Anjaana Anjaani...Ki Kahani

"Phew! 1 more kilometer to go for the marathon to end. Let me check out some cute guy while running so that my attention will be diverted from this painfully long 1 km" I though while gasping for breath while running. I did not want to give up coz I was secretly competing with an elderly colleague of mine and my ego did not permit me to lag behind :)

Finally the painfully long 10 kms marathon came to an end. We assembled back to the place from where we started, had refreshments and started for our journey back home. 

Me: RICKSHAW! Kurla station chaloge?

Rickwalla 1: Nahi 

Me: Kurla station chaloge?

Rickwalla 2: Shakes his head in negative and leaves (What an Arse?)

Me (after crossing the road to the other side): Kurla station?

Rickwalla 3: Nahi Madam

"Excuse me. To go to Kurla station, do i have to take a rickshaw from here?" asked a guy wearing a t-shirt with his company logo. No dude. I am doing Kathakali here... I thought to myself slightly irritated with his stupid question. But i politely said yes to him...all thanks to manners taught to me in school.

Finally we hailed a rickshaw to Kurla. "Hi. I am Vikram (name changed). I am working for Tata Motors. What about you?"the once upon a time irritating guy introduced himself. I too introduced myself and we instantly got some bakra to pakaofy each other. We got down at Kurla station, paid the rick guy and started walking towards the station. Generally I am not very chatty with strangers and give big time attitude to talk if they are the first ones to strike the conversation with me. But with Vikram and I belonging to the same Tata Group helped in breaking the ice with an added advantage of the guy being easy to talk to.

Being a public holiday, I underestimated Mumbaikars to be sleeping in their houses. But the station was crowded to the fullest. We were talking about our work profiles, work locations, blah blah blah...and didnt notice the already almost approached train. As usual people started fighting to get into the already crowded train. There was no time for me to run towards the far-off ladies compartment. 

"There is no way I am getting into this train" I said knowing that the next arriving trains are gonna be equally crowded and wont make much difference. And then something unexpected happened before i could even react. Vikram held my hand firmly, pushed aside the crowd somehow and made way for me to get into the train safely. Once inside the train, throughout the journey he shielded me from the crowd so that nobody touched me or misbehaved. He didn't care about his wallet being picked or bothered about his injured back just so that I was safe. It was time for me to get down. Again he made way through the crowd for me to get down safely.

I am used to such gentlemanly behavior from my brothers and friends but that coming from a compete stranger whom I am never going to meet again ever bowled me completely. Fida over your Chivalry stranger. And thanks for the care.

Weekend meet-up with Chandrooo

Its Friday today. The most loved day of the week. The day went off superb. Had fun in office, had Subway sandwhich for lunch (which I am currently addicted to), my report got approved, and finally in the evening met up Chandrooo aka Mahalakshmi. at Inorbit Mall. 

It is always fun to catch up with your college friends and nobody can fill up that space of happiness what with all the fun filled times we had during college days. 

Well atleast I tried to have fun ;) It gets a lil difficult for a person like me to bunk lectures and go out when your group comprises of you (interested in doing only keedas), college topper (Chandrooo), Class CR (Naayeee aka Gayatri) and an above average student (scholar for a student like me :)) - Prachi. Out of the 4 gang members, only me and Chandrooo are the priviledged ones of being single so we decided to catch up today. Chandrooo has shifted to a different city and had come down for Diwali.

It was fun to recollect the old times, which ofcourse my dear friend had to help me recollect all thanks to my short term memory loss. We talked about our psycho professors, Gayatri's 'Naaaye', Lunch @ Rangoli, and ofcourse the hot topic for girls our age - How to face/avoid marriage :). 

What's funny was Chandrooo is much more chilled out not. No more the righteous iyer girl that i knew who would scold me for my stupid keedas. Surprising pointers about Chandrooo which will make any SIES 2006 BMS batch students faint for a moment:

• Chandroo has gone clubbing (but for an office party) and even won a prize for her dancing skills:) 
• She has read Mills & Boons in 10th std itself
• She uses the FUCK word often off late
• She corrected me with the middle finger signage
• She even said that inter-caste marriages are not bad :)

But the best part is it was fun meeting her. Had fun Chandrooo. Your story about how you were baptized as Chandroo will follow soon.

