Not Proud To Be An Indian Today

They say a severe storm comes after a long period of calmness. This has exactly been the case in our country for the crimes related to women. Whenever I open up the newspaper, I am able to spot at least one crime against women without any fail. It may range from eve teasing to assault or rape but it's present. Its position in the newspaper may range from first page to maybe somewhere in between but it's present. The place of the crime may vary from cities to small towns but it's present.

The people I guess (including women) have got used to the occurrence of such crimes. Just like we have accepted other issues like price inflation "chalta hai" attitude. It kills me to write a sentence like this but sadly it is the truth. I will talk about myself and say that yea these crimes have failed to irk me in the last 6 months.The only reason for this can be indifference. The indifference crops up from the repetition of such crimes at an alarming speed and not just in Delhi now.

The latest amongst the lot, rape of a girl in a private bus has awakened everybody from there hiatus. I mean this is so much in your face. How can anybody have the audacity to commit a crime of this nature? They obviously don't have any respect for women, but do they have no fear of law? Even after 60 year of Independence and all the glorious work that our country has been doing, this is where we stand. I am sorry to state this but I am highly ashamed and petrified of staying in a country like this.

What kind of an example are we setting? What message is it giving to all the women and there worried parents? Who are these people committing these crimes? Are they unemployed and frustrated? Does that really matter? Why is every criminal given an excuse of being unemployed? Does unemployment automatically give you an excuse of going berserk.If the state of things remains the same, that day will not be far when girls will be forced to stay home and we will be back from where we started.

Every time such a crime takes place, the coming weeks will all packed up with the story splashed on media and print. Celebrities and politicians condemning the act. But after a few days everything dies out and is replaced by something else. Why do we need such crimes to keep happening for us to react. What are measures we have in place to curb them? Or how informed are the women. If you ask me I am clueless of what I should do if God forbidding I ever find myself in this position. I do know there is an emergency number 100 but what that does or does anyone even attend to it, I don't know. I have no toll-free numbers and I don't even know the nearest police station or it's number. You may have already guessed, but yea I don't carry any weapon or spray.

These are all the loopholes. I am sure I am not alone here, we all think that this is something that will never happen to us. But the recent acceleration in crimes have different stories to tell. Your security guard, public transport, cabs, hell not even your own home is a safe place. It is good to be cautious and always on your toes.

My sincere request to all the ladies, be equipped and safe. Avoid being alone late and it hurts to say but yes dress modestly. Keep in mind the kind of place and the company you have. Most importantly trust your instincts. Complain and raise a hue and cry even if you only sense something is wrong. Don't wait for the disaster to happen. My request to all the guys out there, please make sure you take care of your friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Walk them home or drop them off or whatever it takes to make sure the safety. Do your bit, it helps.

P.S I was suffering from what is popularly known as writer's block along with a severe bout of laziness. I was unsure of how and when I was going to write again, if at all. But thankfully I am back and man, this feels good. Someone rightly said that A pen is mightier than sword. I feel I have already won half the battle.

Take Care Everyone

Of the Hiatus and Other Things

Well, first things first. It feels amazingly awesome to write again. I know that I have been missing from the blogging front since a long time now. I am also aware that my comments on your respective blog posts are also missing. But the best thing that I happen to know by far is that fact that you guys missed me. The sweet messages on mails, Facebook and in comments never failed to bring a big smile on my face.Saying I was flattered would be an understatement. Now coming back to my long absence, it was a little deliberate and a little circumstantial.

Every break that I take in blogging only strengthens my love for it. Trust me all the time I was away my mind would more often than not wander to thoughts of what all I would blog about once I get back. There are so many thinks to share and so many topics to talk about. There sure is going to be a lot to write for me and a lot to read for you. Even I have a lot of reading to do catching up on all your blogs.

It is really amazing on how every teeny-weeny thing changes into something substantial when you want to try and look at it from a different perspective. There will be volumes to write about a scene from your window when it's raining outside, the pleasant calm feeling of lazying around on a Sunday with a great cup of coffee. Simple things in life are usually the best ones.

So, ending this post right here and promising to come up with many more it's me signing off for now. Take Care all of you :)
   

The (SMS) Silly Me Syndrome

I read this piece of article long back and it striked such a chord that I have not been able to forget it since then. The article as is evident from the title talked about the Silly Me Syndrome found amongst the fairer sex. It is the thing of acting silly and dumb in front of guys to impress them by inflating their already bursting male ego (JK!). My immediate reaction on reading this was of a strong disagreement. My mind was crowded with memories of all those fights in college and otherwise to prove the fact we girls are superior and better in every respect to boys. But then the more I thought about this article the more clearer it started to become.

