Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Old Pals...

My good old Pals -Friends from Ramnee and from LSR.
Old because it feels like i have known them forever.Rescently i got in touch with a friend from Ramnee-Vinny and i met her after 12 years. We spoke about everything that was there 12 years back in our lives-school,teachers,friends and who is where right now.

Today i got in touch with another old pal from LSR-spoke to her after 8 years.Again we spoke about everything that was there then in our lives-Hostel,food,college and who is where right now.

Its an amazing feeling to be able to get back with your old pals-feels like i have travelled back in time...as if we were reliving those glorious yeras of our lives.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Rajiv...a man of few words.


My best friend...my strength and love of my life.

A doting father and mentor to Devanhsi

Sincere,Down to Earth,Charmer and Modest...
In one word- Perfect!









Thursday, December 14, 2006











Life is all sunny!
Fun things in Life-Trying out different Sunglasses @Kohls! with Devanshi

Tuesday, December 12, 2006


My Soulmate
Today we enter 5th year of our marriage and i have to say these have been the best four years of our lives.


Monday, September 18, 2006

Asha for Education-Bringing hope through education
I spend this saturday afternoon attending the general body meeting of Asha-New-York chapter.Asha is a group of volunteers who raise money here in the city of New -York by organising various events and then fund education projects in India.
I must admit i was amazed by this dynamic group-Most of them are in their 20's-young professionals working with Lehman Bros,Meryll Lynch,some doing their MS in noted universities ,some are software professionals and some are architects.
This enthusiastic group had met on a saturday afternoon to discuss an education project seeking funding for a school in the slums of Delhi.
I was truly impressed-This young crowd who works off like mad on weekdays could have easily chosen to hang around Manhattan on a beautiful afternoon and Party.
Yet- here they were -thinking about -Children who pick up muck and dirt in the streets of Delhi and thinking what fast track education could do to transform their lives.
These young Indians i would say are true citizens of India(so what if most of them have green cards and speak with a heavy accent).
They fondly remember their country and truly believe and live by the motto -Be the change you want to see!

Thursday, September 14, 2006


















The two blue lights represent the twin towers.This is the spot where they stood -TALL.
I saw this beautiful yet a very sad view from my living room window on sep 11th 2006.




Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Growing up in Nainital

I grew up in Nainital and it was loads of fun.My school was St Marys Convent and all my elder cousins were studying there too.Ranu was four years senior,Sita was three years senior and Manu was Two years ahead.
I guess i connected better with Manu because she was just 2 years older and i always felt i could share all my secrets because she would never judge me...So one can say she was my best pal during those growing years in school.
All the cousins would look forward to the Dusshera vacations because all of us would get to stay together in Amar Niwas. We would go on and on till dawn talking about all kind of things- Fashion,Clothes,Haristyles and most importantly Boys!
None of us had boyfriends but offcourse each one had a crush or a guy who was interested.So it was enough to add spice to our lives:))
Evenings were spend loitering around in the Mall Road mostly eating and checking out guys!

As time went by each one passed out of school to college and then got married!I have not had a chnace to meet anyone of them in the past four years.None of them know what my daughter looks like and i remember thier kids only as toddlers. All of them are in school now.

As i look back i can truly say those were the most fun filled and exciting years of my life!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006


Devanshi with her Gang!
(Pradyun,Jivitesh,Krish,Ashray and Devanhsi)

Monday, September 04, 2006


Love is...

A month back i was tested for skin cancer because of a rash on my skin. The results were to be out in a weeks time.

This was the longest week of my life but not a lonely one! Rajiv was there with me every second during this week telling me-" Nothing will go wrong..have faith...even if its positive i am there ...u dont worry."

I was amazed ...he was so cool and calm! comforting me all through this difficult wait time.
The results were out and it was good news-just a rash because of heat!

But i have to admit, it was like falling in love all over again with this cool dude who has so much of faith even in difficult times. H e is cool ,composed and so collected!
I know with him by my side nothing can ever go wrong!

Thursday, August 31, 2006


Manhattan (New-York) view from my living room window.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Brain Drain!

Brain drain was an issue i had heard and dealt with mostly during debates and discussions. Currently i am seeing it happen here in front of my very own eyes!Most of the young Indians i know here in the US just dont wish to go back to India.

