Are we really that different?

February 10th, 2013 - It's Chinese New Year, the auspicious occasion in East Asia when the year of the snake  began.

February 10th, 2013- It's Mauni Amavasya. In India, over 30 million devotees took a dip during the Kumbh Mela at the confluence of rivers-Ganga, Yamuna and (almost disappearing) Saraswati. It is said that the next auspicious moment will come after almost a hundred years.

Is it a co-incidence that two major auspicious occasions in different parts of the world are on the same day? Or it just goes to say that human beings on earth are not really that different?

Whether I go to a Hindu temple, a chinese temple or a church, the worship involves bowing in front of the idol , burning candles (or diyas) or incense in some cases. For me , it feels the same. The new year rituals of meeting family and friends, decorations, cleaning of house, wearing new clothes, it's all the same. Museums reveal a lot about these similarities and some adaptations in the way our ancestors led their life.

The outer manifestations may be different, but the core message is the same in all the cultures.

I wonder, why do we magnify our differences, when in reality, we are the same?

I think..

I think of the steps with spring,

I think of the lightness of being,

I think of the shrinking chasm,

Between reality and my dream..

I think of birds that tweet,

I think of eyes that meet,

I think of  sweet aroma,

That covers the panorama..

I think of flowers in May,

I think of trees that sway,

I think of bold colour,

That envelopes with valour..

A matter of time..

I walk on cold steps in the morning,
air cutting through my strides..
A dead silence at each turning,
broken by fragment of tides..

I wonder how it is so chilled,
when in the night it was festive..
The same silence was filled,
with crowds that were restive..

A voice told me with a calm tone
it's just a matter of time..
A piece of metal,wood and bone
may become a melodious chime..

If there's sunshine..

every day is a new day,

with events that cross the way,

dragon that they may slay,

keeping sorrows at bay.

every day is a new day,

with life affected by a simple nay,

i look at it and say,

if there’s sunshine, make hay.

Freedom

(My first acrostic poem)

Freedom is what makes life exciting,
Restless thoughts are so interesting,
Excitement of the journey is intoxicating,
End is not actually that stimulating,
Determined for life to be exhilarating,
Out-of-the-box thinking is captivating,
My life with freedom is really fascinating!

Restless

In the midst of a crowd,
With plethora of action,
Mind is focused,
But eyes are wanton.

Wandering here and there,
With slight tension,
Waiting for a stolen glance,
Full of passion.

Days have gone by,
With marked absence,
The eyes are restless,
For a real connection.

Elephants never forget..

People say that it's great to have a good memory...like elephants and elephants never forget.

But is it really that great?

I remember a lot of things from the time I became aware of surroundings as a child. The park in which we played as young children, the trees we plucked fruits from, the maths teacher in primary school whom I hated and the Hindi teacher who loved me,the incidents from various cities we lived in, the good times and the depressing times, some of the terrible dreams I had and could never forget, people who were so nice to me and a few terrible people I came across,wonderful moments which I would like to remember forever and really miserable moments which I hope would never appear in my life again... At school, university and work, it was great though as professionally, I could remember all sorts of data about my subjects,people,events etc.

It's good to store away the nice pieces, but the terrible ones are also there and no matter how much I would like to forget the unpleasant occasions and people, they just don't go away and pop up whenever there's an association. So, for me the saying ,'one may forgive, but will never forget'is really true.

Not exactly great to have memory like an elephant!I wish my brain could do the filtering and delete all the other memories except the pleasant ones.

Chit-chat

I am big on conversations..really into it..

Conversations, where you can lose yourself..
Chats, where you can express your innermost feelings without inhibitions..
Exchange of ideas, which make you feel animated..
Chit-chat, which is rejuvenating..
Natter, which is not only light, but is invigorating..
Prattle, which is energizing..
Discussion, which opens your mind..
Huddle, which is revitalizing..

Unfortunately, I can have these conversations with very few people. These are those rare people who have the same wave-length as mine, who make me feel all of the above with just one short conversation...

I hope I never lose touch with these wonderful people in my life, who make my days so interesting..

I wade through life..

I wade through life,
With wonders at every corner,
A twinkle in my eye,
And a feeling quite tender.

I wade through life,
Unravelling the little mysteries,
Joy at every step,
To discover new territories.

I wade through life,
And meet people so warm,
Love getting lost in conversations,
With such abundant charm.

Differences

A lot of difference,
Between folks,
Is not by chance,
And is not idle talk.

It’s a matter ,
Of preferences,
And the latter,
Equals differences.

The variety,
Is the excitement,
Adding to gaiety,
And enjoyment.

The disparity,
Is the trigger,
For creativity,
And things bigger.

Amused

I am still not over my fascination with mid-year shopping options. The first thing I grab after I fasten my seat belt on a plane is the Shopping Guide..and it has never failed to entertain me (even after seeing the same one 2-3 times).

This time the items that captured by imagination and brought a smile on my face were really cool - I found a Tower Fan, which looked kind of cute, a decanter called "Escargot Decanter", a "Travel press" and "Latte Milk Frother". I was actually amused by the "Frother". There was a "Electric Table Grill"on offer with a free Knife and Fork set and there was a Oil and Vinegar set.

I also found the mid-air shopping guide a bit unlikely for the following- Steamer pot and basket, casserole made of cast iron, Satin silver premium laptop stand, luggage, rose bouquets, on-air wireless airplay speaker dock.

Finally, I was knocked down by an item, which I thought was an unlikely seller- Paris Hilton Ladies watch.

But, then, life is full of surprises.

The Sands of Time..

Buried in the sands of time,
I thought of a life sublime,
An age that was a mime,
Of love in the prime.

Days that stretched long,
And hours that sang a song.
Lovely days when we got along,
And felt alone even in a throng.

A lot of indecision,
A sweet and sour tension.
Intense heated discussion,
And a very sensitive question.

I don’t know if that’s what I miss,
something more or less a bliss.
I do definitely know this,
Without you, there’s something amiss.

A morning in Goa

A splash, a dash of colours,
on the gray road.
A tinge, a splatter of flowers,
and a jumping toad.

A varied splosh of green,
on a cloudy day.
A time for fauna to preen,
with a lot to say.

A flurry of curly waves,
on pristine sand.
A stillness that caves,
completely unplanned.

A Quiet Smile

Sneaking from the corner of the mouth,
It manages to appear like a quiet smile,
It never comes out in the open,
But, has a meaning that stretches a mile.

Something that's covert and shyly hidden,
A wonderful,deep thought in that quiet smile,
Makes me feel really warm and fuzzy,
As,has a meaning that stretches a mile.

Sometimes

Sometimes I want to fly,
to a faraway place,
a land of slow pace,
and people with grace.

Sometimes I want to fly,
to a beautiful street,
where people meet,
and is a visual treat.

Sometimes I want to fly,
to a barren land,
pushed by a hand,
with a magic wand.

Sometimes I want to fly
to my inner world,
veiled and twirled,
with desires curled.

Light a candle

"It's better to light a candle, than to curse in the darkness"- nothing can illustrate the point of moving forward in life than this chinese proverb.

A number of times, we keep on complaining about the unfairness of life,about the doom and the gloom situation, about this and that...and generally letting negativity enter our being.

Is it really worthwhile beating ourselves down? Better to see the bright things in life and smell the roses.

How to get bored?

I don't know how to get bored.

The world has so many interesting things to offer at any given point of time. I remember my childhood when we did'nt have internet and video-games and still there were a number of things to do - cycling, playing outdoor games, reading comics, climbing trees, gardening, roaming around in the sweltering afternoons inventing new games.Everyday was a new day.

We grew up and there were new things- making new friends, visiting new places, discovering love, taking parts in competitions, creating new outfits by cutting the existing ones, spending time in the library finding material for a project, eating out, reading more and more books,spending time with friends..

The list is endless.

Everyday human beings and nature create a new outlet for fellow beings to revel in. Whether it's just walking through the vistas presented by nature or going to theatres, operas, dance shows,concerts or writing poetry, prose, watching movies, art exhibits or just sharing a glass of wine, life never fails to spring surprises..

Relief

Relief..

That's what I felt,
When I finally knew,
When I figured out,
My life-goal anew.

A direction,
A somewhat clear way,
No more dilly-dally,
And thoughts in a sway.

Expectations

Most of my life,
I did’nt expect
anything
from anyone,
except myself.

Life went on nice
and lovely,
without tears
pain and
anxiety.

I was surprised
pleasantly,
when I got
something
unexpectedly.

It happened
a number
of times,
and then
I started
expecting
more.

And
guess what?
I was
really
disappointed.

So I am back
to my old
non-expecting
way of
living,
and life is
much
better.

Horoscopes

LEO
Your horoscope for May 26,2012

" You are quite likely to enjoy the change in the rhythm and quality of life that is begining right now, Mukta.....blah..blah...blah..."

Yes, that what my daily horoscope says for today.I subscribe to my Daily Horoscope and Daily Tarot Reading via e-mail and never fail to read them.Even though I know that these are generic horoscopes and cannot be true from any angle,I still read them diligently. I confess that as soon as they land in the mailbox, I drop everything and read them first. When I pick up a newspaper or magazine or go to online versions, the first column I look for is the one devoted to horoscopes.It's an involuntary action and has been a permanent feature for a long time now.

That's not all. I sometimes go back to my previous day horoscope in the night to figure out if my day went as per the horoscope. I buy the yearly horoscopes at the begining of the year and again at the end of the year do a kind of review. I do try to justify some of the happenings even though the horoscope was completely out-of-mark.

