It was a hot summer's day. The air-conditioning was blowing the room cool. There was a little sparrow skipping around outside the window. My niece (2.5 yrs old) watched it while trying to doze off for her afternoon nap.
"Where does the sparrow sleep?"
"In the nest, it's house is in the nest up in the tree."
"Is there air-condition in the nest?"
posted by Tuya @ 10:27
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OK, I have got an email, 3 phone calls and a face to face conversation asking me to post some thing about A and A.....oh yeah, I know people are sick of my banters....you have to bear with it for a while guys/girls....
As of now, this is something I can think of:
A and A had their TV time on Friday(not this Friday, another one). It was more than the usual hours and once bedtime came, we asked them to go to bed. Arunav complied. Aarushi still hung around us. Shyam had come back and it was our dinner time. We switched on "our TV". The Aarushi who was hanging around us suddenly jumps into the sofa, face dug on and starts crying.
'What happened Aarushi?"
Crying continues....
"Aarushi, we cannot understand what's wrong, if you just cry."
"I am very angry and I am very very jealous"
"Why are you angry and jealous Aarushi?"
"You get to watch TV and I have to go to bed."
"Aarushi, you watched TV for the last 2 hours - now it is mama/papa's turn."
"But you can't copy us, you say copying is not good!"
I wish I had her quick twist of logic to play around!
posted by Tuya @ 17:20
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"You know, mamma spent 6 hours shopping yesterday."
"No, I cannot believe that - your mama can spend 6 hours in a bookshop, but not shopping."
And that is the sort of statement that differentiate a childhood best friend from any other friend. It brings silly tears to this silly me...... specially the me-of-now who almost needs to hold the hand of one such for a long time! Even now as I write this I wish she came with me to HK :)!
There is always magic when you meet such friends - time has no meaning..... a 30 minutes conversation is so complete!
posted by Tuya @ 11:20
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is what hits you when you enter this street. The musty, dusty, mite-y, nose-tingling sensation is one feeling that I come back for in this place which is called College Street.
There is probably no books you cannot find in this weird haunt. You may have to dig deep through 1000s of really dusty books before you get there, but you will definitely find it. There are really big nice books stores in the city now, but I cannot get over the addiction of this haunt. When I am done, I have smudges all over my face and hands like a street urchin, but I also have the happy feeling and the smile that the little urchin probably carries :)
At times, I dont even buy the books. I love to be there (ok, I am weird!)..... I love to see the names, touch the books(explains the smudges!), flip through them and just catch a few lines here and there....
"....for the best is bought at the cost of great pain....or so says the legend"
"....que tout craque, amour et beaute..."
".....peeko kiba kunje kunje kuhu kuhu kuhu gay......"
and the cramped bookstore vanishes around you, you are in the world that the black printed words build up...... sometimes with Tennyson, Keats, Kafka, sometimes Baudelaire, sometimes Tagore...... you are free. No boundaries contain you.
posted by Tuya @ 13:20
3 comments
He had more fun than he had in any of his birthdays! He distinctly flourishes in India.... he had a cake cutting with neighbours who have become friends; he went for an Afghani lunch with mamu(uncle - mother's brother) - loved tandoori chicken, khandaani naan, etc etc, his harmonica gift and the fast car....une voiture rouge qui est tres vite(how can someone stem the flow of memories!)
He is with ma, playing with mithi(mamu's daughter) and I have really not seen him so happy!
Counting my blessings!
posted by Tuya @ 23:37
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The heat was fading as the night advanced; the breeze from the surrounding trees picked up; the lantern(the bengali name of this lantern is pronounced 'harry-cane') glowed in the darkness which was as dark as darkness can get. At the corner of the room there was a lone firefly (jonaki) trying to get out. In spite of the heat, I loved that. Being as far away from ..... what shall I call it.... is it being far away from 'civilization'? No surely not, they are poor, they struggle for the daily bread but they ARE civilized - even when they push their way into the overcrowded bus, they are civilized. So what should I call this life away from the 'comforts' of urban life as we know it - being away from internet, electricity and even regular water supply inside your home.... Anyway, I digress....
I enjoyed it - life so basic. You light up a fire to cook food, walk to the nearest fresh water pond for water... when night comes and there's no electricity, no television, no internet, you watch the stars, smaller but brighter than many halogen lamps.... the moonlight on the pond water shimmering - so unreal and yet what is more real? You listen to the sounds of nature around - song to the ears; you sing your song.
When I see life like this, I forget all my insecurities, I realize again I dont need much to live. The 'comforts' - they actually make me weaker, make me more insecure; I think how can I live without them - I struggle to keep them; but I dont really need them to live real life. Life is simple.
posted by Tuya @ 21:47
6 comments
The other day when we watched inception, I pointed out to Shyam, the concept of never-ending staircases have been taken from the Penrose stairs and that reminded me of Escher's drawing of "Ascending and descending".... today morning I wanted to revisit his drawings - I used to be quite a fan of his in my school days...the concept of optical illusion so well and thoroughly explored.
When I was in school, I had to spend hours in College Street digging up books of Escher - thankfully there were plenty - but I had to take time to go and find the books. Now: I think about it when having breakfast, switch on the computer with my cup of chocolat (yeah, I have switched to this version from 'chocolate'), type it in google image and voila! I have the whole wealth in front of me - 5 minutes! I love the modern times :)
"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception." A. Huxley.
posted by Tuya @ 08:24
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We spent the last 2 days in Disney resort. The kids were super happy - the highlight however was "we did not have to sleep early." I never thought that was such a point of unhappiness for them!
Toy Story 3 has motivated them and Buzz Lightyear ride got more attention than anyone else.
posted by Tuya @ 17:47
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You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality. Walt Disney
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