Memories.......

I was at the local kirana store and a pack of Poppins caught my eye.There it was lying still in the glass enclosure staring back at me.Flashback to the good old school days when I used to pick these from my brother's store at will.All of us,my sisters and I ,loved to eat these multi-coloured tiny golis.When we shared them we had our own colour choices and I always picked red or pink.I remember how we suckled on them noisily like ruminating cows and took in all its flavours.


So,as I was saying,I saw the poppins and bought three of them.It was surprising that I got 3 for just rupees five. I opened the packet with a feeling of deja vu and related to my daughter how we ate these as little kids.I put it inside my mouth hoping to get the same long-lost taste of dear old poppins and was completely let down.The taste was nothing like the REAL poppins that I had had as a little girl.What I tasted now was just another coloured peppermint.In fact it tasted like a medicine.It did not even look the same inside , though the company had tried its best to retain the look of the cover pack .How I missed the taste of that poppins!


This is not how it tasted then.....I stated sadly.It was so much better when we were kids.My daughter was surprised that I made such a thing of such a minor issue.It tastes different now.......so what!Don't like it,don't eat it.If this is not like it tasted earlier try something else.There are so many new options now.......so many of them.


Change is inevitable,I know.


But there are times when I long for a taste of the things as they were before.......like the taste of the rose and white coloured spearmints,the chana jor garam at the park near my mom's house,the ghanne ka juice we had at Prabhadevi ,the khaja and the halwa at the local fair,the pani-puri and bhel at the beach............I could go on.


Days,months and years go by...........only memories remain!

Exam Fever!

It is that time of the year again!Board exam fever strikes gain!Parents,teachers and students go all out to make the most of this race for marks.Anxiety grips the household and it is not the student alone who is facing the stress and strain.Prayers,visits to temples,poojas and pothi paaths,good luck charms,taveez and udhi ........all these make their presence felt.Good wishes come pouring from all nooks and corners through smses,mails,phone-calls and house visits.

It is that time of the year when the student sitting for the exam is equivalent to a soldier going to the battle field..There is a mad frenzy to make the most of the last few hours for last minute revision.The coaching classes too gear up for the big day.The HSC exams are already in progress and the ICSC boards began today.The SSC board students have, but a few days to go.Already the helplines are buzzing with queries and distress calls from students and parents alike.

All the very best to all those appearing for their exams.

I hope all the parents,teachers and students realize that this is just one of the many examinations they will be facing.Hope too much is not expected of these exams as when expectations are not met then it leads to drastic steps being taken.Your life does not depend on this one examination alone.Just do your best and leave the rest.

Life is much more than just examinations.

What An Eyesore!

 I see them everywhere.Those huge,ugly and lifeless hoardings.There are all over the city.They block the view of the pedestrians and motorists.They are the cause of many accidents.They are there for every occasion.You see them before elections to plead before the voters,they are there after elections to boast that they have won,they are there to wish their party leaders on their birthdays,party leaders use them to wish their wards during festivals,they are put up to showcase their 'good' work, they inform us about religious discourses by holy souls, marathons,discounts and sales............and the list goes on.

These hoardings are mostly illegal as they are put up without the necessary permissions.They come up overnight.Once they are there be sure that they will remain there for long..............until another one comes up there to take it's place.They are an eyesore and make the city look like an advertisement brochure.We are already having a hard time with the vehicles , population, slums, highrises etc to have these hoardings too asking a share in the space available.

To make matters worse these hoardings are mostly made of flex which is non-biodegradable and will last for years harming the environment which is already deteriorating.From where do you think they get the money to put these hoardings up??Just imagine, if they had to use the money spent on these very hoarding to do something for the city, they could have done so much!Sheer waste of money I say!

Isn't there supposed to be some time limit for the display of these hoardings?Even in the month of February I can see New Year wishes,Diwali greetings from a party leader,wishes for birthdays..........and believe it or not I have also seen a flex congratulating two pet dogs of a political leader on their birthdays!When I saw it at first I thought it was some kind of a joke.

The joke is actually on us.We have to live with these horrendous hoardings.The government has started taking some steps to remove these hoardings.Until they do their job and remove the hoardings, we have to bear with the pictures of the smiling politicians and their dogs staring at us from them.

Count Your Blessings...........