Amazing, is'nt it? I am educated (presumably) and know very well that it can't be true, there are millions of Leos on this earth and the mailer is targeting all Leos.

I guess, it's just human nature to figure out what's going to happen in future and nothing to do with me as a person.

Those moments...

It could be a brief phone call, or a quick coffee during the day or a hurried drink after work...it just takes 10-15 minutes... but the impact is so high.

Yes, I am talking about those few moments snatched from busy schedules to share your ups and downs with your friends.The few words or sentences are good enough to perk up or push the energy levels even higher.In my experience, these moments act as a vitamin and a catalyst to move a person forward.

For me, these small doses work quite well and I recommend it (highly)to everyone:)

Uncertain

When the situation,
It’s uncertain,
Neither this nor that,
Neither here nor there.

When the mind,
Looks this way,
And the heart,
The other way.

When one moment,
I crave the thrill,
And the next,
I want clarity.

I don’t know
why,
But,
I love it.

Melange

Sitting in the HK bus,
Front row on the upper deck,
Marvelling at a bright day,
Looking around craning my neck.

The luxury stores came and went,
With mannequins calling passers-by,
The crowded streets of Wan Chai,
Little shops, standing a bit shy.

The concrete jungle merged,
With winding beautiful pathways,
Sloping hills suddenly appeared,
With sea-water lurking sideways.

The smattering of houses amongst trees,
The eagles with the smooth flight,
The boats and yachts in the sea,
The scene looked really bright.

The cool calm waters of the sea,
The shore coloured in peach,
The families huddled together,
Enjoying barbecue on the beach.

A melange of nature and concrete,
Ambition, crowd and tranquillity,
That's how I see Hong Kong,
Co-existing with harmony.

Why ?

Journey to a place known to many via history books...
A city made known because of a terrible man-made calamity....
One of the targets of Atom Bomb...
Hiroshima...

I recently travelled to the city of Hiroshima. A normal city, with cherry blossoms on the riverside, skyscrapers, a tramline and bullet trains. A city with life and soul. My friend and I went to the Peace Memorial and saw a film on the atomic bomb drop on Hiroshima. The naked truth captured by the filmmaker was so brutal. The entire city was erased with one swift action as a result of the drop of the atom bomb. The pain, the misery, the consequences of the act cannot be described in words. The scenes were so painful. Watching the film, it was impossible to comprehend that human beings can do such terrible things to their fellow human beings. After the film, we went to the museum and it was with tears in our eyes, that we re-visited the painful period of history.

I remember writing essays on whether "Advanced science is a boon or bane?", but never did I feel about the negative side of Science and Technology, as I did, standing on the very ground which saw and bore the scars of the devilish side of Science.

The walls of the museum were filled with requests and pleas from the residents of Hiroshima to the Head of States of those countries which were still experimenting with nuclear weapons. Some of them were as recent as April 2012. Standing there, looking at the letters, we were just wondering (from a common earthling's point of view), that even after seeing the consequences of these acts which affect not only the existing generations, but the generations to come, the acts which makes one human hate another one, the acts which destroys numerous lives, the acts which play with nature, the acts which do not give solace to anyone...

Why,oh why do countries still want to continue experimenting with weapons of mass destruction?

But..

It’s peaceful
It’s relaxed
It’s quiet

But..

The calm
Is
So
Stressed !

The stillness
Is
So
Troubled!

The composure
Is
So
Ruffled!

There's a time for everything !

In today’s world, everyone wants everything- right now. “Instant” is the buzzword, which is on everyone’s mind.

Nobody wants to wait. With advanced technology, patience has become a thing of the past...
We call a person on his/her phone and if he/she doesn’t pick up, we leave a voicemail, send a mail or sms. We don’t want to climb stairs because there are lifts and escalators. We don’t want to walk because there are cars, taxis, buses. We don’t want to go to our colleague’s desk because we can communicate through online messenger or mail. We don’t want to go to the cafe/restaurant because most of the places have delivery to home/office. We don’t want to cook because there’s frozen food or many eating places or helpers to do the job. We don’t want to count mentally because calculators have numbed our minds. We don’t want to wait for our next promotions, because all around us people climb corporate ladders so fast and we don’t want to be left out.

Has patience really become obsolete? And if it has, this has not done humankind any favour.

We have become a world of impatient, stressed out individuals with information overload with paucity of time to do anything for a period of time. We have morphed into restless beings who want to do one thing after the other, without pausing to admire or appreciate what we have already done, or we have at that point of time. The world of “instant gratification” has made us grow fast, without going through the “growing pains”. The cases of burnt-out youngsters or those in responsible positions, who are not able to cope with the responsibility are sad cases of not spending enough time “ sharpening the axe” before they actually go to “cut a tree”. The age-old practice of preparation before doing something seems to have disappeared in this “instant “world.

Why don’t we realise that the time spent in learning is not “wasted”, but actually prepares us for future.
And patience is still a virtue, as there’s a time for everything!

Morning

It's 5:45 in the morning
Raindrops are creating havoc
water puddles are dancing
the trees are swaying
birds nowhere to be seen
cold wind attacks the face
watchmen everywhere are awake
some enthusisatic runners
are conquering the streets
few people are ready for work
the mid-level escalator
has come to life
and the life in pubs and bars
is completely dead
the mind wants to walk fast
the feet do not support

The extra-ordinary difficulty of making a choice

Have you come across people, who take a long time to study the menu in a restaurant or bar and make a detailed study of each content, all the while storing the bits and pieces in the decision-making part of their brain.

I have promised not to name some of them who I know, but I am sure you have come across such detail-oriented people.It's an amazing experience sitting with them in a restaurant and see them go through the various items of food and drink, make some comment on the ingredients, move on to another one (but in a systematic way, so that they don't miss out anything) which catches their fancy, comment again and finally make a choice. Sometimes, when they are unable to make the choice they will ask for help and sometimes when the dish/drink is not according to their taste, they will wonder, why they did'nt order something else. What makes me laugh is the opinion they ask of others as to what is good or not. They forget the most basic fact that everyone is unique and has different tastes, so what they find good, may not pass the mark in someone else book.

Give them 15-20 minutes and they are content to go through the ritual.Distract them through this by talking about something else, they will end up making a wrong choice...and you will be blamed.

This is my observation that my friends, who are in jobs which require a very sharp attention to detail, are more prone to this behaviour. Professionals in audit, compensation and benefits, operations etc are the one who love this style and actually do it thoroughly.

Hats off to them...but beware of disturbing them during this ritual !

Every day

Every day is a new day,

A new thing to learn,

One may indeed say,

To live is to yearn.


Every day is a new day,

With plenty to explore,

Like a needle in hay,

Coming to the fore.


Every day is a new day,

With an unexpected worry,

Like snow in May,

Bringing ideas in a flurry.


Every day is a new day,

With a laugh and a smile,

Efforts will indeed pay,

If you walk an extra mile.

Eyes

A sideways glance,
Lands you in a trance.

An ignored look,
Leaves you on a hook.

A simple hello,
And ice becomes mellow.

A prolonged gaze,
And you are in a haze.

A glimpse out of the blue,
Colours you with a hue.

Two hearts, it ties,
That's the power of eyes.

Shortcuts

The truth is- There are no shortcuts in lfe.

Whatever you want to do, whatever you want to achieve, you have to go through foundation, the basics and the advanced steps before it's done properly. The shortcuts in life do not exist. PERIOD.

There are examples of people taking shortcuts, but they are not sustainable. It's like becoming a doctor by taking a six-month crash course. Would you like to go to such a doctor? Do you think such a person is qualified to be called a doctor? Or you read the Executive Summary of a book and are asked to write a critique on it. Would you be able to do it? I don't think so.

So stop getting lured by the so-called SHORTCUTS- for studies, for acquiring a skill, for progressing in corporates, for losing or gaining weight...in fact for just about anything. Go through the step-by-step process and you will never regret it.

Tell me Why?

There's so much beauty in this world..at every nook and corner..but
why do we keep looking at the ugliness and the deep dark secrets?
What pleasure does anyone gets out of it?
Why do we look at the weaknesses of others and insist they should overcome them?
Why can't we look at the strengths and make sure that they build on them?
Why does murder mysteries enthrall us?
Why do scandals keep us interested?
Why do gossip magazines keep surviving?
Why do we run after what is seemingly unachievable?
Why do we take people who love us, for granted?
Why do we like those who seem to have no interest in us?
Why do we realize the importance of something or someone after it/they is/are gone?
Why do we waste time assuming and getting it all wrong?
Why do we always want to be someone else?
Why do whine about what we don't have and forget what we have?
Why are we never satisfied?

The questions are endless.
Why? Tell me why?

If you want..

A lot to do
if you want,
nothing at all
if you think you can't!

The will power
is all from you,
Nobody will add
an extra hue!

The ability
to be happy,
or the decision
to be sad!

It's completely
in your hands,
and is like
a magic wand!

Bling really makes me sing ...

The glittering shops in Hong Kong with every possible type of bling available- for phone covers, bags, clips, purses, ipad covers..you name it and they have it.The glitter can actually kill a person by the combined strength of the cloured rays!

I always used to wonder who are the target buyers for these really, really BLINGY articles which seem to be shouting boldly -LOOK AT ME.Why would someone actually buy these in-your-face things...and guess what? I was in for a surprise, a very big surprise. In my own workplace, which is a bank (and as the stereotypes go, should be non-blingy), I found atleast 10 of my colleagues (in client-facing and employee-facing jobs) showing a penchant for all things BLING!..and the blingy articles like the phone covers etc did'nt look bad at all, in fact they seemed to look quite good and suited them.I asked my colleagues why are they attracted to the glitter and they said -JUST LIKE THAT!

