The Diary

Aritar - the hidden paradise

2012-01-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

Despite residing in Sikkim for more than five years, I was completely unaware that there resided a place heavenlier than many other places practically in the midst of us. Well, not exactly! But this is comparatively much nearer to the far-off places such as Namchi and North Sikkim that we had earlier decided for the department picnic to be held. After one whole year of contemplation, we finally agreed to go to this place called 'Aritar' which I had only heard of in NDTV Good Times' "India's Most Haunted". But we booked an abnormally priced cab anyway and the journey began.

Initially the empty winding road (Could it even be called a road?)and the idea about a haunted house with a spooky-looking caretaker present near the picnic spot brought an apprehension in everyone's mind. But the view of the river, the quaint houses with pink cherry blossom trees in full bloom in the backyards and bright sunshine lightened everyone's moods. After an hour of many twists and turns, we finally reached there.

Immediately after disembarking the bus started every amateur photographer's venture of making thousand memories by capturing thousand instants, souls and objects; especially mine. We posed with the abnormally large goat, the really friendly but lame white dog, in front of the haystack and also in the midst of a mustard field perched on a tiny hillock. Ahead of us lay the most popular attraction of Aritar, the Lampokhari Lake. The lake was otherwise barren except three geese wading in a perfect straight line across the lake. The lake was on all sides surrounded by coniferous trees, colourful flowering plants, a temple-cum-monastery in one corner, our grassy picnic spot on one side and a trekking route to Lungchok Valley on another. The lake had white Buddhist prayer flags dug into the ground in its surrounding.

Since we had hired a cook, the cook would only 'cook'. In other words, making the dough for the puris, cutting, peeling, grating vegetables, serving was all our jobs. But who am I to complain? I did nothing other than de-stringing the peapods. But I did help in collecting the used plates of the boisterous people who had dumped it in the open. But before a breakfast of Puri and Channa ki Sabzi (At 2PM), we had gone trekking in the Lungchok Valley.

It was a steep but short climb to a hilltop from where the view of the lake, Gangtok and above all Kanchenjunga was horribly good. The climb itself was incredible since with each step, Kanchenjunga got nearer and the daisies on the walls got more in number. At the top, were many viewpoints, an orchid cultivation, pretty houses and a lodge under construction where we peeped and realised that it wouldn't be a bad idea to come and reside there for a few days in future.

Well we returned to our picnic spot, had a pretty good brunch, played some throwball and some went for paddle-boating in the lake. After that we danced some. Then we again ate (this time lunch at 4:30PM) a meal of rice and chicken curry which overstuffed my stomach. Some friends helped in tea-making, some in batter-making for the Pakoras which were to be consumed on the bus on our journey back to hostel.

By the time we boarded the bus it was 5PM and as all winter evenings, pretty dark already. As soon as the picnic ended, an adventure started. The bus broke down within 20minutes, not literally, but it was giving lot of steering problems so we got off and started walking. Many individuals fell - some sprained their foot, some bruised their knees and one had her ligament torn since she was 'texting' and walking in heels on moonless night on a hill road.A drunk guy from our class almost tripped and fell since a queer-looking lady was crying and sitting on the middle of the path. The experience, though extremely tiring, was thrilling and exciting in its own way. The far-off lights from Gangtok and Rangpo and the sky sparkling with million stars were worth the sight. The college was informed about the bus-failing scenario and the director personally sent 3 college vehicles to bring us back to the hostel after the bus somehow reached us halfway.

On arriving the college we were all petrified since we had reached almost 2hours later than the in-time ie. 7PM. We anticipated a lot of scolding and insults from the teachers, wardens and higher authorities. But nothing of the sort happened. They just told us 'Don't forget to inform us before you leave the next time'. I hope there is a next time.

All in all it was a good trip.

70 Indian dishes you must eat before you die (My list)

2012-01-13T05:01:00.000-08:00

1. Chicken Tandoori
2. Mutton Biryani with Mirchi ka Salan
3. Chicken/Mutton Rezala
4. Mutton Rogan Josh
5. Sheekh Kebab
6. Chicken Tikka Masala
7. Chicken Bharta
8. Double ka meetha
9. Goshtaba
10. Moghlai Paratha
11. Mutton Chap
12. Fish Kabiraji
13. Prawn Malai Curry
12. Bhapa Hilsa
13. Loochi with Maangsher Ghooghni
14. Kachuri with Aloo Dum
15. Rasgulla/Rasmalai
16. Nalen Gurer Sandesh
17. Mishti Doi
18. Pithay/malpua/paatishapta
19. Keema matar
20. Malai Kofta
21. Palak corn/Palak paneer
22. Navratan Korma
23. Butter Chicken
24. Makki ki roti with sarso ka saag
25. Gobi musallam
26. Dal tarka with/without egg
27. Dal baati churma
28. Gatte ki sabzi
29. Curry Chawal
30. Dhokla
31. Paneer/Cheese Pakora
32. Brinjal/pumpkin/pumpkin flower/cucumber/potato deep fried in besan batter
33. Chilla/Vegetarian Omlette
34. Khaandvi
35. Khakra/Papad with Kachumber Salad
36. Boondi/Aloo/Mixed Raita
37. Aloo/Gobi/Methi/Dal/Matar/Sattu/Egg/Piyaj/Paneer/any filling Paratha
38. Litti Chokha
39. Pani puri/golgappa/phuchka
40. Bhel puri
41. Chaat
42. Jhaal muri
43. Pao bhaji/vada pao
44. Samosa/kachori
45. Aloo kabuli
46. Channa Zor garam
47. Shya Phalay
48. Chicken Momo
49. Aalu ko achaar
50. Aalu pitikand
51. Tenga Maas
52. Santula
53. Chicken chettinad
54. Fish moilee
55. Appam with chicken curry/sweetened milk
56. Masala dosa
57. Cheese Uttapam
58. Rava idli
59. Bread Upma
60. Sewai (sweet/salty)
61. Payesh/kheer/paisam
62. North Indian Sweetmeats
63. Kulfi
64. Bagaaray Baingan
65. Kulcha
66. Kesar Pista Ice-cream
67. Khumb matar makhani
68. Paneer Pasanda
69. Fish kaalia
70. Saunf (it's actually not a dish, but important for every meal.)

