2011 - the year that was.....

2011, the year that was a big change for me,
Shifting from Mumbai to Dubai, a whole new city.
Like a new bride starting a new life all over,
Only this time as a two year old wife with a ready-made toddler.

A year filled with joys and sadness,
A marriage in the family and a death of a loved one brought shades of happiness and darkness.

In March, Mikhail turned a solitary one,
A week before that his walking had begun..
And now he scampers everywhere,
Runs on pavements and climbs the stairs.

Living with a kid 24x7, is something new I experienced in 2011.
Had never done such a thing before,
Also cooking, painting, writing...new territories I did explore.

Failed the driving test twice,
Flew to Amchi Mumbai thrice,
Made new friends and met old ones too,
Twisted my foot experimenting with funny shoes.

Visited the wildlife sanctuary at Al Ain,
Experienced the hottest summers, oh that was a pain.
Experimented with my hair with keratin, a new therapy,
Hair felt silky and no longer frizzy.

Christmas turned out to be a wonderful celebration,
Though we were away from family in a different nation.

When I look back, I think I had a wonderful 2011,
A mixture of a little hell and a lot of heaven.

Wonder what 2012 will hold,
What new surprises will it unfold?
Mikhail joining playschool, me overcoming my fright of water and jumping into a pool?

A new car, a trip to Paris...atop the Eiffel tower..or maybe a cycle ride down the paths of Geneva.

A year filled with happiness, 2012 will be,
Filled with wonderful surprises for both you and me.

School Reunions

Today, 30th December 2011 is the Reunion of the alumni of Apostolic Carmel High school,
Meeting old friends and beloved teachers would have been fun, in Mumbai with it's winter nice and cool.
Where you'd hear incessant laughter and happy banter,
And non-stop gupshups and constant chatter.

Girls catching up with each other after many years,
Old batch mates and school mates eyes filled with happy tears.
Posing for pictures with peers and teachers,
And clicking pics of the classrooms, playgrounds and other parts of the school, they hold most dear.

Some may look different, some may not,
Some may be bankers, actors, models, homemakers, teachers, what not,
But no one will forget the good old school days,
Which has made us what we are today.
Independent, capable, wonderful women,
as we walk on our lives pathway.

I will miss the school reunion this year,
Meeting ole' mateys and teachers dear,
But I'm sure many Carmelites like me from Mumbai are faraway,
Maybe we can have a mini reunion wherever we stay, Ain't it a great idea, what say!

My favourite exercise - Smiling

I do not like exercising, one bit.
but I love one exercise very much and that is SMILING....its enough to keep me healthy and fit.

It's something I really love to do,
In painful situations I smile too,
I'll never forget the day I gave birth to my son,
The 22 hour labour, the painful contractions had begun,
When my doctor asked me " How are you?",
I gave her my charming smile and replied politely " I'm fine, Thanks Doctor", what else could I do.
I know she felt better after seeing my smile,
As she was worried as I had been in labour for quite a while.

Smiling is a talent God has given you and me,
Its fun to smile most of the time, rather than being called 'Mr./Miss Grumpy'.

Smiling is a stress reliever also,
After a hard day at office,
Its great to see your loved one's smile when he/she opens the door.

There are two kinds of smiles, authentic and fake,
The fake smile is used in nervous or awkward situations and feels artificial like a cake half baked.
It's famously called the Pan-am or Botox smile,
Which is used to show politeness or even for style.

But an authentic smile is one straight from your heart deep inside
Filled with emotions which you cannot hide.

A smile is understood by every living being,
Despite your race, religion, culture..
Dogs smile too, even cats, snakes and vultures.

It's a common language the whole world speaks,
Wonder why it's not used when conducting discussions on world peace.

Smile, it's a good facial exercise,
You starts by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth
And then slowly moves up to the eyes.

So smile away everyone,
forget if you've got dog teeth, bug teeth, no teeth, 32, 24 or even one.

Remember, Smiling is the most contagious disease,
So let's spread it everywhere and put people at ease.

Happy birthday wish in advance Namzzzzz - Namratha Kumar

Who is Namratha Kumar?

To those who don't know her and to those who do,
She is one of my oldest gal pals, there's lots more about her I'd like to tell you...

Namratha in Hindi means 'Kindness',
and kind that undoubtedly she is,
An epitome of humility and extremely modest,
Hip and original and very well-dressed.

She is a budding writer and a die-hard Harry Potter fan,
She loves reading and enjoys her walks at Bandstand.

Oh, how can I forget she is a culinary great,
Loves cooking and experimenting with food,
And always comes with something new to put on a plate ;).

I know Namratha since grade four,
One of the most dependable people I know.
She knows how to put a smile on my face,
When I'm low and lost in my own world in a different place.
She is someone with whom I can laugh and be myself with,
Remarkably intelligent, full of humour and wit.

I can go on and on about her,
But my main aim is to wish her a wonderful year...
Its her birthday on 29th December,
Nams, wishing you a very Happy Birthday,
Filled with happy memories and moments you'll cherish and remember.

How to break New year resolutions even before they are made??

New years come and old years go,
resolutions are made once again, to be broken some more.

But for 2012, I've seriously decided on a list of resolutions I've got to make..
Starting with eating healthy,less fried and junk and more salads and bakes.
Must add to my list-exercise and join a gym,
Got to fight the battle of the bulge
to get back to being slender and slim.

Got to get back to reading books,
not glanced at them or given them a second look,
Gathering dust and cobwebs on my bookshelf, Poor books,they are bored to death with the spiders all to themselves.

Also plan to learn something different and new,
Maybe the piano, violin, painting or baking,
But don't want to bite off more than I can chew,
So I think I'll choose something easy like cake- making.

But if I make cakes, then those cakes I'll be forced to eat,
as we've learnt as kids it's not good to waste you see.
There goes resolution of losing weight,
I guess a jelly belly is now a part of my destiny.

And if I do start to read from the shelf, my dusty books,
For beloved husband and son who will clean and cook!
As there's no one else but only me,
So making a resolution of reading books needs to be struck out, oh how silly..

And eating healthy how do I go about that?
Dieticians recommend in our diets certain amounts of fat,
Salads by themselves are not all that great,
Raw vegetables, my hunger will not satiate.
A balanced diet comprises of some oily food too,
A Lil' fried stuff and junk food, once in awhile can't be that harmful, ain't that true..

Forget exercise and joining a gym,
Who needs workouts and treadmills, when I have my son to keep me on my toes,
I'm sure I'll end up slim and trim..

So there goes my resolutions for 2012, all gone down the drain,
Not to worry, 2013 is just a year away,
I'll list them out then once again.

Happy Birthday Sallu Bhai

Today, 27th December, is The Bandra boy's birthday,
Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan turns 46 today.
The bad boy of Bollywood, macho hunk Salman,
is the unbeatable king of all Kumars, Kapoors and Khans.
No one can act or dance like Sallu Bhaiya,
Who gave super hits like Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Wanted and Maine Pyar Kiya,

Loved him in Dabang in his role of Chulbul Pandey,
Also in Judwaa, where a double role he did play.
His role as a heartbroken lover in Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam as Sameer,
And that of a long haired warrior prince in the movie Veer.