Now, when I see these shops, I don't discount them, I actually look at the varied designs, marvelling all the while that there's always someone who likes them passionately enough to buy them...

or

is it that, what is bizarre for one, is perfectly normal for the other ?

Circumstances

The placid waters of the river, harbouring deep secrets...so still, so peaceful...almost giving the impression of a content life...the stretch goes on and on and a feeling of calm envelopes the mind.. Wishing one's life is as unflappable as the waters.

As one glides by the stretch of water, the serenity is invaded by a sound of urgency, of an invasion of silence...of water falling from a height...and the same unruffled water becomes furious, falling with intensity, a determination to survive and come out from the turmoil...victorious.

Makes one wonder whether the way people react depends on circumstances...and it's the situation which makes a person calm, ferocious, restless or angry.

Is it?

Is it delight?
Is it romance?
Is it kind words?
Is it creation?

Or Is it ecstasy?

Is it what you like?
Is it what you want?
Is it what you need?
Is it beyond your reach?

Or Is it harmony?

Is it being alive?
Is it money?
Is it good food?
Is it being healthy?

Or is it sheer joy?

Is it birds?
Is it flowers?
Is it pleasure
Is it swaying trees?

Or is it a sigh of exhilaration?

Is happiness a part
Or a sum of
Everything?

Little things...

A laugh here,
A light there,

meeting a friend,
adopting a trend,

writing a post,
eating a toast,

life looks pink,
with an exciting link,

a lot to see,
with aroma of tea.

You all know me as a wild buck..

a little jump
heart got a thump..

marvelling at the beauty
of nature’s bounty..

hiding and peeking
looking and seeking..

enemies and fiends
and some loyal friends..

life is interesting
with pecks and stings..

with me is good luck
you all know me as a “wild buck”..

What a Day !

Crazy,
Hazy,
Lazy,
May Day,
A truly relaxed, lovely warm day,
To ponder on the dry yellow hay.

Only Yours...

the height of happiness,
the depth of sadness,
the thrill of newness,
the joy of craziness...

the emotions,
that lead to dizziness,
are only yours,
clouding everthing,
with a pleasant haziness..

All things natural...

There are many charming and world famous man-made attractions, that people flock to-year after year. The beautiful buildings, the towering hotels, the gravity defying edifices all command admiration of humanity.. however, have you noticed that the natural wonders of the world and the breath-taking beauty of nature far exceeds the number of admirers. The mountains, the valleys, the winding rivers, the remorseless sea with the abundance of sealife (fishes, corals etc), the trees, the wild-life, the volcanoes with the craters, walking with the lions, the rainbows, penguins and seals in natural surroundings, leopards mounting a tree, termite hills and bird's nest, hot-water geysers and all things natural...even furniture and goods made of natural products is much more expensive than the synthetic ones...

what does it all tells us??

that artificialness and pretensions may be attractive for a while, but it is to everything natural and genuine that a human being turns to- for real enjoyment and peace of mind !!

A lone tree...

A lone tall tree
was found
standing all by itself
on a mound
swaying with the breeze
sunlight fading away
with an attitude meek
the golden aura
and the crimson streak..
the flowers blossoming
at it's feet
and the birds stopping
by for a tweet...

Names and Names

I was always amused by the names of Chinese people in Hong Kong-Rainy, Icy, Blue ..but they are the english names. In South Africa, I came across a name called "RELAX" belonging to our hotel manager. My first question to her was whether that's her real name or a translation of her South African name. She told me it's very much real. I was just recovering from amusement and I came across a charming lady called "EXCELLENT". I asked her the same question and got the same reply. After coming across ä guy called "PLEASURE" and two girls called "ABLE" and "HAPPYTOYOU", I just accepted the fact that life is full of unexpected things, as yet undiscovered by me.

Restless Souls

Restless souls
raring to go
for new experience
novel ideas
thrill and drama
threshold low
for routine
and all things
boring
expecting the
unexpected
chartering in
territories
unknown
a strange fear
peeping but
curbed
firmly
çreating paths
where none
existed
living to
the fullest
believing
that
nothing is
impossible
and
there's always
a way
that's what
restless souls
do
again and again !

Only..in the world of holidays

Away from the busy days
the hustle
the bustle
the daily grind
the duties
the rights
only
in the world of holidays
we mortals
find out
our real calling
the strengths
the fears
the desires
the likings
the passion
the ability
to take on
the world
only and only..
in the world of holidays

Never a chance!

In a foreign land
though one is sometimes alone
there's never a chance
for one to be lonely.

The smiling faces
The amazing decors
The wonderful aromas
The idiosyncracies of
All places
Big or small
The varied music
The melodious accents
The curious glances
The methods
The madness
The blossoms
The winding roads
The noise
The fun
The cackle
The Spirit
and the vibrance

How can one ever
feel
lonely
with life around
quite
lovely?

Is it a sign?

An endless trail of leafless trees
showing to all and sundry,
a number of bird's nest,
they held close to their chest,
and hid so well during the good times..


Is it a sign that in adverse situations
things which blended and were ignored
come to the fore,
like an eye-sore,
to be picked and pointed at?

A smile

Just a little smile,
and it can turn..
strangers to friends
tension to happiness
issues to solutions
questions to answers
drudgery to fun
chores to frolick
and
life to love !

What's it about Mondays?

First day
Of the week
When
One is
Fresh from
Weekend
With ample
Rest and
Rejuvenation
Recovered from
Parties and
Socialising
Delved in
Introspection
And discovery
Still
Can’t fathom
Why
Monday
Brings
Misery
To
The
Working class?

Women of Substance..

The delicious lunch of dim sums started with the normal chatter among 4 of us (who are colleagues-current and ex). After placing the order and drinking cups of chinese tea, the topic turned to maids in Hong Kong ( yes, managing seems to be a difficult task). The three colleagues with me are young mothers and for the next one hour, the discussion on our table centered around the attracting and retaining "talented maids".

Seems like a banal topic..

..but what surprised me was the fact that after knowing two of them for more than a year and one of them for half a year, I had never even thought that these professional, confident women in the workplace go through so much at home in terms of managing their various roles. At work, they are the perfect example of committed employee and one would think that what matters most to them is only work. I did'nt get even a glimpse of it all these months and suddenly I heard the various concerns, responsibilities, juggling priorities and much more.

I did feel lucky that I am single and don't have responsibilities in terms of looking after a family in Hong Kong, but all the while I could'nt help admiring the grit, tenacity and the capability of my professional colleagues, who take multiple thngs with competing priority in their stride...with a broad smile...almost every day !!

Pleasant surprises

Pleasant surprises do exist,in this very world... and the feelings they evoke are, well ..nice.

It's a nice feeling:

1) when you expect nothing out of a meeting and you leave it feeling a sense of achievement,
2) when you don't expect people to behave in a certain way and they do exactly that,
3)when a normally reserved person opens up and tells you incidents about his childhood,
4) when you meet someone after a long time and don't have words to express yourself but the silence seems to say a lot...

It's nice to have pleasant surprises..once in a while...

Pause

It's so important to relax, look-back, take stock of things instead of going full-speed ahead in life. The word called "review" is so meaningful, not only in corporate life but also in personal life. "Me time", "introspection" etc are so important to make sure that, we know if we are doing the right things the right way at the right time, in order to reach our small and big goals....and really, it's not difficult to find the quiet time (even if you are surrounded by a large number of people)..walking in early morning or late night, while taking a shower, while exercising, while taking breaks at work, while travelling...the opportunities are numerous, and the advantages are still more in terms of focussing efforts and time.

So, pause, reflect and then go ahead !

Feedback

It's that time of the year again.. appraisals and feedback time.
I had read somewhere that "People ask for feedback, but they want only praise". It's 200% true...and one cannot fathom how true it is till "feedback" by peers, colleagues and managers "happen" to them.

I remember the times not so long ago when I used to get extremely defensive and agigated, when I received (what HR calls) "constructive criticism" during appraisals or even when well-meaning friends will tell me about things which I, as a person, needed to improve.Being a HR person and in a way exposed to a number of training programmes on giving and receiving feedback,luckily, I did realise that this is my weak area. I did improve ( over a considerable period of time) and felt that now nothing can bother me... but the reality is that even after a lot of soul-searching and convincing myself that others will give me frank feedback, mostly if they care for me -I did find that the original human nature of trying to find reasons for that feedback does creep in now and then. The "constructive criticism" wandered in my thoughts a number of times that day and with great difficulty, I could convince myself that the feedback is indeed true and needs some action. Really, receiving feedback and taking it positively is definitely something which requires a lot of self-talking and control.

I wonder how saints and some people manage to handle the feedback without feeling perturbed or managing to look undisturbed.

Still...

It's not tangible..
No commitment,
No promises,
No rosy future,
No strings,
No burden,
but still...
it just feels nice..
to be with
some special ones!

Mumbai...as i see it !!

