Thursday, March 18, 2010

You know you are a Kashmir when -

You know you are a Kashmiri when -

Chai must be had atleast 4 times a day, in the morning, for lunch, at 4, and when you come back from work.

Weddings last for at least a fortnight !

All the women at your parties try to see who can talk the loudest.

You can hear their laughter and even the voh-vohs (gallis) from the basement.

You meet a whole new line of families at Kashmiri gatherings.

You are going to be a daakhtar [doctor].

You drink nun-chai (salted tead) and eat kulchas (kashmiri baked bread)

You can pronounce tchzamun/ tchzarvan

Big noses/ Hooked noses run in your DNA, and if somehow you end up with a different one- people refuse to acknowledge you as a Kashmiri.

You know the correct pronunciations to the song, Rind Posh Maal...

You know many kashmiri phrases such as

- KholAKhar

- Trath Payin

- Kya Gowm

- Balai Lagey

- Shikas Lad

You are the most politically aware kid in your school.

You think you can sing, but you really cant.

When any food you eat is subjected to the wazwaan test, which it inevitably fails. :)

When the first thing you wait for in the morning is to get the tchzot, bakerkhaani, kulcha etc. (type of Kashmir baked breads) from the kaandhur's (baker’s) shop.

When double-tchzot (bread) is given to the spoilt brats, cuz they wont eat the traditional breads.

If you happen to pass all the uncles, you always hear them debating about Kashmiri politics.

You've spied on the wazaa's (cook’s) at your wedding before.

Everyone is your aunty and everyone is you uncle.

You have atleast once rode a crazy horse in Pahelgam or Gulmarg or have heard someone's tales about it.

Your cousin is getting married this summer, so you have to spend all year planning your outfit.

You are always in search of the "vyaes"(the bone marrow :P) in the tsyun (meat)

No meal is a meal without rice.

You never felt the need for having deserts after an enormous wazwaan.

You think you are the only person competent enough to call yourself an Aryan.

Kashmiri is the perfect code language in public places becuase NOBODY knows it.

You've grown up being extremely proud of you culture.

When you are somehow related to that other Kashmiri.

When kashmir fights consist of going "ey ey ey"

Any news piece on Kashmir catches your eyes within 5 miliseconds of your flipping through the newspaper.

People are puzzled when you speak kashmiri.

You prefer Hrithik Roshan to Shah Rukh Khan because he looks- oh so kashmiri !!!

When all the Kashmiri woman talk, no one can hear what anyone else is saying.

You find it hilarious when your watch Kashmiri soap operas and they are trying to act romantic.

Sweety sweety drai duty is you theme song.

You know all about the India-Pakistan separation.

You are close friends with Kashmiri Political Figures.

People respond with "where's that?" when you tell them where your from.

You made a Kashmir stall at your school's cultural fests.

You are sure to bring in the kashmiri connection to anything and everything.

When you dont own any naked baby photos, but have many photos of you in a traditional kashmiri dress taken in Nishad Bagh.

You eat softies at Zero Bridge.

Your dad ate softies at Zero Bridge in college.

When you have rode a shikara on dal lake, and then your driver got into a fight with the guys cuz he was asking for 50 more rupees.

When u enter ur house and ur Mom says- Aakha Tchu (Have you come?)

You go to a Khandar (marriage) and some strange old lady with a bushy hairy mole (just below her nose) will Kiss you right left and center and say- Mai ma zaanakh, bu che chain maas. (Do you know me, I am your massi!)

This is the way Our Uncles will always pronounce the following words

- Six- SIKIS

- Construction- Canastruction.

- Help- Helap

Our relatives Love using Kashmiri words while talking to someone non kashmiri - Raste mai mera toh myada he kharaab ho gaya, Taichi taichi lag gai.


Source: FB Page "You know you are a Kashmiri when"

Saturday, February 27, 2010

The Best Friend

To set the context of this post, I have lot of friends. In-fact only thing I think I have is great friends who have influenced me in many ways. I owe a lot to people around me for all the better part of ME (if there is any!)

Start reading thinking about the one person whom you consider your best friend. Now your best friend out of the picture. What would life be!