His movies maybe crazy, nonsensical and out an out mad,
But only Salman with his antics and drama can make you laugh and at the same time feel sad.

His dancing style is different and unique,
His moves in Dhinka chika, Dhinka chika
make you want to dance to the beat.

Salman has had his share of ups and his share of downs,
Be it in his personal or professional life,
He has been able to turn it all around.

From flops to successes,
From Aishwarya to Katrina to don't know who is his latest Missus...
He always seems to have the last laugh,
Where even a movie like 'Bodyguard' was a hit, Salman bhai, Kamaal hain aap!

He may be Bollywood's enfant terrible,
But to all the masses and classes out there he is the invincible Khan and most adorable.

So here's wishing Salman Khan a year full of good health and cheer,
May this Bigg Boss of Bollywood continue to deliver hits and entertain us year after year after year.

My Christmas Day

When I woke up on Christmas morn,
I felt a bit sad and forlorn,
Thought about family in Mumbai far away,
Felt celebrations without them wouldn't feel like Christmas day.

We then dressed for the Christmas mass at ten,
Started feeling a bit happy again.
Mikhail and Nigel in their waistcoat and suit looked so handsome and dapper,
Me dressed up in a maroon Salwar Kameez - typical Indian attire.
The church was packed and bursting at the seams,
With crowds of all nationalities, many outside leaning against the church's beams.

After mass we proceeded to the J W Marriott for our Christmas Brunch
Indeed it was a scrumptious lunch,
With roast turkey,stuffed pig, steak, sushi,dimsums,
Roast pork with apple sauce and Peking duck with a sauce from plum,
Christmas puddings, cheesecakes, yulelogs,candied almonds and hazelnuts,
Apple pies, chocolate truffles and cakes of guava and walnut.
There was a lovely live band playing
Christmas carols and old English songs,
They made it more enjoyable with their karaoke sing a-longs.

A Christmas nap followed the heavy brunch,
We were stuffed as we had too much to munch,
Needed to rest as we were a tad bit tired,
For the evening needed to get fresh and wired.
Had to distribute to the neighbours sweets
And also made plans with old friends to meet.

Met our old friends a Goan-Gujju couple,
Who made our Christmas fun and more enjoyable.
We all went for dinner to a lil Goan joint called 'Viva Goa'
Which felt like a quaint pretty shack on the beaches of Anjuna and Baga.
We enjoyed Xacuti, sorpotel, croquets, beef chilly -the yummy Goan food,
even ordinary bread pav tasted so good.
Kyle and Mikhail were busy with their milk and popcorn,
Whilst Goan singers at Viva Goa entertained us with Christmas carols and Konkani songs.

It was a perfect end to my Christmas day,
Though we had celebrated Christmas without family in Dubai far away.
I then realised that you've got to learn to be happy no matter where you are,
Especially people like us, migrated to other countries away from family, from India afar.

My Christmas Wish

T'is a day before Christmas, everybody is wishing friends and family on Facebook and Twitter,
But is Christmas just trees and gifts and greeting cards,
That we decorate our houses with and send each other.

Christmas is a festival of peace and love,
To celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Sent by the Almighty from the heavens above.
To spread his message and preach what is right.

Christmas is a festival to forgive and forget,
All your enemies, tensions and worries,
To spread happiness and cheer around,
with friends, loved ones, neighbours and family.

Christmas, a season to share,
With the less fortunate and lonely,
not only materialistic pleasures but time ,
as time is a gift which can't be bought with any amount of money.

Christmas is a celebration of feasting and counting your blessings.
Of creating new memories,
Filled with happiness and joys everlasting,

So here's my Christmas wish to each and everyone of you,
May Baby Jesus' blanket swaddle you with peace, love, joy and laughter,
And may the three wise men show you the path of sharing, caring and happiness for ever and ever after.

Memories of two ole' friends

Today a favourite friend from Mumbai brought to my lensed eyes tears,
By bringing back nostalgic memories of my happy yesteryears.
She scanned and e-mailed me letters, I wrote to her eons ago,
When she went on holidays with family,
to her native place Mangalore.

It brought back memories of the good old days,
When we were young, so innocent and naïve.

Memories of us 'Musketeers' of three,
they'd take the rickshaw to college and I'd follow on my black scooter happily.

Memories of our various trips before Accounts and Tax classes to Shiv Sagar,
Relishing the different dosas, juices and idli sambar.
Or missing lectures and going to Patwatdhan park,
Sitting on swings there sharing gossip and a few loud laughs.

Memories of being the first customers of Mac Donalds,
Standing outside their gates at 10 am before they had even opened.

Memories of our numerous crushes and blushes,
And Jai's buttery masala toast which gave us adrenaline rushes.

Memories of our walks to Joggers Park,
Where instead of walking we'd sit on a bench and admire handsome nature that passed.
Or of traditional day of us decked up in sarees,
we'd make a transition from t-shirts and jeans to typical bharatiya naris.

Memories of us eating hot 'bhutta' in the rain,
And being there to comfort each other when we went through our bouts of heart aches and pain.

Memories of our tiffs and fights
And how we'd forget them as fast as the speed of light.

Memories such as these in our hearts embossed will stay,
Three Musketeers we always will be even though we are far away.

Happiness - what is it??

"Happy" that's a word I hear my toddler say a lot,
He is happy most of the time with us playing with him, with his food or even with the toys he's got.
I then realise in this world there are many long faces,
What has happened to something called "Happiness"!

Happiness-what exactly is it?
"Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterised by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy."
That's the definition from Wikipedia, oh boy.

Is it only a state of mind or what you feel in your heart deep inside?

Happiness is found in many different forms,
You may get it from shopping or maybe a profit from your stocks and bonds.
It could be felt on your wedding day or on the birth of your child,
Or could be when you meet your family after awhile.

It could be a praise from your spouse,
for cooking, cleaning and caring for his house.
It could be catching up over coffee with a long lost friend
and chatting for hours and hours on end.
It could be receiving a call from a friend faraway,
Just to wish you a quick happy birthday.
Happiness could be found in the face of a child,
sleeping soundly with his mouth curled up into a smile.
It could be listening to music, maybe your favourite song,
Or watching a movie in the theatre with your child tagging along.

Happiness is not always perfection,
It could be seeing the positive in imperfection or a problematic situation.
It could be waiting impatiently for your spouse when he's late from work,
Then getting a kiss and a big bear hug as an added perk.
It could be going shopping with a friend and three kids in tow,
And suddenly you realise, the escalator and elevator work no more,
And both of us pushing our strollers down the stairs,
With kids and shopping bags, it made us laugh who cares.

Or walking the slopes of Bandstand waiting for hours with a friend to see her crush,
And when he does drive by, she says a nervous "hello" and walks away with a happy blush.

