Ever paused to breathe..
the subtle breeze that brushed past you..…
Ever let time slip..
through your fingers till it ceased to last..…
Ever lost hours in counting..
the innumerable angles of green around you......
homes away from the bustle of city life amidst
soothing greenery and unparallelled serenity...
isn't this very impressive?? .. we too were impressed.. so we walked to the stall, enquired the location details and rates and left home with the brochure.. I was silent in the drive back home.. so was he.. it ringed a bell for him too .. i guessed.. the next day was Monday.. we went to see the place during lunch break.. exact 7.5 kms from my office then.. i already started dreaming of coming to office in a black honda activa (was planning to buy one .. :-))
the location was good.. it was by all ways 'A Dream Apartment in a Non-City sort location' .. construction of 2 blocks were almost over by then.. so it wud be less pre-EMI we thought.. now came the actual budget... + Covered car park + Corpus fund + pre-EMI + 1 year maintenance charges+ any changes to the plan charged + safety grill charges etc etc.. it seemed well more than we expected it to be.. and only 2 double bed room flats we liked were available by then.. my husband was almost convinced that this was not going to be our dream apt..
Conversations floated between us thru mails in office.. I closed my eyes and prayed..
somehow we both felt, any dream apartment will have the same ++ charges and if not now.. we might have to regret that it is too late.. so with the only paper cash we had , we decided to book the apartment.. with 2 nd floor-A block set in our mind, we rushed to the head office which was inside the city.. it was already 9 pm.. on the way we called the sales mngr and requested to wait for us..
We had a warm welcome from the manager ... We confirmed with him abt the rates and ++ charges.. All set to go..
Suddenly the manager said .. m sorry .. the 2nd floor was booked just before you came, we have only the 4th floor left.. both of us were dumbstruck.. Oh my God !! my husband said.. 'hmm... so lets go.. no way we can stay in the topmost floor and enjoy the height and heat of Chennai'.. I didn't talk a word.. the Manager left us alone to decide.. I made my mind as usual -not waiting to struggle to get the best and convinced with what I get,,, I said , 'Letz go for this' .... My husband looked at my face once.. and he said 'OK' .. (dont think he wanted to do soooo much for me.. he was just not willing to start all over again -- apt-- city--no --no--drive--call--mail--fight--propery fair etc etc :-)) .. so he was more happy to finish the hunt..
from that day till the day of possesion of the apartment is something I can write as a book.. to simply say in a line..
"It wasn't that easy"...
Now when I stand in the balcony in the fourth floor... 'pausing to breathe the subtle breeze'... my husband with a coffee mug in his hand .. joins me .. and says .. ' though u blindly take decisions, it had ended up so high ' ... all credit to me.. he he..
Friday, December 4, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Shaping your dreams!!!
'Looks good.. but still it's not going to be as good as an Apartment' I said staring at an empty land near Tambaram... Disappointed, my husband headed towards home.. ' The toughest job on earth wud be convincing a woman' , I could read his mind :-)
'No, a separate house is alwayz better' my husband loud and clear this time.. I started again.. 'An apartment is alwayz soo good .. u get to know a lot of ppl.. safety and security is there.. neighbours.. playmates for children.. association to take care of everything... I can never get all these in a separate house.. hmm..if its a separate house, then the location should atleast be City sort'... I said... 'No way... Noise.. Pollution .. Crowd .. I can't bear them everyday ... and also a city sort separate house crosses our budget.. ' he said...
I was determined not to compromise on 'City-Sort' locations and 'Apartments' and my husband on 'Non-City-Sort' locations and 'a 'Individual house' .. After a lot of no-no arguments we ended up in one option.. tho' it meant little compromises for both of us.. The option was "An Apartment in a Non-City-Sort location"...
The next spot in our house hunt was Chennai Pattinam .. I still wonder y they named it so.. it was well well far from 'Chennai' .. but u never know, just as the real Chennai was termed as Old Chennai and a New Chennai was formed.. one day it might also become 'Chennai' .. The looong car drive was good.. But even before we reached there, we wanted to come bac.. Not to make the whole trip a waste of time, we got down at the site which had only compound walls by then.. spent some time talking to the person in-charge there and came bac.. the trip was so tiring that we put our search on hold for the next few weeks..
Weeks later.. we were browsing some online ads for aprtments in Perungudi, Thuraipakkam, Medavakkam, Pallikarnai, OMR.. and I called almost every one of them enquiring the square feet rates... Some rates were really head-spinning rates.. Some builders even hung up the line, saying 'We currently do not have projects for ur budget, mam'... That was so disappointing.. So we increased our budget by 5L , hoping to somehow manage... The next try was a Property Fair.. That made us feel a little better.. but still none of them looked like our dream apartment .. The same drawbacks.. either the distance or the budget..
