Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Many a times in life you want to thank God for the great family and friends that are around you. Those people who have loved you, cared for you, motivated you and inspired you many many times in your everday life. Today I want to write about the people who have influenced me all this while. Those with whom I have felt immensely joyful and am also grateful for changing my life in a way.
I want to start with my Dada Ji. DadaJi is my inspiration. He is a person full of enthusiasm and positive energy. If you ever meet him you are sure to fall in love with him before the end of your conversation. All the good adjectives that I can think of, can be used for him. He is caring, polite, intelligent, humble, graceful, bright and an thorough gentleman. I was lucky enough when I got an opportunity to stay in his house for almost two years and I can surely say that those were amongst the best days of my life. I cannot tell much about DadaJi without mentioning Dadi. Dadi is my darling. She is the one who has been incremental in the success of Dadaji.
It looks like it was just yesterday when I got up in the morning to find a cup of hot eat waiting for me at the center table.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

India Calling - Happy days are here again :)

It's less than week now for me to leave for India. I had been planning this trip for months now. Just as all the girls I too am very excited to go to my parent's place first time after marriage. I came to USA in May last year and since then I was waiting to visit my country & be with my parents and siblings once again even if it be for a few weeks. At last the time has come. I will be staying in India for an entire month. My dad and brother will receive me at the Delhi airport and I shall stay at my grandparents place for a day before heading to Lucknow to meet my mom and sister. My sister is getting engaged in March and so its a double joy for me.

There are so many things to do in Lucknow that I cannot even think of right now. My first priority will be to spend time with my family. My sister's engagement is would be another fun activity where I will be able to meet most of my cousins and relatives. Oh My God! I can recall the days when during my summer vacations the house would be full of people, all cousins and relatives would come in to spend their holidays. As children we enjoyed those days. The nostalgia makes me feel happy and sad both at the same time. Happy for the good times we spent and sad because I miss those times.. but right not I am just too excited in the hope of spending my days in the same old fashion.

FOOD.. oh the Chinese.. my favorite... I'll be hogging all the while I am in India. I miss the chaat thelas and spicy Chinese, the crispy paper dosa and chola bhaturas. The momo stalls on road sides. Par Ma ke hath ka khana alag hi hota... I am desperately waiting to eat the baigan ka bharta, gobi aloo ki sabzi, aaloo ke parathe, kadhi made by my Mom. Shashi toast made by my Bua is the best in the world, Gujrati kadhi made by Dolly didi and Manchurian made by Lata Aunty .. ohh I cant tell how good it tastes.. I am sure she has a secret recipe.

Shopping in Delhi. I love it. I have spent 3 golden years of my lifetime in Delhi. I had enjoyed myself to the hilt while I was in Delhi.. from the rash DTC buses to the Radisson hotel , I have fond memories of Delhi. the time when you are earning and you don't have any responsibilities is the best time of your life. Every weekend I would go to either Sarojini nagar or lajpat nagar , CP or Atta market in noida. from stuffs from the footpath to expensive brands from the Malls it was all fun. Just plain window shopping was exhilarating too.

This time I have a small list in my mind about the things I need to buy from Delhi. Definitely I will buy clothes. Suit pieces from Shankar market, ethnic handicraft from dilli haat, Junk jewelery from Lajpat nagar, T-shirts from Sarojini nagar, list is never ending....

Oh Yes How can I miss my passion.. my painting classes.. Kotwal Aunty is the best painting teacher in the world. I don't know how I will manage but I am definitely planning to complete 3 paintings in this visit to take back with me to US.

I am planning to spend a considerable amount of time with my friends... revive some old memories , discuss our present lives and plan for future. Thats what I will be doing with my friends. Amna and Mandakini are my best friends and I have missed them so much since I came here. The times when we would sit all day in each other's house chatting away to glory from morning to evening. Time flies like a bird. We would talk about all the things in the world.

Oh well how can I forget about the new additions in our family. Dolly Di's and Agam Bhaiya's cute sons and Dumpy's beautiful Pooja. I am waiting anxiously to meet them.

So that's my story for today. Thank You all for reading my post. Please pray that my this trip to India turns out to be a wonderful one.

Friday, December 12, 2008

A Butterfly Story

A man found the cocoon of a butterfly.One day a small opening appeared.He sat and watched the butterfly for several hoursas it struggled to force its bodythrough that little hole.Then it seemed to stop making any progress.It appeared as if it had gotten as faras it could and could go no further.
So the man decided to help the butterfly.He took a pair of scissors andsnipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.The butterfly then emerged easily.But it had a swollen bodyand small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterflybecause he expected that, at any moment,the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to supportthe body, which would contract in time.Neither happened!In fact, the butterfly spentthe rest of its life crawling aroundwith a swollen body and shriveled wings.It never was able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and hastedid not understand wasthat the restricting cocoon andthe struggle required for the butterflyto get through the tiny openingwere God's way of forcing fluidfrom the body of the butterfly into its wingsso that it would be ready for flightonce it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactlywhat we need in our life.If God allowed us to go through our lifewithout any obstacles,it would cripple us.We would not be as strongas we could have been.And we could never fly.So have a nice day...and struggle a little.