A Letter from Paris

Couple of years back, I was in Europe for a few months of MBA & I still distinctly remember the travelling I did during my stay there. Lovely memories! Here is a letter that I wrote to some of my friends after returning from one such short trip to Paris. Stumbled upon this mail while searching for something and realized how much I love to travel and write about it. It brought a smile to my face and now it's edited albeit extended version :-P finds a little space on this blog. Going into a flashback -- Voila!...

Hello Everyone!!

How is everything at your end? It'd been a long time since I tested your reading stamina. That's how this marvellously long e-mail is here before you today. Now since you all are so many in number, I think I would basically (conveniently) talk just about myself  <lol>,  easier that way na......Arrey!....You all must tell me wassup at your side when we get to chat or talk.  Deal?  So here is an account of my weekend trip to Paris.

It was 6.30 am on the Belgian morning of 14th of October 2006, when Isabelle (the lady whose house I resided in Antwerp), left me at the bus stop. I was amazed with the punctuality of all my fellow travellers & the driver, through out the trip. Everyone stuck to time and that was great! 8'o clock meant 8 & not 8.01. The bus was driven so fast, yet it was such a smooth journey & it took us some 4 hours to reach Paris.(The point is that the roads weren't decorated with pot holes:-P) Amazing feeling to enter France! Our arrival was signalled by the appearance huge signboards, broader flyovers & all that jazz. Moreover, the radio (on my cell phone) switched its language to French & I tell you......I almost hate this language now, what with all the juon shion stuff. It is such an uncomfy way to speak. That deep nasal chatter is hard to listen to and I am sure it would take a lifetime of practice to perfect those 'hard-to-make' sounds that we call Francais. No pun intended but laughter's allowed people :-> ! The alphabet that needs to be stressed on, may not be written and that which is silent, seems like a prominent part of the word! Ok so moving on, the songs were in French too & therefore, it was confirmed we were in Frankenreich (lemme flaunt it a bit, that's France in Deutsch). Am I complicating matters? Not to worry, the rest of my mail is in English.

Achcha toh then we first went around the city, and reached the river Siene which is at the heart of it. Paris at first sight, reminded me of the Fort area in Bombay or Cannought Place in Delhi. I thought Paris was quite populated and that people broke rules pretty often and the Police failed to control the cars from driving at any side of the road at anytime. (I saw a WagonR there!!) Then the roads were full of autumn leaves and a bit of muck. That for sure made me feel India has an awesome chance. I had a memory flash of the stellar roads around India Gate and Rajpath in Delhi. That area is amazing to say the least. So coming back to the river Siene, we went for a boat-ride across the historic spots in the city, and it is then that all the stories about France, the heritage, renaissance architecture, expressionism in art and abundant opulence of lifestyle.......(deviating a bit here - I did see a beggar lurking on the side of the road) everything seemed to fall into place coz they have so much of history preserved in all those buildings which are architectural marvels - the Pantheon, La tour Eiffel, Notre Dame, the museums of paintings, the City Square which is hugeeeeeeeee,  the gardens, prisons, Champs Elysees ....the list goes on, but the boat ride didn't. It was absolutely worth it. I wish I had Russel Crowe or someone like that for company, but never mind that. One irritating thing was that, since we were on the boat, we couldn't go and touch those buildings and really 'be there', but could only admire the beauty from a distance. So close and yet so far!..... I did have a bout of romanticism right there, the setting was such. But how much can one ask for on a 2 day trip? It was well worth it anyway.......

Thereafter, we went to eat out. The 2 days that we were with the bus, they would take us to places & tell us the time when we had to get back. And each time, all of us, 15 travellers would be back on time...before time infact. I liked that understated sense of shared responsibility. The bus actually leaves you & goes if you are not there on time! We happened to stumble on a Mc Donald's restaurant and there we were, holding the tastiest fries in the world, inspecting them from every possible angle for their consistency. And there were just the same! Hats off to Uncle Donald. After that quick meal followed by window shopping at Printemps (which is a departmental store that seemed like a fabulous mall to me), we went to our hotel. It was cute, small but posh. Yours truly..."Her Highness' if you so insist, had a single room with all the amenities. There are some things that particularly catch my fancy for some vague reason wherever I go .....and those things are - tea & coffee sachets. Strictly between you and me .....'I innocently stole a few '....sparing the little bottles of cream and soap this time. Well you win some you lose some. 'Dariya mein se ek lota paani lena koi paap toh nahi hai......hehehe . You wont understand !....It just gives me a kick that's all.'