In fact I recalled a few occasions where in even I have behaved in a similar way. But there is a difference, a girl will behave silly and dumb only in front of a guy she likes. Pretending not to notice a pronunciation mistake but cringing inside is an example. I don't know the reason behind it but they say that it has been programmed into our system since, well, old times. As a proof I present to you the following quotes penned down in old times and for that matter by foreign authors.

"A woman, especially, if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."

Jane Austen

Another one by Magaret Atwood:

“All you have to do, I tell myself, is keep your mouth shut and look stupid. It shouldn't be that hard.”

Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale

Now the question is why would a self respecting, confident woman behave like a total idiot just because she is talking to a man who happens to look good. I have observed a change in many women when they talk to men. They will laugh even at the silliest of their jokes and listen attentively to any pieces of wisdom that they happen to share. Any man would love this trait in his girlfriend/wife.

Since time immemorial men have detested smart, intelligent and successful women. They always come across as a serious threat to the men folk. Now this is why the trend of marrying young girls came into practice. Sadly this brutal practice continues to carry on and has no chance of changing in near future. Men always prefer to marry younger girls, who are still unsure and clueless about what to do in life. Before they get any chance to think about things like future, career, job, bank balance they are married off. And before they realize it, the rosy honeymoon period is over and they are huge in both size and responsibilities. The problem with marrying girls of same age group is that they are mature, smart and in every respect as successful as their male counterparts. Hence it leaves a doubt on who will wear the pants in the marriage. And if by any chance the girl is in any way stronger than the guy professionally (read salary) that's the end of it all.

So lets take a realistic example and get to the RCA (root cause analysis) of this issue in question. The scenario is such that as soon as I reach the ripe old age of 23 (that’s my current age) my parents  relatives, neighbours and every distant persons starts fretting over my single status and leave no stone unturned to find a suitable guy for me. Now the interesting part is that all the candidates for my husband-to-be will be atleast 3-4 years older than me, because guys my age are busy setting down and taking time to built career.  Well, my career and choice do not matter as long I cut a pretty picture for the matrimonial sale. Now if by chance I rebel all this and refuse to be victimised I will again be standing at crossroads when after 4 years with 28 years of wisdom I will be an old meat in the matrimony market. Guys older to me will already be happily married and guys my age will be busy looking for the 22 & 23 years old.

So where does that leave me and thousands of girls whose aspirations and dreams get sacrificed because of this mad scenario. This whole thing has led to the SMS Syndrome thing. I refuse and detest being associated with a man who chooses to be with dimwits to boost his ego. Wouldn’t an ideal marriage be one in which two individuals are equal, where the guy respects not commands. Where decisions are taken together (we are not talking about “what-to-cook-for-dinner” type decisions here). And a world which does not ridicule and call names like sissy to the man who happens to love and respect his lady. *Sigh* So much for equally and some respect. I somehow feel that it will take another century to change the scenario we are living in.

I will end the post with some more disheartening quotes.

“If men could see us as we really are, they would be a little amazed; but the cleverest, the acutest men are often under an illusion about women: they do not read them in a true light: they misapprehend them, both for good and evil: their good woman is a queer thing, half doll, half angel; their bad woman almost always a fiend.”

Charlotte Brontë, Shirley

“A wife should always be few feet behind her husband. If he is an MA you should be a BA.If he is 5'4'tall you shouldn't be more than 5'3'tall. If he is earning five hundred rupees you should never earn more than four hundred and ninety nine rupees.That's the only rule to follow if you want a happy marriage...No partnership can ever be equal.It will always be unequal, but take care it is unequal in favor of the husband. If the scales tilt in your favor, God help you, both of you.”

Shashi Deshpande

Animal Unleashed

“Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves? Of course. But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped. Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because someone raped them.”

 Jessica Valenti, The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women

Since the last few days my mind has been pre-occupied with the dark and gory crimes I seem to be reading everywhere. Few days back I read this article a friend had shared on facebook. It highlighted the plight of young Muslim girls’ victim to molestation by none other than their Quran teacher. When confronted the teacher called the poor girls "possessed by some demon" which further elevated their agony by hands of their parents.

Another story I read was of an uncle promising young school girls easy money and dragging them into sex trade. The uncle took counselling sessions and explained to the girls that what he wanted them to do was nothing but a game by means to which they will always earn. The children vulnerable at this age and in a condition to withstand the peer pressure are an easy prey and easily surrender to these type of demands.

The hattrick to this was the story of gruesome murder of Pallavi (a lawyer) by her guard. What is happening in the world around us? If you can't even sleep peacefully at your own home, then where else can you feel safe? The situation of living on a sharing basis does not allow you to lock the doors before you sleep. People will come at different times and it is not possible to keep ringing the bell and expecting someone to open it. So where does that leave people like us? I am startled by thinking of so many times I and my flatmates have slept without locking the door. The thought of what all could have happened gives me Goosebumps.