They admit-

- learning wise India offers better oppurtunities hence a brighter tomorrow
-Indian companies are offering very competetive salaries
-American culture and way of life is not for them
-American education system is going to make their kids dull
-American food is what they dislike
-The value of dollar is going to depriciate in the near future
-India has it all -fun ,good life and good money
-India is where their heart and soul is

But still most of them are trying all desperate things to keep their visas valid and seeking jobs in companies who can process green cards for them.
Now this is what i call draining away ones life for chasing the American Dream which is just a dream!

Tuesday, July 11, 2006


St.Josephs College, Nainital
Someone has said-This school was on top of a hill so that God could see everything that went on. It looked like a cross between a prison and a church and it was.Well this church like school and a prison like at times has given Rajiv some very great memories which he cherishes and keeps very close to his heart.
Rajiv spent nine formative years (class 2 -10 ) of his life in this school.This school has left a great impact on his personality.Impressions of little things taught in SJC are clearly visible on his day to day activities .
-Each time he sits down to write some notes he looks for a particular kind of a pen tip and writes in a very neat handwriting underlining headings etc.He then goes on about a particular teacher in SJC who was very particular about handwriting.
-He puts his socks together in the shoes in a very peculiar way....again taught in SJC.
-He never eats too much of watermelon though he loves the fruit.Why?Some guy in SJC threw up after eating too much of that :)
-Each time we sit down to watch a particular game-Cricket,Soccer and Hockey he never fails to mention the sports teacher of SJC.
There are tons of stories about friends ,teachers,dorm,sports and girls:) offcourse from Ramnee!which i have been enjoying .
I am glad there are still many untold ones about SJC which Devanshi will be told soon .

Bageshwar our home town in Uttaranchal


Monday, July 10, 2006



Time flies!

It feels like yesterday i gave birth to Devanshi...but yesterday is now 22 months ago!
Its amazing how time flies and how these tiny angels grow up so quickly.

A month back i used to put her to sleep but now she is the one who says-Mamma sleep!
A few days back i was the decision maker but now she is the one who decides what she wants to eat,what she wants to wear and when she wants to go for a walk!
Till a month back i used to tow her in her stroller but now she tows her doll stroller with Pooh sitting on it.

Each passing day she shows a sign of development , utters a new word .It makes me happy offcourse but i do realise time is flying and i have fewer moments left to enjoy my little ones childhood!
I know time really flies !

Monday, July 03, 2006


Charlotte -North Carolina

Its time to say good bye to Appt 1446 South End Square in Charlotte which has been home to us for a year now. It has been a wonderful stay here in Charlotte and i will carry some very fond memories with me forever . Yes its difficult to say good bye...not only to the people but also the apartment or the space where one has spend some good and bad times.This space naturally has become a part of my day to day life and thus a part of me!

I guess home is where one feels safe ,secure,joyful and positive....it really doesnt matter even if its some other country and i have felt very much at home here in appt 1446 Charlotte-North Carolina.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006


Joy Ride!

Its been a joy to sit beside Rajiv and watch him drive.

A new ME!


Six years back i passed out of Tata Institute of Social Sciences.I remember the day i graduated....it felt like i could counquer the world,save the environment and solve some if not all social problems.

Six years later i am a mother of a 21 months old baby and i find my self struggling each day with a new Parenting issue-Where to draw a boundry line and say a -No...what kind of environment should Devanshi be exposed to...what eating habits do i want to inculcate in her..etc..etc.

Yes ..its a new ME!!

currently i do not think much about saving environment,urban issues,poverty and education...i have issues to tackle at home.I have realised i have an important role to play-to bring up a balanced ,happy child who will be functional and successful !
I guess if each one is able to do their share by raising kids who turn out to be confident,sensitive and good human beings half the problems in the society are going to be resolved!



Monday, May 22, 2006

Meaning of Devanshi.


A lot of people have asked me-What does Devanshi mean?
Why have u given your little one this long and never heard name?

There are two reasons for choosing this beautiful name

1. We gave her a name starting from the letter D as it is her horoscope letter.

Dev means-God
Anshi means- a part of

So if we combine the two it is Devanshi or Dev ka ansh -Part of God or Divine.

