A Valediction

For the past few days, i have been thinking a lot about some of the people whom I have bid adieu to over the past few years or earlier. Why? Well because I am like that. I THINK about stuff. I analyze what has happened in my life, the events and their effects, my reactions to them. And I learn from them. I am always interested in what happens in my life. It just makes it that much more fun to LIVE it!!!
Coming back, so as I said, I was thinking a lot about some of the people who I have said goodbye to. I won’t say I have lost them, because I truly believe I haven’t. At least some of them. Some of those goodbyes have hurt. Some have made me realize that I never had that person in my life in the first place, hence the goodbye isn’t going to hurt anyways. Some have made me realize the strength of my bond with them, and instilled the faith in me that I will carry those relationships for a long time in my heart and in my life.
One of the first ones I want to talk about, is from the second category listed above. It’s about my Dad. I have never really spoken about him in a public place like this, except for once a long time ago. For some reason, it has just not been worth it. And I won’t mention much about him here. So I lost him about 9 years ago. He died of a third heart attack. Ironically, he was a doctor but a chain smoker (yeah, some people really know how to overlook the reality). Of course, we (my mom, my bro and me) did not live with him at the time, having separated long back. This is why, I never really had a father. Hence, the loss wasn’t so astounding as well. All that changed was that one of the people responsible for me being on this planet was no more here.
I know some of you might think I m being pretty cold about this. But trust me, I never knew the guy. That loss never affected me because I never really felt it. So it wasn’t a big deal, and still isn’t. Over time, I have lost the bitterness I had for him and it has made it easier to just accept it and move on with life.
But some goodbyes are not as easy. One of the hardest things I have had to do was say goodbye to my cousin, Meenu Didi, who died of cancer a few years ago. I wrote a long post about her. Find it here.
As I realized later, I did not have the courage to say goodbye to her. So I never really went to do it. I just knew I would not have the strength. I still sit and think sometimes that I probably should have. She would have liked it. I am sorry for that. Will always regret that decision. As I have mentioned in the earlier post about her, she taught me that you have to be courageous, even when you know what is in store for you. She had the courage to face her unavoidable destiny, and she prepared herself and her family for that. Unlike so many others who lament about it and make it miserable for themselves and others. This absolutely does not mean I don’t admire those people. God only knows how I will behave if I come to know I am about to die (Shudders….)
The third goodbye, was agonizingly painful, it broke my heart when it happened. But I am living with it now. And it has made me stronger and it has turned out to be quite a good thing. I am talking here about my best friend and probably THE bestest friend in the whole world, Mona Chitnis going to STUPID GaTech to do her STUPID MS. (Sorry for the stupids…cudnt resist :P).



Mo (as I call her) and I became friends in college in the 2nd year. We came together in the unlikeliest of ways and became best friends before we could even realize it. I love this thing called fate, it makes u smile at its strangeness, even if that strangeness brings you sorrow. Amazing thing it is.
Mo and I are totally different. In quite possibly every way we think differently. And we have fierce arguments over many things. One thing that is common is that we both have short tempers. And we cannot go 2 weeks without fighting and swearing at each other, and swearing to our friends that we will never talk to each other EVER AGAIN, but coming back to our senses and talking as if nothing ever happened in a couple of days. It is just one of those friendships that has stood the test of time, and some bad arguments.
Saying goodbye to her was a nightmare. It was like having to part form one of the most important parts of my life. I distinctly remember the days leading up to her departure. We met up twice before she shipped off to distant lands. Both those times, we could both see just how sad we were to say goodbye. At the airport, I was studiously avoiding her because I knew it would have been too much to bear. So I just hugged her as she went in, we all stood out waiting for her to turn back once and give us a cute, sad little smile that I love, and go in. But alas, she knows how to make and anti-climax. She didn’t even look back once. IDIOT!!!!
As I sat in the auto to get back home, I think I cried for at least 20 straight minutes. It just hurt too damn much. Why? Well because that is what we are for each other. Rock solid pillars in times of need. A dose of some really idiotic jokes that can make us crack up when we are sad. A dairy milk when we are least expecting it. That is what we are. And I was going to miss that. Or so I thought.
What has her goodbye taught me? That not all goodbyes are final. Not all are bad. Some DO bring you closer. Some goodbyes do make you realize just how much that person meant to you. And they also make you understand that it was your destiny that brought you together with some people. It was NEVER in your hands to control your life anyways. Might as well enjoy the best of it and learn from the worst of it.
It has been 8 months now since she went away. And yes things have changed. We do not talk as often as we used to. I have seen her only once, through video chat. Both of us have gotten busy with our lives. And yet, a lot of things are the same. We still fight at least once a month. We still swear to not talk to each other and then make up in a few days. We still keep aside what we are doing when the other person is really down and needs cheering up, and we both manage to cheer each other up with the silliest of things (I LIKEY!!!!hehe….) Sure, I wish she wouldn’t have gone so far. But it was a choice she made which I respect. And now we are both living with it.
At the end, I just want to say that a goodbye doesn’t necessarily have to be bad. But it is also not always good. What matters, is the faith that you have in yourself and your relationship. You can ALWAYS salvage something from every valediction.
I want to end this with someone else’s words on similar lines.
Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends. ~Richard Bach

