Food Coma: Dilli 6!

If you are a Dilli wala or Dilli wali, you have sometime or many times in your lifetime have been to our very own Chandni Chowk. If not, and you are a traveller, Dilli 6 should be on your  MUST VISIT WHEN IN DELHI list. It's not just about shopping, though a major part of why we go there IS shopping but also off late it's famous for short little adventure or hobby trips like - gastronomical delights of Chandni Chowk (if you are a foodie) or take a bike ride through old Dilli (for the adventurer in you) or explore your photography talent bull shit that makes hoards of people swarm to this place.

There are so many things to explore other than burning a hole in your pocket like hitch a ride and visit Red Fort. My nanu used to live inside Red Fort and yup it was an amazing feeling living there. We used to love going to Sis Ganj Sahib and eat langar and for seva ofcourse, or go to Jama Masjid for some amazing food. A friend of my sister used to live in CC and we used to often go visit her place and stay there during ramzan after my nanu finished his tenure. There are so many memories associated with chandni chowk that it's tough to put it across in just one blog but I will try my best. Decided that I will do the best possible thing and ONLY focus on the foodie in us.

So, apart from the much famous monuments, there are a couple of must visit eating joints like the paranthe wali gali. Needless to say there is something horrifying when you see your parantha swimming in reused oil, which you know is a heart attack waiting to happen. Your heart gets scared a little bit (maybe a lot) but the moment this little monster hits your tongue you opt willingly to gulp down these babies. There are about 4-5 joints and all display pictures of various stars and the combinations they have of paranthas is mind boggling.

Apart from this, you have to visit Kanwarji's for some good old kachori and faluda.

Do not attempt to ignore faluda.

You cannot leave chandni chowk without having Natraj ke Bhalle and Tikki. There is this guy near kinari bazaar who makes matar samosa and imarti that if you haven't tasted, I believe you will be denied entry in heaven.

There are other places which are quite famous and since am still exploring, we found this new joint (totally forgetting the name) and they serve up a storm. It is right there at the entrance of chawri bazaar and by the afternoon the lunch rush is so much that it takes hulk strength to get through (Yeah! not kidding).

You can of course always indulge in the street food like besan chilla, sweets like rabri etc or dhokla and trust me it's stupidity if you even enter Mcdonalds or Bikraner there.

Coming back to the original reason to visit Dilli 6- SHOPPING. The variety will make you go whoa and the old shop keepers are so nice that they especially make sure that you are well fed when you sit and choose various things.

Well, this is all I could manage especially since my FEET ARE KILLING ME but this is the humble charm of Dilli 6, the roots go deep and remind us of what 'khatirdaari' truly is. It really is one of the best places to explore Delhi in all its glory.

A Favourite's Game!

I don't know what my favourites are. There are some defined choices that I do have but I don't have a favourite of a lot of things, am really not that picky I guess. People have a particular choices, sometimes limited so they always choose similar things or the exact ones but me, nope. Don't believe me, okay!

I don't have a favourite song - yeah (Don't make that face), every song that I listen to has a different meaning and leaves a different impression on me.

I don't have a favourite quote because I identify with so many words by others that somehow it never makes me feel the need to pick one and stick with it. It helps to know that it's just not you who goes through the same shit or some people just better word what you are thankful for or enjoy. 

I don't have a favourite book because all the books I've read challenge my mind, and transpire within me an altered state of existence. 

I don't have a favourite colour because I wear what my heart desires on that particular day. If I'm sad, I'll wear the brightest, loudest or the most tackiest piece of clothing that I own. When I want to look sexy, I go for the obvious black, if comfort beckons me, I choose pastels. I have my own distinct style and I don't really have a set pattern.

I don't have a favourite food because when I'm willing to try new things, it helps me explore a depth of flavors and helps me be a part of cultures other than my own.

I don't know how people stick with one favourite when there is a whole world waiting to be explored and loved. I don't comprehend it!

The Incurable Romantic!

