A question thanks to 'Matilda'!

I guess I had seen the movie somewhere when I was matured enough to understand it's not for me, its for kids! :/ But who cared? Or who cares even now![I guess the post is going to be long and meaning less in the beginning but I want to blog to clear the nostalgia feeling!!]

 So the other day when I was roaming on the streets of Mumbai, Me and my buddy noticed piles of books and that means that is our favorite place to be. I was in need of books to satisfy my need of daily reading. My buddy took the plunge of suggesting books along with the 'Book wale' bhaiya. Suddenly I noticed a book named 'Matilda' in the kids literature book-lot. I grabbed it at once.

Flashback:
The teenager Bubblegum with her three years old mischievous cousin is sitting in the drawing room and watching television in the horrible hot evening of May. I remember the month as otherwise at five in the evening you can never get me inside home. I would be out to play with Frock buddy N.

My cousin is as usual asking me thousands of question and was focused on not letting his Didi to breath even for a minute. Suddenly I noticed a notorious looking girl on some random channel on the television doing something with her father's hat. I remember everything.Crispy clear. I asked my cousin to watch the girl and tried to make him watch the movie. From the very moment the terrible-two-chatterboxes were so much engrossed in the movie that mom and masi inside the kitchen dint realized at all that we are still in the drawing room. I guess the day was a golden-head ache free day for my mom. Yeah the terrible duo (One in 9th standard and the other was not even sure about the meaning of education!) used to make them feel crap with headaches, of course with the help of other cousins! ;)

May be I learnt something from the movie that day, how to fight for your rights. How to help people. How to tolerate tough things of the life and still try to get out of the cage.Kids movie and innocent I say!

Flashback over:

I grabbed the book. I went home. After two days I picked the book. Read it at once. Finished and enjoyed.Yeah kids book it is. But Don't you think, each one of us loves to be a kid again??

There is so much innocence in these kinds of books. How to fight evil, what is good, what is bad. What great people do, what bad people do.Why jealousy is bad.How to respect for people who care for us. Why we shouldn't bad mouth. Everything. I guess my ethics are built on the basis of what I have read apart from my parents upbringing. We all have learnt these stuffs in our childhood days.

Suddenly a question popped up in my mind.

Do we really care about 'those values' we have learnt in our childhood?

The stage-I bow to thee!

I love the stage! Any stage! From the very early age, I have an affection towards the stage.

I exactly don't remember from where it all started, may be KG days. I have participated in all group dances to Garba, folk dances and that's the exact reason for Bubblegum- being a stage loving girl. Performing in the group and still stealing glances from audience,winning appreciation is all about my love for the stage. How you achieve the overall performance by your own performance is all about my love for the stage.

I remember my school- the biggest stage and opportunity provider for me. Be it Balvihar (KG) small stage, Bal Vidhyalaya (1st std to 4th std), Middle school and high school big stage or the biggest stage ever-almost a stadium watching you. My school has given me all.

I have participated in folk dances,Bharatnatyam shows or Garbas for I-cant-count times! The very tiny details were taken care of ,right from the costumes we were to put on, Bindis to hair-does to probes we used apart from music, singers and the stage. The unique thing about my school was, most of the times, we performed 'on the band'. That means we had 100% 'our performance', a mistake from any group, dance or music or instrument can spoil the performance. We did mistakes, we learnt and I guess that's where perfection comes from.I remember some funny incidents like, entering the stage from the wrong side, change of pair-partners and also-throwing probes-dandiya by mistake!Dances were not the only performances though. I also had opportunities to participate or perform in various areas- singing,elocution competitions, book-reviews,fancy dress in early childhood to 'ek patra abhinay'!

 I had performed as 'Kalpana Chavala' and I don't know exactly what I did, but I had won the second prize :D I had to stab  frenemy J, in the drama, I was Brutus and he was Julies Sizer :D I had a chance to talk something about 'Letters of APJ Kalam' means 'Abdul Kalam na patro' in Gujarati and My friend who was to announce the same had ended up announcing 'Bubblegum on Abdul Kalam na putro' means 'Sons of Abdul Kalam'! Due respect to the great personality, we had a good time laughing on his announcement!

I remember those numerous songs we sang on that stage, Those numerous dances we performed, those amazing dramas we acted.I thank my school for providing me the stage,making me what I am.Conquering my fears and making me confident enough-so that I can rock today! I bow to thee-my stage- my teacher-The Snehrashmi Prarthana Mandir.

PS:The photo was clicked, years ago, while practicing on what we call a raw-stage. This is the middle school stage-High school stage for some batches.

Summer things!

So the summer is already shining and I have already asked a number of people, the exact English word of 'Dhoop', I am still not satisfied with any of the answers given. Finally I decided to use 'Scorching Sun', suggested by 2 buddies. :D I still feel it doesn't give the same feel as 'Dhoop', may be my Amdavadi atma knows the pain.

Summer used to be different in Ahmedabad. It was my school-college days. Vacation days of course. Most of the people will flee out of town to get rid of the heat. There were days we had to tolerate. I guess, they were fun too.

Kitchens used to be full of Fruits like Water melons, Musk Melons and Mangoes. I cant forget 'Kesar keri' we get in Gujarat, its no where near to what we get in Mumbai. Kesar Keri from-Talala region of Junagadh,Gujarat. Yes, not a single spoon of sugar you need to add in the 'keri no ras' or the 'Aam ras'! Its different than Aafoos/Hafoos of Mumbai. These mangoes are very very costly and one of the reasons we don't get out side Gujarat is 80% of  these mangoes are exported. Digress.

