Hi... I am back.

It's been quite some time since I wrote my blog. Quite some reasons for not coming back to my blog; however, the strongest being that I didn't have anything much worthwhile sharing.

What's happening nowadays? Well, it's been four months now since I am on sabbatical. Mix of emotions around this sabbatical. Happy in a way because (1) not many people get a chance to be on a sabbatical in their careers & if I have got a chance after nearly 10 years of work, it's a good thing. (2) I get to do things, which I couldn't do when I was working due to the time factor. (3) Relax.

However, this sabbatical has it's downside too. Most prominent one is when the continuous flow of money stops. The first month after leaving work when salary is not credited, pinches. Then, with so much of free time, I kinda got lost as to what to do. And then if I do not pick up projects on an on & off basis, I know I'm in a risky proposition of forgetting things easily. And yes, I am missing the office life!

So, what have I decided? I decided that the sabbatical won't last beyond 2/2.5 years.

What else? On a lighter note, the last movie I watched was a movie named 'Game' few weeks back. The media critics had actually trashed this movie left, right, and center. Print media gave it 1 to 1.5 stars out of 5. But on watching the movie, it wasn't that bad. Yes, there are some very basic crime solving techniques they had shown; however, overall it was an average movie. Not trashy. 2.5 out of 5 stars maybe. Small concern with one of the stars though. Abhishek Bachchan looks too arrogant. Every time. Arrogant for what - don't know. The Bachchan last name? Well...

There's a wedding soon that I'll be attending. After ages. There hasn't been weddings that we went to in the last 1.5 or 2 years. So, it'll be a good change.

Well, nothing much otherwise. Will write back again soon.

...

Hi again. I was going through my book of poetry few days back and was amazed what all I used to write! Well, it was mostly a bit sad stuff - as I used to write earlier when I was very sad... And the words used to flow. One of the poems...

You see the pain in her eyes,
But alas, her eyes are dry,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...

You see the anger that burns from her gaze,
The madness that sets you ablaze,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...

You see the the fear that closes her eyes,
The smile she wears, is but a disguise,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...

Yo see death's hand that has glazed her eyes,
No one has seen her die inside,
They won't cry,
No, they won't cry...

Christmas! I bought & decorated a Christmas tree this time. A bit expensive, but boy! Does it loo beautiful. Yesterday on Christmas, we went to our friends' place for Christmas get together. There were so many people who had come in for this get together. It was good to go & meet them.

The couple friends who were hosting this had invited their photography shoot group. There were around 15 people - all enjoying this party! Good for them.
It seems people are having two different images. They want to do everything such as heavy drinking and smoking; however, they want to depict a clean image in front of their elders too. "Oh, I don't want to drink, my parents are around. What will they think? I have a very clean image in front of them." Oh, come on!

My hubby & I were a bit left out though - as we didn't know most of the people who had come in for this party. Four people at the max whom we would have met once or twice earlier & that's about it. And out of these four, we had helped one when her car had broken down - I don't think she still recognized us! Others were totally new & strangers for us. And they acted as strangers. One of the people who came in with his wife - walked in - one by one said hello to all - and by the time I stood up to introduce, he just walked past me - & so did his wife - and started meeting others. I felt as if I were invisible! Or felt like vanishing from there at that very moment! The only thing common between these party people & us was that we also attended the same photography class as them. Nothing else.

We started from the friends place around 12:30 AM & returned home around 1 AM. Took us 30 minutes to reach our home for a distance that takes no more than 5 minutes! And why? Just because it was very very foggy and zero visibility! It was so very difficult to see what was there in front of us or which side we were going. Very difficult drive it was!

Nothing much otherwise. Keep fit & be a hit!