We also went to two churches - Notre Dame and Momatre. At the former, we took snaps at the centre point of the city and at the latter one we saw painters making portraits of people. Then we went to the 3rd tallest building in Europe- Montparnesse Tower, to get a bird's eye view of Paris. Oh! The lift went 56 floors in just a few seconds like a rocket. It was so cold and windy up there and we figured Paris might be even/much bigger than Delhi !!

The next thing on our agenda was to go on a bus ride to see the illuminated city. The Eiffel Tower has lasers that keep moving while beaming and they illuminate the city wonderfully. It's a great sight at night. The red light area there was so 'out there', right in the middle of the market and all brightened up with lights....just like the wine & beer shops in Goa at night...a lavish & unabashed display of the agenda. For sometime I left my batch mates alone, while I walked by myself in that market, feeling quite different, an independent 21st century girl and all, and making all sorts of plans for the future......thinking there is so much too see & experience in life ...so many places to go to | people to meet | cultures to discover | ideas to debate on | concepts to imbibe & realities to fathom ...(breathless) my own concept about people abroad completely got a reality check. I realized the real nuances of difference and similarity between them and us. I 'll just give a simple example - I mean even here people live in families and have certain rules, share responsibilities, have meals together at home, take care of their elders just like we do. That was nice to notice. This coupled with the experience of living with a Belgian family for around 3 months and studying at the University, added a different perspective to the stay.

You know I was thinking that one major point of difference between us and them is that- we in India are conditioned to be a certain way. We are oriented to following convention over and above our own personal style. We get accustomed to following a lot of things & at times get pressurized by society norms. But here, people have a lot more personal choice to exercise. I don't think they beat themselves down too much with the pressure of comparisons. I might be wrong. But, I only mean that people have a bit more of freedom to really think and make their own true choices. And that's one of the most precious things I feel. In a couple of pockets in India, one can feel free, but most of the times, one has to keep too many external considerations in mind which should ideally have little bearing on the choice in question. This is a much bigger debate so let me save it for later.

Bas that's more or less all of it & if you guys have reached this far, I salute your stamina ..:)

L'amour vous tous
Aditi

  

Pondering over this letter (euphemistically 'chewing the cud')-

The last bit of this letter talks about making true choices wholeheartedly. There is no one you can please and nothing to gain if you are uncomfortable in your own skin and if you are untrue to your own self. I genuinely believe in the freedom, clarity and peace such choices bring along with them.

Another thing that comes to my mind right now is how interesting it would be to go back-packing across Europe! Actually, it would be so much fun travelling extensively across India and then the whole world. Why make it feel left out!  :-P

And finally, I realize how unique days are remembered so clearly, forever. Like this Paris trip for one and numerous such journeys and moments. I remember the kurta & jeans I was wearing when I first met the guy I am incidentally married to now. And if I am vaguely sounding like that character Subodh from  the movie 'Dil Chahta Hai' then please ignore it!

To sum it up- I believe every weather is perfect for- Following your heart, Going beyond, Exploring something new and Cherishing it!

Moods of the Rain ....

      Something happens when it rains. Doesn't it?  You can see bright & colourful umbrellas all around | Folks riding bikes as if they were rowing canoes | Birds wetting their beaks and heads in puddles of water and shaking all about | Two friends stranded by the rain, waiting under a fly over, taking time off on they way to work just to enjoy a smoke. I call all this - a different way of doing things, a break from the usual, something new....You can enjoy the thrill of driving through a huge puddle, hear the sound of ripples in water and feel a slight chill in the air. Its a time to let your hair down; dance if you're happy and go deep into your thoughts if you're caught up. There is something about the rain that makes time stop; that makes you pause and think more clearly than usual. And when you go overboard with that, you can sleep amazingly well, through the pitter-patter outside. A cuppa 'chai', a piping hot plate of 'pakoras', an interesting chat with close ones, a frisky pet frolicking around, a gripping book in hand or an engrossing movie to watch.........These are some of the things that make a rainy day special!