So, kitchens full of fruits and 'Kachi keri sharabat' and how can I forget 'Raasana'! Mom used to make that bottle of Rasana syrup and we used to enjoy with ice in the hot summer afternoons! I remember My brother making 'barf ka gola' for both of us while watching movies and Cartoon Network in the noon.

I remember evenings were cool after 6.30. I along with my frock buddy N used to drink water and get high with our usual 'April fool Pranks' and 'Kachi keri with namak/mithu'! All those games were generated mostly during these days.

During college days, when Ahmedabad used to cross temperature beyond 41, one couldn't identify any girls in the campus on the vehicle, as all will be covered with dupatta resembling 'Jhansi ki raani'! The tradition is still in Ahmedabad. It is a need now, to avoid Sun stroke.We have to cover hands and face with white clothes.

I must not forget Khadi k Kapade! Its a bliss! I remember my father wearing 'Khadi ke shirts' till now, and believe me, Men in Khadi shirt look smart!! :) Really!!!

Nights used to be all ice-creamy!! Yummy!! One can not survive without Ice creams in Ahmedabad. I remember 'Home made Icecreams' by my super duper cool Papa!! :) Ah, I should not forget in early childhood, when I used to refuse to drink milk, my mom used to freeze the 'Bournvita' and give it to me in the name of 'Ice creams!' :D

Now, In Mumbai, I don't miss that heat of course, but I miss the fun. Of course thanks to my buddies I enjoy 'Kulfi' time like I never had!! :)I enjoy my daily does of sweet coconut water. I want to enjoy beaches!! I want to do a lot many 'Summer things'!

I still have to find my 'Mumbai Summer things' out side air conditioned office in the evening yet!

Are you doing your 'Summer Things'?!

Viva times!

Its April, it stuck suddenly while browsing Face book, that its the time of University Viva exams in Engineering colleges! 4 Years of bindassness was given a challenge, once in a while in the form of Viva.

My experience with my viva (and others too!) has been very weired and exciting. I was surrounded by some khatarnak padhakus of the batch.They helped me way out, most of the time as I was 'Robocon-Pidit' the only girl of the batch :D

Now don't run your imagination, the help was mostly out of class-viva session, with journal papers floating around us, stationary items being decorated randomly on the desks and rumours of questions all around.I remember one of my friend PC/B (Don't ask me why such weired name! :D) mugging all the way, helping me to consolidate all learnings with Friend AD and others, helping me completing my journal at the last moment. Ah, I was the 'Robocon' girl after all.

Most of the time I will be called with the PC/B friend inside the viva-venue due to the order of roll numbers. I remember I had that 'special skill' of converting any subject in the 'Robcon-know hows' and the viva will get over with a very fishy smile on the face of friend PC/B! Dude, I wouldn't have passed otherwise :D

The unity of my batch was just awesome in bunking all lectures and practicals, I have only one complaint, in lectures no one could give my proxy! I was the only girl :P

I still remember the Last viva of my engineering term, Mrs.AP was sitting inside the cabin, with the narrow lane kindda of entrance. We were in the line discussing 'What will happen inside' with journal files in our hands. I remember due to the 'revengeful' feelings prevailing in our minds, some guys (I swear it was not my idea!!) peeled off the 'name' from her 'Name plate' in an odd way :D :D We had a laughter attack afterwards. :D The prank was followed by filling the hollow (obviously!) out let pipe of the vehicle of the same teacher with papers by some guys!!Ah, we took so much sadistic pleasure!

My viva sessions were always fun, when some different kind of species used to ask some amazing questions and we had to control our laughter or the temperament :D The post-sessions were more exciting, I remember on one such 'Reading Vacation days' when libraries will be crowded,my bag was places in the 'Guys toilet' by a buddy of mine. Ah, I had just given him a challenge , 'I can do anything'! Ah, finally I had to show my 'Naari shakti' aka 'Daya bhavna wali eyes' to another buddy and he went inside and took out my bag!! I must say between the 2 activities a lot many wild imaginations had taken shape in our minds :D

Viva sessions, are somethings which I miss now, the pressure and still 'the pranks' we played were just awesome. We were mechies after all. 

Viva couldn't capture our minds like that!! :D 

PS: A very personal memory shot, might not interest all :D

Home it is!

There are tiny small things make you feel special at home, every time you visit. Small gestures which you never ever notice daily, but when you leave your home, your town,you do.

It generally happens, when I am fit and fine (& sometimes even when I am not!), I tend to become so hyper active about things I have to do when at home. I end up doing minimum things and taking rest at home :D
Both ways have their own value though :D

So when I visited home this time after like months, I dint make any plans as I was already doing hakchhi hakchhi...Yes the day I stepped on the Ahmedabad platform I was sure I am going to take rest at home, I was badly infected by the sardi-khansi bacterias!

I decided to note small things which matters to me at home & Blog about them. I decided to make sudden plans and follow, provided my health is well.

