Mumbai Weekends : Keep Walking

Reminiscing the year 2013, I can't stop thinking about the way the year marked the beginning of a completely new phase - a new job with a totally unexpected job profile, all the great people I met and goes without saying, the city that has been the pivot of all my fascination, introspection and reverie - Mumbai.

Like all other Delhiites, even I had my own reasons to dislike a hell lot of things about Mumbai..But then, the year 2013 gave me many unforgettable moments, cognizance of my own desires. And amidst the plethora of emotions, amidst the changes and phases, I started liking this city for a really weird reason..They say that Mumbai never sleeps, I say that Mumbai never stops..
The people of Mumbai always happen to inspire me. I was amazed at the way the hopelessly heavy rains never seemed to stop them. I love the cosmopolitan culture and the zeal that Mumbaikars have for each and every festival. I like the way they travel in local trains, standing at the gate and enjoying the wind.

This city taught me to be fearless, to set myself free when I needed it the most. I met the best of the people in my life when I was at my worst. Its beaches gave me tranquility whenever I was anxious. I felt surrounded by a cobweb of uncertainties, but as they say, "you may be lost in ways more than one, but I've a feeling that sometimes it is better than knowing exactly where you are."

 The crux is that nothing should stop you. Life is like a long sexy road..And to keep driving on it, keep enjoying the beauty, with open windows and soothing music, must be its only purpose. You stop, you worry about the traffic, you feel afraid of accidents, you keep thinking about the road gone or the road ahead and you're gone, you're screwed.

When you feel afraid of your own desires, when the only way out seems to be forbearance and detachment, you never really understand how destiny has its own secret plans to introduce you to someone who would take you to who you really are and make you fall in love with yourself, in spite of your imperfections all over again, in such a manner that your past, your apprehensions and fears would become totally insignificant. Never regret anything at all that ever made you happy, for one day, you would be able to connect all dots and smile. The key is to keep hoping, even when everything is uncertain..keep thanking those who are with you, keep smiling even when nothing seems to be right ..keep forgiving, for your own peace..keep loving, for love gives you strength to have faith beyond all insecurities and apprehensions..keep walking, with no restrictions and no regrets!

Mumbai has been a new chapter for me, a new life with so many life lessons, and a change.. a change that taught me something, Keep Walking !!

Cheers!!

Sonia

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A Tale of Three Cities

On 18th August 2012, from Hazrat Nizammudin Station, along with some college buddies, I had started a new journey, away from the city I love to call my birthplace and hometown.. 

Three hundred and sixty five days gone..And I still remember everything like it happened yesterday..I still remember how my parents were anxious and worried, I still remember the endless packing, I still remember our gossip sessions, smiles and tears throughout the train ride.. I remember every damn emotion associated with the commencement of this new phase.

Now when I think of writing a flashback post, trust me, its really hard for me to decide where to begin from.. One year, two completely different jobs in two different cities, independent life away from home, new people, life lessons, what not..

I used to feel that every time one retrospects, the pattern remains the same, the flashback is all about changes, about people coming into and going out of your life, experiences and turning points,smiles and tears..But this is for the first time that I realized how much your life changes just because you shift a few hundred kilometers, as and when you come to a new city! And both fortunately and unfortunately, I have seen such changes twice in the last 12 months..I dedicate this post to the three cities I have lived in - Delhi, Pune and Mumbai..

Dear Pune, I simply love you! 

I don't know how to put this into words, but there is a feel good factor about this city that words can't describe..I may be biased for whenever I was in Pune, I was happy, I was calm, I was free.. 

Coming from a city like Delhi, I tasted freedom and safety for the first time in Maharashtra, I fell in love with the weather, I admired the simplicity, I respected the people there..

Right from learning Marathi to doing household chores, right from fun with office colleagues to movies with my roomie, everything was fun.. I saw happiness in the smallest of things! 

I still remember how I used to call the flat where I stayed "my second home"..

The best thing about this place is that it gives you a balance, where life is not 'fast', where you neither run nor escape, where you simply live!!

Yes, I always missed Delhi, but I feel like thanking this city for memories I will always cherish, for four months of sheer peace and happiness and a sense of real freedom! 

Dear Mumbai, the love-hate relationship continues....

Mumbai fascinates me, intrigues me, amazes me everyday..

It has been 8 months in Mumbai now, but the weird feeling that I share a love-hate relationship with this city, does not seem to fade away at all..

I still find it hard to believe that I can roam around freely at 12 AM and nobody gives a damn, I am enjoying every bit of the night life of the city that never sleeps and I simply love that!
But its ironical how the so called glamorous city with tall buildings and beaches totally sucks as far as infrastructure is concerned..Stinking roads, filthy slums, crowded areas everywhere and travelling becomes a real pain..I swear I hate that more than anything else!
Cliched though it may sound, but life here is actually fast! You don't really get the time to understand, think or realize why you don't have time..This city inculcates in you a weird tendency to be emotional yet indifferent..You start dreaming big, but you learn how to detach yourself from attachments rather quickly, you learn how to keep walking, keep moving ahead, yet, there is something that makes your life melancholic, tired and restless..