Happiness is also seeing others happy too,
I'm not preaching here or being a Miss Goody-two-shoes,
its a great feeling I can't explain,
That's Happiness for you too, without any gain.

So friends, family and people from all countries..wish you loads of happiness always,
May your lives be filled with more smiles and laughter and happy filled days.

Snail mail 'Letters' versus E-mail.....

I don't see a postman often anymore,
I remember a time where they would come with letters and cards nearly every day to our door,
But now their sight is so rare,
See them only on Happy occasions to collect their 'bakshessh' like Christmas or New Years or during Bandra Fair.

Sometimes I think of the good ole days,
when we would send cards for Christmas, Anniversaries or Birthdays.
I don't mean e-mailing cards from Yahoo or Hotmail or other card websites,
but picking up a greeting card from an Archies a Hallmark or a Cheap Jack in Bandra on which we'd write
We'd write in our best handwriting and go to the post office or the nearest post box drop it,
after affixing the required denomination of stamps correctly on it.

I remember the days when letters like an old tradition,we would send,
To loved ones, relatives and near and dear friends.
Hand made paper I'd buy, oh that was a novelty,
available in Fort at the stationery store Chintamani.
Paper in different colours, designs and textures,
and at the end of a letter draw a smiley face, 'thighs' and even stick lil stickers.

To the post office I'd go,
To post letters to friends in London, Dubai and also Mangalore.
And ensure that the stamps on the envelopes were stuck,
As our postmen were famous for making a quick buck.
Then anxiously for a week we'd wait,
for friends to reply with their latest gossip, news and updates.

But now with technology, life has progressed,
Where e-mails we send, personal touch not at its best.

E-mails are convenient, a cheaper form of mail where you receive replies so much earlier,
but the charm of writing cards and letters had a rare nostalgic pleasure.
I guess we need to move on with the times,
But writing a letter or a card today too isn't really out of line.
Do try it, people love receiving letters,it really is fun,
You'd bring a smile on the face of a friend or even a loved one.

Corporate life to Housewife

Sometimes I wonder if I've made the right choice,
of being a stay-at-home mom, giving up my Corporate life,

From crisp starched kurtas, blazers and suits,
To living in jeans, Kurtis and T-shirts with hoods.

From shoes of different colours to different sizes of heels,
Now I live in my Reeboks, so comfortable I feel.

Earlier used to check CNBC for shares which FIIs have bought or sold,
but now watch Nursery Rhymes for hours with my lil' 20 month old.

There were days when I'd be glued for 16 hours on my laptop,
But now spend lesser hours in front of the gas or sink, washing and cooking non-stop.

I remember those days at work, where there was no time to eat or breathe,
But now have time to eat well, sleep,write and read.
At night, I would dream of work and even my 'frightful' boss,
But now I sleep soundly, with peaceful and happy thoughts.

Life is full of choices and I guess I've made mine,
Work was stressful and a lot of fun,
But now with my toddler,I get to spend more time .
Maybe one day in future, I will join the corporate world,
When the kids have become independent and into grown-ups have unfurled
Till then I'll continue being 'The Domestic Goddess' and watch 'Desperate Housewives' ;)
New interests, talents will pursue, and other hobbies try.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall

Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
I know I'm fair and I know I'm tall,
But have I gained an inch today,
Or am I leaner and slimmer than yesterday.

Mirror, mirror don't stare at me,
I know that's grey hair on my head looking down at me,
I never thought before 40, I'd grey,
But a little salt and pepper won't harm me anyway.

Mirror, mirror, what colour are my eyes?
Chestnut brown or black like the night sky.
Please do hurry and show me so,
With my contact lenses on,it's really difficult to know.

Mirror, mirror, time has swiftly flown,
Into a full blown woman I have grown,
There was a time, you, I could hardly see,
I had to crawl up for you to see me.
But no matter where I travel and go,
We'll be together, me standing in front of you on the cold bedroom floor.

Clever Children of today.....

Sometimes I don't seem to understand my Lil' guy,
After showering him with loads of toys,
And cars and balls of various sizes,
He is more interested in playing with the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine and watches how the blender grinds and mixes.

He is not even two, trying to do things himself,
Like help with the laundry and keep his toys and books back on their shelf.
He plays with the phone, its a funny sight,
It looks like he's chatting or browsing a website.

And then I realise the children of today ARE and will be so different from us,
the children of yesterday.

They know that tablet is a phone and also a pill, Apple and BlackBerry are not just phones but also fruits,
And that no fairy is going to leave money under their pillow for their broken tooth.
They are very tech savvy, the internet browse and with it the world discover,
Children younger than age 8 are already on Facebook and even on Twitter.

They know Santa Clause doesn't exist and does not put presents under the tree,
It's mom and dad, they know it all so soon, unfortunately.

I think of the good ole' days,
Where we as children in our school or gardens played,
Games like 'kho kho' and 'Chor Police'
Or 'Atti Patti' and 'Hide and seek'.
And we would go cycling or for picnics with friends,
But now playing video games on TV or IPads is the new trend.

Maybe children of today are smarter than their age,
With competition and technology as the new adage.
I've still got a lot to learn,understand and realise,
Very soon my toddler will grow into a big handsome guy.

Till then let him play with the blender and vacuum cleaner,
I'm sure he won't want to touch them as soon as he gets older.

I end with the 'Don' dialogue rendition of mine for all parents out there
"Aaj kal ke bachein Ko samajhna, mushkil hi nahi, naa mumkein hain"

The big D - DESSERTS

Inviting, desirable, delightful..
That's what they are,
The most tempestuous you've seen so far..

It comes as a last course of a meal,usually something sweet,
Save the best for last I say, it is the best to eat.

Like me, it has a French name..
Which means 'clear the table' or 'to serve',
A reward after a meal, well deserved.

They are found all around the world, ohhhh what variety,
Gelatos, cakes, biscuits, ice-creams,pies, puddings,candies, including jams and honey.

They originated long ago in the middle ages,
Where royalty would eat ice flavoured with honey or a fruit syrup,
as sugar was too expensive.

I'm sure by now you know what I'm referring too ,
It's STRESSED spelt backwards,
if you feel low, they are the best for you.

DESSERTS indeed are the best no doubt,
But remember in case of weight loss or diabetes, please reduce your intake,
as they are too delectable to do without.

Funny Animal-human similarity

Last week visited the
Al Ain zoo,
Suddenly it struck me...,
There's a funny similarity between animals and humans,
ain't it true.

Wild dogs reminded me of some women in our Mumbai local trains,
barking and shouting and using foul language, from which shamelessly they do not refrain.

A tall giraffe reminded me of ole' school me,
A backbencher I always was, being one of the tallest girls in class you see.

And when I saw the Cheetah,
I thought of the 'Masoom' actress Urmila,
Skimpy clad, running on the beach in a scene from the Movie 'Rangeela'.

The wild cats made me think of our bollywood female actors,
who are all out to claw each other down, with their slithering moves and purrs.

