'Coz they're the best-est!

I've always thought, since I was 10 years old maybe, that there can be no two people who're as perfect for each other, and with each other, as my parents are. And, I remember wondering if I'll ever meet someone who I'm that good with. (The fact that I did actually find him is another post-in-waiting.)

But, they're the most awesome parents anyone can ever have, or want. My memories of childhood are of only being happy. And, I think, so are my brother's. (Except, in his case, an occasional whack from Mom for not studying.)

They've both always been more my friends than anything else. And, they've both believed in me - blindly - always. And trusted my decisions. And, most importantly, always, always been there after I screwed up.


Mom:
Thanks for making all our family traditions - like, Saahil tying me a rakhi as well, like decorating the Christmas Tree together, like dressing up nicely for Diwali, like cracking up during Diwali pooja just so it doesn't get all serious and stuffy, like making Sunday breakfast with eggs and toast, like singing in the car every time we drove out of town - and so many more.
Thanks for always being my best friend - and knowing me more than I know myself - and, always understanding. Always.
Thanks for reliving everything with me - I know you did.
Thanks for making my shaadi so wonderful.
Thanks for making Saahil and me the people that we are.
Thanks for making our family - the four of us - the completely crazy, madcap, happy family that we are.

Papa:
Thanks for being my biggest support - always. And for being the one person after talking to whom all my confusions clear just like that.
Thanks for being the best, most fun friend and father in the world.
Thanks for reading to me when I was a baby.
Thanks for making fun of our technologically challenged mother with me. :-D
Thanks for always standing up for me. Always, always.
Thanks for the camel story and carpenter story. :)
Thanks for teaching me that there's the right, honourable, truthful way of doing every thing.
Thanks for making me the person I am.
Thanks for making us feel so sure - Mom, Saahil and me - that we could do anything at all, and you'll still always stand by us. With us. Even against the world. Always.

Saahil:
Thanks for making my childhood so fun.
Thanks for being the one person who knows the strangest things about me - and knows my mind the way I know his - inside out.
And, a repeat of the testimonial I wrote for you on Orkut - I think that says best what I want to say - which, by the way, reminds me of asking you WHEN you're going to get around to writing one for me?!

"Brat!
Pest!
...erm...Cheeseling!

...I never thought when we were kids that you'd actually resemble something like a human being eventually - that I'd actually be able to have a conversation with you...ever!

From reading out Biggles to you...and not reading out stories with "metaphors" or literary "illusions"...and definitely NOT reading your favourite author...pretending to be asleep when Mom walked into our room at night, only to have you spoil it all by forgetting to put your head on the pillow...to stealing your money (read: opening a bank account for you)...to have you lending me money now...to dividing even air space on the bed...to understanding your crazy mutant brain...to have you understand me in a way very few people can...to sharing my childhood with you...to becoming the people we both are partly because of each other...

Love you so much!

And, so proud of you - me, Mom and Papa. " (14/06/2007)

Love you all so much.
Thanks for being the most wonderful family in the world. :)

Sphinx Deux

Sun/Flowers

These pretty feet

...are mine.

ek sau solaah chaand ki raatein...ek tumhaare kaandhe ka til...

This is a post that was inspired by something I read on Megha's blog about one of my favourite songs...

Incidentally, the line "ek sau solaah chaand ki raatein, ek tumhaare kaandhe ka til" from the song Mera Kuchh Saamaan from Ijaazat refers to the 116 phases of the moon that are listed in Indian classical literature. What Gulzar means to say is that all the possible phases of brightness that the moon has to offer, cannot even begin to match the tiny dark spot on your shoulder.

Very, very nice, I think. :)

Anyway, thinking about mera kuchh saamaan started me thinking about my favourite Hindi songs - or, some of my favourite Hindi songs, at any rate.

1. Mera Kuchh Saamaan and Katra Katra from Ijaazat
   For RD's awesome music, Asha's awesome voice, and Gulzar's awesome lyrics. For the lines "tumne to aakash bichhaya...mere nange pairo mein zameen hai..." in Katra Katra. And for the aforementioned lines from mera kuchh saamaan.


