My roomie Lily...

THANKS LILY....THIS ONE IS FOR YOU... :-)
So getting back to the people I came across in this  new place. There are two categories.
Number One- The people I ran away from, that I had mentioned earlier.
Number Two- The people I became friends with, about whom I will tell now.
A few days before I left the old place in March, a new girl moved into my room. At that point of time my mind had already drowned in the ocean of negativity. I got an impression that all the girls are bad. So I decided that I won't initiate any conversation with this new girl. I had just returned from my office that evening, and I saw her sitting on her bed talking to someone on a call. She had her shoes on, which was enough to upset me a bit, as I had mopped the floor that morning.
I interrupted her for a minute and requested her to remove her shoes and keep it where I kept mine after she was done with the conversation. She nodded and said okay and got back to talking on her cell.
I got fresh and continued with my daily activities, like making tea and relaxing for a while and then cooking dinner and chatting away with my family on phone. Till then she was sitting with the other two crackpots and chit-chatting. She seemed to be getting along well with them. I was worried about having a potential crackpot in my room!

After an hour or so she came in and started unpacking her things. I asked her name, just out of courtesy. She said her name was Lily. She asked mine. Then we inquired about each other's job. She said she was in Mumbai for an internship which would last for two months. She said she was a second year MBA student.
I don't know how, but we started talking. I asked her about her family and her college. She told me a lot about it. I came to know her real name was Lalita. And I too told her a lot about myself. Soon she was sitting next to me and showing me pictures of her home, college, family and friends on her laptop. And that night we chatted away till 4 a.m. in the morning. OMG!!! I couldn't believe it! I got through her. Soon, I realized that she wasn't bad at all. In fact, she was awesome!
After a couple of days, we became good friends. We used to talk and laugh a lot together. It was actually a bliss having Lily with me, because my mind was already messed up big time and stressed out after coming to Mumbai. Things were now getting better.
One day, I insisted Lily to come with me to my home for a weekend. And she was more than happy. So on a Saturday we left for my home after office. We had fun during the journey. When we reached home, we freshened up and had lunch. Mmmmmm, there is no match for home-cooked food. We ate till our heart's content. I had an appointment with my dentist that evening. Dad planned we all will go out for dinner too. Till the time I introduced Lily to my neighbors and my friends. We played with the baby Shagun who lives next door. She is my sweetheart. We clicked pictures too.


We reached my dentist's clinic in the evening. Lily looked around and I told her many a things about my treatment and all. My turn came soon. We both went in. Lily put of the flash of her cell phone's camera and silently took pictures when my dental check up was going on. I noticed her dare-devilry from the corner of my eye. I was about to burst into laughter but somehow controlled myself, thinking that my dentist won't like all this non-sense (Non-sense for him, fun for us).


So after  my appointment was over, we stepped out and laughed incessantly. We were waiting for my dad to come. By the time we went in the chocolate shop and had a pastry and a chocolate. We clicked pictures there too. Eating less and laughing more. It was like hysteria.

Soon Dad came and off we went for dinner. We had Chinese food, that's our all time favorite. Oh God! We were so stuffed!
Then we went home and had tea and Lily told more about herself to my Mom and Dad. I was too tired. I went to bed. I woke up at 12 in the afternoon next day. Lily and my younger sister, whom we lovingly call Tillu were chatting till 5 in the morning and still sleeping.
Lol! they were looking so cute!
Mom, Dad and Tillu just loved Lily! Tillu especially... as she really had nice time chatting away with her all night long. Soon it was time to go back to Mumbai and resume with our work.
So did we... We came back with one of the sweetest memories...
We still had great time in Mumbai....till she finished with her internship and went back to Kolkata. But we are still in touch, in spite of all the distances and being busy with our lives...
Not only she made my days better, but also changed my perception about people in a big way...
When I recall the day I first met her and when I was thinking I won't talk, I can't  believe that person has become a great friend now!
She taught me a lot through her experiences...I learnt how the world works. She made me capable and mentally strong enough to accept the fact that there exists a mix of good and bad people in the world. But you just can't run away from the people you don't like. You have to deal with them, and in such a manner that I works in your favor. She made me realize I too can do this, making best out of worst.

Lessons learnt:

• Not all people are bad.
• We should never let negativity get the better of us.
• Life is unpredictable. You never know, what will be the next great thing in store for you...

Till then, enjoy your life, love your friends, cherish your memories....

May God bless us all!

Humanity binds us all together...

