Married!

Married!

Quite a crazily proud proclamation as it may be- but yes! am married....to the man I knew was the one quite tailor made for me. The realization had struck me the very first time we exchanged emails....and rituals, customs, lal benarasi sari, topor mathay bor, a rather warm December day and the big fat bong wedding over......almost a year later since the day we keyed in a few words through a very formal mail on our parents' insistance- I, sorry, 'we' stick to that.

People often ask me whether it is an arranged marriage, how did we meet and stuff. I suppose people going through our wedding website must have an idea by now(the one I laboriously did content writing for and my utterly geeky tech friendly hubby dearest supervised :p). We met through a very traditional arranged matchmaking set up where our parents talked first....saw whether our educational, professional and family backgrounds were compatible. But somewhere I started believe in the lore- 'every marriage is based on love'- without that it just cannot survive.

Yesterday or the day before that while setting up our new place in the city of my dreams- Calcutta- I asked him a question- "did we actually have an arranged marriage". "We had a marriage....a lovely one...Let's not call it names".

I think that profoundly describes it. He is surely the best best thing to have happened to me in a really long, long time.....and I hope it stays like that for years to come. I am not saying that because of the unlimited shopping bonanza he treated me to while in Bangkok. But for the way he held my hand and reassured me while that scarily dangerous snake show in Phuket. To the time we held and hands and took small baby steps in the pristine green waters in Phi Phi....Cheers....here's to many more to come.

Love you Deep. Stay the way you are. I love those fights we have over who is a better cook. And you know I love cooking for you. Thanks for gulping down the gibberish. Thanks for the wonderful family that I added to my own kitty. A mom in law who cooked me a proper six course Bengali meal on my birthday right after the wedding.

The day I turned twenty three, I was holidaying in Agra...visiting probably the most romantic monument on earth- the Taj Mahal with my family.....I had one day thought of finding someone whose love was a as pure as the "subhro sommujol" Taj Mahal.....never knew by the time the days took a turn and I grew a year younger, my life will be so different...for the better. Never knew I will meet you.

Thank you is not enough. **Touchwood** (Am very scared of the evil eye) :)

Musings

There are no excuses this time. I have been away for long..and that is quite wholesomely long this time. I was just going through my blog and honestly this looks like a personal update page rather than what it was intended to be. Not that I owe an explanation but just felt like saying it aloud. Or rather typing it with elan and facing the words on the laptop screen (since that's the end word for many things these days). It's the easier option actually :)

I have the utmost privilege of typing out this post while sitting within the comfortable periphery of my South Calcutta home. Yes, that's a privilege I have earned after quite sometime. For at least sometime in near future I will be in Calcutta...or at least I will prefer it to be that way. And it's crazy out here. 

The craziness does not limit itself to the never ending queue before the Jodhpur Park Pujo pandal on Saptami night. It extends much beyond that...namely the great Indian Wedding. My family is gearing up for dual  weddings this winter. My cousin sister is getting married shortly. The other one which will follow shortly, is of course...mine :))

Yes! am getting married...and I am already into that this red banarasi sari or that maroon one mode. I am truly enjoying my last few days of spinster hood. Same goes with my 'ogo shuncho' (a typical bong way of calling your husband..according to Hindu mythology 'supposedly' you are not supposed to take your husband's name and this one fits in perfectly...universally acknowledged, response guaranteed ;))

Wedding, yes! but what interests me more is the completely idolised and revered institution of marriage. What makes a marriage tick? Is it the grand wedding that you plan? Or a perfect lavish foreign  honeymoon? Or the solitaire?

None.

My fiance was away from the country for a long period of time and he finally returned home this September. I got to meet him only in October though due to our professional commitments. The first day I met him after so long, I generally kept quiet...for long. Anybody knowing me will vouch that this is not only quite unusual on my part but also that I have small bout of insanity. But we just smiled and looked into each other's eyes. And we smiled. May be that's just a part of it, but I wish to have this amazing journey with him..like this..always.