Courtesy: It's art time

Life isn't a movie. No matter how much we age there is that one hope that someday things will turn out all right after all the wrongs that you have struggled with and then one day you die in that hope. That's the sad thing about a broken heart, it cannot see beyond its own misery. The crash of your own heart is the loudest. The screams of your own soul are tumultuous. Nobody else's pain is ever greater than your own because you are living it. It's so doltish of you to keep hoping for that one hand to help you pick up the pieces. That's the horrid part of being broken, only you have to help yourself put everything back and while doing that you still keep hoping and waiting for that happy ending to happen. You know as you are growing up, you imagine a certain way how your life will be. With the kind of exposure you get and the kind of experiences that affect you, it sets a benchmark. Then reality happens. What do you then? Pain is a real struggle. No one ever gets how you cope. No one ever can. It's a sin these days to care for something or someone, it leads you to your own death. Isn't it sad that we live in a world where instead of teaching ourselves to love we have to teach ourselves to unlove people.

When you try to keep everything inside you one day the damn just breaks and then you cannot stop the tears from flowing. They fall just like they have been simmering on the insides of your eyes dying to see the light of day or the silence of the night. They just keep pouring unaware by who they fall for. Without cause, without reason, they fall. They try to free you but you try to run away from reality. A good bawl does have some cathartic value attached to it but does it make you feel any better? You take solace in alcohol for it helps numb the feelings for a little while, maybe. For some days, maybe before the dam is built again, the pressure rises again and the tears flow again. There are days when you are so angry that you can murder the entire world and then there are days when you realise how worthless their existence is to you. It's like when the fog lifts you see that person in their entirety, beyond the facade and you see all that they truly are, that's when you become numb because you finally have them naked in front you and not up on a pedestal.

I get so scared to write when I'm in this zone because words are hard to come by and I just keep soaking in the feeling of love dripping out of my heart. It feels so empty and I feel so hollow. It's like the space that they had taken up is slowly being vacated, truth by truth. And somewhere between all the heartache and adulting to withstand it, I grow up a little every single day!

Unusual Exuberance!

Another resolution that I wanted to work on this year was to create an experience which is not encapsulated within your life and the people in it. We do so much for ourselves and somewhere that is making us selfish in all arenas of our life. We cannot think beyond 'us'. There is a whole world which may be happy or sad but we wouldn't focus our energies on it because we are too busy focusing on our life, our happiness and our pain. 

The last year of my life till now has been a very painful journey, a lesson that I was taught the harsh way without really asking for it. I felt so engrossed in my own misery that I turned into myself. I wondered why was I at the receiving end of it when I didn't do anything to instigate it. I've been questioning myself for almost 3 months now, overthinking every little detail, every little incident and every little conversation in my head and it was driving me insane.

They say when you ask for help, you receive it. I never really ever thought that there was some truth to this statement but now I have been proven otherwise. I asked the universe to help me out and even though the path was very hard, I got the answers that I was looking for. I asked the universe to help me let go of what was not meant to be and I was shown the path and the strength to let go. So, I asked the universe to help me heal the pain because even though I know it is a process that I will have to go through, I wanted some relief and so it did. 

A friend had visited an old age home and I was so touched by the gesture that I promised to be a part of whatever her next venture would be. A visit was planned to a children's home, a juvenile centre for children in conflict with the law and a shelter home. There were children there who had been abused by several men, several times. Cases of elopement and abandonment, missing children. Children who have recently been shifted from hospital after a crime against them. So much innocence has been robbed of them. Yet, the couple of hours that we spent with them doing mundane activities brought such powerful emotions in them. That excitement, the laughs, and the hugs. I could see how much they craved a loving touch and how scared they were of it. No person let alone a child should go through such a traumatic experience. The sweet voices confirming our return gave me a lot to think about. It taught me more than anything to be selfless. It showed me the strength of my presence, my warmth and my smile. It made me believe in something. 

