Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Mom Me and Milk

Piyu doodh for healthy reason ; Peeyo doodh in every season
Rahego fir fit n fine ; jeeyoge past ninety nine.. doodh doodh..


An awesome number to promote milk. And why not maybe milk is really good for health. I am betting on calcium (My guess)

But in the story of the 3 M’s (Mom me and milk) the song would go this way:
Don’t peeyo doodh to give mamma tension; don’t peeyo doodh till she gives u all the reasons
Mamma ko peeche bhagaao to keep her fit n fine; peeyo only to make mamma smile.. doodh doodh doodh doodh
(ok that’s not a masterpiece at lyrics… so what)

At my place the story of 3M’s was read out every night (mornings used to be hectic...Mom didn’t have the time). It was simple. A glass of milk (made sure that there aint any of the “Malai” thing floating ) in mum’s hand and me refusing to drink it for “n” number of reasons. I eventually did gulp it down my throat. But not once did I drink it without giving my mum reasons to ask GOD “what did I ever do to have a child like this?” But every night she still came back with that Milk and I acted like the most spoilt child (that didn’t need much acting though).

She used to cajole me into drinking it, shout at me, and just stand right in front without saying a word. I used to be so amazed at her patience and perseverance and once I also said “Mom, if I was the mother of such a child I would have turned the glass of milk onto her head.” She stood there furious, and if a look could kill I would be dead then.

I still do it every time I go home. And she still keeps talking me into drinking Milk. My friends say I am a sadist (they too exaggerate).
The truth is that small war we had was fun (maybe I do sound like a sadist). It was a ritual at home. Today when I do the drama she smiles and stands in front of me, knowing what I am up to. But in the past she definitely lost her cool, but never backed off.
I guess that’s being a mother.

I guess, however cliché it might sound, but Mother’s are a masterpiece designed by GOD. I am curious how that new life turns a girl into a person, a perfect person. She has gotto know so much. I believe raising a kid is the job, which requires the most dedication, and one cannot take a break or a vacation from Momhood. Mom’s just do it so well. Every single need she fulfills. Even when we complain, we fight with her, coz we believe she doesn’t understand us. Well we do grow up, we build our own views. And differences do happen. But even today, for me, the most comfort I get is in her lap. I can’t imagine a world without her.
But even today we read the story of Mom, me n Milk whenever I go home.

What I feel for you
How you make me feel
All the bruises that you mend
The way all my emotions you can tell
When you sat by my side all night long
All the little stories that you tell
The patience with which you hear everything I have to say
All the poems you sat and made me learn
Every thing you scold me for
Every thing you appreciate me for
The talks you have with me
All my stupidities that you laugh at
For every time you giggle with me
All the war of words that you stand;
Still not once you judge me,
Realizing that I never mean all that I say.
All the things you stop me from doing
The faith you show in me
The trust you ask me to deserve
All the care in the world that you shower
A kind of love only you can offer
I thank you Maa for making me your world
All the things you do, every word you say
Even if I act ignorant, it means a lot to me.


My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~Graycie Harmon

Monday, February 18, 2008

...RaJi...

So today I am gonna write (read Boast) about myself. (Hail Raji).
Naah!!! I am too modest to do that (Yaaa right (Snort)… Wake up Sleepy Head)
Just wanted some post to be titled with my name. This was the best opportunity.
Well, coming back to the point.

What’s in a Name???

The whole drama is going to revolve around my name or basically this is a dedication to all those people who have a “Different” (hatke) name.

God definitely didn’t bless me with a face that’s a head turner (now I am doing down right self abashing…Phew) but to make it up my Parents blessed me with an eyebrow raiser name. And the name is Raji… Raji Rajan.(Does James Bond rhyme??? )

Half of the population wonders what my name means.
According to my parents: The one who rules (I loooove the meaning)
According to a website: Originally a short form of any of the various names containing the element raja (king, sovereign), Raji is also bestowed as an independent given name. (Also, it says it’s a girl’s name… Bless You)
According to another website: Name of KING (It’s a male name… Dhishum Dhishum)

In a terse phrase it means ROYAL. (Oooo Lala… )

Every time any body asks me my name and I say Raji the following cases occur:
Case 1: huh?
Case 2: Raised eyebrow
Case 3: Nice Name (a polite way to say that’s different) accompanied by what does it mean.
Case 4: Come again (believing that they misunderstood what I said)
Case 5: Is this your NAME or is it a shorter version of something like RAAJESHWARI.
Case 6: Assume they hear Prachi or Rachi or something that rhymes or some word which fits into their vocabulary.
Non-existent Case: Normal reactions or basically no reactions

And every time someone is writing down my name I have to spell it coz most of the time they fall in Case 6 and would pen down something totally not-my-name.

To make myself clear, I am not cribbing. I love my name. And every different name does trigger a pulse in every person. Coz when one says a name, which fits into people’s vocab it just registers. For an unusual name to register it first triggers a response then it registers. Hurray. (Modest Raji at work) (Psst Psst … A secret... It isn’t that unusual down south)

The name has the following comments attached to it:
1. “Raji” aint a word. It’s just a sound. A weird sound. (Murder Murder Murder)
2. (Beat this) Raji cannot be a name. During your naming ceremony the moment your grand mom was about to say your name she sneezed, Aaachhiii, and your parents mistook it for Raaaji. And hence you are called so. It can’t be a word. (Murder? Naah!!! Too smart)
3. Raji. It feels like I only say half the name. Incomplete type of a word. It feels as though I am saying your name and half way through I lost my voice. (Where the hell do they come with this from… )
4. Raji resulted in a lot of people calling me Bhaaji.
5. Many a times my call letters, or documents have had my gender being mentioned as Male if people haven’t seen me. The client I interact with though I am a male till I corrected her. Rather till she heard my voice.

And Shakespeare asked what’s in a name. There is sooooo much in a name!!! But, only if you have been privileged with a different name. (Ha! )

What's in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet.~William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

(couldn’t find a better quote than this)

Friday, February 15, 2008

Lost Touch

They made me smile a lot
On silly jokes we giggled together
Fun and frolic was always our company.
Today they are my distant memories.
I lost touch. I never tried.

School days that we all cherish
Was special coz we all were together
The lunch boxes the games, in heart forever.
Today they are my distant memories
I lost touch. I never tried.

We shared our first brush with love
The first heart breaks, the next crush
Advising each other, when half of the things were unclear
Today they are my distant memories
I lost touch. I never tried.

The growing up is worth cherishing
Coz they gave different colors to my life.
What more could I ask from my college days.
Today they are my distant memories.
I lost touch. I never tried.

We always welcome friends into our life
With a smile and a song in the heart
With promises of friendship forever
Some old friends we stick to,
With new friends making way, we walk away
Never looking back, never trying,
With a bunch of excuses, some become a part of our memories.

When a small hi, a simple good night
Is all that was ever needed.
A birthday wish, a how are you
A call that means hey I remember you.
An sms indicating I still think about you.
How simpler could being friends forever be?

Today they are my distant memories.
I lost touch. I never tried.
I cherish those memories that have made my life colorful.
I will get in touch. I will try to mend.
A few simple things I would do.
Coz friends forever I want to be.

Memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen. ~Edward de Bono