Pujo manei pujor kodin porashuno bondho
Pujo manei shat shokale shiuliphuler gondho
Pujo manei shondhyebela thakur dekhar bheer
Hoichoi aar utshobete chardeek awsthir
Pujo manei patshalate bajlo chhutir ghonta
Pujo elei chhelebelay paliye phere monta
Pujo manei ma duggar ahsur nidhon pala
Anjali aar proshad petam pujor dupurbela
Pujo manei notun jama notun notun shaaj
Alpona aar thakurdalan daaker shaajer kaaj
Pujo manei mahalaya kashphule math shada
Pujo manei aponjoner tane poruk badha
Pujo maei shagor pahar ekchhutetei paari
Shwapne kokhon pouchhe jetam meghbhashano baari
Pujo manei dhaker baddi,pujor bishorjon
Ahchhe bochhor abar esho monkharaper mon …
Aajke pujo onyorokom onnobhabe ashe
Bhorer bela shishir pore? shiuli gondho bhashe…?
Hoyto ashe... hoyto shobai bodle gechhi aaj
Bohumulya shomoy ekhon aamader shobar bheeshon kaaj …
Bhalo theko bondhura shob bondhu thakuk mone
Pujor dine chhelebela abar poruk mone ...
This is a fwd a friend sent me 2 days before pujo. I am sure all bengalis can relate to at least a part of this and I am no exception!
I wonder what nostalgia will the next generation have of these festivals ... will it only be about mad shopping sprees and some hectic socializing.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Tum Bin ...
Tum bin jiya jaye kaise…Kaise jiya jaaye tum bin
He is thousands of miles away and I feel his absence as I go about my daily routine. I think of posting something romantic and poignant about my longing but then I pause and catch my breath as I realize that I don't really miss him.
Yes, I miss not being able to reach out and touch him and I miss seeing his frown and smile, I miss the romping of my two men but that is where the overflow of emotions end.
I seem to communicate more with him now. Though we are miles apart, we make time for each other by mailing, chatting or just calling up every day. This time is completely ‘ours’. I sit in my room alone and talk to him and that is something that doesn’t happen often when he is here.
I remember a time when we waited for each others letters that were written late in the nights. Our feelings of love and longing would reach the other person at least a week later. Now, in this age of instant communication I can ask him anything… anytime, even an innocuous query about bill payments and investment papers.
Phone calls, Email, Chatting, Webcams, Skype … we are so ‘in touch’ all the time.
Am I just a jaded wife or has the world really become smaller ... I wonder.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Dancing Water
A starlit night … a beautiful musical fountain … hand in hand with someone … the world seems to fade away … as we sit watching the musical fountain at Brindavan Garden.
The entire family had gone to see the spectacle but for a moment it felt as if there was no one with us … he was the one who showed me the stars overhead as we sat mesmerized by the dancing water … a romantic and special moment shared with the love of my life, my 4-year-old son.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
First Day at the 'Big' School
My baby ... my little boy stands tall
handsome and charming in a blue uniform
It is his first day at the 'big' school
We walk hand in hand to the bus stop
He walks with a smile
Oh but ...the butterflies in my tummy have been there awhile.
As he steps onto the school bus and waves goodbye...
I fight back my tears of pride.
“Mamma, I will come back”, he says with a final wave
I send up a little prayer and marvel …
when did my little one become so brave!
A rainy monsoon night …suddenly my heart overflowed with love, I became a ‘Ma’ thereof…
That moment …his baby breath against my chest ...I can still recall.
Someone rightly said ... the toughest job of being a mother is letting go…
My little one is spreading his wings and I have to make his wings so strong so that he can fly away…‘only to return’ ...as he tells me. That is true, at least for now - I tell my heart.
handsome and charming in a blue uniform
It is his first day at the 'big' school
We walk hand in hand to the bus stop
He walks with a smile
Oh but ...the butterflies in my tummy have been there awhile.
As he steps onto the school bus and waves goodbye...
I fight back my tears of pride.
“Mamma, I will come back”, he says with a final wave
I send up a little prayer and marvel …
when did my little one become so brave!
A rainy monsoon night …suddenly my heart overflowed with love, I became a ‘Ma’ thereof…
That moment …his baby breath against my chest ...I can still recall.
