Friday 31 December 2010

Twenty Ten. and Eleven.

Bhai, the year is ending. Ok ok ok don't get scared, I have not transformed into a 'pan chewing red mouthed foul talking Hyderabadi Auto driver'. Yeah the ones who are never ready to go anywhere, and those who say "Madam Tum 20 rupees extra kaiku nai dethe?". True Story.

Well this post is not about the unfair practices of the autowallahs of Hyderabad. This post is a general look back at the year that was. It's been 4 years since that night on which I started writing this blog, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANGYPOISON!

The experiences I had this year were quite memorable. It's not everyday that you get to sing for your grandma, or own a football team or make amazing friends that you know will stick by you forever! I have met some pretty cool and unusual people this year, yeah, like the 80 year old Aussie Professor or the superbly talented guitarist from Purdue ( no names taken here) or the fishermen in Murudeshwar and the cook in that little hotel in Charminar who claimed to be a descendant of the Nizam!

The feeling of finally owning and learning a guitar is absolutely out of the world (Well, about the progress of my learning, ahem ahem, that's a post to look forward to in 2011). The mid-June trip to the West Coast, yep, my ancestral village was pretty enlightening and when combined with the Spanish win of the Football World Cup, pretty exhilarating! I finally figured out I am more of a beach going, coconut sipping, snorkelling person than a hill and mountain person, though I really like hillstations too. Guess it's in the genes.

I had all kinds of food this year. Pushkar food with unpronouncable names, but ofcourse that Nimsa Cake! I got to eat Sushi and Sashimi, yes the authentic ones. Chat, yes Dheeru remember that Pani Puri Competition? Yes, I ate 40 of them! The Naan and Shish Kababs outside the Court everyday, or Special Mutton Biryani from Shadab, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Just the thought of all that makes my toes curl! And there's always the never ending supply of Ammamma's home made stuff, they just get tastier year by year! Yes, I went to that fundraiser met celebs and ate all the fancy but not that tasty food. Oh yes I totally forgot KFFC!

I've been to my share of concerts and plays this year, both classical and not. My favorite classical was Nookala Satyanarayana Murthy's concert in the Thyagaraja Festival in May. That concert just shows why I totally look upto that man, and felt truly honored when he was at my December gig (Yes, Bharat, I finally said it, gig), though he was there coz of Ammamma (lol, but still). His comments about my singing are amongst my most valued. Been to a coupla rock concerts, not really famous bands,unless you call Junkyard Groove a famous band, ok they are I think, they were alright, have seen better shows!  The One by our college band set the stage on fire! 'Twist and Shout'!

The concerts I saw back home in Hyderabad, the IIIT Rockfest were awesome. I  The music scene in Hyderabad right now is really quite amazing compared to what it was a few years ago, and this is all good news. I saw some pretty good bands in Octave also. Octave was an experience by itself! The food and the music. Also thanks to Hard Rock, we do see some decent music almost everyday of the week.

Well apart from this there were a few parties, a few tears and a lotsa times when my world seemed content when I just sat down with a coupla friends in the mess, doing, well nothing and eating Lays and drinking Coca-Cola! So this just was the year gone by... here's to hoping 2011 would be even half as good:

                         "HAPPY NEW YEAR, GUYS!"






Tuesday 14 December 2010

Writer's Block. I think. and I miss College.

As a girl born in the year 1990, the world around me then and the world around me now seem like two different universes. MacDonalds, Baskin Robbins, and Subway became household names thanks to the millions of USA returned professionals settling in India, pink slips there and BAM! they landed here, with families and all. Thank heavens for that. Looks like Bollywood has finally learnt the fine art of innuendoing ( if that's a word). Saif Ali Khan in Karan Johar's TV show is a good example ( Well, the statement in question can be called the epitome of all Indian innuendos, old and new). On screen kissing whether 'live' or in a movie seems to be going down quite well these days ( remember the furore raised after Richard Gere kissed Shilpa Shetty!) well now people kiss all the time (eg. Refer to Koffee with Karan's episode with Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan). Bollywood stars dress better, eat healthier, and SPEAK much better English, well I am talking strictly about the grammer and not the content. 

So, the only thing that seems to be constant is change itself. When I got down from Mandore Express in Delhi before the start of this semester break I felt a strange heaviness in my heart. It was something I'd never felt before. I slowly realised I am sad, I am sad that yes I will miss my friends from college, those silly people without whom NLU would have been unbearable. Who were there by me through thick and thin, and I know will still be there for me forever, I just know. 

I reached Hyderabad, and a few days later when I logged onto Facebook I realised I wasn't the only one who felt that way, the whole classes's status messages seemed to be echoing the same thing, yes, we were all missing college. I can't wait to get back to college this time, though I sincerely doubt if I'd be feeling the same way on the day I am actually supposed to be leaving, the things lined up for this semester are mouth watering! Yes, It is that time of the year when all NLUites head down to the football field, when I frequently frequent Geoffreys, and make a few extra memos and presentations, yes! It is LEX LA LIGA time! The team this year looks strong, and I know we are in with a good chance this year.

Whether its interning under a judge, making friends with lawyers in court, early morning singing lessons, eating kebabs in unknown places in the Old City, or going to a Conference and bringing home old professors home for dinner, these holidays till now have been quite entertaining. I have explored the Old City to my heart's content and here's a big thank you to my guide, and fellow foodie Edward. Cheers! The Old City can be called the heart of Hyderabad where the 'Chalta hain' attitude is at it's best and there's always the smell of Dum Biryani or Shish Kabab wafting through the air. The people here have a heart of gold, yes Anwar Bhai the Naan wala outside the CAT gives us an extra naan for free if we have curry left, bless him!

So, here's Happy Holidays to everyone and Enjoy the Season! 

Cya someother time when I do something drastic like this to try and overcome the WRITER's BLOCK!

(This post is dedicated to Sandeep Chaitanya, thanks man!)