It was a pleasant Saturday evening of 17th September...I was really excited as I was going home for the weekend. I left from office at 5.30 pm to catch a train scheduled after an hour. I happily trotted towards the station, and bought a pack of chips and cookies each for the three and half hours journey. Oh!! I was starving as I had to skip my lunch in order to compensate for the time as I had to leave early from office.
I was worried if I would get a seat, since I didn't have reservation as it was a last minute plan. Its really troublesome and tiring to stand throughout journey, and I kept my fingers crossed. So at 6.30 pm I boarded the train.
This world is full of weird kind of people. There were a couple of ladies who had two reservations and yet occupied three seats. There were many people like them. So many people were standing. They requested them repeatedly to shift a bit and let one person sit...but no..they were so adamant.
But as I said, there exists an equally kind and empathetic variety of people. They showed us where the empty seats were in another bogie. And yippie!!! I got one and it saved all the trouble that would have been caused to me standing all the way amidst the maddening crowd and their chatter.
After 45 minutes at next station there was a rush again. And that station too is so much crowded. Local trains come, people rush in and out of it. They push each other like animals...its like a mad bull fight.
While all this was happening out there, I was sitting comfortably on my window seat and munching on cookies and reading Mumbai Mirror. A lady dressed in a simple yet beautiful satin red and white salwaar-kameez came in and occupied the seat right opposite to that of mine.
She looked a bit upset. As if she was going to burst into tears. And she did. She called up someone, may be her family back home. She spoke in Sindhi, very softly. I could hear just a few words. She was talking about some kind of wound, fracture, something something...pain, fall..something something.
I then gave it a thought for a second and looked down at her. Her dress near the knee was soiled and it had stains of blood too. It was simple to guess that she was injured. When she hung up, I asked her what was wrong and why was she sobbing. She told me that she fell down on the platform when she was dashed by the crowd when the local train arrived. She showed me her left foot. OMG! It was swollen. It reminded me of my Mom who too slipped while walking and got such swollen foot. It was a fracture! It was 20 months back.
This lady was in great pain. Many passengers noticed her agony. Fortunately there was a doctor on the adjacent berth. She came in to relieve her a bit. She requested people to give some hard and flat object like cardboard. She applied an ointment on the foot and tied it with a scarf to a piece of cardboard that a passenger had offered. And the other two passengers vacated the entire berth so that she could keep her leg straight. The doc gave her a pain-killer. Another lady offered her a cup of coffee. She now looked relieved. She dozed off for next two and half hours, till we reached Nasik. The doc helped her to alight. Her husband had come to receive her. She thanked the doc and all the passengers for being so kind to her.
Its good to see good people in our otherwise selfish world.
This incident assures me that humanity still exists on this planet. Otherwise, who would have helped that injured lady?
And how would I've got a seat?
Its 'Humanity' that binds us all.... atleast in bad times....

The people around me....

This is about the people whom I met after I came to Mumbai. I was always in touch with my family and friends back home through phone. But I was still alone in one sense. I didn't have anyone to tell me how to recognize people, who is how? Or how to tackle a troublesome bunch people? What to say at times? Or break the ice and mix up with them?
This was because till then I was  always in my cocoon. I barely interacted with people other than my parents, relatives and some close friends. I wasn't interested in  other people's life, their thoughts, their intentions. So I never knew the importance of being worldly-wise.
I never knew this world has so many good and kind people. Neither that I knew  that there were a variety of people equally shrewd and cunning. Its when I left my home that I realized this fact about people, and also my fault of living in my dreamy world all the time.
In Mumbai I had to live as a paying guest. That meant sharing a room with a girl or two, sharing my personal space, respecting each other's differences, and watching what I spoke.
Let me tell you something about my two room mates. They were like 'Sugar coated chilies'.
I spoke frankly and freely to them right from day one. I didn't think about how they were and is it OK to be so open. I had just assumed that they must be good, like my friends back home. They came to know I'm a simple and naive person who couldn't understand the deeper meaning of the things said. But I soon understood what they were. I'm a rebel. And so I could no longer tolerate them being bad to me unnecessarily. It resulted in Cold war kind of atmosphere. And that led to quarrels. And more quarrels. The atmosphere was always tensed up. I never even looked at them, or said anything. It was just that they taunted me endlessly on my weaknesses and provoked me to say something which ultimately led to wars between me and them.
I wanted peace after a hectic day at work. I couldn't bear all that anymore and so after a month I left the place.
My fault in this case was that I didn't watch my mouth. I couldn't just be frank with my room-mates. Because they were after all strangers to me. Revealing anything that would help them take advantage of me could have been bad enough.
Its from this experience that I learnt a lesson. That at first I should be conservative yet kind enough in my behavior. I must gauge a person's mind. If good enough then be friends...and if otherwise then maintain a safe distance and just be neutral.

My experiences in Mumbai...

It has been seven and half months in Mumbai but I still don't seem to fall in love with this place. I still love to be in my hometown. Though Nasik is a small place, its comparatively quiet there. Streets, buses, other public places aren't so crowded over there. It cleaner. Not much hustle and bustle.
But Mumbai is entirely a different case. I feel so lost and lonely here.
Everyday is the same.
Getting up early, rushing to get ready, shoving the breakfast down my throat, and running to catch local train.
People are too busy to talk to you and be friends.
The other face of Mumbai is the one with glamour and style. As we all know, it is the financial capital of India.
The Bollywood is here in Mumbai. Mumbai continues to  nurture talents and gives a big break and success to the deserving ones. There is a huge fashion industry here. Many a beautiful shopping spots to visit. Many a places for entertainment like clubs, theaters, malls and lots more. It has the famous place Juhu Chowpatty, the oldest beach and fun-filled place to go on a weekend... the posh South Mumbai is a must visit.. Fortunately I've been to South Mumbai atleast..
There are boutiques of famous designers... You can also come across many TV stars and "Who's Who" at such glam places... I hope to visit these places if ever I get time from work....
I once met Amitabh Bachchan. He had come for an interview at the studio of Network 18 right next to my office. I struggled for an hour managed to be in the front row. We were 300 people standing in the hot sun outside the vanity van. And my struggle paid off well. When he had stepped out he was amazed to see us all shout his name and clapping.
He is a very polite person. He joined his hands to say 'Namaste' and shook hands with as many people as he could... which included me too...
Ohhhhhh.................I was mesmerized.....I had never imagined I could see him right in front of me...
The only sweet memory I got from Mumbai...
Hoping to go back home soon... or atleast another place quieter than Mumbai...