2. Sona Nahin Naa Sahi from One 2 Ka 4
   For the lines "sona nahin na sahi, chaandi nahin na sahi...fikar kya hai, main hoon na tere liye...". Not great lyrics, I know. But I just love the thought in the song. That, no matter if we have very little, but you have me - always.


3. Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein from Pyaasa
   For the lines "hum aapko khwaabon mein la la ke sataayenge...hum aapki aankhon se neendein hi uDaa dein to...". And for Geeta Dutt's and Rafi's playful, lilting voices.
   
   
4. Tum Pukar Lo and Humne Dekhi Hai Unn Aankhon Ki from Khamoshi
   "muqtasar si baat hai tum se pyaar hai...tumhaara intezaar hai, tum pukaar lo..." from tum pukaar lo. And, "humne dekhi hai, unn aankhon ki mahakati khushboo...haath se chhuuke ise, rishton ka ilzaam na do..." - only Gulzar can write words like "aankhon ki mahakati khushboo". Beautiful! :)


5. Meri Jaan Mujhe Jaan Naa Kaho from Anubhav
   "honth jhuke jab honthon par...saans uljhi ho saanson mein...do judwaan honthon ki...baat kaho aankhon se...". Very sexy words, don't you think?


6. Gulmohar Gar Tumhaara Naam Hota from Devtaa
   "gulmohar gar tumhaara naam hota...mausam-e-gul ko hasaana bhi humaara kaam hota...". Such a nice thought behind the lyrics. Also, 'coz I love Gulmohar trees when they're in full bloom - especially the red ones. Look like fire flowers.


7. Dekh Ke Teri Nazar from Howrah Bridge
   There's this one line in the song, which goes - "aaye ho dho ke kahin aankhein sharaab se" - I don't think any other Hindi film song describes intoxicating, sexy eyes as well.


8. Abhi Naa Jaao ChhoDkar from Hum Dono
   Love this song for its lyrics and music, but more so because this is the first song G sang to me. Not "sang" really - typed. We were chatting and it was very late at night, and I said I had to go sleep - and this is when he said abhi na jaao chhoDke, ke dil abhi bhara nahin...and I said, yehi kahoge tum sada ke dil abhi nahin bhara. And, this was one of those times when I was feeling constantly surprised at how two people who've had such different exposures and lives, have so much in common. I love old Hindi film songs (as is quite evident from this list!), and most people I've known have had no idea about any except for the most over-played and popular old songs. Another of the things that surprised me the same way is when G said (again in one of our chats) "swatIsaid" (translation: that's what I said) - which is what Ern Goon from The Five Find-Outers used to say. :)
   Also, G's ID on ICQ used to be Hawkeye. From Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H, who I used to be absolutely in love with. :)
   
   
9. Maula Mere Maula from Anwar
   Beautiful, beautiful lyrics, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's awesome voice.


10. Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho from Hanste Zakhm
    The most haunting romantic song I have ever heard. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Kaifi Azmi's lyrics and Rafi's voice. Wow!
    
    
11. Mujhe Dard-e-Dil Ka Pata Naa Thaa from Akash Deep
    "yoon hi apne apne safar mein gum, kahin door mein kahin door tum...chale ja rahe thay juda juda, mujhe aap kisliye mil gaye..." Need I say any more? :)
    
    
12. Teri Deewani from Kailasa
    Not a Hindi film song, but such beautiful lyrics. And Kailash Kher sings it with such feeling.
    
    
13. Mann Re Tu Kaahe Naa Dheer Dhare from Chitralekha
    Outlook voted this as 1st out of the 20 best Hindi film songs ever. Not the best, I think. But, one of the best for sure!


14. There's this one song that I loooove! It's by Yesudas, as far as I remember. There's this one line in the song that goes - "samay ka aanchal thaam ke pal pal umar chali hai jaane kahaan..." - and I can't for the life of me remember tha title of the song, or any other words from it. Can someone please help me? 'Coz this is going to be driving me mad till I do remember which song this is from!!