The shocking death of Pallavi has sent panic waves not just in Mumbai but across the whole country. Mumbai is supposed to be the safest city for women. Girls can roam on the streets of Mumbai as late as midnight. I have on many occasions travelled alone and with friends in wee hours of night without thinking twice. But now I will surely stop and think twice before taking any such step. The feeling of being vulnerable is not at all a good one. The fact that even though you are independent you still need a man by your side for your safety. The feeling of helplessness when someone touches you in an obscene way in a crowded place and you can't do a thing about it.

 Believe me I have also tried the other way and fell straight on my face. Once at a crowded station I made the mistake of shouting at a man who happened to grope me from behind. After a few unpleasant exchanges, the man came straight to abuses. Now while I may exchange some hardcore cuss words playfully with my buddies sometimes, I am not a public abuser. Hence I could do nothing but stare blankly at my well armed opponent. The best way to dodge an accusation from a girl - start shouting loud and obscene abuses.

I don't even want to get into the what-did-the-other-people-standing-there-do part. The spectators will always to what they have to. Watch with no participation, active or otherwise. I am sure that there is not even a single girl in India who has not been touched in an obscene way atleast once in her lifetime. And please it has got nothing to do with the way we dress and attract attention. I have a few questions for people who seem to think so. What makes you think that a girl will dress while thinking "Yes, let me wear that and get raped" or "Yea, this one is good to get raped". Also if we are dressing provocatively, does that automatically give you licence to rape? If that is the case the crime rate against women should be the highest in those exotic foreign locale beaches where women freely roam around wearing bikinis. I am not promoting provocative dressing here but all I am saying is that in a democratic country, a person should atleast be free to choose and wear the clothes that they want to. When men do not think twice before stepping out freely in boxers or proudly decorating the public walls with their urine why should a woman think about the whole society while doing a simple activity of choosing her clothes?

This debate can go on forever but the bottom line is, what is the solution of all this? What is the solution of the fact that my parents are freaking the hell out since they heard about the Pallvi case. What is the solution of their and thousand other parents’ anxiety who constantly worry about their daughters safety. Why doesn't a person fear the consequences of an act as gruesome as this? If it would have been upon me I would call for a capital punishment for this heinous crime (no I am not inspired by Gangs of Wasseypur).

While reading various links on this very topic I came across N number of reasons a person would commit the crime of raping. They ranged from anger to power and from revenge to sadistic pleasure. I was surprised to see that Lust did not feature in this list even though it is perceived to be one of the strongest reasons behind rape

The theory that really stuck with me was that still in some societies women are perceived as mere objects of pleasure. It is usually that the people from this background cannot stand women being successful and outgoing. Interesting stuff. So after 65 years of Independence and with all the big talk of women empowerment we come plunging back to history where women has no respect, no rights and no safety.

The Kashmiri in Me – Part 3

By now you all must be well aware of the fact that I am a lot into cooking at this stage of my life than I was, well any other time before. Anyways so after my usual cooking escapades which by the way can be found here and here I have now officially ventured into the Kashmiri style of cooking.

I was always somehow very apprehensive about venturing into this department, I felt intimidated by the pressure. Being a kashmiri, my kashmiri cooking should be impeccable right? Anyhow my very small dip into this huge sea has managed to raise my confidence level and culinary skill to a very decent level. The best thing about authentic Kashmiri cooking is that it requires no onion no tomatoes no garlic or ginger, just the stuff, a dash of Kashmiri spices and you are good to go!

So my tryst with kashmiri cooking has been for the following three dishes:

1. Roganjosh (Red Mutton) : This dish was brought to Kashmir by Mughals. The dish is very easy to make and heavenly in taste. I will share the simple recipe of preparing. Please note that this is not the authentic recipe of the dish. The authentic dish involves the use of a lot many spices and secret ingredients!

Heat some oil in a pressure cooker. Once the oil is sufficiently hot add some cumin seeds and let them flutter. Then add the mutton pieces and fry them until light brownish in color. Now add some Kashmiri red chilli powder, souf powder and ginger (sonth) powder. Mix it properly and let is cook on medium flame for about 3,4 minutes. Now add about half a cup of water so that all pieces of mutton are sufficiently covered. Now cover the lid and let it cook until two whistles (depends on the meat in question and how you like to eat it: soft or hard!) . The end product should look something like the picture shows below:

This is nothing compared to what it looks like when my mother makes it!

2. Masch (Minced Mutton Keema) : These are delicious koftas prepared from the minced mutton. The layman recipe can be found below:

To the minced mutton, add some  Kashmiri red chilli powder, souf powder and ginger (sonth) powder, roasted cumin and some oil. Mix all the ingredients well and form small round balls which should look somewhat like the picture below:

Once the balls are made keep them aside and in a vessel heat some oil and add little of all the masalas. Do not overheat the oil or the masalas will burn out (like they did for me the first time I tried making it!). Add water to this mixture and slowly add the mutton balls into it taking care not to break them. Cook until the oil starts to separate out and the gravy appears to be thicker.

