insight’s blog

WHERE ARE YOU??

Quite a few of my classmates have gone missing over the years……And I often wonder whether they think about me and wonder where I am…….I have always wanted to know about Edna…..a girl we all liked to hate. She must’ve been my classmate in the 3rd standard or so but I vividly remember her stealing my tiffin and forcing me to buy red colored chocolates we used to get at the shack just outside the school gate. We would then rub the chocolates on our lips to get the “feel” of applying lipstick……Edna with her teeth sticking out….Cruel, plump, Edna……where are you??

When Anju joined us in the 7th standard as a fresher in the middle of the term she seemed like she had dropped from fairyland. Soft spoken and prim and “propah” to the core we hated her coz she was everything we were not…..Her hairstyle had us eating out of our hands…..her hair were cut short and swept back, so we called it the “dove cut”. While at a school picnic I realised that she is not snobbish as we had imagined her to be….I decided I would like to have her as my friend…But just a few days later Anju’s dad was transferred, so they left town and we had no address to contact her….I never got the opportunity to tell you I liked you Anju……where are you??

I was almost in love with Nita….At just 11 years of age she defined beauty for me……If as a girl she had me drooling I wonder what she must’ve done to the guys in school. She was simple as simple can be, yet ethereally beautiful….I always wished she would like me as much as I liked her but her group of friends was different from mine. I remember she had gifted me a scarf like thing which I managed to lose, unfortunately and I mourned the loss of it for quite a few days. Because that was all I was left with as a memory of Nita….A porcelain beauty with soft silky hair and a heart warming smile, Nita…………where are you??

No movie that I ever saw while growing up was complete without Baby Guddu…..She was the daughter everyone wanted to have….As kids, she was our role model….She taught us how to cry perfectly, how to be perfectly naughty and how to be perfectly cute as well…..I never ever thought she would grow up….I did a complete search about her on the internet recently to know what happened of her after she left films….I don’t even know her real name…Wonder child…..where are you??

The missing people list could go on…..all I can do is hope and pray that each one of you is safe and happy wherever you are………….

I believe there are three D’s associated with daughters’ - Daughters are Daddys’ Delight!!. While mothers love for her children is widely written & spoken about , the stern faced but soft hearted Daddys are often overlooked.

As I try to recall memories of Daddy when he were younger, my mind conjures up a hazy picture of a skinny man in bell-bottoms. Thick unruly hair, dark skin, prominent moustache - my mind’s eye can see way beyond that. Captivated in the recesses of my memories is the steely resolve in the honey coloured eyes, the veins jutting out at the back of his palm(the result of relentless hard work) and a bright, heart warming smile, which even in this day & age reveals the child within him. And it comes even more so to the fore when he talks about his childhood. Daddy had the kind of childhood that kids of the present generation can only read about. His eyes sparkle some more when he narrates his childhood capers and before your eyes unfolds a man whose soul seems connected to the elements of nature.

Listening to his animated talks of his childhood adventures easily drifts you to a world which you would’ve loved to be a part of. Hunting, fishing, swimming, rowing - he seems to have done it all!We could never overlook the mischievous gleam in his eyes that shone to the hilt when he spoke of how he, along with his bunch of friends used to steal fruits from people’s backyards. My didi would often ask him as to how he got the time to study amidst all this. He would laugh in reply. As if to say that in time you will realise that life’s lessons are not to be learned within the four walls of a classroom.

Certain people exhibit certain qualities that helps them stand out from the rest. When it comes to Dad it is his optimism. From the time I came of age I never saw him in a pessimistic frame of mind. He might’ve had self doubts in moments of privacy (Although I can’t bring myself to believe that). Every task, however big or small, that he has undertaken, he has fulfilled it successfully with a positive frame of mind. It took me a while to realize that such positivity stems from a firm belief in GOD. In good times and bad his trust in HIM never faded, in fact it increased manifold. It is this devotion that must’ve helped him see thru’ the toughest time of his life during which he saw major upheavals in his personal and professional life. I’ve seen him stand like a rock amongst a financial crisis. At the age of 50 when many would relax and reminisce about the life they’ve had I’ve seen my father restart his life.And thru’ the trying times he has had, he never lost his sense of humour.

