Friends and family exchanging sweets and treats
Oh, what a blissful time of the year it is! 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Where there is a will, there definitely is a way...

Crystal droplets fall from above
Make earth lively and spread love
Such are mother nature's abundances for everyone
How can we divide rich and poor and deprive someone

Water has always been taught as one of the basic necessities of life. The quality of water? It still is a question mark for the slum and poverty-stricken areas. Lack of clean drinking water is becoming lethal for human beings. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), more than 750 million people don’t have access to safe, clean water. Every day, nearly 2,000 children under the age of five die from diseases directly linked to contaminated water. As per World Health Organization (WHO), 1.6 million people die every year from diarrhea and other water borne diseases attributable to lack of access to safe drinking water; mostly in developing countries.
























Besides skipping the statistical data and relying on the health organizations, have we ever thought of taking an initiative in improving the present situation? 

Suprio Das, working as an engineer as quite a few of us, quit his job of twenty years to work for a bigger cause: creating low cost devices to provide potable water for people living in poverty. He worked in slum areas near Calcutta to have a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the slum dwellers. He had to overcome various challenges in his quest to provide chlorinated water namely the various sizes of containers used to fill water, the varying flow rate of water found at different sources of water, unreliable electricity in most slum areas, no repairing facilities hence no moving parts to be used, accurate dose of chlorine and no behavioral change in the method of water collection.
                                               
Suprio Das with his dream

Though it was not an easy task but within a period of three years Mr. Das invented the Zimba chlorine doser. His work was acknowledged by MIT and Stanford University co-studied the device's technical viability in the slums of Dhaka where it has, now, been providing clean water to slum dwellers for the past 10 months.




Simple functioning of Zimba Chlorine Doser

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Suprio Das has done a recommendable work for the people dwelling in areas with little or no aid of potable water. He has also set an example for the educated youth busy climbing the corporate ladder to spare some time and think of the challenges faced by the other parts of society. His work inspires us to take initiatives beyond regular 9 to 5 routine in order to lead a meaningful life.





While most of us think that developed countries have better technologies and resources to overcome these challenges. Suprio Das has given a challenge by providing clean drinking water at the minimal expense of Rs 5 or $0.09 for treating 10,000 liters of water compared to the cost estimate by the WHO (shown below).

(source: official WHO website)

Reminds me of a saying by Martin Luther King, Jr. "Why should there be hunger and deprivation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life?" 








 No pay check can ever bring satisfaction as deep as these smiles... Being the reason behind, what could bring more meaning to our eyes and lives.

Watch the speaker narrate their riveting story of innovation on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pvJVL6ECGLg#at=428

Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.

All the photographs have been taken from Google.


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Fruity Parfait!



Ingredients-

1 cup fruits cut into small squares- peach,plum, raspberry, apple, blackberry
1 cup red wine(preferably sweet)
1/3 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup Whipped cream
1/4 cup Vanilla ice cream
1 tsp chopped pistachios
1 Cherry can for garnishing

Recipe-

1. Pour in wine, vanilla essence and sugar and bring it to boil for 15 mins.
2. Stir in fruits into wine mixture and let them absorb the mixture.
3. Let them cool and refrigerate for about 15 mins.
3. Separately, beat vanilla ice cream and whipping cream until soft.
4. In a glass, layer 1/8 of fruit mixture, 1/8 whipped cream and 1/8 pistachios. Repeat layers and top with fresh fruits and cherries.

Enjoy the delicious dessert! :)

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Such is Life!

55 Fiction




Deadlines, presentations and a new sluggish office boy! She cribbed and yelled, he was on his toes unsuccessfully hiding nervousness. “Madam, coffee?” he thought she might feel better. She burst out loud, “Why don’t you lift up your legs and walk?” He nodded and walked away smiling.
               
She turned back to find him limp.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Garden of life: the fate of a rose






The flowers blossom in the garden, unaware of what future holds. Some are     picked, commercialized and delivered as desired.