I had to attend a family function and I was dreading it because I had a really bad hair day .My hair was a mess due to the shoddy work at the parlour.Maybe, it was my fault too as I was not sure whether hair colour or henna would suit me better.Anyway,the damage was done.I gathered the courage and faced everyone.Though they were too polite to blurt it out, I am sure they had a look at my hair and were wondering about why I decided to get my hair coloured like that.Maybe they were making fun of me behind my back too.


Cut to another day at the market where I was out shopping with my sisters.I chanced to see a young ,thin girl riding pillion on a two-wheeler.What caught my attention was that the girl had a nearly bald head.She had extremely scant hair growth.I assume she had the dreaded disease,cancer.It made me think about how I worried about my hair.What about that young girl who was just out of her teens?What about those thousands of little kids and adults who fight cancer?Do they worry about their hair when they are fighting for their very existence?And what about those women who fight against breast cancer?How do they take it when they know that they have to remove one or both their breasts due to the disease?What about the thousands of patients who are fighting some disease or the other?


We are so particular about how we look .We dread it if we have pimples,scars and bad hair days.Some may even feel out of place with the clothes they wear seeing others in more expensive and chic attire.We wish we have a bigger house,a better car and the latest gadgets.We want to look better,have better clothes and have all the best things.We always crave for more and never seem to be happy with what we have.


We fail to see how blessed we are to be healthy.How blessed we are to have our family and friends with us.How blessed we are just to have eyes to see the world around us,ears to hear the sounds around us,the gift of speech and most importantly good health.We fail to see that there are so many thousands who are less fortunate than us.


Here we are are cribbing about our bad hair when somewhere else someone is losing hair to cancer,here we are wishing for better sun-glasses when there are so many sightless persons who have not seen the world they live in,here we are being fussy about our food when there are so many who sleep hungry due to lack of food.............I remember the line- 'I cried for a pair of shoes until  I saw a man without feet.'


The next time you crib about something first count your blessings............


Count your blessings,name them one by one,
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings ,name them one by one,
Count your many blessings see what God has done.

Little Drops Make An Ocean........

Yes,there it was! I noticed it today too.Right there in my class, near bench number 3 there were about four tiles on the ground that were loose.I had noticed that one tile was a little shaky about two weeks ago.As per the rules of the school ,I brought it to the notice of those in charge.I was told that they will look into the matter and get the tile fixed probably the coming week-end..I have not heard of them or their work since in spite of doing a regular follow up on the matter.The consequence being that now, instead of just one shaky tile I have four tiles just on the verge of coming loose.Kids ,being kids like to step on them and I am sure it will become worse if nothing is done about it.Yes,I am going to them each day but  there has been no further progress in this matter.The wait is getting longer...........


That made me realize that many a times we too do not act when we should.We keep our little tasks pending, planning to do them later and then these little tasks just keep multiplying and finally ,we have too much to handle.When we realize it,we try to get it completed and in the bargain fail to give it our best shot.In the bargain,we settle for mediocre rather than our best.


It is the little things in life that make the greater things.If we can manage these little things we are surely on the way to achieving greater things.Similarly,little acts of kindness,little words of encouragement,little moments of happiness can bring about a huge difference to us and to the lives of those around us.So,also we must learn to cherish the little moments of togetherness,the little joys that friends and families bring.............it is these little,precious moments that will last for a lifetime!

Maximum City,Minimum Votes!

Election time again and once more it was pathetic to see that there was a dismal voter turnout. In spite of all the Jago Re and Each Vote Counts advertisements, there were no voters Mumbai could boast of. The voting percent was a lowly 46 percent and at Thane it was 52 percent.The so-called upper crust of South Mumbai too had a super low voter turnout of 34 percent only.There was a nice line in the newspaper that caught my eye-'The South Mumbai residents are good at lighting candles but not good at coming out and voting.'


Why this apathy towards voting?Many say that they are disillusioned by the corruption among the politicians and the many parties and each party is worse than the other.they do not expect things to be any better than what it was earlier so as a mark of protest they have not turned out to vote.Too bad! It is these very people who have enjoyed an extended weekend holiday who will crib about the conditions present in the city later on.Excuses are many,when are they going to take action?


We are the ones who can bring the change we want to see in the system and it is we who are not taking any steps towards it.Later on ,we just blame the system.We make the system!!