The endless traffic,
colourful clothes,
fairy lights all around,
sea of humans everywhere,
enticing billboards,
bollywood flicks,
traditional attire,
firecrackers and sound,
diwali dhamakas,
beautiful dresses,
jewellery and sandals,
street food and yummy tea,
temples,mosques and churches,
the bone-rattling autos,
the yellow and black cabs,
friends and family,
partying in the night,
dancing to bollywood tunes,
eating at 3 in the morning,
parathas and rajma,
dal and chawal,
sev puri and pani puri,
upset tummy,
and pleasant fatigue,
driving on familiar roads,
the memories of countless
times, i trod on them,
the time when i learnt driving,
the small grocery shop,
my preferred petrol pump,
my ex-gym,
the small joint for frankies,
our parking lot,
the nooks and corners
of wonderful Mumbai,
avoiding the potholes,
and crashing into them,
FM radio and old hindi songs,
taking 10 minutes to park,
and reversing with difficulty,
touching my 5 year old car,
with love and fondness,
shopping in chemistry ,
drinking in Ruby Tuesday,
eating aloo paratha made by Mummy,
and poha in Zehera's house,
gujarati food made by Jasmin's wife,
laughing with Firdy,
grooving with Farida,
shopping with Zehera,
chatting with Zehera's mother,
and her brother in her purple room,
gossiping with Geet and Prerna,
waking up Ankit early morning,
to open the gate to let us in,
Party Hard drivers
for late nights,
movies and vodka orange with Harsh,
speeding across the sealink,
with windows rolled down,
meeting loved ones,
and reliving sweet memories,
meeting Aditi and Muffi ,
on their first wedding anniversary,
with Nattu and Vrinda,
with Bobby and Sangeeta,
being happy together,
amongst a veil of smoke,
hitting the hotspots,
and going back to old favourites,
sleeping till late,
having tea before opening the eyes,
marine drive,
and worli seaface,
Mumbai
will never ever
leave my heart !!

Unstructured

I don't know when or how I gravitated towards unstructured things in my life. As far as I remember, I was always attracted by clothes that were not symmetrical, haircuts that sported sharp edges, furniture which was of an odd shape (especially furniture made of roots of trees etc), pen stands which impersonated animals and human forms, jewellery made of big pieces and of course danglers..

As I grew older and had more exposure to this fascinating world, my liking for unstructuredness expanded to note-books, cutlery, mugs (I specially love the ones which look like crumpled cups),formal clothes (yes, you can be unstructured and formal in clothes!),vases, butter-knives, hooks, peelers, brushes,chairs, tables, cushions.. the list is endless...it's amazing how designers come up with these seemingly curious shapes and give them life.

I think life will be extremely boring with only symmetrical, angular or circular things .It's this dash of unstructured things, which add lots of spices to our life.

An interesting Journey -Mid-Levels Escalator in HK

The modern machine dragging noisily in the middle, surrounded by unexpected shops selling clothes, shoes, sandwiches, odd furniture, hats and caps, music lessons, spa sessions, foot massages, Cuban cigars... a curious and engaging way to tread a hill in the middle of a bustling Hong-Kong...

That's what one does when one embarks on the mid-levels escalator on the Hong Kong Island to go from central to mid-levels. Constructed in 1993, the Mid-levels escalator in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The entire system covers over 800 metres in distance and elevates over 135 metres from bottom to top. Whenever I use the escalator (which is quite frequent), the small shops and their displays never fail to amuse me. Not only it's entertaining, it's hugely educational. The escalator provides the perfect platform to see young musicians in action, amateur painters trying their hands on canvas, women getting their feet massaged, rows and rows of shoes with matching handbags in shop windows almost touching the escalator, curiously shaped furniture piled in strange ways, a number of property management shops with formally dressed sales people, numerous bars and restaurants filled with people at almost all times of the day ( barring 6-9 am in the mornings).The travel on the escalator is also sprinkled with observing people- of all shapes and sizes making their way to their destination-some hurried -climbing the escalator with lot of energy, some standing on it in a weary way and some excited by the sights and sounds around it.

It's quite interesting that every time I travel through the escalator, there's a different thing which captures my attention. The life around it seems to be altering its course almost every day and reminds me that life goes on...

Typhoon No. 8

Heard about it a number of times
Read and warned about it..
A simple phenomenon
called Typhoon No. 8.
And.. on last Thursday..
It was Typhoon No. 8 in HK..
A natural calamity hovering
right over our heads
The winds were howling
The seas were growling
but strangely...
Most of us were happy
to have an unexpected holiday
To loll around in bed
for just a few more hours
and become a couch potato

A tale of every city..

Every place has it's own charm. Whether it's a bustling financial centre, or a remote calm and serene place,all of them are unique.

All of us get caught into discussions of which country/city/town is better and we try to give reasons. I have done the same- the recent one being the comparison between Singapore and Hong Kong (where I did favour HK :)).

However, if you go deeper, all countries, cities, towns etc really have their own positives. Whether it's a quaint,small river in the middle of the city, the picturisque view from your apartment, the melange of sea, land and mountains,the skyscrapers, the the colourful night life, the never ending shopping malls, the gardens by the sea-side,the historical monuments, the old-fashioned corners, the lovely flowers, the vibrant population, crowded restaurants, beautiful people.... they all touch the heart of the visitors, albeit in different proportions..

While pondering over this, I did discover that for me all places are charming and worth living in ..

It's true..

It's true..

If there was no compulsion to eat, some human beings will just not get up from bed. I learnt it today as a first-hand experience as the human being in question is myself. Today being saturday, I had no pressing need to get up in the morning. I slept for quite some time in the morning and finally when the rumble in my stomach could not be controlled and started giving me a headache, I had to forcibly get up and prepare something to eat...and lo and behold, after the morsels met the stomach juices, the headache disappeared completely.

Made me wonder, if I did'nt need to feed my grumbling stomach and required the energy, I would just be sleeping the whole day ...

Really refreshing

Watching serious movies (in-flight) is really very tedious for me. In a dazed state while travelling, I am unable to focus on the ones which require me to concentrate very hard. Hence, I am naturally gravitated towards the cartoon movies which are so refreshing. They are not only well-made but also have something for us to take-away to remember.

The last one I saw was "Lilo and Stitch “and the cute characters, the storyline, the witty dialogues delivered in a powerful way emphasising the fact that "nobody gets left behind in a family" left me with a light heart and a wide smile on my face. I have seen very few cartoon movies, but I still remember "Up-In the air" and "How to taming the dragon" and the latest one on Smurfs and every time I leave with the same feeling.

Really, these so-called cartoon movies have a much better impact than the convoluted scripts we see in some of the "grown-up “movies!

Pure Passion

We always say there's no time for anything and yet all around me I see people who lead a busy and successful professional life and still manage to take out time for things they are passionate about.

I saw the above in action during a recent Charity Show in Hong Kong featuring Bollywood dance, Kuchipudi, belly dancing etc.Most of the performers on stage were Hong Kong Chinese and they performed with such a professional attitude that I could only admire their tenacity and passion. My boss (who is Singaporean) is learning Kuchipudi-which is by no means an easy Indian Classical Dance form to learn, also performed this classical form for the first time, as part of the show. She has to practice a number of hours after long days at work, and she still manages to do quite a few stage shows, which needs commitment, patience and time-management.Her performances (kuchipudi and the ones based on bollywood numbers) are quite good, which I as an Indian, really appreciate and enjoy...

..And of course, all these wonderful performances are only because she has a burning passion for dance.

Just goes to show that time constraints, busy schedules means nothing if you really want to do something!!

Connection

Why is it that with some people you connect so well on e-mails and phone, but once they are face-to-face, you just don't know what to talk about?

This has happened to me twice and I am not able to understand the reason behind this phenomenon. How would an impersonal instrument like telephone or e-mail be much more effective in connecting people than the good old face-to-face interaction? Strange- Isn't it?

Life is like a glass of Bellini!

Life is indeed like a glass of Bellini !!

With the clear instructions on how to make a glass of classic bellini, you would expect the taste to be the same everywhere...suprisingly it is different everywhere..some use fresh peach and it is worth dying for, some use peach puree (not fresh) and some use syrup, that too in varying degrees...finally the result is not the same anywhere.

Same with life. One would expect life to be conducted the same way as it has in past in similar situations, but of course,it is not the same. The twists never fail to turn up at the most unexpected moments..and maybe that's what makes everyday a new day !!

So, I look at life everyday like a glass of bellini in an unknown bar..you never know if you are going to like it !!

Your destination will find you !!

Having spent a long time in the corporate world and in Human Resources, I always subscribed to the philosophy that if you know your destination, you can always find your way to reach there (Goal Setting and the advantages etc). It's true that if you don't know where you are going, you may end up somewhere.

However, some circumstances did force me to think another side. Isn't it possible that if you keep doing what are you are best at and do it passionately, the destination which suits you best will find you on its own? It's like when you are searching using Google, you have options of "Google Search" or "I am feeling Lucky"....and we have all heard that favours those who help themselves (in this case, love what they do)...

First experience

It was the year 1998. I was in my first job with Essar Group in Mumbai. As part of my HR portfolio, there was a company called Essar Agrotech,which had a horticulture farm near Lonavla near Mumbai. I remember my first visit-by train and then an open jeep, amidst the greeery and waterfalls!It was like being on an excursion.Anyway, the farm was as exciting with the huge greenhouses and the process for segregating, cutting and packing the roses for export.Having studied the processes in my graduate studies, I was excited by seeing them in reality.

After meeting all employees and visiting the farm, our office head took me and my colleague to a school which was a residential school for the children of the villages nearby. I was quite impressed by the school, the teachers, the children and the facilities...and that day there was a function (with a cricket match) and with us from Essar as the chief guest handing out the prizes to children.I was wondering why we were being treated so well and then I was told by our office head that Essar Group is sponsoring and managing the school for the children for a few years now- from the edifice, to the teachers, food, clothes etc.That was my first introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility, and how it has a direct impact on the people aimed to benefit by it.I saw it all in action and saw it working well !!

