Life's Battery & Eternal Bonding:

Today I sit to realise what is "Blessing in Disguise"? Blessed are those who have the love of their dear ones at all times. Fourteen years of my life was sheer bliss and indulgence in my parents love womb. Guess that was considered little too much in my plate. I was made to loose my Dad only to realize the value of my Mum. Is that a "Blessing in Disguise"?? Today is his Birthday, and what do I have to wish for and from him??

I had a better chemistry with Dad than with Mum when he left us. I was in 9th standard and the only understanding of death was, I will not see my Dad anymore during my lifetime. Reality creped in as days moved on. House that was in vaccum, Happiness a thing of the past and Outing was out of dictionary. If a year and half of married life has taught me what is Family, I can understand what it would have been for my mother with 14 years of married life having shared so much in her life together with my Dad.

It’s been 12 yrs since my Dad left us. We both have sailed across a major share of our lives and to mention with absolute no helping hand in our lives journey. What we share is not a mere Mother – Daughter relationship.

My Mum is my best friend who knows every secrets of my life, my support system who I cannot substitute, energizer who lifts me up everyday and my life’s battery without whom I don’t function. The confidence in her, challenge towards life, morale & dedication in bringing me up is what has made our life successful. Proud to say My Mum is the sole contributor of my life today.

I run through my memory lane to see the days of the past. As solitary reapers Mum & I were knotting the broken ends of the life with no clue of what is in future for us. Hardships of life, challenges in front, and struggle for better life are the dark room stories at the same time experiments with life, joy of indulging in each other and happy moments are the treasures that I cherish for my life. Today I see a life where we have successfully come through. A future that is promised!! Well, these are the gifts in return for our tears. An unfair deal but only a better compensation!!

Today I live miles away from her at the mercy of Skype binding us everyday. My morning starts with her on Skype and the day ends with her on Skype. I recall the days when I was away from home, working in Pondicherry and Chennai. My battery life (meant: without seeing her) was for 3 weeks and today I see it going strong even after 7 or 8 months. May be another relationship is gaining power; to win over the blend in us is a tuff battle though.

The happiness we see today is the new relationship. Two Solitary reapers replaced with a Musical Play of Five and what we have gained in life is something more than what I had asked for…

Ghastly Heaven...

‘Mandir’ is the place and ‘Murath’ are the officers. Not to be surprised when u hear “sir, pooja is going on inside & officers are busy having ‘Prasad’ (sundal), wait for 15 mins” at 11.00 on Friday Morning while waiting for appointment with one of the officers. Worshipping them is the only way your prayers get answered. For those who have taken a holy step into the Indian passport office would have never ending stories of distressed encounter(s) in this gruesome government office.

Pre-requisites for our relocation to Australia involved Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) and Spouse Name Endorsement (SNE). A simple procedure as heard and said. Go the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in person, submit the marriage certificate, appl forms and pp to the officer-in-charge (lady there) in the morning & get the SNE & PCC by afternoon.

My husband’s application was out-rightly rejected stating police verification has not been done on his pp. A month long battle, series of follow-up visits and idol worship of every fussy officer including the guard at doorstep was just to understand how police verification could not be done on a passport having valid US visa and traveled/lived there. Limited are their talks and so are their appearance to applicants. A sneak peak inside would revel the incessant gappe time with Chai Vada of the officers in their 4hrs duty. RTI – utter bullshit!!

The reframed procedure as stated was to apply for a new pp (non tatkal) & get police verification done followed by our requirements would take anywhere between 45 days to 3 months un-guaranteed. Going by the procedure for new pp after unsuccessful battle, the certifying officer had to contradict the need for normal application form as he found PV done in earlier pp. Astound by his words, requesting for explanation the officer showed up the PV on his system. The error later found was the lady entered the passport file number instead of passport number in her system that threw up error which she assumed to be PV not done.

What would one have to mention about the simple mistake of this wonderful lady handling this monotones job for not less than 15 yrs. A blind man’s job that made our life dark for a while. Simple negligence that left us with unbounded stress, hassle, frustration and uproar that went to extent of being uncertain of our relocation. Indian passport office is nothing but a GHASTLY HEAVEN for an individual who has Videsh dream.

Policies, procedures, escalation are just unfamiliar in these offices with govt having no time to look in to establishing people friendly organizations. Deshn netaon ki JAI HO!!!!!!

Destination Abroad!!

I remember one of those corporate get together @ MH, there was this man sitting with parrots claming to predict one's future. I sat in front of him for the fun of knowing what he has to tell for me and he said...... said I have opportunity to fly out of India shortly... Holy fun!! I told myself… If a gamble with cards and parrots would have to say my future, I wish to have stacked up the cards to my hearts desire. Fun turned out real in less than a year... Now I say Holy Shit :-) I wish to catch up with this man with his parrot for a hi-tea...