I did my bit and cast my vote at the voting center near my building.it hardly took a few minutes because there were not many voters there.Last month there was a Malvani festival in that same location, it was there for three days and it was very crowded on all those days.They were all residents of Mulund too..Where were they on the day of voting?Just been to the Kala Ghoda Festival last week It was on for about a week and there were crowds there.These so-called upper crust people came out in large numbers to see that festival but failed to turn up when it mattered most.They stayed at home while those from the slums of Mumbai came out to vote.


When the 54 percent of Mumbaikars were enjoying a holiday, the fate of Mumbai was being written in the polling booths.What right do they have to complain about the system now?
Just a few votes make all the difference.
Shame !For all those who did not cast their votes,Shame!

Sunita's Night Out

It was the 14th edition of the Kala Ghoda fest that I attended last Saturday.This fest has always made me wonder in amazement at the amount of creativity in the people out there.This time too there were a number of installations that were just super.We saw the traditional dance forms of a few states that were displayed,a Rajasthani puppet show and many installations like that on sound pollution,safe sex,misuse of plastic,the humble crow,The Buddha,cast your vote,a collage of good deeds and the like.I was surprised to see the large number of people that attended.The installation I loved best was the one on Safe Sex and the one on Collage of good deeds.The Buddha was astounding to say the least!It actually looked like it was floating!

What made it more special was that I was there with my friends It is so precious to get to spend a few hours together in our hectic schedules.We had a look around and then it was time for Bade Miyan's.It was unbelievable to see that there was such a huge crowd at Bade Miyan's.Was the whole of South Mumbai there,I wondered!

Among the cars and people jostling for space we managed to park our vehicle and enjoy a sumptuous meal in the open air.Now I know why this place is as famous as it is.Sheekh kababs,tandoori murg,kaleji fry,chicken tikkas and chicken masala accompanied by roomali rotis..........sheer bliss!After we could eat no more we walked towards the Gateway of India and spent time with the Taj hotel at its majestic best before us.There were so many people out there at that unearthly hour.......truly,Mumbai never sleeps.

On our ride back home we had a final halt at the famous Haji Ali Juice and ice-cream Center for some falooda and fresh creams..I must say that though this place is also famous it did not catch my fancy.What I had was nothing special than what we can have at the other places.It was a disappointment.

It is really thrilling to drive around late in the night and it is so rare that we actually get to do that.There is a calm and peace that is not seen during the hustle and bustle of the day.the city looks great with all its blinking lights and roads that are not congested due to traffic.

What a night it was..........! Have to plan another one soon.

Why This Craving?

I love food! My taste buds go on overdrive when I see a good spread of food.I am always game to try out different cuisines and I love to learn about different regions and their special dishes.This love for food is a surprise to many as they know for a fact that I am not so fond of cooking.Then why this craving for eating?

I am a HUGE fan of cookery shows(I know I mentioned that in my earlier blogs too)There are so many eating joints I want to eat at because I have read a review of those places in some magazine or some newspaper.I am not too excited about eating the food I prepare but even the idea of eating at my mom's place,sisters or friends place or even a meal out at a restaurant excites me.

Is there something behind this craving of mine?I fail to understand it,but in the meantime I continue eating...........

Friendzzz

Life is busy indeed.When we were little we had time to be with our friends,study,play and have a gala time together.As years pass each one gets entangled in their lives with their family,work and other things that need their attention.Slowly we realize that we do not find time to include our friends in our 'To Meet' list.Days turn into weeks,weeks into months and months into years, and we keep planning to meet but fail to do so.

Personally,there have been many instances when I have made an effort to meet up with my old friends but could not make it possible.Of course, we did meet up on many occasions, but they were too few and far between.Precious moments spent with friends are always cherished.I want to create many more moments with friends by my side and will make a conscious effort to do so.

I am happy that I am meeting my friends today.I cannot imagine that one of my friends who studied at a D.Ed college with me lost contact with me for several years and we met after a gap of 16 years!Waiting to meet up with them and share our stories after such a long time.Hope to keep meeting them at regular intervals.

Friendzz.....what would we do without you!

The Master Storyteller

An article in today's newspaper caught my eye.Anant Pai,the Master Story Teller bid adieu to all his fans on the 24th of February last year and to pay a fitting tribute to the great soul, Amar Chitra Katha Media was all set to release a comic book based on his life.What an apt tribute to honour the great man!

