onam, sadya and bus strike!

Well… I guess that sums it all. This was how we celebrated onam in our college, with all sorts of uncertainties and troubles. A working day with no private buses on road is a tough one. Here in kerala, it’s a common thing…every now and then you could see buses on strike, may be for a salary hike or bonus or may be for no reason at all… yaha sab chalta hai…! Usually, when we hear about bus strikes…Its something to be happy, (I admit it shamelessly) because you don’t have to go to college or office…one full day at home …which means sheer enjoyment! But this time round, it was something different. It was something different; our cclass onam celebration was scheduled on the same day ie on the strike day! Now what to do? How will we reach college on time? How will we go back home? This was what everyone was discussing about. Being our last year at college , we all wanted our onam to be a memorable one , but with the bus strike thing creeping in … all the fun was almost lost, everyone was down , not knowing what to do and what not to…we had given order for the onasadya(the main part of celebration …food ,in complete tradition style) so if we weren’t able to come , then it will mean a complete waste of money and efforts. Finally after lot of discussions we decided that ...lets cancel the programme ! Mainly because it was impossible for some of us to reach college, this was decided around 12:30 the day before the celebration. We, with our heavy hearts dispersed for lunch. Lunch hour is meant for gossip and chitchat , this time though everyone was silent ! Suddenly one of my friends comes up with an idea; “hey transport bus (govt buses) is available naa…and there are other means of transport too , auto or our own vehicles …we can take them out for one day….we have to celebrate our onam , its our last year… we have to make it great!” everything was far fetched in the whole concept , yet it brought in a ray of hope and all of us started thinking positively. And soon, we decided our celebration is gonna happen and we have to reach college at any cost. Though I was apprehensive about the whole thing, and about my means of travel …I too agreed. Next thing on the list was whether to wear the kerala traditional attire (setmundu or set saree) I personally find saris a bit disgusting, all difficult to manage and wear! And on a strike day...oh no I couldn’t imagine myself clinging on to a over crowded transport bus wearing a sari…no no…i had made up my mind , if it was going to be a strike, then no sari! Rest of the girls were all set for a fashion show…and at times I found my mind swaying in the wind, cajoling me to wear the sari…hmmm…with all the confusion , we all bid byes to meet again tomorrow for the grand day!

As soon as I reached home…switched on the tv , just to check if the strike was cancelled , but alas it wasn’t.( it was the first time in my life that I didn’t wanted a strike..lol). so the sari plan was cancelled. Next day woke up early jus to call up my friends and know how they were coming…in the mean while one of my friends calls me up. ...Jus to say that she has an aunty going our route and she has agreed to drop us on the way! Wow! My sari plans again get a new life , so decide to wear a sari …start the ironing and what not!
But sari as usual are so disobliging, you pull them here and they go hay where. After a lot of pushing and pulling decided not to wear it at all…pulled up a pair of salwar and was all set to go…hmmm!. My friend and I were the first ones to be in college …college was absolutely vacant, just a few staff here and there. I consoled myself thinking that even if I wore a sari no one would be there to appreciate my looks…and I felt happy!;). We opened our class room and had some discussions with our teachers who were already present. After about half an hour everyone was present, and each one was busy with their respective work…floral carpet topping the list…and I must tell you it looked quite pretty!
Next was the onasadya , it was a sumptuous feast I swear …loved the payasam…yummy!
Everything was well organized , thanks to the boys of our class who took the initiative for the sadya and for arranging each and everything so perfectly …Thank you guys!:)

So all in all it was fun to be in college on a strike day, though it was empty …it felt as if it was all ours …happy to be with us, celebrating our little joy!:)

My 'hanky' and me!

Boarding a bus after college is a tedious task. As soon as the last bell rings, everyone rushes to the bus stop …and it resembles a group of bees clustered around a beehive. If you could get into the first bus, then my god…You are an expert in it! I seldom get the chance for the same…but today made it somehow! Uff…the pushing, pulling …and what not…but finally found a place to stand by. My friend who is always in search of a seat, beside the driver was not successful today to fish one…and so was sulking about the same. I in the meanwhile was happy that I could stand near the window, and could enjoy the fresh air! After two or three stops the rush was a lot better and we could actually see the people standing along with us.

Suddenly an aunty who was standing next to me, turn around us and says “can you please lend me your handkerchief , my hand is hurt and its bleeding.” We simultaneously inquire “how?”. She then tells us that, there was something protruding near by the window, where she accidentally got her hand and it was cut, near the elbow. It wasn’t a major injury just a small wound, but then a little bit of blood was oozing out …and being ‘chingam 1’(new year day of keralites) she was dressed in the traditional kerala attire , like many other aunties! And so was very cautious, as she didn’t want her white sari to turn crimson! And this was the reason why she needed a hanky.

