Alone, but not lonely!!!

Deepawali aka Diwali, this word itself is filled with happiness. Relatives and cousins visiting your place. Loads of gifts and sweets. From conventional kheel-khilaone to chocolate burfi, every sweet at your service. Variety of new clothes for different occasions,  from western to traditional,  from casual to formal. The time when you light candles and lamps. Fire crackers, almost a synonym for Diwali. The first most important reason to use them, the second being celebration of India's victory over Pakistan in cricket match.

Though now a days, getting Diwali vacations for a week, is next to impossible. It is a matter of joy even if you can manage to get leave for choti & badi Diwali. Diwali's definition changes as you grow up. For children, all it means is to have more time to play, get good food and so many people around. During my childhood, two weeks before diwali used to be the most hectic time of the season. Sending Diwali cards by post to more than 60 relatives, helping mom in kitchen, taking care of studies and homework go hand in hand.

As I grew up, all it meant was to spent good lot of time with Mom, Dad n sisters. Breakfast time was the suitable time to decide rest of the day's menu, decoration strategy, most importantly variety and quantity of sweets. Anything could be compromised, but not the mithais, the star attraction of the festival. Let me not disturb your salivary glands by telling the names . Kitchen department used to be Mom's responsibility. My sister or I would help my Mom in kitchen in between. Decoration was taken care by we sisters. The most important sweets department, as I already mentioned was handled by Dad. No recession, no natural disaster,  can possibly affect this department.  Many a times kitchen and decoration departments have faced quite hard sanctions, but any kind of cost cutting on sweets department was strictly forbidden by my eldest sister, which was gladly accepted by, we the sweets lover family. Every year Dad handled this department quite well.

This year I was alone, far far away from my family, my homeland. Place where lighting crackers other than New Year is totally forbidden. On both the days I felt quite nostalgic, many a times almost on the verge of crying. It really sucks, when you are far away from your family especially when there is a big festival back home. Choti Diwali could not make me feel so bad. Moreover, I was neck deep into my work, so it was ok. The badi diwali day was really tough. No light, no special food, no cracker, though I can manage without the last one. I went to office without any enthusiasm. Come on you can't argue with me on that. There can surely be no motivation to go to office when it is Diwali. I called up my folks so so many times, feeling happy, sad, nostalgic, grinning all at the same time. So I decided to go to my room early and do something to make myself happy. I asked one more Indian friend and told him that I would be doing pooja and if he wishes he can join me, as I am not used to celebrating festivals alone. He said he doesn't celebrate diwali, due to some reason. So immediately, I told him that I would be making special dinner and it would be nice if he can join me. You can call this a tactic, but I had to do it. There is nothing more luring than home made food for people like me. I knew he can't say no to it. :P

Now that the promise to make special dinner was made, it was time for action. So, I quickly made menu and list of things I need to buy. On the way to my room, I stopped by Indian grocery store. I could not dare to buy sweets as they were quite expensive. I quickly made shahi paneer, dry vege potato-onion , salad, raita, matar pulao. As the muhurat for pooja was from 7:30 to 9:00 pm, I had to be super fast. By 8:30, I was ready with decoration. Here are the glimpses:

By the time I finished pooja, my friend also came. After showing my naive skills of pooja, we had dinner. To be honest, nothing was perfect. Just like the day, which was not perfect but happy, dinner was also not perfect but complete. Rice was a little uncooked, dry vege had a little shortage of salt, shahi paneer was too sauer, only raita was under the permissible limits of being perfect. Accepting the fact that not all and everything is perfect, I excuse myself. After all, we are jack of all trades :)

Shaayad

Kisko aati hai maseehayi, kise awaaz dein,

Bol aye khunkhaar tanhaai, kise awaaz dein....

These lyrics might still be with you. They may express your feelings quite well, but the voice that has touched your soul with these words has gone forever. 

