Thursday 16 August 2007

Gurudwara Social Service

The effect of staying with a Sikh family is slowly BUT steadily showing off in me!
“Chak – de - Phatte”

I stay in Hounslow and the centre of attraction of the area is this massive and beautiful gurudwara – a Sikh place of worship.
Harry goes there daily and I love the desi ghee ka halwa she gets for me … absolutely sumptuous

Yesterday after a long wait I called Harry to find her whereabouts as she was not back from office and it was way past her regular time. The lady was in the gurudwara doing the voluntary service of serving food to the people – langar

Oh and yes our gurdwara serves 3 meals a day, every day of the year, free for anyone and everyone – and you do see a lot of Europeans in our Gurudwara!

Coming back to my dear Harry, chunni over her head, was busy serving food, flashing that gorgeous smile of hers which increased when she saw me (I required a lot of convincing over the phone to get out of my night dress and come out of the house when it was pouring heavily - She thought I will never make it)

All that Hello and Hi was enough to make us start one of our long chatty sessions – the never ending ones.
She served me langar which needless to say tastes next to what a mother can cook … nothing can beat it!

Once I was over with my dinner, I took over from her to do the service while she eats her dinner. Yes, I did service in the gurudwara …
I REPEAT: I stay with a Sikh family …

I have done community service before but this was a very different experience in itself. It is not easy to serve food into someone’s plate especially when you don’t know the persons taste and appetite.

You have to name the dish being served, then serve as requested (quantity and the exact place in the plate :-) ), remember the rules of quantity management and you should always be polite - inspite of who is on the other side being served.

I also served people who understood only Punjabi or a strange dialect they called English … Sign language comes to aid then ;-)
* Other Option: Start talking real fast n loud with a big gleaming smile on your face … serve everything then

I slept peacefully yesterday … No, not because of what you are thinking but because I was quite tired after those hrs of standing to serve food ;-)

Wednesday 15 August 2007

Happy 60th Independence Day

It’s the 60th anniversary to our independence and here we are busy voting for “Whether the Independence day holds any importance to the youths as it held for our forefathers?”

And then when I get over my initial agitation to the question, I sit back and think: “DO I?”

Till a week back, all I thought to do on this 15 August is to take the Pearson Language Assessment English Field test 2007, to report to the centre on time and to carry all the required documents. Yes, I now know the importance of the poll question … so what will be my answer to it …… Yes, No, Can’t Say ……

I remember when we were kids; it was one of my favourite days … dressed up in that crisp white uniform, standing infront of the proud fluttering Indian Flag, hoisted by our principal, and singing our national anthem in one voice, trying to grasp each and every word of it!

I remember when I saw the movie on Gandhi and the struggle for Independence I had wept; I remember my father humming a few of those patriotic songs for us and we trying to copy him

I remember the proud glint in my eyes when I used to see dad hoisting the National flag in his unit in his wonderful OG uniform (Olive Green).

I have grown up now and my work has taken me away from my parents and away from my country many a times. But yes I still do remember … remember that 15th August was more than a holiday for me.

The Independence Day held its importance when I was young and now when I am not a young girl, my priorities have changed and so has my enthusiasm for the day ….

But does that really mean than the day holds no importance for me and the youth of the country in general?

Tuesday 14 August 2007

Proud to be an Indian

"Every baby step India takes in achieving anything enhances my identity"

Former Miss Universe (India) Sushmita Sen
in Times of India 14 Aug 2007

Monday 13 August 2007

Perseid Meteor Shower - 13 Aug 2007 0300hrs

10:30 on a Sunday night when you are all set to jump into your bed because it’s Monday morning the next day, suddenly you remember – hey! When is that meteor shower supposed to happen? … after numerous futile attempts on the internet you assume you missed it the last night .. How does it feel if you get to know you can actually see the meteor shower!

