This and That: A new life and a little bit of the old

So today I just sort of perambulated into by blog. Thought I would just  write a few updates about what’s up in my insignificant life. I am back home after spending a semester in Mumbai for my Masters. And since the very day I was back I have been driving my mother nuts. My mum got a mini heart attack on seeing my luggage.

“You just got 5 set of clothes for your holidays?” She looked at me incredulously.

“Ya”, I grinned broadly.

“And what do u suppose young lady you are going to wear during Durga puja?”

I shrugged merrily.

And she took me shopping the same day. I think her ulterior motive was that she didn’t want me looking shabby in front of the bong babes. I am not complaining.

The next day during lunch. I suddenly said, “Hey mum, I was thinking I will try beef next semester”

“You do that and no Hindu boy will marry you”, she said wagging her finger at me.

“Then I shan’t marry a Hindu boy then”, I teased grinning broadly.

“Do what you wish”, she sniffed.

     Also back home there was a surprise waiting for me. This mongrel which has made our area its home had had wonderful furry and plump looking pups. I had a nice time petting them and chasing them around and occasionally shooing them away from the road because I remember being heartbroken the last time she had pups and one of them got run over by a car on that road.

Speaking of which, in my college there is a pampered cat of whom I have become rather fond. This cat whom I have christened Marx rules the college canteen. One day it climbed up the table on which I was having my breakfast. It took a royal walk as it surveyed the occupants, stopped in front of me, sized me up, then majestically descended on my lap, made itself comfortable by curling itself up and took a nap. I sort of bloated up, looked around smugly for being the chosen one and gently stroked its fur and it purred contently. Since that day Marx and I are friends.

        There is also a dog of questionable breed in my campus. It resembles a Labrador a lot  but I am sure it’s not. It’s probably the progeny of some posh dog living in nearby bungalows gone astray. This one I call Mao. Mao is a sweetheart. It’s a very affable and playful little thing.

         
        Now I am thoroughly confused which pet I should get for myself. I went through a guinea pig phase, I had even gone to a pet shop and selected one for myself. A white one with a brown patch around its eye and some brown spots on his body. My mum said she will let me get it on the condition that I take full responsibility for it. I was more than willing but I read in an article on web that they poop a lot and I soon got dissuaded. Then I went through rabbit phase, but we don’t have a garden and a rabbit needs lots of space to move around. Then I went through a dog phase, but the trouble is I like pups, big dogs with large sharp pointy teeth and ferocious growl scare me. Now presently I am in the cat phase. I am planning for a fur-ball type of ginger cat.

         
       Oh did I mention the street which I take to go to college, I frequently encounter these two little girls in tattered frocks who grin when I come along and let me know that I am looking good that day by shouting out mischievously from across the road “Mast lag rahi ho!!” . I wave and say a big thank you and carry on smiling to myself and feeling immensely nice about myself.

   
       And did I mention I am becoming increasingly fond of Mumbai? So much to explore, in this gigantic city.   After staying in Mumbai for around six months it amuses me when I think of when I was growing up in Jamshedpur, if somebody invited us for a birthday party to their place which was around say 15-20 minutes away from our place, we would whine that it’s too far away we won’t be able to make it.  

   
        One of my favorite places in Mumbai is the Haji Ali Dargah. I have been there thrice till now and came back every time feeling at peace with myself. Today I read they have put a ridiculous ban not allowing women inside the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah. I might just as well go to Siddhivinayak this time and whisper into the mouse’s ear to knock some sense into these dargah’s trustees.

     I don’t really know how to end this post. And I realize my thoughts haven’t been very coherent. I have jumped from one incident to another. Ah well. 

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy For Ever

This post is going to be different than my other posts, it’s going to be serious-y :O

Have you ever seen something and been completely awed by it? Completely mesmerized? Felt like when you laid eyes upon it entire being was fixated for a moment then and there?
No no I am not talking about love at first sight (silly concept that is anyway :-/ )

Click on the pic to enlarge

This happens to me when I come across a thing of beauty specially some paintings have this effect on me. The first time it happened was when I was surfing the internet and I came across a paintings collection. I have always wanted to own a beautiful painting , so sometimes I like looking at them on the internet.  I am no art connoisseur mind you, nor do I know much about the various art forms, though a Facebook picture I found the other day very nicely sums it up. :P (Refer to pic attached). My interest in paintings is that of a dilettante.  

