rOLE rEVERSALS aRE nOT a tHING oF tHE pAST aNYMORE!!

It finally happened.
I was at work, slogging away for no extra perks, no extra money, no comp off, no recognition on a Sunday evening while my husband was out shopping !!!

Its almost indecent, isnt it ???
Hey Vc,
We can go out shopping tomorrow, I can get off work early, unlimited budget isnt it? ;)

Uahahhahahahahahaha .. kahani mein twist!

From here :
...a particular plaque apparently engraved in the early 2nd millennium CE.....she interprets as showing amicable and very friendly terms between local authorities and a Muslim merchant trading from the Persian Gulf. This was a dedication written in Sanskrit which records the deeds of purchase of land and construction of a mosque. I saw that the same volume she quoted from also contained a second translation .... engraved in Arabic. The same translator gives literal translations that explicitly spell out that the merchant praises his own Sultan back at home, and prays that the Sultan’s dominion and his true faith holds sway over these heathen lands in the near future.
Where is the bhai-bhai stuff if one wants to conquer the other?
Where is the peaceful co-existence if one wants to prove that the other is the boss?
Where is the concept of all-religion acceptance if daily something comes up to show that there are differences? Someone not being allowed to wear scarves to a school is an issue. Someone not wanting to wear a helmet over a turban is an issue.Being allowed to put a red dot on the forehead is a victory.
Would there be a problem if people were allowed to live as they wanted, follow customs they chose(whether cultural/religious) as long as it doesn't hurt another soul. Doesn't the problem stem from the fact that one wants to make the other follow some customs that he may or may not want to?

If I go to Saudi, I will probably be required to cover my head and wear ankle length clothes and be dressed conservatively. That's the rule of the state there and if you want to be there, then follow our rules.Whether you consider that backward or oppressive is not our problem.
But when I come to India, anything goes , isn't it? So, don't the religious majority here get to make rules? Well, not really, because we Indians have enough sense to have a democratic, secular government. We allow for freedom of speech, we don't advocate harsh punishments, we let simple court cases drag for decades. Sab kuch chaltha hai yaar attitude rules.
You can do whatever you want and get away with it most of the time. Its like kicking your parents as children, throwing a tantrum or bawling at not getting what you want.They suffer it, with love.
But why should the country show love to one who chooses to abuse the freedom he has been given.
So, basically, India doesn't have the right to enforce rules other than basic humanity ones. Which is fine by me, that's what all governments should achieve to strive for.
India keeps trying to pull up the 'backward classes', most of whom are well to do. While there may be many who actually deserve it, they probably are not even aware that there are reservations for them.
India lets terrorists attack it time and again, gets hurt, stands up on the shoulders of the brave citizens who need to go to work again right through the bomb ravaged areas and the brave soldiers who brave it all to daily fight a war that gets no recognition.
The elected Indian government cannot take a decision without it being put to a Trust vote.
The right to criticize has given us so much power that we talk like authorities on issues we have bare minimum knowledge about. Perhaps like I am doing right now.
I always believed that we were a great culture, that this country will be a super power within my lifetime. But now that illusion has begun to fade away.As long as India cannot stand on her feet and fend for herself within and without, I see no hope.
but then again, "Picture abhi baki hai mere bhai.... "

Go Figure !!

I have one heck of a terrrrrrible headache since 2pm (its almost 6pm now) and the only reason I am still at my desk and working is because I don't want to go tell my boss that I can't do this anymore.
Grrrrrr .

Its always the small things in life...

I was walking back home today morning and saw this guy on a cycle selling flowers on a basket. And pretty flowers they were, Gundu malli wasn't there but there was sannajaji and this greenish-mallipoovu that I have been seeing a lot of nowadays.
Without thinking I went up to him and asked him to give me one moora and he measured out one long hand and wrapped it up for me.
Me: Yenta? (How much?)
Him : 5

And then it hit me, I was out for a morning walk, I wasn't carrying any money on me!!! I am so used to having a bag on me(with a purse :) ) that this was a first for me! I dug into my pockets just in case and found 3Rs.