It goes Balle Balle ...
Oye Hoye Shava Shava
Oye Hoye Balle Balle

(I am staying with a Sikh family these days )

My dear flatmate Harpreet (aka Harry) and I switched on the tele in the last hope of catching some glimpse of the shower in the news telecast and Ho Ho Ho there it says … “The meteor shower will be at its peak at 3:00 am and visible to the naked eye. One does not need a telescope to view the wonderfully clear night sky, showering us with its own crackers”

All decided we both set our alarms to 2:30 am and promise to make sure we wake each other ….. an EXTREMELY difficult task !

Zzzzzzzzz …. Zzzzzzzzzzzz …. Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ….. Trrrrrrrrrrrrr and the alarm goes off …

Beat this, both of us have never jumped out of our beds without snoozing the alarm for atleast 4-5 times and here all armed with r jumpers and shawls we made r way quietly to our little garden to view the shooting stars at the first sound of the alarm … enthusiasm makes u do wonderfully strange things!

Quietly because our landlady is a very light sleeper and we never wanted her to get up for all obvious reasons!

Hell! Did u check the direction … NO and you .. ;-(
Hmmm … now … you look this side and I will check the other side … 2:35 … 2:40 … 2:45 … hey hey Harry I saw one there … where which direction ….. Pause … 2:50 … 2:55
Sorry, may be it was my imagination or was it a plane (we stay very close to Heathrow)

Hey there see one more and another and yet another … and then suddenly a beautiful big spark goes across the sky and we both were mesmerized …. The frequency was like 1-2 per minute but the moonless clear sky made sure we didn’t miss even a single one of those beautiful shooting stars which could fulfil all r wishes. I actually didn’t miss any opportunity and made a different wish on every shooting star I saw … If I believe the myth then, I should be a happy content girl this whole year even if half of them come true ;-)

Well after straining r necks for what seemed like a decade we decided to retire in r respective rooms … it was 3:25 already and I was supposed to get up at 5:30 to make it to the office in time .. PHEW !

I enter my room and there out of my window I see another of those bright streaks across the sky and then what … both of us were at the window once again straining r necks to get few remaining wishes fulfilled as well !!

Ladies … can they be ever satisfied … huh!

Anyways, after numerous tries to convince each other to sleep both of us fell on the bed there itself and dozed off to sleep, with a smile on r face, as quickly as we got up .. not to forget the pillow and duvet fights because Harry was feeling too lazy to leave my room and climb into her bed … so both of us slept on my queen size bed !
Oh! She is a sweetheart … just a bit LAZY like me ;-)

Friday 3 August 2007

Its Summers at Last

After months of those cold breezy days, continuous rains and cloudy skies, finally we get to see the sun … Hurray! Summers are here … its August and we have a week of sunshine as per the UK forecast (a mysterious department which manages to forecast incorrectly majority of the time … not this time PLEASE)

So there you go you see sale everywhere and people out without those bulky jackets and shawls …. Shoes are a passé and flip flops are in vogue!
I so hate to cover my toes … they need to breathe a little ... Don’t they?

The hair saloons are busy … blonde is the new black …. Hair are getting short
And yes those gorgeous dresses are back …. I absolutely love wearing skirts … they make you look so feminine

Oh! And I so wish that the forecast is wrong about the next week … let the summers continue

Rain Rain go away
Come again another day
The whole Britain wants to play
Rain Rain go away!

Monday 28 May 2007

Namaste London

No I am not talking about the Bollywood movie here … nah .. this is about my days in London and how I am surviving ‘On the run’ lifestyle !!

The tube trains, the buses, the sea of polished shoes on the zebra crossing, the intermittent beep of the green man at the crossings … this is how every morning is greeted in London.

My mornings start at 5:30 (never got up that early even during my engineering exam days) and the long day ends at 8:30 in the evening … and I still don’t know where the minutes, hours, days fly. Its never a hard long day … its just LIFE … the life in one of the costliest and busiest city in the world … LONDON …. The city which holds attraction not only for tourists but also our desi stars …. Whether it be Ekta Kapoor typecasts or the glittering stars of the silver screen …

It’s been a little over 2 months and yet the city manages to throw surprises at me – a new traffic rule or a new local joke/ jargon/ slang or the best - a new fashion statement … mind you the fashion keeps changing quite often here …. Called as ‘Fast Fashion’ in Marks & Spencer retail terminology … my place of work … and a learning hub …

I am glad to be one of the ‘Londoners’ …. Ever busy & ever running human machines … life always on the run and still we manage to smile at every person we meet on the street, lift, bus or tube …

AND here, I go again … On my marks … get … set … go …

Wednesday 23 May 2007

It’s 18th May !!

