Tip Tip Barsa Paani............................

Monsoon Dhamaka
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The Get together

The onset of monsoon every year inevitably reminds me of the same thing--the reopening of schools after the summer holidays.
I have been contemplating this post for long.But every time I start it I become nostalgic and just stall it.
Any way here is a fictitious batch get together of my school mates.
I have wrapped in some true humurous incidents on the pretext of an imaginary reunion.

There are still more incidents,still more characters and memories.Let them come out at some other occassion.
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It has been 10 years since our batch left the premises.
College,Office,marriage...each of our lives have changed a lot.
And after the long gap we decided to catch up with the changes.

Today we are all going to meet after a decade.
We could think of no better venue than what came up in our minds on the first note. Unanimously we decided it to be the same old school grounds.
So be it!

My heart danced at the thought of the reunion,at the thought being the roll no 25 again,at the thought of going back to 12B.
Everyone would come,I am sure,may be with their husbands,wifes,kids..
How would they all look??I myself haven't changed much though.
I tried to imagine each of them weighted by the 10 years.
My curiosity kept mounting.

Atleast today let me be the first one in the school.;)
As I stepped in the campus, a familiar breeze caressed me

"Sahil"
Present ma'am, I replied

A slight shiver ran through me.

The buildings were all different,yet the same.
The auditorium,canteen,classrooms,all echoed our screems,our cheers,our tears!!

There goes the long bell!!
One by one, the bikes screeched to a halt near the gate.
The vice principal madame had issued a strict warning the previous day to those who came on bikes.
The result: even those who didn't have bikes came on one today,after borrowing,begging or may be getting a new one!!!

Teenage pranks!!!
As I laughed to myself musing over our audacity,I saw kabir enter through the back gate.
I couldn't supress a laugh.
He had never been on time.Always stood at the door with the tie loosely dangling around his neck as the teacher took the attendance.This, given that his house was the nearest to the school!!
Today not only was he early,he had his tie properly knotted too.

I was behind a pillar in the new building on the other side.He wouldn't see me unless I moved a little.
I am not yet ready to meet him.I have a lot more to reminisce.

He walked into the the class room.Yes,into our 12B.

"Suppandiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
The call came from the other class 12A.A sort of good morning greeting.Tres's way of announcing her presence.

"x#!&&***"
The reply too was spontaneous.

And our class teacher would just look at us smile.
Yes! all these happened when she was in the class.
She was the silent accomplice in all our mischieves and always our saviour.

I could see few people enter the campus.It took me some time to figure out who.God!It's Tres,Varun and Sajan.
I am sure Kabir would now leap out to meet them.
"Macha"
"Dude, what's that patch on your chin"
They all screemed and hugged.
Laughing,fighting they returned to the class

I continue my tour of the campus.
The canteen is completely different now.It looks more like a canteen now.!!
I miss canteen aunty's fried rice!!

It used to be one plate and multiple hands.Hardly a mouthful for each of us,but that could fill our hearts and stomachs.

Here comes Dr.Chetan.He waved at me from the distance.I am coming,I gestured in reply.
He smiled back.
He was the studious,hilarious,smart,witty one.And today our little master is a Doctor!!
He entered the class and a whirl of laughter spurted out!!With Chetan,I should have guessed!!!

Sakshi,Lakshmi,Sana,Jiya,Sumi the ladies just came in.
They all look fabulous.So much changed,yet so much the same.They cooed and laughed and joked!!

"Sanaaaaaaaaa"

"oooooooooooo"

"hiiiiiiiiiii"

"Where were you"

"I called you so many times"

"Hey,what are you doing these days"

"You look so slim"

"I saw your pics in Orkut..Beautiful dear"

"Hey guys, did you know, the guy near my house........."

"Where did you get that necklace from.It's gorgeous"

Ouch!!These ladies!!!Give me one topic they cannot talk about!!

The guys were being rather formal.Starting trouble perhaps.International topics and politics and business and all!!

"Macha ##@@&&%**"The remaining batallion trooped in.

"School Sawdhan!!Vishram!!"
And our school captain entered with a broad smile.

Everyone once again became the old Suppandi and kuttosan and kapish.

I can't restrain myself anymore. Let me join the pack!!!