The lion seemed to be more of an Amitabh Bachan than a Manmohan Singh,
who with his personality and baritone, is indeed the Bollywood Badshah and acting king.

Manmohan Singh on the other hand reminded me of an owl staring helplessly into the night,
Tensions of the Lokpal bill clouding his mind and also the FDI in retail plight.

Veena Malik reminded me of a burrowing mongoose, hiding from the media and scribes for her infamous pose in the nude.

Our politicians resembled the hyenas out there,
Who are all ready to pounce on CM, MP or PM's chair.
Like hungry hyenas fighting for meat,
our hungry netas are fighting for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seats.

White tiger a species so rare, reminds me of a saint so clean and pure, unlike the babas and sadhus like Ramdev everywhere.

This is what went through my mind at the zoo,
Humans are similar to animals, don't you think so too.

A Christmas Carol to my son

Christmas is round the corner and Santa is on his way,
With lots of toys for children all stocked up on his sleigh.
You better learn to listen, to what your mother has to say,
But if you've been a bad boy and if you've misbehaved,
Santa won't bring you any presents on a snowy Christmas day.

You must learn to finish all your meals made lovingly for you,
Or Santa won't get you your toy train as he had promised you.
You must remember your manners and not forget your 'P's and Q's,
Learn to put your clothes in place and even untie your shoes.

But if you've been a good boy, obedient and polite,
Santa will bring you presents well before midnight.
Toy train, cars, a cycle will circle the tree around,
And maybe a lil labrador pup from the dog pound.
So son, please be a good boy and do it not for me,
But for Santa and the toys all kept below the Christmas tree.

Broken Heart

Been hearing too many songs on heart break especially by Adele..

Wrote 2 poems on heartbreak too...dabbling with seriousness for me is new.

Broken Heart - 1
Memories, memories.....
why do I have memories of you,
Its been so long but I can't stop loving you too.
I still remember the good times we had together,
Conversations, meetings and your infectious laughter.
On just seeing you, I would feel so great,
But being together with you was not part of my fate.
I spoilt it all by fighting with you one day,
I broke your heart and made you walk away.

I know I can't undo what I have done,
I know a new life you have begun.
You're now married with children of your own,
You're love for someone else has grown.
All I want is to wish you all my love and the best in all your endeavours,
But in our next life, promise me, you and I will be together forever and ever.

Broken heart 2

Why do I have these feelings of unrest?
Why do I still think of you, when you are so faraway,
Why do your memories keep haunting me afternoon, night and day.
In my dreams, why do you visit me suddenly. And awaken me from my sleep.
Why do I still love you, why is my love for you so unconditional so deep?
I want peace of mind, memories of you no more,
You moved on with your life and left me eons ago.
I have moved on with my life too,
Why oh why do I continue to love you?

Ole' Memories of Christmas

Christmas is a time of spreading happiness and good cheer,
Spending time with family and people we hold dear.
Unfortunately, this year we will not be with loved ones, on the other side of the Arabian sea,
Cause' husband has got work and not getting Christmas leave. :(.

And once again I get my bouts of nostalgia reminiscing of my childhood memories,
Where Christmas time was a festival of fun and celebration for the 'Daji' family.
We all would sit around the dining table,
And shell shapes for kulkuls, we would make,
Dad would be incharge of frying,
Followed by mom kneading dough for nankathais to bake.
Mom and I would make the Marzipan,
We were a great team you see,
She would mix and stir the ingredients,
And I would make shapes of fruits and flowers happily.
Chocolate fudge was my forte and the only thing I knew in the cooking department,
And was always in a fix when to remove the fudge from the fire,
So always depended on lil' brother's judgement.

Christmas lunch menu was planned a month in advance,
And list of people to gift sweets and invite, we were always prepared and left nothing to chance.
Christmas lunch had to be a spread and was always large,
Roast chicken with a stuffing, mutton korma, vegetable stew, bread rolls, pea pulao, plum pudding,prawn masala, pork vindaloo and sanas.( sanas are Like idlis)

But besides all the cooking and the baking,
It was fun decorating the house and Christmas tree,
And we all would do it together,
Setting up the crib and the star too simultaneously.

Before midnight mass, mom and grandma dressed in their silk sarees,
Dad and brother, all suited and booted,
All of us would pose for photos,in front of the Christmas tree.

I am no longer a 'Daji' but a 'Rangel' you see,
And continue to carry on the old traditions with my new family of Nigel, Mikhail and me,
But no matter how many Christmas' I get to see,
I will always reminiscence the past of my wonderful childhood memories.

FRIENDS

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.”
is Tennessee Williams point of view.

But for me Friends are like an extended family,
They form a very important part of our life's different journeys,

Best friends, pen friends, train friends, office friends, school friends, Blackberry friends,
Facebook friends...
the list goes on and on and on, to friendships there seems to be no end.

There are friends we make along the way
and suddenly you realise that,
that friendship is over one fine day.

There are some friends whom we hold very dear even if far apart,
and don't meet for over a year, but they still remain in our hearts.

Some friends stand by you in thick and thin and even when you fumble,
Forgive you for all your goof ups and sins.

Some are great conversationalists and can talk about anything under the sun,
Just being with them is entertainment and indeed a lot of fun.

Some friends are like agony aunts, critics and advisors too,
And when in a quandary, they are the best to turn to for advice,guide you and tell you what to do.
There are some friends who'll laugh and cry with you for no rhyme or reason,
But they'll stick to you like glue through any weather or season.

But for me a friend is someone who speaks well of me behind my back,
Who accepts me with all my follies and misgivings,
Who knows I'm a good egg,
Even though I'm slightly cracked.

Bountiful Buffets

I love the concept of buffets,
My eyes shine bright and mouth turns into a wide smile just seeing numerous dishes on display.

The buffet called Smörgåsbord was invented by the Swedes
And Dimsums by China, where you select food from plates on wheeled trolleys.
In Japan, a buffet is known as ' Baikingu' which means 'Viking',
They also have a separate dessert buffet, much to my liking.

But what I love most is the unlimited "All-you-can-eat" started by an American Herb Macdonald in the late 1940's.,
It surely is a gastronomical delight where 'our eyes are bigger than our tummy'.
Stuffing ourselves to the greatest capacity.

The sights and smells of different regions,
Be it Indian, Arabic, American or Pan-Asian,
Russian, Swedish, French or even Italian.
This buffet is surely 'The eight wonder of the world' for those with a culinary passion.
You get to choose from a variety of soups, salads, hors d'oeuvre or starters,
Different types of bread, beverages, meats,seafood and live counters.

But the desserts are the best of all,
Where you get to eat Tiramisus, Carrot cakes, mousse and rumballs.
And different flavours of ice cream,
Hazelnut and chocolate, blueberries and strawberries with cream.
All this you can eat under one roof you see,
By just paying for all this unlimited food, a limited fee.

Buffets do make you commit the sin of gluttony,
And tests the capacity of our oversized tummies.

