Dreamybean....

My 30 minutes health byte!

2012-01-12T07:59:00.000-08:00

Finally got myself something I've been really wanting for long.. a treadmill! Guess, it will help me be a little active and shun my lazy attitude. Given the huge investment involved, have been pondering over it and ably guided by many to join a gym instead.. But, gym, really is not my thing.. When it comes to excersize, I would just like to walk, sprint, jog and jump down the stairs, apart from Yoga, ofcourse ;) so yes, I counted few benefits of buying a treadmill over getting a gym membership, I can ride on a home treadmill anytime - early morning, middle of the night, while cooking (can do it for 5 minutes and rush back in kitchen when the cooker whistels). And then, I can do it in my comfy home-wear, won't have to change into proper attire. And now in this chilly winters where it's dark at 6 pm with thunderous winds, who would want to venture out in the park? Plus, was thinking that hubby might also benefit from it (which largely seems unlikely and I am trying :( ).. So , net net, I have got it :)

Its been around 15 days and must say, I am loving it! Everyday, after office, I put on my sneakers, switch on AIR FM to set the mood (like playing radio more than downloaded songs, as your favorite songs coming by surprise makes you feel like someone out there knows what you like and is playings songs accordingly! :)) and start my jog-brisk walk schedule matching steps with the beats.. Have been able to sustain this for 20 minutes at a stretch treading 1.5-2 kms and burning 200 calories..(I end up gobbling double the calories, that's a separate matter :p) This is followed by deep breathing pranayaam and bit of meditation. Feeling afterwards, is a bliss to say the least! Let's hope I am able to sustain this and become more active and fit!

A memorable moment!

2011-02-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

There are some days when life throws sweet, little surprises at you...
Sometimes, when days go little slow, work gets little dull and you feel slightly low,
suddenly, out of the blue
you see sunshine coming your way which kinda makes you glow :)

Feels good... feels vibrant, motivates to pull yourself up once again..
to spread your wings and once again look up in the sky!

Today is one such day... :)

Apy Nu Ear!

2011-01-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

Here's comes another year...
Last year seemed like a whirlwind, didn't realize how days, weeks, months all went past me in a wink. Looking back, this was quite a memorable year with me walking up the altars of matrimony and getting a new lease of life! While the year before that was momentous from professional angle, I got a real break into the corporate world in a 'my' kind of profile, after years and years of studenthood..
Looking at the decade at large, practically everything happened....my school years, college, PG, friends, fun, growing-up from a kid to teenager to an adult ( right! :p).. Couple of miracles n unthought-of surprises happened in this dreamy era for me, learnt couple of lessons, realized certain things about me n the world..
My learning from everything that I can look back right now: There is so much more waiting to be to explored, learned, practiced, admired, marvelled and cherished... keeping my fingers crossed!
Here's to a rocking 2011 and another dreamy decade ahead! Cheers! :-)

Exploring the creative side!

2010-09-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

Take a look!

Didi sent me this beautiful piece of art this rakhi.. ( Its called 'Loomba' which is given to Bhabhi on Rakhi :-) ) It's sooo beautiful and charming that I wanted to make some good use of it....

And this is what I did.. Paired it with this simple n elegant kurti (again gifted by another didi on the same day, I love rakhi ;P)...
N bingo, My day is made! :-)

Daze!

2010-08-08T05:11:00.000-07:00

Numerous images flickering in the mind..
Plenty of thoughts waiting to be crystallized,
Bunch of desires awaiting their turn to blossom..
A tide of dreams rising behind the curtains of closed eyes..

If only, reality could be as enticing...

Cascading......through the maze of life!

Shadified!

2010-02-12T01:31:00.000-08:00

Back after a long hiatus... Little different this time.. not changed completely but somewhere in transition...bit of that girl with dreamy eyes and bit of the person settling down in the new environs...trying to be a grown up, matured individual. Different lifestyle, different people around, different expectations and whole new set of relations!
Dearly miss my old belongings .. my jazzy fast-track wrist watch, cartoon T-shirts and stupid, colorful pyjamas, dozing off at 10pm, gorging on bread-malai with Bed-Tea, walking amidst fresh greenery in dewy mornings and twilight hour, sharing the dilemmas of life with my neighborhood buddy, nimbu-paani made by papa, listening to my bro's guitar!
Excited by new surroundings.. warm and welcoming new relations, yum punjabi food, my chooda,dollops of new apparel, gifts galore, continous festivities n celebrations...
Trying to find myself amongst all this... missing my special someone.. dreaming about what lies ahead.. words coming right away.. " Thoda hai Thode ki zarurat hai.. " :-)

Bedazzled!

2009-11-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

Ever seen snow covered islands in the middle of nowhere?
Dollops of vanilla ice-cream floating all around u?
Pristine white sheets of polar ice gliding peacefully amidst crystal blue ocean?

