Postcards From Holiday...

Few days  in a charming sea side town, walking along the sandy beach, roaming  in the markets, meeting nice people, eating good food, soaking in a bit of culture and of course shopping! The weather was really mild which made walks and sitting on the beach a pleasure. The sun was also up and about, keeping us company :-)

Gazing at the sea is such a pleasure....I love to watch the waves come crashing on the sand and the way white foam covers the beach like a coffee overspill...

Since it was off season the beach was pretty empty...which suited us just fine...

 Who doesn't like a little me time on his/her own? I sure do :-)

Imagine working in such a cool office! People kept flocking over to this guy and was chatting with him...maybe they wanted to know if there were any vacancies? :-)

 Yes it is a toy train...yes in the middle of a busy town centre...yes it works, very much so...yes, yes adults get to ride on it as well...it starts from the beach and huffs and puffs its way up the cliffs to this quaint little town...all the kids we passed, stopped doing whatever they were doing (building sand castles, running around, playing, chasing after their dogs, pestering their parents, licking ice lollies) and waved like mad....we waved right back :-)

 Now for some couple time...

This little boy had a great time playing with the waves...his parents were sitting a little away...he occasionally looked back to check on them, reassured that they were still there, he played on....sea waves make great playmates...did you ever befriend them? 

A beach experience is never complete without an ice cream...be it a multicoloured lolly or a cone!

Leaving you with this quintessential roundabout photo without which no English pier is complete....how I loved these rides as a little girl.....

Being back....

Ever since I got back from India, friends have been asking me 'how was your trip home?' I tell them it has been great, it was so nice to be back, be with my folks, meet friends and the whole family. After repeating the same answer a dozen times or so it started to sound a little lame to me. I was wondering if I asked myself the same question what would the answer be?

Hmmmm.....

After a gap of two years home was....

Lovely.... the smile on my parents' faces...their oh-so-familiar faces looked a little older, bit more weathered but the smiles were bright and luminescent...for that smile alone the trip was so worth it....

Two years and not a single thing had changed in my room...walking into my room felt like walking back in time...my bangle hanger stuffed with glass bangles which I have long overgrown, my little bedside self filled with presents from friends, some long lost, some still in touch...old college and university notes in my book shelf....I smile and tell Ma 'you should have cleared all this junk'. She says 'its your room, you do that'. Ah yes my room....I left home in 2002 since then lived in numerous houses but if there was a place which I call my own it would be this room....coming back to it was so gratifying...

Waking up in the morning to the smell of gorom cha (hot tea) and paar ar dokan er kochuri torkari ar jilipi (vegetable curry with fried Indian bread and a desert from a shop near our house). The best breakfast in the whole world as far as I am concerned. Oh I do love my share of pancakes and eggs benedict...but I did not grow up eating those, I grew up eating this breakfast on Sundays and other holidays. The breakfast was as awesome as ever....

Meeting my family...the nice ones, the happy ones, the bitchy ones, the gossips ones...the whole jing bang. I know people turn up their noses whenever the word 'family' crops up...my family is the same as everyone's...a little mad, a little kind, a little critical, a little supportive, a little genuine, a little fake....But do I enjoy being with them? Boy yes! I would not change them for anything...the nicer ones I absolutely treasure and the not-so-nicer ones, oh well if we cut them off  from our lives whom would be gossiping about? So the lot of them stay...big family get together at home means a lot of work but also means laughter, old stories retold a thousandth time, little groups talking about different things, everyone squeezing in small places for one big adda (chat)....my family was as entertaining as ever....

Meeting old friends is like a sepia photograph coming alive....you take up where you left off..... like you have never been apart....you may have become  older, fatter, bald-er, richer, poorer, successful, unsuccessful but to these people you can be just yourself, no need for pretence, no need for explanations, you laugh at silly things, you cry if you need to, go a little mad but still you know they will welcome you next time you visit....