I used to feel, rain can hamper plans at times. But mostly, it adds a different charm to them. Rather than worrying about saving for a rainy day, sometimes these days are to be savoured too. Time does seem to halt when its pouring and if you're ready to halt too, you can do all of the above .........

Today, its raining like hell, but today, I want to run from where I'm sitting! There is a sense of urgency, packaged within the rain, that's asking me to go beyond. As I was driving this morning, watching people pause with the rain---everything around me moved in slow motion and I remembered all the lovely times I've had in the rain. But, today, I feel the need to be on the move and find that 'destination-in-waiting'......

I still love the rain, that's taking me on a solitary walk this time!

Traffic Blues

The concrete jungle ahead of the Gurgaon toll is the work of a dim brain- a cluster of offices in a square km of area with just one slim road to approach it from! And on that poor road, you find directionless pedestrians, crazy cabs, lecherous drivers and designer pot holes. And ya, cows too, to top it all. This bumper-to-bumper ride is what half of the Delhites wake up to every morning. Believe me, if it wasn't for 'Hit Mornings' on 95 FM, this ride would have killed my spirit by now. But then again, every time a peppy number has played on the radio or a joke has been cracked by the RJ, I start singing along | grooving to the music | breaking into a smile . This, I have seen, has not been taken to very kindly by the goofs around. The n*2 eyes peering over from the cars around, cannot digest the fact that someone ....and that too a woman ....can sit in this mess and still be trying to enjoy herself. Once or twice, I have responded with a lemony face and gone about my business. But the point is, I see no practical solution to any of this. Its a sad case of a lack of urban planning. The cows will stand in the middle of the road, pedestrians will look forward to be run over, drivers will shove their egos in their accelerators, your leg will become an extended part of the clutch and you will spend a considerable amount of your time beating traffic blues. The Delhi and Haryana govt. have no solution to this mess they have created.

'So Mayawati, please lend me your Jet or sell a statue of yours and buy me a car with wings to fly ' Thank you Very much!

Not just a 'Someday' Dream

I keep dreaming a recurring dream
every 40 winks I steal, it says...
'Now is the time to make me real 
and bring to life that distant 'Someday'
It is not just you, who dreams of me
but I see in you, shades of me
You pull me back, soon as I fly
You guard me so close to your heart
But when is it that you will start.....
When is it that you will live
to realize the joy that I can give?'

'Do you think of me merely as internal chatter,
or do you think I'm worth the risk and I do matter?
Am I waiting in vain , just to wane away
or will you make me true someday.....'

'We've taken enough of each other's time
Let's not let me remain sublime
There is no better time than 'Now'
Don't just be stuck at 'what, where and how' 
I say we make an awesome team!
I am you ...if you let me be!
Give me a try and break free
Am much more than a fading beam,
not just another 'Someday' Dream .....'

The Magic of Goa

If you ever go to Goa to unwind, you are bound to be found lazing around at Curlie's shack at South Anjuna- Dando Beach. In season (Oct-Mar), you can try para-gliding from the hillock nearby, or dive into the beach for some water sports. But, on a blissfully cloudy off-season afternoon, this still is where you go.

On arriving, you may happen to order a vodka-fied Mojito called Vojito (pronounced as वोहीतो). This smooth cocktail of mint and spirit, believe me, is something you shall not regret. Considering you crashed late, the night prior, after having explored karaoke at St Anthony's, Baga Beach, much to everyone's agony (there is tremendous joy in pain sometimes), you may be late. You may have awoken post noon, feeling the day is done and so were you. Therefore, the sumptuous breakfast at Brittos/ Infantaria that you had until then fantasized about, would have become a distant dream. That morning breakfast dream, will also be fulfilled at Curlies. This is when you will happen to look queerly at certain 'goan aunties' right in front of the shack (see pic). No, they are not here to catch fish; they have not come to Dando to stroll by it; neither are they there to make a painted tattoo on your ankle .They are there to make wonderful egg omelettes.