But then, you visit Marine Drive, you feel the sea breeze, you observe the sea waves and you smile continuously! Your restless mind discovers peace, your impatient heart feels calm and relaxed.. You are blessed with an amalgamation of tranquility and exhilaration and I love that feeling beyond words!

I saw the worst of myself in Mumbai, it was un-Sonia-ish-ness at its peak in my words..But then, Mumbai gave me people who always loved me, who chose to stand by me even when I was at my worst..

I still happen to be a part of the crowd living in this city and I am continuously exploring it..Mumbai has been challenging so far, but it makes me feel proud all the same!
Back to back blogs dedicated to Mumbai, coming soon!

Dear Delhi, all I have to say is that..

It does not matter where I go or what I do, it does not matter how many years pass by, I hate it when people associate me to any caste/religion/language/community, but I call myself a Delhite, I belong to Delhi... Speaking directly Dil Se, my heart belongs to places inside Delhi, and that's the reason why I call it "Dilli Meri Jaan"

Somewhere close to the Kashmere Gate Campus where I had spent four unforgettable years of my college life, somewhere close to its classrooms and walls where I used to laugh out loud and gossip..

Somewhere close to the Metro Stations and somewhere inside the Metro trains..

Somewhere close to the roads of Rajiv Chowk where I used to hang out with friends..

Somewhere close to the tranquility of Bangla Sahib..

Somewhere close to the delicious Gol Gappe, Tikki and Chhole Bhatoore you won't find in any other city in India..

And of course, somewhere close to the place I call my home, with my mom and dad..

Yes, my heart belongs to you !! 

Next Blog soon!

Wishing myself a happy 'Life in Maharashtra' anniversary!

Cheers!!!

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Mumbai Weekends : Marine Drive!!

Wake Up Sid, one of my favorite movies, ends with a beautiful song, boondon ke motiyon mein ghul ke ehsaas aaya, waqt se nikal ke lamha dil ke paas aaya..I have lost the count of the number of times I have watched that scene on youtube, but whenever I think of writing a blog about Mumbai, I tend to recall these lines from Konkana Sen's article, 'New Girl in the City', "jo bhi likhti, lagta ki kuchh kam hai, iss sheher ke bare mei aisa kya keh sakti thi jo pehle nahi kaha gaya" ..for now I can relate to these lines completely.. Right from its beaches to its people, right from its tall buildings to slums, right from its glamour to its lifestyle, there is so much about this city that evokes and arouses the observer, the philosopher, the day dreamer and above all the writer in you, that I simply could not put an end to it in just one article..And, hereby, after a hopelessly long phase without blogs, I am back with a series : Mumbai Weekends!!

Everyone here talks of a so-called fast life, where people fail to find time for themselves, time for their family, time to interact with their neighbors, but even with this fast life, you might not realize but you would always have time to think of your problems..So when you are fed up of your job or your boss, when you are heartbroken after a breakup, when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, or simply need a break from your monotonous life, there is just one place that offers you incredible peace..and that is the subject of the very first blog of the series- Marine Drive.

You will find hundreds of articles describing the place, but you won't find any wiki-google-ish article here, I know nothing about its location or its history, for me, Marine Drive is all about desire, tranquility, ecstasy, love, happiness, freedom, inspiration, fantasies, romance and much more !!

You may stride along the beautiful walkway, you may simply sit and keep on looking at the waves, the rocks, the tall buildings, the enthralling scenic beauty of the palm trees, the heavenly breeze and the amazing view of the horizon which seems totally mesmerizing when the sun sets!
At night, the street lights on the C-shaped road look like a string of pearls and diamonds, popularly known as the 'Queen's necklace'

When you sit on the wall and look at the sea waves hitting the rocks, when you are walking along the promenade and the breeze caresses your hair, even when you are surrounded by so many people, you feel lost for you forget everything else and you tend to enjoy being free, emancipated from all inhibitions and apprehensions, all cobwebs of negative thoughts that preoccupy your mind, which are replaced by the feeling of letting yourself go, getting high !!
Your romantic side turns on when you come to this place, perhaps it is the most suitable place for going out for a date, or for simply sitting and talking to someone, or for day dreaming and fantasizing !!

You will always find a lot of couples there, couples with their public displays of affection, groups of friends clicking pictures, old couples sitting and talking, kids jumping around and people like me, sitting and smiling, enjoying the breeze, the freedom, the feeling that can't be put in words..

One may say that I take it as a medium to escape, but sometimes its better to take a break, when the past and the future becomes unimportant.. Perhaps everyone deserves someone like Marine Drive, someone who can make you feel free, someone who can make you forget everything for a while, someone who won't walk away, would always be there, would always stay, for you...
Such places and such people, aren't about escapism, they are about spending time with yourself, being happy and looking forward to life, for it happens to be beautiful, as beautiful as Marine Drive is!
Whenever I tend to forget this, I just walk around this place, and it get the same feeling again.. life is as beautiful as this place!

Cheers !!