2. We also chose Devanshi as Rajivs horoscope name is Dev.So it would mean- a Part of Rajiv.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

A Place to call Home

In the past 14 months in the US we have had an address change several times.Hotel Maroitt has been home for us in Chicago ,for sometime in New York and in Charlotte as well.
River Drive apartment on 31st floor was home in New York for three months.
The address changed to Gateway Village in Charlotte and currently Camden South End appt 1446 is home for us .
To be frank moving around so much doesnt bother me a bit.
I have realised home is where heart is and my heart is with my loved ones- Rajiv and Devanshi .With both of them by my side i am gladly willing to call every new address our home sweet home.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006


This little Girl of Mine


A tiny turned up nose.
Two cheeks just like a rose.
She's something Heaven has sent.
This little girl of mine.

No one will ever know,Just what her coming has been.
She’s all the world to me.
She climbs upon my knee.
She’s something Heaven has sent,
This little girl of mine.

Monday, May 01, 2006

My Passion for Bags/Purses/Baggets/Johlas....and it continues

Red,Muroon,White,Black,Green,Brown,Grey,Pink,Parrot green...leather,cane,thread,mirror work...
u name it and i own it!
Owning bags started as a passion for fashion but has become more of an obsession with me.Or truly speaking it has been so since the time i was a little girl.My mom tells me as a kid also i hoarded purses!

Its surprising but my little one too loves bags ....she already owns three bags and plays with them for hours !
I am thrilled ...i can finally pass my prized possessions my bags to her.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

I am thankful for.....

Exactly a year ago, on 27th April 2005 we set out from India to the Unites States of America!
We were leaving behind a place called home to venture into an unknown land with a 7 month old baby.
But after a year if i look back it will be fair enough to say -Its been like home.This has been made possible by number of forces and i am thankful for them....

-Thanks to the booming software business, not a day goes by without seeing a new Indian face in the city!
-Big cheers for the High speed internet connection-i Catch on first film reviews ,latest in Bollywood,Politics,Cricket minute by minute as they unfold .
-Thanks to the gujju community who are running a good grocery business here-never miss Haldirams,Khakras or chats here!Its all readily available.
-Thanks to the geeks who upload all the latest hindi films,shows like coffee with Karan,Indian Idol episodes online-catch them all.
-Reliance India Call...the connection is fast,clear and cheap...talk to folks back home 3 times in a week.


I guess there are many more things i need to be thankful for which have made our stay in this faraway land feel just like home!
But in the end i would stress on the fact-It feels like Home but definately not home!

Friday, April 21, 2006

Centre For Science and Environment-New Delhi

It was a dream come true when my summer Internship was finalised with CSE.
I spend a month as an Intern and my interest in environmental issues soon became a passion just like other CSEites who breath,eat ,dream and think only environment!
I was among the few lucky ones who got to work with this organisation for nearly three and a half years.
These were years full of adventure,new learning,discovery,passion,hard work and offcourse fun.

CSE and CSEites continue to be a green part of my life and i am greatful for that!

Monday, April 17, 2006


Our Manna from Heaven

A wee bit of heaven drifted from above
A handful of hapiness ,a heart full of joy
The mystery of life so sacred and so sweet
The giver of joy so deep and complete
Precious and Pricelss and so lovable too
The worlds sweetest miracle

Devanhsi...Its you!

Friday, April 14, 2006


My Father-in-law -G.L Shah

A hard worker,self made man,food lover and a loving dad/grand dad are some of the words that describe my father-in law.
I knew him for just three years of my life ....yet everyday i discover something new about him through the stories i hear from Rajiv.I wish i had the time to now him better.

He quietly left us all on 19th September 2005.
He has left behind a vaccum especially in Devanshis life for she will never know what its like to be pampered by Dadaji.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006


December 12th 2002 Hotel Paviliion Mallital Nainital

After exchanging approximately

700 e-mails

400 Phone calls

100 Yahoo chat sessions

and millions of thoughts we tied the knot on this day!





















New born baby to a Little girl!


Within these months pictures show a baby girl and how she grows into a little girl who changes each day..

Devanshi is the most wonderful blessing to have come our way!

Monday, April 10, 2006


Dora the Explorer !


Dora happens to be Devanhis favourite cartoon character.She watches her every morning on TV..has a Dora Backpack,A Dora Doll....T-shirts with Dora on them ,Dora sipper and possibly everthing with Dora on them that is available in the market.
I do feel guilty for spoling her....the minute she sees anything with Dora.. she wants it and i am unable to refuse .The most difficult part of Parenting-Saying a -No.

