M is Motivate

"Your topic is the best one in not only your batch, but the whole university!", I told a young student, encouraging him to work hard. He had taken up a World Trade Centre as his thesis topic, which was appearing too daunting for him. Something in my words changed the way he felt about his project, and his final submissions went off very well.

I have a rare achievement of scoring a perfect 100 in Mathematics in my board examinations, and irrespective of the fact that it was 18 years ago, I still get requests from parents to guide their children in the subject they tend to dread. "If you solve a problem correctly in Maths, you'll get full marks. Isn't that exciting?", I tell the children.

There was a member in my project team who could not deliver, in spite of all his intelligence. Wondering whether he was going through personal problems, I chose to have a one-to-one discussion with him. It turned out that constant criticism was pushing him to a shell. I gave him some pep talk, offered to reduce his load, gave him critical responsibilities, and finally, could bring out the best in him.

Everyone could do with a bit of motivation, isnt it? 

There is another story pertaining to M I must share:

Law number 49 of the Indian Penal code relates to mad people. And the point to note is my house number is 49. So now you know where my madness stems from?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L

L is for Liar

Well, this is a difficult one. But people who know me since childhood would certify this.

Perhaps I was over-imaginative. Lying to me seemed like story telling. And I was real good at it - if I told you something as absurd as that I have travelled to Mars, you would be bound to believe that.

The problem is, the general impression about me was that I was a fibber and most definitely, the naughtiest child around. So, even if I were not lying, people would not believe a word I said.

An absolute contrast to this was my younger brother - his impression was that of an apostle of truth : a child who just could not lie. And in critical situations, he'd coolly let me down. "She did it", he would say, framing me for a round of scolding, and walking away.

After many incidents, I realized lying is taking me nowhere, and one needs to remember versions of the truth to keep the story going. Finally, around the age of 15, I gave up on this habit after I got my group of friends on the verge of serious trouble.

Mischief still dances in my eyes, but I am far mature and trustworthy. It's been a long journey, though!

What is your take on lying?

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K

The K of Anupama K.

I always had a fascination for middle names since my childhood. Once, a new girl joined our class - her name had a male name after a female one. When I pointed this out, she told me her middle name was her Dad's, and it was a custom in her native place to include one's father's name. "In South India, people include names of villages, grandfathers and whatever they can think of !", she joked.

Later in my life, when I interacted with more and more people, I found this was quite a common practice. To do something different, I chose to include my mother's initial, instead of my Dad's. Her name is Kakoli, hence the K. Not legally, but wherever I could, I write my name as Anupama K. Mazumder.

My mother was moved when she heard this, but she didn't say anything.

Many friends have asked me about this, some of wondered quietly, here's your answer!

Call me a female chauvinist if you may, but I like this version of my name.

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J

Juggling between Roles

"Anupama, this project is now your baby", my boss said, handing me a thick file.

Before I could react, there was a beep on my cellphone - "You cooked the cauliflower really well" - that's my brother in law, an ardent fan of my culinary skills.

I was smiling, when the gadget on my hand started ringing, flashing the name of one of my students. "Madam, please guide me what to do next", he requested.

I was too shocked to respond, so  I promised to call him back and walked back to my chair when the landline on my desk rang. "There is no bus on my route for 30 minutes. Please do something", a complete stranger had called me. I work in a public transport company, and my phone number is almost public property. I get such weird calls, in spite of the fact that I possess no power to satisfy such demands.

My mother in law called to check on my health, for I was sneezing over the phone last evening. I assured her of my being better and enquired about her left knee, which is her weak point.

I gulp down some water, reflecting on the various roles I've played in the last few minutes. And this is just a small sample. I am more - a daughter, a sister, friend, guide, what not.

I am no exception - all of us out there juggle between various roles. We are bloggers, artists in our own right, professionals, family, parents, siblings, friends and much of which we do not even realize.

Just give it a thought, and it will surely bring a smile to your lips.

Here's to you great people out there!

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I

I - "Its my Life"

Its my life.

I needed Bon Jovi (a singer you cannot help liking) to teach me this small, yet effective phrase. I learned the hard way, but I did learn it. This lesson is one of the magic solutions when things around me do not exactly favour me. Its my life, and I need to take charge of it. 

