Interesting, funny but true

Today while browsing Internet, I came across below quote by Dr. Seuss. I found it interesting and funny but true. So I thought of sharing it with my readers. Dr. Seuss is an American Writer, Poet. His main work is children picture book. How true this is, mostly people wait for someone perfect to fall in Love or get married. But actually nobody is perfect and every relation or marriage requires adjustment. It's just that you have to find a person who is worth adjusting for.

Also I liked this pie chart. This is how a human mind works. So true.

One and Half Rupees

Today was one of the lucky days for Granny Pushpa, when all her farm fresh, red and juicy Pomegranates got better value in Kolhapur weekly bazaar. She was delighted and was excited to buy a skirt for her granddaughter and Sev Chiwada(Indian snack) for her grandson. Her large tokari which was full of Pomegranates in the morning was now stuffed with weekly purchasing for the household like sugar, tea, aata, daal, etc. She didn’t realise when sun began to sink behind the horizon. By the time she rushed to bus stop, bus has already left. Now she was worried as her village was 50 KMs from Kolhapur. Those were the times when India was newly anounced a free nation. She asked a young boy if the bus has left. He confirmed. She was tired and hungry after a long day. She opened a box of Besan Ladoos prepared by her daughter in law for her day in Kolhapur weekly bazaar. Granny had one Ladoo and kept couple of ladoos in the box in case has to wait for the next S.T. bus which will be after 2:30 hrs. The only way to get home was to either wait for the touring company bus/car or to catch a S. T. bus after 2:30 hrs. She saw a car coming her way, she got up and waved her hand like a flag. Twenty something years old young driver pressed the breaks hard to stop his full speed car. He asked granny “Mai,kya hua? Gadi kyon roki?” She replied, “Meri bus Chhut gayi, mera ghar yahase 50 KMs hai, Solpur, Agar tum muze Solpur chhod doge to mein tumhe pure Dedh rupaye dungi”. Actually bus used to cost one Rupee but as she wanted to go early, she thought to pay some lucrative amount to convince a touring bus driver to drop her. Driver agreed saying “Jo tu thik samze de dena”. Young man got down from his seat loaded her tokari in the boot of the car and asked her to seat beside him on the front row of the car. One of the man waiting on the bus stop shouted “Are Mai sun toh....”. But now she was in no mood to listen anybody and by this time car started speedily.

                  Today is the first time Granny sat on the front row of the car in her life. She loved the soft feathery covers of the seat. Also she felt relaxed and lucky to travel in the car alone with no other passengers. She thought even though I have to pay aath aana more than bus, this is better. When the stone on the road read “Solpur 0Kms”, driver stopped the car saying “Mai aapaka Solpur aa gaya”. Granny got down from car. Driver also got down, unloaded Granny’s tokari from boot. Granny took out one and half rupees from her pocket and payed to the driver. Opened her Ladoos box and handed over one ladoo to driver saying “Bete, ye lo... khao”. The young man had the ladoo, started his car and left with the speed. Some of the villagers were looking at the Granny asking her which car she boarded and who was the young man? She told it was some touring company car and driver was good so she got a good deal in one and half Rupees. One of the guys asked Granny “Did he take your money?”. She said “Yes”. The guy said “Mai tum to apane Kolhapur ke raja ke gadi mein aur usake bajumein baithake aaye ho”. Now Granny was shocked and overwhelmed. She was touching the sand her Maharaja was standing on, trying to seek his blessings. Also she was bowing down looking at the rear side of her Raja’s dust leaving speedy car.

What's there in name?

Everybody has a name. It’s an identity of an Individual in this big world. There is a story behind how we got our name? There is a story behind how we carry our name. Did our parents search lot of books for our name? Why did they like that name for us? Did somebody suggest our name? We have nickname as well. The real name has several versions as in my case. Sometimes I feel how unfair Shakespeare is to say “What’s there in name?”. It is an identity we relate to our self and every body else relate to us. One realises what is there in name when one’s name is repetitively pronounced wrongly, like mine.
                   My name is Indrayani. Many people told me my name is unique, long and difficult to pronounce and spell. I was the only girl named “Indrayani” in my School and college. So I enjoyed a privilege of being unique in that sense and felt proud as unique name helped me escape the mess created by similar name like swapping of exam papers, roll numbers etc. My teachers and friends used to call me “Indu” or “Indumati” which I hate. Yes! These are the two absolute no no versions of my name. In my Pune office non maharastrian people for whom my name was new used to call me “Indrani”, some of them actually thought the meaning of my name is “Wife of Lord Indra” and began to call me “Indra ki Rani”. But that is not the meaning of my name. Again I had to clarify and clear the air. I was never linked with any boy in my entire college life and now I am being linked to King of Gods – Lord Indra. Ohh! Poor me. My Bengali colleagues called me “Indro”.  Every time I made it a point to correct them but all efforts went in vein. When I joined office in Dubai, the things went worst for my name. Many versions of my name were waiting to greet me. Local colleagues called me “Indrayana” or “Indriyani”. I had colleagues from Africa, UK, US, Shrilanka, Pakistan, etc. Most of them actually found my name as a toung twister so they chose a name “Indra” for me. I had to agree happily (?). Rather than hearing many wrong pronunciation this was better. But all my family members call me “Indrayani” without a single mistake. Even after I got married, thankfully new family members learned my name easily and pronounce it correctly. The meaning of Indrayani is “A woman having command on languages”. I am not sure if I am living up to that but as I am writing this article on the usual drama and confusion on my name, I feel extremely proud to have a name that’s unique, meaningful and long. Thanks a ton Aai and Baba for giving me this name. And Thanks to Aaji for suggesting it.

