Friday, March 25, 2011

Moving onto the next...

Yes, I realize I sounded determined to keep my blog alive through my initial spurt of activity this year but is the inertia catching up now? No way!

A mother who fractured her back and my move kept me busy. So now I have officially changed countries and I am sitting in a different time zone and different climate type. Yes, this has happnened before. And I still remember the awesome feeling you get when on your first trip abroad you get on the plane and the pain of checking in baggage and getting through security is so much fun! The unbelievable thrill of taking off and then watching your city miniaturize in front of your eyes and then eating out of disposable plates the tasteless food with disposable cutlery (which you know won't cut the food), all has its charm. The most amazing part starts after landing, when you push through your baggage to emerge out of the crowd. You find your friend, family who came to pick you up at the airport and greet them with your victory smile. And then starts the journey from airport to your first destination. The first look at the new city, the new place, the different place unlike you have any so far, so different from home.

When you come to London, you expect the same. But hurray, what you find is another place full of your own kind of people and sometimes it feels like you travelled domestically to get here. This could be Chandigarh? Well, exaggeration aside. I am in the UK sometimes in London, sometimes in Bridgewater but at most times in UK.

Dear Blog, I will keep you posted.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The speakers are blasting, people are yelling on the street singing bhajan set on filmy tunes. I can't sleep so I am yelling too just that no one can hear and it is not as musical!

It is Mahashivratri today. Shiv ji's wedding celeberations are on. There is a Jagran happening in the next street which means a community event where the community better be present or it will spend the night just tossing in the bed because the noise will not let it sleep.

Continuing with the grumbling now. So, what is a jagran? Hammer in four poles, hog a street, set up a tent, put up a stage, get a generator and a dholki, some other instruments, a bad singer to whip religious emotions. This Bhajan singing is mostly shouting into a mic without sur. But one thing that can't be denied is that these people sing with a lot of passion and energy. Darn! it is so infectious. Some of the familiar tunes will strike a chord somewhere. If you have a favourite that wrenches your heart you might jump out of your bed and dance in the joy of the moment. I have a favourite that distracted me.Bum boley bum boley bum bum. The next moment, I saw mom looking at me and smiling. Well, I was still yelling but this time I was the bhajan I was singing along.