  1. No one to share your thoughts with.
  2. No one to listen to you without judging you.
  3. No one ready to laugh at your stupid jokes and after sometime to tell you they were really stupid.
  4. No one to listen, when you crib about dad's autocratic ways and mom's emotional blackmailing.
  5. No one to tell you were wrong, when you had a fight with someone
  6. No one to share those stupid moments
  7. No one to confide with
  8. No one to look upto in-case of trouble that can't be share with parents ;)
  9. No one to talk to late night and wake up.
Well quite important creatures these "Best Friends" are!

Btw they are also the most irritating, stupid, idiotic creatures we have met. As they would keep on blabbering about anything while you are around and would be quiet if any one else comes in. They will make sure you are the first person who knows whats happening in their lives, even if it means calling at 00:00 when they know you have an important exam the next day.. They would enter your room w/o knocking and try to poke their nose in every business of yours..

But most importantly they will never complain.. They will listen listen listen...!!! They will tell you what you do, even when you don't ask for it.. They will say it even when you mention that you don't need advice!..

And the most important part.. they love you for what you are.. or rather the way I put it.. "They respect you for all your bad things"




Saturday, January 9, 2010

The year that went by

Well I know I am little too late with this.. But then better late than never :).. So 2009 (one of the best years I have had) has gone by and 2010 has had an equally good start.. :)

some happenings in 2009:

-I'm MBA : Donno how relevant it is and how much it has enhanced my knowledge, but all said and done, its a good degree to have in hand. As one of my friend puts it "MBA" is one degree than strengthens your matrimonial profile ;)

- Corporate life. : My company is one of the biggest brands in the world, and all said, I kinda love my work. At the end of the day, its about how much I'm taking back. Money is good and so is the learning and so are the friends

- New city new life. I move from Jammu to Goa for education.. Now Goa to Mumbai for work.. Since all my life I have stayed in small "peaceful" laid back cities.. the experience was challenging and exciting.. Today I can proudly say, that I love mumbai.. I feel good about the rush and the speed of this city.. Because this is one city which proves to you .. If you are ready for it.. you can control your life and own your destiny

- Independence: With job came independence, ability to take control of my own life.. Nobody now questions my decisions.. Parents now offer suggestions and don't issue "directives".. Parents have moved from that role of the "guardians" to more of friends with whom I can be honest and share what I feel.. But I miss being questioned and asked.. But then isn't it something.. isn't the independence that I have craved for all through!

The feeling that I got when first salary was credit in the account was jus brilliant.. I suddenly had moved from a "cost centre" to a "revenue centre" (in finance terms)..

Other than this, I made amazing friends through the year at work.. Its brilliant to have good people around life just becomes amazing..

But the year wasn't without regrets.. I am sure I will learn from them and move ahead.. In the end.. its our mistakes that teach us more :)..

Monday, November 2, 2009

A big THANK YOU!

My life kind of has become really happening in the past few months.. Not only on the personal but on the professional front also.. There is quite an activity happening around.. Some people walking out to a new world and new “institutions”/ organization.. And some walking into my life.. I have always believed and will keep on believing that LIFE is a learning curve.. It provides us endless opportunities to learn and develop.. every relationship be it on professional or personal front helps us learn and improve.. n by the end we have learnt enough and there are no further takeaways.. We move on (read graduate) to a new relation and then to new learnings…

“Enough! Enough! Enough of Bagati Jokes!”.. This the reply I got when I told my “SAD” philosophy of life to one of the friends/colleagues (well this person is definitely a friend!).. bt then my belief in this “SAD” philosophy has further strengthened.. thanks to the recent happenings in my life..

I made a speech I would like to say to all those people who are LEAVING!

“Dear friends,

Thanks! It has been a real fun knowing you and learning from you.. Thanks for the impact you have created on my life and thanks for the ways you have helped me improve… Thanks for all the good moments we have shared together.. Thanks for listening to me when I was low and confused and Yes! A bigger thanks for listening when I was HIGH!.. Thanks for being there when I needed you most! Thanks for sharing your happiness.. (It brought a smile on my face).. Thanks for your contribution in what I am today..! Thanks for the part of your “Goodie Goodiness” that you have given to me..