As the sun sets , you will see one of them pour herself a glass of brandy, light a lamp on her stall and drink to the Arabian Sea in gay (happy-wala) abandon. Watching this, you may imagine her dancing to the hilariously contrasting trance beats playing in your background. Merry and laid-back, comical at times, that's Goa.

The lady along with her daughter, son and husband, has been into the business of putting up stalls by beach shacks to sell knick-knacks, since the past 40 years or so. Her stall costed some 60k, which she clearly told me, was out of my reach; way beyond what I could afford in this lifetime. It made me realize, I might be looking like a hippy to her and I started smiling. This tete-a-tete with the hawker woman, really got my pals and me rolling with laughter. She had some 'masti' about her; a sense of joie-d'vivre ; a 'devil-may-care' attitude. She even scared off a little kid, who was bothering her with too many qs. saying ' Don't talk to me--go away '. Riotous entertainment! Sittng a little far away, as we raised our glasses to her, she returned the gesture with a carefree giggle.

The thing is, in Goa, everything goes and everyone is happy. It’s a place for nature lovers, party hoppers, foodies, artistes and adventurers alike. People of all ages and from all walks of life can find a way to relax and enjoy out here. Whatever be your mood, on landing in this state, you are a liberated soul. How automatic is that? And why is it so?----- Goa simplifies everything! Old dim-lit lamps on weathered wooden tables by the beach, seem perfectly romantic and why not! The tingle in the air grows on you. Music is just a swinging step away and at times the buzz of the ocean waves doesn't even let you miss it. There is an unmatchable charm in this minimalism. Goa paces with you, speedy or slow. You are completely in the moment and each such moment seems infinite. From getting drenched in the rain to rolling in the sand, to dancing your socks off and strutting about in torn shorts----- everything goes. 

So if you ever go to Goa to unwind, leave everything on your mind.... behind.... and you will find yourself there ! Such is the magic of Goa.....

Anna Rocks, like no one's Business!

Who knew that a sweet and simple old man with an infectious and toothless grin, would be an icon to reckon with? Who knew he could stir an anti-corruption movement and touch the hearts of a gazillion followers? Am sure no one knew that India would be united in a non-violent revolution for her second freedom, under the leadership of a Gandhian in the 21^st century.                                         

Should the Prime Minister's office and the Supreme Court be included under the Lokpal  | How should the Lokpal team be elected | Who should constitute  the Lokpal | How should they function | What powers should they have? ---These are important questions that need a second look; another discussion; a deliberate thought. Corruption is rooted at the micro level and has spread  like a disease to the highest levels in our country. It's high time some reform took place and such desperate times call for desperate measures. The answer to some of these questions can be found in Anna’s leadership at this moment. The man is staring at his 9th day of fasting, having had nothing more than 3 litres of water every fasting day. Even if the followers who have taken to the streets, are clueless about the intricacies of the Jan Lokpal vis-a-vis the Government's version of it, they are united against corruption. They have lost faith in the government when it comes to corruption and have found a leading light in Anna Hazare's tenacity. He says in his trademark style 'Yeh sab log jo raaste par aake protest kar rahein hein, yeh sab tang aa gaye hein sarkar ke brashtachar se, aur ab isko rok ke hi rahenge'.

What is ensuing before our eyes today is nothing but a Kung-Fu hustle between the people and its representatives. What a classic irony! A simple request to consider her people’s demands is being looked at , by this government, as some sort of a crime! The snake-style defence that the leading  party-the Congress has adopted, against all dialogues, is three-fold. 1.They say that one person musn’t sway the masses and mislead them to believe they can pressurize the government and form laws as they deem appropriate. 2. They believe that bringing the PM and Judiciary under the ambit of the Lokpal would undermine the very office they hold. 3. A question lingers around the accountability of the Lokpal itself....