Mumbai weekends always have something interesting to offer, next blog from the series from a hard core Delhite trying to explore the city that never sleeps, coming soon!

Sonia

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From 'Hello Dilli' to 'Kasakai Pune'

After a long long break, it feels really great to be back to blogging.. The past 50 odd days of my life were all about a new phase, a phase of life away from home, away from internet and blogs, exploring new places, new people, new languages..I can go on writing about it all, describing a plethora of emotions, but this blog particularly talks of the city where my second home is, the city that brought a new phase, a drastic change into my life, Pune, Pune (Pimpri Chinchwad) to be precise!

You know you are living in Pune when:

• Every other area of the city has a hopelessly weird name.. Chinchwad, Pimpri, Nigdi, Chikhli, Talwade, Kondhwa, Wakad etc to name a few.. Trust me when I say this, some of them actually sound like swear words.. “Bhosri” tops the list.. Imagine speaking this out, “Bhosri mein jane ka hai”.. For one moment, you would actually feel that you are abusing someone!
• Wherever you go, you’ll find manufacturing firms, plants, IT sector companies, ABC companies, XYZ companies.. In short, this place is a hub for all engineers and MBAs.. You will find young people all around and this is what makes this city so lively!
• On every fucking road, after every 100 odd meters, you will find a hoarding/board that says, 1BHK, 2BHK flats for rent..You will find the same advertisement during commercial breaks of all radio shows..
• The most lovable thing about this city is the incredible weather..Your day would start with the sun shining bright, you’ll find clouds and clouds in the afternoon and you’ll be blessed with “halki halki barish and tez hawa” in the evening..You might keep on walking and you would not get tired at all..You would feel like going out for a long drive, singing out loud, you would discover how weather can affect your mood.. Now that the rainy season is over, I really miss those early September days.. nevertheless, even the October heat is better than the extreme temperatures at Delhi..
• Even outlets like McDonalds and Dominos have their signboards in Hindi/Marathi..You'll find funny Marathi signboards on roads that say, "vaahan hallu chala, kaam chalu aahe" (Go slow. Work in progress) but the irony is that only chaat walas and pani puri walas have their list of items written in English, with abbreviations on top of that..Yes, every pani puri wala's long list of snacks has an abbreviated term called S.P.D.P. included in it, which stands for Sev Puri Dahi Puri..
• Almost half the girls of the city walk with their hair, their face totally covered with a Dupatta..I took a week to understand the logic behind this.. Unfortunately, air pollution is a major problem in the city, and apparently, the most noticeable consequence of the same is hair fall.. Girls are forced to adopt the daakoo style.. Sigh! 
• Even if you are a hard core Delhite, even if you do not know how to speak in Marathi, you develop a tendency to talk in the Marathi-ish tone..Phrases like 'barabar hai', 'aane ka hai', 'jaane ka hai' become a part and parcel of your vocabulary..
•  If you take a direct auto from one place to another, you’ll have to spend 200 bucks, while if you change 3 shared autos for the same distance, it will cost only 15 odd rupees..The same shared autos would never agree to take you to the place directly even if you offer them more than 100 rupees..
• When you come to Pune from a place like Delhi, all of a sudden, you taste freedom that you could never even imagine.. No matter what you wear, no matter at what time you go out, you would always feel safe, nobody would even stare or look at you, leave alone eve teasing.. For this very reason, I not only love this city, I actually respect its people.. Sometimes, I feel like settling into this city forever..Jai Maharashtra!!

Pune has been an awesome place so far and no matter how much I like Pune as a city, whenever I have to travel in shared autos and six seaters, I miss Delhi Metro badly.. I miss metro stations, I miss Cannaught Place, Kashmere Gate, I miss the way I used to read novels, observe people in metro trains.. 

When I say, "My name is Sonia and I am from Delhi", people can never attach any religion, any language, any caste or community to my identity, and this happens to be the best part of being a Delhite! I miss that feeling when people attach religions/communities/languages to different places..

Whenever I have to eat tasteless food at office, I badly miss Delhi’s unbeatable awesome food and above all I miss mom ke hath ka khana.. I miss Delhi’s style..I miss my college, I miss my home! 

Dilli Meri jaan, I will be back soon! 

This is a new chapter, a new life for me..

#StartANewLife

Guys do check out this link here..

Every city is special, and the house where we live in is even more special.. I am in love with my new house in Pune..It is my second home..On that note, do check out this video from housing.com

Cheers!!

Next blog soon! 

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अनजाने सफ़र का नया मोड़

जानी पहचानी सी है फिर भी अनजानी सी,
रोज़ाना लिखती है इक नयी कहानी सी..
कहने को हमारी है ये ज़िन्दगी,
मगर इसपे हमारा इख्तियार कहाँ..
कहते हैं एक सफ़र  है ज़िन्दगी,
किसे मालूम इसका नया मोड़  है कहाँ ..