Off to a foreign land

2011-12-20T23:49:00.000-08:00

For the first time in the 21 years of my lifetime, I went sight-seeing to a foreign country without parental guidance and surprisingly everything went smoothly as well. 'Surprisingly' I say because when it comes to doing something independently, I in simple words 'suck'. Of course, the trip was not taken alone. My best friend, Shiwangi was with me and she's the smart one when it comes to the 'travelling on your own' business. It was one the most incredible trips that I have ever taken.
We flew from Kuala Lumpur (LCCT) to Changi International Airport, Singapore; got our currencies exchanged to Singaporean Dollars and reached the hotel in the van Luxury Tours and Travels had arranged to receive us. The view during landing was so spectacular (with the view of various islands in the middle of the sea-green Singapore Strait) that we hardly paid attention to the outside world on the way to the hotel, Hotel RELC International. Besides, we were extremely hungry. After reaching hotel, we went out to look for food and swiftly entered the first restaurant in site since we were starving. The food was excellent but we spent a whooping 20dollars per head for a meal and ended up feeling guilty about it and searching for restaurants with a fairly decent range of prices. With that excuse, we did some window-shopping on Orchard Road as well. The afternoon passed and we went back to the hotel. We had just enough time to lay our heads in bed for two minutes, when it was time to get ready for the night safari. When we reached the lobby, the receptionist scolded us for not being punctual and that our vehicle had left, though we had reached there 10 minutes prior to the pick-up time. Realising that he was highly mistaken, we ignored him and got on to our vehicle which took us to the main Luxury office from where we changed buses and travelled to the Night Zoo with a lady named 'Dawn' as our guide.
The tram ride in the night zoo was extraordinary. Though everything was staged, with the animals probably being trained to stand in their designated places, I got to see various creatures that I've never seen before such as the Malayan Tahr, the bongo and several other bovine animals and predators and numerous known fauna such as lions, tigers, elephants, foxes, deer, hyenas, etc. When the tram ride came to an end, it started pouring, so the fire show by the aborigines was cancelled. Highly dissapointed, with the dinner coupon in hand, we went for dinner. After dinner, when we reached the venue for the fire show, the rain had stopped and the 10minute show had already almost ended. Soon it was time for us to leave. We were the last ones to be dropped off to our hotel. All in all, it was not a very good day. We were chided at, disappointed and exhausted. We went off to bed, hoping that "tomorrow will be a better day".
Our wishes came true, not only for the next day, but for two days in a row. The next day the half day city tour covered the Merlion at Marina Bay, Singapore Chocolate Gallery, Mount Faber Park, Thian Hock Keng Chinese Temple, Jewellery Gallery and a trip past the Istana and various Cathedrals, Chinese and Hindu temples and through Raffles Quay, Suntec City and Orchard Road. Our guide Chin was very friendly and energetic, unlike our previous guide Dawn. We had a one hor lunch break and then the Sentosa Twilight tour commenced, with again Chin as our guide but different co-passengers. This tour included reaching Sentosa Islands by cable car, which was 'magnifique' with the view of the ocean below and the ships and islands in between(The cheaper way to reach Sentosa Islands is by bus or taxi or of course, walking and Sentosa is derived from the hindi word Santosh which means tranquillity), underwater world along with the sea-lion and pink and grey dolphin show, butterfly and insect park, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' 4D Show,'Images of Singapore' museum tour, Merlion Walk which let us view the Merlion in Sentosa Islands in closer proximity and the Laser Show which was the best part of the tour and Singapore as a whole.
The following day too was lovely as we spent it in the Universal Studios. Though it was not as grand as I had speculated it to be, some of the rides such as Revenge of The Mummy and Battleship Galactica literally took my breath away. We couldn't take the newly opened Transformers- The Ride due to the unending queue and I had not expected us to make it either. Slightly upset about it, we buckled up for the other shows which were pretty good, too. With that, our trip ended on a bitter-sweet note and I realised that though the people of Singapore are fake and everything we had come to 'sight-see' was artificial, whatever we saw even though sugar-coated was attractive or entertaining and that's what we had come for- to have fun and to be entertained. The following day was our flight back to K.L. We bid a final goodbye to Singapore and flew back home, with no further disappointment, difficulty or discomfort.

Cherish

2011-11-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

I cherish the time when I first met you,
You seemed benign, amiable and sweet.
I cherish the time we became friends,
You were one of the best I ever would meet.
I cherish the long gone days,
When we laughed till we cried,
Gossiped till we were tired.
I cherish the time when we first fought,
We were but an idiot lot.
I cherish that we were not just comrades,
We were closer than sisters ever will be.
I cherish you, dear friend-turned-nothing,
I cherish the memories that you've left behind,
What I don't cherish is the melancholy that you left with it.

Life without chicken is death!!

2011-09-24T05:45:00.000-07:00

Oxygen and chicken are the exact same thing for a non-vegetarian. They are both indispensable and life without both are impossible. The idea of killing bird after bird for someone's evening snack might sound crude for the vegans. But I guess tasting is the new 'believing'. My best friend's family is strictly vegetarian or so she claims. But when she first tasted chicken upon my insisting, she flew straight to cloud9. Since then she has never looked back. Though consuming chicken only in my company, she doesn't seem to mind the eating at all. Chicken in any form is sheer bliss- whether it's cooked in Chinese, Indian or Continental style; whether its main course or an appetiser; whether its boiled for a stew or shredded for a sandwich; as long as it's cooked, it ethereal. I ate chicken in many forms for lunch yesterday after a long time and it made my day. :D

Aftermath

2011-09-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

The earthquake rocked the most pristine place in the country on 18.09.2011 and ruined its placidity in seconds. It filled the minds of millions with trepidation. It killed, crippled, disrupted and demolished. Hundreds were injured and several faced the death penalty. It was probably the most horrifying experience in my life. The main tremor started at 6:15PM, lasting for about 45 seconds and shook several parts of the country - Sikkim, Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan and even Nepal, since the epicentre was in Sikkim-Nepal border, just few hundred kilometres from our college; followed by several minor aftershocks continuing up to the next day. It affected around 100,000 buildings. Water supply and electricity was at standstill and still so in many regions. The quake also brought with it several landslides which caused roadblocks on both the North Sikkim highway and the Gangtok-Siliguri stretch of the NH-31.

Back in our college, the roof of the boys' hostel collapsed. Tiles, bricks, lights, walls broke everywhere. Quite a number of individuals were injured, luckily none were serious(even though a helicopter flew into our college the next day and took away few who needed medical attention and everyone was fascinated for obvious reasons). These are just the physical effects it brought. The amount of mental dilemma and nervousness is several times as much. We hardly slept that night, pledged to spend the night on the open ground, it was raining unfortunately. Due to congestion in the mobile network, we were unreachable by our family. The next morning, those friends and family who never usually called, called. There was no bound to everyone's tension.