I turned 22 today!

Dear Friends....
I turned 22 today...can't believe I've reached this point of time in my life. I'm no more a kid, I've got responsibilities, people count on me...Life has changed for better.
But I'm also feeling incomplete today. I've always been with my Mom, Dad and my sister Tillu on this day every year.
But now I'm away from home this year.
I never threw parties on my birthday. It has always been a private affair. Just me and my family, cousins, and a couple of close friends...
Now here I'm, alone....
Longing to be at home....I miss dining out with my family, cutting the cake, shopping a week before... I miss that excitement.. My birthday used to be like Diwali for me..
But its OK.. These days too won't last for long.. : )
Wishing myself a very Happy Birthday..
And I dedicate this day to my parents to give me this wonderful life, making it worthwhile, and loving me throughout unconditionally...
Thank you Mamma, thank you Pappa... : )

I did this out of Love...

Its 3am...and I can't get sleep, though I'm really tired and I got to go to office tomorrow morning..
So I just opened my laptop and decided to write something...
It has been seven months now that I am staying away from home. I do go home on weekends but still this homesickness gets better of me every time I think about my family. The one and half days at home pass away so quickly. And the five days of week don't seem to end...
Tomorrow is Saturday. May be I'll go home after I leave from my office. There is a strange excitement and an adrenaline rush when I leave from office to catch the train. As if I am going back to my parents after so many years.

Yes, I have a job...Its good that parents and siblings are proud of me working with a reputed bank and that too in a big city like Mumbai.. But I still miss them... I feel like quitting this job.. But I can't, unless I find another one in my hometown.
Sometimes I cry when I miss my family.. curse myself for making this choice...
Sometimes I hate myself  for dreaming big things... because it keeps me away from my family..
Sometimes I curse Money.. I feel its evil..

But every story has two sides. And this is the right side.
I have many dreams.. which are not only for myself.. but for my family.. so if I stay away from them for a while I'm doing it for them. And ultimately will give me happiness.

My Dad & Mom, who have been supporting me constantly, loving me unconditionally, are worried about my career and future as my laziness gives them a reason to get worried.. :p

All these things have been going on in my mind ever since I came here. I thought about the good and the bad side and I realized that the pros outweigh the cons. After coming here I learnt a lot many things.
I lived with so many different girls, made adjustments, got adapted to the culture here, learned about people.
It actually made me flexible... and I survived. I overcame the phobia of travelling in local trains too...
All I could say is that all this became possible because I had dreams...
And Mom Dad taught me to dream....So I did it....I did it all out of Love for my family...

What is my life all about???

So lets begin... Let me tell you something about my life. This is a story of where I've been and how I got to where I'm.
Ever since my childhood I'm extremely close to my Mom and Dad. They meant and still mean the world to me. As a kid I never felt any need to peep into the outside world for anything. As I was growing up looking upto them I came to know what it meant. What love is...what care means... What aspirations mean to us...
They wanted me to be a successful person. Successful here doesn't mean only earning a lot of money and becoming rich. But it means that we bring out the best person in ourselves. We have a good heart and a kind soul. Great thoughts and simplicity. Empathy.. Passion for hard work. Loving what we do or should I say doing what we love and be the best one in it. And finding happiness in our lives.
After sometime...to be specific...after I finished my school and I stepped into a new world! The college life gave me a glimpse of the outer world. As a shy and timid girl at school it was quite amazing and baffling at the same time to see how the world works.
This set in motion the transformation of me. I tried to interact with many people. Different people from different parts of the country. It was a slow process but an enjoyable one. It made me confident that I can be a part of a huge group. But only one thing was a hurdle. As I mentioned earlier, I was not very close to people other than those in my family. I didn't have this ability to make out what people actually think. What are there intentions and what they wanted from someone.
Till then I could only see a part of the people which they wanted me to see. Gradually I came to know that how the world is. And I came to realize that its not that rosy as I thought it would be!!!
I'm not saying all people are bad. I want to say that during this phase of my life I took a dive into the ocean of people's mind and came to know what lies inside. Even a sweet looking person can be the most cunning one and an arrogant or grim looking person can have a kind heart filled with love. We just cannot make out how a person is, from his face. So its rightly said 'Don't judge a book by its cover'!!