And India...how can I not mention the confusion, the chaos, the muddle, the dirt, the craziness that is India? Being back felt good, really, really good, like I was sleeping for so long and suddenly I am awake.

So a trip back home was like replenishing the wine carafe with your best wine and hoping that it would last till the next trip home......

Christmas Fair Part II

A sneak peak into some of the stalls and the wares they were selling...

Some bright head gear on sale. In my limited experience of Christmas fairs, I have seen all kinds of head gears are sold in plenty. Maybe because people do not come dressed warmly enough and then they need a cap to protect themselves from the cold!

Jewellery on sale. Of course where there is jewellery I do get stuck a bit. These were lovely...

 A stall selling wooden Christmas decorations. Check out the owl!

And these...:)

Reindeer in another stall....

How can there be Christmas without angels?

Angel, will you be my angel please? And promise to look out for me and make my wishes come true? In return I promise to be a good person and sing your praises to everyone....

I loved these glass balls...the guy in red jacket blows them himself....check out the coloured ones, they are so lovely....

Another of my favourite things...ceramics...

Light holders...again the stall owners hand paint them....

Now some food...

Yummy hot dogs....

And of course the sweets...:)

This or that...

Letters or emails-- letters any day
Phone call or text messages-- Phone calls
Starters or deserts--Deserters
Day or night-- Night
Fashion or comfort-- Comfort
Classic or modern-- Classic
Black or white-- Black
Dark or light- Dark
Sing or dance- Neither, ok dance
Pray or fight-- Both, cannot choose
Mountain or sea-- Mountains
Tall or short-- Tall
Girl or boy-- Girl
Fair or dark-- Dark
Sun or moon-- Sun
Veggies or fruits-- Fruits
Vegetarian or non vegetarian-- Non, of course
Bright or dim-- Bright
Moral or immoral-- Immoral
Straight or crooked--Depends, if it is a road, crooked, if it is a character trait, straight
Impulsive or cautious-- Again depends
Planned or spontaneous-- Depends on mood
Acting or recitation-- Acting
Reading or writing-- Both....but mostly it would be reading
Drink or eat-- Eat
Past or future-- Future but a bit of past too
River or lake-- River
Sea or ocean-- Sea, ocean is way too big for me
Science or humanities-- Humanities
Designer labels or local products-- Local products any day
Organic or inorganic-- Organic
South or North-- South, I am from South Kolkata, after all
West or East-- East, after all the sun rises in the east
Sailing or flying-- Sailing
Trains or planes-- Trains
Cars or bikes-- Cars
Hilsa or Salmon-- Hilsa any day and every day
Eggs or milk-- Eggs
Coffee or tea-- Tea
Gold or silver-- Silver any day
Jewels or furs-- Jewels
Shoes or bags-- Bags
Ear rings or rings-- Ear rings
Blue or green-- Green
Pink or red-- Red
Butter or jam-- Butter
Cakes or cookies-- Cakes
Sunset or sunrise-- Sunset....hardly seen sunrises in my life...but when seen, loved them....
Fish or meat-- Meet
Sculptures or painting-- Paintings
Marble or wood-- Wood
Hard or soft-- Soft

Three's of Me....

Don't remember if I have done this one before. Got time to waste so here I go....

THREE NAMES I GO BY

1. Suchi

2. Guria

3. Tinku

I am so relieved that my pet names are pretty respectable compared to the rest of the Bong ones! Thank God for small mercies....

 THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE

1. Teaching Assistant

2. Project Manager

3. Volunteer Coordinator (fun job)

THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED IN

Not mentioning Kolkata 

1. Delhi

2. Toronto

3. Oxford

THREE THINGS THAT I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT

Now this is super cheesy!