When we were almost near the exit.. we saw that all bright poster in a stall... a little, it looked like our dream apartment.. But check out my next blog to find out if it was really our dream apartment .. :-)
'No, a separate house is alwayz better' my husband loud and clear this time.. I started again.. 'An apartment is alwayz soo good .. u get to know a lot of ppl.. safety and security is there.. neighbours.. playmates for children.. association to take care of everything... I can never get all these in a separate house.. hmm..if its a separate house, then the location should atleast be City sort'... I said... 'No way... Noise.. Pollution .. Crowd .. I can't bear them everyday ... and also a city sort separate house crosses our budget.. ' he said...
I was determined not to compromise on 'City-Sort' locations and 'Apartments' and my husband on 'Non-City-Sort' locations and 'a 'Individual house' .. After a lot of no-no arguments we ended up in one option.. tho' it meant little compromises for both of us.. The option was "An Apartment in a Non-City-Sort location"...
The next spot in our house hunt was Chennai Pattinam .. I still wonder y they named it so.. it was well well far from 'Chennai' .. but u never know, just as the real Chennai was termed as Old Chennai and a New Chennai was formed.. one day it might also become 'Chennai' .. The looong car drive was good.. But even before we reached there, we wanted to come bac.. Not to make the whole trip a waste of time, we got down at the site which had only compound walls by then.. spent some time talking to the person in-charge there and came bac.. the trip was so tiring that we put our search on hold for the next few weeks..
Weeks later.. we were browsing some online ads for aprtments in Perungudi, Thuraipakkam, Medavakkam, Pallikarnai, OMR.. and I called almost every one of them enquiring the square feet rates... Some rates were really head-spinning rates.. Some builders even hung up the line, saying 'We currently do not have projects for ur budget, mam'... That was so disappointing.. So we increased our budget by 5L , hoping to somehow manage... The next try was a Property Fair.. That made us feel a little better.. but still none of them looked like our dream apartment .. The same drawbacks.. either the distance or the budget..
When we were almost near the exit.. we saw that all bright poster in a stall... a little, it looked like our dream apartment.. But check out my next blog to find out if it was really our dream apartment .. :-)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Dog says...
'Have you not seen that in Animal Planet? ' my mom asked from the balcony... 'No 'ma ' I said 'I don't even remember the last time I watched Animal Planet/Discovery.. Not waiting to hear my answer she continued..
'Dog says' said my mom, 'Whow Whow' my son chorused..
'Cat says' said my son, 'Meow Meow' said my mom..
'Duck says' my mom, 'Quack Quack' my son..
'Sheep says' my son, 'Baa Baa' my mom..
'Cock says' my mom, 'Cock-a-doodle-doo' my son.. he was all set for his next turn to ask..
'Camel says' my son, '!!!&%%^&!!##' my mom.. not satisfied he took the next turn to0..
'Zebra says' my son, '%%^^**$$!!!*' my mom helplessly turned to me.. 'If not the Camel, have you atleast seen what Zebra says in Animal Planet ?' she asked .. !!!$$^^&&!!^^
Camel says ?? Zebra says ?? If you have ever seen/heard what they say , do tell me.. My 2 year old little one will never stop this unless he finds the answer!! :-)
'Dog says' said my mom, 'Whow Whow' my son chorused..
'Cat says' said my son, 'Meow Meow' said my mom..
'Duck says' my mom, 'Quack Quack' my son..
'Sheep says' my son, 'Baa Baa' my mom..
'Cock says' my mom, 'Cock-a-doodle-doo' my son.. he was all set for his next turn to ask..
'Camel says' my son, '!!!&%%^&!!##' my mom.. not satisfied he took the next turn to0..
'Zebra says' my son, '%%^^**$$!!!*' my mom helplessly turned to me.. 'If not the Camel, have you atleast seen what Zebra says in Animal Planet ?' she asked .. !!!$$^^&&!!^^
Camel says ?? Zebra says ?? If you have ever seen/heard what they say , do tell me.. My 2 year old little one will never stop this unless he finds the answer!! :-)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
my Science Revision Exam
We were a big joint family then.. my dad was the youngest one of all the five brothers.. we were all staying together in a BIG house.. happy times.. Each brother used to have a living-cum-dining-cum-bedroom( a single room) and a kitchen and a bath.. There used to be a common hall where u can always find my pattima.. (now I miss her soo much).. Imagine cousins staying together in a house.. kaathadi, cricket, hide&seek, a rented movie casette in a rented VCR player..It was all fun and fights..
it was 1997.. few cousins finished their UG and started working.. few were in college.. few in school... me and my bro were also schooling.. myself 1oth std and my bro in 7th std..