After all whoever said- Parenting is no childs play ..wasnt kidding at all!!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Came across this interesting Blog

http://neebkaroribaba.blogspot.com/

Thursday, April 06, 2006




Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!!

I Lived up to this song....my little one seems to be living up to this too in her own special ways!

Who ever said -History repeats itself was so damn right!

Monday, April 03, 2006


What Makes a Dad


God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad


~~Author Unknown

Sunday, April 02, 2006


Shri Venkateshwara Temple in Atlanta(Georgia).The Temple is nice and the canteen offers very good food-Tamarind rice,Curd Rice,Upma,Idlis etc and Boodi Ladoos(yum..same type which we have for our Kumaoni weddings).
City of Charlotte

Bank of America Tower-Rajivs Office in Charlotte

Wednesday, March 29, 2006


New Age Mantra!

The new age mantra -A family that surfs together stays together!!
Devanshi with her Barbie Laptop.It sure keeps her occupied throughout the day!

Monday, March 27, 2006


Devanshi will turn 18 months old on 29th March!
My Pride-Uttaranchal

People often ask me-"Which state are you from"?
My answer offcourse with a twinkle in my eyes and a broad grin is -Uttaranchal!and then i go on...My part of the country is amazing....nothing compares....wonderful schools,amazing holiday spots...forward looking society etc..etc.I agree at times i go overboard!
Rajiv ofthen complains -"Each time u talk about Uttaranchal u say -"my part of the country" a million times....as if rest of the country is muck and filth and u are from a paradise "!
Yes ,i have lived in different parts of the country and nothing compares to Uttaranchal,our people,our weddings,oue festivals,our food,our schools and our temples!I can go on and on...
I am a very proud Uttaranchali and am ready to sound like a real snob when i describe to people my identity-Uttaranchal!

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Two Circles

I have a very small friends circle which already has no room for more members and a bigger social circle which seems to be expanding.These two circles are a part of my life yet are miles apart .

For me, my circle of friends consist of people who were in school and college with me.People i grew up with ,went to school with ,shared my lunch box or ate up theirs, bunked classes in college with them ,killed time in college cafeteria with them,people who shouted "Yes Maam "for me when my name was called out (proxy attendence)while i was away sleeping in my hostel room ,people who taught me to hitch free rides and people who taught me to party hard.These are the people i cherish each day! i have not met many of them since years... Yet the bond is still strong !

My ever increasing social circle consists of people i have met just by chance and not so much by choice -mostly people working with my husband and their families.Its a formal relationship which is about lunches and parties,formal get togethers and usual weekend getaways!

I miss my circle of freinds and cherish the times i spend with threm !
Hope to meet them very soon!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Education -The real Mantra for India


India is the fastest growing economy,competing with the world powers etc etc ...yeah i am impressed but not very proud yet.
Each time i read reports of women being battered ,abused,burned,killed ...it outrages me.Which India do i relate to?
The one which is represented by fast growing hubs like Bangalore where women have been equal partners in building the economy .
Or is real India in small towns of UP and Bihar where women are treated like muck.
I think India can become the great nation it aspires to only if women throughout are treated with respect and equality.
This equality can stem only through eduacting masses across the nation.Yes,education is the real mantra for a brand new India which we all can be proud of!!

Monday, March 20, 2006


Office going Moms

After 18 months of not being one, i am sure- "office going moms" are words which cant exist together for me.

Having worked for nearly 4 years i took a break after my daughter Devanshi was born and i am glad i did. Its been wonderful 18 months and i look forward to many more kodak moments!

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Value Education Class

In St Mary's Convent Nainital, each day the first class was on value education or moral science. The classes dealt with values like punctuality,honesty etcfdref. Frankly while in school , i never realised the worth of that class.I was'nt sure if i was gaining anything valuable .

But after so many years when i look back i feel every minute spend in that class was worth it.

The other day we were to meet up some friends to go to a surprise party and some of the friends turned up an hour late leaving me with nothing but surprise!
I just couldnt digest the fact that people can be so casual about appointments!an hour late is just fine and the best part u can go on without an apology as if nothing wrong happened!

Events like these make me feel proud of the fact that lessons learned in moral science class have stayed with me till now.Sister Christina in the moral science classes always said-"Respect time-yours and others.Never keep anyone waiting!It shows lack of interest and respect to others".