1. Believe in God & self

2. Hopes and Dreams

3. Peace of mind

THREE THINGS I AM PROUD OF

1. My identity

2. Ability not to give up

3. Fighter instinct

THREE THINGS THAT I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT MYSELF

1. My figure

2. My nose

3. My height

THREE TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH

1. Sarabhai vs Sarabhai....love this show...

2. IT Crowd....cos of my husband, but like it too :)

3. Come Dine with Me...our fav show here in the UK

THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN TO

1.Kalimpong

2.Quebec

3.Jaipur

THREE PLACES I WANT TO GO

1. Ireland & Scotland & Italy & Belgium & the Netherlands & France

2. Morocco & Turkey & Egypt & Mongolia & Tibet & Vietnam &.....

3. All of India

To make matters easy, can I just say the whole world and then some???

THREE FAVOURITE MUSIC GENRE

1. Rabindrasangeet

2. World folk

3. Country

THREE THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO

1. Finding my way back into the groove of things

2. Friends

3. Love lasting ever after

THREE FAVOURITE DRINKS:

1. Green tea

2. Cold water

3. Recently getting into coffee, black and strong...

THREE FAVOURITE DESERTS
1. Cheesecakes
2. Moong Dal Ka Halwa
3. Kaju Barfi

THREE OF MY FAVORITE CUISINE

1. Dimma ar Ma ar haat er ranna (food cooked by my mom and grandma)

2. Vietnamese

3. Biriyani (complete cuisine in itself)

THREE MUST HAVES IN MY PURSE/BAG:

1. Money

2. Cell phone

3. Oyster Card

Pretty boring? I know....;)

THREE FAVOURTIES FROM MY WARDROBE:

1. My saris...

2. All things black...

3. My new brown sweater...

THREE FAVOURITE ACCESSORIES

1. Silver jeweleries spl ear rings, now and ever after....

2. Red boots

3. My scarves...

THREE MAKE UP ESSENTIALS

1. Kohl for the eye

2. Lip gloss/lip stick

3. Oli of Olay moisturizing lotion...

THREE BEAUTY/MAKE UP TIPS

Ghosh whoever thought a day will come when I will give beauty tips!!!!!

1. Wash your hair with beer/cider to make it shine

2. Clean your face after coming back from outside

3. Use organic beauty products...

THREE TIPS TO RELAX

1. Long bubble bath with scented candles...

2.Curl up with good book with a packet of crisps...

3. Evening with friends, laughing over inane stuff....

THREE INDULGENCES

1. Chocolates

2. Perfumes

3. Flowers

I could write about 300 of these :)

THREE ESSENTIALS IN MY GROCERY LIST

1. Meat

2. Yogurt

3. Fruits

THREE GOOD HABITS I AM TRYING TO PICK UP

1. Eat only organic food (have converted to the veggies and fruits, got to switch the other stuff as well...problem is budget shoots up)

2. 5 a day of fruits and veggie helpings....

3. Use  plastic as less as possible (in modern living this is almost impossible, but can be done with bit of thought and planning)

THREE LONG TERM PLANS

1. Live an organic, plastic free, chemical free life

2. Work at the grassroots with vulnerable groups

3. Be more creative

THREE HOBBIES

1. Reading (my salvation)

2. Cooking

3. Exploring and experimenting


THREE FAVOURITE FESTIVALS
1. Holi
2. Bhaiphota
3. Saraswati pujo

THREE THINGS I AM GOOD AT

1. Organizing, planning and executing with what my husband says surgical precision

2. Understanding and empathizing

3. Dreaming

THREE THINGS THAT CHEER ME UP

1. Gifts

2. Friends

3. Family

THREE INTERESTING THINGS THAT I DID RECENTLY:

1. Explored a bit more of London

2. Had great dinner on Friday, good food in nice ambiance and loads of laughter...

3. Made lamb roast with Indian masalas (came out really well)

 PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY:

1. Angira

2. Soumitro

3. Srimanta dada

PEOPLE WHO CALL ME REGULARLY:

1. Chordi & Rima

2. Dupu (used to...till he got busy or....)

3. My parents

Kali Pujo and Diwali Greetings...

