Okay, so first things first. This is my first attempt at writing for an IndiSpire topic. In the past, every time a topic which was to my liking came up, I would mentally attempt it, scribble a few lines in some obscure corner of my mind and then promptly abandon it there. I had almost abandoned this one too, after scrawling a couple of to-dos on the imaginary wall of the black hole that my mind is, but then something struck a chord and I had to reclaim it back. No, I thought, I was not abandoning this one, no I was not going to give up on this one too. And so here I am, bucketing some dreams for the first time in a long, long time.
So the topic for this edition of IndiSpire is: Ten things you must do before you die or else you would feel like a loser on a death bed. Let's share and motivate each other about life. Let's dream about life.
The cynic in me generally brushes aside concepts like bucket lists and must-dos, but I was tempted to indulge this topic for it said, 'let's dream about life'. The word dream not only inspired me to write, this clause also freed me from cynical dismissal of the concept of bucket-lists, since the word 'dream' gives me the freedom to pour my heart out and still be aloof from the pressure of going all out to make this 'bucket-list' come true. Paradox, isn't it?
Anyway, here's my list.
1. Set up free tea and snack kiosks on the route from Katra to Vaishno Devi - One winter night, a couple of years ago, I was trekking up to Vaishno Devi temple from Katra, our small group tstopping in between for cups of tea to keep ourselves warm. Now, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has made decent arrangements for the the devotees to take a break while they are walking up the steep road to the temple. There are enough shelters and canteens where one can rest and refuel themselves for the walk/climb ahead. These canteens offer refreshments at reasonable rates, but even with the subsidized rates, for the porters who help haul up luggage carts as well as weak and old pilgrims, it leaves a dent in their already light pockets. So I wish that someday I am able to help set up enough free tea kiosks on this route, so that the porters and other daily wagers here can have tea and snacks for free.
2. A road trip across the country - There's so much to explore in our country - from the ethereal Himalayas in the north to the mesmerising tea estates of the south, from the cascading sand dunes in the west to the pristine landscape of the east, from ancient ruins to intricate architectural delights, our country is a treasure trove full of natural delights. I wish I get a chance to travel to every nook and corner of the country and explore it all and make friends everywhere. How wonderful it would be to able to connect with people from all over the country!
3. Be an expert swimmer and diver - I know swimming all right, but I wish I could do it better. I want to be a better and confident swimmer so I do not shy away from swimming in natural water bodies. Also I love diving but find the big pools intimidating. So this is one skill I really dream of mastering.
4. Be an expert driver - I keep forgetting the basics of driving all the time. I remember long long ago when I was learning to drive for the first time, the person who was coaching me had to coax me at every turn to go ahead and take the turn. And I would fumble every time, scared that I will bump into some hapless passer by. I am yet to overcome that fear and because of this I keep giving up on driving. I need to overcome this fear and I wish someday I am a driver confident enough to drive on the national highways on my own.
5. Own a book store cum cafe - Oh, I am sure many of us have this dream. So wish some day I am financially comfortable enough to set up a little book store of my own, and a cafe to go with it. Nothing fancy, just your basic tea-and-cookies kind, where one can sit and sip endless cups of tea while browsing through their favourite books.
6. Have a few travel books to my name - I should be prioritising this, but the procrastinator in me wins all the time. I have a travel blog but most of the times I am either too lazy or too zoned out to update it regularly. So I wish I win the war against procrastination and seriously get down to penning my big and small travel tales.
7. Explore Machu Pichu - Very few ancient sites have left me as intrigued as the Machu Pichu ruins in Peru. This 15th-century Inca site was built at the height of Inca empire but abandoned a century later. There are several theories about why it was abandoned. Every time I read stories about its rise and subsequent decline, and see the photos of the captivating ruins, I have a strong urge to trek up and explore every part of this panoramic site.
8. Sail across the world - I have never been on a ship and the idea sounds very brave and romantic. Given my love for history and geography, it would be a dream come true if I get an opportunity to sail across the world. It would be so exciting to see for real all the fanciful names I studied in Geography classes - Gulf of Alaska, Strait of Gibraltar, Bermuda Triangle, Baffin Bay, et al.
9. Own a small cottage somewhere up in the mountains - Ah, this is a long cherished dream, to be away from the madness that city life is and set up a quiet life somewhere deep in the mountains. Why, I even wrote a poem on it! You can read it here.
10. Make efforts to make sure the nine dreams listed here come true. Oh yes!
So I have finally made a bucket list and it was fun. In fact bucket lists are fun. I guess the term bucket list should be replaced with the words 'hope list', for they make you want to live. Okay, enough. Let me pull down the shutters before I start philosophising.
Mrs. Khanna did not really get to know Katherine much. The pre-wedding formalities, the hustle and bustle of first marriage function at home and then the frenzy of lunches and dinners that followed the wedding ...looking back, everything seemed like an event that had happened long long ago, though it had only been a year that her son Kabir had married Katherine Davis, his British colleague in London.