Correction: Maula Mere Maula is not a Rahat Fateh Ali Khan song - it's actually sung by Roop Kumar Rathod. Still very nice though.

Tags: Also, I tag Quirky Soul, Anand, River, Anvita and the Mad Momma. Also, whoever else would like to take it up. :)

Another Update: I have finally managed to remember - with no help from anyone - which the last song I wrote about is! It's tere bin soona more mann ka mandir! :)

Not really "tagged"...

...but so what.

The Mad Momma had blogged about things that she's judgemental about, and that made me think. I've often thought that I get extremely judgemental about certain stuff. Have been meaning to do this post for a very long time now - but with work and then having such little time at home with G, it just hasn't happened.

So, all of the following are things that I judge people on, but none of these really matter in family and friends - they might strike me, but the thought's gone in a second...

1. I judge people who can't speak good English. I know that's extremely superficial, but when people use bad grammar, wrong tenses, or pronounce words wrong - it just puts me off.
2. I judge people who write sms-es without vowels or punctuation. How much time or effort does it take to type "I'll call you back"?! Why does it have to be "l cl u bk"??! I don't get it! Even apart from sms, I don't get why people have no idea how to use punctuation. Especially the apostrophe. It's always "it's" when it should be "its", and vice versa.
3. I also judge people who don't reply to sms-es, and are very proud of the fact that they "just don't like text messages". What's there to like or not like about technology? It makes life easier, it's an excellent way to communicate, and also - I've noticed that you can really know how a person's mind actually works with the way they type sms-es. You can always tell if a person is witty or just plain boring.
4. I judge people who do not read. Especially, if you tell me that you'd rather sleep than read a book. What kind of a logic is that?!
5. I judge people who aren't aware of popular culture - films, books, music, television. To not know who sang "With a little help from my friends", or what Woodstock was, or what Kumar Gaurav's first film was, or how Hum Aapke Hain Kaun changed the movie-watching experience, to who Salvador Dali was, to who Asterix is, or who Pran Kumar Sharma is, what Amar Chitra Katha is all about, or who Byomkesh Bakshi is, or turn your nose up at the thought of following the Harry Potter books - I just don't get any of this. All this isn't stuff that you have to try and find out about, or read about, or in any way, try and get to - it's popular culture, people! It's all around you.
6. I judge people who don't love their work, and think that it's alright to not be passionate about what you spend your life doing, just because at the end of the day you're getting paid for it.
7. I judge people who change when they're in a relationship. I've seen women and men becoming completely different people depending on who they're with. Especially in a marriage. To my mind, marriage is supposed to be about coming together. Not changing each other. That is what the word compromise means to a lot of people, I've noticed.
8. I judge people who think it's cool to not watch films. I have a relative who prides herself at the fact that she hasn't watched a single film in the last 17 years. Really??! How's that a cool thing?
9. I judge people - women actually - who change after having children. They stop being a woman, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an individual - just 'coz having had a child, having achieved the ultimate aim of their being - that's it for them. I completely understand, and respect, being there for your children, in every which way you can - that's the least you owe them for having brought them into the world. But, not to the exclusion of everything else. Not to the exclusion of not having a marriage anymore - in every sense of the word. I judge women who make their children the sole ambition of their lives - to wake them up, to put them to sleep, to cook for them, to even talk about them endlessly even when they aren't around, and to give up on themselves - on their personalities and on their bodies. To forget the people they were (and still are actually) just because society, in some way, tells them that they've finally done what they were around to do, and that's that.
10. I judge people who don't leave tips for waiters in restaurants, and/or think they have the right to speak badly with them. I also judge waiters who don't serve with a pleasant expression, and/or are rude and condescending, and still expect tips.

I think this is it. For now. This, though, is a post in progress. And I am one judgemental b****!

Would just like to say again though. This does not apply to my family and friends. Some of my closest and best-est friends use wrong grammar lots of time. My brother detests reading - there was a time when I would actually read out a whole Biggles novel to him, in the hope of maybe making him start to like reading. And, my husband doesn't believe in replying to my sms-es, and when he does, he writes full words thanks to predictive text, but does not use any punctuation ever. Sigh!