My respect for the organisation (Essar) went up 5 notches that day.In my career, when I came across more and more of these activities, I gravitated naturally towards them, as my first experience was very positive. Ofcourse, there are many reasons which can be attributed to the generosity of corporates,my positive first experience overshadows that reasoning....and I fully subscribe to the views of candidates /employees who in the surveys about why would they join an organiation, give some weightage to Corporate Social Responsibility.

That extra mile

One day I was cribbing to my friend about walking uphill to my house from the gym after heavy sessions thrice a week. She listened to me patiently and had one (profound)statement for me "it is this extra mile which will make all the difference". That one line which inspired her so much, stuck to me like glue. So, every time I would want to give up on something, this statement would come to haunt me and I would make that final effort to get things done.

Really, that one line does make a different. It's very true that a high percentage of human beings give up on things, when we are very near achieving the desired result. Whether it is -

1)not eating those 3-4 pieces of french-fries,
2)getting up half an earlier to avoid delays,
3)reading your mail one last time to scan for mistakes before sending it off,
4)doing the last bit of reserach to ascertain the facts are 100% correct before making a case,
5)not buying yet another dress...

or walking that extra mile home from the gym, instead of taking a cab !!The extra mile in all walks of life does make a difference.

Names have power

“Words have meaning and names have power”

I guess it’s true, that’s why some of the names of the buildings in Hong Kong are named in an interesting manner.I have got into the habit of looking at the names of the buildings in HK and they never fail to amuse me.

Some of the ones which caught my attention are called as:

• Wise Mansion (so this building is able to make good choices and decisions!)
• Right Mansion (this building is always correct!)
• Prosper gardens (this one says” grow and do well”)
• Valiant park (this building is very brave and determined)
• Happy Gardens (self-explanatory)
• Blessings Garden (in this building, the residents feel grateful)
• Balmy Court (a pleasant and gentle building)
• Rich Mansion (self-explanatory)
• Serene House, Serenity Park (it’s a peaceful building)
• Lucky Court etc....

(These are real names of the buildings). Maybe they were named so that the inhabitants of the concerned building acquire those characteristics
What about names like:
• Still Mansion (does it mean motionless or stagnant or quiet)
• Ambrosia (It is the food of god!)
• Pierce View (seems like a harsh word to me)
• Mellow Mansion (does it refer to serene, peaceful or asks the inhabitants to calm down and relax)
• Duet (Do people in the building sing Duets!)
• Makeway View (what do you think it means)
• The Sound (?)
• Vibes (good vibes or bad vibes?)
• Rednaxela Terrace (It’s the name Alexander written backwards!)

Interesting, but are they appropriate? There must be a story behind the naming of these buildings!

Don't let them go ...

People, people everywhere, but very few ones, whom you can really converse with.

I have lived in cities with millions of people around, and everyday this sea of humanity keeps on increasing. Yet, I sometimes marvel at the very few people with whom I have real conversations. Not that I am wallflower and do not speak to people on my own. I am can talk nineteen to dozens, and am capable of making small talk, but I can count the ones who are interesting (to me) to talk to, on my fingertips. Some take time to open up and get involved in deep conversations and with others, it's a matter of seconds before you delve into topic after topic and you don't seem to stop...

I guess finding someone, who can stimulate your thinking, listen to you patiently and hold your attention for a long period of time is not an easy task. So once you find them, don't let them go away from your life...Ever!

"Finding Time"

"You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it."- Charles Bruxton.

We find a large number of people, who just can't "find" time to do a lot of things which they would like to do. They always wonder how some people can find time to indulge in what they love to do in this busy world. The reasoning is -maybe they are single and don't have family responsibilities, or maybe their work is too easy or light. What they forget is that, if someone wants to do something, they will do it somehow.

The quote by Charles Bruxton is so true in this context. If one wants to really do something, they can find the time by juggling priorities, re-scheduling etc. What is required is a strong passion for the thing one wants to do. If the passion is not there, then there are always excuses for not doing a certain thing.

Inferring from above, we can safely conclude that if you are not able to "find" time for a particular hobby/activity, it may just mean that you are just not passionate about it.

Catalysts in our life !!

I was re-reading books featuring Mr. Harley Quin by Agatha Christie.For those who are not familiar with the character, Mr. Quin is a mysterious character, who, with his presence makes things happen around him. He doesn’t do anything magical. He just asks questions or drops some hints and his questions leads to unravelling of some mysteries, or understanding of an unsolved issue- all through others (those who are connected with the issue).

Looking around, we do have people who act like a catalyst in the otherwise hunky-dory life and speed up things or add spice to the life. They question intelligently, they imagine (sometimes, they have an overactive imagination), they create and all this leads to a totally different view about a situation or an object. Life is exciting because of their presence around us. New things materialise because of them. Most of the things are positive and are exciting, but looking from another angle, they may also be the ones to cause trouble, as they may throw stones in the otherwise still and calm water and try to point out issues where there are none. They may provoke people and make them do things which are not proper and are harmful. Not only history, but our day-to-day life is full of such people.

It's important to identify between positive and negative catalysts in our life. One can drive us to better life and other towards a negative spiral!!

Being Human

Is'nt it true that only people whom you love most (or care for) can make your life unendurable? Others,really, don't matter.

Taking the above thought further, if someone close to us, does something that is not right (in our eyes),the negative effect is manifold, compared to someone else,whom we don't have any attachment with.The perceived mistake/action of the loved one is magnified 1000 times and the effect is felt deep within our heart.

Does that mean that we really can't be objective, where our loved ones are concerned? We are harsh and very tough on them for things, which, in others would seem forgivable.

I would think it's not fair, but then, that's the price one pays for being a human with a heart!

Reliving the past

Last month has been a month of reunion with old friends...I met Shilpa(Palekar) after 13 years and then I met Karthika (Grover) after 19 years.She was in HK with her naughty and adorable daughter Muskan for holidays and we met up. We studied together during our years in primary school in Delhi and kept in touch through greeting cards and letters (hand-written) later when my parents moved to Kolkata (at that time Calcutta) and then, Mumbai (at that time Bombay). We did meet a few times, but that was a long 20 years ago, whenever I visited Delhi.

Again it was through Face book that we reconnected after so many years...and really it was an amazing feeling to see her, and her daughter. The catching up on the various events in life, the good, the bad and the ugly times, the present, the hope for future, it was quite wonderful. Also, in hindsight everything looks much more nice and fuzzy that it did at that time.

Most of my friends, classmates, batch mates are now parents and it's really fun to be an "aunty" to the kids (Though I would not like to be called that). Frankly, I really enjoyed chatting with Karthika and it was amusing to see Muskan getting restless and entering our conversation of the old times. Reliving the past sometimes can be immensely pleasurable!!

Sometimes, I wonder, if we had no memories of our earlier days, life would be so boring. Even if people say we should not live in the past, I still believe that it's the old memories which keeps us going and pushes us towards a brighter future.

There's a child within us all

I always thought that when people grow up, they stop behaving like children. That belief was modified recently when Zehera Mecklai and I were in Russia for a holiday. One fine day, after our fill of Art and Culture in Moscow, Zehera insisted that we go to Gorky Park, where she had read there's an amusement park, with Merry-go-round etc. I was a bit sceptical and thought it will be kid-stuff, but anyway had no choice but to go there. And lo-and-behold, as we entered the huge park, we saw a Merry-go-round. Zehera was very excited to sit on the puny wooden horses. I was feeling very embarrassed as the fellow passengers were all tiny-tots. Nonetheless, we bought the tickets and climbed the horses gingerly. Once settled, it was a really warm and fuzzy feeling which overtook (Zehera was already in a different world) and I was transported to my childhood. Even though we received some surprised looks and smiles from the grown-ups, we were beyond care.

After that there was no looking back. Sacrificing the trip to one of the museum in Moscow to do this kid-stuff did not seem criminal to us at all. We sat on a toy train, which went around the garden, shot with guns to win small teddy bears, paddled in the lake, ate huge candy-floss. We wanted to sit in dodgem cars, Ferris wheel etc, but they were out of order.

The day before, we had been to the Circus and the same feeling was there. Both of us were watching the circus after may be 25 years and we just did not stop clapping. Zehera, of course, was much more excited to see the animals, the acrobats and the magician. It was like stepping in a different world. Zehera also met her real-life version of Jaggu (her teddy bear at home) in the circus and was not even afraid to hug him (and did not want to let him go).

We did realise that it's not only the two of us. When we went to see the ballet-"The Sleeping Beauty", we thought we will see many kids, but 95% of the spectators were adults! The fairy tale, which, of course is for kids, was so beautifully enacted that we were spell-bound.

I am glad we came in contact with our inner child as it made us really happy (the kind of happiness which is genuine and carefree).I could see it later in the pictures, which we took during these outings.

Those three outings did bring out the fact that we may grow older, but the child within us is intact and will never grow up (I sincerely hope so).

A tale of two cities...

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Beautiful, full of life, full of culture
The fairy tale edifice of St. Basil’s Church
The historical significance of the Red Square
The walls of Kremlin and the Czar Bell
The wonderfully maintained Hermitage Museum
The very deep metro system with very high escalators
The contrast between the beautiful and the very plain metro stations
Beautiful girls with a terrific sense of style
A penchant for high heels on the uneven pavements
The sudden rise and fall in temperature
Inspiration from Venice, Paris and Amsterdam in St. Petersburg
The planned city, the criss-cross of river canals
The domes of the churches rising above humanity
The beautiful ballet performances
The very exciting circus
Huge gardens and open spaces
Gulf of Finland and lovely fountain
Bridge with trees of (wed) locks
Road side cafes and coffee
Expensive Taxis and traffic clogs
Merry-go-rounds and paddle boats
The museums and the palaces
The helpful people everywhere
The shopping malls and the Matreshka dolls
The sound of the Russian language everywhere
The fast trains, the heat
The stern attendants in public places
The food and drinks
The flowers and the fruits
Peter the Great and Catherine the 1st
Ivan the Terrible and other nobility
Lenin and Stalin and Pushkin everywhere

The tale of two cities is a remarkable one.