I never used to be a night owl then.. (though I am becoming one now :-)) .. I used to get up very early in the morning and read..and could even wake up promplty without an alarm.. (now my morning maid rings the grrrrr..grrrr bell a hundred times.. but still it sounds to me like a lullaby..) .. that day I woke up and looked at the clock.. it was 4 o'clock in the morning.. good I thought.. 5 more hours left for my revision exam.. Science.. just 2 more chapters to revise..I knew the book upside down.. coz it was just one month left for the public exam.. closed my eyes for a small prayer and decided to freshen up.. we were in the first floor.. and I have to cross a 20 ft long pathway to reach the bathroom.. ( we used to dry clothes along the pathway) .. the bathrooms were outside (verandah sort- open area with one bathroom for each family) .. half- sleeping, I went and freshened up... I was walking back to our room and when I just crossed the pathway.. I heard a loud THUDDD.. I could hear my cousin's pomeranian bark .. and someone running towards the steps.. I wanted to shout THIEF.. THIEF, but couldn't.. then in sometime ( i thought it was minutes later.. but it was an hour) my mom came and she had the shock of her life.. I was gagged with a cloth in my mouth and I was lying there near our room door.. she shook me hard and took out the cloth from my mouth.. it was then I shouted .. THIEF..THIEF.. almost after an hour.. my earrings and finger ring were missing.. the THIEF had hit me hard on my head and took them away..
I started crying by that time.. all my cousins had woken up and had surrounded me.. they started to console me, but still I didn't stop crying.. I couldn't come out of the shock.. but evryone else had come out of it.. they started guessing who the thief could be .. auto-drivers nearby?? someone from the mansion nearby?? etc etc.. me still sob.. sob.. The robbery was reported at the nearest police station.. a policeman in mufty came to our house and started asking me questions..that made me feel still worse.. I started crying very loudly... those days I've seen policemen only in movies ... even the very sight of a police station in the road makes me close my eyes tightly till I cross the place..
hmm.. it was 9am .. my Science Revision exam started.. but the paper was all wet with tears.. my mam asked me if I was ok.. I said no.. and started shouting 'THIEF.. THIEF'.. she had the shock of her life..
In my 18 years of education (including lkg and ukg), the only exam I ever failed was my tenth standard Science Revision exam.. I didn't write even a single word in the paper other than my roll no. :-)
it was 1997.. few cousins finished their UG and started working.. few were in college.. few in school... me and my bro were also schooling.. myself 1oth std and my bro in 7th std..
I never used to be a night owl then.. (though I am becoming one now :-)) .. I used to get up very early in the morning and read..and could even wake up promplty without an alarm.. (now my morning maid rings the grrrrr..grrrr bell a hundred times.. but still it sounds to me like a lullaby..) .. that day I woke up and looked at the clock.. it was 4 o'clock in the morning.. good I thought.. 5 more hours left for my revision exam.. Science.. just 2 more chapters to revise..I knew the book upside down.. coz it was just one month left for the public exam.. closed my eyes for a small prayer and decided to freshen up.. we were in the first floor.. and I have to cross a 20 ft long pathway to reach the bathroom.. ( we used to dry clothes along the pathway) .. the bathrooms were outside (verandah sort- open area with one bathroom for each family) .. half- sleeping, I went and freshened up... I was walking back to our room and when I just crossed the pathway.. I heard a loud THUDDD.. I could hear my cousin's pomeranian bark .. and someone running towards the steps.. I wanted to shout THIEF.. THIEF, but couldn't.. then in sometime ( i thought it was minutes later.. but it was an hour) my mom came and she had the shock of her life.. I was gagged with a cloth in my mouth and I was lying there near our room door.. she shook me hard and took out the cloth from my mouth.. it was then I shouted .. THIEF..THIEF.. almost after an hour.. my earrings and finger ring were missing.. the THIEF had hit me hard on my head and took them away..
I started crying by that time.. all my cousins had woken up and had surrounded me.. they started to console me, but still I didn't stop crying.. I couldn't come out of the shock.. but evryone else had come out of it.. they started guessing who the thief could be .. auto-drivers nearby?? someone from the mansion nearby?? etc etc.. me still sob.. sob.. The robbery was reported at the nearest police station.. a policeman in mufty came to our house and started asking me questions..that made me feel still worse.. I started crying very loudly... those days I've seen policemen only in movies ... even the very sight of a police station in the road makes me close my eyes tightly till I cross the place..
hmm.. it was 9am .. my Science Revision exam started.. but the paper was all wet with tears.. my mam asked me if I was ok.. I said no.. and started shouting 'THIEF.. THIEF'.. she had the shock of her life..