   Fulfilling human wishes to their best…
   




The moment of happiness is not forever and so is their life. The fate of the dried flowers is never known. They might be thrown away heartlessly somewhere or…


  may be preserved to be cherished forever!




Unconvinced and unsure of what the future holds...
In that garden far away my story unfolds...

I grow, I blossom until I am made a souvenir...
In their hands I dwell and in their smiles sincere.

I ain’t no eternal, I wither, vanish and descend...
Some hurl me out in filth to die, others preserve me without end!


This post has been published by me as a part of IBL; the Battle of Blogs, sponsored by WriteupCafe.com. Join us at our official website and facebook page.

Monday, May 7, 2012

The magical laughter



Thoughts regarding every sphere of my life that I could possibly think of wandered my mind. After a hectic day, strolling in the garden, I tried recollecting all that I had planned and some of the lots that had actually happened. I killed some more time finding out the odds between what man thinks and what actually happens.

Starting with career moving on to personal relations, my mind went through the earlier achievements and reconfirmed the future aspirations. All this was making me uncomfortable and inspite of the realisation, I forced myself into thinking harder. At times, one tortures oneself in a hope that once the aim is set, it would be easier chasing it. Engrossed in thoughts, I dint realize when it turned dark. Struggling with alter egos, it was getting difficult deciding whom to favor.

By now, philosophy was all around and I could relate with all the uncertainties of life. Looking for happiness, I tried turning each stone of various spheres of life. Was I missing something? I, certainly, am not doing something the way it ought to be done. Should I give more importance to my professional life or was it something on the personal front that was missing? All of a sudden, life seemed so complicated! Is being happy not what the ultimate aim is, why was it being so difficult to attain?

A burst of laughter in between the heavy thoughts brought me mentally to where I physically was. Out of curiosity, I peeped from the gap between the bars of the huge gate. A labor with tools tied at the front of his cycle was laughing with his wife who sat behind holding an aluminum lunch box. They too were probably done for the day.

All of a sudden I had all the answers.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Someday!


“If you think it is good for you, go ahead. Your words and promises would not hurt me if I knew you were happier. Association of six months should not come in the way of a lifelong decision, I don’t want you to regret this later.” Beauty was firm and meant every single word she said.

She could never be with a man who had doubts that he could have someone better. “If you think it was for money, I have enough of my own-thank you. I don’t care for the car either, in case you’ve forgotten you didn’t have one when we were introduced. Not your looks, if you so think, because that’s not something that would last forever besides I am no less. I don’t mind the social dogmas and the different background we hail from either.” Beauty had said to the Blithe on a previous occasion during the winter the previous year.

A few months later on a relaxed Saturday afternoon Blithe was back again, he asked how it was going with the lawyer…'it wasn’t going to go anywhere I suppose as it hasn’t been since last September! Though he would drop in every few weeks to check in if I changed my mind, a good man indeed but something went missing'. There have been many a men besides the lawyer that Beauty had turned down starting at the early age of nineteen.






“haha..little you and your big attitude!” remarked the Blithe…and beauty couldn’t stop smiling…those were the moments she cherished the most…he genuinely made her break through her serious avatar and laugh forgetting the whole world around, smile…smile even when he was long gone.

“I know you like mature kinds” he would say. “Do I really?” she would reconsider what she had once said. “Someone whose life is more sorted out.” Beauty would stare at the blank wall, “Hmm”.

She would have liked to say “someone I connect with like I do with you, someone I could open my heart to, shout when I am stressed, frown and smile at the same time at his silliest jokes.”

“Someone I would wait eagerly to talk to, who could connect with me emotionally and someone I could keep talking to till I fall asleep. Someone who would like to know each and every detail of my day, and someone I would talk to every few hours because I missed him. Someone whose day would be complete only after he talked to me and whose snore would make me fall even deeper for him.” She would have said.

“Someone I could connect spiritually too, when our souls would be lost in this big world searching for something unknown and I would stand at the end to encourage you, tell you that I believe in you.” She would have said.

