quirkyblue

My new workplace is quite far away by Bangalore standards, which is a combination of distance and traffic. With Vijay's office also not being close to where we live presently, it made sense to move to some place closer. Therefore for a series of weekends we went around the city, scouting for a more suitable accommodation. Alas! It wasn't as simple as I thought it would turn out to be! Aside from the rates, which, by the way shot up in areas that we preferred, something or the other was never right. Either the ventilation wasn't good or the parking wasn't spacious enough. If both these factors were taken care of, the locality was not to our liking. But the one factor that eventually changed my mind and made me stay put in our current apartment is the greenery - and the friendly, furry neighbours that reside in it. You see, I live at the top floor of a stand-alone apartment block. It is open from two sides ensuring free flowing breeze and ample sunlight. Since the Ma...

Be still pause linger for a moment catch the magic in a falling raindrop capture the miracle of the first sunray celebrate the smell of morning tea. Talk to the wandering clouds Chase a rainbow Tweet back to the birds Let a butterfly alight on your shoulder live love laugh Bring back the magic the wonderment the wow

How I yearn for the lonesome sea rushing, roaring, rolling perpetually What does it ponder? what does it pray? Is there hope or just dismay? Alive n' kicking or plain frustrated Are its dramatics authentic or narrated? Is the blue sky its only audience? Colouring it with its own moods and vibrance? How I wish I were lost in the breeze No voice, no murmur, no 'thanks you', no 'please' Dance if I could with all that is me Joining the sea and the sky, break free! Languages abound but I want no words Just want to drown in a sense of purpose...

I miss Dehradun . Labeling it as home-sickness wouldn't be fair. Because it isn't just my home that I miss, but the entire city, the air, the roads, the bakeries and most of all, the mountains. For around 24 years, every morning that I woke up, I would be greeted by the austere presence of the silent giants. Sometimes blue, sometimes green, sometimes gray, and innumerable mishmashed shapes in between... forever playing withe their misty companions, the clouds. In the summers the peaks would turn grey, and there would be no sight of clouds. The vivid blue sky would provide a stark contrast to the heat wave beneath. The breeze would transform into, what we call, the loo - which in the vernacular lingo means hot wind, not the restroom! And the mountains would stand stoically day in and day out. At nights however, one could often see the stark lines of forest fires in the distance, as if the heat really did become unbearable for the rocky giants and they are venting their f...

Alone, I stand Looking ahead, and back Trails travelled and unknown. Behind are the woods - wistful, grateful, sorrowful can't just leave them behind, can I? And yet, the sky ahead is turquoise. A blissful wind slaps my cheeks, the sun burns me a rich brown. It stings... and feels alive. What is it at the horizon? A gathering storm, I must say, as I get drawn towards its. Crazy? Ah... yes. Passion is crazy. Being alive is being crazy. Being happy is being crazy. I laugh, and move ahead as the tear drops behind...

Monkeying can be both good and bad. In fact, it can be pretty bad, as is obvious from my previous post about the Goons in Saffron . Watching the news made my bile rise, and I tried to divert my thoughts to monkeying of a different kind. Mistake me not dear reader, I am just referring to the fantastical acrobatics of our Darwinian ancestors, the real and honourable monkey. Honest to word, I felt much better and would now like to relate to you the same. The apartment where I live is next to the sprawling campus of the Central Silk Board. Apart from the hundreds of worker, the campus is also home to a group of monkeys who take refuge in its greenery in a city that is today defined by its traffic snarls and concrete jungle. Last year, in July, the monkeys made a surprise visit to our apartment , and had ravaged my potted plants kept out in the balcony. Understandably, I was shocked and appalled to see the destruction, and in the following months took great paints to nurse my plan...

There's much more to Bangalore than just the malls and the great weather. Here are the reasons that I love Bengaluru for... The Idli-Vada joints - Where else in the world can you get nutritious, fresh, delicious and inexpensive breakfast early in the morning? I must say I am impressed by the efficiency of these innumerous joints that dot Bangalore's landscape. Clean and fast, these joints provide you essentially with what you want - fresh, wholesome, tasty food. And the low prices are an added balm to the heart in these times of economic shockers. In addition, have you ever noticed the speed at which these joints pack and distribute packets? My idli-vada pack never gets messy. There's always a small plastic sheet on which the chutney is spread. The sheet is given a fold on which the idlis are kept, and on top of which goes the Vada. Magically, these never get crushed or soggy... And the pulley system is charming. The guy at the counter just tugs at the pulley and uses a ...