When you live in a society, you have to abide by some rules. Some would appear perfectly ridiculous, but yet, to let peace prevail, you give in. But you can still be happy. Adjustment is not giving up one's happiness. And what gives you happiness is actually known only to you. So its only you who can rule the roost, isnt it?

Preach what I may, I am perhaps the most vulnerable and jittery being in the universe when faced with adversity. Somewhere my soul would turn around and say, "Take charge of your life" and soon, I'd be composed, trying to decide on the best course of action given the present situation.

Take it from me - do what you like to do, even if you have to do many more things you would rather not do.

Keep smiling!

Elections are in the air in India at present, and if we are all to take charge of our lives, we must vote! 

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H

Handwriting woes

It started in 5th Standard. My classmate was asked to read out an essay I had written - she stumbled so many times in deciphering my scribble that I had to finally do the reading.

The problem got worse when this incident percolated to home. My elder brother, father and people around me had lovely handwritings, and I was chided for my messy work. 

I am someone who had to work on her handwriting afresh. I copied styles from people whose handwritings I liked, and evolved one of my own. So if you are someone who tries to decipher personality traits from lettering styles, I am perhaps not the correct choice to try your skills on.

Another milestone in the history of my handwriting is when a firecracker burst in my right hand, injuring my thumb, index and middle fingers. The hitch was that I had examinations from the following week, and I had to spend time trying to write with my left hand, instead of studying. However, three days after serious effort, I realized writing with bandaged fingers was perhaps a better option. [By the way, I can write well with my left hand too].

My training as an Architect affected my letter formations and soon, people would appreciate my casual handwriting even at a cursory glance.

In today's age of typing, its rare that I have to write anything beyond few lines. Needless to say, my handwriting, something I was so proud of at a time, has suffered. However, what remains is in the image below: a hastily written application. Do you like it?

  

In fact, the easiest way to impress me is by having a good writing. At the same time, it must be noted that all the men I have had a crush on or fallen for or ever noticed have simply pathetic handwritings.
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F, G

G reminds me of Gambles

Everyone has to take gambles at some stage in his life, but  on hindsight, all my decisions have

been so!  Oops!

First choice I got to make in life was that of 3rd language in 7th standard.  I chose Sanskrit mostly because I knew nothing about it. I ended up with a completely new group of class fellows, gelling with them seemed like a Herculean task. Today I remember nothing significant of the subject, but I still have a loving set of friends.

In my urge to do things differently, I took up Mechanics in 10th. Years later, allow me to admit that it was again a big risk for I had no idea what it was all about.

My decision to train as an Architect was a surprise for me as well,  for I possessed very limited sketching skills.  Today I teach the subject to youngsters,  so it must be a gamble that has paid off well.

Transforming into a transport planner was a risky action too,  but I am still surviving in my job. :-P.

Taking up blogging was perhaps not a gamble, it is my way of telling you who I am,  what holds the key to my soul and more.

Here's hoping all your future ventures pay off ! May the same hold true for mine as well!
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E, F

F is Feedback

We had launched an online survey for bus commuters in Delhi, and the very next day I received a mail that almost caught me by the collar: "How many bus commuters are internet savvy do you think?", it accused. I replied saying that we had already spoken to 1 lakh commuters personally and this was a medium we did not wish to leave unexplored.

The key thing is that feedback on your work is what helps you improve, be as good as possible, and perhaps exceed your potential.

I work in a field which is a hot bed: you recommend something and it is implemented almost immediately, and if I am not  careful, the end user would be knocking at my door, demanding explanations. And if it benefits him, a big smile would acknowledge me.

I've been blogging some time now, and genuine comments, however few, have given me the impetus to hang in there. I value feedback, even if it is absolutely critical. For example, a close friend actually told me that even if I was posting daily for the A-Z challenge, I should write my posts with care. I did not take that too well, but soon realized that negative feedback is for me to improve upon. So, thanks buddy.

I take this opportunity to thank all of you who have been there for me, and helped me become the person I am.

And if you have read this till here, please tell me what you think.
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D, E

E is Experimental

Not afraid to try anything new, I have a secret trait in me. I am willing to see what leads to what. And I have a dangerous tendency of applying a tip gained for something on a completely different thing. So you never know when I am using you as a guineapig! 