And till today this is the way i feel- disrespected ,when people fail to keep up with the time of their appointments.I am very proud of the fact that i practice till date what i learned in my moral science classes.
Disrespect for time-mine and others is what i have never exhibited!

Friday, March 17, 2006

Reality Check.

I am glad i came to the US...this one year has been an eye opener,many lessons relearned and many myths bursted.

Myth 1-Those in US make a lot of money!

Yeah ..it sounds like a lot of money when u go around converting .But here in the states u make in dollars and spend in dollars..not in rupees.So dont even compare to what we make in India.

Myth 2-US is all glitter and glam.No poverty,dirt and muck

Yeah i too was dazzled by the glitter and glam of New-York and Chicago(first two cities of US i stayed in) I thought... god its such a happy and a happening place.
Once i was over this, i looked outside Manhattan and Michigan Avenue.God some areas were worse than Dharavi and Ghatkopar slums.There are many homeless and without food,jobs and medicare.

Myth 3-All Indians once in the US shun their roots to embrace the new culture,food and lifestyle

A friend from South India had a stone grinder mixer(easliy 10 kgs) for making idli and dosa ..most of the families cook only Inidan food and once in a while have a Pizza(the only american food they are familiar with.Atlanta is a popular place ...not bacause of CNN headquarters but because of Balaji Temple where u can do mundan ceremony for your kid!

The list of myths about life here in the US is endless but i am glad with each passing day living here, i discover a new truth.

It has been an interesting and enlightening journey!

Monday, March 06, 2006

LSR-Delhi University

Came across this interesting piece written by an ex-lsrite.


Officially : LSR [Lady Shri Ram College for Women]
Unofficially : LSR [Low Survival Rate College] b’coz of the attendance chakkar.
Campus : Located right in the heart of south Dilli’s bustling Lajpat Nagar, the campus covers 15 acres which includes our pride ‘n’ joy - the immaculately kept green lawns.
Building : A 3-floor red brick affair filled with 2000 bubbly gals.
Hostel : On-campus, the residence hall accommodates about 300 students and one phone, yep one measly phone for 300 of us. It’s a tuff life.

Most often heard conversation in the hostel:Q. Whose call? A Not yours!!!


How to spot a hosteler - Perpetually sleepy and perpetually demanding their day scholar friends’ tiffins. Other indications - unkempt hair and ghaati bathroom slippers/gliders. OK...OK...not all that bad! Actually the LSR hostel is a pretty good place to be if u exclude the long list of rules one is supposed to mind (Um, weren’t rules meant to be broken???)

Crowd: A multi-cultural, multi- lingual lot. we havethem all- from the desis to the not-so-desis, from thepheku phoren accented ones to the genuinely nice, from the hep ones to the btm’s (behenji turned mod, silly!!!), from the trendsetters to the bores (yawn!)

Faculty: A regular dedicated lot (no, we aren’t complaining)

Highlight: The LSR cafe (the hostelers swear by it).
The cafe even offers happy-hours : Rs 2/- off on everything [wow]. This is the hub of all activity- eating, arguments, chit-chat sessions - u name it. Always remember to go with change, that is unless you don’t mind getting hardboiled sweets in lieu of chhutta paisa.

Fav fads: Sporting dupattas over tees, funky ear/nose accessories, mehndi tattoos and anklets.

Best time of the year: Oct-Dec (time of all the fests) inc Tarang (the annual college fest), NSO sports fest, guest-nite (or hostelers only). Fests are the time for more pronounced accents and for sporting LSR sweatshirts and tees.

Worst part bout LSR: Attendance blacklists, assignments, queues outside the office that moves at a snail’s pace and the lack of men.Warning: Don’t go near the classrooms, the staff room or the library- you’re bound to get lost!!!

LSR Speak: “Big Deal”, “Don’t bug me”, ”Pheku”Motto: Live life QUEEN size

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Bells of St Mary's ring out far and wide.....

My daughter Devanshi is soon going to be 18 months and catching on words fast.Its now that i sing out nursery ryhmes and songs to her as she enjoys them.
Suddenly i find myself singing songs like-Row -row ur boat,one little duck went far away .
I am suprised myself as these songs and nursery rhymes were taught to me in St Marys Convent my school in Nainital nearly 18 years ago but its all coming back to me unconciuosly now!!Yes,i do remember the words...with a few hitches here and there.