My interaction with this voice happened when I was still in the teens. The era when Doordarashan was the only channel. I still clearly remember that fine evening when, I came back home after playing badminton. I switch on TV out of curiosity. There was a music program being played. On a elevated platform main vocal artist along with accompanists on sarangi, tabla. The main singer was wearing thick glass, playing harmonium. There was this unusual thing about him, the vibrations of "gamak" were not only heard but also quite visible on the throat. The pathos in the lyrics was totally in sync with the voice and his expressions. Those were the days when watching TV was forbidden. So, I was asked to switch off the TV and that is how my first interaction with jagjit singh lasted for a minute. The ghazal he was singing was "Har taraf har jagah beshumaar aadmi"

As I grew up, Saregama, a musical talent hunt show helped me see him again. That was the time when I came to know about Jagjit singh ji's charisma. I don't remember when I became a big fan of him, but  I remember that I used to listen to his ghazals for more than 7-8 hours non-stop.

Many people often argue about the tune of ghazals, which according to them were always similar. I am sure that many people don't know that he had a mastery in using "gamak" and "komal swara". Handling of each note & gamak was so careful as if feelings from heart were being skimmed cautiously.

I remember, once Gulzar Sahab said this about him, "woh ghazal aise sunate hain, jaise koi ruyee ke faahe se zakhm sehla raha ho"( he sings as if someone is tickling old wounds with cotton).

There will be so many admirers, who have found solace in his voice. A comfort from his ghazals, a serenity felt inside even when we were struggling hard outside. Everyone has one or other favorite ghazal sung by Jagjit Singh. For many people Jagjit Singh was, is and will remain the "King of Ghazal". 

Who else would have made magical Shayari of Mirza Ghalib mesmerising? Whose voice could have sent lover's yearning for love( honthon se chu lo tum )? A bus or train journey would have been so lonely if "marasim" ghazals were not there as co-passengers. Twilight would have been filled with sadness if  "forget me not" ghazals were not the companions. Who would have encouraged with his ghazals ( pyar ka pehle khat likhane waqt to lagta hai )? Who else would have introduced me to "Faraz", "Zahir Ludhianavi", "Ghalib", "Mir taki mir", "Gulzar"? How I would have expressed myself when overwhelmed with emotions, if his ghazals were not there??  He has a special place in our lives and will always remain special. It is difficult to say "Goodbye" to you, Jagjit Singh ji, coz the fact is, till we live, you will live inside us, in form of your ghazals, in form of our feelings.

Phir usi raah guzar par shayad, hum kabhi mil sakein magar shayad.

Jaan pehchan se bhi kya hoga, phir bhi ae-dost gaur karein shayad.

Muntazir jinke hum rahe unko, mil gaye aur humsafar shayad.

Jo bhi bichade hain kabhi mile hai 'faraz', phir bhi tu intezaar kare shayad....

Kkisssaaa Kitchen ke rumaal ka!!

The mysterious case of lapata kitchen ka rumaal, which Khoji Pragya solved in total Bollywood style ;)

When Ekta Kapoor came to know about the missing  rumaal. She approached Khoji Pragya to help her solve the case. EK's only condition was that the name of detective be changed to Kkkhoji Kkkaramchand, to which Khoji Pragya agreed.

EK: I heard about the latest case that you are solving. I'd like to help you in solving the case with my Bollywood inspired  masalabrain.

KK:  tum apun koi kaaye ko help kar rela re?

EK: I have lot of interest in the things which starts with....u know?

KK: Errrrrr.....Akkhha duniya janta hai tere baare mein....chal, to abhi tere ko case ka details pata karne ke liye crime scene pe jana hoga.

EK: Kkkhandala??

KK: Grrrrr..nahi re. bole to Kkkkellaaarrrr.(under ground floor of buliding in german)

EK: Wahan kyun?

KK: Kyunki wahin se to  rumaal gayab hua tha.

EK::  Kkkitchen ka rumaal?

KK: Igshaktly!!! Abhi apun ka baat dhyan se sun. Last sunday ko client ne khoob saara kapda dhoya. Dhona....bole to saare kapde le jaa ke washing machine mein dala.

EK: To problem kya hai?

KK: Rumaal machine ke andar gaya, lekin baahar nahi ayaa. Total gayab!!!