A bike ride to a blissful journey

A famous Bollywood film stated that 'it’s easy to find a partner in your best friend but not too easy to find a best friend in your partner'. However, Ambika was lucky to find a best friend and a life-partner in Karan. Karan and Ambika had lot of things in common which made it easier for them to get along well with each other like a house on fire.

They both met at a social event for the first time. Though Ambika was outspoken and made friends easily, it took time for them to befriend each other all thanks to Karan being an introvert. Time passed-by and gradually phone numbers were exchanged and thus their road to discovering each other started. They used to chat for hours over the phone without realizing the time.

And one day a common group of friends decided to go for a stay-over jaunt. Karan and Ambika had best of fun during this trip with ganging up against each other, pouring water over their sleeping friends, applying toothpaste on their face etc. They were inseparable through out this trip. The trip not only got them together but also made them the best of friends. In spite of developing a fondness for Karan, Ambika did not take it too seriously without realizing that Karan had already fell in love with her. Two days after coming back from the trip, it happened to be a common friend’s birthday. So couple of friends decided to go to Marine drive for a late-night bike ride. Ambika joined Karan on the pillion and thus the love-struck Roadies set out for their bike ride.

It was exactly 12.00 midnight, cool air was blowing on their face, empty roads with Queen’s necklace (Marine Drive) in the background, and Karan popped up the million dollar question to Ambika leaving her astounded. It was the most romantic & beautiful idea of proposal any girl could have asked for. The bike was whirring past the clear roads, ripping apart the cool breeze with strings of street lights lit up and Karan saw a blushing pillion rider through his rear view mirror. Ambika could not stop smiling that night. It was the most beautiful moment she had experienced. But the happily-ever-after is yet to come.

Ambika was recuperating from a bad past and was not ready for a new commitment. Hence she kept rejecting Karan’s proposal as she had by now made up her mind to be single. It took Karan almost a month of patient persuasion to get Ambika accept the proposal. Life went on well thereafter with Karan and Ambika still being more of best-friends than a couple. They hardly fought and even if they did, the fight hardly lasted for an hour. Karan was the sweetest and perfect guy for the pursuit of a loving man. He dealt with Ambika’s bad temper and mood swings effortlessly. He was a romantic at heart and they both loved each other truly. Ambika was fond of dogs but was not allowed to have one at home. So Karan created a story of an imaginary puppy and they both used to talk about it everyday. Daily Karan used to describe about the pup’s antics to Ambika and she would burst into peals of laughter.

Few months later, Karan went abroad for further studies and Ambika got a new job offer in a new city. Life was going on good for them with Ambika giving enough space for Karan to enjoy his new life and showering him with her constant care. Karan also reciprocated her emotions by standing up for her during testing times. They decided to get married with their parents’ blessings after Karan got back from US.

It’s been 3 years now. Ambika is still waiting for her knight-in-shining armor to come on a horse back and take her away along with him. But Karan is nowhere to be seen. With mehendi on her hands and the rituals going in full swing, Ambika is hoping that her hero would make it on time to the wedding. Yes it’s their wedding tomorrow and Karan’s flight got delayed and hence the long wait only to live happily ever after.

What's in a Name? Therez lot in a Pet Name

Sexypear! Oops I means Shakespeare has rightly said that what’s in a name. People took it seriously and started referring to each other using pet names. Couples calling each other cutie pie, janoo, shweetu…, parents calling their kids chunnu, munnu, tunnu…, friends referring to each other with their own versions is quite common. And one such pet naming ceremony happened in our office too on Wednesday. Even I was given many pet names. Not that I didn’t have any before.

Bachpan mein my brother’s friends used to call me Naana Spot (coz there was a villan named Spot Nana in yesteryear’s Bollywood flick) as I used to be a trouble around them. Then came the petname DJ bestowed upon me by my college friends for reasons better known to them. And on Wednesday I was given some more names by my colleagues.