Been lucky enough to catch an upside down glimpse of the sun setting over the clouds spreading a golden glow around?

Ever stared at millions of glittering colorful sparkles thrown randomly on a black canvas of earth in the twilight hours?

I did.... in a recent flight journey! :-)

Seeking pleasure?

2009-11-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

Was inspired by a para in the book "Eat, Pray, Love" where the protagonist talks about entertainment v/s pleasure..Most of us take time out, spend a fortune and do a lot of planning to entertain ourselves but we may not exactly enjoy it..We, the hardworking lot.. can spend hours toiling in our work... revel in a task done in the best possible way.. work till midnight for the whole week but when it comes to relaxing ourselves, we spend weekends holed up at home doing the same mundane things.. or going out with friends/family for a movie, eating out.. but do we really enjoy it? or somewhere at the back of our minds we'r trapped with the usual tensions of the coming week, that next presentation.. the unfinished household chore..upcoming official travel? The overstressed executive who goes on a vacation but cannot relax fretting about unfinished tasks and upcoming onslaught of mails?
The author talks about " the beauty of doing nothing- The final accomplishment for which you are most highly congratulated.. The more exquisitely and delightfully you can do nothing, the higher is your life's achievement.. One doesn't need to be rich to experience this. The art of making something out of nothing.. turning a few simple ingredients into a feast.. a few gathered friends into a festival.. anybody with a talent for happiness can do this easily.. and some people are naturally blessed"
What most of us get into is a sense of guilt.. a nasty question.. Do I really deserve this pleasure? Aren't there more imp things/people around who need my time and attention?
I believe whoever learns this delicate balance of 'being deep into work' and 'switching off completely' leads a fulfilling life... Hope it's something that can be learnt! :-)

The secret..

2009-10-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this movie called the secret... The one made on a popular novel by the same name which talks about the power of one's belief. The concept or the 'secret' is that the whole universe is based on the law of attraction and hence, whatever one thinks.. he attracts that in his life.. so, if you'r thinking negative all the time,chances are.... it would happen with you and vice-versa..
Hmph... interesting!
But does that mean if we start thinking about things that we want... it would happen? Would it be that simple? My experience says.. Whatever I think or feel would/should happen... exactly the opposite happens, most of the times!
But if you ponder a little longer, don't you feel positive and negative thinking kind of goes together... For e.g. If I am driving and trying to avoid accidents.. ( which by the way, would be most likely.. considering the way I drive ;-)).. What would I be thinking about? There would be fear somewhere at the back of my mind of having an accident and also extra caution and focus to drive safely.. So at the same time, I am having two opposite thoughts, now which one is likely to come true?
Then there are also times when you desire something badly and you are devoid of it and certain things come easily to you but you may not be that much interested in it..What does the concept of secret says then?
Hmm... any answers?

Reflecting on the present..

2009-09-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

Last week, I came across two shocking incidents involving people I know very well, or so I thought..
All of us almost always tend to form an opinion,a judgment about everyone around us..without a conscious effort, by means of interactions and seeing their behaviors.. It becomes more so when one interacts closely with a person and stays in touch on a regular basis, all known to's- friends, family, colleagues,peers... But what happens if suddenly one fine day, you stumble upon something that makes you realise that your view of that person was, indeed, a perception! You unearth something so startling, that you start to question your understanding of that person.. and wonder how wrong one's judgement can be...All the people we know, do we really know them? Truth really is, stranger than fiction!

How well entrenched we are in our daily schedules and how deeply we take people around us for granted..If one day, you suddenly realise that probably it is the last time you are seeing that person..how would you feel? you go wordless..You realise, despite knowing somewhere that nothing really is constant, we assume it all to be as it is..that our routine would continue always...

People generally are resistant to change.. there are also some who constantly seek change ,who don't want to be in a comfort zone... ready to leave it all and explore new horizons..We all know couple of both kinds. I guess the apprehension to change is due to uncertainity of what lies ahead.. It might be better than the present or worse...Standing at one such crossroad, would like to believe this:
While it is true that, " You don't realise the value of something, untill it is lost...."
It is also true: " you don't know what you have been missing, until it arrives!"

A moment captured!

2009-07-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

True joy is...

Sitting by the window overlooking smoky grey clouds with chirping crickets for company. a constantly changing canvas called sky, soft drizzle and the aroma of wet mud...

and relishing on a bowl full of chilled mangoes liberally enmeshed with dollops of ice-cream... yummm.. perfect to tantalize all five senses...
Ending a mundane, routine day in quite a special way!! :-)

Connecting the dots....