It must be early evening in India now. It is Kali Pujo in Kolkata today and in North India choti diwali. If you want to know more about these festivals, check out here. Houses would be decorated with diyas and candles, the enthusiastic must have started with the fire crackers. Early evening  is the time of the kids and the crackers are mostly kiddish like phool jhuri.  As the evening progresses adults emerge with their stock of rockets and tubris. Some over enthusiastic people even make their own crackers.The sound of crackers become deafening and the air is thick with acid smell. Sometimes a tubri goes upto three stories, people would rush to their windows to watch the spectacle, the rockets would up in the sky and create their own magic.

The homes look bright and beautiful with all those fairy lights and the aromas of rich food waft around, Bengali households are also stocking up for Bhaiphota/Bhai Duj just two days away, so malpoas and narkol narus (home made sweets) are being prepared in earnest.  The kids are usually super excited because of the crackers, also they get to wear last of the new pujo clothes, carefully preserved for this last day of festivities. The elders are watching the kali pujo porikroma  (visiting the various pandals) on television, while some of the pious Bengalis fast till midnight for the kali pujo, while some other worship laskmi and ganesh for prosperity. The pujo pandals are all lighted up, each competing with the other to make their kali protima look as grotesque and fearsome as possible.  After a hectic day of business, the markets close down, the shopkeepers leave discussing how good the business was compared to last year.

For the non Bengalis this day is a runner up for diwali, so it is equally exciting.

Here is wishing you a great kali pujo and diwali.
In the words of my friend Anu  "As much as we enjoy the fireworks, let's also keep in mind the child labour, environmental damage, petrified animals and the amount of money that is blown up into smoke in the process. Let us celebrate Diwali in it's true essence and put away our insensitivities, and teach our children the real meaning of this festival of lights. Happy Diwali."  

My sentiments exactly, could not agree more with her, nor could I put it in better words. Have a safe and happy celebration!

Lavender....

Ever since we moved to the UK, I have been eying the lavender bunches in flower shops wanting to buy them. But I did not know how to preserve them hence was hesitating.

I told this to my manager J, who it turned out has more lavender in her garden that she knows what to do with. So she promised to get me some. She told me to shake the lavenders from the stems and to put them in small bags which then can be kept with clothes. So this is what I did with the lavender bunch. After stuffing four bags, I still had some lavender left, so made two small pot pourris for our two rooms. The one in the sitting room does not smell much, but the one in the bed room smells heavenly and yesterday during my bed time read I could smell the lavender. It felt really nice.

Rath...

After two weeks of continuous sunshine and summer heat, it rained  today, bringing the temperature down considerably. The day dawned cloudy, with big dark grey clouds crowding the sky, reminding me of monsoon back home.  It started pouring buckets, the parched soil of Oxford soaked up the water gratefully and the trees are back in their green glory. They no longer look tired and yellow, wilting  under the relentless heat of the sun.

A message in my inbox informed me that it is Ratha Jatra today. Ratha Jatra is the Hindu celebration when the three deity siblings Jaganath, Balaram and Subhadra get up on a magnificent chariot and go off for their annual visit to their aunt's house. The celebration originated in the Jaganath temple of Puri but spread in the rest of India as well. If you want to know more, you could check this out.

To come back to the weather, one of the folklores that I grew up with is that it always rains on the day of rath. I remember as a kid cuddling upto my mother as she read me poems from Rabindranath Tagore's Sishu. There were many a poem on rath and the rain associated with rath.

Today  in this far away land, watching the rains those far away memories floated back.

I remember childhood days when we never had any school holidays for rath. So throughout the day in school there was heavy anticipation. We would all be busy planning how to decorate the rath we would be pulling in the evening. Yes each child in Kolkata during my childhood days were given a  small chariot to decorate and pull. And if we were really lucky we would even get to buy a brand new one, specially if the old one had disintegrated. I remember more than the pujo it was the chariot pulling which generated all the excitement.

