Journey beyond plans..

Dear gentle readers!

Sounds familiar? Well, that’s how Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton addresses her readers. I've been watching this series  and can't stop myself from acting like one of my favorite characters. But I'm not here to give my insights on the series; I'm here to share some experiences again.

I'm back quite early after my last blog, as it depends on how much I'm cooked. These last few days have felt like a marathon. It seems like everything was happening at the same time, and we all have those days. Thus, cooked!

But what was that one ingredient driving me the most crazy? Sometimes it takes a while to truly understand the real problem that’s bothering you.

It was “why isn’t my plan working?” So, just to give a brief background, I think I might be the biggest planner in the world. I plan everything. I go to sleep planning my next day and wake up with an already pre-planned routine and bucket list. What to eat, what not to eat, what to read, and what not!

I think planning is the most basic trait of us human beings, but expecting everything to work accordingly is what is dangerous. That’s exactly what happens, too. It makes us angry, anxious, underconfident, and doubtful of ourselves, asking, “Am I good enough?”

But slowly and gradually, when things start falling into place, everything seems perfectly alright. So perfect that one cannot even imagine. But how??? It’s not what was planned after all.

Because it’s what destiny has decided. What you can’t see is what God sees.

Being a faithful child of God, He plans so well for me that I cannot even dream of. And thus, accepting the fact that I cannot control most things gives me relief, and it feels so light on my head.

Not that I have abandoned planning, as it’s really important too, but sometimes going with the flow without worrying about the future and, most of all, understanding the fact that good things take time, we are all living our lives patiently.

Dusting Off the Dance Shoes.

 My own blog must be wondering what kind of writer she is. Back to it after I don’t know how many months.

As I mentioned earlier, I like writing to express my emotions, or to be more precise, to organize those unorganized thoughts in my mind. When I write, it feels like dots start connecting, and I finally reach my destination, understanding all the causes and effects of my thoughts.

So, I have restarted my Kathak journey. It was August 15, 2023, when I finally gathered all my courage and put a full stop to all those 'ifs' and 'buts' that were stopping me from doing this. 'RE' as in I used to learn Kathak in my early school days but had to stop because of studies and all. At first, I always tried to justify to myself that it’s difficult to manage your hobby with studies, and one can do only one thing at a time. But then slowly, it started feeling like a regret, and regrets are the worst.

I had and still have a thousand reasons for not doing it, and the major one was, what if this restarting idea turns out to be stupid? What if I am doing this at the cost of my work? What if I don’t get along with others? The list is long.

These thoughts took me 10 years, and the decision to restart was taken in a moment. I don’t know what struck me, but I told myself that I am doing it and will see what happens.

It was the best decision of my life. It's all manageable because I want to manage it. I could have done it in those same 10 years. But the feeling of regret is gone.

Sometimes, instant decisions or decisions that you take based on your gut feeling, very opposite to the ideal, conscious procedure, turn out to be life-changing. There could be just one pro against 10 cons. Thinking twice before doing anything is advised, which is true and must be practiced. But if we really want to do something, we are capable of turning situations upside down.

At a crossroads!

 At a crossroads! 

After a great long pause...here I am. I write when it naturally comes to me because and about a topic which is in my head cooking pasta for a long time and now I just want to eat something else. Mind will not stop functioning because you are not hungry anymore. So better gotta keep changing the dishes.

 

I want to share that pasta with you’ll because this must have been happened, been happening and if not, will happen at some point of time.

 

Life is again at a turning point. There are many turning points  in one’s life. But the crucial ones arrive  only when we are adult enough to understand how sharp and blind they are. I am driving through one of them.  College is almost over like a 2 minute noodles.  Yesterday I was just a little girl, now a women. Its like time has become that desperate rabbit who just wants to run fast, finish and win. Before I could realise and appreciate something, time makes me hop on to some other thing. 5 years passed by and now its time to bid goodbye to one more phase of my life and enter into another one, already giving me chills.

 

Turnings are not always smooth. They come up mostly  with much friction like confusion, sadness, sometimes regrets, baggage of past but also excitement. It takes a good amount of patience and maturity to get a hold on to this transition. This is the time where a person is living on the LOC (like literally), of past and future. It requires a great deal to leave your past and accept future. Only good thing here is we already know what is right i.e. to accept future with open arms so that you can make your everyday ‘’present’’ better for yourself but like I said, even vin diesel went careful on this sharp turn.

 

Not that I am scared and want to skip this turn as each and everyone till now has only made me a better and an evolved person. Coming turns will only get deadly and to make sure, I  pass them nicely, this one is already making me all geared up.

Unlocking thoughts!

Hola! Well i have been learning spanish from past a week and this is the first word one would learn. Its a ‘hi’ in spanish from me to all the readers (who are few).  But i am not here to bore you all with my spanish learning outcomes but to share or you may say describe some thoughts i was experiencing from past 2-3 months which are not personal and should be conveyed. Before starting i really like to state one thing that this write up is not at all a preaching to you. Neither i am one with great wisdom nor i am the kind of person who speak and think differently. But definitely i pours my heart out everytime i write. 