I enter my office at 7:40 … take the lift to the 6th floor … walk over to my desk to start my Friday … BUT … Hey ... where is my sombre looking desk ???

What I can see is a colourfully decorated chair, desktop and glittered desk … the new team where I am just 2 weeks old were celebrating my birthday …. The hugs and birthday wishes felt really warm … may be that’s what it means when we say warm wishes ;-)

Those colourful balloons and ribbons crowning my work chair made me feel like a princess that day … and also, made it loud and clear to everyone visiting our floor that it’s my birthday!!! Friday which is generally a day to wind up your weeks work, flew past in talking about the evening plans on the special day. There was a surprise cake waiting for me for lunch at the cafeteria (lets not get into cake details because my birthday went on for like 3 whole days with me cutting all possible varieties of cakes .. PHEW … I am off sweets for a few days).

Oh and how can I forget I was one colourful person myself wearing a mauve coloured salwar kameez to office …. People in UK are hell bent on only 3 colours in their life BLACK – to make them look thin
GREY – to tell people ‘Hey, I am reducing’
WHITE – Finally, I am a size smaller !!

So you can well imagine what it means to be floating around in an Indian dress :-o)

The day ended with my colleague Jenny literally pushing me out of office, well before the regular office timings …. “Its your birthday .. go home right now “ ha ha ha She is a sweetheart !!!

A big thanks to my team for making my day a real special and memorable one.

Wednesday 21 February 2007

What does the Swastika means now ?

The other day I learnt that Germany has put a ban on the use of the swastika symbol because it represents Nazism … Hitler has turned swastika into hatred !!

This equatorial cross with its arms bent at right angles, all in clockwise direction, is the symbol of eternity & continuity of life and since time immemorial has been the auspicious symbol of the Hindus. swastika has symbolic meaning for the Jains and Buddhists as well.

Some authorities have interpreted swastika as the symbol of good luck in the old Mesopotamian culture and symbol of deity during the old iron age. Another interpretation of the symbol attaches it with power, strength & symbol of sun … and I guess that is what made Adolf Hitler pick it up for the Nazi flag !!

In Mein Kampf , Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic."

For decades, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. Can there be two completely different meanings for a symbol?

Wednesday 14 February 2007

Rendezvous with the Rambler

The word ‘Rambler’ means a person who loves leisure aimless walks or as described in American English ‘a Backpacker’. Rambling is a common summer pastime amongst the working class of Britain.

The lovely picturesque countryside of UK with its amazing terrain & contours attracts a lot of people like me for those long leisure walks after a strenuous hard-working day in front of the computer! Apart from being a wonderful cardiovascular workout rambling allows to increase one’s social circle.

Rambling can be pursued over the weekend as well as on the weekdays, after regular working hours. The sun set in UK summers is sometimes as late as 2200 hrs, giving plenty of time to unwind and explore the various natural habitats. The breezy country side evenings together with wide green pastures adds to the ideal environment for the ramblers.

Now a days, large number of rambler groups have been started by various private and public organizations which aids many a beginners to be associated with a club or a group. Many teenagers also have taken liking towards rambling as a result you find rambling club meets of almost all age groups.

A rambling activity is usually associated with trekking along with photography giving equal opportunity to both seasoned as well as an amateur. The traditional walk always ends with a good sumptuous meal at one of the authentic English country side pub – a reward for the sweating 5-6 hours of those abs-crunching fun and fervor.

The Final Inspection

One of the most beautiful poems I have come across ....
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass,
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"

The soldier squared his shoulders and
said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here,
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod,
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."