Top 5 things to look Forward to on Women's Day

Girls, Ladies and Beautiful Women,

Here's another Womens' Day!

Now how do we know its here? The 2 dozen greetings on whatsapp wishing you a Hppy Womens' Day should give you a cue. Or the incessant jabbering of the RJ on radio, perhaps. What is one supposed to do about the messages? One knows that one is part of a group mail, group broadcast. The prudent thing is to just ignore. Well before ignoring one can actually read a few and realise how awesome and special one is - right?

Now heres the biggest cue for the day. Even your grumpy son wakes up to wish you a "Happy Women's Day". Now you know you really have to dress up a bit for the women's day theme at work. No pulling on whatever one can lay one's hands on. Sarees and costume jewellery to match - ticked. You know you are going to be late - again, since you haven't started to get ready taking into account the saree wearing ceremony! Sarees and accessories matched (you wonder how people do it everyday) ... you rush to work, knowing you are late. Now here comes the icing. Its Womens Day... Unlikely u will be pulled up for tardiness :) so make the most of it.

As the Day progresses you realise that  Happy Women's Day has replaced the ubiquitous Good Morning and Good Afternoon greetings. Oh well... u take what you get.

Then comes the messages of Spa discounts. As you decide which parlour to go to and whether to get a hair trimming or facial or go the whole hog and straighten and highlight your hair at the ridiculous discount of 50%, your eyes pop up at more deals.

Free shots! Free at the dance floor, freebies at the mall...

God forbid you start watching TV! You get all stats on women related crimes, employment, education...

Whoa! Give us a break. Just treat us like... you know... normal. With respect.

Well waiting for the next Women's Day for my freebies.

Heres a pic with some of my dear students on Women's Day. Girls.. enjoy the day. But see that you make yourself special everyday.

Suresh Bhai RIP

If it was a small world and we would all be staying near each other, Suresh Bhai was one person I would definitely love to have as one of my neighbours.
We were all young kids, playing, going to school, not caring about the world as kids do, when this Marwari family moved into the neighbourhood. Initially they were introduced to us by a close doctor friend of my father. My first memory is of a young Suresh standing on our doorsteps with a box of nail polish as a gift. Young, shy and answering my father's myriad questions. They had a stationery / electrical / all in one shop right on the main Ranihat Square which seemed to populate the streets of Cuttack. I guess this was their attempt to know the local families and integrate with them.

Over the years Suresh became an integral part of our family even calling my parents Nana and Bou. Their shop was a favourite pit stop for everyone from our house. I sometimes wonder.. why did they chose us when our colony had another 20 odd households? His mother would drop by for gossip while his father remained the quiet soul he was. Suresh was brash, exuberant and fun while Sushil Bhai, his brother, seemed to be the responsible one. But there was a spark to him, a jest for life, a wish to go places all bound with an overwhelming love for people he liked.

I got married and moved away from home. Lost contact with my town for a long time. My brothers too moved away but hardly ever lost touch with anyone. Ten years back when I caught up with happenings... realised Suresh and his family were doing well. From the small shop, the brothers had graduated into real estate and other shops. Last time I met Suresh was just 3 months back. At a wedding of the grandchild of a friend of my father's. The same friend who had supported the Agarwal family when they had first reached Cuttack. (This is how some relationships in Cuttack endure!) Met the same Suresh with his wife and kids. The kids looked ready to take over.

I didn't know that was the last I would see Suresh Bhai. Feeling an overwhelming sadness with the knowledge that he is no more. I do hope he realised at least some of his dreams. And his sons carry the love he had for life and people, forward.

RIP

The Missing Key

Today morning while driving, when I did my customary obeisance to HIM, I felt a strange sense of foreboding. Some unnamed fear seemed to follow me, to beckon at me.  For generations we have worshipped a wooden God with His round all seeing eyes. On large wall calendars, recent desktop calendars, pocket calendars, key rings, wall hangings, dashboards, book covers, He is everywhere. And when He is not present in any seeing form, He makes His presence felt somewhere deep in our minds and hearts. He seems to be just Present.