Effect Of Butterfly

So anyway, while surfing a gallery, a Ukrainian artist
Anastasyia Markovich caught my eye. Her paintings can be best classified as surreal. I was going through her work when I came across her painting called Effect of Butterfly. This painting left me completely awestruck. The painting has such a liberating effect , as if it is calling out to you to spread your wings, to set yourself free. The girl in the painting taking a slight leap in the air, with her arms outstretched, her windswept hair, her skirt flowing seems to beckon one to break away from metaphorical shackles. The Butterfly with its wings flapping, to me, it seems to signify , a charmed life waiting out there to be discovered once the shackles have been broken. Juxtaposing the girl and the butterfly seems to suggest a metamorphosis of the girl into a carefree butterfly. When I saw this painting for the first time all I wanted to do is reach out and gently touch the real painting, to feel the play of colors in the butterfly’s wings .

Artist Unknown :(

Then recently I came across another painting. I saw it in an album of a friend on Facebook. I do not know who made it. The artist seems to be a student from her college. Unfortunately the painting isn’t signed (All upcoming artist, learn this golden rule, always sign your work! ). I think I am drawn to paintings with bluish tinge.  Markovich’s  painting had it too and so does this one. This painting depicts a woman with her back exposed, having a sharp nose with her hair neatly in   a bun.Tthe way she has elegantly and delicately held her cigarette seems to exude confidence. This one to me seems to portray a self assured woman. A women used to living life on her own terms. This image is stuck in my mind. It happens to be my mobile wallpaper now as well, the previous wallpaper was the Effect of the Butterfly. 

One of the entries in my bucket list is to visit the Louvre in France., National Gallery , London and St Peter’s Basilica Rome. But I hope I don’t get too overwhelmed like many Japanese tourists do when they visit places steeped in art and culture :P That brings me to the Stendhal syndrome. I had read it somewhere in connection to a lot of art in one place.

Stendhal syndrome, or Florence syndrome is a psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly beautiful or a large amount of art is in a single place. The term can also be used to describe a similar reaction to a surfeit of choice in other circumstances, e.g. when confronted with immense beauty in the natural world. (Lifted from Wiki :D)


I have a cousin who is a super talented artist. I have asked her to gift me a painting on my birthday. Yes I  shamelessly ask for birthday gifts :D My mother was a fabulous artist too. Her paintings are hung in my grandparent’s house, my house and almost in all her relatives house. However she has lost touch now, she can’t even draw cat or flower properly now  :-/ And her talent seemed to have skipped my generation. I can’t paint at all :-/  I can sketch cartoons to some extent though :P

Can’t think of a conclusion for this post so Ok thanks bye :D

Mumbai tour in two days :D

I was in Mumbai this week with my father for three days for an academic purpose. It was my father’s first and my second visit to Mumbai. I had been to Mumbai earlier as a part of excursion trip during my 11^th Std. During my trips I like to maximize my time and visit as many places as possible, mostly of historical importance.

So after getting done with the academic task at hand I had an evening and three quarters of the next day at hand for Mumbai Sightseeing. My Mumbai friend had told me the best way to travel in the city is by local train, but I was a bit apprehensive regarding this because whichever documentary or travelogue I had seen on Mumbai on Lifestyle channels always showed people hanging from everywhere in the local trains and a lot of shoving and pushing going on. As I am pretty clumsy  I was sure that I would be run over in a stampede if I took the trains.