Someone rightly said ... the toughest job of being a mother is letting go…
My little one is spreading his wings and I have to make his wings so strong so that he can fly away…‘only to return’ ...as he tells me. That is true, at least for now - I tell my heart.
Friday, June 8, 2007
News!
A cyclone hits Oman. I come to know of this from a colleague who is worried about her family living in Muscat. I am surprised and a little irritated with myself for having missed the news during my five-minute scanning of the newspaper.
In the evening I diligently open the tv to watch the news on the cyclone ...but hey what cyclone. The only calamity that seems to have caught the media attention is Tulsi bowing out of the 'Kyunki ....' serial.
I change channels and valiantly try to convince my hubby that a cyclone has really hit Oman and it is not a prank to prevent him from seeing the umpteenth rerun of some cricket match. Surf...surf ... and finally I find the news on one channel.
So much for the 24-hr news channels ...or are we talking only trp and infotainment!
As an average Indian, it is disappointing to see the quality of news decline so much but as a busy woman I am happy that I manage to cover most of the important things during my five minute scan of the newspaper. The only reason I missed the cyclone news was the my newspaper didn't bother to print the news (not yesterday, not today).
I even have an excuse to start seeing the Kyunki serial once again. After all, it is news!
Disclaimer - The Indian media did cover the news two days after the cyclone alert was declared ...and that too after an Indian had died in the disaster. At least my newspaper carried it on the front page unlike the news channels who had more important news on their hands about Amitabh Bachchan and his farmlands.
In the evening I diligently open the tv to watch the news on the cyclone ...but hey what cyclone. The only calamity that seems to have caught the media attention is Tulsi bowing out of the 'Kyunki ....' serial.
I change channels and valiantly try to convince my hubby that a cyclone has really hit Oman and it is not a prank to prevent him from seeing the umpteenth rerun of some cricket match. Surf...surf ... and finally I find the news on one channel.
So much for the 24-hr news channels ...or are we talking only trp and infotainment!
As an average Indian, it is disappointing to see the quality of news decline so much but as a busy woman I am happy that I manage to cover most of the important things during my five minute scan of the newspaper. The only reason I missed the cyclone news was the my newspaper didn't bother to print the news (not yesterday, not today).
I even have an excuse to start seeing the Kyunki serial once again. After all, it is news!
Disclaimer - The Indian media did cover the news two days after the cyclone alert was declared ...and that too after an Indian had died in the disaster. At least my newspaper carried it on the front page unlike the news channels who had more important news on their hands about Amitabh Bachchan and his farmlands.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
International Women's Day, a hindsight
International Women's Day - is it about receiving roses or standing up for women's rights.
I can't help but feel a little insulted when I am handed a rose and chocolate on Women's Day. I wouldn't have minded if the rose was given by a person who thought I was a special woman in his or her life but the fact that it was given to me by my manager made me feel inferior to my male colleagues.
On an organization level, my company made great shows of celebrating Women's Day but I have not yet received an answer for a proposal I submitted for optimization of the Maternity Leave by including adoption leave in the policy.
This is not a tirade against my company. On the contrary, my company's attitude just reflects the evolution of Women's day as almost a clone of Valentine's day. The only difference is that 8th March is not only for lovers.
At the risk of sounding clichéd, I want to ask the 'dressed dhamaal' women the relevance of all this syrupy patronizing attitude towards women. IWD is an important day that needs to be celebrated to uphold the rights of women. Even in today's so-called modern world, the newspapers are strewn with 'fair-beautiful' girl matrimonial advertisements, employees ask women candidates about marriage plans, a 3 year old girl gets raped, the sex ratio of the country is severely skewed, mothers of daughters are still being asked to complete the family by producing a heir, the government forms have only Miss or Mrs as the title ... and we feel so happy about receiving roses and free drinks in restaurants.
I am not against a little pampering but I can't help but view these as ploys to keep us from thinking about real issues that still plague us.
I tell myself, as I accept the rose and preen when someone tells me i am the most important woman in their life, I shouldn't forget that little girl who is begging on the streets to support her brother who goes to school, or the time when I had to hear that it is an insult to my husband that I choose to retain my maiden name.