Kids exams, problems at home, fight with family, husband,  problems at job, ill health, anything,  any small problem or non-problem, I run to him, seek solace and find it. Today He was there sitting on my car’s dashboard, when I started my car, closed my eyes for a second… when I felt this strange thing.

Now, why?

Is it because of something personal? Some deep seated fear or insecurity? But ups and downs are part of life and I accept it. I prefer to think it is because of something more encompassing, less personal.

Is it because we are so far gone as a world, so bent on destruction, that he stirred, and hence sent those waves of uneasiness through his followers? Is it just the case of a lost key to his wealth, to the inner recesses of the Ratna Ghar? Is it because His personal sanctuary has been invaded? Being as sought after as He is, wandering from house to house, heart to heart, He does need a place to call his own. So when the key to His inner abode got lost, was He that woebegone?

We are talking of the same Form who was hidden deep in a cave for centuries by His devout followers, to be saved from alien marauders, and came back to rule our small universe.  Is He feeling as unsettled now as he did those aeons ago? He probably needs to hide again, to stop this constant violation of His quiet life by the descendants of those same devotees who saved him once. High court rulings, bureaucratic dictates, political upmanship, missing “brahma”, missing keys, hidden treasures, it is enough to jolt insensitive man.

He is but a sensitive, soulful wanderer, seeking a place to rest. Let us please give Him that.

(In response to the furore caused by the missing key to the Ratna Ghar)

6000 Kms... St. Petersburg to Bandar Abbas - Done

The end of an iconic journey

Bhutan Trip - on the way back

At Paro International airport on the way back to India after an eventful trip. Checked in, security cleared, now waiting for the flight, which is almost 2 hours away, with a fresh brew of the Himalayan Java. Nothing moves without a Java.

Quite like this airport. Nice to see an airport that still retains its old world charm. Otherwise all airports look the same these days ... sterile and uniform. The roof has what I call the Bhutanese motto. The checked tiles.

The take off was breathtaking. In a fairy tale kind of way. The land of Dragons and the Yeti seen from the sky. Would love to come here in different climates. And explore the ancient country more.

Airport Toilets.. the Paro toilet was squeaky clean. Now coming to India. Why can't we have Indian type toilets? Western toilets are being used by most urban householders and they are the target customers for airlines. But can't we have simple India style toilets that many ladies are still comfortable using? Every time I see a suburban lady in saree struggling to use the loo at airports, I wonder why they have to face such inconvenience in their own country! The Indian toilets are hyiegenic too by many standards. One good thing I saw this time were the sanitary napkins vending machines. Even though it has taken us so many years to put them there, at least it is one small step to make travel more comfortable for women. Do we have to thank Akshay Kumar and "Padman" for that? 

Was travelling with some of our co - rally-ers. Two of them won the coveted first prize. A simple conversation revealed they are real pros. High up there in the TSD league in India. Felt mightily privileged to have participated with them. They were obviously of a different league from us.

Checklist

Camera - checked
Cash - checked
Comfortable shoes and dual purpose sandals - checked
Medicine - general
Sunscreen / face cream
Mosquito repellent
Pee Safe
Tissues
Sufficient Winter clothes since I don't wish to spend my nights shivering
Chargers
Socks
Sufficient pairs of jeans tees undergarments
Lip gloss, ear studs and other wee accessories
Passport
And again sufficient cash and cards

So goes a checklist before my journey. All packed and ready to start. Despite the longish looking checklist. I pack quite light (or so I think).

It's International Women's Day. Don't know why only one day should be women's Day or various other days... but somehow fitting to be starting off on a car rally to Bhutan on this day!

Road to Thimpu - Plans

The planning for the trip is well under way. The flag off from Kolkata to Siliguri has started. Though we will join at a later date at Siliguri, our vehicle, an Ecosport has already gone ahead. We will be flying to Siliguri, driving from there to Thimpu and then again flying back home because to a real constraint of time.
It is Time Speed Distance Rally. So a bit apprehensive that might not be able to soak in the sights. Anyways... that can happen on another trip!