So highlights of my home-trip:

• My Papa never forgets to buy me a musk-melon or say 'sakarteti' when I am at home. Only me and my Papa love the fruit at home. So Bubblegum always has the pleasure to enjoy the thanda thanda cool cool fruit with her papa!
• Menu is decided by me, and if I don't give wishes regarding the same, my Mom picks dishes.It goes without saying that, all dishes would be from my favourite!
• I am also asked zillion times if I am eating properly, taking my medicines properly.
• It is fun to see how parents have become fitness freaks, having green tea two times a day and all. I suppose that's a learning for me! 
• Talking to mom over a cup of milk about 'The Ahmedabad world' is fun! Specially talks which irritates me due to my age now,-whose who got married to whose who stuffs!
• The family get together we had was an awesome experience! The videos of my cousin's wedding were just awesome-especially the 'Garba Function' one. The persons like my Papa and Fua who never ever moved their feet for dance were trying hard to escape and forced to dance. The dance was just worth watching- I think One can guess how entertaining it can be!! 
• The impromptu visit by my frock buddy N and 'The bubblegum & Frock Buddy N talks' was as usual kicked off, with usual laughter attacks and infoteinment!!
• I got the ready made cups of milks twice in a day and that's the pleasure.Especially when given by Papa !It matters the most!:D
• Expressions of my Fua and my IC(Identical Cousin) when I reminded them about my resolution-2012, Yes I am still on no coffee-no chocolate one! They both were stunned and still they are!! Ah, My mom is so much proud and my papa-"Huh, what is the need!" 
• The most amazing moments I felt for myself-when I take special note of any events occurred during my stay at home to blog or to share with my best buddies out there! I feel hyper!! :D
• When I am sick at home, I feel like I am wasting my time!
• The 'watching TV' activity has a proper schedule in the plan, when I am at home, TV is luxury at home!
• I can find the peppy rocky Hollywood tracks to simple soothing sufi songs from my Brother's I-Pod and The pure classical songs and Sugam sangeen songs from my Papa's I-pod. Dual fun!
• I can get non-stop supplies of 'Amla'!! 
• I am asked hundred times if I need money, Ah now a days I am asked to buy a new mobile also!:D
• I have realized I am not ready to have a separate room of my own,still. My new home has a separate room for me and I refuse to use it except at nights to sleep on my bed. I practically dwell either in the drawing room,kitchen,gallery or mom-dad's room, but not my room!
• I still remember the feel, when my frock buddy discovered a fan in the biiiig balcony, and I dint know that! The new home where I have not lived for straight seven days! I am surprised, now I am attached to the same place too.
• I avoid the old-home visits due to some invisible reasons-I also don't know. May be I cant see my old home without any soul. 
• I am simply amazed with my papa's patience for gardening. His often business trips outside the town never come in between. Yes,last month finally he managed to grow roses in the hot-sandy weather of Ahmedabad!!
• I loved the tweets and chirps of birds the Geologist uncle has kept in his balcony, just above ours!It feels like the fresh, village-mornings everyday.

There are so many things I wanted to write about. But, I guess the returned-Amdavadi soul is happy to be in Mumbai-Better to focus on Mumbaiyaa happiness too now!! 

Time to be A mumbaikar?:)

Then and now!-2

Yeah after the part-1 presenting part-2!

Then:

Radio On, Bubblegum and her mom both were doing something something in the kitchen.

The song "Tere bina zindagi se koi shikava to nahi" on air.

In 2 minutes, Bubblegum could see tears falling on the platform of the kitchen, Yeah her mom was crying.

Bubblegum shocked and asked, "Mom What happened?!", She knew her mom cried as the song reminds her mom of her Nanaji (Mom's father) and the city Kolkata, where her mom spent first 21 years of the life.Bubblegum found her mom ,over sensitive and she is crying on silly things.

Bubblegum's mom realized what Bubblegum is thinking.

Bubblegum's mom: "Beta, you wont understand the pain right now. You are neither of that age nor in the situation."

Bubblegum relaxes once the song is over and manages to make her mom smile.

Now:

While revisiting different folders of the "Music" Part of the disk in the laptop, Bubblegum is feeling good.

She clicks on one of the favourite song written by an author when he left Amdavad to settle down in the United States Of America. She admired and still admires the skilled voice of the singer.

The song starts and Bubblegum is again doing something something in the kitchen, albeit alone.

"Nadi ni ret ma ramatu nagar male na male,
Fari aa drashya smrutipat upar male na male,
Bhari lyo shwas ma eni sugandh no dariyo,
fari e mati ni bhini mehek male na male..."

Loosely translated,

"May be we will never be able to own this city playing in the sand of the river,
We might wont get this scene captured in the memory lane,
Fill your breath with the sea of smell (of the city),
We might not get the wet smell of the sand of this city."

The whole song actually made Bubblegum burst into tears, a lot more than her mom.

Bubblegum wanted to call her mom and tell, "Mom I understand your emotions now!" :/

Toony memories.

Cartoon Network, the most loved tv channel by My brother and me and hated by Mumma. Period.

I don't know from when I started following the channel, but certainly it was not before my brother started,my younger brother.

Early memories related to cartoons are of  'The Jungle Book'. The title track is something I still love (Actually all title tracks of all cartoons except of 'Road Runners') and I still have that in my mobile :)

I used to follow 'The Disney hour' very regularly before I was glued to Cartoon Networks. I really loved all characters in Disney Land of Paris I visited after years!

First my brother was glued to the channel and it was then compulsory for me to watch all of them.We started with Richie Rich, I was so so so much fascinated by the whole concept, may be from there only I picked up my interest in Robotics.Our favourite was 'Swat cats' too, known as 'Chhote Miyau and bade miyaun ' in hindi version. Fighter planes,the war,missiles and aerobatics!! We loved them the most!! :)

I must mention the reason why my brother ate 'spinach' in his childhood was 'The Popeye'! The way the Popeye fought was the only reason my mumma could make him eat Spinach or any bhaji in the name of spinach.