I am no expert on politics or legality, but would like to share my view point of these chains of thought one by one.

Firstly, the perfect counter example for point no.1 is Ramdev and his antics. They didn't work. He tried and failed to garner as much support for the same cause, despite being such a popular personality. A certain lady professed her desire to marry him and that's about it. The fact is, people are not in awe of popular icons, masses are not asses for once and definitely not lame sheep to blindly follow the herd. They are not supporting a person, but the ideals he stands for , the cause he represents and the course he takes to achieve the goal! They are united against corruption as they have faced its wrath, in some form or the other, while dealing with government agencies. It is high time they know where their taxes go and its time they got their money's worth. Now you may say, the Lokpal is an independent investigative agency meant to persecute only public servants against corruption. How does this affect corporates, private agencies etc.? My answer is that, if the government leads the change, things are bound to be set in order gradually. Isn't it?

Secondly, if we, the people who elected the party to power in the first place, are showing our peaceful solidarity towards a positive change, the govt. should see no harm in considering our inputs. This power has been given by the people; should be used for the people; to satisfy well-justified demands of the people. And what is this demand?---- the formation of a pro-active anti-corruption body, which has teeth to bite anyone who flounders! That sounds quite fair to me. The Parliament must follow by example.

Thirdly, the Lokpal team would be accountable to the Supreme court. The CAG would conduct their yearly audits and so on. Guidelines need to be laid down on the manner in which they can function, so as to curb misuse of authority by the Lokpal members themselves. The Jan Lokpal itself might need more fine-tuning, but by and large, I am with Anna and I think his recommendations must get a decent hearing .The political parties must take a justified stand on this issue which has struck a chord with  every citizen.                                                                  

On the lighter side,  I love the way he says ' Main aaj raat tihar jail mein rahoonga , aur aap sab ko kal subah Ramlila maidaan mein miloonga'. His simplicity & easy charm coupled with a strong sense of purpose & conviction makes him an affable leader. Anna's cool quotient is soaring high and he has surely kicked the boat shaped cap back into fashion !! Like Arnab Goswami, the Times Now journalist-of-the-moment, says  'Anna Hazare doesn't need any Z-security like some of our politicians do, as the entire country has joined the cause he is leading '. We, the people, are his security cover and the echo in his voice ! I hope to see a positive resolution to the Lokpal revolution and I hope this voice is heard......

Born on 15th Jan 1940, in a village near Ahmednagar, Anna Hazare had a stint in the Indian Army, post which he has been working as a social reformer towards rural upliftment, against corruption, redtapism and bureaucracy. He set out on a 15 day fast on 16th Aug 2011, pushing for the Jan Lokpal to be heard in Parliament. He and his dedicated team of leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and the like, are all for a robust Lokpal bill and will not stop till they succeed!

To join the 'India Against Corruption Movement', follow this link http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/  and to know more about Anna Hazare go to the following link http://www.annahazare.org/biography.html  or watch his video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96BirWKnco0&feature=related

My Island of Bliss.....

Peter D’mello is not working today.

Off he shrugs his shoulder and turns around to say,

‘Don’t bother me with frivolous work; it’s time for my siesta.

I will wake up only by evening, ready for some fiesta.‘

When D’mello awakens, the oath is taken.

‘To Kings Beer and Tiger prawns, I hereby surrender

The moment gets jazzed up to the strumming of a Fender

Laughing & Singing & Jiving & Living......

Anchoring my laziness on a hammock of sloth

Under the golden sun I bask

No worries…not a question, I ask

Fixing that golden fizz on merry sands

What happens next is out of my hands......’

I too will move to Candolim

The moment my plane touches Dabolim

The mood may last from dusk to dawn

And the fun might just go on and on

Flying & Swaying & Smiling & Playing

I’m off to Goa and nothing’s amiss

Am soon to reach my island of Bliss!!

(All characters in the above text are fictitious . Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental :-P)