These chariots were made of plywood, loosely nailed together and brightly coloured. They disintegrated really easily too. They came in various sizes, with first, second and third and sometimes fourth levels. So there used to be an inherent competition about the length of our chariots. The most magnificent ones were the three storied ones.

So after school we would decorate the chariots with colourful papers, glitters, flowers and leaves, put in  Jaganath, Balaram and Subhadra idols, a small plate with a sweet (prasad), an incense stand with a couple of incense sticks burning (much to the horror of elders and the incessant warnings) and after a round of the house [sometimes a pround grandma would put in an one rupee coin as dakhina (offering to the God)].  I remember my father coming home early to help me with my rath. As a youngster memories of me jumping up and down with joy and not being much help in decorating the rath is still there.  After a round of the house, it was time to make a round of the neighbourhood lane and the serious business of showing off the rath to the neighbourhood children and inspecting theirs. In my case it was our compound.  Kids from other houses would also come out with their chariots and after a couple of rounds of dragging the chariots with strings (which because of its lightweight would keep tripping/falling, or the idols would fall face down or the incense stand would stumble) we would offer the prasad to each other and then return home in glory. Next day in school we would all be agog with stories of how magnificent our raths were.

The rath with all the decorations would stay for 7 days, because that is the number of days these Gods would spend in their aunt's house. Then on the 8th day it was the ulto rath (return journey). Ulto rath was not that exciting, so we would do one quick round and then dismantle the rath and keep it safe for next year.

Apart from this, another attraction of rath was the food. Papar bhaja (poppadam) and suji ir halua (suji ka halwa) were must for rath. Also in Rashbehari there used to be a rath er mela (fair in celebration of rath). Among other things I remember the huge papor bhajas (they used to have huge speciality popadams) and also the nurseries. Since July is serious monsoon time in India with a lot of planting happening, these fairs would have huge nurseries selling all kinds of plants. How green and vibrant those plants looked to my young eyes.

I do not remember when I stopped getting excited about rath. Somewhere around teenage I guess.  But the younger memories are vibrant enough to last forever.

Look what I gathered during my walks...

One more Delhi thing...

Aren't these socks lovely? I picked them up last year from a Himachali stall in Dilli Haat. I love the colours and it pretty warm too.

Mornings....

Spring is in the air,
I wake up in excitement,
Today is Val Day...
Will I get a card or not???
A cuckoo is singing somewhere...
Getting ready for school...
No mean feat for a teenager,
That too on such a special day...
Spring is in the step...
Excitement in the heart...
In search of eternal love, Archies card and heart shaped chocolates...
Ah to be fourteen again!

I remember waking up in the crisp winter morning to see sunshine streaming through the window....
I would snuggle into my blanket and refuse to open my eyes...
Ma would come and hurry me up...
She would throw me a sweater and say 'wear this or you will catch the cold'...
My toes would tingle the moment it would touch with the cold floor...
My slippers would be found and thrust under my feet...
Ushered to the bathroom...blue bloob of toothpaste...I still remember the smell and the minty taste...
Breakfast would have something orangey-- either the fruit or marmalade...
And then of you are lucky and in the middle of winter vacation, you could play...
There would be promises of circus or a trip to the zoo with Amit and Rima...
Ah those lovely winter mornings of the my childhood....

Excitement wakes me up early...
Examinations over and holidays have started....
Infinitely long days, with not a single homework...
I cannot help but smile...
Days of playing with Rima and Amit to heart's content...
Lazy afternoons of chinese checker games with Ma....
Mangoes in great abundance...
Eat as much as you can...
When you dont want the fruit, have the puddings, milkshakes, ice creams...