Nowadays, every time I go to bed, my heart beats faster than ever in fear of a bigger tremor. Rumours, false alarms, fake predictions add to the stress. A minor earthquake hit Sikkim again yesterday. Tourism is down the drain as Sikkim will be the last choice among the list of general public's holiday hotspots. Software companies for placement of jobs are hesitating to visit our college, anticipating future tremors. North Sikkim, a region known for its scenic beauty, will now be known for the hard-hitting damages by the quake. Daily life has been hampered. Students and workers from other states are desperate to flee the state. It's going to take quite a while to bring back everything to normalcy.

Big Brother

2011-09-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

Who is an elder brother, exactly?

He is the one whose discarded clothes you get to wear, irrespective of your gender. He's the one whose thrashings are more fatal than ten escape convicts put together. He's the one whose condescending behaviour gets on each nerve of your body, well, most of the time. He is also the one for whom you spend considerable time searching for the perfect bride and he rejects them all in a second. He's despicable, he's despise-able, your problems are none of his concerns, but life without a big brother isn't worth living as:

He is the one who'll hug you and almost break your ribs. He's the one who'll buy you all the unnecessary gadgets you'd like to show off to your friends.He's the one with similar taste in food and will take you to the right places to 'hog'.

He's the one to tell you, 'Studying is not a piece of cake, but it isn't as difficult as reading Salman Rushdie's books either.;)' Above all, he's the one who exactly understands your feelings when Mom or Dad scolds you. All in all, He's you, just older and wiser.

Meat Lasagna

2011-07-20T02:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

6 pasta sheets
1 small brinjal
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated cheddar/mozarella cheese
Salt to taste

For the meat mix:
250 gram minced mutton
3 medium tomatoes
2 tsp tomato ketchup
1 finely chopped onion
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
chopped parsley leaves
salt and chilly flakes to taste

For the white sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place the pasta sheets individually in boiling water and simmer till soft. Heat 2 tbsp butter and add the brinjal in the pan. Sprinkle salt and fry till half-cooked. For the white sauce, mix molten butter and flour and mix well so that no lump are formed. Place it on the flame and add the milk. Stir continuously and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook till it comes to a boil.
For the meat mix, heat olive oil and the the chopped onion to it. Fry till it becomes translucent. Add the minced meat and cook for a while. Pour the tomato puree made out of the three tomatoes. Add salt, chilly flakes, sugar and tomato ketchup. Cook for 20 minutes. Add parsley leaves in the end.
Preheat the oven for ten minutes. Grease the baking dish with olive oil. Place 2 pasta sheets at the base of dish. Cover partially with meat mix, brinjal, white sauce and at last with cheese. Repeat the process twice and place it in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve hot.

Everybody loves Gaga

2011-07-18T03:14:00.000-07:00

My theory is that- everybody either already has or eventually will fall in love with Stefani "Lady Gaga" Germanotta. Lady Gaga known for her unconventionality, has horrendous fashion sense (Lady Gaga wearing her famous meat dress is stark evidence) and her music videos are plain outrageous. Also, she has been in the limelight for quite some time because of the controversial themes of her singles. Despite all this, she has been the apple of every young individual's eyes and just at 25, she's become more popular than Madonna or JLo. I guess, it's her bizarreness that make people go nutty as a fruitcake for her.

Since her very first single 'Poker Face', Gaga has been invincible. And though she's in second place among the most popular music artists on Facebook (Rihanna's on first), I like her more. All her songs have a very strong theme and many can relate to them. For example: 'Bad Romance' talks about her failed relationships. 'Just Dance' is a very happy song and is the ideal one to be played when you're having a hard day. 'Judas' hints about Lady Gaga being in love with someone who is/has been unfaithful to her, taking Judas, Jesus's disloyal disciple as reference.

My personal favorite is 'Born this way' because of the lyrics (Lady Gaga supposedly designs her clothes by herself and writes her lyrics on her own). It encourages everyone to be confident in who they are irrespective of their religion, race, physical appearance or orientation. I especially love the following lines:

"There's nothing' wrong with loving' who you are
She said, 'cause He made you perfect, babe
So hold your head up, girl and you'll go far
Listen to me when I say

I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way!"

I don't know about others but I love Gaga!

Should Euthanasia be legalised?

2011-07-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

Funny thing- In the past, when I wasn't aware of the term 'Euthanasia', I used to wonder why mercy killing is called 'Youth in Asia'. Funnier thing- I have observed that this phenomenon is most common among 'youth in Asia', so in a way, I was never really wrong. On a more serious note, should Euthanasia or mercy-killing be legalised?

On medical terms, euthanasia has been defined as the deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering. So my verdict is that- only voluntary euthanasia should be decriminalised ie. only those individuals who themselves want to end their life should have the right to carry out such abnegation. E.g. A paralysed man who has lost all hopes of moving any part of his body except his head or a cancer patient with malignant carcinoma which is nowhere near recovery or an AIDs patient who has been condemned by the society and both pains-physical and mental, is unbearable, would rather prefer to die than to live.

Currently Euthanasia is considered as criminal homicide. It may be so for cases of non-voluntary euthanasia, namely child euthanasia or honour killing when two individuals in love are killed by their own family members if they are of different castes or same gotra of the same sub-caste. But for cases like those mentioned above, most certainly not!!

Tarquin Hall just became one of my favorite authors

2011-05-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Tarquin Hall, a British-American writer and journalist is now one of my favorite authors. He is not 'world-famous' nor has he received accolades and critical acclaim for any of his works, but he manages to glue the readers' eyeballs to his books. He is after all the creator of India's Most Private Investigator, Vish Puri (also known as the Indian Sherlock Holmes). Currently dividing his time between Delhi and London, he has traveled across U.S.,U.K.,India,Turkey,Kenya, Pakistan, middle-east and south Asia and has based his writings on these countries and is married to Indian-born BBC-reporter Anu Anand.

The first book I read was To The Elephant Graveyard, a true story about a mentally-ill rogue elephant who goes on a killing spree, trampling to death more than forty individuals in and around the Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam, India. The elephant is originally a Kunki (a domestic elephant under a mahout) but becomes crazy after ill-treatment by a previous owner. The book describes how Tarquin Hall, travels from Guwahati with a professional shooter into the deep forests of Assam and tracks down the elephant who is later shot by the shooter, Dinesh Choudhary. Adventurous and thrilling, though the book is supposed to be a serious read, some depictions are so hilarious that they make you laugh for several minutes.

The second one was the Case of The Missing Servant, the first book among the Vish Puri Murder Mysteries. A young maid servant in the household of a well-known lawyer in Jaipur goes missing and he is blamed for her murder. Vish Puri, stereo-typically Punjabi and obese, residing in Delhi, takes up the case and travels as far as the Jadugoda mines of Jharkhand, to prove the lawyer's innocence. Both funny and mysterious, this book is a good read.