(After applying too much of common sense, which she has like the gravity on equator. She finally found solace from Bollywood masala movies.)

EK:  Kkkitchen ke rumaal ka accident ho gaya ho aur woh raaste mein gir gaya ho. Usey A K Hangal  jaisa koi apne saath le gaya ho?? (just like khumbh ka mela situation. )

KK: Possible nahi hai re!! Client ne apne haath se rumaal ko washing machine mein dala tha.

EK:(Exploring the possibility of pouring more Bollywood masala into the case) Ho sakta hai ki Kkkitchen ke rumaal ne suicide kar liya ho because of the smell of week old gandi chaddi & socks??

KK: Possible nahi hai re!! body to milna chahiye tha na.

EK: (Tormented by rejection of her ideas, she finally pulled out her  bramhaastra)Kahin machine ke andar Kkkitchen ke rumaal ne plastic surgery se apne aapko socks mein change kar liya ho?

KK: Possible nahi hai re!! Andar 60 degree temperature tha. Itni garami mein surgery possible nahi hai. Ek extra different socks bhi to milna chahiye tha.

EK: (Totally disappointed by Bollywood, she finally approached Hollywood) KK ji, ET from Spielberg's movie pulls out  Kkkitchen ka rumaal from running washing machine.

KK: (Rolls her eyes)Possible nahi hai re!! ET aisa kyun karega?? Of all the places in world, why would  ET choose Client's ganda Kkkitchen ka rumaal?? That too when it is in the machine. 

EK: Kyunki, pichale janam mein ET bollywood ka sabse bada villian Pran tha. He dance with Amitji on yaari hai imaan mera  along with this rumaal.. KK ji I got a new theme for my new serial Kkkkkissa pichale janam ka.

KK: (KK now became cranky) Sheeeeeeeshhh!! tu apun ko help karne aayi hai?? ya apne next serial ki story ke liye idea lene?

EK:(jumping with excitement) KKji, ho sakta hai rumaal ko kisi se pyar ho gaya ho??

KK:(By this time KK is looking for nearest pillar to bang her head)To woh gayab kaise ho gayaa???

EK: Usey pyar ho gaya ho socks se. Anwar ke jaise uske dil mein bhi bahut sara pyar ho aur woh bhi socks mein samaa ke ek hona chaata ho? (if you have not watched movie Anwar, go and watch it. Its a must watch movie).

KK: Amused at the intelligence of EK. Possible hai re!! EK you are too much... How did you get this idea?

EK: (Sheepishly)This is what I call..... bringing up Bollywood!!!

Finally, after investigating about who is the  chitchor of Kkkitchen ka rumaal, KK and EK were able to solve the mystery ofKkkitchen ka rumaal.

Kkkitchen ka rumaal was actually found to be in love with the black pant and he was found samaya hua in black pant. They got opportunity when they were together in machine.

Further investigation shows that Black pant is KK's own daughter. Since KK herself is quite philanthropic, she gave green signal to their love. Now, Black pant is married to Kkitchen ka rumaal. All three live together. After marriage, black pant got a new shelf in the cupboard. Kkitchen ka rumaal has gone back to his profession of being a Kkitchen ka rumaal. There is quite a lot of love between The Saas and Kkitchen ka rumaal. EK and KK are good friends now. KK receives EK's saas-bahu tips quite frequently and keeps Kkitchen ka rumaal in her mutthi.

KK: (evil grinnn) Kyunki damad bhi kabhi rumaal tha ......Thanks to EK's bollywood!!!!

Shirt of change

WTH!!! How can I keep used shirts, back in the cupboard. Hey, wait a minute, I don't think I wore this yesterday. Oh yes!! I wore other black t-shirt. Oh my my, I have got 1-2-3-4-5...what?? 5 t-shirts? all in black?? 

This is what happened when I finally found that I am proud owner of 5 black t-shirts. Of course, with different design patterns. Till last year, I did not have a single black dress.  Now, I have half a dozen.

Time has surely changed, and so have I.