I am glad as lessons taught years ago in St Mary's were meant to stay with me forever and i hope to pass them down to my daughter.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

The Great Indian Divide!


I have never felt like an outsider among Americans in US...but among Indians from South India i sure have felt like an alien.
As the software business is booming in southern India more and more and many more South Indians have been flocking to the US. All of them be it Andhra,Tamil Nadu,Karnataka ,Kerala ...bond instantly.And we folks from North India are outcasts.

Why?
Because we dont speak Telgu,Tamil,Malyalam. and speak hindi..which by the way is our National language and they look down upon it?...dosa,idli is not our staple diet and we are more open to trying out western food? Or is it that we patronise Bollywood more than Lollywood?

If both south and north are part of the same India then why is this divide so clearly visible in this alien land?

Wednesday, February 22, 2006


Its time to head home.....

This is the Naina Devi Mandir in Nainital....the temple i visited every week during my school days.......it didnt look like this the last time i visited Nainital three years ago.....

I think its time to head home!

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Bye-Bye Swadesh...welcome Pardes!


Here in US over most of the social gatherings the question of the day is -So how long are u going to be here?Plans of settling down?
And the most common answer is -No ,man who wants to live here?Will go back soon.
Then why is it that inspite of so many people giving this answer , stay back here in the US forever?
Is it the money?
Is it the status symbol?
Or is it that life in India they feel is not good enough?

What is it that makes one say bye bye to Swadesh and welcome Pardes with such open arms?
I am still looking for answers....and hope i will have them when i bid bye bye to Pardes and head to my Swadesh!!


Thursday, February 16, 2006

Little India

I have never felt so Patriotic in my life as i have felt over the past one year in the US. Not a day goes by without browsing through NDTV,Samachar,DeccanHerald sites!Any news about India on CNN is a point of intense discussion over lunch with Rajiv.
Yes i think its patriotic ! being so far away we do think of India everyday!follow every event closely!!Over social gatherings we discuss how Rani Mukherjee is a bettertmatch for Junior B as compared to Ash!and offcourse the theme of every second party is Traditional!
Most of the new born Indian kids have very traditional Indian names like-Krish(Lord Krishna),Mahati(name of a Raaga) etc.I have seen Indians in New York flocking to Indian grocery stores right before festivals to get a Coconut,Paan,raw turmeric.


I am glad there is a little India in the hearts of Indians living here in US in many little ways!

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Present Perfect.....

Over the years i have come to realise there is nothing called a Present Perfect!
Its human nature to crave for more and more...more happiness,more job satisfaction,more money,more material things!! We never seem to get enough of anything!!

Knowing this eternal truth why are we struggling?

Monday, February 06, 2006


My favourute cartoon-Love is....

Thursday, February 02, 2006

A worthy Pursuit....

Robin Sharma in his book-"The monk who sold his ferrari "says -Find out what you truly love to do and then direct all your energy towards doing it.If you study the happiest,healthiest and most satisfied people of our world,you will see each and every of them has found their passion in life....
Very facinating thought but on a very practical note you do need jobs that can pay you in order to fullfill your bigger goals...i have worked with the voluntary and non-profit sector...its rewarding definately .. but to be able to pursue my real and bigger dream (of starting a SHG)i do need money!Who can give this kind of money?...offcourse a MNC?
So it is worthwhile to work with a corporate and earn some bucks!!and then move on to your bigger goals!!

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Tata Institute of Social Sciences-Mumbai


I still remember the day i walked in the campus very casually with my dad for an enterance exam and a group discussion.I was'nt very keen to do my PG from TISS as i was confident of getting through an International Relations course in JNU. But since i had filled out the from ...i thought of giving it a shot....and why miss a chance of looking around Mumbai!

I immedialtely knew i didnt belong there...Students(offcourse dressed in Khadi or Fab India kurta and floaters...carrying around jholas..) were sitting around in groups discussing some serious stuff...NBA,Child Labour, Demolition drive in Mumbai..etc..etc.They were so passionately involved..On the other hand i was dressed in a levis,UCB T!!i felt very out of place... i had to join my group for a mock practise of GD. People were desperate to crack the GD as it ensures your chance to make it to the final round of interview.