No matter how much pain I am going through, whatever intensity of struggle I am going through, it felt nothing compared to them. The pain seemed to vanish when I held them, spent time with them, hugged them, spoke to them. The pain didn't matter. I think they gave me more than I was able to give them. They gave me courage, they showed me what bravery is. They showed me that life goes on no matter what. They showed me how much more I can contribute to this world, even if it the tiniest thing like my time that I devoted to these kids. After a long time, I was truly happy. It was reflective on my face and after the longest time I slept like a baby.  

The Child in You!

As we age, isn't it sad that we have to leave the child like part of us. It's good at times to do that, trust me. I mean it's good to become a responsible adult but hey there are times when you need this freedom, where you need to feed your ID. Children's day brings along a lot of memories that make you realise who you once were, what your aspirations once were. As you age, you often mask our innocence or forget yourself. Every children's day, thanks to social media trends, at least you get to visit your childhood and relive it. To flip through old photographs and travel back into a time where life was simple, where you imagined a life so different than what it currently is.

I remember in school I was so passionate about dancing, music, theatre, art and of course archaeology. Dance was however my primary escape and to some extent it still is. The way it brought along with it fun, happiness and a sense of relief because you are transported into a world where you are free to express. It is one of my most favourite stress busting activity.

Numerous performances I have given, be it Bollywood songs to Bhartnatyam classics, to recitals. The best part though that more than me, people who know me since I was a child remember it. I mean there is a reason why my teachers, school mates, family and friends still remember my 'ek, do, teen" dance. It's such a nice feeling to be remembered. To be still cherished in someone's memory, it somehow makes you worthy in a sense that you made a difference.

I know I should get back to dancing more often even though with the crazy schedule I often forget the importance of it. Dancing is almost cathartic to my soul and helps shed away any negative energy that might surround me. It pumps me when I'm feeling low, calms me when I'm anxious or settles me down when I'm exuding anger. There is a reason when they say music and dance heal your soul. It is a way when you lose yourself to the rhythm and find yourself in lyrics!

God Bless America!

Image Courtesy Google

D-Day came and went and the unthinkable happened. We are now looking at the chosen 45th President elect Mr.Donald Trump. Irrespective of his archaic policies, he stands to be the winner and you cannot but think how he did it? Charged with a crass electoral campaign, old-fashioned political agenda and policies, we are standing in the 21st Century with backflow governance. I guess it goes to show that he reflects a lot of the unspoken belief of the Americans and he was just the ugly voice who expressed it publically. America will see change like no other. From the most controversial presidential candidate to becoming the president of one of the world's superpower, Trump has a lot to prove. It's like entire US is going to compete in a country wide Apprentice show.

The stats however were astounding. An insightful article by BBC clearly mapped the entire election result and it was seen there were states that turned Republican from Democratic. Trump was more popular with 53% of the male population voting for him. Surprisingly 53% of elderly ~ (65+) voted for trump along with 58% amongst the non-educated white male population backing him (Racist much).  Mid west States as such favour republican and hence it was rather difficult for Democrats to win them especially after the Federal investigations against Hillary which made matters worse. it's a known fact that whoever wins Florida usually ends up winning the presidential race and the trend proved again this time with 49.1 % of Florida backing Trump. To make matters even more substantial, Republicans are dominating the Senate as well as the House of Representatives. (Source: Edison Research for ABC News, AP, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, BBC)

The troubling scenario presents fear and the desolate hope in the hearts of some Americans who believe their life to be much worse hence forth v/s the liberals who will now have to undergo a lot of cat fights. My preference was Hillary because I do not believe that Trump's policies are entirely realistic and will definitely carry a lot of rights back a decade or so. I think the reason he won was because he stressed a lot on the issue of immigration being an immigrant himself, double standards galore. Americans and especially mid-west is still too racist for the 21st Century and I guess this just strengthens their belief. The thought behind scrapping Obamacare as the republicans thought hampered the business did not cover the fact that there was an approx 9% increase in jobs in the health care sector. I think it is quite a fundamental rule of politics to overthrow the judicial structure, policies, schemes of the previous party just so you can leave your mark on it. No matter who wins, the aim should be to benefit the people. You don't like a policy, you alter it, tweak it but not completely give it away. 