Guys!!Guys!!Look at this.
Someone shouted.
We all poured are heads to get a glimpse of the subject of interest.

The wooden desks and benches still carried our names.
10 years back we had engraved them on these.And it had not come without any pain.
For one whole week we were punished.We were made to sit on floor.The desks and benches were removed from our class!!

We laughed at the memory.

"Friends!!!
Thank you all for coming.
Gone are those days of History,Geography and mathematics
Gone are those days of practicals,labs and dramatics
Gone are those days of innocent fights,mischeives and jokes
Gone are those days of beautiful school days

But their memories will always linger,in me,within me and around me,you and all!!

I am happy to see you all.Happy that we all could make it.Happy that we have all carried forward the goodness this institution has instilled in us.
But there is a face I miss today and I am sure , even you do.

To you,Sahil!!May your soul rest in peace"

Chetan inaugerated the get-together.

The class was silent.
Time heals all wounds,but leave behind a scar.
Even after 10 years,the loss of a friend hurt.

My class looks complete,wonderful.
Doctors, Engineers, Businessmen,Celebrities what not can't I boast about.
I am happy that we were all here once,that we were all here now.
This is my class.Sahil's class....

The Plight of a nascent blogger or the Predicament of the unfortunate readers!!!

Before I start the post,let me make my intent about it clear.
To introduce to the blogosphere a budding(perhaps shooting and flowering by now!!)blogger.

Now a little background into my title for the post.
Well, what better phrase for a neonatal specialist!!
If you are wondering what a Doctor is doing here amidst us,then you are in for a surprise.Blogging is just one of the trades of this Jack.No matter how busy he is, I am sure if I ring him up now and tell my post on his blog is ready,he would read it immediately. Such is his dedication to this new passion of his(And when you read this, Uncle bluffmaster,let me remind you !!your readership of my blog has starkly reduced!!!Better include more comments in my posts to avoid stringent actions!!Yes!This is a warning !!).
The latter part of the title would be clear as you go through the blog!!!

Having grown up hearing and believing his stories and bluffs(and believe me we could never make out the trick unless he let it out!I am sure my siblings and cousins,the other tender coconut pond products, would definitely agree with me)it was no surprise to me when he announced his advent to the blog world.And what better title to describe his blog(Bluffmaster from tender coconut pond)!

So, though his blog meant more work for us(Not only had I to create it but also had to customize it and modify the look and feel)I volunteered to do the publicity campaign.(Why should only we suffer!!!;-p)Moreover I owed it to him. He is one of my earliest readers and constant supporter and now my encouragement too.If his blog can survive, why not mine???;-)
Most importantly,it is actually a symbiotic relationship.According to the pact we signed,he is
supposed to give me equal publicity in his blogs and increase my readership as well. At a time when Aamir khan and Amitabh Bachchan use their blogs to christen their cats and dogs, we ,uncle-niece, thought of using ours in better ways.

Only great ideas would come from him,the execution is outsourced.The Doctor's RAM is slow and can't do multi-tasking, so the blog post will depend on his assistant's availability and the doctor's persual ability.The assistant, I am told, is given the stipend for typing each post well in advance. But the blogs are not updated that quick!Network problems,I guess!!!
Even as the assistant plays hide n seek with our bluffmaster(My cousin literally flees as my uncle comes with a new post), he makes sure that you and I get regular blog posts

So if stressed up, need a break and are ready to laugh your hearts out please visit: www.raheem-musings.blogspot.com
"If you have given up on life, have no interest to live, and are thinking of suicide then please read this blog".This is what my aunt had to say!!!E-suicide I guess!!!
You can expect lots of Pjs and Pjs and Pjs(and you were calling me Pj queen!!!Now you know It's in the family).The title of the blog itself is a PJ.If you cannot make it out,I am Happy to Help!
But if somehow you tumble upon some better stuff,have no doubt about it,it would be written by his better half ;-)

Disclaimer: The contents of the Bluffmaster Blog are strictly its author's choice and words.Me and my blog"Reflections"have got nothing to do with it.This author will not entertain any comments or feedbacks about the Doctor's blog.If anyone feels dizzy after reading the blog, please do call me,I can arrange an appointment for you with the doctor.Regular consultation
fees will ofcourse be applicable ;-))

Reality fumes and fire!!-My pick on Reality Shows

These days all I can see on TV are reality shows,in any language,in all variety.Either the programme or its repeat telecast or its ad !!!!!
I keep changing the channels every few minutes,unless the current channel has at least a bit of Shahrukh Khan ;-))
(I don't know why, every few minutes I get this feeling that some other channel would be airing a better programme).
So its obvious how many times I come across them!!
Where once soaps and mega serials reigned, the throne and the crown has now been passed on to reality shows.