The Wonder Years...

I met one of my classmate from my grad days when she was in transit via Hong Kong (from US to India), recently. It was a great feeling to meet someone from my distant past (Thanks to Face book).

Shilpa and I were batch mates while doing B.Sc in Life Science in Ruia College in Mumbai. She got married and moved to US and my life took a different direction with MBA and we lost touch for so many years.

To catch up on those magical college days, remembering the hang-out places (the restaurant where we ate Chinese-Indian food, the tea shop with Misal Pav and Samosas etc), the professors (Prof. Arun Kothari-the handsome one, Prof.Ganesh Iyer, Prof. Rattan Kumar), the other batch mates and where they are now, romances between batch mates and the final result... it was like transported back to the wonder years...

Shilpa also mentioned the co-incidence of having 4 of our batch mates from Ruia College living in the same area in California now and how they are still in touch.

While chatting , we also realised that each and every moment of our life is so precious and important and sometimes .And after so many years down the line, we understood the importance of some seemingly unimportant events and activities in College.

Really, college days were the best days...carefree and really enjoyable. I don’t think they will ever come back.

Laughing away

Yesterday night, I could not stop laughing.

Almost 2 and a half hours-non-stop.

It was a bollywood hit called "Ready"with Salman Khan and I saw it on big screen in HK (sometimes the bollywoods hits are organised in some cinemahalls in HK).

The mindless story, the witty dialogues (really witty, maybe some of them were cheesy), the catchy songs and dances and the crazy acting left the audience in splits .Frankly, it was after a very long time I laughed so much (the last one was a stand-up comedy show by Take-Out Comedy in HK, few months ago).

It was so refreshing that even after a long day and evening, I was feeling fresh at 12 in the night...

It did remind me the importance of humour in our life and moments when one just needs to relax and not think of anything else in life. The mindless entertainment is one of the best way of keeping one rejuvenated. So go ahead and watch some of the bollywood films. it's guaranteed that you will come out of it happier and relaxed...

The Bigger Picture

Do you remember a book called "Don't sweat the small stuff"?You know when I last remembered it?

Up in the air while reaching earth through a parachute (part of my skydive),everything on the ground looked so small...the grand mansion, the highways, the luxury cars were, but a dot on the ground..and to think, most of us make a big deal out of all these things.But somewhere these things don't matter at all..

..also the fact that we make our life miserable over small stuff, a meeting which did'nt go well, nasty remarks/mails of other people etc, but if we look at them from a distance, they actually seem to be so frivolous, a bit petty and sometimes plain ridiculous.

So learning for me-which was screaming in my face was- don't sweat the small stuff. It is really very small and inconsequential. The bigger picture is what matters.

Hello Kitty!

Hello Kitty!

You hear this term and I am sure an image of a character loved by pre-adolescent girls comes to mind. That's what I thought and that's how this brand was positioned when it was launched. The reality is that (at least in Hong Kong) Hello Kitty does not only seem to have pre-teens it's clutches, it has women of all ages enthralled by it.

Be it mobile phone holders, pouches, purses, bags (travel bags), jewellery, stationery, mugs, clothes or things like toasters, dishes, home appliances, cameras and even on cars..Hello Kitty seems to be everywhere. There's also a Hello Kitty credit card co-branded with VISA. It also seems there is a Hello Kitty theme restaurant in Taipei and...Yes...a maternity home in Taiwan... Hello Kitty is featured on the receiving blankets, room decor, bed linens, birth certificate covers, and nurses' uniforms. The hospital's owner explained that he hoped that the theme would help ease the stress of childbirth!!

I read somewhere that at one point of time in the 1990s Mariah Carey adopted Hello Kitty as a fashion statement.

I have nothing against the brand, but I am unable to understand, how and why it snuggled into the thoughts of adults and managed to stay there!!Must be something related to the child in all of us!!

Getting used to things!

Is it possible to get used to things, which, one as a person does not believe in or finds completely disgusting??

Yes, it is!!

I can say it with absolute certainity.I went through this amazing phenomenon via TV channels. When I moved to Hong Kong a year ago, I subscribed to few Hindi Channels to be in touch with India. Since, I had one Hindi channel with all the daily soaps (apart from a News and music channel),I used to play it in the background, after I came back from work (just to hear Hindi, after working and interacting with others full day in English). In India, I remember, I would prefer not to see the Hindi in daily soaps as I found them completely disconnected with my life in Mumbai and really thought it's drama at its worst...and now in HK, since the Hindi channels with the soap opera will play in the background every night, without wanting to, I started remembering the storylines, characters and the voices of these various TV serials. So much so, that I really wait for the next episode. It was strange, but I did find myself entangled in the complex stories of the characters.

What this tells me is that if one has no (or few options) and one is subjected to it on a consistent basis, the person does get used to it (whether one perceives it to be good/bad/disgusting)!

Down memory lane

Narrow lanes in Wan Chai in Hong Kong in May..
Weekend crowd thronging the streets for shopping...
Hot, humid weather with air full of different kinds of sound...
Knick-knacks of all kinds imaginable (and some which were never thought of)...

I was walking with one of my friends, just looking around and in the middle of all the chaos, we saw an old man, with a very small stall selling crochet pins of different sizes and threads of different colours and width. The unexpected sight of these pins and thread transferred me to the time in school, when, in one of the class called SUPW (Social Useful productive Work); we were taught these very interesting things- making greeting cards with oil paints, crocheting, cross-stitches, knitting, making bags made of jute...etc. I did enjoy these classes very much in my school days . Unfortunately, I did not have a chance (or chose not to) to do any of those things again. The memory of old days made me buy a crochet pin and some threads.

I was not sure whether I will do anything with them, but once I sat down with them while watching TV, fingers started working on their own and I was delighted to find myself creating the same patterns which I knew in school. I used to think that women who knit or do similar things in earlier days really had nothing else to do, but the re-discovery of crochet made me realise that these are actually very engaging and interesting activities, which requires one to create beautiful designs out of nothing...

..This was just one of the incidents, but it did make me think that maybe my beliefs over the years need re-thinking and a new way of looking at them.

You will never know...

I am not very musical.

In fact, far from anything musical. So, when I volunteered to be the drummer in one of the dragon boat race competition in HK, in which Societe Generale was participating (I enrolled for being a paddler, but since there were already competent participants, I was asked if I would be a drummer), I actually surprised myself...a bit apprehensive as it meant drumming on a narrow dragon boat in the sea. Curiosity and a strange thrill of doing something I have never done before got the better of me...and I took the plunge.

..It seems my gut-feel to do it, was right...otherwise, I would have missed this wonderful experience. On Sunday, the morning sun was throwing fierce glances on the sea in Deep Water Bay in Hong Kong, the beach was crowded with a number of dragon boaters and air was filled with announcements and music. Amidst this excitement, when we boarded the dragon boat (the team was called SG Devils and we all had Red T-Shirts and bandanas) and I took my seat on a narrow chair perched high on the narrow dragon boat, (it's difficult to describe the feeling), I felt as if I am in a different world. When the boat was paddled into the water by my SG colleagues, the feeling was that of freedom and liberation with nothing holding one back. The drum, which I was beating with the sticks to synchronise with the paddling of the rowers, created delicious music in the sea. Through the 500 meters of the race, the beating of the drum went faster and faster to match the enthusiasm of the paddlers. For me, I had the view of all the paddlers and it was fun to be literally on the top with the full view of synchronised paddling and the concentrated efforts of the paddlers...and also the view of vast expanse of the tranquil sea and sometimes slightly wavy sea. The rocking of the boat (because of the speed) made the race all the more thrilling, and I was hoping I don't fall off in water (there were no seat belts). I was the drummer for 2 races and I enjoyed every bit of it (even though my upper arms are now aching a bit), and am sure will not forget this experience in a hurry.

The experience did leave me with this thought...never assume that you can't do some things in life. If you don't try new things, you will never know what you are missing!!

Drawing the parallels...

Language may seem like from two unrelated planets, weather conditions may differ (and may lead to different food habits and clothes), but human beings are all basically the same. It was so evident after visiting some parts of China. While exploring the historical sites and absorbing the atmosphere (with the help of a tour guide), few facts about the Chinese culture and way of life in the past reminded us of Indian culture. Some of them are:

1) The kings had a large number of mistresses and all lived in the harem together (maybe fought for attention)
2) The walled cities were huge and had moats around them filled with water (and crocodiles)
3) For joyous occasions and celebrations, both in China and India, red colour is considered as an auspicious colour and black as an unsuitable colour for these occasions...and white in both cultures is associated with death.
4) The Chinese temples remind one of the ones in India (in terms of the way of worshipping with incense sticks etc)
5) The flower/nature motifs on clothes etc/embroidery in the museum reminded again of the Indian way of life in the past
6) The utensils/jewellery again seem to be in the same format as in India (or vice-versa)

The list is endless, but history does show that the similarities cannot be ignored and emphasizes the fact that human beings are basically the same everywhere.