May God bless you with all the happiness… you may wish!.. May your next learning curve be even better than it was when we were impacting each other’s lives.. May you achieve every success in personal and professional life..! May you live to be an example for others to follow..

And finally a big big big thank you.. For being such great friends!

Always a friend – Rahul”

Thursday, September 24, 2009

My "Committed/Married" Friend

Since last one year, lots of people around me have either started getting engaged or married. In short many of my very good friends are losing their bachelorhood. I have been kind of noticing their activities for quiet long now. So I noticed some things which I found interesting and decided to put them down. The post is about a journey of a person from his engagement to wedding ceremony.

(Any resemblance to any of my good “committed/married” friends is deliberate to make them realize “Buddies you have changed..!”)

Scene 1: The guy (referred to as S, btw my rommie rocks) meets his friends for the first time. This is actually his party.

Friend1: Dude where is S?

I: Donno yaar, I think he is on phone. He will be back in a while. He said that we can order whatever we like.

30 minutes had passed , and S still was not back.

Friend2: Lets go and check; maybe he is in some kind of trouble.

Friend1: Let me call him, I think if he is in trouble he will pick.

Friend 1 calls. “Aapke dwara dial kiya gaya number vasyat hai.. kripya thodi daer baad dial Karen..”

I: What did he say? Is he fine?

Friend1: That ass is still on phone. Donno, who is on the line?

Well we all knew the answer. Our friend was taken. He was no more our friend only or rather he was sum one’s some first and then our friend. S returned back after an hour to go back only in 15 mins. We were supposedly in that get together for 4 hours. But, our dear friend spent most of the time on phone. Discussing God knows what..?

Scene 2: It’s a weekend and we decide to visit a shopping mall (actual intention is to check the crowd there) and purchase stuff.

We are roaming around the mall; suddenly S enters “LIFESTYLE”

Friend1: Dude, it’s too crowded here, let’s go some other place. Btw EPL is going on; we can go to the sports bar upstairs and watch the match.

S: Actually I wanted to check out some stuff. You guys continue, I will join you in some time.

I: No let’s go together. Anyways we had come together, no point splitting up. We will finish whatever S wants to buy and then go to other place.

Friend2: I think it’s a great idea. So S, what you looking for.

S (very casually): Nothing yaar, need to buy shampoo and stuff.

Friend1: Oki, this way. Cosmetics are kept in the corner there.

We all went there. (Well do give some background about this Mr. S of ours. Mr. S is a very genuine guy who has his mind and priorities in a very right spot. A very simple guy. Well! Very simple till now.) S starts checking out latest cosmetics from HuL to PnG to the latest herbal care brand. We all are looking surprised. We had to get a carry bag for S so that he could carry the stuff home.

Friend1: What’s all this for? Shouldn’t you be using one brand only?

S: Well yaar, actually I read somewhere that a conditioner after a shampoo, makes your hair look good, smooth and silky.

Well here was a friend of ours, so completely focused in life that he hardly cared about things like brand, shampoos, soaps etc. But now, with marriage couple of months away, he has recognized the importance of looking fairer and handsome. Now we don’t go to malls to check the crowd but the latest cosmetic items on display. (Yes, I think there should be beauty parlors for guys also)

These are just two instances; I need to mention our Mr. S can’t get up in the morning. Well in fact he can’t get up for office also. But does this habit stop him from getting up early morning and leaving home early so that he can see SOME ONE before she enters her exam hall and wishes her luck. Yea, not to mention, our Mr. S has become a responsible room-mate. He has started caring about things in the house like why bai didn’t clean the room properly, why stuff is lying here and there. When asked about the abrupt change in attitude he replied, “Bhai, you bhabi doesn’t like me being irresponsible!” and then there were no questions asked and no explanations given!

"A man's wife has more power over him than the state has."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well I believe Mr. R.W.Emerson was quite right when he said the above lines. Anyways, I wish all my friends, who are about to lose control over their life, luck and life.

And as they say “Change is the only thing that is constant”

Saturday, September 19, 2009

An apology

So here is the situation, my best friend is angry with me because of the "PARTICULAR" lines in some of posts... So I thought since the reason for anger is some of lines in the blog.. why not issue an apology on the blog only..

