TREASURED MOMENTS/S'PORE SUMMER 2010

People spend their whole lives,running after big things,when its the little things in life, that are important,and make a huge difference.I go for those little moments,or incidents,which fill my heart,and are a constant source of pleasure,carefully stored inside,and my personal wealth."For gold is cold,and lifeless,it can neither see,nor hear,And in the time of trouble,it is powerless to cheer!"And its the little persons in my life,who have filled it ,to the brim,with untold happiness,and made my life a very exciting,and joyful adventure.
Noyonika, who is twelve,loves sweets,and from the time I have arrived,has been after me,to make the ones she loves.And this morning,I prepared her favourite rangaloor puli,to give her a surprise,after she got up.And indeed she was.Her excitement knew no bounds,and she wore a big smile,as she savoured the inviting smell of what she had been waiting for.That she would have them for breakfast,made her day,and she was ready with her plate and spoon, to dig in.There was a box of sweets lying in front of her,from one of the reputed shops of S'Pore.She pushed it aside with a big smile and said,"Who wants you now,when the real thing is before me!"and took her first bite of the warm,juicy, pulis.And that moment will always be a very special memory for me,a priceless gift,from a very special person.Because children are very innocent,and spontaneous,and do not hesitate to say things as they are.An adult would not have reacted in this way, and even if a compliment is due,will be guarded about it.But she put her heart out,because her happiness knew no bounds,and gave me, a Kodak moment.Cooking is my passion,but its moments like these,that are truly prized,and make all my efforts worth it.My kitchen is my most favourite place, in the whole, wide world,but its little incidents like these,that add to its joy.
Another day,she and I, were gallivanting in the mall,as we often do,and when we came out we saw, it had been raining.Being a water sign,I love the rain,and happily said, that since we live across the road,it didn't matter.But she immediately held my hand tightly, and said,"Don't worry,I won't let you fall!"Believe me,it was one of the the most touching moments of my life,that too from a little child.And after that,she has told me, innumerable times,that she,and her cousins, Ayon,and Aryik,(my grandsons) will always look after me!Is there anything else that can be more precious than this?Not to me,and I wish adults took some lessons from children, on how to be caring,and kind.They could change the world,and reduce the tremendous disrespect,neglect,and abuse, faced by the elderly,in society today.But I am very thankful to God,for these "little" joys in my life,who make a "HUGE" difference,and play a very impressive,and indelible role in my life.

CELEBRATING THE JOY OF LIVING

I have just returned from an almost month long trip to Delhi,which was a wonderful experience, every moment of each day.Wherever I went, I was received with so much love,warmth,affection,and care,and each and every person went out of their way,to make me comfortable.And that was really touching.Because these are what I value most of all,and treasure. I think,most people spend all their time, pursuing things that really do not matter,and forget to go for those that are important.But I only look for love and respect,and wherever I get these, I am totally fulfilled,and happy.The joyful faces of all those I visited,and the fun that filled every moment of our time,made it a very memorable trip.
I am Delhi girl,born,brought up,educated,and married in Delhi,and have very lovely memories of my life there.My school days, which were indeed the best, not at all the tension- filled,constant competition it is today.We had so much fun, and learning was never a bother,or problem.And with school, I was learning kathak dance at the now very famous Sangeet Bharathi,my teacher being non other than the doyen Achchan Maharaj,father of the renowned Birju Maharaj.Life was full of friends,varied activities,with a lot of discipline instilled,at home,and at school,and we were a very happy bunch of people.
Out of the blue, one fine day, I got married,arranged by my parents. We 'saw' each other just once,for about 5 mins.and then met after marriage.Can anyone today even imagine the situation?But we went on to live a beautiful marriage, full of happiness,constant smiles,loaded with fun,and most of all,we never finished talking,or laughing.We were best friends, very dear companions,and didn't ever need anyone else to complete our joy.Togetherness was our bond,from beginning right to the end.We wove love into whatever we did,and that became the fabric of our life.
My son's got married to Delhi girls,and my friendship increased.More Delhi people were added to my list,making every trip merrier.And although I have now lived away from Delhi for close to 50 years, I love going back,mainly because of the memories that are embedded in my mind.This time though, I found total chaos everywhere in Delhi.Because of the Commonwealth Games in Oct 2010, the whole city has been completely torn up,and new roads,beautification of all public building etc. have made daily life a huge problem. Commuting was horrible,and it took hours to go anywhere,and the dust and dirt truly unbearable.But did that stop me from doing anything?Certainly not,because everyone came forward to make my trip happy,and successful.And it was,in every way.
We went out together for movies,for chaat at my favourite Evergreen,which I have seen growing, from a small nondescript shed, to one of Delhi's most famous landmarks.Shopping at Dilli Haat, which is again a lovely experience,pouncing on Kababs from the famous Wengers,delicious Bengali sweets from Annapurna,and moghlai from C.R.Park.You name it,I've done it,and loved it all.And all those who joined me in every trip,played a major role in making my trip so happy,and memorable. Thank you guyz for being in my life,you presence made all the difference.