Of course I won't mind the Fossil watch or the kindle that he gifted me...or the amazing chocolates that he got for me. And more spicy food at Benjarong (Mainland China was such a disappointment this time- foodwise!). But those are just add ons :)

"jol jomeche buk er bhetor, rod er obhabey....."
 ar shakti chattujjey r koyekta line ei onibarjo shohor ke niye....kobitatar ostwittyo somporkeyi wakibohol chilam na....facebook er duniyata dure rakhe shohorta theke...abar kanday jokhon mon khuje beray pujor gondho makha shohortar kotha bhebe.

shotti ki kolkata chere giye keu boleche sukhey achi? ami bolini...ami janiona erom keu boley kina..hoyto bole..hoyto boley naa...kintu sobar ei mapkathir bhirey ami nei......

kolkata kolkata korche monta shokal theke...ei shohortay jara thakeni kokhono tara b odhhoy janena ekta shohorke niye kibhabe ekta okritrim fantasy gorey uthte pare...amar jemon ma er jonyo mon kandey, temoni kandey shohortar jonyo...ashole shohorta amar onek ta jurey ache.

hoyto ba aaj firley pore dekhbo je smritigulo aankrey ami boshey achi..je smritigulo niye meghomollar, tar kichu ba ache, kichu buriye geche amader boyosher sathe sathe, kichu ba swapner hatchani te pari diyeche bangalore, bombay, delhi, hyderabad...kintu oi shohortateyi atkey ache amar sotero bochhor boyoshta.

oi shohortayi amake beche thakar swapno dekhatey shuru kore...chotoboyoshey palatey cheyechi onek baar oi shohortar theke....oitukuni meye tokhon b oltam "ei shohortay kono opportunity nei"

aar jokhon aaj eto durey tokhon upolobdhi kori keno sob sobujer rong neel hoyna...sob neel keno amader chnuye jete parena..sob neel ke keno amra chnutey parina.....


amar boltey kono dwidha nei..aaj ei ekla ghorey amar sob peyechir araleo amar khed acha kolkata tomay chere ashar jonyo.....amar protyekta swapner modhye unki marey "kolkata jodi tomar kache firtey partam" 

Life these days- Hyderabadi Autos and the overbearing 'Anna's...kkkkkkkkkiraann

There have been queries. and more queries. and simply speaking..some of tehm have left me quite flattered. I never knew that so many people actually read my blog. A big thank you.

And to all your queries as to where I have been..and why didn't I update this page often in the recent months- Well! to say the truth- I have been busy, very busy actually. I have started working and so now I know what it means, actual deadlines I mean. It's quite surprising to note that a few days back we were this rebellious bunch of college kids bargaining for an extension of the project deadline with the seemingly helpless teacher. she had already provided us 2 in the past 1 month. But then who cared? we were the fifth years...the batch of 2011.

And today we are all these blackberry totting grown up professionals...managing our own lives in this big bad world. We dont argue with our respective bosses for extension of deadlines. we all know that the client is supremely important. the world stares at us, gives us jealous glances....but nobody knows the story behind all that corporate jazz (slavery! :P)

But am lucky to have a very nice team to work with. People say you will always remeber your first boss....and I will surely do remember my Manager...He is one of the sweetest and most accomodating fellows I have known. and so are my other senior members in the team. the best part about my team is that every one is approachable :) May be that's what a true professional should be- be approachable.

Hyderabad really doesnt seem the similar town that I had known for all these years. Its a changed place now....the every day haggle with auto annas, or the needful for "aatey daal ka bhao"-times a are changing... a quite indication that we all are growing up.

In deed we are. all. everyone. Just the way that guy whose article pointed out why the youth is suddenly so conscious about the anna Hazare movementy. Because they know they have no place to run away to, they can't escape India. We are the ones who are providing aid to the nations to over come their debt crisis who supposedly have a better credit rating than us. India is truly the furture. Don't believe me? Browse through the world stock market idices in the past few days and you will understand. I remeber reading an article way back in 2010 which had succinctly put why India had fared so well during the recession. the reasdon was one we all know (an I agreed wholesomely with the author)- the presence of a very strong public sector.

Don't get me wrong, neither do I support corruption in any ways (since we have this huge thing for black and white...so in case I dont support Kiran and Kejriwal...I am anti Anna- Don't make this presumption) but how many of these protestors actually read the draft of the bill? Perhaps not many. Noit that our democratic thought ever advocated the cause of informed decision making. Or else what would make people still support the commies who destroyed and actually bludgeonoed the economy of my state in these 34 years. Frankly speaking there is nobody called a communist in this world. None. those who claim to be..decoarte their daughters with tons of gold jewellery and show off by throwing lavish parties....if that's socialism...I am very proud to proclaim myself as a supporter of Didi. even if she pretends (according to some), she does it well. Besides I believe in everything being open and that includes the economy. There are no free lunches anywhere I suppose :)