Pic taken from the Ferry

However it turned out, I was living very far away from the places I wanted to visit and Mumbai is a humongous city. So I fearfully travelled to the nearest station to board the train to CST. It was around 3 at noon and imagine my shock when I found it to be sparsely crowded and  I actually got a seat :O and happily travelled the distance to CST seated and watching one shanty after another pass by :-|  

So first stop  after getting down at CST was the Gateway of India.  I remembered the first time I was there in 2007, I had already read about the history of the Taj Mahal Place hotel and how it was a gift to the city of Bombay by J.N Tata and wonderful stories about Taj. The Taj along with the Gateway makes a beautiful panoramic view. I had planned a ferry ride to the Elephanta Caves from the gateway, but turned out that the last ferry for the day had already left. Hard luck :-( .

Anyway to make up for that I took a ferry ride around the Apollo Bunder (Bunder is port not monkey you sillies!!) . It turned out to be an amazing experience, cool gusts of wind playing with your  hair. To enjoy the experience further I went and stood on one end edge of the steamer boat and got an absolutely wonderful view from there. I Gazed in awe at the Gateway and the Taj as we left the port and tried to steady myself against the strong breeze, as it threatened to blow me away :D. In all a wonderful experience.

The next stop was Chowpatty through a taxi drive through Marine Drive. The beach side was rather dirty. :-/ and I was awfully hungry as well. There were wonderful snacks kiosks but there was sand blowing everywhere, I was afraid sand would get in the food and the food won’t be hygienic, but my stomach continued to growl and wagged its impatient finger at me and I decided to screw hygiene and indulge in some pav bhaji. It was mouthwatering!

I wanted to sit at the beach and watch the sunset. However my papa, who was with me, blatantly refused to sit at the dirty beach. See now you know where I get my genes!  But I was adamant; I sat down anyway and gazed into the horizon. But the sun refused to set no matter how much I gazed. It sets so late in Mumbai, Mumbai being in the west :-/ So I decided to leave. Anyway my papa was tapping his foot impatiently wanting to leave. He then suggested a walk through marine drive, so I feigned tiredness.  Last time I was there, I had only come across couple’s cooching cooing all over the length and breadth of marine drive so wanted to be spared this time. :-/

Then off we went to Colaba Causeway. My friend had suggested that’s a good place to shop because as she put it you get a lot of “pretty, pretty girl stuff “ there :D. She was right! However taking your father shopping or rather any boy is the worst idea ever :-/ Boys I tell you :-/ They hurry you along, have patience the size of a teaspoon, and call everything not worth it, so the shopping experience wasn’t that great. Though the merchandise on display was rather nice :D Will shop some other time in future maybe. I am optimistic like that :D

On my floor in the IIPS hostel. These three kittens would come
and sit infront of a  door, every night. Arent they adorable?:D
I am slowly beginning to feel I am a cat person!:O they are small and cute.
Big dogs scare me :-(

Then I  went to catch a local at CST To begin my journey back to Govandi where I was staying at the IIPS(International institute of Population Sciences) . It was around 7 , there was like a massive sea of people at the station. And I finally got to see the real face of the Mumbai local trains, the kind they show in documentaries and shuddered inwardly.

The next day I planned a trip to SiddhiVinayak. Oh did I mention I finally changed my phone , I got myself a Samsung Galaxy Y. A rather nice phone it is. I used the netpack in it for the first time in Mumbai and was surprised by the efficiency of the GPS and Google maps feature. Makes travelling rather simple! I planned my entire trip on that likeaboss :D . I even sat and gave taxi driver, who was at a loss as to where IIPS is, directions from it.  It gives you everything from which bus number to catch and from where, all step by step directions, I was rather impressed. Those of you who have been using Android phones since ages please don’t roll your eyes at my gushing, let me make my own little discoveries and enjoy the pleasant surprises life and technology  throws up.