 After so long I collected all my courage and patience to sit down and write  this up. Yes. Being an highly impatient person , it requires months to convince myself to give this 1 hour despite the fact that i love writing. God knows me. 

Its a tough time for all of us. Its like everyone is bedridden with lives on risk. I am done hearing and talking about this virus rant but there is this one thing it taught me. No, not to be hygienic but to praise our work. I think everyone will agree with this or some good ones unlike  me must have already aware about this. But I have genuinely started believing in worshiping my work. Me, who cried for sunday to come next day after sunday.

I realised the utter importance of the job which is feeding you. I realised the importance of studying in classrooms. Whole world is on-line today but I realised the importance of being off-line with the world. Some are privileged enough who didn’t have to go through financial troubles or to struggle for shelter or to come back to their homes but there were some who lost their lives on railway track. I wouldn’t lie even i was not thankful for various luxuries i have. 

I am not talking about being less privileged or poor but being unemployed for whatever reason ,when there is no source of income to accomplish your necessities. Lots of people lost their jobs and we cannot understand the grief they are going through. Depression is one of the result.

All i want to conclude is that this virus came with so much negativity, took so many lives but as i heard in one of the late beloved irfan khan’s interview that we don’t have any option but to stay positive and filled with hope till we are alive.       

GRACIAS! 

Samosa

It has been 4-5 weeks and I haven’t written anything. I don’t know why but I wasn’t feeling like writing or talking about anything. May be because destiny wanted me to wait till today.

Today something happened and I couldn’t stopped myself expressing it. This incident has blew my mind. I don’t know how to react. Should I be happy or sad or proud.  It touched my soul and not only that but it changed me for a whole life.

So, I am at my hometown since vacations are going on. Monsoon is here and weather is too good to have ‘Samosas’ (Monsoon’s Mandatory). I was at my friend’s place and she told me about a new amazing samosa place near her house. I was already hungry (nothing new) and my mouth just started watering as hell as I heard about samosas because samosas are not just a food item it’s more a kind of feeling. I hurried off to that place because she told me that he (samose wale bhaiya) only sells samosas from 5 to 6 pm only and his samosas are so delicious that it finishes till 5:30 only. I was imagining of a big sweet shop where a fat, bald and half naked halwai was making the number of samosas in big kadhai and there will be people in a line shouting for their turn but…   As soon as I reached the shop there was not a shop. What I mean it was totally opposite from my imagination what I saw and for a moment I was depressed. I saw there was man of around 27 or 28 years and he was selling the samosas and vegetables in a small Cart . It was not even a cart but a small wooden table. There was a shed which he has made himself by erecting 4 wooden poles and a black polythene sheet over them to protect the vegetables and samosas from rain or dust. There was little space behind his counter where he cleaned that area and leveled it perfectly with the cow dung. There I saw his Kadhai and some utensils and beside his 2-3 months baby was sleeping. Overall his shop was so small to be noticed until someone tells you. It took me few seconds to notice all these things when man asked me seeing standing silently- ‘’Ji didi, kaun si  sabzi dedu? I thought may be his samosas will be unhygienic and what kind of oil he is using so I told him nothing. He said- ‘’Didi garam garam samose bhi banata hu main, le lijiye, kuch hee bache hai bas.’’ The man was so sweet that he started convincing me to take samosas but I was really unsure about the hygiene thing and went back to my friend’s place. I told her all this and she told me something which shivered me inside out. She told me that man used to sell only vegetables initially but his wife died as soon as she delivered a baby. To now manage the house and expenses, he started selling samosas in order to earn more for his baby. He make only 30 samosas for a day which is only bought by them who lives nearby and who knows about it. People who come to buy vegetables he use to tell them about his new samosa business and this is how he advertise it. I was paralyzed for a moment. I was not able to response. How can destiny be so cruel with somebody? A poor man, hardly running his family at a bare subsistence level and then something happened even worse. I was having a mixed feeling of number of emotions at that time. Should I be happy that his business is running well and he has managed to get himself up from his situation. Should I be sad on his helplessness and poverty or should I be proud of seeing such a brave man who is struggling so hard just to earn more money to secure his baby’s future. I think destiny plays an essential role. Where I see people with hell lot of money, travelling abroad in a business class, wearing the costliest brands, eating in a 7 star hotels and on the other hand there are some people who are hardly earning their livelihood. I know you cannot blame destiny for all the things but sometimes it doesn’t even give you a chance or choice.     

And then I again went back to that same shop and bought all the left samosas. I wanted to say a lot of things to him but all I could do is thanked him. I came to home and immediately unpacked the samosas and the  green coloured chutney he gave me with it. As soon as I had a bite something happened which I think has changed me for a whole life. That samosa was so delicious but more than enjoying its taste I can feel the struggle of a father, pain of a husband of losing his life, love and hope that he has mixed with that samosa which is making it a best samosa of the world for me.