I can not forget to mention, 'Scooooby doooby Doo'!! We very much loved it! We used to keep on singing the track while playing ,in fact I remember playing bhoooot, the ghost with white cloath on the body! I also remembered after some days we had got warnings of being kicked out of our place by mom :D

I used to hate the whistle by Road Runner, bipppp beeeeeep! And, I still used to watch the silly cartoon, along with 'Looney Toons!'. I used to love the Bugggss Bunnny show!! :)

There was a phase in our childhood when we used to live on cartoon networks.(Exactly it was my brother's childhood, mom still says I was elder enough not to get fascinated by cartoons like other girls of my age , but then she was convinced I was(am) a tomboyish girl by that time!) Summer vacation- Cartoon Network, cousin's get together-Cartoon Network, Khate khate-Cartoon Network,Lets draw something?-Cartoons, Lets buy compass boxes/toys/frocks/tee shirts-Cartoons. Only my passion for reading never got affected.

But then I grew up. I was little less immatured and crazy.

It was so nice to get an sms from my brother some days before my parent's wedding anniversary to discuss about the gift,

'Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you, we've got some work to do now...
Scooby Dooby Doo, we need some help from you now...'

The sms I had saved in my 'Important messages' folder, I just read it, I am feeling Nostalgic!! :)

I am love in'it :)

School chalein hum..

So, while walking down to office, in the morning, I changed my route! It passes from a school.

I observed so so many tiny kids with bags bigger than themselves.They were carrying water bottles which looked like water tanks in front of their small structures!I saw a little girl holding her papa and asking him not to drop her to the school with tears in her eyes and her papa smiling with her bag on his shoulders!

I saw a girl holding 2 water bottles followed by her tiny younger brother! 2 kids wearing cool eye gears and giving high fighs to each other and their moms busy in talks!

I was feeling nostalgic!!! Flashback!!!

I was telling papa, I have a headache and stomach ache and don't want to go to school! Papa, asking me what happened?? I told him frankly, a medical check up is there and doctors will come. My senior had asked me not to come as those doctors are monsters, they would make me ill! Papa tried to make me understand that its not true but I was crying hard. After sometime, mom gave me my favourite, danhi and thought I would start for the school!..No.. Suddenly my fai(bua) called and asked me to talk to her , she told me "I am coming!" This bua like my all other buas is a doctor and I used to be confused, so used to call her " M doctor" instead of "M fai"!  :D I was all ready to rock the school as "M doctor" is going to come, I started for the school!

I recalled all my days going happily to school with frock buddy N in school-vans! Of course riding our "horns wali" hero rangers and reaching school!

Ah, I got an sms and my mobile vibrated. Flashback over!

I think I  need my "M doctor" and "frock buddy N" today to go to office! Its a Monday morning!! :P

PS: This long post for a small feeling of mine is important to me!

Yadon ki baarat..

Disclaimer: A silly-stupid-senti long post!

My this Ahmedabad trip was rocking as I have blogged earlier and one of the reasons was digging out my cupboards and bags at my new home.

Bechari mein , who don't know where my stuff had been kept at my new lovely home. (Okay, a different story-I hate to not to go to my home where I spent 21 years of my life!) I had decided , beside all the preparations and enjoyments I will be searching for all my stuff at my new place, after 2 long years of shifting!

So , I opened my cupboard and the bag..

The T-shirt of the signature day-Third year of my college! I read every message and tag lines and was lolling. I was named Don,Mayawati of mech,Tomboyish mechie, mechanical queen,Dakurani and what not! It was all fun. I remembered all my friends,seniors and batch mates. Fun!

I found out the bread-board. It was a forced gift by my senior bhaiya to learn some electronics to work well in robotics. I think I never used it for more than 2 times, I couldn't do more on electronics front and ended up well in love with mechanism design and applications in Robotics! My actual love :) 'Bhai, I need to learn electronics, though I will outsource it, you are there :D'

My robocon ID card/badge. It is a proud possession. No words. Only ABU ROBOCON participants can understand what it means for me. It is my proud, it is my life and it defined my career and the angle I look at the world!

The broach, My fai from USA had gifted some 17 years back!! Woooho! I think I can still flaunt it. It is unique and royal. I remember my-tiny-self carrying it off during every functions for some years.I still love it.

The yadein box. A pink lovely box gifted by my masi,some 15 years back. I love the shade and the pop-up compartment in it. It is stylish and I always used to show it off with proud to my friends!What does it contain?? My friendship bands with names of friends on some of them, colourful strings, tiny kites I had got from some exhibition, a Christmas paper-socks as a party invitation by West-side (I loved the idea,and copied it sometimes I guess),small bells,erasers of different shapes including a brush and some fruits,2 attar ki small bottles! Ah, I used to collect so so so much. I still do, and sometimes my mom calls me a garbage collector :D

The best one-My travel diary. I had written only 3 pages. :D My mom-dad had given me a small diary to write during our trip to Kolkata, then Calcutta, way back in 1995. I used to hate it, as I always wanted to have fun with my cousins and not to waste time in writing. If I see now, I myself, write travelogues. :D The best feeling during this 'yadon ki baarat' was-reading my own tiny,'ok ok' types hand writings and the silly write-up, that too in Gujarati.The write up described metro station which had made me so so curious at that time.