I reached Siddhivinayak and had expected to find a huge snake like queue there. But surprise surprise the queue was really short! :O I didn’t get pushed or shoved and prayed fervently and peacefully as well. The sanctum where the idol is kept is really beautiful and has beautiful chandelier which reflects light from the gold plated sanctum. On the right of the sanctum there are four idols of mice (Ganesha ji’s Vahana). I saw people going to it as well and what seemed like then kissing Mouse ji’s ears :O. I went to take a closer look at this ritual and found that people were actually bending down and whispering in Mouse’ji’s ears,  then out of the blue I faintly recalled having read or heard somewhere that one is supposed to whisper their wishes in Mouse ji’s ears and he would carry it to Ganeshji. I stood there for a minute or so observing how the ritual is supposed to be done. I noticed that while whispering in one ear , people were covering the other ear of the mice. I tried to put two and two together and concluded Mouse ji is like us human beings in this aspect and in order to ensure that what mouse ji hears from one ear doesn’t go out of the other, we need to cover the other ear (so that mouse ji doesn’t ek kaan se sun ke durse kaan se nikal denge :D ). I whispered my wishes in Mouse ji’s ears for at least 5-6 minutes. I had a huge wish list for lots of people you see. I am greedy like that. I have to say this is one of the cutest ritual I have come across in any sacred site :D.

Pic is not that nice :-/ couldnt make out what
I was capturing on the LCD coz the sun
 was too bright .

My next stop was Nehru Science Centre as it was in a nearby area. The architecture of the building is magnificent and the sprawling lawn in its front very scenic. There is a huge permanent Discovery of India Exhibition at the Science Centre. It is a must visit for any history lover. Its tracks everything from India’ freedom struggle, to birth of some of the greatest religions in India, to sacred sites, development of art, rise and fall of great civilizations. The unique aspect of the exhibition is that it leaves the journey of the discovery up to you. You choose your own journey of discovery of India based on your interests. I happen to like history and those of you who were thinking of muttering how boring can go drown in Worli Seaface :-/ . Oh history lovers can go to Prince of Wales museum too. Unfortunately I didn’t get time. Though I have had  a quick tour of it during my first visit to Mumbai. 

Here is a better pic of the 
science centre, 
Thank you Google. :D

Next stop was Atria Mall. It happened to be walking distance from the Science centre, and I had read that the mall offers a wonderful view of the Worli seaface. At the security check at the entrance, the guard lady who checked my bag saw a hibiscus and marigold flower I had taken from Siddhivinayak and had kept it in my bag in between books, she sought of touched it and did a Pranam to it. She looked at me , her eyes went to the vermillion tikka I had put on my forehead at SiddhiVinayak and she asked me : AAp Siddhivinayak gaye the? . I flashed a broad grin and nodded. :D Felt really nice to see people so attached to their God. 

Their shoes collection made me drool
and their prices made me cry

Atria turned out to be a very expensive mall with mostly luxury brands. I found myself staring through glass panels like a slumdog kid at Rolls Royce and Audi Cars, Ducati Bikes. I drooled at the wonderful heels and wedges at the ALDO showroom. Priced at around a measly Rs. 5000-12000 :-|. And what was supposed to be a panoramic view of the Worli Seaface turned out to be just a sandwiched glimpse of it from in-between  two huge buildings infront of the mall. :-| 

That’s it for my two day sightseeing in Mumbai. Coming from a small town, the hustle and bustle of this huge city was quite new to me. I just didn’t get why people own private vehicles here, everything is so far :O . It not like you can go to CST from Worli in your car :O Or can you? Will have to ask Mumbai friends :P . It’s a huge city. But very well connected via buses and trains.  I would definitely like to come back for a visit :D

P.S: The pics are from my mobile camera so they aren’t that nice. Plus the sun was shining with all its might and the LCD screen was reflecting sunlight, I couldn’t even make out what I was clicking, just went by estimation. :-|

Absent Minded Much?? Pretty much! :(

A very dominant trait in my personality is that I am absent minded. I have several times in the past demonstrated this aspect of my personality much to the chagrin of my Mum.

Once I was visiting my favorite cousin who lives in the same city. I sprinted up the stairs to his flat with a spring in my step. Finding the door open I happily entered and closed the door behind me. When I turned around to face the room I saw a stranger sitting on the couch watching TV.

Errr…Where is Bhaiya?

Bhaiya?? he asked. Who are you?

Err…His cousin.

“Whose cousin”?

I looked around and saw a lady I had never seen before staring at me from the kitchen. It was then that I surveyed the room, stood there for what seemed like eternity, gulped and realized this was not my cousin’s home at all!!Panic stricken, my eyes shot back to the man on the couch who was gaping at me quizzically waiting for an answer.