In my 18 years of education (including lkg and ukg), the only exam I ever failed was my tenth standard Science Revision exam.. I didn't write even a single word in the paper other than my roll no. :-)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
the Butterfly Bridge
SanFrancisco,CA:
It was his last day in this office.. ten years was quite a long time to stick to a company.. though he was worried about how he would ever get used to the new company, something else was troubling him more than that..the decision of leaving this place once for all and moving to the 'new' place.. he couldn't term it 'new' exactly..
Chennai Airport:
The flight was about to arrive.. it was half past nine in the night..Though the Chennai Airport was crowded with ppl to receive their nears and dears, the two felt very lonely.. twelve years !!! away from their only son.. the day when he left to do his MS was still fresh in their memories.. they had come with all their relatives and friends to send him off ... they were one among the parents who took so much pride in their children going abroad for their higher education.. but still now they wanted him to come back..12 years was toooo long..
The landing of the flight was announced.. He was at the window seat.. but still he didn't want to look at the view his City had got for him to see.. all he could remember about his city were the extraaa-crowded pallavan buses...so called 'me first' queues at the railway station and theatres.. free dyeing of white shirt to yellow on his bike-ride from his house to college.. the street where thermocoal boats had to be used in the back..no.. black waters..the license he had got without taking a test.. the accident which made him take bed rest for 6 months..(an autowala had come in the wrong side of a one-way and hit him badly).. the kathipara junction traffic jams which had made him miss his exams...But unlike this, the place where he had been for the last 12 years was different.. where most of them had their own cars.. the traffic rules were followed more strictly than words from the Bible.. it had so well-planned roads and lanes.. the driving test there was more difficult than any other exam.. the self-disciplined ppl who would get into queues themselves wherever necessary..his apartment.. the clean air.. oh.. he was missing all of them so badly now..Did he take the right decision in coming back?.. waves of memories and thoughts were rushing in and out..'Sir, can you please fasten your seat belt...' the smiling pretty air hostess interrupted his thoughts.. finally he was there..
His mom and dad looked much older than he had last seen them.. He gave them a big hug.. he could see tears rolling down his mother's cheeks.. happy tears.. soon he was in the Innova he had gifted(online) his dad last year.. after a short conversation with his mom and dad, he turned to see his 'new' City.. wow!!.. first the road.. then the lanes....the new shades of Pallavan buses... the AC volvo bus to Tambaram... and finally the most beautiful Butterfly Bridge..(he was expecting to see the old traffic jam at kathipara jn even at ten-thirty in the night).. Surprisingly they crossed Guindy within minutes..
His mom knew it would be morning for his son now in the 'city' where he had come from.. she came out of the kitchen with a hot filter coffee.. hmmmm.. it tasted like heaven for him... better than any Starbucks'.. he was all fresh now.. set to go for the new job..and the new life.. his NEW developing city and his mom's filter coffee had given him all the enthusiasm he ever needed.. it has wiped away all thoughts of confusion he had in coming back to his 'HOME' city .. :-)
( Note- for ppl who have not seen the butterfly bridge:
this is the Butterfly bridge - it is on the way from Chennai airport to Guindy)
It was his last day in this office.. ten years was quite a long time to stick to a company.. though he was worried about how he would ever get used to the new company, something else was troubling him more than that..the decision of leaving this place once for all and moving to the 'new' place.. he couldn't term it 'new' exactly..
Chennai Airport:
The flight was about to arrive.. it was half past nine in the night..Though the Chennai Airport was crowded with ppl to receive their nears and dears, the two felt very lonely.. twelve years !!! away from their only son.. the day when he left to do his MS was still fresh in their memories.. they had come with all their relatives and friends to send him off ... they were one among the parents who took so much pride in their children going abroad for their higher education.. but still now they wanted him to come back..12 years was toooo long..