But coming back to the point. there was this mad rush to support Anna. I have gathered that he is a truly dedicated man. But I had thsi huge feeling that during the last few days of his fast, he merely became a ploy in the hand of Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi. Come on! these guys should know that nobody is beyond the constitution in this country. Not even Arundhati roy (who seemed to jump at another ocassion of attention grabbing by *NOT* supporting Anna). It is the Constitutional framework that we have in place, that makes this Democracy a success. Yes! a true success story. and that includes the way Kejriwal protested and Kiran Bedi cry when she asked the police force to disobey the orders of their seniors-err! wasn't that seditious? I mean you arrest Maoists on same ground....and what was Om Puri saying? atleast the same people he was referring to had the guts to face the election.

Well to sya the least anyone could have gone up on that stage and claimed to be our youth leade including a guy who provides MBA degrees without any affiliation. A person on twitter rightly pointed out that his claim to fame now- "Think beyond the Parliament" Bwahaaaa!!!!!

Nobody supports corruption. everyone has the right to be angry. Everyone has the right to protest, but just like Chauri Chaura happened and killed the momentum, the proclaimed new age Gandhi should be very cautious. Gandhiji was right to call off the movement after Chauri chaura. He knew we were not mature enough to handle the principle of non violenece right then. That did materialise...in varied form...many years later. Don't know where Ramlila Maidan will take us. If that recorded tape of one of the original heroes of this so called second freedom struggle is anything to go by- we are not ready for it Annaji. Hope the Janlokpal turns out to be as idealistic as it promises to be. Best wishes from a proud Indian.

Sokhi bhalobasha kare koy?

Tagore had asked this question aeons ago...and frankly speaking none of us have the answer till date. We all know how does it feel....it feels good, it feels great :))

But that never implies that the journey is a cakewalk. In case it is, it is something else....love is as much about sharing a life together as like eating your hilsa with extra mustard toppings :P (that's the bong foodie in me talking)

"Jaan jaati hain jab uthke jaatey ho tum"

Farida Khanum sums up the pain beautifully in probably one of the most simple ghazals I have ever heard.

and there is more to it. Just like Gulzaar saab's poetry :)

"sehme se rehte hain, jab yeh din dhalta hain/ ek hi aah bujhta hain/ ek hi aah jalta hain/ tumne koi deep jalaya hota"

I don't claim to understand completely the serenity behind those lines...but the eternity behind them is truly magical.

Just like the dreams of a lonely sunday afternoon, 'us' in our living room.....our favourite songs on the music player......one where he will shre random facts about some stuff I thought never existed...and then he will bear my completely out of tune songs....and then he will say something about the Jasmine- the flower and the revolution. and then I will share with him my new found enthusiasm about finance. He being the pro will tell me where I was fundamentally wrong...and he will buy me books! loads of them.... :) :)

"lokey tobe kore ki sukheri torey emon dukheri aansh"

Realisations...lately.

1. Love makes your world go round....and square, rectangle and what not! It's like watching the stars descend and kiss your feet goodnight...every night :)

2. Have you ever said "I Love you" and meant it? In case you haven't, please do! It will make you the happiest person on this planet.

3. I am nowadays training to be that perfect homemaker. I can now wash bedsheets and jeans on my own, without a washing machine that is. Quite an acheivement for daddy's little girl na? :D

4. It feels liberating when I pay my own bills. Pay through those vouchers when we go to eat out. And buying those flight tickets back home- first time with my own money. I remember everytime I deceided lastminute to go back home when  all the flights were dangeously overpriced and all I needed to do was to call up dad and start crying :P. Did you ever watch that Mastercard ad?

5. I have this huge crush on Shashi Tharoor. Probably the second longest one. And I am just completely in aw of him. Wonder what made him marry a garishly decorated woman like her :( I am jealous! Also, I am yet to finish his article in Deccan Chronicle this week. My bad luck :(

6. I have discovered almost all good loooking eateries in and around Madhapur. I promise myself everyweek that I won't have so much outside food next weekend, but then again friday night comes and I crave for Chinese. That reminds me. I have discovered this amazing small bengali food joint near that Madhapur petrol bunk called "Tumpa". Seriously! it's awesome and so cool on your pockets. so any bong out there (in and around Madhapur/ Jubilee Hills) who is missing home food and ont want to spend so much on that overhyped "Calcutta Cabin" can surely go there. It's alsmot like a Dada Boudi's hotel. And you will be amazed to see the amount of bengalis out here only in Madhapur. Every time I walk down my lane I can hear somebody or the other blabbering his/her way to glory in probbaly the sweetest language on the planet (ok! I will consider Urdu and am yet to learn French so....)