My mom at once asked me not to carry them with me in Mumbai as she herself wants to preserve them now. I couldn't stop myself from clicking pictures.

It is sometimes good to welcome a 'yadon ki baarat'. It made me emotional,happy and proud!

PS: Have a look at the second picture! I found it funny!! :D Can somebody play "Yadon ki baarat nikali hai aaj"? I am in the same mood!

The Dichotomy of Love!

I have spent my 21 years in Amdavad. I have a special attachment for Amdavad, just like the attachment of a child for a mother.The traffic jams, the super smooth (mostly) roads, kadi dhoop, the BRTS, everything. The first Monsoon showers, Makai-vada,Dal-vada and corns. The super hot and freaking summers and super chilled winters. I love and adore all what Amdavad gives us to dwell.Amdavad my first love.But then, I had to move. To make my own identity, to give a boost to my career.

The luck dragged me to my dream city Mumbai. Yes, I liked the city since my childhood. I always wanted to spend some years in Mumbai. I started loving the city and feel the Nasha. The lovely local trains, Dhoop-pasina, Misal to Kanda-poha. Kasa kay to kem cho! The whole city was mine. It made me independent.It made me what I am today. Gave me my closest buddies-my life. My karmabhoomi and yes, my heart skips a beat when I hear "Mumbai"!

Today, at 6 in the morning while coming back from railway station I was feeling the first love-The love for Amdavad. After 6 lovely days with my family and at my own Amdavad I was back. I was missing Amdavad so badly that , I just wanted to run back to the train. Suddenly I looked upon the road. The dusky-dark early morning, head lights were brighter and I could sense the speed of the life in Mumbai. Yeah My own Mumbai-Aamchi Mumbai. It was the dichotomy of love.

I couldn't decide, tears in my eyes are for which love-The dichotomy of love!

Then and now!

Then:
At 10am , the school time!
Me & My bro: Byyye Mummmaa....... (Her response was compulsory by us, or else we wont step ahead!)
                        Byyyee Papa...............(If papa is not on the business trip, then it was a  compulsion too!)
                        Byyyee Maaaaa...........(She would be there to wave us till the gate!)
(My dadima, She was the person who would be behind us to leave on time, so it was never a compulsion, it was a habit..For us and for her!)

After some years:
My brother used to go early for exams. Even at 6'0 clock in the morning when he used to leave,
He would wake me up from deep sleep like a monster (Yeah, he had grown up very big then and now he looks like my elder brother monster!)
Brother: *Zor se hilate hue or pulling my blanket* Didi...I am leaving for exams!!
Me: *Feeling irritated and then realizing the fact!*All the best!!!!!!
(It was such made a compulsion made by him, he would never leave home before my wish!)

Now:
(Today's happy realization moment!)
Awaz from outside : "Byyyeee Mummma , byee Papa...Byeee Ashu........."..."Byyye Vedant...."

I was just wearing my shoes and leaving for office and I realized what I was missing.
There was no-one to say 'Good bye' to me!!
Even my brother is now habitual of the fact that I am not in Ahmedabad,but he calls me during exam-time!
I just pushed earplugs in my ears, Felt the song in the air and started walking!
The song was,

"Ankho mein sapne lie, Ghar se hum chal to die..Jane ye rahein ab le jaegi kahan...
Mitti ki khushbu aye, palakon mein ansu lae..Palako mein reh jaega yadon ka jahan..
Manzil nayi hai anjana hai carvan...Yadonka jane hoga kya........"

PS: On a positive note, I am not alone. I have my family always with me wherever I go and of course my closest buddies. Ah, and something I am indulging into,given by them, Have a look at them! My normal click!

Bubblegum's Blanket!

Dear Blanket,

Long time haa??? Obviously years!!! I know you are at my place, some where in Ahmedabad! How are you?! You know what I saw you in my dreams!

I remember you, cuddling me up when I was a kid, giving me warmth and make me sleep. I used to and I still love you, the electric blue with yellow cartoons all over. I can feel the soft,cozy feeling you used to give.I don't have very specific memory of yours but I remember the feeling and how you look exactly. I had refused to give you to my brother also!You were eye catchy and adorable.

You were strong enough to protect me against  the cold-wave prevailed in Ahmedabad  at that time. I used to hug you, hide inside and I bet I still find the same feeling from each and every blanket I get!

I had dreamt of you several times now. I don't know why but I want you back,you have become old and you are too small for me. I just wanted to ask you, I want the same feeling..Can you please grow up a bit???

Yours always,
Bubblegum

The Winter!

I realized now at the end of December that in Mumbai ,now I can have a feel of winter!!!

I woke up very very very late today , as soon as I removed my blanket I realized "The winter is here finally"!!Now the winter in Mumbai is a luxurious feeling! Being an 'Amdavadi' I really miss the feel! Obviously the winter in Amdavad is not as strong as it is in Delhi, but its an adorable feeling!! :) Last year in Mumbai when the temperature dropped down beyond the Mumbaiya limit, I know some Mumbaikars had panicked and discussed only about the 'Global Warming' for the next ten days! :P

I miss Amdavad today , as I know now what I am missing!!! Sherani khoon chakh gai hai!! :(

I miss my Ma's (Dadima)  Ghee dena, to put it on my chopped lips! I miss methipak, Adadiya (I hate this food but my brother loves it all!!), Rai wale mirch-carrots, Baingan ka bharatha and Ponk (I cant translate this!!)..