चलता है यूँ कारवाँ  ज़िन्दगी का,
मुसाफिर ही न जाने कि मंज़िल है कहाँ..
कहीं बंद किवाड़े, कहीं रास्ते मिलते हैं,
बहता है यूँ बहर ज़िन्दगी का,
कश्ती ही न जाने कि साहिल है कहाँ..
कभी तूफ़ान आते हैं, कभी किनारे मिलते हैं..

न मालूम है आने वाले पल का वाक़िया,
न जाने इस नए सफ़र में होना है क्या..
बे एतबारी है, मगर ख़ुशी की  है इक उम्मीद सी,
जोश है, जूनून है, तो थोड़ी उदासी भी है ख़ुशामदीद सी..

फ़लसफ़ा ज़िन्दगी का यूँ तय किया हमने,
कि बे ऐतबारी में भी सुकून की उम्मीद करते हैं हम,
कि अनजाने सफ़र में भी मंज़िल को टटोलते हैं हम..
जहाँ चाहे ले जाये ज़िन्दगी का सफ़र,
चलते चलते उसके हर रास्ते को माशीयत समझ,
इस सफ़र का हर नया मोड़ तस्लीम करते हैं हम..

I had written this poem while I was waiting for some answers, trying to deal with uncertainty, for its funny how the unknown, the uncertain is often the reason behind so many human emotions- Curiosity, anxiety, excitement, worry, fear, insecurity and in most of the cases a combination of all these !
Now that I'm posting this poem, ..I feel that while a new journey is about to begin, you should go with the flow, let your heart guide you, let your faith support you, let the fear of uncertainty turn into excitement and zeal..
Uncertainty (be aetbaari ) in life does exist even now, but so does the patience to wait and the hope, the belief that whatever will happen, would be for the better !!

Cheers! 

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मुस्कुरा के जी ले तू..

न  मंज़िल  की  तलाश  कर,

न  मोड़  का  खौफ  रख,

दिल  तो  तेरा  आवारा  है

आवारा  ही  रहेगा..

बेपरवाह  बेफिक्र  मुसाफिर,

रस्ते  गलियों  पे  चल  दे  तू..

सफ़र  में  जो  न  बन  सके  हमसफ़र  तेरे,

उनकी  यादों  के  साथ,

सफ़र  अपना  मुक़म्मल  कर  ले  तू..

कि  आखिर  जिंदगानी  है  इक  कारवाँ

मुसाफिर  आते  हैं , मुसाफिर  जाते  हैं..

जो  न  रहे  जुज़्व-ए-ज़िन्दगी,

उनकी  ग़म-ए-जुदाई  में  तन्हाई  क्या..

मदहोशी  में  खुद  को  भुला  कर,

इक  बार  नशे  में  बह  जा  तू,

मिल  के  बिछड़ना  तो  है  दुनिया  का  दस्तूर,

हर  रूह  है  बेचैन , हर  शख्स  है  मजबूर,

एक  बार  कर  ले  जो  तू,

मजबूरियों  को  मंज़ूर,

एक  राहत  तेरे  दर  पे  दस्तक  देगी  तो  ज़रूर..

अहबाब  न  रहे  जो  तेरे  हयात  में,

तू  खुद  ही  खुद  का  हबीब  है,

महफ़िल  में  ख़ुशी  न  मिली,

तो  खल्वत  का  सुकून  ही  सही,

खुशियाँ  तेरी  मुख़्तसर  ही  सही,

मुस्कुरा  के  जी  ले  तू..

हर  खता  को  बक्श  दे,

बाशुक्रिया  हर  इनायत  को  कुबूल  कर,

पूरी  कायनात  तेरे  सदके  में  सर  झुकाएगी,

एक  बार  ये  ज़हमत  कर  ले  तू..

हर  शिकवे  को  भुला  कर,

मुस्कुरा  के  जी  ले  तू..

खुदा की  रहमत  होगी  तुझपे  जो,

इक  बार  इबादत  कर  ले  तू..

[This is just a random poem.. I had written it while travelling once.. I just re-read it today, and somehow, it made me smile.. sharing it with a hope that it would make all readers smile too !

I love Urdu !! ]

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ZENDAGI MIGZARA (Life Goes On) - Part 2

[As I say, the best words by Khaled Hosseini after 'For you, a thousand times over' are 'Zendagi Migzara' (Life Goes On)..
The last time when I had written a blog with the same title, it was meant for people who think way too much about the future, with fear in their minds and hearts..This post, talks about different situations, that are faced by many, but it comes up with the same message, the most beautiful thing about life is, that, it moves on..]

Well, read the following lines, and think of those situations when you feel that these are absolutely true..

'Life is a bitch..for the moment you realize you've learnt how to live, it changes completely, for whenever you experience real happiness, it snatches all the reasons behind your happiness'

We feel so whenever we fail to achieve something that we wanted badly, we feel so whenever we lose someone close to us..We feel so whenever we face a tragedy in life.. As I say, nothing at all is predictable.. life is always unexpected.. A single episode can be a turning point for you, it can change your life completely..No matter what, you cannot alter what destiny has in store for you..