P.S. I know this was a lot more philosophical and longer than anything I have written before. But it felt good to write this. I hope you felt good to read it too.

The Blue Window

My First real attempt at fiction...Hope you like it...

He had to remind himself to start breathing again. He felt his legs swaying and before they could give way, he had to steady himself on his old reading desk. He could not believe this was happening to him again. Correction, he did not want to believe this was happening to him again. It just could not be true. The Window was open again.
Fifteen years ago, for Akash, the world had been the cruelest place to live in. He had never been able to understand why he was put on this planet. Was it merely to survive a few years of torture form his parents? Only to outgrow his childhood and then survive a few years of alone, awkward, confusing adolescence? For a long time, he had resigned his life to the fate that awaited him.
When he was 23, he escaped from his childhood and his parents and settled in a suburb of Mumbai. He was working as a receptionist at a law firm. He had placed his reading desk below the solitary window in his one room apartment, which looked out to another building across the lane. The wall opposite his window had exactly one window. It was blue and worn out. And it had always remained closed since he moved in.
One day, he found it open. He wasn’t a peeper, but curiosity got the better of him and he pulled back his curtain to look. Standing inside the room, with her back to the window, was a girl. She was about 5’7” and had long, straight, jet black hair that reached her slender waist. She was busy unpacking a few boxes and arranging her things. Suddenly, she stiffened, and turned around to directly look into his eyes. She had sensed him watching her, and she had a perplexed look on her face. But he wasn’t looking at her face. He was looking into her eyes. Even from 6 feet away, he could clearly make out the dark blue of her eyes.
Suddenly, he thought as if the world had opened up for him. All he wanted to do was look into her eyes and not stop looking. He was holding his breath for a long time, and the dull ache in his lungs brought him back to reality and he took in a deep breath, almost a sigh. Only then did he notice that she was staring at him with the most inquisitive expression on her face. She had the hint of a smile on her lips, asking a question. He quickly lost his nerve and moved out of the window. He didn’t dare look out of the window all day. That night, his dreams were not sweaty nightmares; they were about blue skies, and oceans.
The next few days, she was all he could think about. And yet he never had the courage to go talk to her. He knew he was falling in love with her. He traveled with her every day to-fro work. He would steal quick glances at her but never when she was looking. He was happy to just look at her eyes, they still mesmerized him.
Just as miraculously as she had come into his life, she disappeared. He didn’t see her on the bus one day. When he got home, the window was shut. And for 2 days, it had remained closed. He asked around and found out she had moved out. She was getting married. He sat at his desk, staring into nothingness, mildly aware of the blue of the window in his vision. He started feeling the slow ache in his heart again. And then it hit him. The window had closed on him.
He had no way of searching for her. All he remembered of her was her sweet smile when she caught him looking at her, the dark, deep blue of her eyes, her hair falling around her face. He remembered the last time he had seen her on the bus, she seemed like she wanted to tell him something. He could make out that she was agitated. But she didn’t. Now he knew what she wanted to say. If only he had spoken to her.
Slowly, but amazingly he picked his life back up. He moved to another city and started another job. For years, he could not forget those eyes. But he learned to live with it.
Today, he had come back to his old apartment. Wishfully, he had looked out of the window. And there she was. Sitting at her desk and writing. She intuitively looked up and saw him. She looked different now, older and wiser. But her eyes were the same, deep blue. He looked into them and saw the smile in her eyes before he saw it on her lips.
The Blue Window had opened for him again.