Hot Pot

A simmering pot of broth in front of you, right in the middle of a bustling restaurant.. a selection of raw vegetables,dumplings and meat..you slowly slide the vegetables and meatballs, pieces (one at a time) in the pot...see it cook right in front of your eyes...scoop it in your plate/bowl...yes..it does feel great to eat the food you have just cooked, with your own hands and your eyes followed every moment when the pieces were being cooked.

I must admit that I am not a big fan of cooking, but the scenario mentioned above, did make me feel exhilirated.

This was a scene from one of the "Hot Pot"restaurants in Wan Chai in Hong Kong.Since, it was the first time (I was introduced to this amazing phenomenon by my colleague Joy Lim) I witnessed this scenario with families sitting around the round tables,I tried to get more information about the hot pot.

A traditional from of dish, the Chinese hot pot boasts a history of more than 1,000 years. While often called "Mongolian hot pot", it is unclear if the dish actually originates in Mongolia. Hot pot cooking seems to have spread to northern China during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-906).In time, regional variations developed with different ingredients such as seafood. By the Qing Dynasty, the hot pot became popular throughout most of China. Today in many modern homes, particularly in the big cities, the traditional coal-heated steamboat or hot pot has been replaced by electric, gas or induction cooker versions.

An amazing way of tasting local food,hot pot is a "must-do" for anyone exploring China.

Mid-air shopping..

It's quite interesting to turn the pages of Shopping Guides of Airline companies while travelling by air. Apart from the normal collection of perfumes, watches, pens, scarfs,jewellery etc, sometimes the items selected for sale in the flight are amusing and maybe in some cases bizzare.The inventors are really worth applauding as some of these items are practical and frankly have utility. A case in point is an advanced version of tweezers (for shaping eyebrows) called la-tweez-Pro Illuminating Tweezers. After looking at this product in the Shopping Guide of Cathay Pacific, 4-5 time while travelling, I finally gave in and bought these "revolutionary"tweezers (along with their chic compact case). They have a press button for the illumination and they really work well.

The others which caught my attention were VIP (Very Intelligent pocket-now they seem to be things of the past), folding bicycle (I am still wondering why they will sell a bicycle mid-air) and Digital Note Taker.I guess these mid-air shops aim to bring the best of innovative things to people in a short time, and of course provide entertainment to travellers like me !!

Sunday Afternoon Adventure

When my colleague, Karen Khaw suggested a mid-day visit (on Sunday) to the suburb of Hong Kong called Sham Shia Po to see the wholesale market dealing with ear-ring and necklace components, I agreed readily, as I do love danglers and I had seen one of Karen's handiwork in the form of a nice looking pair of dangler....but nothing had prepared me for the variety that the market had to present. It was being like "Alice in Wonderland" with each and every item in the endless line of shops, casting a spell on me and my friends who accompanied me.

The area itself is such a contrast to Central in HK, and presents the vibrant life of HK people. Crowds, Busy Streets, Old buildings, local food everywhere gave the real feel of the place. But, of course, the exciting part were the shops of beads ( of all possible sizes and colours),ear ring pieces (wooden, synthetic, stone etc), Swarovski crystals, chains of different designs.... anything you can imagine to make jewellery. While selecting the ones to finally convert them into actual ear-rings and necklaces, my brain was brimming with endless possibilities...and to think, I was in HK for over a year and never thought I could actually be making something like danglers out of isolated pieces.

Like a first timer, I bought a lot of pieces, and was waiting to try my hands on them. I reached home and get down to business, and it was an amazing feeling to convert bits and pieces on beautiful pieces of danglers (the way I like them)...and when I put them on, it was like being transported to a new world of colour and designs. I ended up making 9 danglers of different designs and 1 necklace in my first attempt.

I guess there are so many things out there, it just needs an introduction, and an entire new world opens up!!

Bits and Pieces

It's strange how bits and pieces of incidents stick to our memory and remain with us throughout our life. I guess whatever we found peculiar or affected us most at that time, remains with us.

For instance, I still remember the following instances:

1) When I used to follow my sister Prerna in sweltering afternoons to raid fruit-laden trees and eat our "prized catch of the day" on the terrace...
2) While learning how to cycle at the age of 8, I fell down almost every day for 1 week and cried for almost an hour, but later on always thanked the experience...
3) The amazement when I first saw the bud (and after opening found a very attractive looking appendage) on wild cactus plant at the age of almost 6
4) The first time when we went with our cousins to the bank of Yamuna River in Delhi and tried to steal a water-melon from the field on the bank, and in the process left my slipper there.
5) The first time in Haridwar, where I took my first holy dip in the cold water of river Ganges and also when I left the "lit diya"on a leaf and left it in water...
6) My sister and I used to eat "äloo-chat" and other snacks, while walking back from school in Kolkata...
7) The time when a cow gave birth to a calf right behind our school in Delhi
And all of us were witness to that amazing phenomenon...
8) The time in college in Mumbai, when a road-side astrologer told me my future in writing and most of the things did come out to be true...
9) When in biology practical classes, we dissected frogs and chameleon and cockroaches and managed to locate their nervous system...
10) When in hot weather, we used to sleep on the cool terrace, under the clear skies in Delhi...
11) When we should go to the vegetable market with our mother, so that we could eat the tasty "chat “near the vegetable market...
12) When I would love to drop and receive our guests at the railway station, so that I could buy Hindi novels, which are available only on the railway station book stores...
13) when our entire 10th standard class went to see Aamir Khan's first movie "Quamat se Quamat Tak" and spoke about it for month's afterwards..
14) When I would read my mother's women's magazines and novels (back-to-back) at the age of 12, without her knowledge...
15) When I went for mountain biking in Simla and narrowly escaped being flung in the valley...

The list is endless, but the memories are still there and refuse to go away...

Just do it !!

How do we know that we can't do something if we have not tried it at all!!

Not only history, but everyday news and stories on television, magazines and newspapers shows us that it is completely absurd to assume that because someone has not done something in the past, they cannot do it in future. All the inventors, scientists, athletes,chefs (and other professionals etc)and even children believe that,even if someone else failed at an attempt to do something new/different, there's no guarantee that they will fail at it too. So they just go ahead and do it !! and then are feted by the same people (for creating their own path), who earlier were too cautious or cynical about their achievement. It could be a simple thing as taking up a new sport and excelling at it, or taking up a totally unrelated job and making a success of it, or finding a new way of organising all your clothes in an overflowing wardrobe... or even finally managing to make sure your handbag is well-organised and you are able to find things at the right moment !!

All of us has latent potential and in reality we use only 20-30% of it. So, keep an open mind and just go ahead and do it!! You and everyone else may be pleasantly surprised !!

The festive spirit..

The Festive Spirit !!

I suspect, festivals were invented to bring some enjoyment in the day-to-day life of people...and here, sitting far from India, where the festival of colours (Holi) is being played today, I am actually realising the importance of some of those festivals, which I took for granted, while I was there.Sometimes,I would sneer at the people who were so enthusiastic about decoration, meeting relatives/neighbours and distributing presents and sweets, and dressing up on these occassions. I was so wrong to do that. These few days in a year, do bring all of us (who may not meet regularly because of work, distance etc) together and enjoy together.

In HK, we have our own set of festivals... and the noise, the crowds, the colourful decorations reminds me that human beings (wherever they are on this planet) are basically socials animal and if these diversions are not there, life, in fact, will be extremely boring for all of us(social animals).

So, I guess, we should just let our hair down and enjoy the festivities while we can... and spread happiness around....

Bond for life

A recent hoarding in HK displayed the message about how pets are for life and one should not have them, if they have no time to care for them.

Struck a cord with me, as I had seen the reality of this in my own house.My sister is very fond of pets and she had a number of them.I have seen her and my nephew getting attached to the pet they had at the time they moved to Mumbai. The pet dog named Zora grew up in their house. My nephew, who would not otherwise do anything, would get up early to take Zora out to the park, feed her and take care of her.I was amazed at his dedication and commitment towards Zora. Zora would sleep on the bed and whenever they visited us with Zora,she would not sit on the floor, but come up on the bed and will lie down to relax. My room and all my black clothes (lying outside)would be full of white hair the next day!

I remember the day very clearly, when, because of the hectic lifestyle in Mumbai and inability to look after Zora, my sister had to finally (after delaying it for 1 year and trying to find various failed alternatives) make the decision to leave it at our cousin's house near Delhi. I had never seen my sister and my nephew cry so much...and I did see tears in Zora's eyes too. The bond which they had with Zora over 3 years was so strong that Zora was an integral part of my sister's family.They dropped Zora off in my cousin's house which housed many pets and only when they saw her well settled, did they return to Mumbai. I remember hearing telephonic conversations between my sister, nephew and the barks of Zora from time to time.

When human beings develop feelings for inanimate objects and are pained at the thought of parting with them, these are, afterall, living beings. It's really very hard to withstand separation, once they enter our lives. So , be careful before you allow someone/something to enter this world, as the relationship is for long term.

Face-to-Face

When you come face-to-face with something, about which you have read about since childhood, how do you feel? I am not able to define this feeling, but the heart certainly skips a beat.

I remember when I first saw the Taj Mahal almost 20 years ago, or the pyramids in Egypt 2 years ago... the first sight of them, hidden behind the fog on a cold morning, literally took my breath away.Standing on the Aswan Dam on River Nile, brought back memories of geography lessons in school...and the colosseum in Rome, the leaning tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower etc brought back memories of history classes, where we would cut and paste pictures of these wonders in our notebooks and charts. When I first stepped on the Great Wall of China last year, it was as if I had stepped in another world. Being in the world, which, for me existed only in books and movies, gave a very unreal feeling.

