Retro Madness

It's been a mad two weeks. Shopping, shopping and more shopping - it's hard to imagine how something as rejuvenating and stress-free as shopping can turn into a nightmare if you're looking for something in particular and nothing but 'that' will do. Phew...I thank God Sunday's gone. I had this cousin's engagement party to attend and as expected, it had a 'theme' - RETRO. So to say, we were supposed to arrive dressed up in Retro style - something from the past, like bell bottoms or white polka dotted mini dresses or maybe big head dresses and flowery attire. I had to research a lot, my mother even went to such lengths as scouring through Shammi Kapoor's song videos on YouTube to check out the trends from those times. Well, just to confirm though, since she is from the same era, remember.


Now I won't leave you wondering about what I wore at the party. I simply dressed up in a white polka dotted sheer top, a black skirt and superrrrr sexy black heels. And the icing on the BnW cake? A white feathery-flowery Helen-like head band that made quite a few heads turn at the do. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, more so because of my turning heads :P as the party wasn't really as happening as I'd have liked. Anyhow, all's well that thankfully ends, even if not well. Have a dekko!

But now I have to admit that I am out of touch. No, not from writing, which I have been doing incessantly all this while for my freelance job as a travel-writer. But it's been long since I blogged. I somewhat faintly remember mentioning that I'll be posting reviews of places around Delhi on the blog in these holidays. Well, I did too. Twice. But now it's been way too long and I've visited just too many places to be able to review them all or even choose as to which ones to review first. So I figured I'll make a list of all the places I've been to over the summer and maybe my readers could help me choose which ones to review. But then I made the list - and it surprised me to see I had only visited museums, churches, gurudwaras, temples and monuments all this while. Nothing much to boast of by way of 'interesting' places for normal people to visit, is there? I just don't understand what strange excitement I derive out of visiting museums. It's weird! But anyhow, I realized I don't have much to review here. So I'll just wait for the website for which I'm writing to launch soon, so I could give you all a glimpse of the work I've been doing. For now, take a look at their pre-launch outlook here. Cheers! :)

I, Me, Myself - Finally!

I sat thinking today. I've been writing this blog for nearly two years and a half. I've talked about anything and everything that ever struck me. And yet, I guess I've never really introduced myself properly. That may be partly because of my strong belief that one's personality, if unfolded completely in one go, fails to register in its entirety on the receiver's mind. If however unveiled in bits and pieces, it helps one form their own opinion and impression of the person, forging a much stronger and more honest bond in the long run. And that's what I've always striven to maintain with all you beloved readers of mine.

But today I thought it's high time I wrote down the basics that define me. My life, my upbringing, my roots and my thinking - you've had only a glimpse at each aspect of me till now. Well well, here's the real deal now.




My friends have always told me that I talk and behave like someone far beyond her years. Some have even gone as far as to say that I possess a maturity and insight into life suited to a person much older than a twenty year old. I don't know whether to take this as a compliment or hidden sarcasm, but I attribute all that I am, partly to my upbringing and partly to all the good and bad experiences I've had in my short adolescent life. I'm anyhow of an unconsciously analytic bent of mind, so my prophetic sermons and words of advice may sometimes give out an image of extra maturity to some. Or maybe I am indeed that mature and am just being modest here. Let's just say I have a natural way with words and people that sometimes portrays me in better light than I may actually deserve.

My life, my personality, my character and temperament, all originate from the two wonderful people who brought me into this world. My parents are the two best people I've ever met in life. I know that's how almost every child feels about their parents, but even if I were to think from a neutral man's point of view, I'd agree. They're both extremely honest, straight forward, principled individuals. They don't ever speak ill of anybody unless extremely provoked, they don't ever harm anyone, they strive to fulfill all their responsibilities and try to keep everyone happy. And at the same time, they're super cool, modern parents who don't try to invade our privacy unnecessarily (as far as they can help :P) and always support and guide us in our endeavors.

My parents have given us both a perfect upbringing. They never caved in to our unnecessary demands, never gave us the chance to even learn to throw tantrums. The result - my sister and I don't ever ask for something twice. If something is refused to us for some obviously understandable reason, we don't beg or insist or throw a fit till we get what we want. Many of my friends find this behavior of mine very vexing and impossible, since I would never go to my mother to beg her to let me go to the movies or to hang out with friends if she so much as refused once. That's just who I am. And I'm pretty proud of it. My parents never really let us make do without any desire of ours unfulfilled either - from that stupid long-legged stuffed doll that i wanted one year on my birthday to the awful white frock I wanted to buy knowing all too well that I won't wear it a second time - I got everything I ever wished for, rather always more. (It helps to note here that I never had very unachievable or expensive demands either!)