P.S. Thanx to Annie for helping with the editing. :P..You are such a sweetheart!!!!

My Fond Memory!!!

So Valentine's Day huh??
Feels like any other day, when you are single. Actually...that is what i WANT TO believe. But it really isn’t so. This is one day that you cannot help but get nostalgic on. And nostalgia hits me hardest on 14th February only because of the awesome V day I spent 3 years ago. When I was in a relationship with someone.
Let me give some background here first. I was dating this girl at that time, i.e. on V day 2007. Let us call her BB. For more information about BB, please refer here.
On the eve of V day 2007, my gf calls me up and tells me I am NOT meeting you tomorrow, reason? I do not believe in Valentine’s Day. And it wasn’t a “I don’t believe in one day to celebrate love” kind of disbelief. It was a I DON’T BELIEVE IN VALENTINE’S DAY kind of disbelief. So I got pissed, understandably, and did not wish her.
The next afternoon, she calls me up and starts giggling. Now I am thinking she might be drunk. Then her friends started shouting, she is coming to meet youuuuu.. And I am wondering why. Though she did turn up to meet me. Looking cute as hell. We sat in the Dadar CCD for like 2 hours holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. After which she told me she loved me, I told her I loved her, and we parted. (Yeah…I know what you are thinking..no MASALA here..hehe:P)
Well, as it turned out, it was our last date. We broke up 15 days after that. Why? Well this is supposed to be happy post. So let’s not get into that detail as of now.
For me, it was the first and last Valentine’s day I have ever celebrated. And probably the most memorable I will ever celebrate. Reason? Well she made me feel special. She surprised me, she dressed up for me. I gave her a red rose which she preserved for a long time in a book. (don’t know if she still has it)
Every V day since then, I think about her. Because it reminds me of one of the happiest times I spent with her. And every V day I think of wishing her or calling her but never get down to it somehow. Today, she sent me a greeting. It reads “For the one who gave me the courage to love with all of my heart, to the person who is like no other. Happy Valentine’s Day! Love and luck. BB.” And this just brought back all the memories of those wonderful nine months.
Do not get me wrong. I do not have feelings for her. Often many of my friends ask me how you feel about her now. I always say I still love her. And they give me ghastly expressions at that. But I realized today that it is true. But, I don’t love her in a I-want-her-back-in-my-life way. I love her in a way that she reminds me of one of the most important phases of my life. It is that love that keeps me connected to that time. I feel if I don’t love her, I will lose the memories of what we did, of what we had. I feel that I am absolutely over her. But yes, she still will always remain my first love. Not anything I can do about that. But I can hold on to those memories. Because they still give me comfort sometimes when I am down. The sound of her laughter still makes me smile. Her stupid jokes still crack me up whenever I remember them.
I am sitting here and wondering why am I writing this today. Guess I needed to. Again, not because I miss her, just because it is Valentine’s Day. And I couldn’t help but remember one of the awesomest dates I had 3 years ago.
So here’s wishing all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day. I am lucky enough to have a fond memory of one of these. I hope all of you are lucky enough too.

P.S. BB, if you read this, THANKS!!! For the message and for the awesome times. All the best in life!!!Sincerely!!

The Great Indian Show Off!!!!

