Sashi and I

This blog is about people so what if she is an imaginary character out of the movie English Vinglish . When I saw the movie, I did relate to her. She had a big big influence on me.

The movie is about a housewife , a mother of two children managing her family and her small laddu business, she is bad at English but decides not to let it handicap her but to face it and excel in it.

There is no similarity between her and me , I did have my stint in the corporate world for 10 years but took a break (reasons being several). But then in someway I do face for the lack of satisfaction that several housewives face including Sashi . While basking in the achievements of your children and husband somewhere down the lane you start wondering where  your identity is.

But when you TRY A LITTLE HARD AND WITH A LITTLE TIME AND DETERMINATION. You start finding a meaning to your life , when you start loving yourself , things change ,your life blossoms and you are happy . 

You are happy , your family is happy. 

So towards a happier me and you. 

Mumbai rains

Rains are here once again.

But not yet time to say " Rain, Rain go away".

Love the rains in Mumbai they come with such fury to clean everything that it comes in contact with. One week of rains and Mumbai is sparkling clean, the buildings, the buses and ofcourse the trains.

I stay on the 7th floor and my apartment is sea facing, and it is wonderful to watch dark clouds move towards me lashing at everything which stands below it.

Rains to known to create waterlogging problems in main Mumbai, but out here in Navi Mumbai there is neither waterlogging not does life stop in anyway of course we do take the help of raincoats and umbrellas.

Navi Mumbai is the best in this season, waterfalls come alive on all the hills surrounding this region, what more could you want when you can sip tea enjoying the view of the waterfall from your balcony.

Trees turn to the darkest green there can be , even the little plants on my balcony are full of life (just a month back they were faded green because of the hot hot sun).

Walking in the rains and having hot jilebis and samosas is another favourite moment.

I decided to write this at the beginning of the rainy season because towards the end I wouldn't call the weather cool n nice but it would seem gloomy and damp.

So trying to enjoy before it gets boring.

And let there be light.

Thats what happens when you have your house automated , you wish and it is done.

 

Worked for a Home Automation firm for some time, here is what they do, they sell lifestyles and your dreams comes true of course with your money and their technology. Plan to have all the gizmos in my home sometime, but for now just writing about it:

Yes, you can be God too, the God of your own heaven. But ofcourse you would need gadgets to assist and thats what home automation gives you , with a flick of your fingers your lights come one along with the A/C and ofcourse your window blinds open up or your TV starts on. A clap or two and the lighting goes on party mode .

Stunts which are seen only in Science Fiction movies come into reality here you can shave all the while watching TV on your mirror , or you could speak to your loved one while cooking as there is a phone panel embedded into your kitchen top  .

You have windows which change colour with the sunlight (opaque in the morning and tinted towards the evening ) or you can programme it as you wish.

Automated gardens wherein the fountains and music flow as soon as you step outside.

Much much more, its here where I got an insight into the lives of the rich filmstars and business , but just felt a little jealous of the secretary who gets to play with all these expensive toys , whereas the rich and famous are busy in discussion (I really wonder if they really sit back and experience the gadgets they have invested in , or it is just to flaunt to their counter parts and guests). Whatever, the gadgets are awesome and their living is fabulous. 

Well the best part is even a working family can get this automation done , not the glitzy ones but there are fairly decent gadgets to feature in middleclass households as well.

Getting on and off Mumbai Locals

Keep Left is the best advice. Don't ever board a moving train (I mean it I tried and if it wasn't for some good samaratins I would have been past). If you are boarding into a train at Kurla or Dadar, then stand in the line meant for the station , I don't mean there are queues on the platform but inside the train, passengers stand in separate queue to alight at their respective stations. So again ask before you choose your queue because the standing in the wrong one would mean missing your station. The train stops for 30 seconds in each station which gives you sufficient time to get in and get out as well, so try not to push or pull it is not only indecent but also creates a lot of confusion, the crowd will anyway see that you get pushed out, sometimes you reach half way up the sky walk without any effort from your side.

So don't worry, board the locals to save time and energy, the only place you would be wasting time is when you wait for your connecting train, but anyway this is the fastest way to travel in Mumbai.

Mumbai Locals

A few things to be kept in mind while travelling ,ie. the Line your starting point is and the line on which your destination is... if it is the same then no worries otherwise you would have to hop, skip and jump stations. If you start by Harbour line and have to reach the Western Line then your best bet would be to change stations at Kurla take a Central line train to DADAR and then hop on to the Western Railway (first couple of days is hell but then you get used to it). It would do you good to check on mindicator as well.

If you are travelling by ladies compartment then you have to first check on the display if the arriving train has 9 or 12 compartments (it is shown next to the destination station code) also familiarise your self with the codes - B is Bandra and BR is Belapur and so on ..... always helps to reconfirm with a fellow passenger on the platform.

So stay away from the doors (that is difficult) and travel safe.

Mumbai Locals

First revolting but then what would you do if this was the only transport by which you could travel 40kms in one hour(when you are lucky). Just toughen up and enter the labyrinth of Mumbai trains.

Well this is a travellers handbook of mumbai locals which I would have to complete in a couple of posts. First is the bifurcation of the trains ie. Western, Central and Harbour. The first thing would be to download the mindicator (http://m-indicator.mobond.com/) which would give you detailed listing of all the places covered in the different line , as well as the timetable as well.

Then whether you wish to travel for a month or for a day , depending on which you would have to get a coupon book or a daily pass or a monthly pass.

Then starts the actual adventure of gettting onto the train , you can consider yourself lucky if you have to start after 10.00am as you can happily miss the peak hour, if not brace yourself for one happening ride.

People,Places and I

Well to talk about people and places and the reaction they have on me .

Maybe it could work out the same way for you or could misfire.

But it doesnt hurt to be informed , its good to have free advises and suggestions.

Thats wat this is about.

I love to write , everytime I see something , meet someone always think wat would I write about them, this is an accumulation of those times.

When I want to say something , thank a person , name unknown , place cannot recollect, but a way of expression. So here I go.