As little kids, each one of us has had the pleasures of reading the Amar Chitra Katha and the Tinkle comics.We did not have other sources of entertainment like computers and PSP's.We had a few progammes on television that caught our fancy and of course we enjoyed the outdoors!Beyond this,it was these comics which were our companions.It was so interesting to learn about Prithviraj Chauhan,Shivaji,Krishna and many more through the world of comics.Tinkle comics came in later and added to the fun with various interesting facts,jokes etc.These comics introduced us to the culture and values ,great personalities of India and also introduced us to mythological tales.

What a treasure these comics were! These humble comics have been replaced by the encyclopedias and Tell Me Why's .But, frankly speaking, nothing can match the simplicity and the magic of comics.Hats off to the Master Story Teller for bringing us the joy of comics!Even today, inspite of all the competition Amar Chitra Kathas are sold in large numbers.

I am waiting to get my copy of the comic based on the life of this great soul.

If you haven't yet read any of these comics, you are surely missing something!

Buy a comic book for your little kid and get addicted to the joy of comics along with him/her.

Get hold of a copy today and you will not regret it.

Happy reading!

Tolerance or Respect?

Every time we hear people saying that we should be tolerant towards other people or religions.We hear this as our nation is very diverse and we have people following different religions,speaking different languages and   people belonging to different castes living together.We say there is 'Unity In Diversity' in our country, but many a times we hear of clashes on the name of caste,language and religion.The politicians make the most of this diversity and fuel the fires of hate in the minds of people for their selfish gains.Unmindful of all this, there are many who succumb to all this and go all out to prove their superiority over another.

Since childhood I have been hearing from well-meaning adults, parents and teachers alike that we should be tolerant towards others.I do not know why we need to be tolerant when we should have respect for another rather than tolerance.The dictionary meaning of these two words made me realize this better.

Tolerance-The ability to accept things one dislikes or disagrees with

Respect-A feeling of admiration for someone because of their qualities or achievements / Consideration for the feelings or the rights of others.

Just a glance at the meaning of the two words will tell us why we need to have respect and not tolerance for others.Instead of tolerating others why not find out some good qualities in others and appreciate them?
Why not consider their feelings and understand their point of view rather than disliking and just accepting it to avoid conflict?

As teachers we can instill many a value in the impressionable minds.Are we doing our bit towards that or are we just meeting curriculum deadlines and making them experts at getting the best marks?

As  parents are we instilling feelings of hatred towards any particular community or religion in our children?

Are we even thinking about these things..............?

Rumours or Facts?

Please read the complete post.Do not read half-way and come to the wrong conclusions.

Another day at school.Today there was a lot of talk about a gang of tribals who allegedly attacked people during the late hours. They went to their homes and robbed them and raped their women.Since last week, this is about the 12th time I have heard of this.This gang is called the chaddi-baniyan or the monkey gang.They come with grease applied all over their body and wear masks.A few actually think they have springs in their feet as they are very agile and jump about and vanish in no time!There have been many people making groups and patrolling the streets and their local areas in the hope of protecting their locality.This is only hear-say and I personally do not believe it is true.


I have not read any of this in any of the three newspapers I have read. I think if all this was actually happening, it would have been in the papers by now.Some are of the opinion that this is just a ploy to gain attention as the elections are approaching.Some leaders can resort to the lowliest of tactics to gain attention of the public.According to me it is very unlikely that these stories are facts.

This news has succeeded in instilling fear in the minds of people.Many believe it to be true though I am sure they have no proof that it has happened.The news has travelled far and wide and is still spreading like wild fire.

The only reason I brought this up is to make people realize that news such as this is harmful and can cause untold problems in the society.There may be some people with ulterior motives spreading such rumours.As vigilant citizens, we should know that we should not have a hand in spreading them.If something like this is really true,the police would have been alerted by now.As educated individuals we have to learn to question what we hear and believe in facts alone.Of course ,that is easier said than done. When someone relates a story like this ,human tendency is to believe it without any questions asked.We listen with bated breath and actually start believing it.Then we relate it to another with some added masala.Thus, the news spreads far and wide.


