An enchanting evening with Leela

The weather gods have gone crazy ! Bangalore is damp and soggy with incessant rains and deserted roads , ruling out any outdoor rendezvous.

So, what better way to spend a rainy evening than with a steaming cup of chai and one of the most beautiful woman in the world . Time pass at its best !
As for the book, it makes an interesting read with tit bits from the leading lady’s life with a twist of irony and humour. Gives a glimpse into the charmed life of a legend that was Leela. I especially enjoyed the chapter - The British on a hunger strike in the land of the Mahatma ! Great insights in some pages too and an easy style of writing . Do read it if you get the chance .

And then..

(I wrote this bit for a 'complete the story' contest conducted by Yours Truly . The part in blue is the starting given for completion. It doesn't have a title but I call it 'and then' for want of a better title )

It was raining heavily, pouring down a welcome respite from the heat of the past week. Huddled under the small over crowded bus stand, I was waiting for the rain to let up so I could walk back to work when suddenly out of nowhere she came to me and then looked at me shyly. It isn’t often that somebody looks at me that way. Her damp soft brown hair glittered in the streetlight and her brownish grey eyes were soft and mellow. I wondered what such a pretty thing was doing at 9.00 pm in the night. She looked from a decent family. “Maybe it’s the rain”, I thought bitterly,” Brings out the best and worst in everyone. That’s why I am working this late in the evening, when I ought to be at home eating hot soup, all thanks to my manager”

My eyebrows contracted into a frown as I thought of my work place. Demanding, unappreciative and crazy to say the least. And then there was this particularly difficult project. “That’s the way the cookie crumbles, I guess” I sighed resignedly.

Pulling myself out of my sour reverie, I turned to look at her and my troubled face softened and I broke into a half smile, not sure of her reaction. She looked again; hesitantly and then slowly inched timidly towards me a little unsure, a little scared. The guy next to me suddenly spied her and turned to me and whispered “she’s beautiful, isn’t she?’. I felt a pang of jealousy, why should he look at her? I was the first one to notice her, wasn’t I and besides we already had a connection albeit a faint one.

I grunted and shifted my attention back to her, desperately hoping she would not lose interest in me. This time, I gave her a broad grin and in my sweetest voice crooned.” Hellooooooo”. She looked again this time more confidently and skipped close to me and whimpered a weak “meaooow” and then curling around my feet a stronger ‘meaoow’. I bend down and picked that ball of pretty golden brown fur and stroked it softly forgetting all the grouse and grumpiness of the day in that moment of sweetness.

‘My name is Kira and I live in the big red bungalow, next to the bus stop’, said the name tag around her neck.

“Yes Kira, the rain brings out the best and worst in people”, I thought and smiled to myself as I made my way to the bungalow to reunite its beautiful occupant.

Copyright (c) 2010 Neha

An unexpected rain shower

Yesterday, we had an unexpected shower of rain in Bangalore. It was amazing ! Since the past couple of days we’ve been enjoying an incredible weather.There’s a little chill mixed with the damp air and just the right amount of freshness.

I’ve been rushing often to our rooftop cafeteria just to feel the cool breeze and watch the traffic below. I am a little concerned that the café guy might think that I am totally jobless, but it isn’t often you get such wonderful weather at this time of the year.

I love this city. With its funny idiosyncrasies, its cosmo lifestyle, cheap eateries and expensive restaurants. It's traffic...It's never-ending Traffic!

I love it's Sukh and Shanti sagars !

I love it that there is a place for everyone here no matter where you come from; I love it that there are no Thackerays here claiming it for their own. I love the young call center and IT professionals eagerly crowding Forum & Garuda malls on weekends.

I love its crosses and mains ! Its parallel roads and thousand alleys.

I am learning to love its auto drivers ! Learning ..

I love it that when you stand on MG road, you’ll hear a babble of tongues muttering at least half a dozen languages.

And I love it even more even more when it rains at unpredictable times!


copyright(c) 2009 Neha Shinde

It's Raining {uh not men , but plain H20 } Hallelujah !

The rain gods have arrived in Bangalore and how! Since the past couple of weeks Bangalore has been receiving its share of rains. At a time when rest of the country is getting ready to welcome the winter, Bangalore is busy shaking water off its umbrellas and raincoats.

Its so weird and wonderful how arrival of rains can have an effect like no other season or weather. There is nothing like the first shower of rains and people caught unaware and unprepared. It’s almost like nature having her bit of fun watching people scurrying for cover.

The rains bring a spectrum of memories to my mind, predominantly the ones in Belgaum where I did my graduation. Belgaum is a city that gets more than its share of rains and with the facilities in our college hostel, the rains were not the most looked forward to event. Incidentally, the floor of the ground level rooms had a mysterious ability to get semi-flooded and it was quite a herculean task to keep the floor dry . I was invariably allotted one of the ground level rooms and had my ingenuity tested to the hilt in the mammoth task of keeping the floor from looking like a swimming pool. And in case you are curious.... Newspapers !.. It works !!

There was also the temptation of dashing to the rooftop , which by the way was a taboo ( you see, the boys hostel was adjacent to our hostel and the warden could not risk rain soaked youths singing ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani, Paani Mein Aag Lagaye ’ on rooftops.) But we did sometimes manage a quick dash without being obstructed and it was during one of these escapades, we spied a lovely rainbow in the rain aftermath. Breaking rules sometimes pays!

Of course the most recent 'rain memory' is that of Pune a couple of years ago. While Mumbai was getting flooded, Pune just kept receiving rains and rains and endless rains with no particular effect. I would wake up every cloudy morning hoping the rains had finally reached a point where an official holiday could be declared. But God is workaholic and any such hopes were religiously dashed. A few places in Pune did get the flood alert, but with the resourceful people of Pune things were soon bought under control. My most vivid memory is listening to an appeal for help on Radio Mirchi and sending my flat roomie with packets of rice and daal to the collection center. She returned with mixed feelings firstly, because our packet was the smallest parcel in the room and secondly, because it reflected the magnanimous nature of the Punekars in helping their fellow beings. Ah Pune .. it brings sweet memories.. But then I am digressing..

Coming back to the monsoons Like I earlier said the rains evoke myriad emotions that a summer or winter can only hope to stir ..It’s all in the dripping umbrellas, the wet dupattas, the colourful raincoats, the cold damp fingers, the clammy shoes, the Knorr soups , the hot chai and pakoras, the hot water evening baths, that towel tossed carelessly over the chair......That's what makes the rains so special ...Makes you fetch your twice mended umbrella and hum the very romantic song from 1942 : A Love Story...Rimjhim Rimjhim .....

Copyright (c) Neha Shinde 2007