A garrulous host or a gorgeous hostess or both holding the center stage, celebrity judges and a whole load of contestants begging(and i mean begging!!!)for votes(like the netas at election times only difference being that here there are specific SMS format!!!!).
The "format" of the show is the same in any channel(for that matter, I have followed only Malayalam and Hindi channels but was also privileged enough to glimpse the same scenario in other channels while ,of course ,busy touring myself through them).
What has me completely bowled over is the variety of the shows.Dance,music(vocal and instruments!!),humor,drama,elocution and sometimes all these in a single one!The genres have me really awestruck.I came across a new variety recently, one on kadhaprasangam in Kairali.
Whether it's kids or grown ups or couples or celebrities, there definitely is a show they can pitch in!.There are some specially for ladies/house wives(why not one for gents I wonder,or is there one which i missed???) and some for celebrity couples!!!
Hey, Don't think I am criticizing these shows too much.
I am not against these talent hunts and promotion of genuine talent.After all apart from bringing into light all the latent talents they also are a come back portal for all the yummy mummies.;-)))(That was the adjective some magazine used for some of the celebrity judges. I somehow liked it!!!).
The participants are all truly gifted and these shows are definitely entertaining too but what bugs me are the publicity stunts. The judges arguing amongst themselves, the emotional athyachaar by the contestants when they have to leave the stage for good, the whole drama of rulayi-dhulayi amongst the participants and the judges!!!!It would of course be disheartening for a participant to leave the competition at some critical juncture,but why the fuss yaar.Why should the judges and the host and all others there too join the tear drain!!!Or rather, even if it is truly genuine emotion, why should the programme air it, or better put,highlight it!!! To capture audience attraction?? -- But, I thought these were reality shows not kyun ki saans bhi kabhi bahu thi... ;-)))

A good thing I like about them apart from of course the anchors ;-) are that sometimes really deserving contestants win .I didn't mean 'deserving' in terms of talent alone.A son/daughter hoping to win the prize apartment for his/her homeless parents,an auto driver who wants to take his mom in an aeroplane with the money he wins,a mason, a bus conductor!!Some of these competitions atleast,provide a platform for these less privileged talents to be recognized(and I hope the doors to these are genuinely fair!!)The idea of audience voting definitely has me skeptical.I happened to see a comedy programme in which the protagonists takes money from the contestants and promises them his "votes".How much transparency is there in such judgements????

Well,These shows have definitely boosted the mobile services and made our janta mobile phone literate!!

Doordarshan too doesn't want to be left behind in this race of reality shows.And DD seems to have bagged the biggest catch. A reality show on rock concerts to be conducted or judged by none other than the big small man,AR Rahman, himself. Don't know how far the rumour is true and when the show would begin,but the rumour atleats sounds good and I join the league of Rahman fans eagerly waiting....

I am not an addict to any of them yet, but I enjoy these
1)star Singer(Asianet)--
All the participants are exceptionally talented,Ranjini hosts it unimitably and none of the judges fall in the yummy-mummy category.After all Chithra hasn't gone anywhere to have a come back!!
Buy ya, i was a little upset by Didi(Usha Uthup) crying (and sometimes Ranjini too) whenenevr some fav contestant left in the last season!!!!
2)Dance India Dance -- Each and every episode has me wonderstruck.What performances!!

If you liked my post or if you didn't please vote for me.It is only through your support that I can do well again.To vote for me please type and send it to "reflections" ;-)))))

A stupid post!!!!