I have changed my one view from today that these roadside street food items might be unhygienic but it is okay to have some sometimes because these small carts are the only means of livelihood for that people and what is better than contributing in making someone’s life better.                                                                                                                   

Street food of INDIA

How many foodies are reading this? Well yes! This post is all about FOOOOOOOD!
Food is an integral part of our life and when we are talking about the street food and that too of India one cannot stop his mouth watering. So get ready to dive in the world of street food.

India is a country blessed with lot of things like rich heritage, culture, traditions, diversity, unity and many more but the thing which every true Indian cherishes about the country is STREET FOOD. Street food represents a part of India. Colorful narrow streets, packed with small roadside food stalls serving delicious cuisines, are worth grabbing. Thousands of street food with their various ingredients and aroma through the streets open a large window to the world. Every state here serves its own specialty. Whether it is Litti chokha of Bihar, vada pav and pav bhaji of Mumbai or spicy kebabs of Lucknow – every item has its own taste and feeling. A great combination of sweet and spicy flavors can be found in the lanes of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Spicy poha served with sweet jalebi is the ideal breakfast for people there. Streets of Punjab and the capital of the country Delhi are found with every next chole-kulche stall. If talk we about south India, then it is famous for its roadside dosas and idlis; Gujarat serving jalebi-fafda is the favorite of every gujarati. These are the few dishes of street food which are specifically found in these states but there are some items which can be found anywhere in the country. From gol-gappas to aloo-tikki-chat, momos to ‘Indian-style chowmein  and small tents known as ‘tapirs’ selling masala chai – every individual in India enjoys these.  ‘Parathe-wali-gali’ in Delhi and maggi in Manali’s mall road are the best places of tourist attraction. These quick bites, easy to make, not so healthy and yet so yummy food items are loved by all.

Apart from having these perks of street food it shows a darker side of the country. India is still fighting with some macro-economic problems like lack of employment opportunities, poverty etc and due to this a large part of the population is dependent upon these jobs. For many vendors among them these stalls are the only source of income. Maximum they can earn in a day is just 2000-3000 which is substantial level of income for a lower-class family. There are also many challenges faced by them. First of all, they are deprived by laws made by government in respect of labour union. They are forced to pay 15-20 Rs to the local police as a bribe; they are always hit by the market price-fluctuations and irregular employment. They are associated with encroachment of public spaces, causes traffic congestion, inadequate hygiene, and poor waste disposal. Food safety has become a concern regarding street food. No government agency is responsible to verify the quality of food selling by them. Street vendors are surviving without government support. However, lately government has passed ‘’Street-vendors bill 2013’’ which protects the rights of them.

Street food of India is the heart of the country diversity. They are not enjoyed just because of their low price and good taste but it gives immense pleasure which we cannot feel while eating in an expensive restaurant. Every Saturday-Sunday we can see the ‘chopatis’ filled with hoggers.

. Diverse nature of street food here symbolizes ‘’unity in diversity’’ and there should be some regulatory body to regulate which will uplift the concept of street food.

FOLLOW YOUR LEAD

Before talking about the topic of my first blog let's just talk about the writer first and that's ME!
As you are going to read me for the first time let me WARN you. Relax!! let me warn you about my bad Punchuation skills.(still working on'em) Guys i am not a writer or a expert or specialised blogger. I write because i love writing. I started writing a year ago and realised its not less than a meditation. I used to write on a notebook and on my cellphone's diary when nobody was aware of my this ''HOBBY''. Then for the first time wrote for my college's newsletter magazine where i got pretty good

response from people. That was really unexpected. A month ago i got to know about this blog thing and thought of giving it a chance. So, here i am. CHEERS TO MY FIRST BLOG!!

This blog is all about DREAMS. What is it? Why we see people failing? why we feel scared in following our passions and dreams? well let's just see...

FOLLOW YOUR LEAD

What is Dream? It is something that gives a direction to life. It stops life from getting stuck. A person who cannot dream is dead. Though the human nature is such that  one cannot stop visualizing a dream but there are certain things that become an obstacle in our quest to achieve our dream. These can be rejection, fear of failure, social, political or economical reasons, or even our self. Even before the child is born or knows what aim is, parents start making aims for it. So the child keeps that aim in mind and starts working towards it. Then that child starts to grow, develop a conscience, think, dream, aspire and imagine. But the realization of the previously set aim makes him fearful and less confident in the pursuit his own dreams.

There is almost negligible difference between a dream and an aim. Aim is directed towards a set goal but there can be many dreams. But to choose an aim from among those dreams should be his personal decision and not someone else’s. The contemporary society, even after progressing in time, hasn’t progressed in its beliefs. If the wife is the earning member of the family and the husband stays at home, then they are not fully accepted in the society. There is a lot of discussion and debate regarding change on the social media and in live forums. But there are only a few people who actually work towards making a change, others just talk about it. So, instead of just speaking and discussing about making a change, make a change. Always follow your lead. Step out a little out of your comfort zone if you want to create a comfortable society, where everyone is free to pursue his or her own dreams.