But we don't commit this sin everyday,
So make those reservations for the Christmas Brunch now, since Christmas is just a week away.
Forget the battle of the bulge,
Celebrate and enjoy,
Dieting can wait till after January, one.
Till then eat, indulge and have fun.

Are Marriages no longer made in paradise?

"Talaq, talaq, talaq, just send an SMS and you'll be free",says the Imam of UP.
Read this is in the newspaper yesterday and found it extremely shocking and funny.

India has progressed at break neck speed,
But so have the divorce rates of late increased,
Unfortunately Marriage is losing its sanctity,
Where spouses separate for the silliest reasons,
Causing lot of bitterness and acrimony.

Marriages, I thought were made in paradise,
Has understanding and adjustment suddenly vapourised?
Where couples fight over the slightest things,
As trivial as a newspaper, a bed side or even wearing of the wedding ring.

Have tolerance levels really decreased!
Where a husband leaves his wife if loudly she sneezed,
Or a wife can't bear to hear her husband's snores anymore,
She packs her bags and walks out of the door.

Have women become so self centered,
Where they have no time for their husbands only their career.
I don't think that at all is true,
I know many women out there who manage careers, children and are great wives too.

Is there no time at all for love and romance,
Are people out there too tired to give their marriage a second chance?
Or is it "Ghar Ki murghi dal barabar?,
Where you rather spend time with the spouse of your neighbour.

I'm sure for many marriage must have been tortuous like "Ram Gopal Varma Ki aag"the worst Hindi movie,
Where they had to leave due to dowry and other pressures from society.

I'm not a marriage expert, here to judge or a marriage guru,
I'm just writing to vent out my opinion and views.
For me Marriage is loving the person everyday I see,
Accepting each other with our imperfections happily.
To love and honour, in sickness and in health,
being married to my spouse indeed is the biggest wealth.

Is Shopping a sin?

Dear God,

Is shopping a sin?
I do not think so when I think of the happiness it creates deep within.

I love shopping, I really do,
And I don't need a reason or season to shop too.
I can shop and shop till I'm tired and I drop,
You can say it's a hobby which I can pursue non stop.

I may enter Bossini to buy a simple tee,
But end up buying two shirts, two pullovers as there's a sale you see,
So why not stock up for later and some money save,
But if there's a sale in future, God you need to help me to resist and behave.

In the case of shoes, its so difficult to just buy a pair,
Why did you make man create shoes of different types needed everywhere,
Skechers for jogging and jumping,
and Reebok and Nike for walking,
Pumps from Nine West and stilettos in blue,
It's not a sin to have wants you know,
God, I'm sure you may have some wants too.

I wonder why is there an Ikea and Homecenter,
I can't control the urge to enter.
I go crazy just seeing their bed linen, duvets and rocking chairs,
Their lamps, crockery and exquisite silverware.
And they have great offers during Winter and fall,
So why not shop there since it's cheaper than 'Pottery barn' at the Dubai Mall.

When I go to the grocery for just a dozen bananas,
Why do you make me buy yoghurt, oranges, grapes and the Egyptian guavas.

And shop for things I don't need,
Its not me but the devil working overtime indeed.

Sometimes I wonder who invented credit cards,
You spend thinking you have unlimited credit,
And when you see the bill you're caught off guard.

But in this case don't blame me,
Blame those banks, in order to increase their customer base, give it freely without any annual fee.

God, it is not my fault if you've put me in a land of plenty,
Where all the stores and shopping malls like the devil in disguise,
Are out there to lure and tempt me.

In fact, dear Lord, I'm doing a good deed,
By spending money, I'm creating demand by servicing my shopping needs,
I'm actually solving the economies problems of recession and inflation.
So I really don't think shopping is such a great sin.

Yours faithfully,
Shopaholic.

My love letter to Food

Food you are one of my favourite things,
To me happiness and joy you surely bring.
You are a great comforter in times of sadness,
And needed most to celebrate moments of gladness.

You could be a bowl of hot lentils and steaming white rice,
The combination of the two is satisfying,
But fried fish and pickle with it,
could surely add some lovely spice.

You could be scrambled eggs on toast or croissants with strawberry jam or butter,
Just the thought of you makes my heart go a flutter.

Pasta, Shwarmas, Chicken curry ,American chopsuey,
You could be of any nationality,
Be it Chinese,Indian or Pakistani,
Just the tastes of you, makes me go through bouts of insanity.

And if you are a dessert, OH MY GOD,
After having too much of you, I end up well rounded and broad.
Jalebis, gulab jamuns, gajar halwa,rasmalai,
Tiramisus, carrot cakes, cheese cakes,
Oh my, my....
You could be just plain chocolate,
Toblerone, Twix or Mars,
Just eating one of you, makes me feel like a soft cloud afloat with the stars.

Oh Food you are an 'orgasmic' delight,
But I can't have too much of you,
You're spoiling me and fattening me up,
Please do understand my plight.

Memories of Grandma

I think this is a week of nostalgia,
Of late I've been thinking of my beloved grandma,
whom we all so fondly called 'Nana',

What suddenly made me think of her?
Its Christmas, a sweet making time,
And I'll be making 'kulkuls' for the very first time this year,
It brought back memories of the good ole' days,
When these lovely 'kulkuls' she would make.

And not just kulkuls, but all types of food,
Be it fish and chicken curries, dhansak, banana fritters,
Oh they all tasted so good.

I'll never forget those days when I got back from school,
Her lovely tea and snacks would make my mouth drool.

I still remember how after I got back from work, we would watch ' Tom and Jerry'
And she enjoyed it thoroughly despite being eighty.

She loved parties and was a foodie too,
She loved feeding people and no music for her was loud ,
as she'd listen and enjoy it as much as you.

She was always well dressed, with her nails and eyebrows always done,
And continued to ask for the beautician till she was 81.
I still miss my 'Nana' a lot,
The way she looked after us is still fresh in our thoughts.

Memories of you, Nana, will never fade away,
One day we will meet again and celebrate together Christmas day.

Happy Birthday Rajnikanth

Happy Birthday Rajni Sir,
Can't believe you've completed 61 years,
You've done over 150 films and you're a south Indian superstar,
But you are loved by Indians both near and far.

No 'Ra-one' can take your place,
You are the best 'Robot' in this acting race.

Your acting style and the way you put on your sun-glasses,
With your dialogues you entertained both the masses and classes.

So May God bless you always with good health to entertain all of us,
Because you are and will always be 'Sivaji the boss'.

.Mario Miranda - no more.

Mario Miranda exited the canvas of his life today,
that's what all the tabloids and newspapers say.
He was born in1926 in Loutolim in the state of Goa
With a really long name Mario João Carlos do Rosario de Britto Miranda,

As a little boy, he spent his time sketching catholic priests and drawing on home walls,
So his mum gave him a blank book,
'Diary' which he lovingly called.

He got his break as a cartoonist with 'The Illustrated Weekly'
And his creations of Miss Fonseca and Miss Nimbupani appeared in Economic Times and Femina regularly.
His works were even featured in MAD and PUNCH, the international publications,
And was awarded the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by our nation.