“Sorry wrong house”. I managed to mumble. “Ok thanks bye.” And with that I turned back and dashed out of the house leaving the man staring dumbfounded at my retreating back. My cousin’s home was just one floor above. Don’t ask me how I managed to enter the wrong house even though I have been to his house hundreds of time. Don’t ask me why it took me an eternity to realize I had entered the wrong place. The answer is very simple I am me! :D

There have been other instances as well like the time when I made popcorn in the microwave without putting the lid of the vessel causing the microwave to be inundated with popcorn. Or the time when my Mum wasn't well and the responsibility of managing the house fell on my slightly irresponsible shoulders. I was making rice. I am a pro at it mind you. When the pressure cooker started whistling I scurried to switch off the gas. I was just wondering how come the rice got cooked so fast today? When I noticed raw rice staring back at me from the kitchen slab. What I had smartly done was put water in the cooker , forgotten to add rice and had let just the water steam.  Or the many times when my mum or papa ask me to do something and I stare and nod and go away. Then come back after a minute or two to ask what exactly did they want me to do? Because I had nodded without really listening because I was lost in some other thought. Or the innumerable times I lose track of the conversation going on when I am with my friends and have to be brought back into reality by someone poking me and asking “Are you with us ?” and at other times when  someone puts a question to me and I go Huh? What were we talking about?

Before you conclude I am cerebrally challenged let me take an opportunity to boast that I have surprised many a soul with my excellent memory. I recall incidents and events very graphically. I left a friend dumbstruck by exactly telling her what the first sentence of our first gtalk chat ever was and another one by reminding her exactly what we had in the canteen at a college fest 2 years back. So you see all is not lost in my case.

Eating Out!

Eating out is one I activity I enjoy the most. It never fails to brighten up my day or light up or bring a goofy smile on my face. When someone cannot tell me the exact name of the dish they had I feel annoyed. No, saying I had chicken won’t do with me. I need to know exactly which chicken :-?.  It’s not just the food part that is the most enjoyable for me.  It’s the whole preparation that goes into it. It starts right from choosing the correct restaurant for the day keeping in mind the preferences of your friends. My friends let me inform you are lazy bums of the first degree. They will each individually tell me to make outing plans but will come up with none themselves. So the entire arduous task of deciding that ideal time and venue falls on my slim shoulders (ok not that slim now :-/ ). After making around dozen  calls and sending some more messages to coordinate everything we finally land up in the restaurant which everyone has agreed on. Phew! 

After settling down we get busy chatting and catching up, leaving the poor waiter hovering around our table with his notepad. Absolutely no one of them feel any pity for the poor waiter except me. So I wave the menu card in front of their noses and remind them to order. But no! I get the menu card thrust under my nose and is made to order for everyone. Did I mention my friends are lazy bums? I then take to playing mother goose quieting down everyone for a minute or so to ask everybody's preferences. This is the toughest part since my friends never seem to be out of topics to talk about. Well since this happens almost all the time I almost know everyone’s preference by rote. :D Who doesn't eat onion and garlic, who is a vegetarian, who doesn't like paneer, who loves pasta.etc etc. I decide a dish then put it to vote. If it doesn’t get a majority or gets vetoed altogether then it’s back to square one. All this while the waiter would have hovered over our table and left at least thrice. So through this process of voting we arrive at a consensus. Sometimes though we skip the voting process altogether. This happens when my friends get exasperated with me and ask me to order anything and agree to eat it without blaming me if it turns out anything less than delectable. I make sure that I am exonerated of this blame only then I order without consulting.

Then comes the giving order to the waiter part. This is the time I become very finicky. If the menu does not describe the preparation for the dish, I make it a point to make the poor waiter (notice how he is becoming poorer by the minute) do it. I ask about the sauce base used, how does it taste (mildy spicy, very spicy, sweet :P ) whether it will have mushrooms as ingredient, (I am not a fan of mushrooms you see) etc etc. This is the time I get unkind stares and amused smiles from my friends because they are all waiting for me to finish with my interrogation. And oh did I tell you ordering involves a lot of brain storming too when you have vegetarians friend with you. It involves getting the correct combination of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes so that we don't exceed our budget or waste food. 