It so happened that a contest kinda was rolled out for our team wherein you are supposed to name your neighbor in a funny way. So it was decided that the placement would be such that no one crosses the limit of mocking some one’s name or surname. So it was decided as Name_(petname given by your neighbor)_Surname. And today when I came to my desk I was surprised to see four funny names for me which I thought I would share with you:

• Sangeeta “Main apni favourite hun” Iyer (the famous dialogue from Jab We Met)
• Sangeeta “Enthu-Cutlet” Iyer
• Sangeeta “91.0000 FM” Iyer
• Sangeeta “Meow” Iyer (though this I am not sure why meow”

It was fun. A good welcome for me to start a grumpy day :)

Five Point Everyone

Today we had planned to meet Anupama (our ex-TL in Capgemini) since we were getting together after a very long time. The day in office went off well with not much work pressure and a short shopping trip to R City mall nearby for buying gifts for Asha’s baby shower ceremony and, Ramya and Shraddha’s birthday gifts. Had fun. Came back and tried to finish the pending work ASAP and caught with some office friends who were complaining that I hadn’t met them for a long time.

We had decided to meet Anupama at 6.15 sharp IST (we have a record of making Anupama wait for minimum half an hour). But living up to the German Team’s reputation (that’s what she calls us :) ), we finally met her at 6.45 at Chillies in Powai. Interesting place and you feel as if you are in some café in US. If you have holes in your wallet this place is a strict no-no for you. Bahut bada bill fata.

Now the actual session started. THE BITCHING SESSION which we girls enjoy the most. The session started with Asha opening her gift. The girls did some ooh-aahs and cho-chweet noises looking at the gift. Then the topic of discussion drifted to the morons pulling my leg which they usually do :).

We kept on talking with topics changing every 10 minutes and with sumptuous food for our company. We had ordered some really interesting stuffs like Texas Cheese fries, Pasta, Ice-cream with brownie, cheese cake and stuffs. Yummyyyyy…

Some more leg pulling continued (as usual I was the bakra) and then we decided to leave as I had to take 10.30 bus back home. Thus the day ended on a very happy note and all five of us had fun. Ok I am off to sleep now. Gudnight.zzzzzzz…

3 + 1 Idiots!!!

Background
Once upon a time there lived Jippu, fawdi, DJ and Shaani (the plus 1 is for Shaani as she is as gud as non-existent in the group), the four hopelessly happening buddies of the BMS 2004-05 batch of Vivek College.

Pic 1: Fawdi and DJ were infamously famous for cracking sad and horrible jokes that could make your ears bleed if you tolerated them for long. Pic 2: It was obvious that the four whackos would end up doing projects together. Actually Shaani did the major part with jippu contributing in a bit and fawdi and DJ adding entertainment factor as usual. With just 1 ½ involvement out of four, the project was bound to get delayed usually.

Jippu and fawdi had pet names – Ganpati ke choohe. Anup had bestowed upon this pet names to fawdi and jippu on Ganesh Chathurti. Also fawdi and DJ were the two safed kabootars urff Doves :) in the group.

Pic 3: in the group, jippu and fawdi were very close to each other and the same was with DJ and shaani.

Also, fawdi had a major crush on Akhilesh (fawdi and DJ’s so-called basketball coach). But the crush faded away the moment fawdi happened to see Akhilesh scratching his butt :) Dirty boy. Lost a prospective girlfriend because of not taking bath.

Pic 4: Shaani was very famous amongst the group for pataofying more that 3 guys at the same time and make fawdi and DJ feel like losers. DJ was strictly told by her other buddies to keep her handsome brother away from Shaani’s eyesight.

Pic 5: Jippu, fawdi and DJ used to take the pleasure of bitching about shaani whenever she used to act irrationally. All this when Shaani wasn’t around obviously.Pic 6: Amongst the four nuts, Shaani, Jippu, fawdi and DJ were padhakoo in the same order. Which meant Shaani and jippu’s notes were always up-to-date. And DJ and fawdi being big time last moment Notes Xerox-but-not-study types, used to end up planning and chalking out timetables and motivating each other to follow it which ultimately used to never work out. The best place for fawdi and DJ to decide on their timetables was the baakdaa at Goregaon Station.

Shaani we miss you yaar. It’s high time you stopped acting pricey :)