As they say, experience is a hard teacher for it gives the test first and the lesson later.. One feels devastated and frustrated in such situations..One forgets optimism, one forgets conscience.. Patience and acceptance are the only two things you can think of as the feasible solutions..Well, as most of us know,the one n only thing that can heal, that always heals is time.. We ought to give time time..

Now, the fact that life always goes on no matter what, does not mean that life gives you second chances..Life is a wicked bitch again..We are only given today and never promised tomorrow.. Every little thing that makes you smile is precious in its own way, every moment that makes you feel special is special in itself.. Every person who does something to make you happy, who feels worried when you are sad, deserves that love n your care from you the same way..If you wish to express your feelings to someone, do it today itself, for tomorrow, you might not get a chance to be with that loving person, to enjoy those special moments n those precious smiles..

Yes, life is long for it goes on n on n on.. for it comes up with endless experiences, countless people, uncountable tears and uncountable smiles...but then, at the same time, life is very short, because when you look back, all you can recall is those 'turning points'.. Life can be considered as a summation of all those episodes, all those changes.. Think of it once, if you're not accepting those changes, you're not accepting your life, you're merely escaping..

When one thinks of his past after a long time, these changes do not matter.. for he had been strong enough to face the tragedies, for he had cried and even his tears had dried on their

own.. for he had learnt how to live, and with the passage of time, he had moved on, just the way life always moves on.. Ultimately, its only happiness that one can think of n recall.. Happiness is recursive, one finds happiness in happy memories..over and over again..

Well, I just wrote this blog to dedicate a message to all those people, who think of running away and escaping from life, who spoil their present for what their past had been, who curse life for the sad phases..

' Life is a mixed bag.. Steal all those moments that make you happy.. Make sure you find people who truly love you, and never let them go away.. No matter how badly it tests your patience, no matter how wicked it may become at times, life does move on.. It might not give you another chances.. but it gives you new reasons to be happy, new people to meet, new experiences to enjoy'

I started this blog with the sentence, 'Life is a bitch'... I feel like putting an end to it by saying.. no matter how hard, no matter how wicked it may seem.. Accept it the way it is, make the most of it today, live it, love it, enjoy it, celebrate it and face it !!

I am in love with Prasoon Joshi's lines, "hai ye toh ik jashan, tu thirakne de kadam.. abhi saanson me hai dum, abhi chalne de sitam" .. for I do know that destiny has a role to play in all walks of life..but these lines make me feel, I can face all challenges, I can conquer all fears.. and the mere feeling makes me wanna say, "Life is... actually... beautiful"

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ZENDAGI MIGZARA (Life Goes On)

The best lines by Khaled Hosseini after 'For you, a thousand times over'... Zendagi Migzara.. so true!!

Its funny how everyday we follow almost the same routine,we think about similar stuff, we use words like 'monotony' n 'boredom' to describe our daily lives, we want some adventure, some fun n above all, some changes.. yet when we look back after a few years, everything is different..Sometimes I feel that life is actually a series of transformations..every other phase in your life comes up with something new, with a transformation in you, in your circumstances.. People come n go, things change, we move on through both good n bad phases n life goes on..With this, I should start with this blog..

Part-1

Two years back, just two years back............

She used to be a Daddy's good girl after passing out from school... Now she feels she is ready to face the whole world, having realized its impossible to survive being a naive, innocent person...

She used to wonder why people talk so much about terms like personal life, unofficial breakups, love hate relationships n all, because they never made any sense to her.. Now she can actually write both fiction n non-fiction blogs about the same, she is bored of advising n number of people and as a matter of fact, some of them actually call her 'Love Guru'...

It took her two days to understand the route from her home to college.. Now, she often hangs out with her friends and has explored places in both Delhi and Noida her parents haven't even heard about..

She was completely tomboyish, used to think that kaajal and maskara are synonymous words, and never had a clue about words like danglers,crimping,tic-tacs,and used to wonder why girls spend money on weird accessories.. She still hates to be girlie, but she has started thinking a bit about her looks,she likes to experiment with her hairstyle once in a while ,she loves it when people around her say she looks good..

She was an ideal student at school, sincere and hardworking... Now, she initiates mass bunks, studies for minors just a week before, thinks of new ideas for farrebaazi..

.......... And she is the writer of this blog, a girl who was, is and will always be crazy.. Right now, while writing this random blog, she knows that every person of her age must be able to relate to this..She is thinking of the way how she is just the same and yet, so very diferent..the way she faced weird situations that she could have never even imagined two years back.. the way she has learnt to accept, to forgive and to move on.. and the way she realized that life goes on... and above all the way she realized the beauty of the lines " Shayad bhagwan shagwan naam ka item waqai me hai jo ultimately sab kuch set kar deta hai.. " ( This line actually summarizes all her experiences)

Part-2

The next two years.....

Being a third year engineering student, I always see confused faces around me.. Almost every other person talks only and only about future plans, entrances, career options, jobs, placements and everything related to his future..

Sick and bored of hearing the lines " Kahaan phas gaye yaar.. pata nahi kya hoga hamara..."