I made mistakes and my parents forgave me. In fact I still do. I've usually always been out of line; was always the rebellious one, if you may call me that. The kind of things I've done, my parents could as well never talk to me or maybe even ground me for years. And yet here I am, free as a bird, publicly admitting to not having deserved all that love and support I got. And yet, I did, and it has helped me shape my character and given me valuable lessons that would guide me throughout my life. I owe my parents my life as well as teachings on how to live it in the best way possible. There's nothing more that I would ever need in life - in times of distress, tension, confusion or anything - if I actually followed every piece of advice my mother has ever given me. They're THAT effective, in hindsight.

But as we grow up, we tend to exclude our parents from our personal lives for various reasons, the major one being want of space. Who guides us in our paths then? A person sure isn't mature enough at 20 to be capable of making all the right decisions and building a good life for themselves. They are bound to err somewhere. That's where, in my case, my beliefs come in. Again, most of the beliefs I hold today have been instilled in me by my mother. She initiated me towards a spiritual existence - one where you have inner peace in the direst of circumstances. And indeed I attribute my extreme strength to it. I am a scorpion by zodiac and not that I believe a lot in the system, but I do exhibit a lot of the typical scorpion traits - awesomeness for one. But with slightly lower patience levels, forgive-but-never-forget attitude and an anti-social nature with a reserved personal life. I don't open up to people easily. I am a socialista with many friends (acquaintances, I'd say) but hardly anyone I'd consider close enough. I hide my true feelings if they are anything other than smile-inducing. And hiding too much inside inevitably leads to breakdowns every now and then, usually on my few loved ones, thus catching them unawares and putting them in very difficult situations. I hate to do that to you, you-know-who-you-all-are, but I can't help sometimes. I try, I swear!

Coming back to the point, I've worked on my temper and impatience issues a lot over the years, as well as on my tendency to alienate people and then feel lonely. My belief in the justice of the Universe has helped a lot i staying positive and moving on after every setback with greater zeal. I'm highly spiritual and believe in God and his fairness. I believe that whatever happens is indeed for something better that you may or may not see right now, but will ultimately reap. So whatever good I receive in life, I attribute to His grace. I have a lot of confidence in my abilities and try to put them to good use - you can see that. But sometimes when I believe I cannot achieve something that is expected of me, I leave it to Him - whether or not I deserve to achieve it He shall decide, I only try to do my best towards accomplishing it. And I brush aside sorrows and misfortunes as signs telling me I'm doing something horribly wrong - once I'm done with all the crying and I-wish-I'd-die laments (can't do without them!!), I check myself and my conduct to find out what it is I'm erring at. I may or may not find something, but I usually conclude that it is I who deserves this misfortune in order to bring me back to ground and guide me on the right path. Trust me, it helps in stress-management and in maintaining a calm attitude in moments of worry. I'm quite well known for that trait. It does keep you a tad low on self-confidence and self-pride though, which is detrimental to one's self-image, but usually does the trick quite well!

And as I've emphasized many a times before, I am a weirdo with all sorts of beliefs and indulgings. I can actually be a huge hypocrite too at times, so remember THAT before mentally pointing out all those instances where you've seen me disregard my own ideals and beliefs and do something so-not-what-I've-written-above. I'm still very much a person, a moody one at that! So you may judge me critically or you may like me - I'm still who I am. I learn from my experiences, I always do, and I try to create a memorable existence for myself in this world. And I strive to write and blabber as much as I can as long as I'm alive and kickin'!

P.S. They do not call me ~Angel~ for nothing. ;)

Camera Critters

That's my bestie's neighborhood dog Jumpy, on one of her sick and gloomy days. Reflecting my current state in her own canine way. :)


(This post is my entry for this week's Camera Critters meme.)

Sick and Lonely

I had to title the post in such a desperate manner for the sheer lack of a better word. But it pretty much describes my current state of mind.

To be crisp and precise with the facts - I am sick. It all started with a fall two weeks ago - a knee injury and a sprained foot - in short, PAIN. The next woe to pay me a visit was an ear infection, bringing with it a lot more of unbearable pain. And to add finishing touches to the perfect spectacle of illness that I've been reduced to, I've also contracted a bad cold now.

I haven't paid so many visits to the medical fraternity my entire life as I've had to do over the past one week. ENT, general physician, orthopaedic - seen them all in quick succession. X-ray, MRI, ear-rape - had them all done. Allopathy, homeopathy, reiki healing - oral, external, spiritual - taking all sorts of treatment possible. To little avail as yet though. Hope to get better with time...this hope is my ultimate fall-back-upon.