Of late, I am the one cooking at home. Not liking the idea of knowing how a regular dish tastes even before you taste it, I try to add few  of my secret ingredients in it. Often, you are left guessing what has gone in and I like it. My experiments with cooking misfire at times, but that hardly deters me.

Next is my willingness to add spunk to my appearance. I come across as a simple and conventional girl,  until you notice two "Polo" (mint with a hole) rings hanging from my ears. I got my nose punctured impulsively, much to the horror of my family.  My stole is often on my head and my old shirts couple off as exquisite shrugs.

At work, I am not keen to do work in age old methods. I am always looking for effective time management solutions, so that I can wrench out time for other things.

That brings me to the way I move around. I love exploring  alone,  only I prefer daylight,  and would get into unknown lanes to find out where it leads.

More about me coming up soon!  Stay tuned!
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C, D

D has to be Delhi

If C is Calcutta, D is definitely Delhi.

Now, this is a city I've grown in. I was here in 2001, came back in 2003 and never really went back. So, a good 11 years of my life have been spent here.

Things that were so taboo in my school days in Calcutta were so cool in Delhi. A city of millions, and I hardly knew anyone. I had friends around me, but somewhere, I was alone. The city befriended me, urged me to explore deeper and deeper.

I made mistakes, I learnt, I spoke to people, picked up local language and talking styles. I have visited areas where people discourage you to venture alone. Oops.

Delhi has grown with me: the metro has come, suburbs have developed, my roots have gone deeper and I've sort of become used to its extreme characteristics: be it the weather, traffic or political influences (or whatever).

The City of Djinns - you'll love it. 

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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B, C
Image: Hauz Khas Village, 2011

C is Calcutta

C is always Calcutta for me. Not Kolkata - I detest that spelling. Calcutta is the city I was born in, and hope to die in. Calcutta, the City of Joy.

No, Calcutta is not about Victoria Memorial (monument in the picture). In fact, I've never been inside in my senses.

My schooling, my graduation, my family and friends, my identity is all synonymous to the city. Whenever I land up, my soul connects with the city's. She jeers, "So you are back again? How long this time?"

The city knows I hate leaving it. There's rain everytime on my departure day, as if the downpour is trying to hold me back. Maybe the flight/ train may get delayed?

The city of trams. The city of India's first metro rail. The former capital of British. last but not the least, its "My City".

There's much I do not know about the city. But whatever I know seems to be a part of me. Many a person may criticize it, but I love it all the same.
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Discover Things that make me who I am : A, B

B for Books!

Yes, its B for Books. The theme I've chosen for this A to Z challenge is what each letter means to me the most.

Its less to call me a Bookworm. I am someone for whom anything in print suffices. And you dare comment on my choice of books - those in the photo above are only a part of the ones I own. When we shifted homes, my husband underestimated the speed of my evergrowing collection and made two stylish shelves. Now he says, "I should have dedicated a full wall for your books!"

Books mean a lot for me. They keep me awake in public transport, help me wait anytime anywhere, and more. Its also the easiest way to strike of a conversation with me - Ask me what book I am reading - for I am sure to be devouring one.

To satisfy your curiosity, I am currently reading "Byculla to Bangkok" by S. Hussain Zaidi.

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Read my previous posts in this series : A

A - our names!

Having enrolled for the A-Z challenge at the last moment, I was left wondering what I should start the series with. "A" means lot of things for me, but the most important thing is what we are known by - our names. Most of us in our family, my closest friends, people who affect my life and more have names starting with A. So here goes:

Anupama (that's me), Aprotim, Ananya, Anindita, Anirban, Abhishek, Amit, Arun, Anindya, Anuradha, Atul, Alok, Anand, Ayush, Ayushi, Ayesha, Anjan, Aditya, Ashtrutaa, Ashish, Atanu, Anuj, Anit, Avijit, Abonty, Angon and many more...

Love all of you!

"Chakhna Menu" - bringing back yesteryears

Having heard much about the "Chakhna Menu" at Punjab Grill, my husband literally dragged me with him to try it. I am in a non alcoholic phase, and my focus was primarily on what this new menu offered.