I miss the feeling of watching TV together at night , probably all award ceremonies,eating plum cakes and I used to be all in jackets and woolen socks!!( I love the warm feeling and Cold comes to me easily!!)

I miss eating Aamla everyday in numbers! I miss chewing lawang with my frock buddy N!

I miss shivering in cold and Papa would come and put blankets on me! Ah, when he used to tie my scarf and I used to open it up as I used to hate it and partly I wanted him to tie it again with the same love! :) Childhood and Bachpana!!

I miss drinking garam-garam badaam milk! I think the only thing I can make over here in Mumbai! :P

I miss 'turmeric' the special one. It is called 'Amba haldar' in Gujarati! I used to hate them but later on developed the taste and now I miss the taste!!

Watching Yashraj heroines dancing in chiffon sarees in snowfalls, ah, I want to do it once!! ;)

The ad I recall when I shiver is," Thandi thandi thandi...Havayen thandi shirt mein ghusaiti gudgudi karti...Mummy Mummy Hankchhiii Hankchhi.....!!" The Vicks ad!!

I just realized , I am not able to recall any specific song on winter from any films!! :( Only snow fall scenes and may be one liners from the whole song!! :( Yeah I can not forget  my Kashmir trip some years ago...

From the film 'Yahaan' and for the love for Kashmir and Jimmy Shergil..Of course for 'Hath ka sekna' on Kagadi! :)

Aau to Subah jau to mera name saba likhna,
burf pade to burf pe mera name dua likhana..
Zara zara aag vaag pas rehti hai..
zara zara kagade ki aanch rehti hai..

Game(s) bana dali...

Being the eldest child amongst all cousins (of my generations!Not ones who are elder to me by some 10-15 years!) I have some sound memories of games I played, rest of my cousins were followers! I am talking about some silly and extremely silly games! All of them are related with my FB [Frock buddy N!,who is my neighbour, best buddy and guide (??!!?!?) and more of like an elder sister now :)]

Ghar-Ghar
A very very common game for any girl. Some how what we played was different. I had a lot lot many utensils to play with and some toys were with my frock buddy N. In summer vacations when her parents will be off to their offices , her grand mother will be sleeping, we would start playing! First we would be dealing and distributing toys. We will make our homes under the huge dining table. I still remember from my two dolls one was barbie and the neck was broken from the mould. My dear Papa who dint know about aesthetic importance, had joined both the part with a brown cello tape.We used to plan a drama that the barbie doll was murdered and we were the spies! (Thanks to some spy serials like Byomkesh Bakshi!)

I still remember on of the 'bhaiyas' of neighbourhood, of FB's age (2 years elder to me!) used to ask for the role and we used to make him 'palatu kutta' tying dupatta around his neck once!! :/ Sorry bhaiya!

I dream of Genie.
The normal game, locally called '9 Khana'! Where we have to draw 3*3 square with all partition lines. In first round without touching boundaries,we have to walk in a certain pattern. Then skipping one square, 2 squares,jumping, with one leg etc.patterns were developed. Every round will throw some candidates out of the game. Final round was the crop from our mind's kheti. We used to love the serial 'I dream of genie' and love the way Genie will say with action and expressions! (Winking her eye!)We have to do the same (Note: Exact!) while walking in the pattern! Silly?No.....Extremely silly now and serious invention of a new game at that time!!

Pi-k-tu-re.
I am ashamed why did we call the game by this name! It was just a 'picture'! We call them films! :/
The difference was it was played while eating kachchaa aam on the big tank of our colony and score was decided while drawing on the tank with chalks!! I hope people reading over here can understand our emotions if not my write up! :P

Mara -mari
This was our own 'eureka' game! We have to draw a circle on the road, tie our hands keeping them at back side and try to push each other out of  the circle with the force of the body!! Hell, now my mom would be knowing why I used be so  dirty after 'play time'! Half of the dirt will be removed at FB's place and rest at mine! So my mom knows only 'the half truth'!The name was not decided! I have named it today only! FB, do you remember the actual name??


There were so so many small games we actually made and played but I guess these are very much clean and sharp in my memories! They were so silly that I pray people can get them while reading the post!

Till then , thinking of one more game to play with, what say FB? :P

Did you make any silly games in bachpan??? :)

A victim of resignations!

A sudden change in life comes when you switch to a new job! A new boss, a new organization ,new team mates and a new canteen?!! (Food changes okay?!) You have to struggle to adjust.May be discovering some surprises and shocks would be painful too.

I am not joining any new company! I am not!Still , I am feeling the pain-I am the victim of resignations of my office-buddies (Read-best buddies!)..

I am being the 'ulta' victim of resignations of my office!I do have a separate gang now which has left this office in a short span of 2-3 months (Mass resignation?!) , leaving the youngest member (yours truly!) in the office!!!

I know I know , I am a brave girl , a very strong girl and can manage miracles (Thats what you all are going to say!) ..But, I am not able to manage the 'sannata' jo chhaya hua hai doston!!

The 'Sanatta' ...

• While having lunch (Other team-mates are kind enough to tolerate me , but where are you people?!)
• While having numbers of coffee breaks,just to discuss any damn topic!
• No hang outs after office-time, be it a movie or a walk back to our respective accommodations together!
• Those CCD pass times! (I have been again a bit lucky this time , I do have some people who meet me the same way!)
• Your desks haunt me! Specially if some new unknown people have taken it over!
• Laptops of you people, from which I used to shoot mails by your official Ids and we would be making a chain of hundreds of mails!
• Phone calls if I am late even by a few minutes from my usual (Dont laugh!) time to punch in!
• Walks we used to enjoy in the plant after lunch! We still do the same, enjoy but you all are not there!
• All those pranks..I can not play everytime on everyone! (I still do!)
• I still have people who appreciate if I blabber most of the time and cant keep mum!