But amidst all this hustle and bustle, I've been feeling lonely and cornered. Quarantined rather. Everyone's moving about with their lives at normal pace, thinking about their work, duties, how much they've studied, what all chores they're yet to finish, where to spend the weekend with friends - the works. But all I've had and still have on my mind is when I'm gonna get rid of this pain...when is my foot gonna be fit enough for me to be able to walk those two miles of my long-forgotten evening walks? When will I be able to start my swimming lessons? How and when will I visit the sites I've got to review for my freelance job? When will I finally stop being looked upon with sympathetic-cum-condescending glances for sitting around all day and hardly helping around the house? I have alluded to my issues with sickness earlier. I admit I had a prophetic approach to sickness at one time. But that was before I had been THIS sick for THIS long. Now it's mere torture, squatting around all day with pain everywhere and no enthusiasm to do any damned thing.

It kills my sanity to see people getting along in their lives, doing what they ought to do, passing by me with a word of sympathy or advice without really knowing what all goes on inside my head. They think all I'd want right now is to rest and get better and to be rid of the pain. Little does anyone know how it agonizes me to see my peers and friends wasting their holidays doing nothing, while I look at them with longing eyes thinking of all the ways in which I would have been making each day of my vacation more worthwhile than the last. It hurts in places I otherwise scarcely even know the existence of inside me. For a person as restless as I am, illness is a curse like none other.

I am but a loner. With already only about a handful of friends who I talk to on normal days, I tend to stay away even from them in such times. I don't know why. I just don't feel like anyone understands my state. Almost everyone thinks, however, that they do. They'll invariably give you expert advice on resting yourself infinitely, taking care while walking, not stepping out of doors, what medicines to take, what tests to get done and a hundred etc pieces of advice and motherly admonishes. And the ultimate "take care of yourself" and "don't worry, you'll be alright in a couple of days :)" certainly beat the hell out of me. Come on, if it were not for your telling me to, wouldn't I be taking care of myself? And when you don't even know half of what all is wrong with me, why bother to say encouraging stuff like THAT?

It outrages me to be asked about my health as a customary salutation by dear ones before their going on to recount all the stories of what an awesome day they had. It's like all that my life revolves around right now is my ill health, and that's all I am about to them. Pretty much the major reason why I keep away from society during such times. They make it harder rather than easier for you to hold on, cope. And then what would you think - they take it as a personal offense if the sick person keeps a distance from them! Then come jewels of words like "Fine, suit yourself. I am here for you and yet you choose to be alone. Don't blame me later, for you've chosen your loneliness and misery yourself". Classic!

Now, as it always happens, I started writing this post in a sad state of mind during another bout of loneliness. And it as usual ended up getting laced with all the bitterness I could muster. I am indeed bitter right now. And sad. And lonely. But I don't need pity or concern. I need respite. Some excitement, some unconditional loving and caring. A surprise maybe. I just don't wanna be alone. But I don't feel like talking either. So I guess this loneliness is gonna make itself a home in me for some time. But don't feel sorry for me! It might actually not have the desired effect. Just bear with me and my rants and keep dropping by to read up on me, I'll keep this space posted.

P.S. I just found out on the web that sick and lonely people die early. ISN'T THAT ME RIGHT NOW? Oh God save me, I want to live.

The Hauz Khas Files - II

The previous post in this series covered the 'beauty' part of the Village. Now I come down to the other, more significant part - the 'eating' one. There are two major aspects to any place that make it really worth a visit – the food and the general ambiance. Hauz Khas Village scores pretty well in both. It is an urbanized village that boasts of designer boutiques, high-end restaurants and cafes and great nightlife. I did a thorough research on the various cafés and food joints in the village before visiting. We ended up hitting the two most popular yet completely contrasting joints it has on offer – The Kunzum Café and The Living Room. Why the contrast you wonder? Well, for starters, Kunzum Café doesn’t really charge you money while The Living Room (TLR) takes away even that last penny you had stashed up in your secret inner pocket.


1. Kunzum Café - The traveler's paradise

(Photograph courtesy Google Images)

It comes as a complete surprise to many people.