Let us not be a part of the rumour-mongers.I too learnt it the hard way.When I heard of the news today I too related what I had heard about this gang earlier from some other sources though I had no reason to believe that they were true facts. So in a way I was strengthening the rumour without any desire to do so. I have smartened up now - better late than never I say!


Similar situations can happen anywhere.This time the rumour is being spread in the areas around Mulund,Thane and Bhandup.Your  area may be next.


Be alert,do not spread rumours.

I Love You,Farhan!

It was  a treat to watch the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.My favourite, Hrithik was as usual a class apart but the other actor who caught my fancy was Farhan Akhtar.

Farhan and Bagwati were a laugh riot.He stole the show from the other guys with his one liners and super poetry.The movie was interesting.Farhan won the award for best supporting actor for the film,truly deserving!

Am watching Zee Cine Awards Show and just saw Farhan  hosting one or two segments.He is totally hilarious!Waiting to watch him in some more flicks.What a find he has been! First it was Rock on, Luck By Chance,ZNMD and now we have Bhaag Milkha to watch out for.

Rock on,Farhan!You are a sweetheart!

Cooking Tales

I am a self proclaimed foodie.I love to eat good food.

I have always been a fan of 'Maa ke haath ka khana' and all my sisters have inherited her skills of cooking.I am not surprised to know that I have not got the same skills.As a kid all I ever did was play,play and play some more or read,read and read some more.These pursuits gave little time to hone my cooking skills.

Thankfully though,I have managed to learn enough of cooking to feed myself and my small family.I am not a bad cook per se but I do not enjoy cooking as much.Funnily though,I love to watch all the cooking programmes televised like Masterchef Australia and the Indian Masterchef, Top Chef series, Floyd's India,Highway On My Plate......and so on.There is something that clicks when I see the manner in which the master chefs cut,saute,grill,bake and plate up their marvelous food on the screen.I love to read cook books and I do try some recipes that interest me. If wishes were horses,even I would have been a wonder cook.

Keeping my limited cooking skills in mind, I enjoy eating what others prepare.I enjoy eating out and trying out different kinds of food.I relish food prepared by my mom(but naturally,she is the best!) and  my sisters. I am eagerly waiting to taste food prepared by my gourmand cousin , Ajoy and my  cook-book writer friend and chef, Michael Swamy.

Please do not get me wrong.Though I say all this, I am not a bad cook at all.My daughter and hubby will vouch for that.I am a good ,if not great cook but I have set high standards for myself so I do not rate myself too highly.

So next time you are invited for lunch or dinner at my place you need not say your prayers or curse your stars because there will be a good,delicious spread for you.

On Blogging

An avid reader since childhood,I have always been enthralled by books and the pleasures they bring.


Books are treasures that have to be cherished.Reading brings untold joys and is a sweet release from the drudgery of life.


Along with my love for reading,my love for writing too has made steady progress.I began with acrostic poems and then from poems,articles and skits I have come to blogging.


I read a few blogs on travel by my chef and travel-writer friend ,Michael Swamy and I was pleasantly surprised.It inspired me, and I too thought of doing the same.Thanks to Michael,I too am a blogger now.


Each day there are so many thoughts that cross our minds.Blogs enable us to share our thoughts.It is also very interesting to see what others write.


Blogging has taken me to a new world.Reading other blogs gives me new insights.I began as a blogger this January and hope to continue.


I am loving it!!!

What I am Reading

What Would Buddha Do At Work? by Franz Metcalf and BJ Gallagher Hateley  is the book I am reading  presently.

The book is a hand book for all those who work as it provides ways,practical ways that will surely help you at your workplace whether you are an employee or employer.

It shows us through the philosophies of The Buddha, how we can deal with work place problems.It gives an insight about good leadership,team work,dealing with co-workers,subordinates and bosses and it provides illustrations for each philosophy.

What caught my attention is how the authors have also weaved in the words of wisdom from the Dhammapada, Dalai Lama,Bodhicharyavatara and other sources as a foreword before each topic touched upon.It is an interesting read.

I liked the line in the foreword by the author which said-'The Buddha did not tell people to worship him;he invited people to follow his example and pursue enlightenment.He pointed to the path, but he was not the path.In fact,he was concerned when people wanted to worship him ,because it is easier for people to worship him than follow him'. Lovely words,those!

I would also like to read What Would Buddha Do? by Franz Metcalf.The book is about the philosophies of The Buddha to be used in our day-to-day life.I read a review about this book and it impressed me.

