Zara zara fitrat badalne laga..dil mera..

You always need to have lil spaces you "own" where you should be able to zone out. Feel at peace. Feel the real you. Ok peace these days is over rated and very elusive but at least a space to feel the turbulence and identify it.

A quote that I came across recently got me thinking :

“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”
― Maya Angelou

I get the part of crawling into space between the notes but loneliness somehow brings out a negative connotation. What is it with people these days that they are so afraid of being with themselves! I probably have an exaggerated scene in my head about all of this because I'm bordering on turning into a misanthrope,though, not the cynical kind. Am pretty happy being on my own for most part o the day even!

There is a difference between being lonely and being alone.

The common complaint of feeling lonely in the crowd is sometimes more because you haven't figured what's happening with you.

Music is that space for me where the right song played will so totally align with what I feel at the moment. You tend to find words in a song's lyrics which you obviously couldn't have thought of on your own. Rather I can't. So you know then, it is not so weirdly freaky for people to feel what you feel coz ppl are writing songs about them! Duuh! ;)

Ironically, I find the day's peace in traffic jams! B'coz it combines two of my biggest passions - driving with music! I have cleared my head about so many things in the worst of traffic jams because you are forced to sit there and inch. How long can you crib anyway? Might as well be productive! Well it will work only if you have the right music along with you. You most certainly cannot depend on the wretched radio for that!

In the nights after 9pm, radio can do some good though. Yesterday's song was such a classic, it just hit me out of nowhere. For starters I hardly think I will ever pull off saying something like that! ;) and secondly the song has such a wide range! For most part, you do feel like you aren't such a bad singer after all. Just when that happens, Asha Bhonsle goes hits notes which are beyond the ceiling. I tried singing along, disastrous!

Raat Akeli Hai, Bujh Gae Diye

Aake Mere Paas, Kaano mein Mere

Jo Bhi Chaahe Kahiye, Jo Bhi Chaahe Kahiye, Raat ...

Tum Aaj Mere Liye Ruk Jaao, Rut Bhi Hai Furasat Bhi Hai 

Tumhein Na Ho Na Sahii, Mujhe Tumase Muhabbat Hai

Mohabbat Ki Ijaazat Hai, To Chup Kyuun Rahiye

Jo Bhi Chaahe Kahiye, Raat ...

Savaal Banii Hui Dabi Dabi Ulajhan Siinon Mein

Javaab Denaa Thaa, To Duube Ho Pasiino.N Mein

Thaanii Hai Do Hasiinon Mein, To Chup Kyun Rahiye

Jo Bhi Chaahe Kahiye, Raat ...

Whoa! the lyrics :P

And finally! I never saw the video of this song until now. So yup sooo not happening! Mood changer? Oh certainly! Am sure the guys will love it! ;)

On a different note..

This is a post, I was planning on writing for a while now.

I visited a State home (run by the Govt of AP)in Hyderabad as part of my Foundation Course training. The home had separate wings for elderly women, girls, and children/orphans of different ages. Even though I did visit quite a few NGOs before, this experience was definitely one of the most profound ones.

We spent the whole day interacting with the inmates, had lunch there, all in all had a very good time. But it was pretty apparent that the best side of the home was in display as our's was a scheduled visit. A typical "high profile" (acc to them of course) govt visit of about 180 of us visiting the home, so I can't really say what the actual condition of the home was, I'm sure it was spruced up for us. Everyone was dressed in the best of the clothes. I guess, I will have to go back soon to see how painted the picture was.

However, it felt the most real with the infants/toddlers. There were just born preemies, one was born two days ago and picked up from a street in some town nearby n brought here. What we did get to see was, even though the kids who came to the home were severely malnourished, the ones who stayed on for a while recovered to become these adorable healthy munchkins, I just couldn't stop myself from picking them up!

What was heartening to see was the caretakers or "Aayaas" as they are called were showing off their kids albeit in a quite subtle way. They were proud.

Indian couples from across the world, NRIs have actually volunteered to adopt kids from this home. Kids with health problems are given a priority. At the end of the day, I realized I didn't know much about the process of adoption in India. I only heard it was cumbersome and it took a really long time for parents to adopt children through the proper channel.

Our 100-day long training also required us to research on any contemporary issue and submit a report, and I used that opportunity to learn about how children are adopted through these state homes in India.

http://www.adoptionindia.nic.in/ is the website that you can refer, to learn about the process in detail.