Even though during his campaign Trump had a lot of controversies, a lot of biased, hateful political agenda, let's hope that when in power he will earn the right not to abuse it. With the rapid change in the world's political framework, things are changing and they are changing fast. It all began with Brexit, now this, anti-corruption campaign and demonetization by Modi ji and a whole lot of pointers are towards making each nation a sole entity directing primarily towards a power struggle in the near future. 

But, I have to say congratulate Trump for he proved himself the winner as a true entertainer and we all got some good laughs. LOVED the meme's, have to share some of my favourites. Genius! 

Ass Much

I read a post from sometime in 2015 that made me realise that twitter for me was a fun place and more of a creative space to explore without inhibition, a little bit of tolerance and a whole lot of sharing and communication of ideas.

There was a tweet that I had written which lead to so much fun with Toasty and Locustiya which made me think that it should be on mine as well so here goes some creative words courtesy us :) 

1. Bunghole
2. Dillhole
3. Pickle-pen
4. Kimcode
5. Butt Burglars
6. Buttinsky
7. Assmunch
8. Buttmunch
9. Buttknocker
10. Tender-den
11. Buttringer
12. Fartknocker
13. Bubblebuster
14. Poopmouth
15. Shitpot
16. Buttmonkey
17. Bazooka-launcher
18. Turparade
19. Buttwiser
20. Poopchute
21. Thunderingcheeks
22. Buttcheek squish
23. KYellysquisher
24. Analcalypse now
25. The Fart Knight
26. Shitville horros
27. Holey Grail

Hehe...Fun times!

Melange!

India is diverse bla bla bla, I can go on and on about this but how much do we even know about our country? Sometimes though you get are lucky enough to experience it when you explore it and I mean really explore it. A lot of times, we take our country for granted and we wish to travel to places beyond our comfort zone. I made a tally of all the places I've visited so far and it was truly disappointing that even though I haven't successfully become a globe trotter as of now, I mean I wasted good 10 years worth of my time, most of my 20s to really travel to my heart's content but I have covered most of India. 

I've covered most of the country except some States along the middle belt like Gujarat, Bihar, Chattisgarh etc. to North East. I've discovered that one of the best ways to at least experience all of the States (okay, maybe just get a glimpse of it) is to visit Delhi Haat. Since my work place usually brings all the States together and that makes for one hell of a ride.

It's one of the places to showcase the talent that our country holds. The various musical influences, the regional dance styles, the art and craftsmanship, all of it is so typical and unique. We come from a country so diverse that just putting together all of the talent in one place is a challenging thing but then again it helps you sample the delights of all the States.

This time around we weren't that lucky because our minister has this organic fetish but nonetheless any experience does leave you with some thing to learn. It was awesome to catch some really talented Army folks showcase their talent. Huge respect right there!

But no matter how much you explore, and the bliss of each visit is new and different especially when you do it alongside people you love. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is all the more exciting because they help you visualise so much more.

Diwali 2016!

Happy Diwali!

Starting October and I go crazy during the festival season. There is just so much on my plate that it absolutely is the most exhausting time for me and I love it. Since I’m kind of the only one running the show at my place right now, my life is full of hectic days. There is so much to Diwali, it cannot just be written about in one go. 

I love to really celebrate Diwali especially since family is over and there is just so much positivity all around. The streets are lit (reminds me so much of Christmas), everyone is traditionally dressed, kids are going crazy, and there is a massive sweet overload. There is just this hope that emanates from all around. Each diya that you light burns itself to provide light to the darkness. The skies are filled with fireworks, beautifully replacing the stars with bright patterns that make you really look in awe. Colours of the rangoli spread warmth and bring into your life an era of beauty. Following the tradition. Chanting to call wealth and health into your lives. Meeting people, laughing, sharing beautiful moments with each other and happiness. This is Diwali to me.