Nursery Times

My grandparents who lived with my Uncle used to make occassional visits to our home and stay with us for a few days. Just like all grand children I was also very happy with their stay with us. Grandpa used to collect me after school and we used to walk down to home, which otherwise was by school bus. We used to talk many things on the way back and make our walk interesting. One topic that comes on almost everyday was about my KG best friend, Priya, especially because her home was on our way. Another thing that caught my constant attention during the walk was a beautiful tree just opposite to the road of my school. This indeed was a very big tree with a lot of beautiful white flowers with yellow centers and these flowers could be seen all over the ground too. The fragrance spread by these flowers was just awesome that I still can feel it.

These are just some of the vague memories I have when I think about my Nursery times. What if I try to draw a parallel with the current situation??

My Grandpaa has become too old that he can't walk for long distances without somebody's help. My friend, Priya ... I don't even know where she is now. I wonder if she has ever thought about me after we parted. And for that beautiful tree, I hope atleast that remains spreading the same fragrance, shade and imparting joy to all the beholders.

But the sad thing is that it seems people are cutting down a lot of trees in my city nowadays. I don't understand why people have so much aversion for trees which does only good to mankind. It is such a sharp contrast that when here in desert land people are planting more and more trees, there where there is plenty of trees they are cutting it down and making the land barren. I really hope that this beautiful tree with its beautiful flowers and frangrance have not become a victim to man's vanity!!

Here and there

Another day is here to welcome a fresh Year ; Vishu 2010

Traditional styles of welcoming her with Vishukani,Vishukaineetam,Vishusadya etc can be followed wherever you are. But that's not enough to make one happy, I feel. Gone are the days when all your relatives get together and have a happy time together. Back in homeland, they still get together and celebrate. And me, away from all the celebrations .... How I yearn to get back to the ways it used to be ....

Sitting in the office in front of my PC on this auspicious day, I dont feel like working. I am taken back to my home where I can see all my relatives together ... they are having small talks teasing each other and having a good laugh. In between they do talk about me and say that I should have also been there to enjoy this moment ... Yes, physically I may be in a different land, far away, but in spirits, I'm there where I yearn to be at this moment ... I do see and feel everything ... Yes, I do :)

My long lost friend

I feel so happy today.My childhood friend in my 4th and 5th whom I had to part with 16 years ago have come searching for me again.What more do someone like me need to get excited like this??I had been searching for her through orkut and facebook for a long time, but in vain...I never had the idea if she remembers me or anything but still I was searching for her.And much to my delight, yesterday I saw a friend request from my long lost friend with a message asking if I remember her or not :) .... I could do nothing else but thank God for being so kind to me...Its really so touching to know that dear God is so concerned about each and every thing of a person like me ... Thankyou, thank you for everything :)

Your's faithfully .....

A FoGgY DaY

Early morning wake up
Finish the morning chores
Have a bath and be fresh
Drive for an hour in the cool,foggy morning
Reach office....then feel sleepy....
Feel like cuddling up within a blanket
And have a sound sleep 'zzzz'.....

Far Away From Homeland....

30+ years of life spent in a desert land
Away from loved ones, own country, everything
Now planning to go back and settle in homeland.

What will the thoughts be while going back?
Will things remain the same when they go back -
I wonder!!

This is definitely not your place ...
Whatever you get here are only momentary
It will not last forever

What you miss while you are away is missed forever
Go back....Realize your dreams!!
Life is short; it will not wait for you ....

Chukku Kaapi aka Kerala's herbal coffee

"There is nothing that you cannot get in Dubai" ; one hears this statement a number of times from the Malayalis living here. We, Keralites have got a number a things things which we can claim as only ours - like Vishukani, banana leaves, tulsi .... One another such thing is the 'Chukku kaapi' or Kerala's herbal/medicinal coffee prepared by mixing together chukku (dry ginger), pepper, cumins, tulsi, jaggery and coffee powder.

The other day,due to the changing weather conditions prior to the onset of summer, I got a bad cold and throat infection. I was advised by some of my friends here to have chukku kaapi being the best home remedy.I started searching for chukku in the nearby shops , but in vain .... it was not available anywhere. Finally after much searching I got into a less crowded shop without much expectation. When asked for the much awaited 'chukku' the guy said he din't have it but had ready mix 'chukku kaapi' powder. Wow...now that was a surprise to me. Without the menace of gathering all the ingrediants and mixing them to make the coffee, here there was a ready mix capsule like thing which could be boiled in a cup of water for just 2 minutes to get a cure for the illness!!

That night, I had a cup of this wonder coffee and much to my surprise, the irritating throat infection and cold which usually doesn't leave me for a week or so got cured the next day itself. I really had to thank this wonderful ready mix herbal coffee and not to forget, once again I'm tempted to say " There is nothing (atleast Malayali stuff) that you can't get in Dubai".....-

PickwicK & JokeS...

Pickwick, Jokes!! Remember these names?? It brings me reminiscences of childhood days. These were cream wafers which used to come in different flavours. Everyday after work, my father used to buy these for me and my brother. He used to make it a point that we don't get bored with a single flavour. So each day we had a chance to experience a different flavour - vanilla,strawberry,banana,chocolate.....

Time passed by and I don't remember at which point of life did he stop buying us the wafers. Maybe our interest had then shifted to something else. Pickwick wafers got completely forgotten.

Recently, my mom and me got into a supermarket to buy some stuff as a part of our next day family tour. While searching for some items, a name suddenly struck my eyes .... "PICKWICK". In a split of a second, I went back to my childhood days and an unknown joy filled my mind. The child in me couldn't resist any long and wasting no time I put a packet of it into the bag along with the other items.

The next day when I took it out for snacks, it was a big surprise for my brother too. He too had forgotten it all these times. Thanks to Pickwick, we spent some time speaking about our old times and on the whole it added some more sweetness to our tour...