When the food is served and we begin eating, if any one of my friend compliments a dish of my selection my face acquires a glow as if it was me that had laboured in the kitchen to prepare it. When the food does not go down well with my friends I take it personal affront and feel apologetic about it and mumble excuses like it tasted good when I had it in a different restaurant. And I absolutely cannot see good food being wasted so in case we over order and are over stuffed I play mother hen again and serve a little bit on everyone's plate and cajole them to finish it off. I go, "See just a little bit everyone, yes there you go, we can finish it off, there is no need to waste."

Now from the whole description you might wonder why I enjoy eating out so much when I make such a fuss about it and make it sound like such a cumbersome process. Well to me it is not. The whole process of choosing the restaurant , getting there, studying the menu ardently, deciding the various combination of dishes gets me excited to put it mildly and hyper to tell you the truth. But most of all the friends I am surrounded with makes it so enjoyable. I like it that they subconsciously or maybe now consciously know that I like it so much that they hand me the menu as soon as we get to the restaurant. They tell me that they would end up talking and not ordering if I wasn't so hyper about it.  I love the way conversation flows in that set up. How all of us begin talking at once and then try to shush each other and then everybody takes turn to lay out their gossip. I like the way they shake their head when I spill food. I have a knack of doing this always.  Ok I am getting a bit sentimental now *sniff*. Here is to many more such 'eat-outs' with friends. :) :)

When I was Away from Home

Ok this post is going to put a huge question mark on your face regarding my intelligence. However I feel the world needs to know my predicament.

It was 2008, I was fresh out of school and heading for college in a distant land.Away from the cocooned shelter I had enjoyed at my home, I was unleashed on the the big bad real world without proper training. I was on the other hand   very smug that I was fully equipped to take on the challenges of living in the hostel. However I could not have been more wrong.

My antique phone <3

I have always had an aversion to mobile phones. Bloody nuisance is what they are.My mobile phone can be classified as an antique. I have been planning to get a new one for ages but then my present one never gets broken,damaged and of course no one will steal it either. I am not finicky about features of a phone either. One reason is that I am a technology illiterate and moreover I use my phone only for calling and messaging( err isn't it that was it was meant for in the first place?) When buying gadgets I just go on looks. Thats why my laptop is a pretty purple color with flowers  :P and the phone im planning to buy is a cute looking square one.

Square phone <3 which im getting soon <3

And I just drifted from the point. What I was basically trying to say was I avoided using mobile phones when I was at school. What is a landline for anyway? And when I was out I happily forgot my phone at home. Mum had to call on my friends phone. So in college when I was handed a phone by my parents I went to  The Idea shop which gave me a huge form to fill for applying for a new number and handed me some SIM cards and asked me to choose the number I wanted. All this was new for me mind you. I inky pinkyed ponkeyed and chose a number and then happily came out of the shop. After 10 mins I get a call and i stared at my phone in amazement. Who could it be I wondered? since i had not given my phone number to anyone. Turns out it was the Idea shopguy I had very conveniently forgotten to pay for my sim card. :-| I entered the shop sheepishly, apologized profusely and paid up. And thats not the last time that happened. Over the next few days I would forget to pay the photocopy guy, for my juice at the juice stall and so on and so forth. Sometimes I remembered on my own and would run back huffing and puffing to pay up. But other times the shopkeeper had to call out to my retreating back and yell O madam. Aaap paise dena bhul gayi!! Those times i wished i was an ostrich so that i could dig a hole and hide my face in it. 

I soon found out that I am utterly incapable of taking care of myself. I found going to a bank to be a very daunting  task. Everybody would look so sure of themselves there and I would look around like a lost puppy. I had once gone to get a bank statement of my account from the bank. The lady there informed me that I would be charged for it. I immediately whisked out my wallet and said how much. The lady gaped at me incredulously for 5 secs and said it will be cut from your account. Oh ya right! i said and quickly put away my wallet.