It's been a year already! She somehow seemed to marvel at the year gone by. The train of thought was picking up speed when she recalled that even at that time of Kabir's wedding, she did not know much about Katherine. All she knew and could understand was the fact that she was a pleasant girl from a good family and she and her son Kabir loved each other a lot. They wanted to get married and like all loving parents, Mrs and Mr Khanna and Katherine's parents Mrs. and Mr. Davis had all met and had found each other agreeable enough to allow their 'kids' to marry each other.
What followed was a full blown Punjabi wedding. Relatives and friends flying in, hotel bookings being managed, shopping, budgeting, gift packing and all the other jazz that Indian, specially Punjabi weddings are known for. While most of her time was spent planning and executing details about the impending wedding, there were moments when she had some time for herself - and it was during these moments that the idea of a foreigner daughter-in-law tried to intimidate her, which she would try and shrug off - more out of exhaustion than intimidation.
The wedding functions and the post wedding rituals and ceremonies - everything went off well, very smoothly in fact. The three weeks after the wedding had flown by in a jiffy - and soon it was time for Kabir and Katherine to report back to work in London. They left with promises to have Mrs. and Mr. Khanna come over to London as soon as possible. But for the Khannas, the 'as soon as possible' only came after a year, what with their full time jobs as banking professionals.
Ans now, seated in her plush seat on-board the British Airways flight headed to London, Mrs. Khanna was again feeling the old tinge of intimidation. After all, for the first time she would be spending two months at a go with her British daughter-in-law Katherine. Seated next to her, Mr. Khanna was oblivious to her trepidation and seemed to be enjoying British Airways's hospitality - resting comfortably in his seat and indulging good food and good wine.
They landed at the Heathrow Airport right on time and post the checking out formalities waited for Kabir to show up at the arrivals. He had messaged earlier to say he would be there to receive them. But what a pleasant surprise it was for both of them to find Katherine beaming at the arrivals! Dressed up in beautiful salwaar kameez, she had a huge bouquet in one hand and a lovely hand made placard in the other. Done up in bright colours, the placard read -
WELCOME HOME!
Mrs. Khanna stood there, staring at the placard, the many wires in head and heart de-tangling themselves - tears filling up her eyes and love filling up her heart. So far away from India, so far away from home, she had discovered a daughter in a loving daughter-in-law. And standing there, at the bustling Heathrow airport, she knew she was going to love London.
Hope this story inspires all mothers-in-law to be friends with their daughters-in law, and of course vice versa. Hope you enjoyed reading this story, and if you related to it in any way, then please do share your thoughts.
Minto aunty is one gorgeous woman. Our new next door neighbour, her face always looks like a flower in bloom. Rose tinted cheeks, perfectly arched eyes-brows, kohl lined eyes and those pink pout-y lips - one look at her and you are bound to give her a second, and a third and a fourth look too.
A self-assured smile always plays on her lips, further upping her smugness quotient. But sir, give her a compliment or two, and all hell is bound to break lose for you. Or so we have discovered. For the patronizing soul that she is, Minto aunty will consider it most humble and obvious to come over and hug you and then thank you for your gracious compliments. And it’s then when the hell breaks loose. For this lady smells. And smells real bad.
Yes sir, you read that right. Minto aunty, is one of those women who believe in just keeping their face polished. And why not! Who sees beyond the face, one would say. Not random people of course. But then in all likelihood Minto aunty seems to have underestimated random people's sense of smell too.
Turns out that during one of those candid confessions session at a kitty party, she candidly confessed that she was not a big fan of daily baths.
'Oh, c'mon Mrs. Verma! We don't work in the fields, do we? Why the daily shower then? Plus I always feel so cold!', she is said to have slurred after a glass too many of fine drinks.
Ah, so the stinky secret was out. Quite a bit of gossip has been floating in the ladies' circles since Minto aunty's confession. And of course obnoxious smells too. For those who have had the bad luck of complimenting Minto aunty and then being hugged in return seem unable to get over the trauma her smelly armpits inflicted on them. And thus quite a few retaliatory action plans are in the pipeline. Kitty circle says here birthday is around the corner. How about gifting her with an year's supply of deodorant? Or antiperspirants? How about aroma candles?
But then suddenly there's an idea that clicks with everyone. How about a geyser and packs of body wash? That would make a great gift! Killing two birds with one stone, as you say! A gift that cannot be stacked away in some corner of the house! Might as well set it up on the bathroom wall and make some use of it.
And add to that a group of kids pestering her to put on the geyser, pronto!
Yes, so this is the deal. The Do Good Women's Association of our colony has decided to gift Minto aunty with a new geyser. A fine birthday gift this will make, and a polite reminder too - what's with the smell, woman?