We were lucky to meet Chef Gurpreet, the mastermind behind this innovative idea. Young men, just on the verge of adulthood, would have alcohol with street side snacks, sometimes its simple scrambled egg, or keema, or fish tikkas.

The food is served in innovative ways: the mutton comes in a charcoal press model for its cooked on coal. The alcohol is served with a desi flavour too: the Punjabi's love their whiskies in weddings, so a small horn is placed in your single malt: the staff shall blow it once before they serve it to you. :)

 There's more to discover waiting to be discovered by you... so check it out soon!
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Photos courtesy: Punjab Grill 

South Indian Food beyond the Usual

"So you like Dosas?", I asked my friend when he said he loved South Indian Food. 

"Or Uttapams?", I offered, upon getting a frown.

"There's more to South Indian cuisine than those", said my friend and literally dragged me to Kausstubh in Saket District Centre, near DLF Place Mall. It was a peaceful place, with a simplistic design and wooden furniture.. it seemed peaceful and generated hunger pangs in my stomach.

We started with a traditional rasam and papad. That reminds me, do you know there are numerous varieties of rasam? And if you are interested, you may visit Kausstubh when they host the "Rasam Festival". 

Food from all states of South India was available - we had Fried Cocktail Idli, Cheese Kuzhipaniyaram, Keerai Kuttu and Butter Milk for starters. It was spicy, yummy and very innovative.

I wanted to have the traditional dosa, so the staff suggested we try Chettinad Plain Dosa and Garlic Dosa, along with the usual one. Note the unique presentation style?  

My friend was still hungry, so we ordered the Thali and Appams. With multiple dishes served in small bowls, came a Malabar Paratha and Idiyappam.

We finished our super heavy meal with "1 metre Coffee"... a coffee that is blended in two mugs held at a vertical distance of 1 metre. 

The restaurant serves North Indian food too, but I'd recommend you try their South Indian menu only. 

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Photocredits: Atul Tayade

Hyderabadi Food Festival

 Window shopping at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon my friend and I stopped in front of a banner announcing the "Hyderabadi Food Festival" at Zambar, a restaurant on the 3rd Floor. Our stomachs and tongues yearning for a taste of the new menu, we dropped our shopping agenda almost immediately.

We were greeted by Chef Arun, a man with a broad smile who adds a personal touch in the food he serves to his guests. And tiny elements add to the ambience: banana leaf shaped plates, portrait of a Kathakali dancer on the wall, and more.

We are served with a small amount of Rasam, and traditional papads. But what is a hyderabadi food festival without kebabs and biriyani? The chef smiles at our query and serves his select few - aloo ke garlay (vegeterian), Shikampuri (mutton) and Chicken tikka (with a strong garlic flavour!). Served with a green chutney, the kebabs just melted in our mouths.

Moving on to the main course, he served us a delectable platter of achari chicken (yummy), nawabi kofta curry (meatballs), fish curry made in nuts and a vegeterian dish made with chillies.

Next came the biriyani, which is served only after the personal approval of Chef Arun. It was too good, and we had so much of it that we had to quickly proceed to the desserts. Needless to say, they were unique and superb too.

All you foodies out there, do remember to check out the Hyderabadi Food festival!

Spicy look for season

Lakme Fashion Week is round the corner, and has ignited the designer in me. Here is a look I've envisioned, with products from my favourite online shopping site. You may click on the links to check out the products.

A carefree look for the modern woman in a plain skirt with prints on the lower side and shoulderless, sleeveless top paired with a lacy black shrug. The orange of the top flows into the bracelet as well, to be worn on the right hand. The left hand should be left bare, from which a maroon handbag shall be slung. The look is accentuated with a red silk printed scarf, to be tied on the hair, to act like a hairband. Beautiful floral danglers, which have both red and yellow, are perfect for wearing with this ensemble. Red wedges complement the look. For those who have their noses pierced, this Ganesha nose-pin can be flaunted, which is funky yet traditional and glitters as brightly as the lady's smile.

What do you think?

Savouring Winter Menu @ Olive Beach

Innovations in food - that is what I would call the new menu at Olive.

Having heard about it a lot, I walked in with lot of expectations... and was met by a smiling chef. He sat with us, and shared with us his experiences from his long stint abroad. And he jokingly remarked that the new menu he has launched this winter had to be "Indianized" to match the spice loving taste of his country-men.