I attended a wedding after a long time. Infact, after almost a year. And I tell you, attending a NORTH INDIAN wedding is just awesome. We have all heard/read/seen (Monsoon Wedding) all the fanfare associated with Punjabi weddings. North Indian weddings aren’t nearly as loud or aggressive or full of drunken brawls. But still, we do weddings in our unique style.
North Indian weddings are fun, only because I love watching the way people interact. I mean, I attended a wedding recently where I had never seen the bride before (who is my second cousin by the way), I had never seen more than half the people there. Why was I there? Well because the bride’s father is my Mama, and he invited us. So I went all the way to Delhi for the weekend to attend the wedding. Seems very weird to go all the way to Delhi for someone’s wedding whose name I didn’t know. But that is how our weddings are. You typically go to a wedding not because you know the bride/groom, but because you know their mom/dad.
I remember one day I went for 3 weddings, thankfully all in Mumbai, and I had absolutely no idea whose weddings they were. But yeah, one thing I LOVE about those weddings, the food. I mean, it is AWESOME the variety, taste, fanfare, decoration, it all makes attending a wedding worthwhile, non-acquaintance with the bride/groom notwithstanding. On the triple wedding day, I ended up having starters and appetizers at one, main course at the second and deserts at the third…hehe…ohh what a night!! And of course, if you DO NOT eat at the weddings..its kinda considered like a slap on the hosts’ face..Yes…we have ENORMOUS egos…
So, north Indian weddings are never a one day affair. They are more like 2-3-4 day plans. More like a weekend retreat than a one day picnic. And the last 2 wedding have both happened in resorts. So you go for the weekend, take at least 4 changes of clothes (because that is the number of different functions you have to attend, and you are EXPECTED to wear different and NICE clothes for all), and have a fun party, paid for by someone else. What more could you ask for? And the number of guests, number of items on the menu, amount of decoration etc is proportional to the amount of money the families are willing to spend.
Coming back to the wedding I attended last, so there I was, hanging out with a few people whom I did know, also because most of my first cousins did not turn up. At first it seemed like it was going to be another typical 2 days and a gazillion functions where I would get thoroughly bored because I hardly knew anyone. But it turned out to be a lot of fun in the end. Especially, because the bride and groom’s cousins and friends took a whale of an effort to put together a memorable 2 days for the couple.
It is quite a change these days in weddings from the weddings of the yesteryears (read my mom’s generation). In those days, according to my mom’s stories, weddings were more of a family affair, when all my mom’s cousins and siblings would come together to make it a big party and celebration. And of course, my mom’s family was HUGE!!! They had a huge house, all resources available, they were rich and she had about 20 brothers and sisters!! So it was always a family affair.
Now, things have changed. Now friends are more involved than relatives. At least in my family, hardly any cousins participate in the wedding. They just show up wearing a suit/saree and a glum expression, eat, eat, eat and go away after handing in the coveted and much anticipated ENVELOPE filled with cash measured out considering the closeness of the relatives, relative wealth of the giver and also, on occasions, the warmth between the 2 parties. Now friends are the ones who plan, execute, manage and make the most noise in a wedding.
In this particular wedding, the bride’s little sister turned out to be an aspiring director. She made a 30 minute video about the couple, with snippets from their lives, their friends’ opinions about them, their parents’ wishes and thoughts. It was all very moving and immaculately put together. Kudos to her for making it a memorable night for her sister and Jiju.
I always thought that weddings were supposed to be about two families coming together, and people who are close to them joining in to add to the celebration and the fanfare. But somehow, this was never the case in any of the weddings in my family. They have always been more about showing off your status, position, wealth and ego. It was a change, welcome one at that, to attend a wedding where people actually cared about things other than the paneer tikka or the number of desserts.
All in all, thoroughly enjoyed this wedding. But my opinion about our weddings isn’t going to change so soon. For me, they still remain the Great Indian Showoff!

Wake up SID!!!!!!

NO. DO NOT GO TO WATCH IT!!!!!...OK i have written what i wanted to convey through this review withing the first line. Well now i know a lot of you people who dont trust me or are too logical are asking...WHY???so here goes...

Within the first 5 minutes, there was just one thought running through my mind..more like PRANCING through my mind...WHY was this movie made? What was the purpose of it? Well i know what you are thinking. It's just the start of the movie. Wait for it. I did. The answers never came. My friend summed it up. "Why would i be interested in Siddharth Mehra's life?"

Ok a lil bit about the movie first. It's the story of one Siddharth Mehra (He is the Sid in the title..i hope you guessed that by now.) He is a spoilt brat, rich dad's bigdaa hua beta types. Nothing new. He doesn't know what he wants in life. Except for spending his dad's money, going out with friends and being a total jerk (which he admits to at some point int he movie...YEAH RIGHT..like you din't see that coming)
Atleast he is not a casanova in the movie. yeah maybe that would have been TOOOO cliched.

So as I am sure EVERYONE has predicted the story by now, i won't go into it. He gets kicked out of home by his dad who wants him to learn to have responsibilities. He stays at aisha something's house (Konkona Sen...HORRIBLE acting...ABSOLUTELY). Aisha is from Kolkata, Ambitious, independent, aspiring writer. Complete opposite of wat Sid is.