Pencil Sketch - Cat

Painting of a Flower pot

Pencil Sketch - Who's that girl?

This is what I have drawn couple of hours ago.

Phuket - Day 2

On the 7^th August, we were very tired by the long  journey and was not feeling to wake up in the morning. I was not feeling to wake up in the morning. But I got up and stepped in the Gallary of our room, I was taken aback by  the beautiful cloudy morning waiting to greet me. Also the scenic ocean view was a bonus. 
 We immediately brushed our teeth, had a coffee and went to Karon beach which was at 15 minis walking distance from our Hotel. Below is the pic of Karon beach.

Ocean was roaring like Lion and as the waves hitting see shore hard no one was daring get inside the waves. But the scene was very beautiful. Sky was cloudy and gray, the ocean waters were white, foamy, and sand was white too. From beach we can see some of the Islands in the Andaman Ocean looking like bonsai from the distance. One island was looking like a green Broccoli bunch. After some photo session we took a small walk in the lanes of Phuket. I saw this lady selling some food  items on the streets. I particularly like the bike which can carry your stuff and when needed can be used as a street shop. We can find such bikes  many in Phuket on streets.

Also I noticed most of the hotels have open kitchen at the entrance. Customers can see the hygiene maintained and the way it is prepared. We returned to hotel with the excitement to explore more of the Phuket in remaining three Days. We got ready and had a nice breakfast. For remaining day today we had booked “Hongs by Starlight” tour by John Gray.  August, we were very tired by previous Day’s he long  journey followed As decided at 11AM exactly the John Gray’s Canoe trip driver came to receive us. I really love the punctuality Thai people have. It was a long one and half hours journey to the Dock.  Shortly we landed on a big boat. We were the only Indian couple in the tour. Most of the crowd was from Australia.  The tour started with the introduction from the captain to the crew members and what all will be done in the Day. The Breakfast served was light and delicious followed by Phuket’s famous juices. The view on the way was spectacular. So many small Islands welcomed us on our way. Lush green, stiff slanting high rocks were truly breathtaking.  Water was green, the typical fresh ocean green. Phuket was at its best, as it was cloudy we sat on the overtop deck.  Below are the pictures of one of the island the sharp edges of the rocks hanging from the roof of the Hongs.

After an hour or so our boat was parked at place one ocean and we were educated about canoeing by our captain. The small Islands in the Andaman sea have caves inside them, these caves are called as Hongs. They can be explored during low water time only. Usually around 2PM the water level falls and the gates of the caves are opened ( I remembered Khulaja sim sim dialogue from Alif Laila). Captain told us safety measures like how to protect ourselves while crossing the sharp rocks and not to touch any rock on our way as canoes are really small boats and some touch can influence the direction of the canoe which can be dangerous inside the hongs.  In one canoe two tourists and a sailor were accommodated. I sat at the front my husband behind me and our sailor at the rare of the canoe.  Below is the picture of a canoe.

Our Sailor’s name was Chap. Chap was around 21-22 years old and was tattoo loving person. All around his body he was painted, he barely knew English but few English words and our expressions completed the conversation for the rest of the day.
This was the first time I was seating on the boat so close to ocean, I have to just stretch my hand to reach water. I have done banana boat ride in past but this boat was lower that banana boat. I don’t know swimming so I preferred to wear Life Jacket.  I was excited as it was my first canoeing experience. We went inside caves which had so narrow entrance that one has to lie down completely (as shown in below pic)  in the canoe to pass through it, once you are inside its dark, as dark as night. Chaps torch which was mounted on his head showed us the spectacular, amazing treasure nature has saved deep inside these caves. The roofs were carved with natural salts and water dripping from the rocks. The rocks inside were hanging from the roof like a dripping drop, they were indeed very sharp. Sharp enough to cut your skin and make a serious damage. But I was so mesmerized by the beauty of mother earth that the dangers of rock didn’t scare me.

 Inside some caves there were beautiful trees and fishes, crabs and other marine animals. After visiting many caves we were on our way back to the boat when the storm struck the Pha Nga Bay and it started raining.Our canoe was like a small leaf dangling on the waves. It was little bit scary but I enjoyed. After coming back on the boat we had some free time for swimming in the Andaman ocean. We had a great time, now we were hungriest and I must mention food was delicious.  It was a fairytale ambiance, it was raining outside and we were having hot and tasty sea food, followed by was equally seducing coffee. Krayton is a show piece made out of natural things like flowers, leaves and banana stem. Thais offer it to ocean on every full moon night and make a wish. They believe these wishes are fulfilled. With the help of Chap we also made our Krayton. Below is stuff required to make a Krayton.

And below is how it looks after crafting.

Making and offering our Krayton was a total spiritual experience. No one said a word, the impact was long lasting. This brought an end of our wonderful day in the
Hongs by Starlight.