My system has not yet adjusted to the changes.
I am not talking here about any time changes.
No!!!
There are no jetlags and time differences.
Its just the routine changes!!!
No more Office and early morning(at 8am!!!!) trysts to get up from the bed, no more hurrying for the breakfast at canteen and no more e-newspapers.
Now, I wake up aaraam se at 10-10.30,get myself a cup of steaming tea and delicious breakfast(thanks to mom and others at home!!!) and start devouring the news paper.
I am no longer glued to the comp monitor, instead to the TV screens. ;-)))

well, Guys,
this is all just an observation of life through that rosy glasses everyone advices.
Honestly,I am bored and will continue to be so until I decide what next to do.
Well, that's the problem!!!
I still don't know what I should be doing or where I should be going.
Let's see... ;-))

The Duo - in action at School

Another of those funny incidents which always lingers in my mind..
I had to write about this one..
This is something from my school days..

I think it was in the 8th or 9th grade.

I had joined MESRRS only in the 7th standard,but by now I had created a reputation for myself and of course had secured the companionship of the daredevils of the class.
The other person involved in this situation is Soum.

We were like the 'dadas' of the class (or so we thought ).I believe we were nothing like the other girls. We were very tomboyish and always ready to pick fights with the Boy-dadas.

One day something did come up involving one of the guys(one of the above mentioned dada.)and some classmate of ours(a girl).We being the saviours of the oppressed, the messiahs of the downtroddens, naturally interfered.

"Get the hell out of here.It's none of your buisiness"
Raj(name changed) was right ofcourse!But how could we abandon our refugee

The verbal combat prevailed for some time and then the silent warfare ensued.
Hostle looks and tense breaths said it all!!I still have the picture of Rajs face all red and quivering with anger.
Maybe for 10 minutes,or less, both the parties went on unrelenting.

I was on the verge of tears.But I could'nt afford to lose.Had a reputation to maintain!!!I dared not look at Soum. I knew she was handling it well.She is tough!!

After some more tense moments Raj stormed out of the class.

"Whew!That was close."
"Da, I almost cried", said soum.

Perhaps,that's how best friends are..

Mission accomplished, we went on, saving our skins for the day...

Epilogue:
We and Raj became good friends .
One day over normal chat the topic changed to the above mentioned incident. And indeed Raj was surprised to learn how close to tears we were then...

BALCONY HOUSEFULL!!!

Last week while I was in calicut,I went for a movie.
I had been looking forward to watching it ever since i got a fwd mail about it. It is a malayalam movie about a group of young software engineers.Perhaps atleast the story of reel life software engineers wouldn't be as pathetic as real life!!!It was a total surprise to me that the movie had been released in theaters by the time i had come home(Unfortunately i didnt know it had released only a day before;-( . Unfortunate because getting tickts wouldn't be that easy)
I reached the theatre just half an hour befor the show.My sister's doubts of getting the tickets echoed in my ears as i stepped inside.
But wait!There was hardly anybody there. No big queue and crowd as I anticipated.
Now I am surely going to get the tickets.I was happy ;-).Only then did my eyes fell on the board kept at the counter.And those 2 words loomed in front of my eyes. BALCONY HOUSEFUL.
Sigh! I will have to wait till it comes in PVR.With a broken heart, I decided to return home.The 30Rs ticket seats were not a comfortable option for 2 girls.
That's when i heard that..
'Balcony , Balcony...'
A black ticketeer! Oh My God!!A criminal!What should I do?Run away from there?Pretend not to have seen taht guy??Or is it okay if i bought the tickets in black just this one time?But what if i am caught by police?Will I be jailed?And the humiliation that would follow??
I was scared.But the temptation to watch the movie was overwhelming.
He charged double the ticket fare.But,it would still work out cheaper for me compared to the rates at PVR.
I bought the tickets quickly.Took a slip from him and handed him the cash,without even checking the slip. The deal was over.I just wanted it to end soon.
I pocketed the slip, looked around making sure that no one had seen me.
It's only then i took a peak at the slip.And Lo! i had been fooled. That jerk had given me the reservation coupen for the next show.I had paid him double the money and been fooled.
More than the humiliation of being fooled, I was feeling bad about not being able to watch the movie.
I decded to try my luck at the counter . Initially the guy at the counter showed all his 'nakhraas'.
"Madame, its not possible..This is a coupen for the next show!!We dont have tickets"
and so and so and so..
But finally he agreed and i got the tickets..;-)
But wait!I thought the BALCONY was HOUSEFULL ;-)
Whatever! we watched the movie...