Once upon a time in Assam

For 3 years ,I stayed at an amazing place called Nazira in Assam. For 3 years ,I carried an umbrella everytime I stepped out of my house. For 3 years ,I wore three layers of clothing during winter and snuggled into a ‘razai‘ closeby to the roomheater. For 3 years, I learnt Assamese from an amazing didi. For 3 years ,going home meant travelling in a train for more than two days. For 3 years, fun games meant picking up snails and trying to make them come out of their shells. Okay, I heard a collective ‘eww’ for the last line . I have never been so close to nature and so away from mundane everyday worries. Maybe it had something to do with my age but I would like to believe that I was blessed to be in such a beautiful place for 3 years.

When dad got transferred to Assam from Mumbai(it was Bombay then ) mum was extremely wary of shifting because it practically felt like moving to some other country. New language,new culture,far from home etc etc. But within one month of shifting to Assam the entire family fell in love with the place. For a pukka south indian family like ours, such a fast adjustment seemed improbable to many friends and family. It was a pleasant surprise to watch sunrise at 4am. I clearly remember how mum would get up and wake all of us up at 4 thinking it was 8 because of how bright the sun was that early time in the morning. This incident has become a staple joke at many dinner tables in our house much to mum’s annoyance .

We shifted into the ONGC colony in Nazira and stayed in this small and cosy house that had a huge garden in the frontyard – a total contrast from the matchbox lifestyle in Mumbai. There were these occasional sightings of snakes and other creatures which became a source of immense pondering and discussion for a few days till a local guy would walk in and effortlessly capture the thing. I have never experienced so much adventure at any other place.

Inspite of being far away from home, we never felt like outsiders there. Partly because many families like ours had been posted there and the colony was filled with cultures from all over India. Every weekend was an excuse to have a party or a get-together or host/attend an event. It was the kind of socializing that did not require one to write an interesting profile or post pictures . To sound cliched it was a different life and a life I would want to experience again. That is precisely why I am planning to write a series of posts on my life@Assam. Its an idea that has been in my mind for quite some time and luckily I have shrugged off my laziness. I hope I can maintain my enthusiasm and write about 3 years of my life to the best of my ability!

Accepting Change

Whoever said that ‘change is inevitable’ was unfortunately right. I do not know when I became the person who resists change but I am guessing when things like falling in love, making bffs, waking up in the afternoons only to eat food , hanging out at awesome places with friends etc happens all at once you cannot help but label your life perfect. I am not saying all the aforementioned things happened to me but I am not denying it either . Then, one day I find myself standing outside a corporate office with a folder in my hand, lot of anticipation and nervous excitement in my heart and a smile on my face that defies all the worrying thoughts in my head. Change is good – I keep telling myself but in every stranger I say a Hi to or smile at , I am looking for a Anu and KD who have the most awesome sense of humor or a Sushma who is the most caring,understanding person or a Harshi who can bring a smile on your face anytime or a Spandy who does not have the most awesome sense of humor . Its been a little more than two months since that day and although I have made some really good friends , there are times when I wish I could go back to a time when sitting in the corridor of our wing in the hostel with friends ,and gossiping away to glory was a daily routine. Being an educated or rather modern day person I totally understand how important career is .. wait a minute – I dont actually. I am still trying to find that balance where I can accept change , learn how to move on but being the kind of person than I am it is just taking more time than maybe it takes for others.
As I write this post my new friends are calling me out for a lunch break and cracking jokes and it all seems great. I join them and forget all the philosophical melodramatic stuff I wrote above.I guess I have accepted change after all.

Me revoila

Its been a really long time since I wrote something worth reading (well, chats with friends and smses to your ‘khaas’ friends do not count ). Thanks to my mum ,I am atleast picking up the pen and writing down my expenses in a diary which was given to me solely for that purpose and trust me it is quite an eye opener when you look back at some of the crazy shit on which you spend your “hard-earned” money. Nevertheless, I am glad I remembered my wordpress password (after about 12 failed attempts!). I have been reading a lot of posts courtesy the iiit blogroll and at the risk of sounding arrogant I would like to state that the ug2k5 bloggers were quite a unique bunch . I wish the entire blogging gang would write more often and take some burden off our flagbearer Himank . I wanted to write quite a lot about all that has happened over the past couple of months (because quite a lot has happened ) but I feel rusty , so that topic is reserved for the next post. I did watch a lot of good,bad and awful movies. Kaminey and Magadheera were super entertaining but Kambakht Ishq has redefined film standards and I mean it in the most negative way but I still feel rusty , so even this topic is reserved for later . Also, Liverpool’s disgraceful performances means I cannot or rather do not want to talk about football.

So, I also shamelessly pick this up from Karan’s blog, because I have nothing better to do (seriously I dont).

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
Nothing to be honest .

2. How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?
Rs. 565

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
more

4. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Bhargava

5. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Now that I have a dumb Nokia cell phone from the prehistoric era, I would like to pass this question.

6. What are you wearing right now?
Jeans and shirt.

7. Do you label yourself?
No.

8. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently own?
Not a brand person at all. If I love a pair I just buy them.

9. Bright or Dark Room?
Definetely bright. (Orange is my fav color so no surprises here)

10. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
Karan : Hardworking,intelligent and most likely to succeed.

11. What does your watch look like?
I dont wear a watch.

12. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping.

13. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
Nisha : When are u guys coming for breakfast?

14. What’s a word that you say a lot?
Hey.

15. Who told you he/she loved you last? (please exclude spouse , family, children)

16. Last furry thing you touched?
My teddy bear (the most awesome gift ever)

17. Favorite age you have been so far?
14-15 (tenth grade)

18. What was the last thing you said to someone?
You will rot in hell ( to Tarun – he most definetely will )

19. The last song you listened to?
Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas

20. Where did you live in 1987?
Mumbai.

21. Are you jealous of anyone?
Of course I am.

22. Is anyone jealous of you?
I think so.

23. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Gold chain, perfume, a sacred thread on my right hand.

24. What’s your favorite town/city?
Hyderabad.

25. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
6 years ago to my parents.

26. Can you change the oil on a car?
Eww. No way.

27. Your first love/big crush: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
That he is doing pretty ok.

28. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No.

29. What is your current desktop picture?
The sytycd – 5 top 10 gang.

30. Have you been burnt by love?
No.