Autumn Cravings

I seem to have written about almost every season in my blog (enough to name it seasons change or something equally corny but I guess the present name suits well enough) other than spring and autumn. Since spring is a long way off I guess all I have to speak about is autumn, especially since it approaches. I can feel it in my bones, hear its whisper on the occasional chill wind, smell it in the morning, and of course see the changes that herald it… What does autumn mean to mean to me?? Apart from Pujas (that are the most important event on the Bengali calendar), the nonstop feeding that accompanies it (sorry L.H.O. cudnt help talking about food ;) ), Diwali and of course praying to the God of Death each year for a long and prosperous life for my brother on Bhai Phota. Strangely like most true blue Bangalis it means traveling… Anywhere will do… It is just an itch which won’t go away… Which is why I’m so itchy tonight, autumn calls me with its siren song to roam the world, to see new things, to explore and discover. And I can feel it physically, the need to go somewhere, anywhere overwhelms me, makes me feel like packing a bag and setting off. I spoke to Rajit and he called me a Ghumakkar, I guess I am… I must admit, the dingy smell of train stations, the sound of train on tracks, the feel of wind on your face as you stand near the door of the train or stick your head out of the car or even the breath-taking moment when the plane just rises off the land never fail to thrill me. Everything says “Come to me and I’ll show you things you’ve ever seen before.” Sitting by the Ganges and watching the aarti in Benaras, watching the moon rise over the sea in Goa, seeing the sunrise in Darjeeling or maybe just seeing the city light up from the hillock in Bangalore just thinking makes my heart beat faster. How about kissing your true love at midnight under the Cupid at Piccadilly Circus? How about climbing the Great Wall of China? Maybe even exploring the Sahara… or seeing the majestic Alhambra palace in Spain... Istanbul with the Hagia Sophia…Or the wilds of Mongolia… or the Carpathians with the wolves howling around you? How about Machu Pichu? So many places... so little time... sometimes I wonder if I should get a job to visit all these places… Live out of a suitcase and take your home with you... Maybe I’ve been reading too many novels of people having an extraordinary life so as to wish for one of my own. To be brutally honest, I find the mere idea of studying, getting a job, and spending my life worrying about bills and taxes boring beyond compare. Is there nothing to life other than that?? What about adventure, danger, risks?? Cos lets face it the only risk you take in real life is in crossing the road… People may call me impractical, living in world of my dreams and dreams don’t pay bills, but that’s the way I am. Normal is waaaaaaaaay too boring… I don’t want to be stuck in that same old life doing things everybody else is doing… I want to live the life of the Endless Traveler.

Dedicated to dear T

Hello there!!! This post is a very special one... Dedicated to a person I call T .Personally I prefer to call her a whole bunch of unflattering names that would kinda question the circumstances of her birth, her family and her profession... However, since this is a family blog I’ll spare you all that...So why is T special?? Why dedicate an entire post to her??? Well, she along with a couple of other ppl are what I call “Orkut Losers” , an extremely jobless bunch of people who have nothing to do other than trawl through other ppls profiles, their communities and other stuff meant for perusal of ppl from whom one would invite acquaintance from and post comments about it on other communities. Apparently, the “IGNORE” button doesn’t work on them, if they can’t sling mud about you on your own scrapbook they’ll do it on a community and that 2 with help from another OL friend, (Someone’s been listening to the Beatles “I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends” a lot). Moreover, all this cos my best friend went and fell in love with a loser friend of hers and had the good sense to break it off (good for u R... Girl u ROCK!!!) .So while the loser ex has the good sense to stay away his pet bitch doesn’t. All cos we actually told her the unflattering truth about her (Come on girl, we r yr “frnds” and only yr frnds will tell u the truth abt u). I mean how jobless r u girl?? Btw, if u r reading this there is no way u can “Report Abuse” abt this blog, freedom of speech u see… Ha Ha Ha!!! So now what do we talk abt?? Her absolute lack of class? Her utter tackiness?? Alternatively, the utter lack of exposure of life outside the narrow streets of Behala?? I mean seriously I think that she has been born, brought up and god knows what in that flat and will probably spend her entire life there unless some unlucky guy happens to marry her... I would really pity the poor chap... Sometimes I think its just jealousy... Ppl have moved on since high school and even old enemies have become frnds in these 5 years. However, to continue on and on shows a serious lack of maturity.
Now, I’ll come to my revelation, as I wrote the post I realized that these are the signs of an attention seeking personality. So now, I feel nothing but pity for you. Stuck up in that same place for the last 22-23 years of your life… and in that same place, doing some nondescript degree, PG or maybe even some job (though who in their right mind would hire you is a question that baffles me), while the rest of us have something called “A LIFE” in IITs, IIMs, engineering or whatever fun stuff we were up to since we got out of high school. I REALLY REALLY REALLY pity you... So girl, get a life and stop being an OL I’m sure there are better things to do with your time. If you do not, well I can just tell you the track currently playing on my laptop (something I’m sure you are unfamiliar about), “What Goes around Comes Around”. Look it up in your dictionary.