I am all for celebrating women power, having 'me-time' but let us all remember that the catchword here is emancipation and empowerment, not appreciation and flowers.
I can't help but feel a little insulted when I am handed a rose and chocolate on Women's Day. I wouldn't have minded if the rose was given by a person who thought I was a special woman in his or her life but the fact that it was given to me by my manager made me feel inferior to my male colleagues.
On an organization level, my company made great shows of celebrating Women's Day but I have not yet received an answer for a proposal I submitted for optimization of the Maternity Leave by including adoption leave in the policy.
This is not a tirade against my company. On the contrary, my company's attitude just reflects the evolution of Women's day as almost a clone of Valentine's day. The only difference is that 8th March is not only for lovers.
At the risk of sounding clichéd, I want to ask the 'dressed dhamaal' women the relevance of all this syrupy patronizing attitude towards women. IWD is an important day that needs to be celebrated to uphold the rights of women. Even in today's so-called modern world, the newspapers are strewn with 'fair-beautiful' girl matrimonial advertisements, employees ask women candidates about marriage plans, a 3 year old girl gets raped, the sex ratio of the country is severely skewed, mothers of daughters are still being asked to complete the family by producing a heir, the government forms have only Miss or Mrs as the title ... and we feel so happy about receiving roses and free drinks in restaurants.
I am not against a little pampering but I can't help but view these as ploys to keep us from thinking about real issues that still plague us.
I tell myself, as I accept the rose and preen when someone tells me i am the most important woman in their life, I shouldn't forget that little girl who is begging on the streets to support her brother who goes to school, or the time when I had to hear that it is an insult to my husband that I choose to retain my maiden name.
I am all for celebrating women power, having 'me-time' but let us all remember that the catchword here is emancipation and empowerment, not appreciation and flowers.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Rambling on International Women's Day
Today is International Women's Day!
Personally, when I think of women's day ... I think of the entire generation of women who fought for the privileges that we take so much for granted today.
We don't have to look far...do you remember sitting on your mother's knee listening to her dreams and her stoic but shaky assurance that you will not have to face all that... you will be your own person.
The ladies who didn't let us help in the kitchen because we had to study, the same women who instilled enough confidence in us so that we could venture out of our hometowns but cried their hearts out when it was time to leave the nest.
We have all had at least one person in our lives, be it our mom, an aunt, a schoolteacher, an elder sister, a role model... someone who made us believe we could be whatever we wanted to be.
As we remember them I can't help but wonder that it is payback time. Time to inspire the next generation...
When we talk of taking stock of where women stand, I remember the people I see around me ever day more than one Sania Mirza or Sunita Williams. I think of the lady conductor who handed me my bus ticket today morning, the lady who sew my torn chappals last week, the lady in front of Leela who sells cigarettes on the pavement as she makes her son drink milk from a plastic cup. When I feel tired and am tempted to quit working and sit at home just because I am tired, I think of these women and find the strength to go on. I know there are many women who are being still killed for dowry but there are a handful who are refusing to get married by paying dowry. Women are still getting abused but many of them are fighting back. As a generation, across rural and urban India, we are slowly evolving as our own person.
Being a woman is wonderful, being a mother is a joy, and being able to make the choices we want is the greatest perk of being a woman in today's world! These choices are no longer dictated only by the society. We are the ones who are making a choice about how we live and that is what empowerment is about.
We no longer want to compete with the men; we are competing only with ourselves as we reach for new vistas. The ripple that was created by the earlier generations has become a wave and I hope our daughters and daughter-in-laws will bring in the sea change.
Personally, when I think of women's day ... I think of the entire generation of women who fought for the privileges that we take so much for granted today.
We don't have to look far...do you remember sitting on your mother's knee listening to her dreams and her stoic but shaky assurance that you will not have to face all that... you will be your own person.
The ladies who didn't let us help in the kitchen because we had to study, the same women who instilled enough confidence in us so that we could venture out of our hometowns but cried their hearts out when it was time to leave the nest.
We have all had at least one person in our lives, be it our mom, an aunt, a schoolteacher, an elder sister, a role model... someone who made us believe we could be whatever we wanted to be.