I think, the director thought, just coz we have two opposites we will have a great movie. WELL WAKE UP AYAN MUKHERJEE!!!!! You also need a STORY. and ACTING. two things that are completely lacking in this one. I mean, for the story, i think i predicted the entire movie within the first 10 minutes. Maybe less. nothing original about it.

Let's come to the acting, or the lack of it. Frankly, i knew Ranbir Kapoor could not act. But what the hell happened to konkona? She has done movies like Mr. and Mrs. Iyer for god's sake. I remember one scene especially. When she discovers she has a rat crawling on her. She is supposed to shreik. But what comes out is a half hearted wail. and my friend's instantaneous reaction was...PATHETIC ACTING...

As for Ranbir. Well he tries. then he tries some more. Then he gives up. He just can not act. And i mean it. He has really tried hard to portray the transformation from a just turned adult who has never had responsibility to a mature and responsible guy. But he cannot do it. Reason? He cannot emote. Most of the times i believe the actors were too confused as to what emotions they are supposed to be showing. And i remember one particular scene in which Rahul Khanna(Special Appearance) is supposed to be sad/happy/surprised..and i think he is ALL of them at once. Which is ABSOLUTELY not possible. And then just when you think the expression will change, AHOA, the scene has ended!!!

There is one particular scene in the climax. The shot is of Ranbir sitting in a window. And suddenly his expression changes to someone who has just had an epiphany, then he suddenly starts crying. then he has wonder in his eyes. and then it starts raining. and all this happens over some 90 seconds. and at the end of the scene i had amazement and hopelessness and anger in my eyes.

The chemistry is just not there between the lead pair. They never look like they should be getting together in the end. All through out the movie somebody keeps calling someone else immature and childish. And then you kinda get fed up of it at some point. I kept waiting for the movie to gather some sort of steam. It did not. Even at the climax.

I will remember this movie only for the awesome music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. really catchy and soulful numbers that you can hum along. Great work on the background score too and the lyrics. Loved Kya Karoon and Iktaara especially.

All in all, a bad experience. Very confusing movie that will leave you as confused. And you will never understand why exactly you came to watch it. You won't knwo when to laugh. And i realised there were a few jokes only because others in the theater were laughing.

Miss it people. Not worth the money.


P.S. I am never watching a FDFS again. DBH and WUS were both flops.

The Kindergarten Couple

OK LONG LONG LONG time no post here...been a long and happy/sad month...got job..got salary...got tired and lost best friend to US..(more about her in the next post..coming up soon)...

This one post has been pending for sometime now...had decided not to write it..but then considering that both the concerned people are going to US and i am in generally a pretty senti mood these days coz of all the people leaving...decided to put it up and finish off the series of posts that i started...don't wanna leave it incomplete..so all the people who were hoping i WON'T write about them...rejoice...I WILL

Mansi Bhagwat and Maulik Mody(i hope u r the one with the y...) have been together for as long as i remember...since first year...and i CANNOT imagine a more perfect match...both physically (there is a reason why we call them the KG couple)and mentally (total kids there also...hehe)

Ok so lets first talk about them individually...

Mansi is CUTE...and i mean she looks FREAKISHLY CUTE!!!truly...at least i find her cute...and well she is rich also...so nice catch maulik..hehe...she is like really short...so short in fact that if i stand behind her i can actually rest my CHIN on the top of her head..and i will still have to bend my knees to get there..hehe...she looks really pretty somedays...though doesn't act so cute..

She has a very low voice..and when she has to talk loud..she really has to SHOUT...and it appears as if she is putting all her energy into just speaking a sentence..almost seems like a struggle...
One particular incident is really really fresh...after the ITA mid sem paper in 6th sem (i think) we were all debating outside that the paper was out of syllabus and all and someone must have told ma'm to put the stuff in paper...K2 instinctively pointed to mansi and said isne hee bola rahega...mansi just took her head up...mustered all her strength...and shouted on the top of her voice.."Maine nahin bola naa ma'm ko"...and STILL we could hardly hear her..lol...she is also an expert in the penguin walk...looks damn cute doing it...

mansi may seem all small and cute but she has one adult(erated) mind...two incidents to prove it