They don’t charge? What the hell dude, you’re screwing with me. :|

But it is true; their menu card doesn’t even have the rates printed! There is a small casket kept by the door; you may put in whatever you deem suitable for the food they serve. It’s supposedly a travel café – you come and sit here the whole day, hobnob with travelers that usually frequent it, share travel stories, read the many travel books and brochures stacked along the walls or simply hang out with friends – and no one is ever gonna ask you to get your lazy ass out of here. No elaborate food or beverages served; just simple coffee and cookies. But do remember, no outside food allowed – not even cakes. We were hoping to cut the birthday cake there, but were not permitted. So we left, not having even a taste of what they supposedly serve. But the comfortable low seating and well lit interiors did give me a good kind of vibe – I’d surely visit it again soon, maybe alone, with maybe a book to read or maybe something to write. As of now, Kunzum Café receives 3 stars from me. The place is easily located, though you can find sureshot help here.

2. The Living Room - Posh and perfect

The Living Room, located at the very start of the village, lies in total contrast to Kunzum. Occupying the second and third floors as well as terrace of a sufficiently big place, it has nice interiors, comfy seating (I almost sank into their plush sofa and snoozed) and good service. They serve all kinds of food at TLR – Italian, American, Indian, British et al – as well as alcohol from all around the world, quite literally too. We ordered a lot of starters and were almost full by the time we got to flipping through the main course section. The food was indeed quite expensive, which we conveniently noticed only when it was time for the birthday girl to shell out money at the end of the day. :P

(Photos courtesy Harshit Vishwakarma and his amazing camera)

Oh, and that's my other bestie. He'll certainly kill me if he sees his picture here.

The walls at TLR are all bright and sunny. There are well stocked racks of the best classics as well as contemporary books for readers to pore over, and you can also pick up one of the numerous board games that are kept stacked in a corner for your amusement. Not to forget a conspicuous peculiarity I observed - a ‘showerhead’ serves as the faucet in the washroom. Seriously!

The Living Room’s specialty lies in its very retro, very hip feel. The place has been done up with a careful ease – something I find missing at most restaurants. They’re either too laidback or else jumping at you for attention. However TLR instantly brightens you up while at the same time making you all relaxed and thoughtful. I’ll certainly give it 4 stars.

Do visit Hauz Khas Village once, that is if you haven't already. And if you have, be kind enough to share your experiences with me too! I'm all ears! :D

P.S. There are a number of other eating options at Hauz Khas Village, like the Flipside Café and yet another called "Gunpowder"! But since I haven't yet visited them, I'd leave it to the readers to research on them before trying out :)

P.P.S. Another post in the series coming up soon too..! :D

The Hauz Khas Files - I

Here's a dedication to my new found obsession - Hauz Khas Village. I’ve frequented this place a bit too much over these past few weeks. It all started with my search for an ideal place to organize my bestie Rose’s surprise birthday party last month. I went through every single happening place – mall, amusement park, bowling alley, quiet haven or pub – that I found worthy within the four walls of the city. Nothing seemed to fit, somehow, to my description of the ideal place. And then the idea to celebrate in Hauz Khas Village came to me. Well okay…I’m actually grateful to my sister for the suggestion. But to sum it all up, it was a hell of a day we had there, though it could certainly have been much, much better.


Hauz Khas Village is a heaven of a place hidden within the heart of the city. I was expecting it to be a small dirty lake, all dried up because of the scorching heat. But ooh la laa! What meets the eye instead is a BEAUTIFUL, HUGE lake, surrounded by lush greenery and overlooked by some awesome-looking monuments. I was awestruck – rather love struck - my love for everything medieval and beautiful not in the least unknown to my readers. The lake is not even a lake in fact. It was actually a tank built way back in the 13th century to supply water to the surrounding settlements. Funny, medieval people got their washing and bathing water supply from such exquisite water bodies! One of those times when I wish I was born a few centuries earlier.

I had much better shots taken from my friend's DSLR. Alas, I still haven't got them. I'll upload as soon as I catch hold of them. Till then this is all I have!

We hardly felt the heat while at this place. Its huge canopied trees and the water of the lake keep the area cool even while everything's melting outside. And the serenity of the water and the reflected green and blue shades on its surface...I was really in heaven throughout. The place exudes pure, unadulterated magic. So much so that I am desperately waiting for the summers to subside and the monsoon to announce its arrival. Because that will be the ideal time to visit the village again and soak in its real beauty.

The how-to-reach part is usually the only one where first-timers err. The village is a short auto ride (or a 15 minute walk) away from the Green Park Metro station. Although Hauz Khas station is almost at the same distance, I won't recommend reaching the village from there for reasons I cannot exactly explain convincingly. Just that the path goes through the high-traffic Ring Road and usually takes more time, while that from Green Park is more convenient. I leave it to the visitor's discretion.

P.S. This is however just one part of the story!
Another post in the same series - The Hauz Khas Files II - coming up sooner than you'd expect. And maybe another one to follow...so keep your eyes and ears open!