“All of this and much more is why I feel so deeply for you. Though it has never been or perhaps would never be any formal bonding but I am connected to you at so many levels. We have maintained silence for undecided periods, have tried looking for someone special overlooking each other’s existence but no one has ever been or would ever be such natural a companion as we have been. It seems as our souls have been interwoven and are in a divine rhythm which gets sharper and higher…and it would take quite some time to come back and sync with the others that are played by notes and sung by a rehearsed choir.” She would have said.

It was late evening by this time and the Blithe had to go out with his friends; she kept all that to herself waiting for some more appropriate time. She looked at the sky drawing the curtains aside as she said “have a good time, bye” and smiled all by herself. He made her feel so good! “I’ll catch you once I am back, stay up” he said being happy and satisfied.

         …the Blithe never got to know why he was so special to her…



Sunday, August 21, 2011

Realisation



Not meeting 
Each other's expectations
Is what it has been
And we drift apart yet again

You dint understand then
I still don't even now
We might not feel the same for the other
Is infact well known

Neither should be sorry or sad
We crossed each other
And that's enough a reason
For us to be glad

The In-side


We've seen the sky
When it's calm and bright
People so connect
And everything looks beautiful

Not every cloud is crystal clear
The sky isn't monotonous
There are ones that are dark
Known to roar everywhere

Not all is as it seems
If its thunder and lightning
That we associate them with
Aren’t those the ones that bring in rain?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Being stupid


A simple greeting would make such difference
Never so consciously thought
An initiative from you to say a 'hello'
Is all I really want

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Bheed ka hissa...



bola tha sahi tumne
hum bhi hain bheed ka hissa
kuch hain humare jaise
kuch humse bhi umda

dhoonda na tumko unmein
to na ye galatfehmi rakhna
bheed me to ho tum bhi
bas in nazron ki khata thi
jo tumko alag samjha

Thursday, July 28, 2011

A co-traveler


I offer it as I see you
For you to hold yet again
You pause and hold it loose
Still pondering
On walking besides or passing by

Don’t be so thoughtful
No need to be scared
You did no wrong
And you would not now

We walk the same lane
Where I once had a freewheel journey
Nurturing the wonders by my side
For I believed you could see the path ahead
And I still not find no reason
Why it shouldn't have been that way

No matter how far we traveled alone
This seems familiar again
With the same old me and I think it is you
No matter we took separate routes

Never imagined life would take
this road unseen
Yet glad that our paths crossed
For a few miles though may be

As said earlier
And I say that again
It had always been a dream
I kept on dreaming
But things did not so remain

Shaken up and awakened
I explore the real world
Trust me though not sooner
Everything seemed fairer 

A dreamer I would remain
I lend my hand yet again
Not to be lost in time or kind
But to hold yours and walk with you
Till you
Your destination find...

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Act I : Scene 1



I can be considered as one of those ancient creatures who wrote diaries just before this very post! Apologies for writing only when I so overflow and swirl in the hurricane of emotions, a week of restlessness and sleep deprivation serves enough a cause for this one. For me it’s always been, "when words don't sound sane they should probably be jotted down."
Being a single girl in late 20's is something still not welcomed and easily acceptable. I don't know about you, but I am a sucker for marriages of convenience stories. Don't get me wrong, though tried hard but I still can't imagine getting married for any reason other than deep and abiding love.
The last sane pressure on my mind tells me it was a year after my 5 year long graduation that these matrimonial sites started getting paid for an additional member. And as the best items in the sale get picked first, there I landed with ample of proposals and requests for conversations and meetings. Not that I was exceptionally beautiful and qualified, but simply because the smarter and luckier ones escape this stage just as you skip an ad on the video you actually wished to see.
And so it was, meeting prospective partners over the weekends. What did not change over the year were the lady and the venue-Barista! It wasn't tough to sense the puzzled and questioning expression with which the waiter served me each time. If only he knew that the feeling was mutual!
Have to pause on writing further for an early morning class tomorrow. Am sure I'll pick up once I am a regular one…Be there!