It was just a month back when even I was kinda worried ,and a close friend said..." Look, you haven't lost your decision making ability..Dont think so much about your career or your future..Dont worry.. Just explore all options...Some day, something great will strike to you, once you take a decision, start working, be focussed and trust me, you'll rock !"

We all have this tendency to think a lot about future..we become addicted to it in a way, we keep on thinking about it all the time.. We day dream, we over think, we over analyse and ultimately the result of useless analysis and useless thinking is- more confusion, more anxiety, more worries, more tension.......

At the end, no matter what, in spite of all the hardships, in spite of all the terrible tough phases, life will move on, as the Afghans say, zendagi migzara..
Part 3
The Present
Ultimately..Koi na jaane apna future kya hoga...then why the hell do we need to think of it.... All I know is that, two years later, my life would be different, with new people, new faces, new places.. As of now, I am already into a new phase, really excited and enthusiastic, ready to work upon things and devote time to myself.....thats it
I am listening to my heart, I feel that,wherever I'll go, whatever I'll do, I'll give it my best shot..
P.S. This is a random blog, written without any planning, in simple words.... This is just an attempt to express what I feel.... and finally its dedicated to all those people who dont enjoy their lives being worried about the future... Live in your present.. Love yourself.. Love people around you.. Love your life!!!

Sonia

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Nostalgia Relived - MY FOURTH SEMESTER

A semester- a five months long period of time that comes up with ups n downs,some unforgettable experiences,some beautiful memories, some new friends n above all a lot of life lessons!! Describing fourth sem in one word is not at all difficult-It was simply 'Weird'....The best way to retrospect n share is to write...so here goes my blog post on the fourth sem...the weirdest semester so far!!

Phase I DISCOVERED MY WEIRD SIDE: Well at times you actually know what is wrong n what is right,you know what you are supposed to do, but you are not able to do so.. You become upset for no reason, you start giving a great deal of importance to certain things that happen to be completely insignificant..The same happened to me during the Phase 1..Well,there were

three people who were there as great friends all the time..My cousin Nina, who knows me better than anyone else in the whole world, my classmate and friend Neha Aggarwal, who is the sweetest girl I have ever met in life.. n then my friend Shashank,well,I can actually write a comedy blog describing typical hilarious,crazy n stupid things bout him n I could write an article on how understanding,sweet n sensible he is..In short, he is as good as I am..Well, these three people have been my ultimate friends, guides and saviours not only in the phase 1 but throughout the semester..More than anything else, I am sure they must be fed up of my 'Thanks a lot' messages..

Phase II HAPPY DAYS WERE BACK:Hmmm, 4th sem had just started, things were pretty boring..I couldnt enjoy the subjects..We had C++ programming in 3 subjects God knows why,an utterly useless subject called NA and a boring CSE subject called LAN n Networking.. So I was kinda missing the core mech feeling...Auditions for Anugoonj 2010,our annual cultfest,were pathetically hopeless..Anyways we got this news that IGIT had won a cash prize of rs 1 lakh at BAJA 2010..It was a great achievement, congratulations to the BAJA team members...N then we got this great news that Euphoria would be coming for Anugoonj...4th Feb was one of the most awesome days of the entire semester.. I still remember the way Palash Sen was jumping n singing simultaneously with an incredible energy..For the first time,Kashmere Gate campus looked so beautiful that it was almost unbelievable... Above all, I enjoyed a lot wit my friends..It was just awesome.. Then we celebrated Radhika's birthday after 2 days.. We had attended hardly any classes during Phase II, thanks to the pathetic Anugoonj auditions, the fact that most of the lectures were not worth attending n a new trend called D*****n or H******i started by one n only Priyanka Bhadani (well, only IGIT MAE 08 students would get that!!)

PHASE III MINOR 1, FINALLY BACK TO STUDIES :Hmmm, the one n only thing that always happens is that when a semester starts,you promise yourself that I would definitely study this time, but you always end up wasting time..I guess I really dont need to repeat that I had not studied anything at all till 6th Feb, n we had the minors.. It was a week of sleepless nights..

PHASE IV XEBEC 2010: Well..this is worth writing a series of blogs!!Before coming to college,I used to think that organising n coordinating events is easy enough,its your participation that counts..It was in the fourth sem that I realised I was so wrong..Organising a fest..well it is actually difficult to describe how difficult it is!! I had to work along with the fachchas for publicity..There were some 'perfect nerds' among the first years who actually had 100% attendance even in an even semester which is more like 'Semester of Fests' in all engineering colleges..While talking to them, I actually discovered my own rude side, I had to like scold them all everytime, I had to be harsh..Finally, I have just one message for all those girls.. "Get a life, you losers "...but then, there were these people among the first years who helped me out alot..Kaveri,DJ,Rashi,Mohini,Shankey,Akanksha..I used to love the way Kaveri n Mohini used to send messages "Sonia Di, Ye kaam ho gaya hai, koi aur kaam ho to bata dena"... Right now, I am actually missing the way Disha Di used to tell us bout her 4th sem,the way Garima Di used to handle all those fachchas n she used to scold people around (I used to enjoy observing her)..n the way Tanvee Di had that sweet smile on all the time..Yes, I still remember every damn thing related to Xebec..our first poster,NIS,those events,the cycle rally..the fun..the one n only thing that I myself cant recall is the number of free message coupons,night talk coupons and Recharge Coupons I had purchased during Phase III

Something that I like the most about tech fests is that you get to interact with your juniors n seniors simultaneously, you feel proud to be an MAE student, you feel great when almost everyone in the campus knows you well.. you have a few fights n arguments (quite a lot of them actually),but at the end of the day, you all feel happy when your fest is a success,n you yourself get to learn alot!!! Now talking bout the actual action for the three days..