Dont you people even think that I would stop doing all these things! I will ,as I enjoy (I am lucky to have some new friends/ some old friends who take care of me, now a lot like you!) and may be I recall you people and just make up my mind....

"I will make you people come back to me again , in the same city we will be"!

Yanna rascalla...Mind it!!

I want them back!

There are some characteristics in our lives which are gradually taken over by the hectic schedule, we develop with life. They also move on! Though we always loved them , we were better with them , we don't look back and try to regain! Even if we look back it seems impossible to regain. Do we actually try our best??May be no?

I call them a part of 'I want them back' list. These virtues/skills make you feel full and they make you feel 'you'! I realized ,when my father last time met ,told me in usual talks 'I have kept 3 walls of our new home just simple like that! You need to create something out of it haaa!'. May be a part of my 'I want them back' list!

So here is the ' I want them back' list of Bubblegum :)

• Painting cartoons and sticking them on the wall! I still love them.
• Reading more and more English, Gujarati Novels.(I still do, but not like before!)
• Bharatnatyam or contemporary dance I would like to refresh! (Seems impossible?!)
• Making albums of photos clicked by my father! I suppose I need to do it for myself now!May be I would get motivated to learn more on photography!
• Arranging songs-database perfectly by my mood-playlist and not by films!! Cool na?
• Arranging/making greeting cards, oneliners on my Papa's desk and now I can do it myself! Did I even care for it?
• Arranging my collection (Read-huge) of earings, bracelets properly! I am still in searching of the perfect management thingie for it!
• Watching all all and all Hrishikesh Mukherjee movies on holidays! ( I know this one seems odd in the list but these movies either teach you something  or makes you happy!)
• Collecting lyrics of songs I love! I can not sing without understanding lyrics!!! :(
• Making hand made cards for all friends on birthdays and Diwalis.

Here by, I vow to regain as many things as I can from this list soon! Very soon!

Where is your 'I want them back' list!??? I am sure you have one!

PS: Oh boy, this is my 100th post!
PS-II: Today is the birthday of my 2 friends, and 1 of them dint pick my call!Hey I am not going to call you back! I know what were you doing! :P

Robocon Rendezvous!

The ABU ROBOCON is a very very (read 3 more times!) prestigious competition worldwide. All domestic competitions in my college tenure used to be in MIT,Pune! Coming from a government college , we used to be in a 'Bhikhari' state all the time, but it became the best part to learn zillion things and also to have fun!

I found out about this competition in the first year. All seniors used to tell , its difficult to become the team member of the same! I used to think of a big shot Robcon team of our college. I don't remember precisely from where I became the core team member of it and became the only girl and the youngest team member (for 2 years!) but I certainly love the fun and learning  I could get. When it came to work it was fun with frustrations to perform! At the same time I was the most pampered member of all Bhaiyas in the team! :)

• Making presentations for sponsorships. Going to companies and present/getting kicked out too!
• Asking for helps at different industrial shades and garages!
• We had a budget of the amount , which was the cost of rival team's (Talking about only one team, the winner team) single motor!! :P
• Visiting chor-bazars to buy motors and other parts to build robos in our (read-low) budget!
• Working for the whole day from 8 in the morning  to 11 at night(for me).
• The bihari watchman chacha outside our lab , who had so much proud that a girl is working inside ,safely under his surveillance!! Actually I should thank all Bhiayas who actually came to drop me! Of course my parents who let me cultivate my passion!
• My fights with dad! Yes he was the active (or not so) guide of the team being a part of automation industry!
• The fun and laughter attacks when Robo structures and electronics relationship doesn't  go hand in hand!
• Making a dummy field (We used to make only 1/4th of the actual field due to lack of space.) for days!
• Programming which I never did only tried to destroy!!!
• Dummy fights with spanners , hammers and saws! Yeah I was in the guy's world!
• Singing songs while making structures to maintain momentum and keep eyes open!
• Waking up guys (who used to stay all night at lab) in the morning at 9! I used to come from home at 8 and let them go home and get freshen up!
• My efforts to learn embeded C! Ooops I still cant deal with it!
• Electronic guys and the mechie guys/gal -fights always!
• Holding big robo structures in hand , going to the garage on the bike for welding and re-welding!
• My hat trick of slipping from my Activa in a day's time, with 2 destroyed jeans and bandages all over hands and legs!
• The frustrations when line sensors used to fail and we always get kicked out of competition!
• At the MIT, eating maggies for 5 days,shooting videos apart from working crazy! It was so much fun! I can write a different post for 'on the board' robocon incidents!
• The drilling machine I used to love! For maintaining the weight ,we had to drill a lot in dead beams  and it was entirely done by me! I was so proud! :P
• Our fights with gripper mechanisms of robots which used to work when not needed and malfunction when needed :P
• Fights for T-shirts ,caps of ROBOCON ..Ooops they were mock fights to have fun!
• Mac-D at Kothrud , our last day dinner venue for years! After our elimination , the frustrated 'us'; used to have fun at Mac-D!

There are many many and many more memories related to ROBOCON, It has been the main reason for the passion I have for my core mechanical engineering. Little I knew , It would drive me to my first job, so so many best buddies , my rocking life and what I am today!