HOME,SWEET HOME----JAN.2010.

"No matter where in the world you may roam,there's never any place like home!"And indeed,thats very true.I have returned home, after an extensive 3-month trip to Buffalo, to be with my darling grandchildren,who made every moment a treasure.It was great fun,extremely enjoyable,and a tremendous learning experience.If one is alert,watchful,eager,and attentive, it is easy to learn so much, about so many aspects of life,and their expertise is amazing.They seem to know everything about everything,and are so cool,and comfortable handling situations,that I often wished I had their kind of exposure,and could handle things with their kind of ease.
I enjoyed the beauty of the seasons,and it was truly an amazing experience.The colours of fall are just beautiful,in various hues of bright red,copper,orange,yellow,and a great visual treat.The scenic beauty all around is wonderful,and I would go around with my camera,to hold them, in the data bank of my heart.This was followed by winter,which is very fierce there.Xmas,and New Year were fun,with Rima's beautiful Xmas tree, decorated,and loaded with gifts,the New Years eve party,after which,we got together at home, and ushered in 2010 with champagne.I loved it.
From now, till April,Buffalo will be completely covered in mountains of snow,dark from 4 PM,and very grey,most of the time, But inside, it was always warm,with the constant care,love,and affection which was always in abundance.I treasure every moment of my time,and will always cherish the lovely memories I carry.
But home is home,and although, leaving them,and coming away, is very agonising,it felt good to come back.This is my domain,created by me,in exactly the way I like,everything tailormade, just the way I want them.It is comfortable,very joyful,and a real happy place.It provides me with mental peace,smiles,and a peaceful sleep at night,all of which are very precious gifts of God.And I thank Him for that.Buffalo was very nice, thanks to my family,but this is my home, the best place in the world,where I am completely at peace with myself.

THIS IS MY DREAM

LIVE LIFE LIKE AN ADVENTURE

I have entered my 70th.yr. with a lot of fun,food,family,friendship,and wonderful gifts,making it memorable in every way.And usually, thats how b'days are celebrated.With a party,at home, or outside,plenty of food, and lots of fun with dear ones.Organising,arranging, planning, and preparing,all add to the fun,and the person celebrating, excitedly awaits whats in store,since there is a lot of secrecy involved.My parents always made this day very special for me,and the tradition has continued all through my life.First by my husband,who didn't know much about the "perfect gift", but we did go out together,and celebrate. Then my son's took over,followed by their wives, then the children,and thats how it continues.
This picture I have uploaded is wonderful, and something I would love to do,for my 70th.b'day.Its something I have been thinking about for a very long time,and would love to enjoy the moment.What an exciting, adventurous way to celebrate.I would choose a beautiful,bright balloon,then get in, and float away, alone in the sky,with myself,and my thoughts,and exhilarate in the joy of such a precious, priceless experience.From my vantage point, the world would appear so different,so beautiful,and I would be stocking up all those special moments in the data bank of my heart.Of course, a party, with family, friends, plenty of food, and loads of fun,is always welcome,but I love excitement, and adventure, so this would be great.
I think there should be some class,and quality to living,always looking forward to doing something special,which adds interest, and fun,and gives a zing to life.There is so much to do,so why not go ahead and indulge in something different,which will make it a memorable event?I live life like a constant celebration,and always look forward to doing something that will be extraordinary, and great fun.Thats A lovely thought, and looking forward to it, so exciting.

THE REASON BEHIND THANKSGIVING.