THE DAY 1 : I had to coordinate an event, it was designing on pro e, the event was pretty good, but I couldnt take part in some other events :( .. Everything went on smoothly..the green talks were good, the seminars were good again..but I was fed up of the Xebec vs Impulse thing, n then the USCT idiots started interfering in our announcements..It was shocking to see the way they behaved..Xebec actually taught me that there are certain people who will always be going for

politics, unfair means, anything at all while targetting for being better than the others... If you really want to succede,aim for self improvement!

THE DAY 2: It was way way better than day 1.. I was there at the campus at 8 o clock.. the dumbest thing on my part was that I wore 2" heels on the day when we were supposed to do so much of work..I took part in many events..Each and every event was really amazing, day 2 came up with a hell lot of fun..Nothing else can be more interesting than cryptography..code breaking

rocks..but I felt like killing USCT guys,I was late for crypto just because of a GD that was cancelled later on.. both Sanshlation n the USIT fest( m really not able to recall the name) were very poorly organised,Xebec n Impulse were much better..(IGIT rocks!)

The tech events were great on DAY 2,Robotics...simply awesome..n then we finally had the Treasure Hunt, I wasnt officially a part of the team,but I really wanted to be a part of the fun...those clues,those riddles,those puzzles n the ultimate tasks n challenges...I felt as if we were all Roadies..for the first n last time in life,I ran carrying a 2" heel,had blisters n cuts on my feet,Neha was injured...I enjoyed the way Richa fought with the USIT guys,Priyanka encouraged all of us,n not to forget Tanya's ultimate energy n enthusiasm..I learnt that you tend to enjoy things better when you take part just for fun and not for a certi or a cash prize..

THE DAY 3: NIS was conducted really well..Another great event..Day 3 had real technical events, I enjoyed a lot! I really wanted to take part in an event called 'Green Junkyard', but all my friends were busy, I finally took part with two guys called Manu and Sugeet, they were perfect strangers to me..but we did a great job as a team n won the first prize..Manu

actually made a perfect conveyer belt out of complete chunk within just 10 minutes..I enjoyed every bit of it.. the way Sugeet suggested n number of names for our team, the way the coordinators were fed up of them.. those high fives..the way everyone thought I knew these people well although I had met them just half an hour back..n then I realized that Sugeet is as crazy as I am, crazier than me for that matter..A guy who is fond of writing, extremely intelligent, much more talkative than me with an amazing style of talking, an agnostic, a foodie..I was like shocked to notice so many similarities with a person..Junkyard was the most enjoyable part of the fest for me..One more thing, would love to be the Non-Tech head for Xebec 2011..

PHASE V: GOD! THAT WEEK: Right after Xebec was over,we had the practicals..Well practicals at this university dont really impart any practical knowledge to you, they are just for the sake of scoring marks n flaunting your cheating skills..We were fed up of completing those files n assignments and on top of that our college authorities had decided to take up internal

viva twice for no reason..On top of that, my classmates used to think that I am better than everyone else during vivas..I know that most of my classmates are more intelligent than me, its just that I love vivas..Most of them keep thinking about the marks they'll score,n I simply enjoy Vivas..

It was during this week that our third sem result was out,most of us had a pretty good result..I was more than just happy, finally hard work paid off.. We hugged each other,some people were actually jumping..It was perhaps the best day of the whole semester..

N then, this week came up with the BAJA 2011 debate, cycle... no no car.. official BAJA interviews.. no its Srijna's team.. no no its something else altogether.. It was something that spoiled the atmosphere of our class badly... I have just one opinion... " I dont have a right to say decide was right n who was wrong,I dont care about what others think n say but I truly respect Srijna's efforts,her fighting spirit,her determination, for I could have never done whatever she is doing.."