The Legend Lives On

Even after passing away, Michael Jackson as a legend lives on.
On March 16, 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a new deal with the Jackson estate to extend their distribution rights to his back catalogue until at least 2017, as well as to obtain permission to release ten new albums with previously unreleased material and new collections of released work. On November 4th, 2010 Sony announced the release of "Michael," the first posthumous album set to be released on the 14th of December 2010, with the first single release on November 8, entitled "Breaking News". The deal was unprecedented in the music industry as it is the most expensive music contract pertaining to a single artist in history; it reportedly involved Sony Music paying $250 million for the deal, with the Jackson estate getting the full sum as well as its share of royalties for all works released.

What do I think about it? Honestly, I don't know. I really don't know. Will I buy this new albun? As of now, no. I did hear 'Breaking News' on Michael's website - pained me so much that I couldn't go beyond a quarter of the song.

The work is essentially unreleased work of Michael. If the songs were not a part of the albums initially, it means they were not supposed to be released. And Michael must have given a lot of thought & brainstormed around which songs are the best of the best to be released. Why then? Is it all because of the money? People around him earned when he was alive, many more people are earning when he's gone.

Very few people in recent history have such "charisma" to lead and Michael was one of them.

Karwa Chauth

The fast of Karwa Chauth is of particular importance to all Hindu married women in India. They believe that the festival ensures prosperity, longevity, and overal well-being of their husbands.

The origin of this festival was based on a very sweet and noble idea. Though this idea has lost its true sense as today the whole outlook of this festival has changed.
In the ancient time, girls used to get married at a very early stage, and had to go and live with their in-laws in other villages. After marriage, if she faces any problem with her in-laws or her husband, she would have no one to talk to or seek support from. There used to be no telephones, buses and trains long ago. Her own parents and relatives would be quite far and unreachable. Thus the custom started that, at the time of marriage, when bride would reach her in-laws, she would befriend another woman there who would be her friend or sister for life. It would be like god-friends or god-sisters. Their friendship would be sanctified through a small Hindu ceremony right during the marriage.
Once the bride and this woman had become god-friends or god-sisters, they would remain so all their lives and recognize the relation as such. They would also treat each other like real sisters.
Later in life, if she faces any difficulty related to her husband or in-laws, she would be able to confidently talk or seek help from each other. Thus, Karwa Chauth was started to as a festival to celebrate this relationship between the once-brides and their god-friends (god-sisters). Fasting and praying for husband came later and is secondary. It was probably added, along with other mythical tales, to enhance the festival. The husband would always be associated with this festival, because the day of starting this holy friendship between two god-sisters was essentially the day of bride's marriage to him. Thus, praying and fasting for him by his wife during a celebration of her relationship with the god-friend would be quite logical.
Hence, the festival of Karwa Chauth was to renew and celebrate the relationship between god-friends (god-sisters). It had a tremendous social and cultural significance when world was not having the way to communicate and move around easily.

Festivities

Given the fact that India is a democratic country with people of many religions staying together, there is a string of festivals that follow one after the other. All year through.

October onwards, the number of festivals are the maximum. Be it Navratras, Dushera, Ramadan, Diwali, Eid, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Christmas... And more. Navratras just ended. Dushera was celebrated with much pomp. Karva chauth is round the corner. And so is Diwali. So much fun!

Diwali is a festival of lights in which the diyas are filled with oil/clarified butter and lighted. This signifies the triumph of good over evil. I am eagerly looking forward for Diwali this year because it'll be my first Diwali in my own home. Decorations, light, prayers...

Yaaron, dosti badi hi haseen hai, yeh na ho toh kya phir bolo yeh zindagi hai..

Koi toh ho raazdaar, begaraz tera ho yaar.. Koi toh ho raazdaar...

Yaaron, mohabbat badi hi bandagi hai, yeh na ho toh kya phir bolo yeh zindagi hai..

Koi toh dilbar ho yaar, jisko tujhse ho pyaar.. Koi toh dilbar ho yaar....

Teri har ek buraai pe daante woh dost.. Ghum ki ho dhoop, toh saaya bane woh dost..

Naache bhi woh teri khushi main..

The words of these song, by an amazing Indian singer KK, bring out the essence of friendship & love. Reminds me of some nice memories.