As we remember them I can't help but wonder that it is payback time. Time to inspire the next generation...
When we talk of taking stock of where women stand, I remember the people I see around me ever day more than one Sania Mirza or Sunita Williams. I think of the lady conductor who handed me my bus ticket today morning, the lady who sew my torn chappals last week, the lady in front of Leela who sells cigarettes on the pavement as she makes her son drink milk from a plastic cup. When I feel tired and am tempted to quit working and sit at home just because I am tired, I think of these women and find the strength to go on. I know there are many women who are being still killed for dowry but there are a handful who are refusing to get married by paying dowry. Women are still getting abused but many of them are fighting back. As a generation, across rural and urban India, we are slowly evolving as our own person.
Being a woman is wonderful, being a mother is a joy, and being able to make the choices we want is the greatest perk of being a woman in today's world! These choices are no longer dictated only by the society. We are the ones who are making a choice about how we live and that is what empowerment is about.
We no longer want to compete with the men; we are competing only with ourselves as we reach for new vistas. The ripple that was created by the earlier generations has become a wave and I hope our daughters and daughter-in-laws will bring in the sea change.
Friday, February 16, 2007
My Love Is Not Like a Rose
I do not like roses …
Don’t give me any
Instead, bring me a bunch of peonies.
A rose, you can buy from any flower seller
Don’t. Just pluck me a wild flower.
Don’t order a bouquet for me in the break between meetings
As you bustle through the day…
Give me a call, even if it is fleeting.
Your calls make my day
Even if “I love you”...the words, you cannot say.
My love for you is not like a rose …
It will never wilt
I love you for better or worse
As you make my heart sing a lilt.
This was an entry for the writing competition at the office. The topic was 'My love is like a red rose' but I develop an allergy for anything red or pink during the valentine season.
Don’t give me any
Instead, bring me a bunch of peonies.
A rose, you can buy from any flower seller
Don’t. Just pluck me a wild flower.
Don’t order a bouquet for me in the break between meetings
As you bustle through the day…
Give me a call, even if it is fleeting.
Your calls make my day
Even if “I love you”...the words, you cannot say.
My love for you is not like a rose …
It will never wilt
I love you for better or worse
As you make my heart sing a lilt.
This was an entry for the writing competition at the office. The topic was 'My love is like a red rose' but I develop an allergy for anything red or pink during the valentine season.
V Day
Valentine’s day - a day for love or a commercial concept popularized by the greeting card companies …the debate goes on.
Personally, I like the day. It gives me an impetus to call up old friends and all the people I have loved through the years.
I agree that such things should not be restricted to a single day but in this busy busy world, it is nice to have a day when we cannot say to ourselves "some other day".
The oft repeated question asked on Feb 15 - So, what did you do yesterday.
This year I had a special Valentine’s day with a houseful of people … a friend from my hometown with her daughter, my brother, my son and my ‘not-so-cute’ man who walked in very late and was promptly forgiven because of the flowers he clutched.
Any occasion is a time to gorge in our family and my people obliged by washing down cheesy pizza (diet, what's that?) with lots of soft drinks. Saxophone in the background with shrills of two pint sized people fighting over identical gifts added to the magic of a lovely evening at home.
As I looked at tired, happy faces, my heart filled with a warm glow and I somehow couldn't bring myself to agree with people who call V day an imperialistic hand me down concept.
Personally, I like the day. It gives me an impetus to call up old friends and all the people I have loved through the years.
I agree that such things should not be restricted to a single day but in this busy busy world, it is nice to have a day when we cannot say to ourselves "some other day".
The oft repeated question asked on Feb 15 - So, what did you do yesterday.
This year I had a special Valentine’s day with a houseful of people … a friend from my hometown with her daughter, my brother, my son and my ‘not-so-cute’ man who walked in very late and was promptly forgiven because of the flowers he clutched.
Any occasion is a time to gorge in our family and my people obliged by washing down cheesy pizza (diet, what's that?) with lots of soft drinks. Saxophone in the background with shrills of two pint sized people fighting over identical gifts added to the magic of a lovely evening at home.
As I looked at tired, happy faces, my heart filled with a warm glow and I somehow couldn't bring myself to agree with people who call V day an imperialistic hand me down concept.
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