1st sem we r all sitting in ED room...and Divye is describing an incident where he went to the loo...a guy walked in..and even by the time divi finished what he had come to do and was washing his hands...that guy was still standing at the loo and doing something...and i shit u not...the following is wat mansi said:
"Arre toh uska chhota hoga naa..."

we were ALL shocked...i never expected her to say something like this..and she said it so matter-of-factly that we could hardly stop laughing...

second incident was told by Lalit..a few days ago

Mansi Maulik and Lalit were all standing in the quad...when mansi says.."yaar mujhe loo jaana hai..kya pakk raha hai...jaao..kholo..baitho..karo..utho..pehno..haath dho..." and lalit and maulik were only gaping at her for like 2 minutes...trust me...i could not believe my ears when L2 told me this...

Also...she is the proverbial GEEK...yepp...dats wat she is...she WORRIES about every small god forsaken test that happens...worse...she STUDIES for them...during end of semester...she would carry all her books to college, in her hand..as a result of which she would be bent on one side...that has become the proverbial mansi walk..bent towards left...bag hanging on the right...

She has a habit of CONSTANTLY playing with her hair..and i mean CONSTANTLY...she just CANNOT STOP...sometimes when both her hands are occupied we do it for her..hehe...she also HAS TO write all assignments as soon as they r given..which is a crime by engineering standards...that is why we had a joke...for mansi..the way she would be tortured in the movie SAW would be by tying her hands and placing an incomplete assignment in front of her...that would be like total torture for her..lol...

When maulik was hospitalized just before exams in some semester...she would call him everyday..not to ask how he was doing..but to tell him what all zeroxes she was getting for him and wat all assignments he had to write..

Mansi..inspite of her innocent and childish looks...is actually quite mature and smart...also very cunning..knows how to get her work done..and usually does...

Maulik...is a GUJJU.Period. He has all the qualities of a gujju...rich..big house..miser...and also...he lives in South Bombay...so he also has all qualities of a SOBO...fake attitude...vanity(lots of this)...just cannot stop talking about sex for some reason...

He is also a flirt...INCESSANTLY used to flirt with mansi and jas when they weren't going out....still flirts with jas even when he is going out...ass...and talks most of the time like a gujju...i mean..i don't have anything against gujjus...just that..maulik is a TOTAL gujju...he proved it by calling ritesh as..."AYE REEEETESSS" at our recent treat in noodle bar...hehe....

Aside form all this, this guy has something...i dunno wat you call it..but he is nice to be with...though most people who r NOT from SOBO are irritated by him..he is still fun sumtimes..good sense of humour..nice to talk with..and also short in height..forgot to mention that..

Both of these make a PERFECT couple...almost as if they just had to get together...been going strong since more than 3 and a half years now...so pretty compatible of course..also they are PERFECTLY kindergarten couple types(hehe..remember the kindergarten base 5 joke???)

Now both of them are off to US..ok right now Maulik is in a flight and mansi is packing to leave...Won't miss these guys as much..not been too close to them..honestly..but still they were a part of our group for 4 years now..so had to write this post...

To Mansi...hope you grow up..lol...and hope you find amazing things happening to you...and hope you are never too busy to not have time to play with your hair..and hope SOMEDAY you tie me a rakhi..hehe

To Maulik...hope you grow up too..hehe..and hope you take SOMEONE to a badi hotel someday...

To both of you..Bon Voyage!!!!take care and definitely stay in touch...would love to measure your kids' height and be a part of the guinness record for the shortest family..lol

Take Care guys...Love you both...

The THREE Musketeers

The following post is about THREE different people....the three people that are going to be described are probably the most disparate bunch of individuals that were brought together by destiny...as faith would have it they were all born on the same day...in the same house...and faith dealt its final blow when all three were named after three of the highest principles of humankind..."Truth, Peace of Mind and Happiness", thus binding them together in a confluence of human principles that would go on to dazzle the world for a long time....

This post...is about...Sachhid...Anand...Uddhay...TEA-LE...

Ok after the uncharacteristically dramatic start...lemme clarify...this post is...in FACT..only about one person...with a very very long name...Sachhidanand Uddhav Tilay...of course we have split up the name to create one of the longest running jokes in our group...that he is in fact three people....every time people are counted...its always three for tilay...and of course 2 for me and pari both...hehe..