But when I think of Mario Miranda, I remember his cartooning at Cafe Mondegar
And his paintings of Goa and the Goan 'susegar'.
I also remember his 'Salaam Bombay' and seeing his cartoons at the Bandra restaurant Elco,
Just as you climb the staircase to the first floor.

He made people on his canvas come alive
Making us laugh and giggle at their anatomical size.

Now the Gods will be working doubly hard you see,
Cause' its not that easy reproducing cartoonist like these.

So farewell Mr. Miranda, may God grant you eternal rest,
You were the greatest and will always be remembered for your cartooning with its jest.

.Memories of school

I think I'm going through bouts of nostalgia,,
Yesterday about Christmas,
And today about my school in Bandra,

Apostolic Carmel Convent that's the name ,
On Hill Road, near St. Andrews lane.

School was fun filled with wonderful memories ,
Of friends and teachers,
And also sports and studies.

Ms. Lira, was my first standard teacher,
Who pronounced my surname as 'Daggi', instead of 'Daji',
And later I was renamed 'Charmaine Daji potato bajiii'.

Mrs. Amy was my favourite primary teacher,
She taught me in third grade and always called her students 'dear'.

In the later years, Teacher Joyce and Miss Iyer,
Our English and Math wizards,
Both so strict and disciplined,
Were always neatly dressed, a hair would not move out of place even in a blizzard.

Ms. Hamida who called a bubble ' Babol' when she taught Biology,
made the whole class giggle with laughter and glee.
Unfortunately, she is no longer with us anymore,
May her soul rest in peace and teach the Gods above Biology galore.

I still remember the lovely Mrs. Rao, who spoke in shudh Hindi,
And also can't forget Nancy, Sherry, Hazel and Bespectacled Mrs. Sondhi.

But the best of the best,Bernadette and Ursulla, Our PT teachers, the Super two,
Bernadette's one glaring stare would make us melt in our shoes.
They'd make us march 'Lept Right, lept right',
in the bright afternoon sun,
Hearing their funny pronunciations was indeed great fun.

I'll never forget our peons Changoor and Karan who greeted us warmly at the school gates,
They would help us with our heavy bags to our classrooms,
at times when we were very late.

Let's move on to my school pals,
Mirelle Rebello, Shruti Channa and Serena D'gama, the throwball champs,
One spin of the ball,
And our fingers would turn into strawberry jam.

I'll never forget there were so many girls with the same name,
Sonali and Shonaly 'my oldest pal- who after 30 years still continues to drive me insane.;).
Michelles, Mirelles,Tanyas and Poojas,
Sharons, Shabnams, Namrathas and even two Shraddhas,

I remember I was part of the student council 93-94,
with Tanya ,Meghna, Shraddha, Ashwini, Shonaly, Tzeitel, Priya and Mirelle Rebello.
The way we got along,
A real naughty bunch together we were,
With our naughtiness we could lighten up a dark house with fire.

Some of us still remain great friends even till today,
some have been out of touch and gone their separate ways.

But my fellow 'Carmelites' both close or far,
I'll always have great memories of you
May 'God be your strength'
no matter wherever you are.

Christmas in Bandra

Christmas is two weeks away,
But I'm feeling a bit nostalgic,
Thinking about pre-season planning back home in Bandra,Bombay.

Banners and buntings must be up in shops and malls all over,
Spreading the joyous Christmas fervour.

Cribs depicting the Nativity set up in every corner and street,
East Indians, Mangaloreans and Goans kneading flour for kulkuls ,
Or preparing 'Sorpotel', 'Vindaloo' and other roasted meats.

Marzipan, Chocolate fudge, jujubs, date rolls and Guava cheese,
Milk cream,Christmas Plum Cake and Rose cookies.
All these sweets surely make your mouth water,
But book well in advance, if you need to order
Cause' late orders, 'aunties' won't take,
Even if its for an ordinary fruit cake.

Cafe Andora, RTI and Candies filled with lots of yummy Christmas Goodies,
Like rum soaked cakes and lil' Santa pastries.
And christmas sweets sold at Hearsch and even A-1 bakery.
Damian with its superb Christmas displays and themes,
so unique, ingenuity surely unseen.

Hill Road filled with hawkers selling decorations, cribs, trees and stars.
And 'Raaves' the 'mallu' shop selling latest Chinese Christmas trees with acorns and fibre optics, decorated with drums or guitars.

Parry wines, packed with people shopping for Christmas Liquor,
And ladies for their Christmas frocks hounding the Elco tailors.

The beautiful Churches in Bandra decorated with lovely blue and yellow lights
And Choirs practising the hymns to be sung at the mass on 24th night.

Oh how I miss those wonderful sights, sounds and smells,
No matter where I am,
Bandra is the best at Christmas, no matter where I dwell.

What goes on in a woman's mind?

"What goes on in a woman's mind?" is a question which many men silently ask,
They feel trying to understand the fairer sex,
is indeed the toughest task.
So let me, a woman, give you a few lessons and pointers,
It may surely help you understand and relate to us better. :)

When a woman speaks, you need to listen,
Please pay attention and don't act so distant.
I know we women do speak a lot,
But we are made that way,
Just give it a thought.

"What are you thinking?", when she asks you such a simple question,
"Nothing" is not the answer you should even dare mention,
If over 100 thoughts in a minute can go on in her mind,
I'm sure 'Thinking' is not unique to your mankind.
She may think in colour and you in black and white,
But by saying 'Nothing' shows how pea brained you are or just plain impolite.

Remember, a woman cries at times for no rhyme or reason,
She doesn't need to be happy or sad,
And she doesn't need any particular season.
Sometimes it may be PMS or just great to cry and bawl away,
But you guys think your too macho and worried you'll be called 'Gay'.

When a woman states emphatically "I'm tired",
Understand she's not ready for you know-what,
Remember she's human too,
Not a pink metallic robot.

A Woman loves to shop, she can shop till she drops,
But if you see too many shopping bags,
Please don't question her non-stop.
While shopping for herself, be grateful she has bought a shirt for you too,
Even though she herself has bought
6 tops, 3 bags and a pair of Jimmy Choo.

Also if she keeps staring at the diamond ring in the shop window,
Don't hurriedly walk away and her ignore,
She may not force you to buy it for her just now,
But in time, she'll get you to buy it for her somehow.

Oh yes, men please beware of a woman's mood swings,
One minute she's happy next minute sad,
It's not her, it's those 'Hormones', but for you it may be weird and frustrating.

But last of all what a woman really wants,is love and security,
Maybe from her husband, friends, lover or family.

Men, I hope I've been able to help you 'decipher' a woman's mind,
She may be from Venus and you Mars,
But please do try to treat her with respect, be patient and kind.

'Bai'bylicous'

Today was watching the trailer of 'Ghosts' starring our Shiny,
remember how he raped his 'kaamwali bai',
I found it disgustingly funny.
He must have been in a bad state,
To release his frustrations on his 'bechaari bai' in such haste.