I also have an uncanny knack of falling on ridiculously flat surfaces also.Once I went to a medical shop with a friend. There were just two small steps leading down to the shop yet I managed to lose my balance and land on my bum on the second one. Obviously all the heads in the shop turned towards me. And I got up assuring my friend that I was alright and rubbing my wrist where i had got hurt.As I was coming out the shopowner i  noticed the shop owner was trying to get my attention. He was offering me pain relief ointment to put on my wrist which i was still rubbing. I politely declined it. This later on evoked fierce calls of gender biasness from guys to whom i narrated the incident. They protested they wouldnt have an offer of ointment had they had landed on their bums :P

And the one which takes the cake is when i fought with the IDEA shopkeeper. I had gone to get balance for my phone for the first time ever on my own. I asked about the plans he told me abt several such as 100 rs with 80 rs talktime and so on and so forth.However why should i get 80 rs talktime when i am paying 100 rs defied all logic for me and what did talk time mean anyway? The poor guy had trouble making me see sense and finally got exasperated and said Arey aap samjhi nai rahi hai! Rukiye main dusre customer ko dekh ke aata hu. I stood there wearing a hurt expression.  I was moping for having been chided by him. The shopkeeper saw this and came and apologized to me too. He said arey aaj dimag kharab hai mera ! aaj log aarhae hai and kuch khareede bina hi ja rahe hai. Sorry aap pe gusaa hogaya. Then he went forward and explained the concept to me. :P 

Such times I wished I was a kid again. No worries, no daunting bank tasks to do, no need to spend time comprehending technology which changes everyday, when we would be home and would just had to stretch to get our hands on eatables which would magically keep replenshing itself( unlike hostel where one is always out of food stock) :(

The Story of Simba's Prideland.

.

Many of you who read my blog must have wondered why the name "Simba's Prideland'? Or maybe not because most of u who take the pain of reading my blog are my friends since the times we frolicked around in the corridors of our Alma mater Sacred Heart Convent School  and are therefore aware of my ardent obsession with Simba.And others who were not with me in school i have already bugged by recounting my Simba infatuation innumerable times.But the time has come to give a even more detailed account of my love affair with Simba :D 

It was the year 1997 .Three years after Lion King had released world wide.A swarm of people were heading towards an auditorium where Loyola School's (my brother's school) Golden Jubilee was being celebrated.Among the sea of people was a tiny tot heading towards the auditorium clasping her parents hand.She again glanced at the brochure in her hand ,It said said Loyola School  welcomes u the stage adaptation of the movie The Lion King.The pictures from the movie on the brochure looked quite adorable and she was quite eagerly looking forward to the play

The Presentation of Simba

The opening scene of that play would forever remain itched in my memory.The scene is the presentation of the new born Cub Simba to the subjects of King Mufasa.The opening song of the movie "The circle of Life" is amazing.It starts with very powerful Zulu Lyrics and for me it has magical feel to it.Simba is presented by the King Mufasa's old and wizened old friend Rafiki to the subjects.The subjects bow to the their new Prince and the song reaches its crescendo.In School play the cub Simba was a baby  in a lion suit and on seeing the baby the entire audience awwwed and went How cute! including me of course.That's when i fell in love with Simba and the Lion King.

The pic I used as my election symbol

Fast forward to 2005.Campaigning of the School Pupil Elections of Sacred Convent School was going on with gusto.Vote For Simba!!!!! went the campaigners .One Two Three Four who are we for Five Six Seven Eight whom do we appreciate ? Simba!!!!!!!! chants echoed in the corridors of my Alma mater.I had chosen cub Simba as my election symbol.By this time I was in 10th Std and  had watched The Lion King innumerable times and developed a bond with him.In my election speech I referred to how Simba ,a boisterous playful little cub, an heir to the King Mufasa, had not a care in the world but then his life is completely shattered upon the death of his father for which his wicked uncle blames him.He runs away out of guilt .He eventually returns to his kingdom Prideland with a mission to take his rightful place as King.Its about Simba' s journey of self discovery which leads him to take his place in the Circle of Life.