But then hankies are quite personal, they travel all along with you…and it’s a emotional moment if you have to part with it…especially when you are quite attached to it…lol…as I am . But then, somehow I persuaded my mind and decided to give away my hanky …after all it was for a noble cause and I was helping out a poor lady.

Though I was a bit sad to part with my hanky …I knew after receiving the same the aunty would thank me with a genuine smile and in return I would feel happy and content for helping some one.

With this thought in mind I offered my hanky with a sweet and generous smile. But as soon as the hanky was offered it was snatched from my hand…as a cat does with a mouse!. No word of ‘thank you’ or authentic smile, not even a look of gratitude. Everything was so fast, that even I didn’t know what actually happened! My ‘hanky’ was sincere with her duties and covered the wound well…but her present mistress was least bothered from where she came or the help she offered.She was bothered only about her sari and as long as her sari remained white she was satisfied.

Before getting down at my stop , I gave a last look at the aunty to see if she would want to thank me…but as thought I was disappointed ,not because she didn’t thank me… but simply because I could see my dear ‘hanky ’crying aloud wanting to get back to me!

proud to be an indian!:)

Another year of independence has passed by,its time to remember our leaders who made this happen!





Who taught us that UNITY IS STRENGTH!







Despite our vivid cultures , beliefs and traditions ,we still are ONE! and will ALWAYS be!















We believe in "united we stand and divided we fall"Its LOVE which binds us together!



With all these specialties in hand , its impossible for any force to dismantle us .With this vigor and passion at hearts ,our flag can only fly high!

JAI HIND

A day with palmistry!

Palmistory, a topic which excites most of us! And so was I when my sis brought along a book on the same. She got the same, from her colleague, who is a “somewhat” expert in it. My sis as usual in her over excited tone…took the book from her bag…with a ‘dhaan te dhaan’(in Kaminey style). Even I was too elated and came up with the ‘show me show me’ (Jab we met, kareena style)[you’ll remain confused if u haven’t seen any of the said scenes!;) ] Hmm…now begins the drama….

My sis flips open the first page and starts off as a ravenous reader…

Sis:(after a few pages of reading)….oh so if your index finger is longer than the ring finger…oh…acha….k. Hey anu, show me …nokkatte…

Me: (I was staring her in the meanwhile…like a dumb head! I stretch my hand out for her to examine ) if its longer…what?

Sis: it means you are a creative person….! Now see anu our fingers are similar ,wow great naa!(too excited and blushing)

(now since the first thing itself was quite interesting…I was keen to know more)

Me: then what else …(I ask, thrilled to know more)

Sis: arre wait…nokkatte(let me read…a bit irritated now!) hmmm…if the first two visible lines in your palms intersect …(examining her own)…ayyo…mine is not intersecting yaar…show me yours anu…! Oh god, yours too..

Me: entha whats the prob …(all perplexed and worried)…

Sis: it means we would me independent, so much to the extend that our compatibility with our partners may suffer!(with a somber expression )

Me: (with an unbelievable expression filled with some sort of concern)oh..do u believe all this ..Crap …I don’t …(I try to sound confident)

Sis: k…whatever…now see this, its about how many kids we’ll have…I have two, let me check yours…

Me: before that lets call amma and see her’s…if its right then we can confirm on everything….(I say this pleased with myself for the intelligence I just exhibited!)

Sis: ya right anu…lets call her…(and we screech at the top our voices ) Ammaaaaaaaaaa………

(amma who was busy with her chores , runs out panicked towards us )

Amma: entha…what happened…(with alarm all over her face)

Sis: show me your hand …(ignoring amma’s alarmed look!) hmmm….hey as per your lines it says …that amma you’ll have 3 kids!!!(shocked expression with eyes split open!)

Amma: what...3 kids!entha...what are you both doing here…its already 8:30 and both of you didn’t take your bath yet…and what is this silly book…palmistory!!...enough stop all this nonsense and go and wash yourself ! And anu…screaming at the top of your voice ..do u know how old are you…?...when are you going to grow up…daivame…oh..god…what will I do with these girls… (she marches off the room with disgust and a declaration …that if we are not ready by half an hour then we’ll have to help ourselves with the dinner!)

(I had heard enough, and the palm history was proved wrong too..so without wasting any more time I left to the bathroom…mean while I could see my sis still clinging on to the book in her hand!)

At around 8:45 I come back to the room , to see my sis still immersed in the book… and posing strange angles with her hands …sometimes talking to herself …and again confirming with the book…ok..so these are the lines…I have them…(satisfied with herself).Now she folds her hand to a fist ..and starts counting some new lines ,with eyes split apart in concentration and mouth a bit open and tilted (almost the look of darsheel safary in ‘taare zameen par’)…and the drama continues….

I watch all this with a bit of amazement , wondering how could she fall for this…then I call out…minu enough…its already 8:50….go otherwise amma will kill u…!

Sis: (trying to gather her senses back)...ayyo…I have to rush…(runs out of the room)

And I look along with mixed reactions …not knowing whether to laugh or not!