Me: 5 illa, parvagilla bidi.(I don't have 5, its ok, let it be)
and started to walk away but he called out and said "Yeshtide?" (How much do you have?)
And he actually gave me the flowers for 3Rs saying "Bandbittu duddilla antha hogbedi, Devarigalva" (Dont go away just because you don't have the money, its for God isn't it?) and gave me a big smile!
And of course followed it up with "Rate jasti irovaga hegidru kodalla" (when its costly season I can't give it anyways)
and one more smile.
Now there was a smile that could last me all day :)
Oh , it wasn't the fact that he gave me the flowers for a lesser rate, it was his happy face and small talk with that smile that made it special !

August - Poojas, festivals and suttafying

I don't recall having a single weekend to laze. And since working days rule out lazing(officially at least ;)) , I have been doing things 19 to the dozen all of August. Every single day.
And so, I solemnly swear to kick off my shoes, sink into that couch and not do anything at all for ALL of September !
First weekend :
Skandagiri trek . For details of that place check this and this.
P.S. I love that Payaniga dude ! I so want to have my own travel blog after having read his (which would imply I need to travel a lot ! yipppppeeeeee )
P.S. to the PS : I don't have a write up on that, so borrowing from Payaniga.

That was a Saturday well spent, with office mates and their families. I collected at least 10 sets of curses and abuses for having chosen a trek for an outing instead of "Fun World". I am not going to be allowed to make any further decisions on "where to go's"
Sigh.

The Sunday, when everyone else had taken Crocin pain relief and didn't get out of bed, me and hubby dearest went out with my sibling gang to catch Christian Bale jump around in a Bat suit. LOVED Joker ! May his soul rest in peace.


Second weekend :
The newly weds had a homam to perform at the temple. Some sort of a shanthi pooja, I got to wear a new saree and all that, so ,that was a weekend well spent ! (that's my official line and I'm sticking to it!)

Third weekend :
Luckily this was a long weekend with Friday being Independence day. But I was barely aware of that. That's coz it was Varalakshmi Vratam also on that day. The pujari came home, lots of Poojas and praying to God for stuff :D Neighbour aunties all paying attendance and giving them some stuff each while they wished me marital bliss. All that was ok, but darn, all these pujas need for me to take Ashirvadam from Vc. Touching his feet and all hmph! and his holy majesty gives a broad smile , I give a "I'll kill you" look to the Poojari and he smiles back with a "I cant help it" expression. Indian rituals have it all wrong !! grrrr. Oh and I got a new saree again.
After the 'stress and strain' of all that , Sat-Sun should have been a vacation off, right ! and so it was. We were off to Sakleshpur. And here is Vc's description of it .
We loved it ! It is one amazing place. I mean we got to live in a coffee estate, wake up to the sounds of nature, red-oxide floor with kerosene lamps for light, constant drizzle! Haiiiiiiiiiiiii ... What more can one ask for !!


Fourth weekend :
This was the Krishna Janmashtmi weekend. Saturday midnight pooja at the same time as the one done in Udupi.I have never done this before but Vc does so year after year. And thus, new habits get added into one's life :)

Fifth weekend :
We had our first guests over officially on Sunday, so Saturday got spent in turning the pigsty into a home ! Most of the credit goes to Vc. Sunday morning was spent in cooking. All was spic and span and food ready, the hosts looking human again(as opposed to looking like escapees from an health instituition who toppled into soot and garbage and all else). We got a call from our guests that they would be late by 1.5 hours! I was never that glad in a long time !! Both of us took a moment to catch our breath. Sat down, looked around and felt so proud of what we had achieved, I think Vc turned all senti ;)
It was a evening well spent, catching up with friends always is isn't it?
And after that, we went out go-karting! Now that was FUN! You do end up with a head that has been shaken and stirred and beaten under the helmet. But it was worth it !

And right after that we had Ganesh Chathurthi. My favourite festival of the lot. Got up early (at least earlier that usual :-P) and went out with our shopping basket. The market was a riot of colors, flowers, banana-leaves, sugarcane, Ganesha idols, fruits ! I felt like a kid again, when I used to go out with my dad to get the prettiest Ganesha there was. Pick out the right flowers, pull grass from the neighbour's garden, mango leaves from the neighbouring farm, arrange the dahlias and set the fruits, get the text book of the toughest subject that year, pray to God wholeheartedly.
We never do grow old do we?
And just like that another month passed me by....