The landing of the flight was announced.. He was at the window seat.. but still he didn't want to look at the view his City had got for him to see.. all he could remember about his city were the extraaa-crowded pallavan buses...so called 'me first' queues at the railway station and theatres.. free dyeing of white shirt to yellow on his bike-ride from his house to college.. the street where thermocoal boats had to be used in the back..no.. black waters..the license he had got without taking a test.. the accident which made him take bed rest for 6 months..(an autowala had come in the wrong side of a one-way and hit him badly).. the kathipara junction traffic jams which had made him miss his exams...But unlike this, the place where he had been for the last 12 years was different.. where most of them had their own cars.. the traffic rules were followed more strictly than words from the Bible.. it had so well-planned roads and lanes.. the driving test there was more difficult than any other exam.. the self-disciplined ppl who would get into queues themselves wherever necessary..his apartment.. the clean air.. oh.. he was missing all of them so badly now..Did he take the right decision in coming back?.. waves of memories and thoughts were rushing in and out..'Sir, can you please fasten your seat belt...' the smiling pretty air hostess interrupted his thoughts.. finally he was there..
His mom and dad looked much older than he had last seen them.. He gave them a big hug.. he could see tears rolling down his mother's cheeks.. happy tears.. soon he was in the Innova he had gifted(online) his dad last year.. after a short conversation with his mom and dad, he turned to see his 'new' City.. wow!!.. first the road.. then the lanes....the new shades of Pallavan buses... the AC volvo bus to Tambaram... and finally the most beautiful Butterfly Bridge..(he was expecting to see the old traffic jam at kathipara jn even at ten-thirty in the night).. Surprisingly they crossed Guindy within minutes..
His mom knew it would be morning for his son now in the 'city' where he had come from.. she came out of the kitchen with a hot filter coffee.. hmmmm.. it tasted like heaven for him... better than any Starbucks'.. he was all fresh now.. set to go for the new job..and the new life.. his NEW developing city and his mom's filter coffee had given him all the enthusiasm he ever needed.. it has wiped away all thoughts of confusion he had in coming back to his 'HOME' city .. :-)
( Note- for ppl who have not seen the butterfly bridge:
this is the Butterfly bridge - it is on the way from Chennai airport to Guindy)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Pookaramma
It was five o'clock in the evening. I had to hurry up for a friend's wedding reception. Somehow managed to get an excuse from my PM...(hez a 'leaving by 7pm.. oh..y so early?' manager).. so leaving at five could alwayz be counted as half day leave with him.. Came out of office right in time to get into the city bus... it was soo crowded (or may be I was so used to the comfort of our office bus , so it looked very crowded that day).I got down at Velachery (the mini T-Nagar). I had to get mallipoo for the reception. (weddings in Chennai and without ur hair braided with mallipoo - u'll look odd for sure). So I went to the 'Pookaramma' sitting there near the bus stand and asked 'mulam evlo?' She was just staring at me without a word in reply. I was a little loud the second time.. and still she didn't reply.. hmm.. already I was late.. so I started to move on to the next lady.. but then she was making a gesture as to look down.. a little confused, I asked her 'enna?' louder than ever.. oh my God !! I've disturbed her baby.. He cried and peeped out from the hides of his mother's sari..all this time she was nursing her baby and she didn't want to disturb the little one.. I said 'sorry' and waited for some time for her to finish and give me 'a mulam of mallipoo' .. I knew I was already late for the wedding.. but somehow didn't feel like rushing to my house to get ready.. I paid her for the mallipoo and was about to leave.. when I saw an old woman come.. she took the baby who was crying by then and walked in the other direction..(the little one cried and looked desperately at his mom..he didn't want to be away from her :-(.. 'I leave him with my parents when I come for work' the pookaramma said..and started loudly..'moonu mulam pathu rooba'.. 'moonu mulam pathu rooba'.. I smiled at her and started walking slowly towards my house..thinking of the little one.. the pookaramma..the scented smell of the mallipoo..was making me more nostalgic..and restless..decided to call my mom and talk for sometime..even wanted to see her.. but for that I have to wait for the weekend and travel 8 hours by train... so I called her up.. the other end I could hear.. helloo amma.. come..nyo..aafizz.. bya..chee u.. it was my 2 year old who picked the phone.. before I could say even a word... he put the phone down..
achacho.. I am late for the wedding.. looked at my watch and started rushing home..
Is money more important? ..Is your job more important? than your little one..many ask me.. they were the same questions I wanted to ask the 'Pookaramma'.. may be she would have never replied.. or may be she would have said 'no.. nothing is important than my little one' and carried on with her 'moonu mulam pathu rooba.. moonu mulam pathu rooba'..
achacho.. I am late for the wedding.. looked at my watch and started rushing home..
Is money more important? ..Is your job more important? than your little one..many ask me.. they were the same questions I wanted to ask the 'Pookaramma'.. may be she would have never replied.. or may be she would have said 'no.. nothing is important than my little one' and carried on with her 'moonu mulam pathu rooba.. moonu mulam pathu rooba'..
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