But on a more serious note, when I think of 'bais'
I think of the three angels who came into my life.

I remember when I moved back home from mom's place after giving birth to my son,
I was a little worried as had to manage alone, my little one.
But God was so good to me, he sent me help in the form of Two Angels, Clara- the nanny and the cook - Bharti.

I was already blessed with angel number One,
My domestic help - the efficient Suman.
Suman was a petite lady in her mid fifties,
Her pleasant demeanour and smile,
could put you in an instant at ease.
She would sweep and swob and make the house 'chakachak',
To have help like her was really my good luck.

My second angel - the talkative Bharti,
With her bright coloured, cheerful saris,
Would run in as soon as I opened the door,
And take my lil' one in her arms,
Calling him 'Soniya soniya' and he smiling for more.
Her food was extremely tasty,
Especially her aloo parathas, poha,
pulaos and steaming Khichdi.
She cooked whatever I asked,
And never made it seem an impossible task.

The last but not the least Clara, who looked after my lil' one with utmost love and care,
Made my son look like a hero and even styled his hair.
She cleaned and cooked for him healthy soups and Nachni,
And sang to him lullabies in her Goan Konkani.

Yes, everything was not always hunky-dory,
they all have bunked and for silly reasons taken leaves,
But with them I could leave my house and son without any tension or worry.

They were honest and extremely good to me,
I'll never ever forget them,
these three wonderful ladies.

Money and it's Disparity

Whenever I pass by Mukesh Ambani's funny structure 'Antilla',
I think of the song
"Money, money, money
Must be funny
In a rich man's world"
Sung in 1976 by ABBA.

I still can't digest the fact that he spent 4000 crores on his house of 27 storeys,
When you actually think of it, it's really not that funny,
Where the same amount he spent on his house,
Could eradicate India's growing poverty.

But is India really a poor country?
sometimes I feel it is contradictory,

The richer are getting richer and richer,
Living in huge mansions with well stocked bars and latest cars,
using various ways to avoid paying tax,
Like stashing away black money in Swiss banks abroad - it's a well-known fact,
Or using the excess cash to buy vacation homes or yachts,
investing in bullion or in other cities buying plots.

Then there is the 'aam aadmi' who without a doubt,
pays taxes quietly without a fuss or a shout.

With inflation hitting the roof, he needs to think twice,
Whether to buy vegetables, pulses or just plain rice.
His cost has increased, but no hike in his pay,
He's worried how he'll support his family everyday.

Yes, Poverty in India is a reality,
When will the Government open their eyes and see this 80-20 disparity,
Where 80% of the wealth is with the rich 20,
But 20% of the remaining wealth is shared by the poor 80.

Do you have anything to say to this Mr. Mukesh Ambani!

Reality shows - Reality or Stupidity!

In a country where public displays of affection (PDA) are frowned upon,
Fast growing prime time reality shows seem to be catching on.

Let's start with the latesht 'baap' of all,
The fifth season 'Bigg Boss',
of a house filled with insanely mad people creating chaos.
Hosted by Salman Khan and also Sanjay Dutt,
Hearing their repeated"Bigg Boss Season 5 fie fie, fie fie"
Makes me want to kick their butts.

To add to the madness there's Akashdeep re-christened Sky,
Just one look at him makes me want to cry.
His sunken cheeks and popping eyes,
And the 'it' girl Laxmi clapping 'Hai Hai Hai'.

Pooja Misra's motto is ' fight,fight and fight'
And prove that the whole world's wrong,
And she absolutely right.

We've had Bollywood starlets, thiefs and even former female bandits,
But Sonika, the wrestler is number one in my list of dimwits.
Its unbelievable that on this show, her new born she planned to deliver,
Thankfully , common sense dawned,
and she left the show forever.

In the earlier season, we had Pamela Anderson doing housework in a sarong,
And now we have our desi-Canadian porn star ' Sunny Leone.
What a better way than to increase the show's TRPs,
To get someone who is a professional in doing the Striptease.

Enough of Bigg Boss, let's rewind backwards,
And refresh your memory on the infamous ' 'Swayamwars'.
'Rakhi ka Swayamwar' was the first one,
Where Drama Queen Rakhi chose to marry from her 16 suitors,
NONE.
Elesh Parujanwala she did choose,
And later dumped him on some flimsy excuse.
But she had the audience glued to the television anyway,
Be it her mehandi ceremony or her 'fake'engagement day.

Then there was 'Rahul Dulhaniya le jayegaa'
The other male 'Swayamwara'
Where controversial divorced Rahul Mahajan who on seeing the lovely ladies,
couldn't stop in Marathi muttering 'Bharaa bharaa'( nice, nice)

But unlike Rakhi Sawant, Rahul did marry,
A Gladrags Model named Dimpy Ganguly.
Though their marriage lasted for 4 months,
That's another matter,
She blamed him for violence as he used to hit and slap her.

Reality shows have on television today started a whole new chapter,
Where in 'reality' too people prefer watching 'Big Boss' and 'Emotional Atyachaar'
rather than 'Just Dance and 'X-Factor'.

It shows that sometimes scandals and sensationalism supercedes talent too,
Andrew Symonds is the Bigg Boss 5 wild card entrant,
Believe me he's landed at the Mumbai airport,
I'm not lying its true.

Kya hain yeh 'Item' Mamu!

'A single article or unit in a collection,series or enumeration'.
That is an 'Item's' definition.

But it has got a very different meaning in our Indian films.
Where 'Item Number', is a song used with an actress as an 'item'.

'Item numbers ’ are a unique quirk of Indian cinema,
Which thrill audiences near or a far.
They have the power to grip the nation,
Make you forget corruption, recession or crippling inflation.
They are used in films for sex appeal,
Where our Roadsides Romeos in theatres whistle and squeal.

'Item numbers' started way back in the 50's and 60's,
And was created for the vamps especially.
Helen was the best 'Item Girl' of her time,
Who lit the screen on fire with her energy and dancing style.
From 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' to ' Yeh mera dil',
Her dance could surely make time stand still.
Then we had Bindu and Aruna Irani,
Who made the on screen vamps look gaudily sexy.

But now the list of 'Item Numbers' don't seem to end,
Looks like Bollywood has set a new trend.

From 'Humma humma' by Sonali Bendre, Urmila's 'Chamma Chamma' to Aishwarya's 'Kajraa re',
'Chaiya chaiya' by Malaika Arora and Shilpa Shetty in 'UP Bihar loot le'

Then Kareena in Billu singing ''Marjaani marjaani'.
I'm sure we'll never forget 'Sheila's Jawani' and 'Munni's badnaami'.
The long legged lass Deepika in the new 'Dum maaro dum'
But watching the lucky buffalo carrying Yana Gupta in 'Baabuji' will remove all your 'gum.'

Now there are 'Item boys ' in Bollywood also,
With Abhishek being the first in 2004.
For Rakht's 'One Love' he did a small cameo.