A Lazy Sunday

How I love a Lazy Sunday!

That feeling when you can get up late in the morning and have nothing to do after you awake,that is really something!You have just brushed and someone offers you a sumptuous breakfast.After that you relax with your Sunday newspaper and have a cup of tea.Then a lazy bath after which you have lunch you have not slogged over.

Then after watching some select television shows it is time to have a nap.After that a walk at the local park and after that a movie or an outing with friends.Return back late and have a grand dinner served for you.Then it is back to sweet dreams after some more television and a few hours on the computer.

I just cannot remember when I had a Sunday like that because I never did,.I am just imagining things.

If wishes were horses.............sigh!

Beware of Born Critics!

I just began blogging last month and I am glad I did.
Writing is a healer. It makes me feel free.I have a sense of satisfaction to see my thoughts in front of me and I can revert to them whenever I want.

I met a person who cornered me yesterday and wanted me to know what he/she(let's call him /her Born Critic) thought about my recent blogs. As a new blogger,I was all ears.I am always eager to know what another person feels about what I pen down.I am open to constructive criticism and of course,appreciation too, is welcome.Nobody is perfect and we all learn through our mistakes.

What I got from Born Critic was just that-Criticism.
According to Born Critic (BC) my blogs had the following flaws:

• The blogs are not helpful to the readers.They do not learn anything from them.
• The topics chosen are only pertaining to my interests and are not inclusive of what the reader would like to read.
• The language used does not reflect my skill in writing

To be fair BC also appreciated  the fact that I wrote so many blogs in just a few days and the page layout(which incidently, is not my handiwork as I just selected a template from the ones provided by the site.)

I did not provide any explanation in support of my blogs as I realized, after some prodding, that BC had not read all my blogs and had just browsed through the the labels and made his/her assumptions.I was amazed to know that one could see so many flaws even without reading the blogs posted!A miracle of sorts ,I must say!

I know for a fact that BC will not be reading this but yet I want to say this:

• The blogs I write are not written to help someone out there who reads them.For that they can read some self help books or go to some so-called gurus or healers.I write to express my thoughts,my feeling and share them with my readers .
• I choose to write what I want to.I am not bound by contract to write what others want or expect me to write.So what I write is solely my personal choice.
• I am not writing to display my literary skills.I go with the flow and write what comes to mind.I am not restricting myself in the choice of words or level of language used to express myself.

The Born Critic will not be reading this for sure but I just wanted to write down my views.There are many Born Critics out there who are just waiting to say something negative when anyone tries something new.At times we fail to see our own potential and believe them.
Constructive criticism that makes a person change for the better is one thing and criticism just for the sake of criticism is another.We have to learn how to differentiate between these two.If not, we will never learn to accept any challenging situations and never grow as a person.

Believe in your potential and do not let such Born Critics make you stop before you have even begun.They can only see the negatives even in something positive.

Please do not take this as a self help tip.These are just my thoughts on the topic which I have written by personal choice.I am  not sorry for the simple language as this is how I chose to write.

Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses

..............But it is not just a bed of thorns either.Life has its ups and downs ,trials and tribulations but along with all that it also has moments of happiness,pride,success and belonging.We have to embrace life as it is and aspire to make it better for those around us and ourselves.


Learn to enjoy the little moments of joy that life offers.


There are so many things that make me smile- a toddlers antics,a serious discussion about an insect among two kindergarten kids,a colourful butterfly,a flight of birds,the waves of the sea,a mother playing with her child,a kid teaching his grandparent how to pronounce words.....the list is endless.


To experience this we need to have an open mind.We need not clutter our minds with our tensions and lug around our sack of problems.Challenges are to be met but at the same time we should not stop seeing the good things around us that bring us immense pleasure .


So,when was the last time that something brought a smile on that lovely face of yours?

Mind Your Language

Being with young kids most of my waking hours,I have seen kids how kids behave,how they react to certain situations and what makes them excited or what irritates them.As years pass I have seen a drastic change in the way they react to certain situations .Earlier they had reserved reactions to things around them.They were more patient and not very vocal nor physically charged all the time.