I happened to meet Vandy a senior from LSR who was studying at TISS. I very casually asked her if she was liking it here?She said"Feel s lucky to be here.This place has changed my whole personality..I have found a whole new meaning to life"!

God !!what was she saying?Is this the offical language people at TISS are supposed to speak...I knew of Vandy as a party animal in college..every weekend a new discotheque...going out with a new guy every month!I felt even more confused!

Anyways i did well in the GD round and reached the final round of interview and further was able to get admission in the Urban and Rural Community Development course .When i thought of dropping my seat at TISS people told me i was crazy..so under a lot of pressure from my parents and friends i decided to join in on the condition "if i dont like it there...i will come back!dont say anything to to me then"

So against my wishes and totally confused i took admission in TISS.I was happy to discover that i wasnt the only one in this state ...so many more were just like me.During the first month there were no classes but visits to different Ngo's trying to make us familiar with varied issues like-AIDS,Commercial sex,Child Labour,Community intervention and many more.

I felt even more burdenedand depressed.....god so many problems is our society...

But it did get me thinking...slowly i started looki ng forward to these visits.I was no longer sleeping through their presentations and had questions..many of them! i started participating in late night and evening discussions in the dining hall !!I too was now a part of a group who spend evenings seeking answers to serious issues. I was no longer a Levis and A UCB girl...i too started wearing clothes which did not make me stand out during a community or a hospital visit!and offcourse my johla where i carried my note book (I wrote down every observation ) and a modest lunch packed in TISS DH.

One evening my Dad called saying i had cracked the exam at JNU and if i wanted to go back to Delhi i could!

But it was too late ...i knew i belong here!



Monday, January 30, 2006

And Just like that.....


It was a cold and foggy evening of December 2001(last week i ..dont remember the date).I sat in Centre for Science and Environment sipping 6th or maybe 7th cup of canteen chai trying hard to file a environment story on Volunteerism.

Unable to concenterate i decided to surf the net-I opened google and started to search for all the websites related to uttaranchal (my favourite passtime).
As usual came across a lot of beautiful pics and lots of websites related to Uttaranchal.

A site-www.uttaranchal.ws (this one was meant to change my life...)
appealed to me instantly- it had a page called webfriends. I was excited hoping to find some of my school friends or people i had lost touch with..

Very excited i clicked on a page and the first posting that caught my eye was from Rajiv Shah ( Had never heard of this name before). There was an instant connection-same last name and Nainital.
I decided to write back saying i was glad to find a Shah listed-the only one at that time among hundreds of unfamiliar listings.

And just like that....on that cold December evening my life was about to change.
Starting that evening the number of outgoing and incoming mails slowly increased in my mailbox . A month later my cellphone was ringing more than it usully used to ....

and just like that ........ exactly a year later( December of 2002 ) Rajiv and myself got married!

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Maharaj ji

www.clyattsculpture.com/SaintsArahants.html
Does a mom get to choose her friends?

Does a mother get to choose her friends?I being one would say NO!As my daughter has turned 15 months quickly i cant help but realise an urgent need of social interaction for her.Since there are very few kids in my apartment i cant help much.So how do i get her to be friends with the few kids who are her age?I soon found the answer to that question-A play group.So now my daughter is a part of a play group in Uptown Charlotte Library.To my suprise i too have found new friends....where?The mothers of the kids who are my daughters friends...I never needed those so called new friends but now i have many of them...Its my daughter who has chosen them for me.I guess as a Mom i am happy being friends with them but may be an indivisual i would need friends with whom i connect more as an indivusual than as a mom only.At the moment i am playing a big role of a mom and i guess i am happy putting myself aside and playing just MOM!!FOR MY LITTLE ONE...

Devanshi, our precious one..


