Pack & Go

To start with why certain experiences leave a mark on an individual, it’s important to know where he comes from. On landing a job in Mumbai, it wasn’t the prospect of working in the Maximum City that got my adrenaline pumping, it was the company I was slated to join that got me excited and the thrill of leaving home to be out in the world, on my own for the very first time.

While independence and freedom to do your own thing have oft been quoted as reasons by my friends to move out and live on their own, it’d be unfair to say that I hadn’t received these priviledges in Pune and was prompted to leave. I have always had my freedom and when I didn’t get it served on a silver platter, I fought for it. No, it definitely wasn’t to be ‘free & independent’ that I relocated.

In Pune, my day always started with my dreams distorting in muted agony until I realized it was the seamless union of my subconscious’ manifestation and my mum’s voice calling out to say, “It’s (about) time to wake!” A slave to my taste buds, I’ve loved eating out since I was a child and eating home-cooked meals was always an unavoidable punishment. But I have good reasons for turning out to be a fast-food junkie. Always one with a job, cooking & cleaning are deemed a waste of time by mum who has neither the time nor the patience to bother much with either. As I write, her quote unquote “Delicious mixed sabji with paneer & karela is kept in the fridge,” She is above botheration of which veggies can or can’t be cooked together. But more on that later.

I had never lived with an alarm waking me, commuting (using all possible means of public transport) for 2 hours each way & viewing home cooked food as a luxury I couldn’t afford. I had to cook my own food (if time permitted which is never), serve my own plate, fold my clothes, buy grocery, fruits & veggies and worse, pay my own bills! But I was learning…



When I reached Mumbai, I did not know
• What town was & what the western suburbs were.
• That Central line met the Western line at Dadar and the Harbour Line at Kurla.
• That there are THREE railway lines running north-south on the elongated strip named Mumbai.

But I learnt. Much more than I thought I would.

Tis' the time to move...ON!

Why not? Certain words are ringing in my head every now and then and putting it down on paper (aptly replaced by the virtual window) will rid me of the thoughts plaguing my (thankfully still!) juvenile mind


Your icy voice put out the stars
It cracked my heart, and broke it in splinters
Your tone as cold as Colorado winters

But I promise to soon forget
The contract we almost made… you'll feel
The quick response of an equal
As the dream begins to fade
I'll drown you in pseudo kindness
and a casual, friendly glance
I can almost imagine your blindness
as I watch and wait
for the chance
To suddenly - cruelly – let you know
How easy it was to let you go


It's the time for new beginnings
Is there remorse? Yes. Bitterness? Yes. Will it go away? Definitely, Yes!! And that’s the knowledge that makes life worth living! It's time for a fresh start.


The Koru, shaped in the form of an unfurling spiral represents the unfolding silver fern frond. It symbolizes new beginnings in life.

Making fresh starts, knowing well what the past has taught and yet, not letting it hinder your faith – in people, in situations and in yourself is, undoubtedly, a task easier said than done. But I see not why someone else should bear the brunt of my mistakes, why trust should not be placed in a worthy soul and why innocence should be lost in interactions to come. I like the simple life where trust is placed without collateral, naïveté brings unadulterated joy and expectations are not imposed but met anyway…

Old, rusted and imperfect

Beauty is only skin deep. If your skin’s wrinkled or acne ridden, no one’s really interested in the pearls of wisdom you may have collected over the years.
It’s simple really. No matter how much we cower under the disguise of being broad minded individuals who take their time to judge others, we are all inherently superficial. Going by appearances, picking what looks best, whether or not it suits the purpose that demands its existence in the first place.
It’s all about judging the book by its cover, substance on the inside always needs top notch packaging. And all the while, we claim to know more and value the real stuff. Don’t believe me? Lose some weight and see for yourself.