2009-07-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Liked a para in today's edition of TOI, Here it goes:

" Life has a strange way of falling into a pattern as we move on, creating an interesting mosaic, which though unfathomable from near, assumes greater meaning as we move further away from it. There seems suddenly to have been a reason for whatever happened. Well, the reason always was there, I guess. Suddenly it seems comprehensible to us.
As we move away from a situation and move on in life, we understand why we were denied certain things and how not getting others that we coveted actually was a great blessing for us.
There seems to be a Power, someone up there who knows it all. Someone who has laid out the pattern and reveals it to us bit by bit. As long as you trust in this, you may rest assured that life seems more manageable and you better equipped to handle it."

I can recall more than one instance where this concept applies to me...Connecting the dots backwards, it does make a pattern and everything happening today, every person we know at present can be related to something in the past... Sounds mystical, no?

Beat the Heat!!!

2009-06-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Finally, after a long time....got into a mood to cook! The soaring temp in Delhi tempted me to try out something chilled... So, on a lazy Sunday, I started my Beat the Heat Campaign!

A quick check in the fridge revealed a tumbler full of curd... And thus, came out two things:

Chilled Chaat

Iced Fruity Yogurt
Chaat is basically Dahi Bhalle with a difference. Bhalle was made by a short cut receipy ( Bread dipped in milk, cut in circles, filled with sprouts, sealed and marinated in curd). Along with adding green & imli chutney, added a tadka of mustard seeds, kadi patta, salt to give it a tangy, salty xing!

And Fruity Yogurt is even simpler: Curd was churned to get a creamy
texture, dollops of honey and chopped fruits were added,
garnished with coriander and cherries and kept it in chiller for an hour!

So, we had managed to beat the heat (even if for a couple of hours) and with what?
Curd, Honey, Fruits and Sprouts....Being healthy was never so delicious! :-)

P.S. Papa got a carton full of cherries.. So, looking for cherry receipies now!

Questions galore.....

2009-04-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

Do you know yourself? If not completely, at-least reasonably well?
Have you ever felt out of place...lonely...while sitting with friends or family?
When everybody around you seem to be different and confident about their choices.. do you start questioning yourself?...wondering, may be, something, somewhere is wrong within you....
Do you enjoy your own company? Ever went to that coffee house and relished a coffee pleasantly engaged in your chain of thoughts? Ever explored a new place all by yourself without bothering what people around might be thinking?
Are you comfortable with your being, confident about your choices...or seek approval from your loved ones or even strangers?
Do you go with the crowd or follow your heart? Do you even hear what does your heart say?
Ever felt peaceful amidst chaos? or chaotic even in the peaceful lull of night?
Are you passionate about something in life? If asked to make a bucket-list for yourself, how many points do you think you can write down instantly?
Do you dream every night? Do you wake-up fresh and charged, ready to take-on the world?

Are you sure about what you want from life.... and what do you want to give back to life?
Ever pondered over it??

Be Happy!!!!

2009-01-24T22:34:00.000-08:00

Was going through the Happiness Issue of Lounge, the magazine section of the newspaper Mint…. It talks about 101 ways to get happy!!
It reminded me of all the things I enjoy doing since childhood! Things that really make me feel blessed and grateful for everything around me… It further reinforced the idea that to be truly happy, one doesn’t need to be a millionaire…That the best things in life are free (almost)!!!!

Listing down few things that make me happy… not in the same order!!

1) Poring over my childhood family albums and going nostalgic over those silly stupid things I used to do… (Not that I have changed much now!!)
2) Enjoying a good movie not at the hall but at home on a rented DVD with family complete with home-made butter dripping popcorns and piping hot chocolate coffee!!
3) Munching on moongfali (ground-nuts) and chikki on a warm Sunday afternoon with family soaking in the winter sun, catching up on gossips!
4) Splashing beautiful colors randomly on a blank sheet of paper and claiming it to be a modern art!
5) Switching on the radio/TV and stumbling upon a favorite song I haven’t heard for a long time!!
6) Trying to get out from the warm comforts of the quilt early morning to go to office and suddenly realizing it’s a holiday!!
7) Gorging on a bowl of hot, delicious Maggi cooked by my kid brother!
8) Having a heart to heart conversation with a friend I haven’t spoken to for quite some time!
9) Shopping during Mega Sale season!!!
10) Seeing my Cheeku smile naughtily!
11) Playing Housie (Lotto) and Dumbcharates with friends and cousins all night!
12) Seeing roses bloom in my kitchen garden!
13) Traveling on the window seat of a train feasting my eyes over the passing lush green fields and huge mountains!!
14) A head massage with coconut oil by Mum on a Saturday night!
15) Reading and writing testimonials on orkut!!

Hope the list made you smile…. Do share yours!!!!! :)

Then and Now.....

2008-11-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

Having traversed between Delhi (My home) and Mumbai (My previous work place) and lived two different kinds of lives, I feel I have embedded bits of me at both places...I feel I am living in a state of Euphoria, longing for how things used to be….