Just to summarize, a "Prospective Adoptive Parent" has to register with a specialized adoption agency preferably with the one closest to their residence or on the website given above. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions. CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies.


All existing child care institutions housing orphan, abandoned and surrendered children are required to register with the State Government and apply for recognition as Special Adoption Agency(SAA). After being recognised as SAA, such agencies should register under CARINGS to be part of CARA network. CARINGS would facilitate linkages between agencies to ensure early rehabilitation of the child.


The FAQ section in this website answers quite a few questions on the eligibility and conditions for adoption. It takes time and a lot of effort to ensure that children find safe homes to ensure their healthy development. All the steps are indeed to ensure that the rights of the children are protected.

India is home to half of world's undernourished children which speaks a lot about the healthcare system in our country. Being one of the most populous countries in the world, a lot needs to be done to encourage adoption. There are several socio-economic hurdles that hinder one from adoptiing a child. In a country where female infanticide is rampant, expecting people to adopt a child, a girl child in particular is quite a hassle indeed.

How about have one kid of your own and adopt another? Yes genetics play a huge part in shaping your child. But you can effectively pass on your ideologies, belief systems, habits and so much more to your child even if you do not pass on your "sharp nose" or your skin colour.

Studies have failed to explain complex traits like intelligence whether it depends on nature or nurture. How intelligent and capable your child is depends on not only his/her genotype but also on the environment he/she has been brought up in.

Why not give it a shot? :)

I got you ;)

If you do not know the artist, Can you at least figure out why this song is so familiar?






Yup it's the song from the AXE's "Chocolate Man" commercial!

Love the way he eases through the song. :)

For all the people who have a "cold chill" running through em, ;) hyd is the place to be. Gorgeous weather.

Enjoy!


When a cold chill begins to burn at your very soul
That's the sweet touch of Love
When just the drop of a name begins to sting your very toe
That's the sweet touch of Love
Just the thought about seeing you would blow my mind
That's the sweet touch of Love
I was about to give up but you came just in time
With your sweet touch of Love

You brought out the best in me,
Made me leave the rest of me behind
Oh yes you did
You delivered me from loneliness
And onliness ooh yes
And Oh little girl I want...

One little kiss to let me know girl
That I couldn't live without your love, you know it's true
I've found the joy that I had been missing for so long
It was the sweet touch of Love

When a cold chill begins to thrill your very soul
That's the sweet touch of Love
When just the drop of a name begins to sting your very toe
That's the sweet touch of Love

You know that there's nothing that's sweeter than you
I got to have you early in the morning
And when the icy wind a-blow from the north
I don't need no clothes I don't need no coat

I got you early in the morning
I got you late in the afternoon
I got you late in the evening too
I got you

When ever my love comes tumbling down
And you know you got to be there
You can use the rest of this world of mine
And you know you got to be there
When my love comes tumbling down
And you know you got to be there
When my love comes tumbling down
And you know you got to be there

Day 12!

Lesson Learned

This is about one of the most profound moments of my life. I will try n keep it short.

Over the past two years I have spent as much time driving from my place to my sister's as a trainee pilot does to clock a certain number of flying hours. Driving through Kukatpally is basically as bad as it can possibly get. Hyderabad traffic is known for it's utter lack of road sense and deplorable road conditions.

So here I am driving one afternoon last summer. Blazing hot as it is in Hyd when it hits a 42 deg Temp.. we were all hungry and basically on the edge of losing it. It's never easy when your mum is well "Back Seat Driving" as I call it! She has been driving in hyd for over 15 years and she drives now even when she is not at the wheel ;) through shrieks, yells, "SLooww Sloow" instructions apart from pressing the foot down on the imaginary clutch n break!

That day all of us were at our wit's ends fulled further by hunger complaining about how HOT it was, how our sedan wasn't cooling down enough, how horrid it was to drive in such hostile conditions.

Amongst all that chaos I spotted an open truck transporting bricks. On them sat four middle aged men with the most serene expressions as if they were enjoying a wonderful drive under the full moon. They didn't look half as drained as we did, not half as troubled as we were.

That memory of those 4 men gave me the much needed reality check. It changed my perspective and has left an indelible imprint in my life. I do hope I get the opportunities in my career to help such men earn for themselves a much better life. A life they truly deserve.

For the rest of the drive, all 4 of us remained silent.

Day 3 !