Siblings raivalry.....

Scene: Me- Singing ekdum jhatak vatak songs while listening them on my laptop! (Yeah once in a while I enjoy songs like 'Tu chiz badi hai masst mast' , 'Churake dil mera goriya chal', 'Chehera kya dekhate ho,dil mein utarkar dekho na'!) This was ,but a special one from a group of a bit new songs! As always started gungunana (not exactly) with expressions...

Me: Papa ki pari hu mein...O O O O...........

.........Come on all darling daughters of darling fathers........

My brother quietly listening to me and doing his work...

Me: Papa ki pari hu mein...O O O O...........

Patience.......................

Me: Papa ki pari hu mein...O O O O...........

Patience.......................

Me: Papa ki pari hu mein...O O O O...........

My brother (Instead of asking me to stop and let him work!) :' Mummy ka 'Para' hu mein.'......

Me *Thunking my head on the wall*

Sons will be sons! Daughters will be daughters! and........Younger brothers will be younger brothers!!!

Post-Vacation blues!!

The moment I stepped outside the Mumbai Airport, The post vacation blues appeared!!!..

Yes! After the awesome Kerala trip I am back to 'Aamchi Mumbai'!! The god's own country is holding me back and one side of me is happy after getting back to my city-2! :)

The usual randomness started in my life... :P

• I jumped out of the grill of the airport arrival lobby to grab the auto-opportunity! To my horror My camera bag slipped from my hand and my heart beat skipped!!!! 
• Unpacking of my bag was the longest job I did-That's what I felt at the moment-oops Minutes!
• The watchman greeted me saying 'Madam diwali ka chanda baki hai!!'!!!
• I realized I need to recharge the photon plug in or else I will go blank without net!
• I wanted to sleep but I dint!! 
• I had a talk with almost all friends I can and felt okay after the first attack of mumma-papa sickness!
• I wanted to blog blog at any cost and so I am doing it! I missed blogging!
• I am still in love -The silk saree I got from Cochin! -Some day baby I will use you! :)
• I am in love with 2 songs again -'Sheher mein-Rock star' and 'Rythem divine'!
• I went to CCD all alone to remember my good-old coffee buddies after a NO TEA- COFFEE week!
• I am again dreaming of Sony Neo V!! Dreams come true! Hold on!
• 5 friends getting married,My masi coming after years to Ahmedabad and One friend's engagement & probability of cousin's marriage--->I am getting mad!! Hell! I am the youngest of all! :)
• From Monday-Office again!! Well not to worry! Gonna meet all my 'baki bache' buddies of office! 

Monday Here I come!! Show me the pink side not the blue one! :)

PS: Yeah yeah coming soon-Kerala trip titbits....with clicks!!!

Walks To Remember..

I was always a fan of this activity ie. walking.My mother and a lot many friends think I walk like a kid/a young guy or bla bla!! My mother used to make me walk by keeping books on my head so that I can get the charm! I was a bharatnatyam dancer but the effect dint come into anything except my dance, my expressions (read: Heavy expressions), walking when I wear high heels!Other wise I look like a jumping jack going on the road :P

I remember in an induction programme in a traditional round I had to walk on the ramp! The trainer had toughed times to make me walk in a model kindda grace! The grace came but the walk was not 'latak matak' at all!! Though as it was 'choli' of Gujarat, people loved it in a traditional way!! :P Yeyeyeye!!

But then why do I remember walks?? I had several walks ..Infinite walks.. I would like to recall all of them!

• Walks with mumma! Once I started going to the college I had many holidays and in vacations I used to go with mom for walking.We used to chat a lot and that's where exactly the mother-daughter relation turned into a friendly relation! :)
• Walks with my frock buddy N! These walks were only and strictly 'funny' episodes and kands we did!! We used to roll on the road while walking as we would be constantly laughing!!
• Walks from my Pune office to home with my Gujju-Mallu friends!! Not to forget my friend MJ (Yeah the nick name by yours truly!)..Whom I gifted 'Amul Chhash' on his birthday!!! We used to chat about our first job and worst experiences ever then! :P
• Walks inside my company plants in 'kadi dhoop'!! I don't remember these episodes okay? :p
• Walks from my office to accommodations in last 9-10 months! Every day 3-4 people will make a group, who will be living nearby!! We had such an influence that one or 2 friends of us who had to in another direction were forced to accompany us and then sit in CCD with me!( I think I made those rules!!!)..
• Walks after lunch in the company!! Yes I love this type! Again some 4-5 people (Not to forget they were many before! Those includes my office-leaving-gang-members!) would take a walk in the company campus!! The sessions were/are either knowledge sharing sessions (Be it Company news,OEMs,Stock market, real estate or latest technology) or Leg-pulling sessions!!! We don't have many members left, but we try hard to continue this tradition! (Are you listening Delhi friends??)
• After dinner sessions were also made sometimes! Those will be very personal sessions! All love stories and tragedies happening in lives would be shared!!But but Me with 2-3 friends broke the chain and started leg-pulling sessions here also!  :P These were followed by Baskin Robbins ice creams or local kulfis!!
• Walks meant for exercise followed by jogging!! :/ Though I have started enjoying them as well :) Thanks to my lovely I-pod!

Most of walks are now only in memories and I love to cherish them! Yes, we do have some walks in our pockets and I am sure will create some more!!! :)

Are you also having  such walks to remember??