Pasta with cilantro-basil pesto

2011-05-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 n half cup fusilli/farfelle/macaroni pasta
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup cilantro or coriander leaves
2 tbsp walnuts
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
1 n 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
1 small tomato
salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Add the basil and cilantro leaves, walnuts, olive oil, cheese, 1/4 tsp salt and garlic into the grinder and grind into a rough paste. The pesto is ready.
2. Boil the pasta in salt water and let it cool.
3. Heat butter in a vessel and fry the finely chopped onion till translucent. Add the milk and the pesto and mix well. Let it simmer for a while and add the pasta, chopped tomato, salt, sugar, pepper to taste.
4. Mix and cook for 2-3minutes.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Me, then and now

2011-05-17T02:04:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how this amelioration took place in me after I came to college. But the beginning of college life definitely suddenly meant the end of rebelliousness and pugnacity. It suddenly transformed me into a very "Sidha Bachchaa", I don't know how!! I used to be funnier, 'ridiculous-er' and naughtier, during my school days. Enter college and I became a relatively serious, more mature and less fun-loving individual.

Back at school, my environmental science teacher used to call me 'a major source of noise pollution', while teaching, well, noise pollution. Being thrown out of class when I was in the 10th grade was a daily regime. Being asked to keep quiet or being scolded was every day's story. Trips to the principal's office were not that often, but when the time came to visit the office, the scoldings were not in scanty either. During my school days, I have been called many names by the teachers such as 'thick-skinned', 'naughty', 'useless' and downright 'outrageous'. But these were no implication that I stop the madness I had been creating in class or the school corridors; because I knew the teachers loved me. When I left school, I heard from other students that my teachers were full of praise for me. I got fairly good grades, so that helped a lot, I guess. My accomplices, on the other hand, didn't obtain such praiseworthy comments from the teachers, unfortunately, being average in both behavior and marks.

Whereas in college, I've seldom been lectured about my demeanor, always have submitted assignments on time, never been caught eating in class(in school, it was quite the opposite! :P) and maintained a decent CGPA. I have only once been thrown out of class as my teacher most probably overheard that I said that he has a 'piggish' face, and that too, on the first day of the Bengali new year. Otherwise, my etiquette has been close to perfect for the past 2years. Wonder how this drastic change could ever be possible? :O

Chicken Bharta

2011-05-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

500g chicken
1n1/2 cup tomato puree
200g chopped onions
3 black cardamom
3 green cardamom
3 bay leaves
3 to 4 cloves
5tsp white oil
3tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp red chilly powder
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp coriander powder
3tsp cashew paste
1/4 cup curd
1tsp butter
2tsp fresh cream
1 boiled egg
salt to taste

Method:

Add the cloves, cardamom and bay leaves along with the chicken and boil. Separate chicken from bones. Add oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Make a smooth paste of ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and water. Add this paste into the pan and stir well. Add the tomato puree, cashew paste and chicken and mix well. Strain the broth obtained by boiling the chicken into the pan. Add curd, salt and butter to the pan and let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cream, boiled egg and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Brahminy kites

2011-04-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Our apartment on the 13th floor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia overlooks an enormous golf course where two Brahminy Kites(in picture) hover at exactly 5P.M. everyday. Not a day has been there when the two love birds (we presume) have not been seen flying in the sky, nestling in a particular tree for around 10minutes and finally landing on a lamp post of the golf course.
The Brahminy kite or the Red-backed sea eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia & Australia. Adults have a reddish brown plumage and a contrasting white head and breast which make them easy to distinguish from other birds of prey. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding mainly on dead fish and crabs, especially in wetlands and marshland but occasionally hunts live prey such as hares and bats. They may also indulge in kleptoparasitism and attempt to steal prey from other birds.
Young birds may indulge in play behaviour, dropping leaves and attempting to catch them in the air (observed by us). They roost communally on large and isolated trees and as many as 600 have been seen at just one location. They may mob larger raptors such as the Aquila eagles. In some incidents where Brahminy Kites mobbed Steppe Eagles, they were attacked and injured or killed. A number of ectoparasitic bird lice in them have been reported.

A matter of honour

2011-02-17T03:28:00.000-08:00

A MATTER OF HONOUR

Honour killings are blight to the society. Innocent young couples are slaughtered in the name of honour, their only fault being that they fell in love with someone who unfortunately hailed from a different caste or the same gotras of the same caste as theirs. Honour killings are usually carried out under the guidance of a Khap Panchayat to pay the price for assaulting the society by inter-caste or intra-gotra marriage.
We have demonstrated the damage caused by this menace in a short play named “A matter of honour” where a Sarpanch of a village panchayat who initially shares the beliefs of Khap Panchayat and honour killings but undergoes a change towards the end. It starts off in this way.
Suresh, a young man is in love with Ashwini, who alas belongs to the same “gotra” as his, and this happens in a society, where such kind of matrimony purports a nuptial bond between a brother and a sister. Here, we have Suresh conversing with Naren, his friend.
SCENE 1:
Suresh: They will never accept our relationship, and the only solution is to run away.
Naren: But, why do you need to run away?
Suresh: We belong to the same gotra. Do you know what that even means? That makes us brother and sister in front of the society!
Naren: Is the risk worth it? I’m really worried.
[They walk out of the room. But, Suresh’s sister Geeti overhears them.]
Geeti(to herself): Oh my god! What is my brother up to? I must tell Ma and Baba right now!
[Without taking a breath, she rushes to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chaurasia.]

SCENE 2:
Geeti: Ma! Baba! Bhaiyya is planning to run away with a girl of our gotra!!
Mr. Chaurasia: What? You must be mistaken.
Geeti: No Baba, I heard it with my own ears. We have to stop him right now.
Mrs. Chaurasia: My son! He can never do such a thing. He has always been high on his values.
Mr. Chaurasia : Whatever it is, we cannot let our son spoil our reputation.
Geeti: Baba, let’s hurry up.
[They rush to the next room to find their son packing his bags.]
Mr. Chaurasia: So it is true! You ARE running away! How dare you put your family to shame?
Mrs. Chaurasia: Beta, didn’t it hurt your conscience even once? Think about us and your little sister!
Suresh: Ma, Baba! I did not mean to hurt you, but she’s a very decent girl and most importantly I love her.
Mr. Chaurasia: Enough is enough! How do u even have the nerve to argue with us? Now only the Khap Panchayat can give us justice.
Suresh: No Baba.....Please listen....
[They confine him to a room and head off to the Khap Panchayat.]
SCENE 3:
Mrs. Chaurasia: A great misfortune has befallen upon us. Our family’s name is at stake.
Sarpanch: What’s wrong? Tell me!!
Mr. Chaurasia: How to begin? I’m so ashamed of my son’s deeds.
(They tell the Sarpanch what their son has been planning to do.)
Sarpanch: This has never happened in this village and as long as I am alive, I will not let it happen.
Villager 1: They should be banished from the village itself.
Villager 2: Technically, they are brother and sister, the girl should be made to tie a rakhi to the boy.
(Everybody nod in unison.)
Sarpanch: There is only one solution to this disgrace. They should be killed so that nobody dares to take such a heinous step again and defy the society.
Mr. & Mrs. Chaurasia: But we don’t even know who the girl is!
(Narrator: The Sarpanch sends policemen to find out the whereabouts of the girl in question.)

