The C's of City Connect

A to Z Challenge - My Theme-  City Connect - my connect with....

Aurangabad-Schooling & Junior College / Bombay- Graduation & First job/ Chennai - Marriage & Motherhood

AURANGABAD

CAMPUS CAROL - Come Thursday & this chirpy kids bulletin would be at our door step. Be it crayon sketched Mountains by a 7 year old or a water colored painting by a teenager- they would publish it one beside the other. From poetry to puzzles  and stories to sonnet this bulletin was an ode to "kids kreativity"

BOMBAY

CENTRE POINT CHEMBUR  -  1st office- 1st job  @ Centre Point Chembur.  It was Jan 2008 .  Connotation for "Vessels" was about to change.Vessels in Maritime Industry mean Ships. This was just the beginning....a lot more vocabulary got added over years.  Abbreviations became a part of routine, Time Zone differences got respected - World became a smaller place when looked from the Sea Trade point of view.

CHENNAI

COMIC SIDEKICK - When you watch movies of 5 different languages- what comes to you is an "Analysis Hangover". A unexpected & unwanted habit of over analyzing movie structure.  So, after having a wholesome meal "Tamil" movie, when I switch over to "Marathi" - I realize there is no Comic sidekick for the main lead. The Tamil Cinema hero;-over years has developed a strong & healthy bond with their comic sidekick. They are generally hero's friend/ close family-and get good screen-time in the story arc.

The B's of City Connect

A to Z Challenge - My Theme-  City Connect - my connect with....

Aurangabad-Schooling & Junior College / Bombay- Graduation & First job/ Chennai - Marriage & Motherhood

AURANGABAD

BABA PETROL PUMP  - Ideally, I should be writing about the iconic Bibi Ka Maqbara- a replica of Taj Majal Mahal built by Aurangazeb in Aurangabad. But I feel more connected to this petrol pump which use to be the final stop before out station buses drive out of city limits. 15-20 mins long halt at Baba Petrol pump meant, any passengers skipping their bus at the earlier stops could board it here. I am not sure if this stop still commands the same importance or have the city limits exceeded over years?

BOMBAY

BIRD WATCHING- An unexpected routine to catch up in a city like Bombay. Never did I think, I would go on a Bird watching trail here. Thanks to our all time favorite Uncle & Aunty [ Ganesh Mama & Bhanu Aunty we call them].  They took me & my sis- not once but twice to experience it. Till date those have been the only 2 Bird watching walks I have had. Can't forget the peanut butter sandwich that accompanied us though the trail.

CHENNAI

BOMBAY HALWA HOUSE/ BOMBAY FASHION

It is the very Chennai city which houses a restaurant, by name Bombay Halwa House. Right at the end of the street - we have a apparel house by name Bombay Fashion. You can find more Bombays as you walk along the streets of Chennai.  There is a "Bombay Chaat" - as the name suggests- they serve you everything from  Sev Puri to Pav Bhaji.

The A's of City Connect

A to Z Challenge - My Theme-  City Connect - my connect with....

Aurangabad-Schooling & Junior College / Bombay- Graduation & First job/ Chennai - Marriage & Motherhood

AURANGABAD

ANGEETHI- My 1st brush with fine dining experience happened here. Under faint lights & symphony of instrumental music - soups were served in heavy cutlery. Somewhere between a relishing Paneer Maakhanwala to steaming Jeera Rice,  some lessons on table manners also got served.

BOMBAY 

AMITABHS & AMBANIS -  You are familiar with their names. You read them on tabloids; see them on televisions. But ask a Mumbaikar, and we will tell you the name of their bungalows & even show you where it stands. Jalsa, Antilia, Mannat, Basera...... celebrity residence list is a part of our vocabulary.

CHENNAI

ANNA SALAI - A Street name in Chennai. It was 09 JULY 2012 . Me & my then fiancé-now husband, were walking along this road, when I tried to spell out its name - Anna Salai. Yes that's how I read it, and he immediately corrected me saying, it is to be pronounced -Anna Saaalai. "Saalai" in tamil is what "Sarani" is in Bengali or "Street" in English.

Theme Reveal 2020 -A to Z Challenge

Each city brings you a connect;

by way of food , routine or dialect. 