Both are dishes (Roganjosh & Masch) are savored best with plain white rice:

3. Gogji (Turnips) : Turnips are one of the majorly used vegetables in kashmiri cuisine. They are made as it is, with meat, with lotus stems, with kidney beans and the list is endless. I made my turnips as it. Eaten with curd and curd, this is the simplest and best-est meal ever!

Peel and cut the turnips into thin slices. Heat some oil in a pressure cooker and add some cumin. Now add the sliced turnips and fry until a little brown. Add salt and ginger (sonth) powder. Now add some water so that it covers up the the turnips. Give 2-3 whistles and you are good to go.

Would love to hear about our experiments/experiences with the Kashmiri Cuisine. 

p.s The part 1 & part 2 of this post can be seen here and here

Single & Footloose

There is something so liberating about being on your own. Just imagine no unwanted questions no tiresome explanation. You act and face the repercussions. Fair and square. Right?

There are many other benefits of being on your own. Well, you can cook whatever you want to and most importantly eat it the way you want and not care about what others think. You can wear whatever you want to : shorts, skirts, toothpaste stained clothes, the options are endless. The best thing according to me is taking decision at the spur of the moment. No one to stop while you indulge yourself in extravagant shoes or want to take a mindless trip somewhere far off.

I recently was in a situation which allowed me to be a little crazy, a little careless and a little foolish. This Saturday I was feeling more lazy than usual. After a lazy brunch, surfing internet and just about the enter the sleep mode I suddenly had an idea. What not watch Cocktail?

The movie was planned with my roomies and ex roomies for next week. But WTH I was bored and not-so-sleepy. So I started checked show timings at 2:45PM. The next closest show was at 3:20PM, I challenged myself to make it on time, so I ran and grabbed my black jeans and some random top, plastered my unruly hair with a hair band and off I went. Fought for an autorickshaw and reached the star cinema in the vicinity of my place at 3:05PM *WOW*. Only to find a long, well queue. I would still have made but damn houseful at 3:20PM show.

In my excitement to catch the movie, I totally forgot to stop and think that if I do not make it to the 3:20Pm show, I will go mad because the next show was only at 4:30PM. Well as they say whatever happens, happens for good! Never mind 3:20Pm, I took the tickets for 4:30PM. So what if I have to kill 1 hour alone...huh Big deal! One can always indulge in some window shopping and to my good luck the multiplex is right there in a mall.

This window shopping actually cost me close to 1500 bucks, but then who's complaining? I had fun (and additions to my wardrobe) and that is what matters the most. So after shopping with one medium popcorn and one small coke I entered the theatre premises. In case I forgot to mention it before, it was my first time of watching a movie alone. So I was a little uncomfortable sitting between a family and a couple. A little awkward: Yes but boring: No. I had a lot of fun all by myself. The movie was meh, if you must know. But the trip was awesome and I plan to do it more frequently! Why do you need company when you have YOU!

It’s fun being single and footloose in the city :-)

The Different Kinds of Readers

It’s been close to two years of blogging for me and it has been a wonderful fulfilling sort of an experience for me. I have come to know so many people from different backgrounds across borders. It is amazing to know that so many people across the world share your likings, love what you read and write so that you can read! Its a very unusual and a very special kind of a relationship which I hugely love and respect.

Blogging has also brought me face-to-face with different categories of readers. I mean it’s like there are three to four broad categories in which you can fill all your readers/commenter’s/followers. Just like each individual is different in nature, the reason for blogging for people can also be different. In fact there is a whole range of blogs out there.. name it and you got it:

Fashion Blogs - Check!
Food blogs - Check!
Poems - Check!
Romantic ones - Check!
Real estate - Check!
Art Blogs - Check!
Photo Blogs - Check!
MP3 and Video Blogs - Check!
Personal ones - Check!
Health Blogs   - Check! 
Educational Blogs   - Check! 
Music Blogs   - Check!  

The list as you see is very generic in nature. Each category will/can have sub categories as well. So in nutshell the whole scenario is wide spread and there is so much to read and write in this sphere. Over the years I have been noticing the comments on my blog/and others very closely. Suddenly today just like that out of the blue I started putting the different types of comments and their authors into various categories in my mind. The whole exercise was fun and even funny at some places, So I immediately opened up my word and decided to blog about this. Please read on to find the amusing categories:

The Genuine ones
These readers are mostly your oldest followers who eagerly wait for your post. They will make sure that they leave true and genuine comments behind. They are the reason you are still on blogging sphere. It is only because of these people that blogging is so fun. It like we have a whole new community out here. A different circle of friends and these people are an integral part of that circle. They will know a little bit of your personal life, likes and dislikes which makes them the most special readers.