The scenario has changed and I am saddened to see how the little ones behave.The children have become very impatient and demanding.There has been a noticeable increase in the destructive and abusive tendencies in children.Language used by them has turned from bad to worse.they use cuss words and derogatory terms without any qualms.When I hear the language used I wonder if they actually even know the meaning of the terms they use.It is not just what they say but even how they say it.A majority of them have forgotten how to be polite and soft-spoken.Loud and uncouth language is the order of the day.What is worse is that little ones as young as those in the Fourth grade are using filthy language.In my previous school I was flabbergasted when a Second grade student complained that another student was showing him his middle finger!

Even in a reputed school like mine we have children using filthy language,misusing school property,bullying,hitting and abusing each other.There is a pent up anger visible in some children .There is lack of patience and an open distaste for authority of any kind.

The reasons for this may stem from the violence and language used in the films and television.Maybe abusive language is used at home or in the immediate environment of the child.The children,at this impressionable age are prone to be influenced by what they hear or see unaware of it's consequences.

As responsible parents and teachers the onus lies with us. We have to make a sincere effort to see that children do not use foul language and refrain from destructive behaviour.For that we should lead by example.Stop using derogatory language and inculcate the right values in the child.Once their values are in place it will be difficult for them to be influenced.

Charity begins at home.Starting today resolve never to use foul language come what may.

Make Way,Please!

With my building complex just adjacent to the Eastern Express Highway,one of the busier roads in Mumbai that leads towards Thane city,I have got accustomed to the blaring of the horns and I have a ringside view of the bottleneck traffic at peak hours.

It is very often that I hear the sirens of ambulances making their way through the traffic.Even as a young child,the blinking lights of the ambulance or the fire engine fascinated me and they do so even now.I move towards the window to see the ambulance moving ahead with sirens  and blinking lights.

What is saddening is that the other vehicles do not care to make way for the ambulance and so the vehicle is stuck in the traffic.Imagine the plight of the poor patient and his/her near and dear ones for whom even a few minutes can make the difference between life and death!Even the blaring sirens and the blinking lights fail to help the ambulance move further at the speed it should.Everyone is in a race and they all want to be the first ones to reach the finish line.Even if there is an ambulance in their midst,who cares?

What goes on in the minds of the drivers of these vehicles ?Do they think that their appointments are far more important than the life of the patient at stake?God forbid,what if it was one of their loved ones in those very ambulances..........would they still fail to make way for them?

I must say there are, but a few, who do make it a point to move out of the way when they see an ambulance or fire truck that needs to move ahead.How I wish everyone realizes that just a little understanding on their part can make the difference to a patient.So next time you hear the sirens of an ambulance behind your vehicle,do make way for it.

Single Screen Theater Revisited.

At last the much-awaited movie Agneepeth was here.As per plan, I went with my hubby and daughter in tow.Once again we opted to view the movie in a single screen theater rather than at a multiplex.Amazing how it is so nostalgic,a sweet memory of the way films were watched in our yester-years.There is another charm to these dinghy,oh-so-downmarket (as some would say) theaters........and who can deny that they are a much cheaper option too.

The movie ticket proudly stated that the movie hall was air-cooled,whatever that means.The playing of the National Anthem always brings on the goose-bumps........especially the one which is picturised at Kargil.

It is always an added bonus to get to view at least one or two movie trailors.......and of course who can miss the old,I mean very old advertisements that we have been seeing from the days of our childhood-Vicco Turmeric,Vicco Vajradanti,Fair and Lovely........still remember these jingles.

The movie, as expected, was great.It had all the masala needed in a bollywood movie.The movie hall was filled with cat-calls and whistles at the entry of Kancha  Cheena,Vijay Dinanath Chavan and Priyanka.Priyanka's Marathi mulgi dialogues got the cheers and the moment Chikni Chameli came on the screen there was utter tandem!Those in the stalls went berserk!There was so much of cheering and dancing.............for them it was paisa vasool!Would you get to see this kind of excitement at a multiplex?

The interval called for the A-1 samosas that are really delicious..........much better option than the 50 bucks worth popcorn available at the multiplexes.So with a 10 rupee popcorn pack for company we watched the rest of the movie.We sat till the very end of the movie and wondered why people get up to move out even before the movie is over.When you are out to enjoy a movie,watch it till the credits roll in the end,as we did.

Mera verdict-Film hit hai!!!!!!!

Next time you plan to go for a movie do try out the single screen experience,it will surely bring back memories.