In Mumbai, I used to miss sitting idle..with no agendas, no plans for the day… here, (being out of job) I miss my working days..getting up and getting ready for an action packed day!
There I missed ghar ka khana.. dal, subji, ghiya, khichdi… here I keep looking for roadside mouth watering delicacies which were my meals in Mumbai (Dabheli, Mesal Pao, Mendu Vada)… I used to long for MacDonald’s Veg-Surprise burger there…now, I’m trying to replicate a vada-pao at home!
There I missed relaxing with yoga and pranayam to be in touch with myself...Now, I marvel at the fast paced life of Mumbai where I used to forget myself!
There I used to crave for chilly, shivery winters (Dilli ki sardi!).. now I smile thinking about refreshing Bombay rains.. those raincoats, boots, umpteen colourful umbrellas, Crocs and tapri ki chai!
There I could have happily given my right arm to have my daily morning punch of Nimbu-paani made by Papa, peppered with love and affection.. Here I miss the thirst quenching Chhaas (at office) and Oh-so-Yummy Coco! (concoted by a dear fren’s mum, Nirula’s Hot Chocolate Fudge (HCF) would taste like bournvita milk in front of that!)
In Mumbai, I used to babble about the beauty of lush green parks, trees and bird chirpings in Delhi.. Now I oogle at pics of beaches and sea faces I used to frequent there…
I used to proudly discuss about the AC metro trains of Dilli to every Mumbaite.. Now the thought of crazy, maddening Mumbai Locals fills me with Nostalgia!
Being a shopoholic, I missed Janpath, Sarojini Nagar… Now I flaunt my Linking road, Fashion Street purchases.
Surviving in a cramped, decrepit apartment, I used to miss my warm and cozy bedroom…Now I cherish those mid-night excursions with friends wandering on the sea- face, munching on chana-jor-garam and relishing sharifa-shake!
Most importantly, Earlier, I longed to get even a glimpse of my family, cousins and my Cheeku! And now, my smile brightens-up hearing my Mumbai friends on phone!
Really miss planning whacky weekends with my extended family and Loved ones there!!!!

Will I ever be able to have the best of both worlds????

Mum-bye!!

2008-09-29T20:48:00.001-07:00

Finally back home after a 3 month stint in Mumbai.

Bombay is generally seen as a very fast paced, tough and ruthless city but my experience was totally different…

1) I had all the time in the world (Work was pretty easy going and there were no responsibilities outside work.)

2) Life was quite relaxed( I didn’t have to travel in the much dreaded trains everyday, my office and place of stay was at a stone’s throw distance!)

3) I found it quite warm, welcoming and fun (Thanks to a great bunch of buddies I got even before I landed there)

Even otherwise, I found Mumbaites very warm, helpful and accommodating. Being a foodie, I relished various local cuisines ( right from Vada pao, Mesal pao, Medu vada, Dabeli, Kokii, Chunda, Thepla, Paatra, Bakarwadi and the very special Farsaanddd :p)

Rains being my favorite, ofcourse, adored the weather! People there prefer getting into huge raincoats and knee length plastic boots instead of umbrellas ( Though I held onto my good ol’ blue umbrella printed with tiny colourful fishes) Discovered Crocs, a very cute pair of plastic rain shoes available in rich colours with tiny holes all over.(Got a peach coloured pair for my cheeku!)

The place, like any other city, has a different dialect and way of communication which is quiet mast and tapori style…words like nafat, halkat, chamri, chirkoot are liberally used, roadside tea is called ‘Tapri ki chai’, throwing tantrums is called ‘much-much karna’ few words used often: ‘Kya re?, kuuch bhi? Bas kya? Woi toh’…infact, I had great difficulty controlling my laughter when a senior colleague in office once said in a grave, serious tone,’ Nidhi, yeh file khopche mein rakh do!!’

Got a chance to witness few local festivals…Janmashtmi is celebrated by breaking Dahi Handi by groups of men climbing onto each other to reach the height of skyscrapers where the handi is hanged, and the price if they succeed ranges in lakhs!

Enjoyed the most celebrated festival of Bombay, Ganesh Chaturthi where entire city looked like what Delhi looks during Diwali.. was lucky enough to visit “Lal Bagh ka Raja” where the biggest idol of Lord Ganesha is artfully decorated and thousands of devotees come to get their wishes fulfilled.

Oops quite a long post already…before you start yawning and fall asleep on your keyboard… will continue about my sweet n sour experiences of Mumbai in the next post, Enjoyy!!

Those were the days....