Principled, witty and charming - today my father stands tall before me as my life’s greatest inspiration. And for all the years that I’ve walked on this earth I’ve yet to come across anyone who can measure up to my father - my hero!

How many times have we deferred our tasks for tomorrow…simple tasks like washing, cleaning, paying bills….Its a bug that catches up with all of us (more so with me ;)). I had once made a new year resolution for doing away with it. I managed to play along with it for about 3-4 months in the beginning and I found my life getting less chaotic. But resolutions are so difficult to follow, aren’t they? My closest friend had the same bug when it came to saving money. She would keep putting it off till she would get the next best job which (unsuprisingly) never came along….
My father tried to instill in us, the fervour of “kal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab!”. But it’s oh! so tempting to let things lie for some more time. After creating havoc in my personal life I found this bug trying to create problems for me at my workplace. But I managed to overcome it and it seems to be easy to do things on time now. And the feeling of mental calm at the end of a day with no worries of pending work is soooooo rewarding. Of course it isn’t always possible to wind up tasks in a day. So i still find myself with unpaid premiums or a pending visit to the tailor at the end of the week. But the difference between “now” and “later” is stark and I hope to spread the good word around…….what say?? :^)

Hello!
I am a goan….and proud to be one! Read through this and you will know why….
Goa! a land of myriad cultures, people, customs, traditions and of course beaches!! The very mention of the fact that I am a goan often sparks an interest in those around me. And then follows the steady flow of inquisitive questioning to know more about this land that has never failed to mesmerise people from all over the world.
“Go Goa! 365 days on a holiday” is how the tourism industry promotes Goa. But it isn’t a holiday for us the whole year through. We have enough problems at hand like the other states. But what marks us apart is our carefree spirit and the ability to look at the brighter side of things, even in the face of the gravest adversity, a little more than the others. This has earned us the title of “susegaad” a word in konkani that best describes a person with a laid-back attitute.
But goans have excelled in the fields of music, literature and arts to prove that they are competitive enough. And with efforts on to set up IT parks in the state, it is all set to be the next IT hub.Moreover, nature has been kind to this smallest state in our country. Nestled in the west, manned by breath-taking beaches, it has earned itself epithets like “Kashmir of the West”. Having been ruled by various dynasties and the Portuguese for several years, Goa showcases the best architecture of the past and is the perfect amalgamation of the ethnic and the modern. The magnificient churches and temples of Goa stand witness to Goa’s resplendent past.You will find traditionality seeped in its core with traditional dances like the “mando”, “dhalo” and the “kunbi dance” being very popular amongst the young and the old. Not to miss the platter of goan folk songs that are lively, entertaining and fun-filled!! Tourists are not only welcomed with a dose of the world famous goan hospitality but also with a range of mouth-watering traditional goan dishes like “sannas”, “sausages”, “vindaloo”, “bebinca” to name a few. The famous cashewnuts and “feni” of Goa are also relished by many.
Cashing in on this heavy influx of tourists are world famous resorts like Park Hyatt, Ramada, The Taj and many others. Although tourism has by far been the major factor for attracting people to Goa, students from all over are flocking to Goa to pursue education as well. And the Goa Institute of Management having earned a ranking of 17 in a list of the top 50 institutes of management in India has only helped the cause. Goa’s scenic beauty has been captured by many filmmakers on screen and with it being declared as the permanent venue for IFFI many more will be inspired to follow suit in the coming years. Notwithstanding the communal riots that took place recently, you will still find people of different communities, caste, creed and colour living peacefully here. Although a dot on the huge map of India, Goa has managed to carve a niche for itself over the years. So when you come to Goa and smell the whiff of sea breeze, and bask in the sun with swaying palm trees around you do raise a toast and say “VIVA GOA”!!