This April I set upon- my Alphabetical journey of the 3 cities 

 Aurangabad - Bombay- Chennai. 

No- it won't be a travelogue ; 

neither will it spell out any historical facts

Yet -between insignificant memories and some significant nostalgia

It will talk about food/ language/structures / roads

 that connect with these cities, 

in some way or the other.....

A day in the life of an Idli Grinder

It's been close to 14 years now. I  have been occupying the right corner of the kitchen loft. A very comfortable accommodation, I would say. Like a view from the balcony, I can see everything that gets cooked on that stove. 

With crisp corners, a dosa - waiting to be flipped , those pot bellied pooris going into the plate, steam rising from the freshly cooked rice. Must admit, they placed me in the most entertaining corner of the room.

Years ago, they brought me home with all vigor. But when downsizing happened, I was the first to go. Was I too huge to be accommodated or too complicated to stay functional? 

A tap on my back jostled my thoughts. Before I could fathom, a gush of water ran over me . It was my touch with water after almost a decade. I sun soaked myself in whatever rays reached though the window.Suddenly, there was all new attention on me.  I am placed, a level above the ground- just beneath the mixer. 

And now, my plug points connected!!!

After 14 long years......It was time to perform. 

It was time to show, I exist.

It was time-  to write my own testimonial here.

When Dad takes the lead

I, picked up a book, lying in the slumber
It took me to the World of Old Bombay Memoirs
Engrossed & engaged - I spent a whole noon
Till the door bell rang -and brought me back to the room
When Dad takes the lead, and the kid is happy to heed 
Mom is on a Holiday - Offering herself- a leisure Reading Day.


I decided to bring out the Old Metal Box
Tucked deep inside, the fortified walls
Volumes of stories they had to say- some relevant- some redundant
At an unhurried pace ,I wade through
Choosing to retain some, and discard a few.
When Dad takes the lead, and the kid is happy to heed 
Mom is on a Holiday - Clearing up Space- in her own way


When was the last time I shopped, without looking at the Watch
How long has it been - updating this blog
Which is that movie- I am waiting to see again
Bring out the list- its Game Time now!
When Dad takes the lead, and the kid is happy to heed 
Mom is on a Holiday - Making the most of it today!

Watch your step- There is an Infant going around!

You make me realise - 5 sips of un-interrupted coffee is a luxury [ even at home].
I am sure, you are too young to understand the science behind a coffee getting cold, the ordeal of reheating it etc. So let's ignore this one.

Moving on.....

Have you noticed matured door callers ? They decently ring the door bell  & wait for us to open.But your 2.5 inch friends, keep knocking from the outside. To keep the music on, you too bang the door from inside,  as if to convey, " yes I am asking the elders here to open it".

There are times, I have unleashed dry-fruits, from our pillow covers.
After every meal, the sofa cushion- is bejeweled with morsels of food.
Few years down the line, if furnishing industry designs Cushion Covers adorned with "Food like fittings"- we can say, it's an "Infant inspired Idea".

These days, I talk to people, whose names I don't know. But they know you. They know your routine.
These strangers turned acquaintances are now my "friends" from the other building. You actually increased my social circle!

The other day, I attempted what you always do. I emptied the stationery rack , left it aside and went on to arrange the clothes stand. Having done the clothes, I  didn't know what to do with the stationery lying on the floor. But you perform this art with ease.
You empty your toy box at one end, and then start playing with broom. From broom you move on the books case and then to shoe rack. Your toys stay un-attended, till we pick them up.

You changed the definition of "Plan B" for me. Plan B, is what I can do, keeping you beside.
For all the miscalculated sleeping hours [ because you woke up earlier than I expected] - my Plan B comes to rescue.Gradually I realise, there are more things, I can do under Plan B.

And yes, I celebrate your extra sleeping hours too.

I take sweet revenge, on things where you can't question [ for now].
Look around . The soft toys, are wearing your out-grown clothes. It's my way, of keeping your teddies clean. Shopping at the play-store, is fascinating for me. Since you haven't started demanding things, I buy what attracts me at the play store. Now you know, why we purchased that Landline-toy phone!