Constitutionally secular to Really secular..

In a follow up to my post on Homosexual laws titled "Gay Laws- No Pun Intended" dated August 2005, the Delhi High Court today finally decided to do away with part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code!! It took them 4 long years to finally acknowledge I was right!

Bombay, Terrorized..

Mumbai locals. The lifeline of the city. Used by 6 million people everyday. 3 years ago, I was one of them, travelling to Churchgate 6 days a week. I enjoyed the locals. Its the fastest yet more economic way of getting your way across the city. I can't forget the feeling. The trampling, pushing and elbowing. It had become an integral part of my life. So much so that when I kept going back home over the summers, I would still use the locals because I had no qualms about being in one. On days when my mind wasn't preoccupied with what lectures to attend or worried about reaching lab on time (running across platforms, switching trains, making my wee little space in the already overcrowded compartments bursting at its seams, floating among the sea of people), I would simply sit back and observe the people around me. Not really big on eavesdropping, but there were conversations you couldn't help but hear, things you couldn't help but notice. It was nice to wonder now and then where people were headed and what the purpose of their being there really was. Ofcourse, the evenings were a different story; more lively, people getting back home at their own little pace while chatting up with friends and mates. The cheerful faces, bright eyes trying to fight fatigue, looking forward to having a homecooked meal and a good night's sleep, are things I just cannot erase from my memory. It was a side of Bombay I hadn't seen for 16 years. And like everything about my city, I absolutely loved it.
On a regular day like today, 3 years ago, at rush hour, I would have typically taken a fast local headed towards Borivali with a few friends in the first class men's/women's bogie, stepped out at Bandra and switched to a slow from there to Vile Parle (or simply a slow from Churchgate to Vile Parle). Its heart breaking to think of all those college going kids, who were heading back home today. My heart goes out to the young men and women returing home after a gruelling day at work. And my heart dies to think of those mothers and fathers trying to reach their kids and spouses after a long mundane day. It is really unfair to even think that the innocent be harmed. I am shocked and utterly disraught over the events that have unfolded. It is certainly not comforting to think of all those people affected by this tragedy. May the Almighty bless the souls of those who lost their lives and I only hope the injured recover speedily.
I was one of them. It could have very well been me...

Light My Fire!

Watching the New York skyline towering to your left and the maiden of Liberty on your right, overlooking the Hudson is by itself very scenic and gives you a feeling of surrealism. Add to that the the beautiful dark sky and awesomely lit downtown Manhattan. Now imagine 4 barges on the Hudson letting off fireworks in perfect synchrony for the following 30 minutes. Gorgeous. Engrossing. Breath taking. Almost unreal. Need I say more? Yes, I was agape.

A Dlog, you said?

This has probably been the longest I have been away from writing. I think I'm losing my touch. Maybe I need to write some more to regain it all. *shrug* This space has been labeled and called many names. Yet, I see a steady flow of traffic in here almost everyday. The numbers have certainly not declined. I hope I don't come across as much of a braggart when I say that. Infact, I do regret any inconvenience caused to those who carried out the ardous task of clicking on the link to my blog only to find zero new posts. Kindly bear with me until I get struck by an epiphany, a flash of ideas that may manifest themselves in my clueless head and sublimate through my anxious fingertips. And I will be back soon, to say the least. Because That's certainly not All Folks!

Somebody Stop Me!

Time Period: 1 week

• Lindt Babushka Dolls - 5
• Lindor Truffles - 45
• Superdupersized Swiss Milka bar - 1
• Regular Godiva bar (to-go) - 1
• Whole pack American cheese Singles - 1
• Countless glasses of chocolate milk (including 1 whitechocolate caramel in whole milk every day)
• Pieces of chocolate cake - 3

Calories - 0!

(WARNING! The above features indulgences performed either by professionals or really lucky people like me. Accordingly, I must insist that no one attempt to recreate or re-enact any activity outlined in this post.)

The Machines Have taken over!

Move over astrolgers, sadhu, sant and jyotshi-jis, the machines have taken over! Or so it seems.. I was browsing through Kris' blog and decided to explore the website that claimed that she was 47% masculine and 53% feminine. As if predicting personalities was not enough, I chanced upon something more intriguing. The Wedding Date Predictor! How very bold of them! I realized that maybe it intended on testing you on how ready you are to take on added responsibilities and the like. How wrong I was! Well, not completely wrong. Besides doing all of that, it seemed hold to its title, literally! There was a Date! I mean, even the greatest of forecasters who have roamed the earth, Nostradamus for instance, couldn't do that! Woa..I was blown away. Not by 'how' they could come to the conclusion, it was more of "how the hell could they even 'think' of something like that?" Curious. Very curious...

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That's their analysis. I'm glad I can't put up a clearer picture. I'm glad noone can see the actual date. I'm glad I don't have to take it seriously. Embarrassingly early!

EGG-ceptional!

I woke up lazily to the my alarm on my phone this morning and set it forward to another hour. Finally, I managed to wake myself up at 9 am. Not under the pretext of studying for my ever important final, but because I was huuunngryyy! It was hunger with a capital 'H'. Strange, cause I did have a good meal last night. And it was while I was brushing my teeth groggily that my eyes brightened up at the thought of-EGGS! Suddenly I could think of nothing but 'em lil white oval fellas! So I picked up a bowl and tried cracking them. Mind you, it had definitely been a while since I had done that. I got all the veggies I needed chopped, poured in a lot of cheese and beat it silly! As I got some bread toasted, I left the omelette in the pan to fry. When it was time to turn it over, I messed up big time! I mustve sliced in into a million pieces and lost track of their right side up. Annoyed with myself, I picked up the million pieces and put it between my toast and seasoned it with some salt and pepper just in case it was a disaster. But the first bite felt like heaven. It was a pleasant surpirse. I couldn't help but think of those many Sundays back home when dad would serve us eggs for breakfast, the three of us with our own demands, ranging from the sunny-side-up, to scrambled eggs, to omelettes or just plain boiled eggs. Yeah Sunday was the Egg day. (the ol' 'Sunday ho ya Monday roj khao Anday' thing!) But it was a reminder of those ever-cherished but now only dreamed about moments that took me back in time this morning!.....and from Dad, cooking yummy breakfast is perhaps only one of the many zillion things I'm glad to have learned! :)