The you-read-mine-so-I-have-to-read-yours ones
These readers will read and comment on your blog only because you do the same. You miss one post of theirs and they will do the same. The relationship with them is strictly business. Give and take. The information they know about you is strictly restricted to your online name and the name of your blog. There is no possibility for any kind of personal contact or touch with these readers

The I-am-reading-yours-so-you-better-read-mine ones
These readers are basically the reverse of the previous category. They will comment on your blog only because they want you to do the same. So they will watch you closely, if you respond well the relationship (read: business transaction) continues smoothly. However if they notice that while they are commenting and you are not reverting back, well you can pretty much expect them to stop commenting and reading your posts.

The-I-follow-you-you-follow-me ones
I can bet this that every blogger has received (or commented) a comment of this nature sometime or the other. This we all know is entirely for the purpose of increasing one's followers. I personally have nothing against such comments that’s because I have been there done that. Initial days of blogging are very critical. A correct way of starting will take you very far. Followers will increase your confidence and boost up your enthusiasm to a great extend. So if you look at it this way (the way I choose to see it) you may not find this type of comments irritating or unwanted!

The-silent-admirers
They are the mysterious readers who leave behind no clue of their existence. You can track their locations via different widgets but there contact details are still unclosed. The silent stalkers you have to agree are the most special types of readers, right? 

This post is a result of my hard-work and great observing skills. I am sure many, most or maybe all of you will agree and smile at this post of mine :)

Do share your own experiences and categories if any! I will be eagerly waiting hear to hear from y'all!

Love:

SEPO

Vada-Pav: The Poor Man's Burger

Mumbai is synonymous with Vada Pav. Its importance here is less as a snack and more like a delicacy. People here swear by the Vada Pav. It is easily available in every nook and corner of the city. It is not an unusual site to spot people parking their Mercedes and BMWs to enjoy Vada Pav's and chai on the roadside stall. It is poor man’s paradise as well. Priced at a meagre 6 rupees, it is an easily affordable meal for the hand to mouth people.

 I had heard a lot about Vada Pav via TV, friends, movies etc before coming to Mumbai. So I was really excited about trying Vada Pav when I first came to Mumbai. And then one fine day I tasted it. I know a lot of people will hate me for this but I did not find anything special about the Vada Pav. I mean I am definitely not saying it was bad but yea I have had better things. So this whole hullabaloo about the Vada Pav seems a tad bit overrated to me.

I have seen people crave and die for Vada Pav and the whole madness just escapes me. I mean isn’t it just potato in the bread? Maybe this is something I will never manage to understand. Meanwhile day by day I cross paths with at least one person who is mad over Vada Pav’s. Someone who can eat one Vada Pav for breakfast and two each for lunch and dinner. Continuously day by day! Sheer madness I tell you...!

I dedicate this post to all the Vada Pav fans out there!

The Cooking Escapades - Part 2

Well, contrary to what you think, I do not only write movie reviews! My last two posts have been of movie reviews and I was desperately trying and thinking hard of blogging about something totally different and distinct. So here I am with a post about something that is the third best thing I love doing ~ Cooking!

If you have been following my blog for long you will be aware that my food related posts are not-so-visually-appealing, because of the not-so-good camera and not-so-good utensils and not-so-pretty backgrounds. Well, in a PG with 7 different types of girls, what else would you expect? Anyhow moving on...

Those are mixed veges, please don't miss the endearing and alike shapes of the potatoes and beans :)

This is my favorite egg curry, boiling away to glory (in my tummy)!

A close-up of the mouth watering egg curry!

That would be masala aaloo baingan ( Spicy Potatoes and Brinjal)

Yep, thats Chicken! Very very yummy it was...

My mouth just filled up with a lot of saliva after looking at this pic!

That was an experiment which was very successful! Presenting  Spinach  Corn  Potato salad!

Kashmiri Spinach with dried red chillies

Thats aaloo baingan chowka, I learned to make from my Orissi Roomie

Sweet Corn :)

Vegetable Pulav ~ The rice is hidden behind all the vegetables !

Good old vegetable maggie with my Mom's homemade carrot pickle!

Mixed Vegetables cooked today , I mean like just now!

The close of the just now cooked vegetables :)

I know the post sounded a bit too narcissistic but I feel really happy when I cook. And I feel all the more happy and excited when I see pics of my cooking results. So please don't mind the over-enthusiasm reflected in each caption!

Lots of Love:

SEPO

Movie Review : Ishaqzade

First things first, watch this movie strictly for the awesome performance by the lead actors (Parineeti especially gets a few extra points). The chemistry between the actors is fire crackling, their energies and passion is highly infectious and will definitely keep the adrenaline pumping throughout the movie. Arjun Kapoor makes an impressive debut with this movie.