Dear Best Friend,

I am really sorry if some of the lines on the blog hurt you.. Actually they were meant because of the particular frame of the mind I was in.. The lines had nothing to do what-so-ever with whatever you thought.. If any resemblence is found with anything, I am ready to be tried in the any legal jurisdiction you wish..

Also I want to say it again.. as I keep on saying "You are a necessary ingredient" (:P) to my life.. Please don't feel bad..!!! I am a emotionally challenged person and its been a habit of hurting feelings of people who definitely do matter a lot..

Knowing you has been a dream come true... I donno if there is a person who is as sweet, caring and matured as u.. Thanks for accepting me the way I am.. You have nva askd for anything in return.. while I kept on asking for forgiveness for all the dumb things I have done and keep on doing.. So. as usual please forgive me.. as usual just give a smile without saying anything that makes me feel.. oki I can repeat the dumb act again..

I AM SORRY..! (I know if you are reading this, you will first smile and then curse me at the top of your voice for being sorry.. So since you will be angry again for me being sorry.. I am sorry again for making you angry again :P )

Cheers!

P.S. I am sorry if I ever said something I shouldn't have.. I know I do act dumb at times

Thursday, September 17, 2009

An MBA in Action

I realised that I haven't written a post for 5 days so just thought will write something.. Don't really have a topic in mind to write about.. but there are so many things I have done in life aimlessly.. that I can afford one more.!

So the dilemma is what I shud write about..

Well I can write about myself..!! Nah! still not comfortable to discuss household and personal issues on blog ..btw I havn't still figured out the difference between personal and professional.. I at times do wonder given a particular situation.. if its from my personal life or professional.. Too bad na! many will think.. I am too dumb to figure out the difference.. Well..a lil dumbness is necessary to keep some spice in life.. this is sumthing most of us will agree to.., or

I can write about the latest happenings in office.. well I am now almost 4 months into job.. and I kinda have realised.. office-chats on public forums don't help much.. infac office-chats don't help much anywhere.. every1 noes everything but no1 wants to discuss it in public.., or

Btw.. I am going home next month so I can write about what I miss most about my home.. I can write about my family.. bt.. who doesn't miss his/her home.. we all love our family and we believe they are the best.. so if I tell you that I got the best parents in the world.. you will tell me you got better.. Btw.. if you look.. hw relative things can be in this world.. for a kashmiri, a "very cold" for a person from Goa or Maharastra.. is "no cold"..or its "oki cold".., well

I can write about how much sick I find Sach ka Samna.. I feel its disgusting ..but to tell the truth I do have a curiosity to watch what the answer is gonna be.. What reaction will the person's (one taking the show) family have..?.. Most of us don't like the show.. But still the show has one of the best TRPs.. same was true with the crappiest (donno if its the correct word) . RAKHI ka SWYAMVAR.. it did hav the best TRPs.. n hw much we crib.. some of us still went on to watch it.. Criousity is the very foundation of our existence..!!!

There are a thousand things.. to write about.. I can write about an old friend with whom I have fought "N" (literally N) number of times.. n still when I am in problem my fingers automatically type her number on the phone.. There are so many people in our lives... who influence it in some way or the other.. without us knowing.. We end up either admiring them.. or constanly getting in touch with them.. we jus love being influenced by them..

I just realized that I went on to write 469 words.. without any thing in mind.. aimlessly.. trying to arrive at a "TOPIC".. well I tell you..( for those who have done MBA or are doing.. they will be able to relate.. for other who are still in the process of thinking of doing an MBA this is important).. this is my BIGGEST LEARNING... For two years.. I have spent hours discussing a problem in the case.. solution just took 2 mins.. we already had wasted so much time discussing the problem that there was no time finding the solution.. so what did we do.. well CCP.. GOOGLE.. Check for college shared databases.. If still there is a problem.. just give some Global.. that is totally acceptable..

Just check.. I used 469 words to find a topic.. and when I finally found a topic.. it jus took me 4 lines to explain it.. This is called An MBA IN ACTION..!