Mango Mania...

I have always been in love with mangoes...this relationship dates back to 1983-84 when i was a kindergarten kid. As per my dad, I used to run around the house carrying mangoes, in my little hands, and yelling "Manko Manko"...yes, thats how i pronounced it..:)
Time passed by and my attachment with this fruit grew stronger. My teen summers were spent savoring bowls full of fresh mangoes with my sister...each trying to get the bigger share! College life couldn't afford good quality mangoes; my mother used to help me out by packing a box full of this fruit along with the other neccesities whenever i left for my hostel after the summer vacations. Work life provided the opportunity to try all the varieties as i was not skilled enough to find the good ones from the lot..(Well, I am just skilled at eating it...:))

Chilled mangoshake, mango custard, mango icecreams and desserts....come summer and you get the access to this yummy array of Mango delicacies. No wonder its called the "The King of Fruits". I just can't imagine a summer without it!!!

I am glad that my bond with this fruit still stands strong after having spent more than a quarter century on earth!

Now, you won't believe this but i have a nicely sliced irresistible mango in front of me and i cant wait anymore to close this post.....;)

Aamir's Faux pas

I was checking Aamir's blog yesterday after the news broke out that he has a dog named Sharukh and that he has even blogged about it!!!

I have always admired Aamir Khan; not just for his acting but also for his principles in life but his post "Settlers Of Panchgani" disappointed me a lot. I was not expecting this from a person of his calibre and i think i have lost all the respect i had for him.

I wonder why such successful role models indulge in such immature and unproffessional acts and embarass all their fans !

Serendipity!

Have you ever been gripped by silence gazing at the sea while on a beach? Does the sound of the waves hitting the rocks periodically make your thoughts wander into an unknown land? Ever wondered why the camel caravans navigate through the desert in magical silence? Or why the bright flames of a fire burning before you put you in a pensive mood?

I stumbled upon the answer few days back while reading "The Alchemist". In the words of the author Paulo Coelho::

"But the desert is so huge , and the horizons so distant, that they make a person feel small, and as if he should remain silent"

Whether its the desert or the sea, fire or strong winds, their impressive elemental force always makes one surrender to their unseen power; introspective silence is the logical recourse.

Some of my favourite ads...

Moto Razr


Moto Razr2


Moto Rokr

Check them out! Abhishek looks too cool in the last one!!!

If...

Have you ever felt so triumphant that you forgot your basic responsibilities OR so upset that life seemed to have ended?
Well, something similar happened with us yesterday(luckily the former) and we wanted to come out of that ecstatic state. That's when my husband suddenly remembered these beautiful lines from Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If".
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same
Just 2 lines and we were back on track...:)

Hope you enjoy this inspirational and motivating poem ::

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Back As Promised !!!

I am happy, rejuvenated and excited to be back in the blogging world!!!

I will start with the list of books that i am planning to enjoy for the next few months ::

Here they go ->

a) The Mating Season - Another of Wodehouse's creations...this had to be the first one in my list...great British humour...i make it a point to buy one PGW every 2 months...wish his collection never ended...:(

b) The Essential Calvin and Hobbes - My all time favourite...this book was gifted to me by a dear friend on my birthday.....have been waiting to read it since then.

c) The Monk who sold his Ferari - Amazing book by Robin Sharma....had read it once in June...want to read it again!

d) Short stories by W Somerset Maugham -The collection includes 30 stories that display the author's remarkable talent as a storyteller.

e) The World is Flat - Best selling book by Thomas L Friedman that talks about globalisation in the 21st century. Need to buy this one!

Well, thats the plan. Lets see how well i execute it!

Btw, try out these books whenever you get the chance(in case you have not).....they are worth it......Happy Reading!!!

Going on a Hiatus!

Sad but true!!! I won't be able to contribute much to this blog till October as i am tied up with few things...:(

To keep you interested i am listing down some of the topics that i intend to cover once i am back ::

A) The hype about iPhone.
B) The books that i plan to buy and read in my holidays.
C) Waterfall vs Agile Process Modelling.
D) Our friend Leggy!

Stay tuned and see you all after the break ...:)

Goa - Paradise on Earth!