SCENE 4:
Policeman 1 (beating up Suresh): Who is the girl? Tell us.
Policeman 2: Or we’ll crack every bone in your bone in your body.
Suresh: I’ll die but won’t tell you who she is!
Policeman 1 to policeman 2: Search this place. We might find something.
(Narrator: After searching down Suresh’s room, they finally find a photograph of the girl and the boy but have a hard time believing their eyes.)

SCENE 5:
(The policemen rush to the Sarpanch’s house. The Sarpanch is having a good chat with his only daughter who is none other than Ashwini, Suresh’s lover.)
Policeman: We found the girl, Suresh’s lover, Sarpanchji. She is.... er.... she is........
Sarpanch: She is?
Policeman: She’s your daughter Sarpanchji.
Ashwini: Suresh, what has happened to him? Is he all right?
Sarpanch(shocked) : Ashwini!! How could you betray your father? Is that what I have taught you all these years?
Ashwini: Baba, I didn’t want to.... I just don’t know how....(cries)...
Sarpanch: Get out of my sight!
Ashwini: Baba I really love him! I can xplain....
Sarpanch: OUT!! NOW!!
SCENE 6:
(Narrator: The Sarpanch is in a dilemma. We all realise the intensity of some misfortune happening to somebody only if we are at the receiving end. Ashwini, being the Sarpanch’s only daughter whom he has raised singlehandedly, after her mother’s demise, she means the world to him. On the other hand, he cannot be a hypocrite in front of the society. But is his self-proclaimed ethics worth his little girl. It is now that he recognises the plght of others who have been through the same. It is now that he decides that the menace of honour killing should be curbed. He goes to his daughter who has been packing to leave the house.)
Sarpanch: Beti, I have committed a huge blunder by letting my emotions get the better of me. But now I realise how wrong I am.
Ashwini: Baba, I too am sorry for keeping things from you. I really love you and never wanted to hurt you. But Suresh is a decent guy and we are confident about our future together.
(Narrator: This is what had happened in a small village where the Sarpanch got rid of one the biggest current social evils. Hope this serves as a message to many.)

How much pain I had to go through to get my driving license -

2010-07-22T22:54:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about the phase between when I arrived at the court and when I actually gave the test. It was torture, trust me. I arrived at sharp 12:30PM at the court as instructed by the person from Taraknath Driving School who taught me to drive all these days to find a huge crowd, waiting. I asked one of the instructors from the driving school, "When will our test start?", after half an hour of waiting in the sun. He told me that the people giving the test for the bike's license will start and finish off soon. So I waited & so did everyone else. After another half an hour, the bike test started & around 120 men and women with their respective bikes gave the test. Another hour passed and we stood, waiting. Right then, it started raining & right then they said the 'ladies' will give the car-driving test first. So, few of the the ladies jumped into the a common car which would be the vehicle on which our skills would be tested. And I, with one more girl, waited in the rain, thinking that it'll be our turn next, while the examiner disappeared somewhere.

When one and a half hour had passed and there was no sign of the examiner, off we all went to his office to protest only to find him peacefully having lunch while we were waiting for almost 4 hours. While others revolted, I went back to the venue of the exam and rushed to a Chaat stall with only ten bucks to spare and bought something and was on the verge of gobbling the whole thing up when the examiner called the 'ladies'(I had to throw one-fourth of the Chaat) and started asking them questions whose answers they had no clue about and the examiner failed most of them (including me) (Nobody had taught me or told me to learn HAND SIGNALS!). Actually, he was angry about the fact that we protested about standing for four hours in the sun and then in the rain while he ate lunch in his comfortable office.

In the meantime the men giving the test quickly learned the hand signals from an instructor and after a while the examiner stopped asking questions altogether and passed whoever could drive a bit. So again we went and requested him to let us give our tests and told him about how unfair he had been. Finally, he let us take the test which turned out to be nothing but pressing and releasing the accelerator and pretending to look backward when in reverse gear. Relieved, exhausted, wet, slightly embarrassed & hungry, we thanked him for giving us a second chance and finally left the court, pledging not to come back for a long time.

Well, I haven't got my license yet nor will I get it until mid-September! So until then I can't drive as they've taken away our learner's licenses as well. Let's just hope for the best.

This time for Africa

2010-07-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

This was my first visit to Africa and I instantly fell in love with it (& no I didn't go to South Africa to watch the world cup, I went to Kenya for a safari). One word is enough to describe my trip- amazing! Well, it was not perfect (keeping in mind the mega-fight between me and my dad and the almost inedible food at Masai Mara and the broken aeroplane which we traveled in), but who pays much attention to these when you are lucky enough to see the Cheetah and the Leopard and when you can ogle at the king of the jungle for as long as you want to without fearing that he'll attack you.

During the trip, we got to see millions of animals, birds and flora. On the first day, in Nairobi, we went crazy when we set eyes upon the Malibu stork and crazier when we could feed the giraffes. Ben, our driver and tour guide assured us, the next day, that this was just the beginning. And truly it was. The next day was in Mount Kenya Safari Club which used to be a getaway for many well-known Hollywood stars. There, we saw two zebras and started clicking pictures vigorously, only to discover later that zebras were as common in Kenya as cows are in India. The third day, when we went to Lake Nakuru, I was bewildered to see what lay in front of me. Trillions of flamingos which had migrated earlier made the whole lake look pink, and there were several wild buffaloes(one of the big five), zebras, storks, cranes, ibises and others birds which enhanced the beauty of the surroundings of the lake. Later, that day we saw the rhinoceros(two-horned white) and a leopard (which made it three out of the big five). According to the guide this was the 'day of action' and rightly said so. Off we went to Masai Mara the next day and spent the next two days either in a modern tent or safariing on the 'Safari Trails' jeep. Excitement is what it was when we went in search for the other two among the Big Five and complete satisfaction is what it was when we got to see the whole silhouette of big-eared African elephants and the Lion (and his wives and kids), completing the quest for the big five. I also won't forget to mention the numerous hippos with their ears and nose sticking out of water that we saw or the ostriches, vultures, hyenas, jackals, hyraxes and various kinds of bovines(Wildebeests, Hartebeests, topis, elands, antelopes, gazelles, impalas, black bucks, etc.)