Shahrukh and Hrithik did the same in 'Krazzy 4'.
And Aamir in 'Delhi Belly' did an item number to disco.

That's it, I can write no more.

Oh yes , yet to come is 'Chikni Chameli' from Agneepath though,
Where Santa clause on watching it,
may say 'Ooh lala' instead of 'Ho ho Ho'.

A love letter of an insomniac

Sleep so sweet, why do you evade me so,
The clock has struck one, I can't wait for you no more.
It's been days since you've visited me on time,
I fail to understand your delay when I've no worries,
nor guilty of any crime.
Like an owl, I wait for you at night,
staring endlessly at the bright moonlight.

When will you envelope me with your tender caress,
So that I could hold you in my arms tight, close my eyes and rest.
But it seems you wish to break my heart,
And stay away from me far apart.

Why have you suddenly turned from a lover to a foe!
Why do you wish to hurt me and add to my woe.

Oh sleep, my love what are your demands,
I promise to obey your every command.

I'll generously share with you
the last piece of cake,
From the refrigerator,
At 2 AM I slyly did take.
Or should I play soothing music to put you at ease,
Or dress the bed in white satin if you please.
On the bed I'll spray lavender, I promise to obey
But please don't leave me and visit me soon
before the break of day.

Mr. Evergreen - Dev Anand

Our 'Evergreen' hero is no more,
Just heard the sad news a little while ago.

Dev Anand was one of my favourite heroes,
So thought I'd write a few lines to express my sorrow.

Dharam Dev Pishori Anand born in 26th September 1923,
Acted in over 110 Hindi movies.

He acted in his first movie 'Hum Ek Hain' in 1946,
But only in 1948 with 'Ziddi' gave his first hit.

Followed by hits like 'Baazi', Aandhiyan, Nau do gyarah, Pocket Maar,
And Mr. Evergreen continued to do so with C.I.D. , Solva Saal, Kala Pani and Kala Bazar.

How can we forget movies like Guide,Jewel Thief and Johnny Mera Naam,
And his directorial venture Hare Rama Hare Krishna with debutante Zeenat Aman.

Dev Anand had his own suave style with his tuft of hair above his forehead and scarves round his neck,
He was rightly known as the Indian Gregory Peck.

His zest for life and undying passion to work was a quality so admirable,
To do so till 88 was extremely credible.

Let us not mourn the death of this acting great,
But the Gods above congratulate,
As they can enjoy Dev Anand's presence too,
Where his acting and directing will still continue.

So let us instead pray for his Nav Ketan -new life,
Where he continues to act and direct movies with The Kapoors, Kumars, Guru Dutt and Nutan for the rest of eternity with Kalpana Karthik, his beloved wife.

Oh yes, it's a girl!

I remembered an incident at the hospital 2 years ago,
Where I heard the wailing and crying of a woman in the room next door,
She looked so distraught and forlorn,
Even though she had given birth to a healthy new born.

I still failed to understand why she was wallowing in self pity,
When the reason finally dawned on me.
She was not at all happy and was very very sad,
As she had given birth to a girl and not a lad.

I was shocked and surprised that she,
a modern woman of India today,
Could think in such a lowly disgusting way.

I'm sure in newspapers we've read how newborn girls are found abandoned in garbage bins,
Don't those mothers realise they're committing the gravest of sins?
Why can't these mothers accept their daughters happily?
Or have they forgotten that they too are daughters due to loss of memory?

India's 2011 census shows a serious decline in the number of girls under the age of seven,
As activists say eight million female foetuses may have been aborted,
between 2001 and 2011.
We Indians may have progressed in many fields by far,
But the truth is irrespective of how rich or educated we are ,
We still suffer from acute mental dementia.

It is said "every new born baby is God's opinion that the world should continue"
But how come when a girl is born,
This opinion doesn't hold true.

We still consider daughters a " liability",
Forgetting the likes of Indira Gandhi, Naina Lal Kidwai and Indira Nooyi,
ex India PM, heads of HSBC and PEPSI respectively.
Sons are always considered "assets"you see, assuming they'll always support us financially.
But before I end my poetry on this serious issue,
There's something funny I'd like to share with you,
"A son is a son till he gets a wife,
But a daughter is a daughter for the rest of your life."

Maniacal madness of Matchmaking

I'm sure many of us have gone through or are going through the 'Matchmaking' process,
Where we meet matchmakers on relatives request who put us through this marital quest.

They take our bio-datas and promise and assure,
"Very soon Mr. Right will come knocking at your door".

And when Mr. Prospective on our door does knock,
we have to deck ourselves like Christmas trees with high heeled tick tocks.
We have to flash our white pearlies and politely say "hello",
Even though the high heels are killing us whilst we trip on our sari' Palo'.
And then the "quiz time" finally begins,
Where the questions they ask are too funny to mention,
Like "what marks did you score in history in SSC?" or "will you grow your hair long after you marry me?"

Well this is just a bit of what I went through over 5 years ago,
The number of prospective bachelors I met were thankfully just 24.
How can I forget the very first, Mr Shyguy,
Who was so introvertishly shy,
his father had to nudge him hard,
to whisper a simple "HI!".

Then there was Mr. Body-builder,
who thought he was the Indian Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He was so obsessed with his body and protein shakes,
And insisted on eating everything baked.

Followed by Mr. Shipee-Engineer,
Who needed a maid, more than a wife throughout the year.
Someone to cook and clean and mend his socks,
And dress up with an apron over frilly frocks.

These are just to name a few from my matchmaking roller coaster ride,
Sometimes it does leave you sad and lil' depressed inside,
Also a feeling of frustration when you don't meet Mr. Right,
You know he is out there somewhere,
But still nowhere in sight.

So matchmakers and nosy relatives please try and understand,
as marriage like death can't always be pre determined and planned.

Marriage is after all chemistry and a joining of two hearts,
"to love and live with each other, till death do us apart".

Hair "T(H)assles"

I'm sure everyone has had a bad hair day,
But I have a bad hair day every single day.
Where my Hair stands out making me look like a white Golliwog,
Be it summer, winter, heat or fog.

I'm normally neat and very well-dressed,
But just a slight breeze and my hair is a mess.

I've tried all kinds of oils from Parachute to Shahnaz Hussain,
Eggs, curd and even olive oil plain.

I've experimented with rebonding or straightening and relaxo too,
But no hairstylist has been able to solve my "Hair raising issue".

I now understand what Einstein must have faced,
Like me, his hair was never in place.

However, Einstein was not worried about his hair,
He was only interested in E=(MC)square.

But I still wonder and worry,
why does Newton's law of gravity not apply to me?
If what goes up has to come down,
Then why isn't the law applicable to the hair on my crown.

I've never had other issues and hassles,
Guess life would be too perfect without these knotty and frizzy tassles.

But today I'm trying a new hair therapy,
Called Brazilian Keratin with vitamin E.

Its going on at the moment whilst I write this poetry,
Let's hope and pray it really works,
And makes my hair soft and silky.