P.S. Level Headed One I ain’t deleting this post... come what may, I’ll just ignore it. I had to get it out of my system... Hope you understand… As our new to-be-pitied-best-friend says :D :D :D :D :D :D

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Long live the rains.. After getting grilled, roasted and boiled in sequence the monsoons have arrived!!! Whether its drizzling, pouring, or just plain raining rain brings out the child in everyone.. Hearing the drops of water drip from the trees with a soft plink ponk sound is so soothing.. Just cuddle up under a comforter and let the rain sing you a lullaby.. Go out!! Get drenched!! Forget your grown up dignity and splash in puddles.. You have nothing to fear but colds.. Aaaaaaaah rains.. Also the time for yummy food!! The glutton in me salivates at the thought of all those finger-licking pakoras, samosas, kachoris, kichuri with begun and ilish maach bhaja. Speaking of ilish as we know the humble hilsa, this is literally the season to gorge on it.. In all forms.. from bhaanpa to bhaja, paturis, or just plain jhol.. This fish will tingle your tastebuds like no other.. All this talk of food is making me hungry!! and nostalgic for my Didur haather ranna ( food cooked by my grandmother). Rains also make my usually lazy self even more lazier!! I really envy all those ppl who are waterlogged.. Just call in sick and snooze away till kingdom come!! And rainy nights!! Do you need anymore excuse to cuddle up and "Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain" ?

Some Of My Favourite Harry Belafonte Songs...

When i was a kid i used 2 sing this for me dad..

Mama Look A Boo Boo

I wonder why nobody don't like me
Or is it the fact that I'm ugly?
I wonder why nobody don't like me
Or is it the fact that I'm ugly?

I leave my whole house and home
My children don't want me no more
Bad talk inside de house dey bring
And when I talk they start to sing:

Mama, look a boo-boo they shout
Their mother tell them shut up your mout'
That is your daddy, oh, no
My daddy can't be ugly so

Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey
Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey

I couldn't even digest me supper
Due to the children's behavior
John (Yes, pa)-come here a moment
Bring de belt, you're much too impudent
John says it's James who started first
James tells the story in reverse
I drag my belt from off me waist
You should hear them screamin' round de place

Mama, look at boo-boo they shout
Their mother tell them shut up your mout'
That is your daddy, oh, no
My daddy can't be ugly so

Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey (uh)
Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey (uh)

So I began to question the mother
These children ain't got no behavior
So I began to question the mother
These children ain't got no behavior

They're playing with you my wife declared
You should be proud of them, my dear
These children were taught too bloomin' slack
That ain't no kind of joke to crack

Mama, look at boo-boo they shout
Their mother tell them shut up your mout'
That is your daddy, oh, no
My daddy can't be ugly so

Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey (uh)
Shut your mout', Go away
Mama, look at boo-boo dey (uh)
Shut your mout', Go away

Day-O (Banana Boat Song)


Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and he wan' go home
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and he wan' go home

Work all night on a drink a'rum
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Stack banana till thee morning come
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