Although it was late winter, he offered us two of his special mocktails which were full of ice. All my apprehensions were discarded when I sipped in the green drink, called "Avalanche" - made with mint leaves. The orange one was a fruity concoction. He offered us choice of platters, but we surrendered to his will, for we wanted to taste the best. Here are the appetizers:

Confit Duck Legs - soft meat made into a dumpling, 

Pumkin Soup in Espresso Style, sprinked with ground pumpkin seeds

Cheese Balls

 Then came Round 1: Duck leg, with a burnt texture, coupled with turnips marinated in orange juice and dressed with plum jam. Coupled with warm bread and rosemary dip, it was too good. To top it all, came Goat cheese with beet, and walnuts - never knew beet and walnut tasted so good together!

Chef Sujan also treated us to Red Snapper fish, and informed us that he always used fresh fish, and not the usual frozen stuff available in the market.

He wanted to treat us more, but we were too full. So we went on to the desserts after a refreshing green apple sorbet, an effective palate cleanser. Don't the brownie and tiramisu look sinful?

It was a great experience for the foodie in me. I am usually very critical, but in this case, I could not even find a single suggestion to provide.

So next time you are in Chanakyapuri, make sure to check out this cozy joint in the ground floor of Hotel Diplomat.
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Photocredits: Chef''s: Team Olive, Rest: Atul Tayade 

To our Gang Leader

My sister, Ananya.

It is said that God sieves out the good people and beckons them, irrespective of age or any aspect. On January 8th, 2014, God freed her of all earthly ties.

Just under 40, she was suffering from Cancer, a disease whose very mention shakes us up. But not her. She was someone who could face every challenge head on, and had emerged victorious every time. When we came to know her cancer had metastasized, I was encouraging her not to be afraid, when she said, "I am not scared. You all are."

Indeed, we were the weak ones. We cried, worried, got tensed, feared the worst everytime she went through rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, medication and intense pain. If we would ask her how she felt, the answer would always be, "Recovering.".... knowing fully well that she was doing no such thing.

She was named Dihing after a river in Assam. And so much like her name, she lived a life on her own terms. Never afraid to break the rules, she was incredibly smart and intelligent. She was a great dancer, and had a flair for language. Do you think South Indian languages are difficult to learn for someone who was born and brought up in Calcutta? She not only picked Tamil up, she used to converse fluently with her Tamilian maid, run a business in South India, and went on to marry a Tamil guy.

All through our lives, she stood by her younger brothers and sisters - guiding us, sharing our deepest secrets and yet, leading from the front while playing pranks. She was the darling of everyone in the family, for beneath her "I-dont-care-a-bit" attitude, was a caring and loving girl.

She wrote her destiny herself until this dreadful disease got the better of her. While we are happy that she has been relieved of inhuman physical pain, her sudden disappearance from our lives have created a void that nothing can ever fill.

We love you, Dihing-Di.

Too much work? Who cares?

Overloaded at work and household responsibilities, I seemed to have lost all vigour. A friend of mine, having had enough of my complains about it, literally dragged me to South Ex Market - afterall, the best way to relax known to women is shopping. Strolling around, we chanced upon a sign that pointed to Four Fountains De-stress Spa.

"This is where I wanted to bring you", said my friend, grinning.

I had never been to a spa before, and I had many apprehensions. She literally shoved me up the staircase. Upon entering a dimly lit soothing reception area, I felt much better. There was a welcoming aroma lingering around, that soothed me. The staff were friendly, and they helped me choose the Ayurvedic Oil De-stressing session with Swedish Massage.

I was led to a chamber that was laid out in a welcoming fashion. The session that followed was simply out of the world - one feels like a queen while experienced hands of the therapist massage hot oil all over your body. I had a lingering low back pain that is common to all who have desk jobs - the massage relaxed each body part and took away all sorts of body ache.

It was a good overall experience. Now whenever I am stressed, I know where to go to.   

A small piece of advice from me: 

However relaxing this experience may have been, I feel one can avoid such sessions in winter. The oil is warm, and can be applied on only one part of your body - so the rest of the body tends to go cold, inspite of the covers.

Here's wishing you all a very happy 2014!!