I remember sachhid from the first day of college..he was in fact the only person from my class whom i knew from before..we were in the same batch at Mahesh Tutorials in 12th and hence knew each other by face...i vividly recall where i had met him on the first day...we were both checking out the time table and saw each other and proceeded to class together...we both sat on the last, and very very filthy, bench right behind Divi...who was pretty irritating that day...i remember going to all my classes with him for first few days...though gradually, and thankfully, our group expanded and we met some not-so-nice people...still...i will always remember that first sigh of relief i had when i realized i knew someone in my class at least...

Tliay..or Tea-Le as we call him now(context a little later)...is an awesome guy...and i mean it when i say this...one of the co-founders of the Central Gang...he has been there all through the 4 years...and he has shown his sensibility and calmness on various occasions..

One of the good things about him is that he reserves his opinion on most subjects...or rather he doesn't have one...which is a very wise thing to do...he keeps his nose firmly out of all messy matters...and even if he butts in..it usually is a very sensible advice...and he is very level headed...never rushes into anything..

OK enough with the serious stuff..now let's get onto the fun stuff...i am sure K2 is waiting for this more than anyone else...

SO LETS BEGIN!!!!!TEA-LE Charade....

Ok this is a game we invented as a test for proving your membership to central gang...we give you a song...and you have to fit in his name somewhere in the lyrics...if you are successful...you are SO a member...well this game was actually invented because we realized that his name is so flexible that it can be incorporated into virtually any song...i mean it...here are a few of the most HILARIOUS samples:

Original: Rimjhim gire sawan...baras baras jaaaaaaye mann (pardon if the original lyrics aren't right...)

Our Version: Rimjhim Gire Sawan....teale sachhidanand....sachhid sachhid anand....

Original: Pehla Nasha...Pehla Khumaa...

Our Version: Pehla Nasha......Ae Tea-Le bekaraar...mere Tea-Le Bekaraar...TU HI BATA!!!

Original: Dil mein mere hai Dard-e-disco, Dard-e-disco...Dard-e-discoooo

Our Version: Dile mein mere hai Sachhidanand, sachhidanand, sachhidanand...Dil mein mere hai Sachhidanand, Sachhidanand Sachhidanand

before next sample you need to know that Sachhid has his lower lip jutting out a bit...so we have this typical sound for him...it goes somewhat similar to ....uuuuuhhhhh,,,its a STUPID STUPID joke...

Original: Nanhe Munhe bacchhe teri mutthi mein kya hai......

Our Version: Sachhid Anand Tilay tere uuuuuhhhh mein kya hai...

Original: Nanha Mumha Raahi hoon....Bolo mere Sang...Jai Hind Jai Hind...

Our Version: Nanha Munha raahi hoon....Bolo mere sang....uuuuuuuuhhhhuuuuu uuuuhhhhuuuu


Of Course there are many many more....just not able to remember them right now...But we have practically fit him into every song we could think of...K2 and I were pros at it...

One funny incident involving Tea-le was during one of our exams...he had the habit of writing formulas and getting...and one day K2 just tore it up during revision...of course tilay din't like that...so when K2 asked him a doubt during revision...Tea-Le replied in genuine anger...Jaa...Nahin Bataaega....Everyone just started laughing over his kiddishness...

Of course...we (the employed but not called) janta of our group plans to open a dhaba in Goa...and the name of the dhaba would be???You guessed it...TEA-LE...how very practical naa???It never ceases to amaze me the sheer number of uses we can put his name to...its like his NAME is multi talented...hehe...

He did an internship sometime during 3rd year which made him efficient in flash...and of course in Technovanza '08 his name was synonymous with the Kiosk....Was also the (CO)-event head for Aaranya..one of the most successful eevnts at Pratibimb' 07...of course Suktya was the other event head but as mentioned earlier...Suktya can't do anything...


Sachhid has been part of my group for 4 years now...and he has been the reason for a LOT of laughs...he has been privy to a lot of my thoughts at various times...stood by me in a difficult situation during 1st year...and also i am sure he would be one of the few people i will actually like to keep in touch with...

Well Dude...I would like to wish you all the very best....I am sure your name will live on long after you are gone...LOL...Take Care!!!Keep uuuuhhhing....and please keep the angle at 60 degrees...HAHA...

P.S. I have to thank LALU for the title and K2 for the Songs...