A beautiful bunch a'ripe banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Hide thee deadly black tarantula
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Harry Belafonte - Man Smart (Woman Smarter)

I say let us put man and a woman together
To find out which one is smarter
Some say man but I say no
The woman got the man de day should know

And not me but the people they say
That de man are leading the women astray
But I say, that the women of today
Smarter than the man in every way
That’s right de woman is uh smarter
That’s right de woman is uh smarter
That’s right de woman is uh smarter, that’s right, that’s right

Ever since the world began
Woman was always teaching man
And I you listen to my bid attentively
I goin’ tell you how she smarter than me

Samson was the strongest man long ago
No one could a beat him, as we all know
Until he clash with Deliah on top of the bed
She told them all the strength was in the hair of his head

You meet a girl at a pretty dance
Thinking that you would stand a chance
Take her home, thinking she’s alone
Open de door you find her husband home

I was treating a girl independently
She was making baby for me
When de baby born and I went to see
Eyes was blue it was not by me

Garden of Eden was very nice
Adam never work in Paradise
Eve meet snake, Paradise gone
She make Adam work from that day on

Methusaleh spent all his life in tears
Lived without a woman for 900 years
One day he decided to have some fun
The poor man never lived to see 900 and on

Harry Belafonte - Come Back Liza Lyrics

Whenever I'm away from Liza, water come to me eye
Every time I'm away from Liza, water come to me eye

Chorus:
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye

When the evening starts to fall, water come to me eye
I need to hear my liza call, water come to me eye

Chorus

Standing here in the marketplace, water come to me eye
I need to see my Liza's face, water come to me eye

Chorus

Whenever I'm away from Liza, water come to me eye
Whenever I'm away from Liza, water come to me eye

Chorus (Repeat)

Melting Moments

Ok.. 1st off... This isn't about the shop in Bangalore which serves up these absolutely delicious sundaes... ( give me a moment to wipe off the drool at the thought of their yummy black forest) much as I would like to write about it and those banana splits, truffles, cheesecakes all those other totally forbidden goodies loaded with cream, calories and what have yous... ok.. now I'll stop torturing you and all those helpless ppl with me who are on a diet.. ( SIGH!!!) :( this post is about summer.. and how I'm totally melting in this heat ( Aaaaaaaaaahh now you get it.. melting moments.. funny na?? ok i thought not.. but since this is my blog i guess i can crack bad jokes and you can choose not to read it.. simple.. :D) In case u haven't noticed it or have been living in far away mars I'm back in Ahmedabad.. (long story.. while i'm at it.. bye bye Chennai.. U suck.. Hope another Tsunami comes and washes away what is left of that pathetic city..) So?? u may ask.. well so happens to be the fact that I'm F***ing melting here!!!!! I'm mean really.. I hate global warming.. Can u imagine walking out of your house at 8 in the morning and encountering temperatures expected at around 1?? 32 frigging degrees in the morning... in the morning so all u good ppl can well imagine what happens to us poor mortals in the afternoon... worst is the appetite loss.. ( actually since I'm on a diet it's kinda good but anyway I hate it when it's 2 hot 2 eat!!!) urgh!!! I'm sincerely planning on turning into a vampire during this season.. drink liquids and stay up late... avoid the sun.. hmmm... i wonder how i'll look with fangs and stuff.. ( If at any time during the reading of this post i sound delirious blame the heat) i know summer is good and it is the reason we have monsoons which are basically keeping our economy alive but ppl I'm melting here.. ( the no. of times I've said I'm melting in this post will make ppl think i'm the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz ).. besides isn't the sun supposed to give us tan,cancer, wrinkles and yadda yadda yadda??? I really fail to understand why on earth ppl think light to be good and darkness bad... darkness never gives yr skin bad stuff.. look at vampires.. they stay in the dark don't go out in the sun and every frikin one of them is drop dead gorgeous.. atleast that's what tv leads us to believe... anyway.. i see i've written a lot of things other than this stupid heat and u knw wat I'm not even gonna write abt it anymore.. just invite y'all over.. hey!!! Wait!! dnt run away!!! i was jokin!!!