7. I think I am just in awe of someone. That one guy who discusses and gives me random gyan about India's foreign policy. Can educate me big time on India's defense policy. The one with whom I can share my views about Atish Taseer's that 'now' much talked about article. And how he makes a point that Taseer, with all due repect, doesn't make any new point..academically speaking. And then we discuss why is this one special...may be because of that politically overhyped parentage...and the real pain that Taseer faced. You see! I think you are just plain and simple "awesome". Be my friend. Always :)

Being in love :)

Nothing in this world can match up to the ecstasy of falling in love, but I think nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING can be like the feeling of 'being in love'.

It's all but natural that most of us have pondered many times over about what exactly to tag as love and what just another passing thought (ah! you can term that as 'chhok'- enlightened people who understand 'this' will appreciate- others just forget about it :)), but when you meet someone...you know he is the 'one'. Yes! the kind of proverbial, cheesy- 'someone special'...you know it from the very beginning....and coming from someone who has believed all her life that "being in love is a state of mind", you got to take that seriously.

does that feeling change you? transform you?...Well! it just makes your friend and family complain that they you dont have time for them anymore :) It makes some one google 'purboraag'. It makes a self confessed Bihari babu take a liking for everything Bengali (which coincidentally is his mother tounge too :P)Change..yes! thats happens a bit....you remember 'him' everytime some one mentions something even remotely funny you shared with him. and you talk...talk absolute nonsense.take his trip.make him promise that he will buy you what not....and then think again......and talk...and moments are created one after the other....forever.

To say 'thank you' for letting me be myself...and to accept me the way I am, will be..err! quite dishy and PDA stuff, which I am told is not quite fashionable. But then agian, who doesn't like mush? and who minds all those couple things?

Looking forward to a lifetime worth of 'friendly dinners'. :)

Hyderabad Blues

 That's one of my favourite films. May be my love for the Kukunoor film had some chitchat while destiny was planning it out for me. On second thoughts- can love talk? yes it can :) and it can say "I love you" too :)coming back to Hyderabad, it's almost like second home now. The city saw me grow up. It has been through the many ups and a few downs I have gone through in my life. Agreed, there is nothing like Calcutta, but Hyderabad you will always remain special to me. Yes, may be this is the first time I am acknowledging this on a public forum, but yes! I am in love :) with the city :) And I still long to go back to Calcutta. That's the only place on this earth I call 'Home'. (Reiterated the umpteenth time) Oh1 wait, wasn't this post titled Hyderabad blues?


Blues! yes. They are everywhere nowadays. that muddy puddle I need to cross everyday while I go to office. The silent drizzle on the glass and the greens of the Durgam Chevuru lake....and the perfectly controlled silence inside the office. The deadlines...now I know what is called one :) Crazy schedules. dog tired weekends. Living alone. No friends to do all the random bakwaas. (Oh! they are back again in Hyderabad :P)

......blues. It's everywhere.

Wish there was a dhaba trip planned. and bhutta.

And wish he was here.

Part II

"You know he had called!"
"Oh! finally"
"What did he say?"
"Nothing much. just wished me luck for the upcoming fashion show"
"Just that"
"Yep! told that he was thinking of calling up to wish me."

(normal coffee shop and other chitchat follows, Mr.Nanda's daughter dating a college dropout occupies a primary position)

"Weird na?"
"What? yeah...a bit weird...may be he is taking his time"

"You still feel he has somebody else in his mind? and that he is doing all this to keep his parents happy?"

"Umm..no?"
"How come?"

"He is the one am going to marry :) that's why"

"Woah, so sure"

"**Touchwood*"

Diksha Soone, Bombay, 2003

Saat phera and all that jazz!

Is he is he not the perfect marriage material? Is he gonna buy me that occassional diamond? ;-) Is he the type who take you out for romantic dinner dates-the candle light ones?? Is he gonna celebrate every other day with like number of long stemmed red roses?

Is he the one I can bitch about the uber hot girl who sits besides me or take investment tips from?


2 months later-

"Is he ever going to call me up?"


Diksha Soonee, Bombay, 2003 (to be continued)