I love Africa's wildlife!

Photography

2010-06-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

Photography is not just an interest, it is a skill. Not everyone is blessed with it. Fortunately, I am, to an extent and that is why I like it. Whenever I get hold of a camera, I feel like clicking away. Photographs not only capture objects, places and people; it captures thousand and one memories. It captures people’s souls. It creates nostalgia, after years of having been to a lovely place or having clicked a snap with your then best friend. That is why I like it even more. And the most important reason for me loving photography is that I’m not photogenic, so I like to click others’ photographs but don’t line it have my picture taken.

It’s become a hobby lately, since my parents bought me a new camera and I love it. Photo-editing may sound more interesting, but photography is more thrilling. Therefore I have vowed to keep clicking until and unless the camera stops functioning. Photography is my passion!

Tomato-basil fish curry

2010-05-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 piece any firm fish
1 and a half cup tomato puree
6-7 garlic cloves
1 onion(small)
4 basil leaves
1/2 tsp. carom seeds(ajwain)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 chillies(slit into two)
salt and sugar to taste
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1/4 cup coriander leaves
water

Method:
Heat 1tbsp oil in a saucepan and fry the finely chopped garlic and onion till brown. Add the tomato puree and stir for a while. Add carom seeds, chillies, basil leaves, salt and sugar and mix well. Add about 1 cup of water and let the sauce boil for 6-7 minutes. Meanwhile, the fish should be marinated in lemon juice and salt for about 15minutes. Heat a tbsp. of oil in a frying pan and place the fish pieces after the pan in heated and fry till both sides are golden brown. Now, the fish pieces are placed in the sauce and cooked for 2-3minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Bon Appétit.

Driving Lessons

2010-05-28T21:34:00.001-07:00

DAY 2: Yay! I'm learning to drive. In another 13days, I'll get my license. Now, I know what a clutch does and what the different gears mean! The clutch provides driving force to the driving mechanism. In other words, its just the antonym of a brake, which inhibits motion. And gears change the speed, magnitude, and direction of the power source.
Today was my second day and I did pretty well, I guess, because an auntie sitting on the backseat (who is a co-learner) was telling her son, "Yo baini le kya majja le gaari chalaaunchha." ("This girl drives so well.")...Hehe! Well, though it requires a lot of concentration while driving and I have to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to go for the driving sessions, I'm loving it! In few days presumably I will be an acceptable car-driver! After all, all that's left is to master reverse driving :D

DAY 3: Yesterday was a Sunday and I had no idea that we don't have classes on Sundays. So, I went carrying my brand new polka-dotted umbrella at 6 in the morning to the pick-up place and stood like an idiot and came back after waiting for half an hour! Today, I was taught by a different instructor and hated him because I figured that he's the 'interfering' kind! He grabbed my hands many a time to show me how the gears are moved and I hated that! Plus, he interfered with the steering wheel. I didn't like driving today!

DAY 4 & 5: Day 4 and 5 were uneventful except the fact that I almost hit a bus on day 4.

DAY 6: Yay! The instructor praised me. He said, "You're driving well today!!"

DAY 7: Well, the session didn't go all that well because it was raining cats & dogs that day! To top it all, I got wet head to toe!

DAY 8: That stupid kid aged 14 whose is a co-learner hit a Bolero. Thankfully, nobody was hurt!

I like my college.

2009-12-20T18:50:00.000-08:00

I've not written a blog for ages, so my mind is completely blank. I have no clue about what I should write. So, here I am, an aspiring engineer, who has just completed her first semester of B.Tech., trying to figure out what to write on her blog. I guess I'll just write about my views on SMIT, my college!

At first, I liked the place, and the reason being, all my close pals choosing to study in it, too. Then a few left and I fought with the rest one or two and I hated the place. Then I still hated the place though I made up with the 'rest one or two' as this place seemed like a jungle to me. Often there is no mobile network and you can't contact anyone for hours, even days. The television was taken away by the L.R. and our sections were changed so we had a hard time coping up.

But now I 'kinda' like this place cuz:
1) I'm doing quite well in academics.
2) I have good friends, if not great friends which was evident on my birthday!
3)There are two TVs in the hostel now...hehe
4)I have a laptop.
5)Our section always gets the best teachers...well, not always, but mostly!
6)I am just two steps away from home.

Home

2009-10-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

I felt like singing this song three weeks back. I feel like singing it over and over again!

HOME - By Daughtry

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

But alas, all I can sing now is :

All my bags are packed
Im ready to go
Im standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin
Its early morn
The driver's waitin
Hes blowin his horn
Already I'm so lonesome
I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
cause I'm leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh mom, I hate to go.....

Trust me leaving home after a long holiday to be welcomed into college with exams is the hardest thing!!

A day in Paris

2009-09-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

Paris is my favorite city. Paris, the capital of France, is the most popular tourist destination with 45million tourists every year, out of which, most are foreigners. It carries an amalgamation of cultural significance, scenic beauty and is also the world's fashion capital. The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, The Arc de Triomphe, the Seine River and the good-looking French men and women all add up to make Paris the most beautiful city in the world.

We spent a day in Paris last summer. It was wonderful. In the morning we were taken on the tour bus to the Arc de Triomphe, which stands in the centre of the "Place Charles de Gaulle and is a monument built in memory of France's most fearless leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. The design of this triumphal arch was given by Jean Chalgrin.

Then we went to see the Eiffel Tower and we were given tickets to get into the tower's lift which took us to the first floor of the tower. (Riding on the lift was a funny feeling as the lift took us up diagonally). The view was nice so we went higher up to the second floor through the stairs. The view was "magnifique" from there with the green lawns and fountains on one side (see picture) and the Seine river flowing by on the other, with thousands of people having come to a romantic retreat on one side and hundreds of architectural monuments on the other.

It seems, theEiffel tower is the most paid visited monument in the world, with millions ascending it every year and the tallest building in Paris with a height of 324 meters and engineered and designed by Gustave Eiffel. Eiffel, by night (which is not before 12:00PM in summers), is the most spectacular sight on earth.

Well, then we wanted to see the Louvre Museum. It was a beauty, both from inside and from outside. The was a huge glass and metal pyramid on the outside and the main building was itself beautifully carved. There are 20,000 pieces of art in the museum, most reknowned of them being the Mona Lisa- the most popular painting in the world, an artwork by Leornardo da Vinci and several other more good looking paintings and rock carvings. We spent almost three hours in it, exclaiming that even one whole day was not enough to explore the whole museum.