Needless to say batch mates and juniors alike went gaga over my symbol.There was huge demand fr Simba stickers and badges.I had to print so many .The Juniors would go "Simba didi Simba Didi on seeing me. (How embarrassing!!! *shudders*) ( Ok ok!!Confession!!! I secretly enjoyed it :P)I got won with above 350 votes and the next highest was a measly 70 :D :D

Now Fast Forward to 2007.This time I was in 12th Std and standing for the School President elections.This time I didn't even have to think for a moment  regarding what my election symbol should be .As soon as I was nominated as  a candidate I said to myself Simba has grown up. :D So my symbol this time was Adult Simba.The logic being last two years had been a growing up journey fr me.And my stint as School pupil leader has made me more responsible and instilled in me even a greater pride for my school. :D  *Tch I am a genius :P * 

Hakuna Matata moment.

I won this time too though the vote margin had narrowed this time. :( But still a victory is a victory :D . I remember those fun filled campaigning days, When my friends boisterously sang in the corridors and cheered and shouted slogans for me. One daring one even volunteered to dance wearing  a Simba mask but  i blatantly refused and saved her from  embarrassing herself

So Simba has always been with me in my life's journey.I have watched the movie many times but yet I never get bored of it. I adored  cub simba, his rowdiness , his playfulness, his arrogance,his mischievousness his attempts to be brave like his father,.the lessons which wise and experienced King Mufasa teaches his young cub and the wonderful and close bond they share. I have all these years cried along in the movie when Mufasa dies and swelled with pride when Simba returns to Prideland .I have laughed at the antics of Timon and Pumba and sighed when love blossoms between Simba and Nala..I have cheered when Simba defeats Scar and finally in the closing scene- the presentation of Simba's and Nala's cub to the animals of Prideland. Apart from the cuteness and charm of the movie and the mellifluous music and lyrics what I like about it is how with utter simplicity the movie teaches us important life lessons.

I put in two quotes like.  :D :D

Rafiki: [after guiding Simba to a spot where he says will show him Mufasa] Look down there. 

Adult Simba: [looks into a pool of water] That's not my father. That's just my reflection. 

Rafiki: No, look harder. 

[touches the water, as it ripples Simba's reflection changes to that of his father] 

Rafiki: You see? He lives in you. 

Mufasa's ghost: [from above] Simba. 

Adult Simba: Father? 

Mufasa's ghost: [apears among the stars] Simba, you have forgotten me. 

Adult Simba: No. How could I? 

Mufasa's ghost: You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life. 

Adult Simba: How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be. 

Mufasa's ghost: Remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king. Remember... 

Here is another one : 

Adult Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back will mean facing my past. I've been running from it for so long. 

[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick] 

Adult Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for? 

Rafiki: It doesn't matter. It's in the past. 

[laughs] 

Adult Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts. 

Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it. 

[swings his stick at Simba again who ducks out of the way] 

Rafiki: Ha. You See? So what are you going to do? 

Adult Simba: First, I'm gonna take your stick. 

[Simba snatches Rafiki's stick and throws it and Rafiki runs to grab it] 

Rafiki: No, not the stick! Hey, where you going? 

Adult Simba: I'm going back! 

Rafiki: Good! Go on! Get out of here! 

[Rafiki begins laughing and screeching loudly] 

And ofcourse one of my favorites 

Rafiki: Asante sana Squash banana, Wiwi nugu Mi mi apana! 

This quote is in Swahili.I have often put it up as my gtalk status message.And many unsuspecting people have asked me what does it mean. To which i reply impishly and animatedly "It means You are a Baboon and I am not" .:D :D Yes Yes that's what Wiwi nugu mimi apana translates to in English , not kidding  :D :P

Ok ok I think i have said all i wanted to say.U might conclude from the post that I am infatuated with The movie and Simba in particular.But let me tell u this.Its not infatuation or obsession. It is love :D :P

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P.S - I cant find the pic of Adlut Simba I used in the president elections : '( .Will put it up once I find it :D