Do not disturb!(only for food,cuddles or play)

Human Trafficing
Hard truth: India is haven for child sex

Jameela (14) and Ashfaq (12) are part-time cleaners of houseboats in Kerala’s backwaters. Their employer has told them they have to entertain foreign guests in a “different” way. They don’t mind, because they need the extra cash to take care of their ailing mother. Besides, everyone knows how on Kovalam beaches, bikini-clad aunties and Western uncles roam freely with “paid lads” — even as the police dismiss them as “isolated” cases.Andre (54), an Austrian tourist, was in Delhi just before Diwali last year. He wanted to send $100 to fellow paedophile Lindsay Ashford (an activist trying to decriminalise paedophilia in the West). He met some boys at a cybercafe across the road from his Paharganj hotel, and casually mentioned his tastes, promising them Rs 600 if they could help him out. Three days later, the police picked him up, but had to soon let him go — they hadn’t caught him with a child. He immediately fled the country.On 16 December, 2000, Sangeeta Punekar, child rights activist, accompanied the Mumbai police in a raid on the Madh Island hotel room where Swiss couple Wilhelm Marty (59) and Loshiar Lily Marty (56) were having sex with two girls — aged 9 and 11. The room was filled with paraphernalia and they had recorded the sex. Wilhelm shouted: “You Indians are all corrupt, we can buy you.” They were sentenced to seven years imprisonment, but when they got bail in 2004, they fled the country.India has become one of the hottest child sex tourism destinations. A report, Trafficking in Women and Children in India, sponsored by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), highlights this, mentioning not just Goa, which since the 1990s has uncovered rackets by Freddy Peats and Helmut Brinkmann, but also Alleppy and Ernakulam districts of Kerala, where houseboat tourism has lately seen a boom.But the reports findings tell only part of the story. “The attention paedophiles are paying to India is preposterous,” says Rakesh Gupta, a child rights activist. “They’re mentioning the Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and Jaipur — in their anonymous blog posts.”Most paedophiles heading for Kerala start in Delhi, where police estimate the existence of 10 cartels specialising in child sex tourism. “With nearly a lakh homeless children in the Capital, it’s easy for paedophiles to come and exploit them,” says Dr Rajat Mitra, who heads Swanchetan, an NGO specialising in rape trauma.Mitra tells of a time he saw a European in Connaught Place walking with two boys. He stopped the foreigner and asked him how he knew the boys. “Are you the police?” the foreigner aggressively asked, and disappeared. The urchins — good-looking ten-year-olds — said that “uncle” had promised to give them toffees in his hotel room.First-time visitors often find children within three to four days of arrival — delivered to their rooms as bellboys. All they need to do is hook up on an Internet group message board and find the “right” contacts.In Kerala, “sex on the water” is the latest rage for paedophiles. Foreigners usually book houseboats for weeks, and they’re a safe bet. “It’s difficult to track a boat in the winding backwaters,” says a senior policeman in Kottayam. “There are no fixed stopovers and most houseboats carry their workforce, so it is difficult to identify the victim,” he says, admitting the bust a few years back of a German who had procured 38 children from nearby Karnataka, a rare occurrence.In Mumbai, nearly 70,000 minors are abused yearly, estimates Kusumbar Choudhury of Save the Children India. Given that the sex tourism trade is as invisible as it is efficient, there are no hard numbers, but it is believed that the kids come from all corners of the country, as well as Nepal and Bangladesh.Why India, suddenly? Mitra says that the earlier hotspots were Bali and Bangkok — crackdowns in both places have seen a shift in the trade to India. Punekar believes it’s because Pakistan has strict Islamic laws and Sri Lanka has ethnic conflicts, so paedophiles head to democratic India. In addition, Indian hotels and tourism are coming up to international standards. Also, as the Martys taunted, India’s law enforcement is either ignorant, lax or corrupt (or all three).Mumbai’s activists have found that the paedophiles appear far from seedy; they are often highly qualified professionals with a well-thought out plan. And the local contacts have learnt the trade quickly. “Touts who frequent popular spots in Mumbai are highly sophisticated and speak English well,” says Choudhury. He adds that they are clued into the Internet guides and discussion forums where they may find potential customers.In Delhi, the police are fairly clueless. They know that the begging cartels, which began in the 1980s, have caught on to sex child tourism. NGOs claim that street children have caught on to the signs — a ten-rupee bill waved in a certain way, for instance — and that good money makes it difficult for social workers to reach out to them.There’s also a domestic demand. A police officer talks of two public urinals near the New Delhi Railway Station that has become a major destination for local paedophiles. “For Rs 50, ten-year-olds perform oral sex,” he says. “A traffic constable once followed a man who had wrongly parked his car, and stumbled onto this.”The NHRC report says the problem of child sex tourism in India is compounded as there is a “silence of the community and an unwillingness to speak out” on this matter. Only Goa has come up with extensive legislation, but more initiatives from the government are required.URGENTLY!!