Sight-seeing is incomplete without shopping and that too, in Paris, which is the headquarters of some of the biggest brands in perfumes, accessories and clothes (eg. Chanel, Vercace, L'Oreal, Louis Vitton, Dior, etc.). So my mom bought a bottle of perfume which was the cheapest among the lot and yet cost her 3000bucks from a perfumery. But she hasn't used the perfume till now.
After a long day we went back to our hotel after savouring on French ice-cream, chicken salad and tarts. They were delicious.

(Did you know?
Paris is the most pet-populated city, about 95% of the families owning at least one dog. By the way, the pets are very cute and so are their owners.)

Time and patience

2009-09-03T23:23:00.001-07:00

Blogging takes time and patience and these are what I don't have. Engineering is inversely proportional to entertainment. I haven't updated my facebook status for weeks, haven't watched the idiot box for as long as I know, haven't watched a movie for months, haven't commented on people's updates and haven't blogged for a very long time. Today I have a quiz, and the half-an-hour time for internet per person is on the verge of ending. But I promise I'll write a better blog when I have time and patience.

Solar Eclipse, July 22, 2009

2009-07-21T02:28:00.000-07:00

The solar eclipse will take place in early hours (IST 5:00 am to 8:00 am) of July 22, 2009 i.e. tomorrow in India and is unique in the aspect that it'll b a total solar eclipse after 15 years and the next total solar eclipse will be observed after 78 years (i.e. in 2087). The other countries to observe the eclipse will be Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives, China and a few Islands namely Marshall Islands, Ryukyu Islands and Kiribati. The eclipse will be totally visible in India in many big cities namely Surat, Vadodara, Bhopal, Varanasi, Patna and Dinajpur. Maximum visiblility will be in Taregana, Bihar where people are busy buying protective glasses. Among the metropolitan cities, Mumbai will experience 95% visibility and Delhi, 80%.

It will be the longest total eclipse in the 21st century, lasting for 6 minutes and 39 seconds and is part of Series 136 of the Saros Circle. The exceptional duration is due to the moon nearing perigee, with the diameter of the moon 8% larger than the sun, perigee being the point of closest approach between the moon and the earth. Hence, there is probability for mild changes in ocean tides during the eclipse due to the Moon's gravitational pull. These tides should not be mistaken as a tsunami.

100 reasons to live (not my original idea)

2009-07-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

1) Somebody, somewhere, loves you. Whether you believe it or not.
2) Sleeping in on Sundays
3) Being able to go barefoot
4) The present won't last forever
5) I'm sure someone is about to release a new cd or book or movie that you probably need to see or hear or read.
6) Pizza!
7) sunrises (for morning people)
8) sunsets (for night people)
9) snow
10) amazing and comfortable clothing
11) spring rain
12) have you actually visited all 7 wonders of the world yet?
13) fall leaves
14) hot chocolate!
15) anything chocolate!
16) amazing music
17) Saturday morning cartoons
18) instant messenger
19) staying home alone
20) parents
21) there's got to be a cause you can fight for
22) puppies
23) kittens
24) laughter
25) goofy pictures
26) good hair days
27) it's almost Christmas, or Valentine's Day, or some very special holiday, or someone's birthday
28) popcorn
29) ice cream
30) flip-flops
31) libraries
32) shapes in the clouds
33) running water
34) puzzles
35) hikes in the woods
36) facebook/orkut
37) hugs
38) warm blankets
39) sleep
40) cute earrings
41) quiet mornings
42) the stars
43) the moon
44) television
45) comfy chairs and couches
46) the smell of dryer sheets and just-washed clothes
47) coloring books
48) sports
49) rabbits
50) new shoes
51) new haircuts
52) computer games
53) comfy pj's
54) hot baths
55) clocks ticking
56) candy
57) red roses
58) the ability to see
59) the perfect pair of jeans
60) strange mutant stuffed animals
61) getting out of the house
62) all that hard work should come to something
63) soul mates
64) awkward moments
65) the mall
66) movies that make you cry
67) cute babies/pets
68) you learn something new every day
69) art
70) concerts
71) roommates
72) people of the opposite gender
73) talking
74) listening
75) God is good
76) green grass
77) moments of confusion
78) poetry
79) meat
80) random odd things in nature
81) fashion!
82) scrapbooks
83) graduation
84) siblings
85) the world needs you
86) romance
87) adventure
88) owning a vehicle
89) to make a great and incredible discovery
90) board games
91) card games
92) get-to-know-you games
93) for the joy of overcoming the challenges of life
94) all creation
95) staying in bed
96) sick days
97) oversleeping
98) the possibility of a challenge
99) lifelong friends
100) the good times

Rickshaw ride in Melacca

2009-07-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

Our half an hour rickshaw ride started from the base of the steps leading to Fort A Famosa. We rode and reached the Stadhuys Square where there is a fountain, a clock tower and several handicraft shops as found in every nook and corner of Malacca.

The rickshaw puller (a Tamil fellow with marvelous English) then took us to a street which he proudly declared "a street with three different religious buildings". True! There was a Hindu temple, a small church and a Chinese monastery on one side of the street, but I think he exaggerated a bit too much about the buildings, forced us to get down and peek into the monastery and convinced us to have a few pictures taken with the monastery as the background.

We wished to go to Jonker Street which is popular among tourists for its buzzing night market which displays attractive-looking foodstuff, handicraft goods, lighting and other decorations. We went there in the daytime, so it was comparitively empty. We bought a mask from a Chinese shop ( the Chinese community largely resides in Jonker Street). We were again forced by the rickshaw-puller to take pictures of a shop which sold bound shoes (the kind the Chinese women wore in ancient times). We did.

As we were about to conclude the ride by asking the Tamil guy to drop us near the clock tower, we got the aroma of freshly baked biscuits. My mother, overwhelmed by the smell, immediately told the rickshaw-puller to stop and rushed to the shop. Before I knew she was out, carrying a packet of pineapple cookies (which turned out to be delicious when I tasted them later) and we made our way back to Stadhuys Square.

Though it cost us 270bucks for the ride, it was worth experiencing!

Creamy Paneer

2009-07-03T21:24:00.001-07:00

Ingredients
Paneer (cottage cheese) -200 gm
Green peas (boiled) - 50 gm
Onions - 2(medium)
Cream - 4 tbsp
Milk - 300 ml
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Method
Cut the paneer into small cubes. Heat oil in a vessel. Add the finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Add the chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and boiled green peas. Cook for a while. Pour the cream and milk and mix well. Add salt, sugar, pepper and cook. At last, put in the paneer cubes and cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot with chapati or steamed rice.