The story of the movie holds nothing new and nothing special. It’s a same old same old sort of a movie involving family rivalry and hate. The kids of the families fall in love and how it turns against them and how they choose to protect it is basically what the movie is all about.

The music of the movie is highly refreshing. Main pareshaan is already topping the charts and on repeat mode in my cell! The title track is kinda groovy too. However the items songs picturised on Gauhar Khan are a huge disappointment. But Gauhar’s sexy moves and patli kamaar more than makes up for it. The girl should be cast in more movies.

So winding up, the movie deserves to be watched at least once. My rating 3.5/5

Movie Review – Jannat 2

I was definitely not looking forward for this movie. In fact I was not even aware that it is going to release this weekend.  So in short Jannat 2 just happened and it was not that bad an experience. The movie is nowhere in continuation with its Part first but yes the story in somewhat similar. Small town guy with an uncanny talent, a love story, his contact with influential people which ultimately leads to his downfall.

The movie starts on a very good note with SD KKC (Sonu Delhi Kutti Kamini Cheez aka Emraan Hashmi) giving intro to the nature of his job. Emraan’s character is affable and endearing. Randeep Hooda plays a cop who wants to eradicate the supply of illegal arms. He is back after Sahib, Biwi aur Gangster with a superb piece of role and acting. His brooding past makes him protective of his informer/friend Emraan and his girlfriend Jhanvi (Eesha). Eesha ups the glamour quotient of the movie but she needs many classes in acting. The love story between the lead pair is extremely boring and predictable. There is no spark and no chemistry whatsoever.

The villain of the movie is menacing and good for his part. The guy who plays Emraan’s childhood friend is good too. The best of the movie according to me was Randeep Hooda. He is awesome throughout the movie. The movie captures the essence of Delhi to the fullest. The men in the movie have more expletives to utter than the dialogues! So be really for a lot of gallis throughout the movie. Some dialogues (especially Emraan’s and Randeep’s) are whistle-worthy. Music of the movie is hummable and decent. The movie overall is good and definitely worth a watch.

My rating – 3/5

Prescription Phobia

A Doctor is supposed to be a person you can trust your life on. The confidence and faith on a doctor is tremendous and extreme. It is one of the most unusual and pure relations in the world. One will blindly try and follow whatever the doctor will ask them to do.

But how correct or righteous is it? Is the blind faith we keep on our doctors a tad bit overrated? If you ask me I will definitely say YES!

There was a time when the means of communication and knowledge were limited. People did not have an easy access to good books, journals etc and hence the information horizon was extremely limited. In this scenario Doctor was considered to be someone equivalent to God. His word was power and his touch was magic. I have heard my parents’ recite the stories of Doctors, who with just a look at you would tell the symptoms as well as the details of the disease being faced by you. The medicine they gave would cure you in no time at all.


After the huge globalization, the Internet and Google the scenario has changed a lot.Today everyone considers themselves to be doctors by merely putting  symptoms on net and checking the solution.One good thing about this is that people are highly aware of their conditions and the fact that what exactly needs to be told to the doctor. In addition to this people also have an easy access to check the medications provided to them, their usage and side-effects; all can be known with just a click of few buttons.I am not saying that doctors have lost their worth and don't mean anything. I am totally aware of all those magical surgeries that happen all over the world. The hard work, that extra intelligence and that power is really commendable. I also understand that to the families of such people doctors are just like God or should I say angels in disguise.

But the bone I have to pick with doctors is strictly based on my personal experience. After I shifted to Mumbai (I write this line in every other post of mine now-a-days) I frequently started getting ill. Not that I did not fall ill before but yea before these troubles were taken care by my parents and not me. However here as I am responsible for every action of mine and falling sick is not as easy as it had been before.

So my visits to the doctors here have been nothing short of a trauma and tension. The general tendency of any doctor now-a-days is to hear the symptoms, jot down a long list of tests relevant (or irrelevant) and that is all. Rest of the information will be given after the reports are obtained. I mean “hello, did I just pay Rs 500 to get all these tests done”? “Couldn’t I just do it myself and know what I am suffering from?” Not to mention the extra cost to be incurred for all these tests.

I have not been able to build any sort of a relationship with any of the numerous doctors I have visited here. I have to trust the doctor in order to respond to his medications (yes I am that weird). I strongly feel that the amount of trust I have on a doctor is directly proportional to the speed with which I recover. Also I have a habit of giving a detailed description of the symptoms and the problems that I face and I hate it when the doctors nod their head impatiently over the vivid and clear picture that I present. Now I will present1` before you a list of varied and different types of doctors that I have met in the past 1 year:

1. The Impatient one - This one lady doctor that I have visited more than twice. She has already written the prescription while I am still narrating my symptoms. In-between she will interrupt me to ask my name and age to fill in the prescription. I end up feel so incomplete and hurt. I mean isn't it really bad to interrupt someone while they are talking? And not just some random talking but conveying important information to you! So this is like something I really don't approve off and that one quality that I never expect to be in my Doctor.