Why am i writing about Goa?Hmm....let me think....maybe i am expecting the Goa tourism department to reward me with a free trip to Goa for advertizing their heaven......;).To be frank, i was mesmerised and intrigued by its beauty and serenity and wanted everyone in the blogging world to experience it!

It's a perfect holiday destination for those who are looking for fun as well as those who want a calm and tranquil time-off. It just depends on the time of your visit.Most of the tourists prefer the Xmas and new year season for Goa(thats what we did last year too) when it's bustling with activity.....lots of singing , dancing, cruise parties, shopping, feni and Goan food.
Rest of the year, it's calmer and duller and thats when we love it. Our 2nd visit was in August i.e last month...(ya, that makes it the 2nd one in 7 months...cant help it!!). Both of us being peace-loving creatures, we enjoyed a lot more this time.....;). The lonely sandy beaches, cloudy weather with light drizzles, empty lanes, bike rides along the sea and port wine with fried fish just made it perfect!!!

How to go there? Where to stay? Any cheap hotels? What are the tourist attractions? Don't worry, the internet is filled up with all the needed details. Another option would be to go with Makemytrip or Yatra.....they will take care of everything!
So, those of you who have not visited this wonderland till now......just pack your bags and "GO"!!!

है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है !

Awesome poem by Harivansh Rai Bachchan....every line carries a beautiful and "difficult to extract" meaning....reminds me of those tough Hindi classes in school where missing such a class was directly proportional to less marks.....:)

So, here goes another of my favourites -

कल्पना के हाथ से कमनीय जो मंदिर बना था
भावना के हाथ ने जिसमें वितानों को तना था
स्वप्न ने अपने करों से था जिसे रुचि से सँवारा
स्वर्ग के दुष्प्राप्य रंगों से, रसों से जो सना था
ढह गया वह तो जुटाकर ईंट, पत्थर, कंकड़ों को
एक अपनी शांति की कुटिया बनाना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है

बादलों के अश्रु से धोया गया नभ-नील नीलम
का बनाया था गया मधुपात्र मनमोहक, मनोरम
प्रथम ऊषा की किरण की लालिमा-सी लाल मदिरा
थी उसी में चमचमाती नव घनों में चंचला सम
वह अगर टूटा मिलाकर हाथ की दोनों हथेली
एक निर्मल स्रोत से तृष्णा बुझाना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है

क्या घड़ी थी, एक भी चिंता नहीं थी पास आई
कालिमा तो दूर, छाया भी पलक पर थी न छाई
आँख से मस्ती झपकती, बात से मस्ती टपकती
थी हँसी ऐसी जिसे सुन बादलों ने शर्म खाई
वह गई तो ले गई उल्लास के आधार, माना
पर अथिरता पर समय की मुसकराना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है

हाय, वे उन्माद के झोंके कि जिनमें राग जागा
वैभवों से फेर आँखें गान का वरदान माँगा
एक अंतर से ध्वनित हों दूसरे में जो निरंतर
भर दिया अंबर-अवनि को मत्तता के गीत गा-गा
अंत उनका हो गया तो मन बहलने के लिए ही
ले अधूरी पंक्ति कोई गुनगुनाना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है

हाय, वे साथी कि चुंबक लौह-से जो पास आए
पास क्या आए, हृदय के बीच ही गोया समाए
दिन कटे ऐसे कि कोई तार वीणा के मिलाकर
एक मीठा और प्यारा ज़िन्दगी का गीत गाए
वे गए तो सोचकर यह लौटने वाले नहीं वे
खोज मन का मीत कोई लौ लगाना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है

क्या हवाएँ थीं कि उजड़ा प्यार का वह आशियाना
कुछ न आया काम तेरा शोर करना, गुल मचाना
नाश की उन शक्तियों के साथ चलता ज़ोर किसका
किंतु ऐ निर्माण के प्रतिनिधि, तुझे होगा बताना
जो बसे हैं वे उजड़ते हैं प्रकृति के जड़ नियम से
पर किसी उजड़े हुए को फिर बसाना कब मना है
है अँधेरी रात पर दीवा जलाना कब मना है