In less than 2 months of our marriage we were destinated to move to Australia. Well not a desired destination for Mr.Husband who has this US mania. But for me dreams were high and excitement sky rocketed. As such I had my plate filled with the excitement of married life and now this big plate looked like a quarter plate waiting for a gourmet meal to be served as my main course... WOW, Thats life I said myself…

Sydney, Australia: a life knitted by my husband n myself… we are the vagabonds of this nation, backpacking on holidays, quest for hi-tech gadget collection, crazy affair with high streets, big buildings, fascinating cars, fast life & disc are the feast for our life while shopping apparels from the worlds big brands, parties with stilettos n clutches, connoisseur food lovers on dinner dates - we are crazy for this cosmopolitan life we are indulged in… We Live, We Explore, We Indulge and We Enjoy…

So, do I Still believe “that’s life”??

Well, this fascinating is as much as a good nite’s “Hangover”… celebrating the 2nd anniversarry says reality has taken a sneak peak and in day-to-day life we feel that our parents are available only on a virtual mode, festivals and blessing shared thru a fiber optic cable, family pics where we don’t find a place anymore and family happenings is like a one hour News show. Successful in life, material and wealth, pride in 'vacation to India' where your my country is Videsh, we start realizing the eternal bonding getting vague.

Cosmopolitan life, Stilettos and parties would never equate with the warmth of parents, mom’s hug on a bad day, chai with pop discussing the crazy news on TV or one of the distressed fights with your bro/sis for a stupid reason…

Our Instinct here is only for a maximum period of 4 years. We know what our Indian passports mean to us, not to call ourselves proud Indians but to feel life at its best in our adobe. Destination abroad is so much fun only when your instinct is short - Move around, get yourselves tagged in different countries, learn different culture but be rooted to the Indian Soil…

And that’s definitely what we are!!

ADRENALINE EFFECT! Smell of Clouds, Butterflies in Stomach, Fear of Death, Faith of Survival...

This image that has ran through my eyes couple of times I have passed by the city. "Sydney skydivers" the Big Guys in tandem diving in Australia... This had been in our Must Do list for sometime, but been deferred with the excuse of waiting for the rite time. 27th of July 2008, was the day set for it. It was a countdown with the only hope of survival!!

We made the booking and were asked to assemble at their office in the city followed by a one hour thirty minutes beautiful drive to Picton on the NH alongside the lush green pastures, horse stables, humongous trucks with their glittering wheels, hot wheel like cars... Having so much domesticated to Indian roads, OZ highway experience by itself was fun fest to my eyes.

We reached Picton around 12ish and had to sign in declaration forms (in a way pledge our lives). The lady at the counter directed us to the dressing room to get ourselves dressed up and wait for instructor.

Well its Tandem diving, so you are clutched to the instructor behind you & he will take care of everything. Its for you to follow some simple instructions and enjoy the adrenaline effect. We memorized all the instructions, practised them a few times & marched towards to flight. DANGER, the big sign board towards the flight alarmed & the josh in us said "Ah, who cares"...

We crawled in to the plane and crumpled with our co-divers looking anxiously at each other. Our Instructors were well qualified and experienced with more than 10000 jumps... That gave us a big relief, he made us feel comfortable and wanted us to enjoy the experience leaving the rest (life is precisely what he meant) in his hands.

As the instructors kept the conversation going, showed his altimeter that we had already reached 15000 feet ASL. It was time, "guys get ready". The door opened and the first diver dived. I looked through the glass pane and in a moment he disappeared. "Ah shit", I told myself. Then came my hubby's turn, I saw his face with a million questions. I whispered subtly "Good Luck" and told myself if luck be by our side we will meet on earth..

As I stuck my eyes to him and watch him move towards the door, My instructor tapped on my shoulders and said"remember my instructions: fold ur arms, rest ur head on my shoulder and push your feet behind..." and by the time I turned around to see my hubby, he had already disappeared...Well, lemme not mess up now, I told myself and moved close to the door.

As I was clutched to my instructor, he showed signs that we are about to dive. I told him to wait... I took a deep breath with eyes closed felt my Mom & Benzie's (pet) love. I nodded my head and in a moment I was in midst of sky. As we experience the free fall falling down at 200ft/second with the smell of clouds,butterflies in stomach, fear of death, gushing air, hitting hard with the nature... Ah, that moment of life UNFORGETTABLE.

In less than a minute I had a big jerk, what the hell I told myself as the instructor tapped on my shoulders. Tats was the sign to put my feet straight. Before even I could put my feet straight I wanted to see if the parachute opened... A big red one opening slowly, "Thank God" I felt the faith of survival then. Now it was time to enjoy the glide. I looked down to the see those long roads, humongous trucks that looked so puny now, cars smaller than the ants... The instructor asked me if I would like to glide and gave it in my hands to follow his instructions. We did some gliding, swinging and topple to feel the fun. By the time I could feel the fun it was time for us to land... We were close to the ground and he told me to lift my knee high and feel like being seated... there I peddled a few steps and I was on the ground...

The instructor asked me about the experience, overhearing to what he asked I un-clutched myself and ran to my husband... A big hug and a whisper within "Alive and Safe” turned to my instructor with thumps up and said "EXHILARATING"...