2. The Come-Hither one - This is the one Doctor that I visited only once (for which I curse myself everyday). Now he had some serious doubts about this profession. I strongly feel that the animal inside him thought that he can pretend to be a doctor and take advantage of the situation which presents him to be alone with a only-lonely girl visiting him. So to check my breathing he took his own sweet time. And his hands refused to be removed from my stomach where he was apparently checking my digestion! This was one of the ugliest moments of my life and I am dead sure that this has happened with at least 90 % of the girls out there.

Girls, next time whenever a doctor tried checking your breathing by putting his stethoscope on your chest, just interrupt him and tell him to check your breathing from your back. As per the information that I have received Doctors can check our breathing perfectly from the back and are even encouraged to practice this for Girl patients.

3. The One-Medicine one - This was one strange doctor who insisted on giving his own medicines. Ok! So far so good. But then I noticed that a woman in my PG suffering from Epilepsy popping the same Green Pills he had given to be for headache and nausea. Now I know that Homeopathy medicines are the same for all but he was not a Homeopathic Doctor. He was a Physician (or so the board on his clinic said). Needless to say, his green pills freaked the hell out of me and that was the last I saw of him.

4. The Over-Smart one - This one doctor I visited for severe shoulder pain. So the prescription consisted of all the tests I had ever heard (and unheard) off. Ultrasound, ESR, X-Rays, Blood Test, Urine Test and what not! Apart from that a few medicines. When I tried to probe him with some information about the medicines all I got in reply was "Painkillers". Okay, painkillers, fine. After going home I randomly checked the medicines on Google and my-oh-my! Mr Smarty Pants together with painkillers was feeding me Anti Depressants and Tranquiller. I mean hello? Not where did that come from? Still I did not lose faith in him, I immediately consulted my family doctor, who by the way freaked out the moment I mentioned the names of the medicine. That was the last time I saw Mr Smarty Pants and his anti depressants.

These different varieties of doctors have shaken by belief so hard that it is really hard to fall sick now. What I have decided to do is, accumulate my diseases, go home to Jammu and consult my family doctor and be relieved of this tension and trauma.

The Big Fat Indian Wedding

It had been months since I had wanted to go to a wedding. Enjoy the bright colors, the grandeur, food and the mere excitement involved in figuring out what to wear. I had been dying out to experience all these emotions involved in attending a wedding and not forget the free food! It is such an astonishing fact that we make such a big thing out of weddings, even if they are of a random acquaintance or even an old neighbor. Ladies will start planning for it weeks and months before. Frequent visits to beauty parlors days before the wedding are no strange scenario. Isn’t it amazing that we spend so much time, money, energy and thought over someone else’s wedding, when we know that we are not going to be the centre of attraction there. But I guess the whole ideology in India is such that everyone expects you to be dressed in nines when attending a wedding. Otherwise it would just be a scandal and a hot topic of gossip-y-discussion on the wedding.

There was a time I hated going to the weddings. Wearing that false forced smile plastered on your face. Random people hugging, kissing you and swearing to be your aunties and uncles. And finally when you brace yourself to get the food, the video camera guy suddenly decides to pop up and focus on your plate. All these reasons mounted together and I and my sister refused to attend any random weddings. So life was fun attending just close weddings.

After I left my home and shifted to Mumbai, I began craving the strangest things. I longed to eat the food I hated when I stayed at home and since the last few months I have badly wanted to go to a wedding. I actually missed the loud and over the top fun. So you can imagine it very well how I must have felt when I came to know that I am supposed to attend a wedding that too here in Mumbai and wait for the best part…. My relatives would be joining me for the wedding here in Mumbai. WoW … Right?

So I attended the wedding and it was like soooo relieving and such a nice break from my well, boring life! A farmhouse was booked in the outskirts of Goregoan Mumbai where are the wedding guests stayed and had lots and lots of fun. The days were filled with lots of gossips, fun and Kashmiri food. The nights were filled with some more fun and loud foot tapping Kashmiri music. Exactly what I needed. The wedding was awesome and the food was great. The opportunity to dust off my vanity was also a very welcome change. By now I am sure you guys are dying to see what I wore for the wedding, so here’s a glimpse.  

I kept my make-up , outfit and accessories all very subtle and simple. It was a day wedding and anyhow I don't really like the loud outfits!

Do let me know your views on weddings and stuff

Love:

SEPO

The North, South and the West of it

Deny it as much as you want but it exists. The divide between the North and the South. North Indians feel they are the best, South Indians feel they are the best and the fight goes on. Over the years being a North Indian I too had developed a few misconceptions about the South side of the country. Some are them turned out to be really true, some funny, some lame and others just plain dumb! I am writing a few of them below, they are really good for laughs:

1. Telugu, Tamil, kanada, Malayalam... I always thought it is all the same.
2. South Indians are sincere and hardworking people.
3. South Indians are pure vegetarians and eat food cooked in coconut oil only.
4. South Indian girls always dress modestly.
5. South Indians are generally more studious.
6. They hate North Indians.
7. All south Indians have curly hair.
8. Crime rate in south is almost nil.