2008-07-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

Hyderabad…. A place where my journey outside home began… a platform that introduced me to wonderful people from Bombay...a place where i came all alone as a stranger but spent the days with an extended family....a place which was truly a paid holiday…where training meant full-on masti- 24/7!!
A place where morning meant rushing through breakfast n barging in the conference hall just in time at 9:30..where 1-2,1-2 meant getting divided into various groups…small tea breaks meant exploring various floors of the hotel from ground floor till terrace… where evenings meant going to a new place everyday..be it golconda fort, snow-world, 2 rows from the front in a movie hall at midnight, a peaceful boat ride with southies singing and dancing for you… :)
Where night meant meetha paan post dinner.. where we used to gather in one room to play dumbcharates, U.N.O. and consequences and laugh our way till well past midnight…where weekends meant shop visits and fun games in a resort….
A place where I was pampered and protected like a small baby... :)
Where every moment meant clicking a new pic in a different pose… at all places, be it lift, stair-case, corridors, classrooms, autos, footpath…. Eating, laughing, shouting, sleeping…. :p

Where last day none of us had the courage to sleep and let go of the moments that were slipping away…

I was effectively living in a dream world… As the song goes, those were the best days of my life!!

Out of the nest!!!!!

2008-05-31T04:02:00.000-07:00

Finally the d-day has arrived.... bags r packed, advices taken, goodbyes said. All set for the new beginning, doing new things at new places with new people around.
Feeling lotsa excitement peppered with apprehensions... ate all my favorite cuisines, watched good ol' flicks, visited various places i'm attached to..... captured all my loved ones, various big n small corners of my house in the camera to make myself believe that i'm taking everything with me... already realizing how much i'm gonna miss it all!!!
But i'm sure this stint will be a good learning experience.... hopefully i'l get some sense, sanity n maturity n come back as a human being!! :p

Next post depends on where i get internet access..... Sighning off!!! take care.... :)

Bliss!!

2008-05-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

Woke up to a lovely weather today.... Gusty winds..Silent drizzle and turquoise-coloured sky. Perfect atmosphere to relax in the holiday mood that i'm presently in.. with my MBA just completed and with a job starting in another fortnight, want to just soak-in the goodness of a chilled-out, tranquilized mind... the pleasure of doing things that interest me at my own pace.. with no tensions, deadlines.. Life's gonna take a 360 degrees turn very soon.. with student life ending, change of city, residence, people, weather,timings.. (Although i'm quite excited and looking forward to it) Right now, just want to cherish the inane pleasures of life...and the Rain Gods are with me.. :) :)

A mute spectator..

2008-03-15T04:59:00.000-07:00

Few days back, In the morning, I was standing as usual, waiting for my bus; Ladies Special, new service by DTC (feels great to see the conductor n driver shooing away men who try to jump in, “ Aap ladies ho kya?? Chalo utaron yahan se!”)

While I was looking at my watch again and again (was getting late for the college annual function), I saw a small girl, around 10 years old, coming my way.. She was carrying a huge container filled with water (it must be around half her own height). The container was looking so heavy on her tiny head that she was not able to manage a balanced, straight walk. As she went past me, I could see water sprinkling on her face…. That stern, sad look made me unsure if it was water or tears flowing from her eyes… Difficult to forget that innocent face… Suddenly I realized it was women’s day…

There were many people standing there engaged in the usual chatter...
Unfortunately, I too, unsure of what to do, was a mute spectator…

En masse 08

2008-02-17T03:56:00.000-08:00

The students of management program of SRCC, Global business operations (GBO) are organizing there first ever management fest, 'En masse 08'. its a two day affair (1st and 2nd march, very auspicious n special days i must say (My B'day) ;p!) .

There are various events like the Pop Night,Clash of the Titans, a series of management games like:: Consul Primo, Caritas Call, Trade Arcade, Quiz,Debate, Paper Presentation, Case Study
Some peppy stuff under: Isis Osiris, Melodyssey etc

All the arrangements, hard-word, running-around have been done by first year students setting a bench-mark for everybody...
check out the details here

Come, be a part of the most happening event in town :p

for details, contact:

Kanchan Singh kanchan7k@yahoo.co.in

Nitish Gupta nitishb4u@gmail.com

Karan Gupta karrykool@gmail.com

Meri marvellous mehendi!!

2008-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

Got a chance to indulge in one of my favorite activities,adorning henna on my hands!! :)
its peculiar nostalgic aroma takes me back to my childhood days when in summer vacations, i used to experiment various designs with it. the range of colour it exhibits while wet,dry and washed-off is beautiful!
the occasion was a cousin's wedding in Ambala, the freezing temperature( zero degree Celsius) cudn't deter us from enjoying this marvel, unique to Indian marriages. All the bollywood mehendi songs (mehendi laga k rakhna, mehendi hai rachne wali, mehendi ki raat hai etc) automatically began to playback in the mind...when i asked mehendi wale bhaiya, if the colour would be deep orange, the way i like... He quipped, ' We get it specially from rajasthan madam, you can take the money back if ur not satisfied!!' and his claims turned out to be true.