Thanksgiving is, necessarily, a festival celebrated in the US,and it is truly huge.If a person hasn't experienced it, it is difficult to describe, but definitely worth knowing.Since I am in the US right now, it is extremely interesting, educative,and informative,and every family is very particular,and involved, in celebrating it to the hilt.It is all about being thankful for having family,friends, PLENTY of food,and getting together to enjoy the love,fun,and merriment, that is the common bond, for which everyone comes together.Everything closes down after 5 PM, the day before Thanksgiving,and people get totally immersed in their personal celebrations.Children are happy to get a break from their skejules,and the festivity brings a very cheerful and smiling touch to the air.A most welcome chahge from the usual back-breaking, daily grind.

I am constantly reminded of the atmosphere in India,during the festival season,when all lof us Indians, are completely engrossed in enjoying each one,the planning,and preparing of which starts months in advance.Shopping for gifts,choosing the right one,planning the menu,guest list,who will wear what,and innumerable other aspects that are a part of any celebration.Even my maid, who is a sweet, elderly person,gives me full details ,of what she plans during the festivals,and is all smiles as she talks about it.And it is this feeling of joy,hope, and anticipation, that makes festivals special to one, and all.And Thanksgiving, in the US is really no different,only the methods are.
I am very interested in acquiring knowledge ,about the different facets of the culture of the places I visit,and am an active participant in the festivals here, whenever I visit.It is customary for families to get-together,either at the parents, or grandparents home,and apart from the joy of togetherness,it is the Thanksgiving lunch, that is the focal point of attraction,and what everyone looks forward to.The planning, preparation, and hard work, behind this lunch, cannot be described in words,but it is an exercise in itself.A huge roasted turkey is the main attraction,as also the accompaniments,and everyone joins in, to make it a family affair.Roast turkey, the stuffing, biscuits,mashed potatoes with brown gravy,coleslaw,cranberry relish,and dessert is usually the standard menu,with a few variations, from family to family.I had the greatest pleasure in witnessing my son Ashis, and grandsons,Ayon 16, and Aryik 13, actively participate in the preparations, each cook one dish,help in the setting of the festive table,and dress up for the special dinner.It was a GREAT experience,and we should all be thankful for whatever we have, cherish whatever comes our way, as God's blessings,and be thankful to Him for having each other,to care and share, and always be there.And throughout this beautiful day, I thanked God all the time, for my family, and friends, and all the joys He has given me.Enjoy the photos.

THE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL/OCT.2009

Hello out there to all of you, who visit my blog, and keep telling me, how much you enjoy reading my reports, about my life here, in the US.Its a lot of fun, made more so, because of my own attitude to life, and the way I look at things. But let me tell you about the pumpkin festival, going on everywhere in the US right now, to usher in Halloween, which falls on the 31st. of Oct.It is celebrated very widely, by everyone, specially children, who put on all kinds of scary costumes, go all over the neighbourhood, visiting every home,dressed in their scarriest, to collect the goodies, that are ready for them. And yes, since I am here, I will be joining my grandchildren in this adventure, and be a part of the celebration.It will be something I will greatly enjoy, since I love excitement, adventure, and most of all, to be with children.
We went to a pumpkin festival on Sunday,because pumpkins are carved, decorated, and displayed everywhere, for Halloween, and it was a wonderful experience for me.Travelling has always been a passion with me, and it has opened new vistas for me, at every step. But I didn't know that a pumpkin festival is so widely celebrated, is a great learning experience, and a wonderful sight to behold.It was freezing cold, and my hands were like blocks of ice, but I didn't stop at anything.I went all over the huge area, completely awe- struck at the display of pumpkins, in all shapes, and sizes, in so many different colours, and the excitement of the hordes of people, of all ages, picking out the pumpkins, that best suit their plans.
My 2yr. old grandson chose one for himself, a very small one, just like a ball, with his favourite cartoon characted painted on it, and decided to carry it, throughout.There were the prize winners, proudly displayed, huge pumpkins, weighing well over 50/60 kgs. or even more, a work of love by its owner.And then there were all kinds of rides to enjoy, and believe it, or not, this is the part I love most about a fair.The giant wheel, or the ferris wheel as it is known here, is my favourite, and I joined my little grandson on all these rides, and couldn't go on some, because they were meant only for little children, not for those who were mentally childlike.I also enjoyed cotton candy, a big ice-cream,(wow! It was freezing!), coffee with marshmallows, another first for me, and also bought a big fried onion, which looked like a lotus in bloom, because I wanted to photograph it, and show everyone at home.It was a lovely experience, thoroughly enjoyable,and very memorable.I will upload the photos for everyone to enjoy, and will be a beautiful memory of my wonderful experience.