I know I am not alone amongst the North Indians in thinking so. There will be many others who feel just the same. In fact the south Indians would have a similar kind of a list for us North Indians as well!This post sprouted in my mind because of a recent development in the PG I lived in. We are a mix of cultures here, with people from J&K, Orissa, Bhopal, Lucknow, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Quite a mix isn’t it? The difference in states and culture was never an issue between us (though it still isn’t, to some extend). After a new girl came from Andhra we suddenly noticed a great change that took place in the PG. All of a sudden we were unknowingly divided into two groups. Yes you guessed it right ~ North & South!

I considered this fight between North and South like that of Girls Vs Boys, which is sweet, adorable and entertaining! Little did I know that what I thought to be superficial was something so deep and serious. I have a habit of generally googling about the topics I intend to write. So while surfing I came across this very awesome blog (http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2010/12/the-indian-north-south-divide/). The blog post was somewhat similar in lines to what I was planning to write. So far so good. But what caught my attention was the comments on this particular post. If you go through this post of the blog, you will see the hatred and revulsion reflected by people for each other. Reading this spoilt my mood big time. Even in this age people in India are not one. The caste, culture and creed still come inbetween the country’s progress.


Does it really exist or am I blowing things out of proportion?

The Cooking Escapades

Recently I have been hooked onto the food blogs. You should try searching for them some time. They are informative, provide you a sufficient amount of visual pleasure and are a great source of time-pass. Exactly a year back I knew nothing about cooking, all I could cook was Maggie Noodles. However today I can proudly say that I can cook anything (not sure about the results, but I ain't afraid to try). This confidence does count for something right?

I get really happy feeding people and receiving compliments for my cooking! So coming to the post, all the food blogs inspired me so much so that I decided to try something of a similar nature on my blog. Now as I am an amateur and can't really do a proper post on food. So for starters I ll just let the pictures do all the talking :-)

Don't expect grandeur in the pics, the utensils are limited and the time is always tight! So there is no garnishing and no fancy china..! But decent comments are still expected.:P

                  1. The first three pictures are of matar-paneer in various stages of cooking

2. I am no more a lazy bum. I get up and make myself some salad :)

3. My two favorites - matar aaloo and desi french fries!

4. My fifth attempt at making zeera-rice, which came out very well by the way!

5. Maharashtrain style aaloo curry

6. Spicy black channas

7. My (not so good) attempt at making Tom yum soup

8. Amid all those dishes, good old maggie shouldn't be left out right?

9. That was an incredible fruit salad!

Things to Love About Summers

I am writing this post more for myself, just to tell myself that summers can be good. They are fun if you have the right attitude and spirit. This time I seem to have no patience for summers. I terribly miss my bedroom at home (more importantly the Air Conditioner in it). The room I currently stay in is equipped with a fan with has been designed to produce more noise than air. Well, Bombay nights are cooler but the moment you dare to open the windows, a swarming army of mosquitoes will be ready to attack. I can’t begin to explain how I hate that buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz noise the mosquitoes make in your ear when you are dead asleep.

 So this whole summery thing has made me so very cranky that I decided that it’s the right time to sit back and make a list of all the bright things.  It will really help me cope up with summers for the next 3-4 months. So please feel free to add-on to the list below:

• One can enjoy all the cool fancy icy drinks like mojito's, ice tea's and frappe's. Agreed you can do it in other seasons as well but in summers it something else.

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•   Longer days mean you get to roam more. Yay for that.
•  Summers mean time to get out those strappy’s and with them your floaters, thongs and tie-ups!  Time for Mangos, Cherries and juicy watermelons. Now what can beat that?
•  Summer time means shorts, sleeveless tees, skirts and scarfs. I must say a really good time to flaunt your style!

•  I may never actually see them but summer mornings are kinda beautiful.
•            Time to flaunt those big framed colored glares.
•       Clothes dry in a jiffy! Now don’t go on to say that this point is stupid. Come to Mumbai in monsoons and you will know. I don’t want to go into the story of how last rainy season I got fungus on my clothes!

•  Summer time is a good excuse to eat more ice-cream.
• Summer time means tied up hair and tied up hair means colourful bands, clips and sexy headgears!

•   Coming to think of it, the bright sunshine is not necessarily bad to look at!
•   Also time to take vacations and chill!

Wow, 12 things to enjoy and look forward to! Not at all bad, wish you all  happy summers. Now I am gonna go grab an ice-cream.