By the way, if ur planning to invite me on ur marriage, please invite me on the mehendi ceremony too, coz, as saif said in Dil chahta hai "Hum cake khane kahin bhi ja sakte hain" Same holds for me in case of this mesmerising mehendi!! :) :)

Something serious...

2008-02-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

Came across this shocking news of IBM laying off 700 engineers in India it hired an year ago as they couldn’t clear some aptitude test.. Company says it wants high performance standards while distraught victims voiced their story of not given any proper training, any platform to showcase their performance as they were on bench since recruited.

TCS also bids good-bye to 500 odd employees post appraisal...

Another hard-hitting incident, a gal committed suicide, another guy tried to…. at India’s second largest IT haven, Infosys…the issue was hushed-up by company people and a rumor floated around blaming the typical ‘failed-love affair problems of youngsters’ !!

Above instances clearly point out that something is horribly wrong somewhere…

Shall we solely put the blame on US recession?

Is HR doing the right job by first hiring in bulk and then putting them on the bench?

T.V. Mohandas Pai, Head HRD, Infosys technologies, suggests introducing two graduating seasons as in US (fall and summer)
Everybody graduates in April, May and June. Around 3.5 million students graduate and around 2.5 million are soon absorbed in companies going in for massive hiring as they feel they cannot get people later. These people are soon put on bench which leads to frustration and attrition and thus wastage of hiring costs.

If post training, such a huge number of employees are not able to clear tests, isn’t the company somewhere responsible in either not being able to properly train them or by mis-judging their capabilities at the time of interview?

Are our educational institutions doing their job efficiently?

As Nikhil Ranjan, President & CEO, William Penn, points out, in our population of 1.1 billion with an average age of 25 years, shortage of manpower in ideally unthinkable. But in reality, the most challenging issue with every firm, small or large, is lack of adequate trained people to support growth.

Is our youth feeling too weak and lost in the crowd to go for measures as extreme as suicide?

I am trying to look for answers…..

Burger with a difference!

2008-01-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

Tried this thing recently..... a low-cal healthy burger (m obsessed with oil free,fat free,cholestrol free healthy stuff! :p)
this burger has nothing fried in it,again very simple n quick to make.... n tastes delicious ( obviously ;) )

ingredients:
regular buns
paneer, onion, peas, carrots [all seasonal veggies, the more the merrier :p]
spices
li'l oil

method:
heat a li'l oil in a pan, fry onions till golden brown, throw-in grated fresh paneer,carrots and boiled peas, cook a li'l to soften n bind everything together, add chaat masala, salt n anardana
and take off heat.
heat the buns n dig-in a bowl through the top to cut across a hole making space for the filling. fill ample amount of prepared batter, cover the top with the cut portion as shown n garnish with salad, coriander,corns n whatever u can lay ur hands on!!
oops, forgot to put chutney bowls in the pic, nevermind! :p

A trip down south!!

2008-01-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

Round the corner from my house is a small south-indian temple which i frequent every week. Not that I'm very religious minded, but the experience at this place is unique in many ways.
The whole ambience... the decor, carefully though-out tapestries, dim lighting with an array of diyas outlining every idol, the distinct aroma floating around....the authenticity of the people reflecting their culture. White, the favorite colour in south, can be seen in abundance: from white tilak,white dhotis, white rangoli to white flowers adorned by the Gods...the devotional slow- music, though I can't comprehend anything beyond 'Narayana', find it mesmerizing.

They follow a different way of praying. We buy a small diya, light it, rotate it in clockwise direction in front of God and throw it in a huge kadaii with blazing flames! Then, there is a small cell enshrined with Gods of 9 planets. Doing parikrama of this cell reminds me of 'saat phere' of Indian marriages... If I'm feeling adventurous, i also traverse the narrow,pitch dark cave-like small pathway there.
There are many regular south-indian faces.. I gawk at them as they go about whispering prayers and shloks in their mother tongue!

The place has an aura, a sanctity that touches you somewhere deep. The pujari uncle, a retired ex- director of DRDO, welcomes me with an imperceptible nod which makes me feel special.
Gobbling up the delicious coconut prasad, i return back, warm and happy from my south-indian sojourn!!! :) :)

Breakfast time..

2007-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

Krunchy Kebabs (veg ofcourse!)

very simple to make...
you need:
1) Potatoes (4), carrots (2-3), peas (half cup) : all boiled
2) 2 Tbsp bread crumbs
3) 1 Tbsp roasted groundnuts
4) salt, pepper to taste
5) Ice cream spoons

method:
mash the boiled veggies together to make a coarse dough. Add salt,pepper to it. Keep the dough in the refrigerator for around half hour. Make li'l round shapes and insert the ice cream stick as in the pic. stick groundnuts on both sides and wrap the whole thing with bread crumbs.
Deep fry till golden brown and bingo! serve hot and crispy with chutney!! :)

'Pet'ty issues....