PHASE VI: BACK TO MY CRAZINESS : This was the best phase...Almost everyone had realised that classes were worthless in this sem,the topper of our class, Isha, had started initiating mass bunks. I used to be a permanent first bencher in 3rd sem,but I was actually a last bencher as well as late comer throughout this sem.. I used to either sleep or read novels in the MM class..Something that I still cant believe is that I did a few girlie things too..he he..n then,I clicked pics of the campus animals,I love those cute puppies n monkeys..I learned to cook..I did a lot of things that I avoid doing otherwise..Well,everyone knows that I really love this Kash Gate Campus,in spite of the fact that the infrastructure sucks.. I love this place because of the people here..Yes, it feels great when you get along well with everyone around, I enjoy the way my juniors like Kaveri,Prerna,Nikita,Anshika, Mohini,Shankey talk to me n ask for advices.. I wouldnt have got addicted to bunking classes n roaming around the campus without that Chahal-Pahal..I wouldnt have enjoyed dancing in the GCR,having junk food at Handa without my friends..the way the USIT n USCT guys fight with you, the way you get to learn a lot when you go for GDs along with the MBA n Law guys..You get a chance to interact with people from every kinda field..Two years are over, n I still dont feel that I am studying in a girls college..Everyone wants USS n IGIT to be together, m really very happy USS people are not going to Dwarka in the next sem :-)

PHASE VII: EXAMS,GUILT,SOME TOUGH TIMES,GUILT N EXAMS AGAIN: Throughout this semester, I behaved like an immature and irresponsible person, I gave importance to some insignificant things, I ignored some great people and bothered a lot about those who used to take me for granted.. The second minors were over.. n I was occupied with the feeling of guilt( nothing can be worse than it).. I felt guilty for not being a sincere student, for not being a good daughter, for not living up to my own expectations, for taking certain things lightly and casually.. Thanks to Radhika, for the way she always inspires me to study hard.. She is not only a sincere student but also a sincere human being..

It was when the final practicals were about to start I took a tough decision, a difficult step but absolutely correct on my part..I left some things behind n moved on..I was back to myself n I knew that I would have to work really hard to cover up for everything...

Then we had those external practicals..As always, I loved the vivas.. Would love to quote Surbhi's words.. 'Bhatia, tune kabhi socha hai agar bluetooth jaisi technology na hoti to hum practicals me pass kaise hote yar'...

The week before the majors..Being in IP University, you get used to that routine of exams daily..but I had to prepare for that hatable subject called ES along with the rest of the subjects..Things were not that easy..Neha was suffering from typhoid, yet she was confident enough, her attitude motivated me a lot.. Finally the majors started.. Just like everything else, the exams were weird too.. out of syllabus, patterns changed, what not.. but I found all that funny (I myself dont know why..)

A FEW THINGS THAT I LEARNT AND REALIZED

• The most lovable friends are those who love you the way you are and are always there for you..There are some people who take you for granted no matter how much you care for them, all those so called friends who dont respect you, are simply not worth you..
• Your good friends might be those who admire you, but your best friends are the ones who say, "Tu pagal hai, tera kuch nahi ho sakta junglee", thanks to Lattu, for the way she used to scold me for taking my tomboyish nature as an excuse for being lazy.. Thanks to Prerna, for the lovely lecture when I felt guilty for no reason.. and to Rads to give me constant reminders to study properly..
• I was tired of hearing, "Sonia, you must be a writer, you could be a great RJ, not able to understand why you chose engineering as a profession"... Well, here goes the story.. I had this craze for astrophysics and maths when I was at school, I always wanted to be an engineer..At the same time,I love writing,I love expressing myself, but then I am just a beginner and I write just for fun.. I love my branch, MAE rocks, its just that I am fed up of the system here..I started thinking that the fact that I am interested in way too many things simultaneously, the way my mind is equally inclined towards both technical and non technical things.. is not good for me, but I was wrong, I was underestimating myself,now I am confident that whatever I go for in future, I'll be good at it, n come what may, I wont ever stop writing blogs, singing and talking like an RJ, n doing all such crazy things..
• People of my age give a hell lot of importance to their crushes and so called relationships, well of course you cant control your feelings for the person you like,there is nothing wrong in loving a person truly and doing anything at all just to see him/her smile.. But often, we forget the golden rule, 'No one,absolutely no one, is above your happiness'..You cant force someone to care for you just because you care for him,but yes, you can always expect the person to respect you..Accept it and move on, move on without any expectations, without any regrets..How can you regret anything that ever made you smile..Leave that phase behind and cherish those beautiful moments..
• Truth is stranger than fiction..You face certain weird and tough phases, when you have to accept things the way they are..Life might have something else in store for you and it will offer it to you in its own unpredictable ways..Sometimes, its better not to try,it actually becomes important to let certain things go, to leave them behind..
• Human mind has that tendency to over think, introspect and day dream way too much, but its a fact the best of the things come to you when you least expect them, my next blog "Unexpected Expectations"... Coming soon.

P.S.

1. A note on Facebook, Award Ceremony 2010, coming soon..
2. ONLY FOR MY CLASSMTES.. totally illegal,irrelevant and inappropriate for outsiders... Well,I am planning to gift a FOOTBALL to Litsi, an APPLE i-pod to Neha, a FAIRYtale book to Sakshi, a Line FOLLOWER robot to Apoorvi, a STRIPES shirt to Richa and Radhika..and then, I admit, I enjoyed every bit of D****** and H******* in this sem..

This blog is dedicated to the two most lovable people in the whole world, My Parents.. a promise to myself, one day I will definitely make them feel proud..

Next Blog Soon

Sonia Bhatia

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