It's not only with the monuments and structures; it's also with places like some islands, which I saw in many Hercule Poirot movies. When I found myself on one of these, the feeling was that of déjà vu...

..And more recently, when in a flower show, I found some pitcher plants on sale; I was pleasantly surprised and also very excited. For, I had read a long time ago that pitcher plants actually lure insects and kill them (figuratively) with their digestive juices..And I thought they grow in the wild. So seeing them just 40 HKD away, was quite tempting and I gave in to temptation. The same was the case when I saw touch-me-not plant for the first time. It was amazing to touch them and see them droop and come back to normal.

I guess it's like realising one of your pleasant dreams, with a light heart and a twinkle in your eyes!!

An ode to enthusiastic youngsters

There's so much to learn from younger generation. Whenever I interact with the youngsters (I refer to people younger than me), I am always amazed by their ability to try out new things and look at the world with new eyes. I guess I draw my inspiration to do new things from these bundles of energy and enthusiasm.

From backpacking alone for almost 4 months in unknown territories to actively participating in CSR activities, to leading a dragon boat team, or hiking and walking for 100 kms to skydiving almost every month, these young people whom I know as colleagues in Socgen (Joy Lim who backpacked alone in Europe/US, Canada, and Lorene Latour who does all the above mentioned activities regularly) left me wondering, if there's anything in this world, which cannot be done. The courage, the determination, the stretch of imagination required for making the thoughts a reality, really makes me admire these enterprising young people.

..And talking to them makes my "bucket list" a really long one!!

Being a "Dragon Boater"

In June 2010, when I was a spectator of the "Dragon boat Race" at Stanley beachfront, and was witness to teams and teams of companies gearing their boats to the destination, I never thought that one day I will at least make a beginning by entering the waters of Hong Kong to paddle a dragon boat, only a year later.

So, this year when Socgen started a third team for women (SG already had 2 boats) for the Dragon boat race competition in June 2011, I just enrolled, not knowing what lay in store for me... and what lay in store for me was beyond my imagination!!

After bunking the first training session (we have sessions every Saturday) because of cold weather, when I went for the second one, the excitement of "paddling “the boat overtook any apprehension I may have of venturing in the rough waters of HK sea (with a life jacket).The rowdy wind, not-too-disciplined waves and cold weather actually added to the excitement. For me, since it was the first time, the paddles (which we were holding as if we are ancient Chinese warriors) were quite interesting. The one-hour session with an instructor and the 10 of us was rigorous with plenty of strokes, and a lot of water splashing and of course amazing view of the place surrounding the water body. We also witness Kites enjoying water sports to the fullest with sailing, Para-gliding etc. (few more things to add to the "Bucket List".

The adrenalin pumping dragon boat race training left me feeling really great...and I look forward to every Saturday, when we do the same for an hour!!

Assumptions

How can we say that we don't like this and that unless we have actually tried "this and that" and found the experience disgusting?

Sometimes we just make assumptions about our likings and most likely, these assumptions truly make an ass out of "u" and "me" (Assume- Ass u me).

Tell me, how do we know that we don't like to eat a fried scorpion on a stick, when we have not even tried it? How do we know, we will not enjoy sky-diving unless and until, we actually dive down and experience it. How do we know that we would not like Timbucktoo, when we have not visited the place or how do we know that the coffee at that particular place tastes like horse's piss, unless we have tasted horse's piss !!

So, it just boils down to assumptions!Leave them out and you never know, one can experience a whole new world !!

Amazed by everything?

I read somewhere that a wise man (and woman) is amazed by everything. When you dig deeper, it probably is true for all of us. How else would one keep interested in one's job, day-to-day chores, the same things which we all have to repeat again and again. I guess it's this ability to be amazed by everything, everyday, that helps us in re-inventing life and looking at it with a different angle.

Notice a child climbing up and down stairs,they may be doing it everyday on the same stairs . But they still find some way of counting the steps differently, hopping with a difference in the length of stride,criss-crossing...just many different ways.The happiness on their face when they are conducting the daily task... is priceless. Same with some people at work. They may be doing the same things for years, but with a new way of lookong at their routine, they make their work-life (and those who come in contact with them) , a pleasurable and meaningful experience. Otherwise, you may imagine getting bored with one's job, life etc frequently, may create havoc. I guess, it's nature's way of keeping balance by giving most of us the ability to be amazed..

So, just be amazed by everything around you. You will not regret it!

Double Standards

What if someone very dear to you disappears from your life 12 years ago and suddenly reappears again (maybe thanks to Face book etc)?? How would you feel?

Ecstatic?
Great?
Just Happy?
Indifferent?

Could be any of the above, as during that period we may have undergone a change in preference, emotions etc. What may have sounded and felt amazing 12 years ago may not feel the same in the present scenario.

Agreed?

So why do we expect the other person to be exactly the same in terms of their thinking, preferences etc.We still expect them to sound the same, think at the same wavelength, behave in the same way, respond to us in the same way, have same feelings for us....the list goes on.

Sounds like double standards on our part, but then, I guess that's human nature and nothing can be done about it!

Bitter Truth

Nobody is perfect. There are times when all of us need advice, support, maybe a scolding and we may need to listen to bitter truth.

I have realised that the best friends, bosses and colleagues are those who are not afraid to criticize and spell out the truth about an incident, behaviour etc related to us (without being judgemental).It's these comments/advice under these circumstances, that makes us introspect and analyse ourselves and maybe stop us from making silly mistakes at work and in life.They may sound a bit harsh at that time, but when we look back in retrospect, we silently thank those who showed us the right path.Also, we must not forget that, if they did not genuinely care about us, they will not bother to spend time on us.

So, let's be thankful to those who really are concerned about us...

Hot and spicy..

It numbs your mouth, makes your tongue tingle (surely,not with delight)and with it inside, your mouth is on fire (literally)... so why do a large number of people still flock to restaurants specialising in really ( and I mean really) hot food. A case in point is "Chilli Fagara"in Soho in HK (which was introduced to me by Reena and Kshitij on my very second day in HK). The Sichuan restaurant with red chillis hanging overhead and a very red face with a long beard staring down at you, has a real exotic atmosphere..The small restaurant with closely placed tables, serves the most fiery food I have ever eaten. One spoonful of most of the dishes, and your mouth will never forget the rendevouz with the chillis of Sichuan. The drinks also include Special Chilli Fagara cocktails (with what else but chillis+ whatever drink you want). The place is never empty, except when it's off hours.

What I am unable to understand is that even when noses run continuously and eyes water unabated,people still want to go again and again (getting a table in the restaurant is really difficult). That includes me as I am unable to eat properly because of the spice (inspite of being an indian)in the food and have to leave half of my chilli cocktail for the same reasons . Still every 15 days I end up being there....

Is it the thrill of eating something which is challenging to the tastebuds which attracts people like me to torture themselves or something else, I am still trying to unravel...

Love Affair with Nature...

Human being's love affair with nature never dies... it may fade away for a while, but it always comes back.

I tend to believe that, however great progress mankind may make in creating artificial scenarios/buildings, amusement parks, shopping malls, the charm and the attraction of natural surroundings will always remain as the foremost pull for humans.

The realisation struck me quite strongly when I went on a Hiking trip to the HK GeoPark in Saikung. The trip was full of surprises. First, it presented the scenic beauty of HK Countryside, which I had not even visualised in my dreams. Then, the mountains, the various water-bodies, the vast spread of nature with uninhibited beauty, the fresh air ( though a bit cold), the clear skies, the winding pathway, the appearance and disappearance of exotic flora, the steep climb and (thankfully) the downhill way amidst the jungle, the smile on the faces of fellow hikers... all left me and Boorzin and Kelvin (Boorzin suggested this hiking trip) with a very nice feeling at the end of the day ( though the legs were a bit tired after 13 kms walk).

I guess life throws pleasant surprises, when we least expect them . When we began the hike, we didn’t know where we will end up. At the start of the hike,we saw a far-off dam (we were in the HK Reservoir Geo park) and thought we will never be able to make it. Imagine our surprise when we did reach the dam (East Dam) and were rewarded with a sight of sea-waves lashing on to a cofferdam (made of dolosses) and rocks called "petrified waterfalls" along with some islands jutting out of the sea in interesting angles formed by erosion by sea waves. The scenic beauty of this Easy Hiking Trail called the "MacLehose Trail", frankly, cannot be described in words or captured in photographs. It should be experienced first-hand.

There are plenty of such nature trails in Hong Kong, which show a really beautiful picture of Hong Kong.They also present a very pleasant opportunity to start or re-kindle one's love affair with nature.

Masala Chai

Boil a cup of water...add it to a sachet full of magic powder...stir it thoroughly and VOILA...you get a cup of masala chai. Without bothering about milk and sugar and tea. Isn’t it amazing? Actually not amazing...it's short of a miracle for me.

I was addicted to "Masala Chai"in Mumbai and drank at least 10 cups everyday of the sweet, milky boiled concoction.After relocating to HK, I did not have access to "masala chai"in office and even at home, it didn’t taste the same. So imagine my delight, when my friend from Mumbai ( who else but the all-knowing Zehera Mecklai) brought a big packet of sachets of masala chai powder with her. I was a bit sceptical, thinking how something as delicious as Masala chai can be commercialised and powdered and sealed in small sachets. But there they were in all their glory, ready to be enjoyed.
..and I am back to my normal "milk tea"sipping mode in the cold January in HK.

Really, these small -small, practical innovations, which bring a smile to the face of mere mortal like me, are really worth rewarding.