2007-12-21T01:03:00.000-08:00

Do you like animals? I do, infact, have been contemplating keeping a pet lately. I’ve been told they make good buddies, relieve stress and make life more peppy and cheerful. It would actually be a different kind of experience; caring for a pet and watching it grow-up. And imagine the joy and marvel on cheeku’s face when she’ll watch it jump and run!! :)

Now, i like animals doesn’t mean all of them, I still jump and shriek at the sight of lizards, rats and the likes..i am still quite scared of doggies (my friends with dogs can never forget my antics whenever I happen to visit their home). Isn’t their barking dreadful? I won’t be that bad with a non-barking, teddy bearish, small pocket doggy though ;p

What about fishes? I’ve always had a fancy for underwater world. I guess, they require minimum maintenance and make picture perfect silent beauties. And the best part, I can have them in my favourite colours, shapes and sizes.

I also like squirrels, baby turtles, kittens. It’s not that I have a liking for small animals only, I simply adored kingkong with his heart-shaped nose!! I like the peculiar walk of a penguin, polar bears are very cute too, isn’t it? :)

I bought a parrot when I was 8-9 years old, but he appeared very sad and lonely, away from his parents... so freed it the next day. A bunch of colourful birds is a good idea, isn’t it?

Recently, had a golden opportunity to keep a pair of li’l rabbits brought by a cousin bro, but mum feels, it’s already been too much bringing-up the three of us (me n my siblings) thus, a fourth pet is out of question till we grow-up! (I wonder, if that’ll happen at all! ;))

But I would surely like to have a pet of my own sometime ...someday... :) :)

Happy Birthday Cheeku....

2007-11-29T22:17:00.000-08:00

Today is a verrrrrry special day!!! On this very momentous day, a li'l fairy came down to earth in my life to spread joy and laughter..Love you baybuuu!!
Wish you a verry verry HAPPY BIRTHDAY my gabdoo!! God bless you :) :)

Know ur Flow!!

2007-11-29T02:14:00.000-08:00

I wonder how this skier is navigating sharp downhill in freezing temperature with utmost concentration… he seems to be in a state of perfect bliss… oblivious to the surroundings… enjoying himself!!

The phenomenon is supposed to be called ‘flow’, a state where the person is totally immersed in what he is doing… enjoying the task for its own sake...like people who climb Mt. Everest.. dive deep in the oceans… where the efforts n risk involved far outweighs the rewards…
People say, find your flow and you’ll never be dull, depressed or alone...they say, find a career, you can ‘flow’ with…. And you’ll not have to ‘work’ for life!
It may be as laid back as gazing stars or as taxing as cycling across the world..

I am trying to find my ‘flow’.. do you know yours???

Sweet nothings.....

2007-11-21T21:00:00.002-08:00

They can be purchased from market anytime, but home-made cakes and chocolates made for loved-ones gives a new dimension, a personal touch to that special occasion... a gr8 chance to ensure quality food 4 those special to u... and to display ur creativity.... in style!!

Thats a vegetarian diet chocolate cake... (P.S. dont mind the missing other half... my brother is a li'l impatient! :p)

Vegetarian: its completely devoid of eggs, gelatin etc.
Diet: its also free of cream, butter or other fattening substance
Healthy: the key ingredient here is curd which is very light and aids digestion
Dressing: a quarter slab of melted milk chocolate is poured over to make it Chocolatty.. yum!
Jazzy: can be made more colourful by throwing in gems, cherries, nuts and just about anything..
Instant: ready in about half hour, baked at 100 C in OTG

Chocolates.....
could make only two shapes.... somehow, these tiny cute pieces remind me of my cheeku... so love them :)
again very simple to make... made from milk compound easily available in the market... some of them are beaten with crushed dryfruits (almond and soggy) to give the fruit n nut, cracle effect.

these were few of my "meetha moments.." :)

My creations.....

2007-11-12T07:08:00.001-08:00

Happy Diwali......

Floats.....

Gel Candles....

dawn v/s dusk.....

vot say???? :)

rang de!!!