Werewolf

2009-06-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

Werewolves, also known as lycanthropes are mythological or folkloric humans with the ability to shift shapes into wolves or wolf-like creatures, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon. 'Wer' simply means 'man' in old English. Thus 'werewolf' means man-wolf.

The appearance of a werewolf in its animal form as being indistinguishable from ordinary wolves save for the fact that they have no tail and that they retain human eyes and voice. After returning to their human forms, werewolves are usually believed to become weak and undergoing painful nervous depression. Werewolves are often depicted as immune to damage caused by ordinary weapons, being vulnerable only to silver objects, such as a silver-tipped cane, bullet or blade. Many believe that lycanthropy either a hereditary condition or being transmitted like an infectious disease by the bite of another werewolf.

In Italy, France and Germany, it was said that a man could turn into a werewolf if he, on a certain Wednesday or Friday, slept outside on a summer night with the full moon shining directly on his face. To drink rainwater out of the footprint of the animal in question or to drink from certain enchanted streams were also considered effectual modes of accomplishing metamorphosis. In some cultures, individuals born during a new moon and suffering from epilepsy were considered likely to be werewolves.Werewolves are fatal creatures with abnormal aggressiveness and speed and can be brutal for they often crave human flesh and dig up graves to devour corpses.

However, A notable exception to the association of Lycanthropy and the Devil, comes from a man named Thiess. Thiess testified under oath that he and other werewolves were the Hounds of God. He claimed they were warriors who went down into hell to do battle with witches and demons. So, are werewolves real? And, if they are, are they good or are they bad?

My favorite city in the whole world has turned quite the opposite!

2009-06-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

Kolkata or Calcutta (as the British named it) was the best city in the whole wide world for me (now it's Paris). Now it's the worst. The population tests your degree of irascibility, the pollution annoys you and the heat drives you crazy.

When I went there this time to see my ailing and bedridden grandmother; the temperature, the humidity, the brightness of sun transformed me into "Smoked Shreya". The traffic seemed to be not too much this time (Wonder why?), so, that was something positive. Two other good things were the shopping and the Biryani(which was too much for a small girl like me).

Next time you go there make sure to take at least:
1)A pair of shades
2)A dozen handkerchiefs
3) An umbrella
4) and barrels of water for the purpose of drinking AND bathing ( 'cause you never know about the water situation in Kolkata and bathing thrice a day is a minimal requirement)

If today was your last day - nickelback

2009-06-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

My best friend gave me the best advice
She said each day's a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you'll never live it twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life
Let nothin' stand in your way
Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?

Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
Would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce of memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
Would you find that one you're dreamin' of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you finally fall in love
If today was your last day

FooD 4 THouGHt

2009-06-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

Maybe I always seem hungry. Maybe you'll call me a glutton when you come across me. Maybe you think I'm addicted to food-related shows on television. But can't just my interest lie in food?

Everyone has their own line on interest. Some are inclined in enlightening themselves about flowers, some birds and some insects. Some are shopaholic, some workaholic, some alcoholic and, well, some "me-o-holic"(narcissist in proper English).

I simply love food, no, adore it. Well, there are things I hate which normal people like e.g. "Dheki Shaak", "Baingan ka bharta", toast and jam, Chhurpi, etc. Also, there are things that I like and other people don't e.g. Shukto, tofu, chillies, etc. But, well, who doesn't like chowmeins and biryanis and ice-creams and kebabs and tandooris and the list goes on?

The last Sunday itself I spent one hour watching a cookery show in the morning, then I watched a programme called "In high spirits" where they teach you how to prepare mocktails and cocktails and the like. Then I sat down and wrote two recipies from the newspaper for my mother. Then I browsed through three cookbooks and asked my mom to make 50 dishes despite the fact that I myself am idol 24X7, old enough to cook (and to vote though my folks don't get me a voter's id) and in dire needs of a job in case I don't get into any college. In the evening, again, I watched Planet Food in Discovery Travel & Living for an hour. They were showing Malaysian cuisine n saying "hmmm, it's delicious" after tasting every item. Trust me, Malaysian food is nowhere near "Hmmm, it's delicious." At a point of time, the hostess of the show was so nauseated by a dessert containing ice-cream and kidney beans and 21 other things; that she threw it away in the first chance she got.

Well, I can't write anymore. I have to go and watch this cookery show called "Rasm-e-rasoi"!! *high-pitched goofy laughter*

Carelessness has a limit!

2009-06-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

Am I born careless? Or is it unadulterated clumsiness?Or is it just my luck? You can't imagine the number of things I've lost, broken, forgotten about or not payed heed to in the past few months.

Let's start with the day when the most important examinations of my life began.

On the day of my 1st CBSE exam, I arrive fully prepared with five gel pens and then, someone suddenly says, "Hey, didn't you know? Gel pens aren't allowed. It's strictly necessary to write with dot pens." So, the quest for dot pens begins. Luckily, Dr. Sasmal has 10 and hands me one. So, thankfully I'm out of the soup.

A month later, I go to Hong Kong Market (the most popular "flea market" in Siliguri) and with zest and zeal, I buy a reasonably good-looking watch worth 70 bucks only and bring it home, excited. I try to wear it, the band breaks!!

A day later, our maid says after returning from the bazaar. "Ninni, cycle khoi? Chhaina ta tala!! Taalaa maatra jhoondi raheko cha! (Ninni, where's your cycle? It's not down stairs. Only the lock is dangling.)" What else? Someone's stolen it.

Few days later, I'm in Malaysia. I'm sweeping my bed with a broom, the handle comes off!
I buy my first proper pair of shades from Metrojaya. The next day, I put them on, pose and have a few pictures taken. We have a journey ahead the same day. We're travelling in the hired car at a speed of 120 kmph. The car stops after a while for we need to take a "pee-break". I get back to the car, sit on the seat not realizing that I'm sitting on my shades. There's a "crack" noise and my prized possession breaks (*sob*).

A week later we go for a holiday in the Taman Negara forests. We reach home after a tiresome weekend of tarantulas and glowing mushrooms and canopy walks. As I'm about to take off my Rs. 3000/- worth Swatch watch from Switzerland, the string holding the beads of the watch breaks. There goes my favorite watch.

5 days pass without any significant mishap from my side. We visit Penang on Friday. We stop to visit the Botanical Gardens which is a pretty pretty-looking place. We take loads of photographs and return back to the car. As I open the door, there's a "cling" sound and I think that I've broken a part of the vehicle. But it actually happens to be a knob of the camera which has come off in my attempt to open the door of the car with great force. I stick out my tongue and get shouted at.

Well, this is me. Some call me clumsy, some careless! But I guess, it's just my luck.