2007-10-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

colours.... bright and beautiful.. lovely and fun.. aint they??

ask anybody and they will be ready with there list of favourite, not so favourite colours.
our country is famous and appreciated for being storehouse of such lively colours..be it our huge array of spices, veggies and fruits....ever changing weathers- autumn, spring, rains...cross cultural celebrations..rangolis made at the entrance of houses...those lovely silk kaancheevaram sarees.. beetroot red, bright orange, magenta, golden trimmings, silver embellishments.

our festivities..colourful holi, mesmerising dandiya, navratri, diwali illuminated with golden sparks of crackers, diyas, candles...

deep red bridal colour, delicious chocolate brown, saffron coloured sages, refreshing greenery all around, hues of blue above us, turmeric yellow, black stillness at night, ujala safedi all white ;p
....how our life is filled with amazing colours!

recently got my house painted- after going thru around 200 shades.. selected a combo of two for my room: sapphire ice and silvery smoke.. (sky blue and grey).. wanted to have the the look of sky just before a heavy downpour :)

from subtle ones like peaches, purples, baby pinks to loud ones- maroons, majenta, orange, from red hot to cool blue, from refreshing green to gloomy cream....there is one to appeal every eye... n after writing about colours.. one childhood game's jingle coming to my mind: 'tippy tippy tap...what colour do u want??' :)

My bundle of joy!!

2007-10-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

thats my cheeku- my teddy bear, my aloo parantha!!
life has completely changed since past ten months, thats when she arrived.....
everything about her is special- her chubby cheeks, twinkling eyes, tiny delicate hands, toothless grin, curly, unkempt hair...
i have always had a fascination for babies, but cheeku is my li'l fairy. the very thought of her, brings a smile, an inexplicable joy to me. she's started crawling lately and its difficult to resist doing the same by her side!
the time i spend with her seems a gift from God. i try to capture everything in my mobile cam : how she first uttered li'l words like mumm.. uuuu... , her expressions when she tastes something new (chocolate, ice cream etc), her smile, her yawn when she wakes up in the morning, her giggle when something falls, eagerly waiting to hear her say 'maaasi' :)

babies teach us so many things in life...
the way they marvel at everything around them- sky, flying birds, bright colours starkly contrasts with how we take everything for granted and live in oblivion..
how they love u unconditionally with a pure heart, blissfully sleep in ur arms, trusts and accept u for what u r and how we adults are entangled in selfish give and take relations..
i also wonder how they remain calm, playful and care free and how we 'the sensible lot' keep fretting, mulling over issues, remain tense and stressful..
how their face lights up with small gestures: a smile, their favorite ice cream, a joy ride, cookies and how we 'grown ups' keep on waiting for bigger joys to come to us and remain unsatisfied..

a small baby, without speaking anything, can really teach you to live life... :)

mornin miracle......

2007-09-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

i am a morning person..it takes something very serious to keep me awake past 11..n being a health freak..av discovered the best way to start my day- Yoga!! its simply amazing...though getting up that early (read 5) in the mornin needs a li'l struggle from ur side..but once in the park at that hour (talked about it in my last post)..i get the feeling of 'Alice in wonderland' :)
everything silent, fresh and welcoming.. the feel of cool dew drops and silken grass under ur feet..doing yoga under the open sky is , i feel, an 'other world' experience..and the health benefits are plenty.. it makes ur body disease free, flexible and shapely..trimming away the much dreaded fat, the pranayam (breathing exercises) cleanses every single nerve and vein in ur body..filling it with fresh oxygen and 'pran' (life)..it de-stresses my complete self like anythng..and brings me closer to God.
during yoga sessions,i realized the value of laughter, only humans are blessed with this power.. a complete workout in itself, increases immunity...generates positive energy...relaxes ur nerves.

by the end of one and half hour session..i feel healthy, fit, energetic and completely at peace..
charged to take on the day.. its just a couple of months since i started..n m seeing my life transforming for good..it changes ur whole outlook to the world and ur own self...

try it..start ur day with a morning miracle.... :)

treasure around us.....

2007-09-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

I'm starting my first post by talking about something i like a lot.... nature: green surroundings,shady blue sky,colorful flowers,sweet chirpings: the very thought is delightful.
its very common yet marvelous to see sunlight filtering through branches of trees, amazing shades of green in plants, the dark and deep chocolate brown woods: umm...delicious sight :)
and i wonder just how conveniently we ignore this gift of God and keep running through errands complaining, criticizing..

every time we look at sky, we can find a different shade of blue..a different image..a different mood.... worth capturing, worth marveling at..
rains are like icing on the cake, appeasing all five senses..crystal drops glazing across bright, fresh plants, sweet tinkering sound,intoxicating muddy aroma..little birds shrugging and fluttering their wings in puddles signaling its playtime.. :p

a walk in the cool, breezy twilight hour under the orange sky cut off from all the high-tech gadgets and other daily tensions brings me closer to myself and fills me with an unbeatable energy..walking down the trees has a mystical feel..everything silent yet communicating..watching a squirrel in action is another delight...the way it shoves its tiny fluffy tail in a frenzy, gobbling up li'l tit-bits is a cute thing to ponder over..
looking at flowers gives a feeling that they are smiling...the least one can do is smile back.. :)

catching up these li'l marvels in life have a healing,rejuvenating effect..everything seems to be in perfect sync, in perfect bliss...

Thank you God...i feel blessed... :)