Go to sleep lulled by the sound of rain...
Wake up to the incessant sound of rain...
Feel snug and warm...
Realise dad has at some point put the fan's regulator down...
Smile at this gesture of love...
Kakoli comes with the tea, sets it down...
Sip the tea, while staring out of the window...
Not many people around...
A few children braving it to school...
The lone office goer trying to balance the bag, the umbrella and failing miserably...
Some cars and bikes dash by...
Stare at the fat angry rain drops...
Look upto the sky...
It looks dark grey, omniuos and threatening...
Occassional thunder streaks the sky...
Blinding me momentarily...
The city seems to be in a standstill, waiting for the rain to cease...
The houses look washed and forlon...
The trees look like they have had enough...
They seem to be telling the rain, 'oh stop we have had enough, now we are feeling cold...'
But who cares, Rain God has decreed rain that day...
So the little army of rain drops march on, bravely pours over the city and rushes into the drains...
I watch on, secure in the knowledge that I am not going out that day...

Wake up to the distant sound of music....
It is floating by from somewhere...
Ah it is Mahalaya today...
So the 4 a.m. programme has started on the radio...
Yahooooo pujo is just seven days away...
Much, much later, warm smell wakes me up...
Special breakfast for Mahalaya...
Come on hurry up if you do not want the kochuri and the jilipi to get cold...
Laughter and plans for pujo,
Everyone in good spirits...
Some last minute shopping,
Ma suggests,
Baba cringes...,
The sky outside is blue with fluffy white clouds floating by,
I fee safe and warm and excited..

Simple pleasures in life....

• Freshly washed hair...
• Wearing freshly laundred clothes...
• Smell of agarbati...
• Smell coming from mom's kitchen...
• An evening with friends, laughing over anything and everything...
• A new book with a great pace...
• Just finished book....
• Cups of green tea...
• Hitting the bed after a long and stressful day...
• Opening an old trunk...
• Family chat at dinner time...
• Catching up with a cousin or a friend after a long time...
• Watching school/ college going kids and remembering my school days...
• Watching the rain...
• Getting wet in the rain...
• Kicking a pebble on the road...
• Going for a long walk...
• Smiling at a stranger...
• Listening to music...
• Window shopping...
• Star gazing....
• Moon worshipping...
• Anticipation of a visit or a gift...
• Look at the old family photographs...
• Weddings...
• Gatherings where chaos and laughter reigns...

To be added as and when...

Closure.....

Mera Kuch Saamaan Tumhare Paas Pada Hai

O O O ! Saavan Ke Kuch Bheege Bheege Din Rakhe Hain

Aur Mere Ik Khat Main Lipti Raat Padi Hai

Vo Raat Bhulaa Do,

Mera Vo Saamaan Lauta Do

Mera Kuch Saamaan Tumhaare Paas Pada Hai

Patjhad Hai Kcuh ... Hai Na ?

O ! Patjhas Main Kuch Patton Ke Girne Kee Aahat

Kaanon Main Ek Baar Pahan Ke Laut Aai Thee

Patajhad Kee Vo Saakh Abhi Tak Kaanp Rahi Hai

Vo Saakh Gira Do, Mera Vo Saamaan Lauta Do

Ek Akeli Chhataree Main Jab Aadhe Aadhe Bheeg Rahe The

Aadhe Sookhe Aadhe Geele,

Sukha To Main Le Aaye Thee

Geela Man Shayad Bistar Ke Paas Pada Ho

Vo Bhijwa Do, Mera Vo Saamaan Lauta Do

Ek So Sola Chaand Ki Ratain Ek Tumhare Kaandhe Ka Til

Geeli Mahendi Ki Khushbu,

Jhoot Mooth Ke Shikwe Kuch

Jhooth Mooth Ke Wade Sab Yaad Karaa Do

Sab Bhijwa Do,

Mera Vo Saamaan Lauta Do

Ek Ijaazat De Do Bas,

Jab Isako Dafanaaungee

Main Bhi Vaheen So Jaungee

Main Bhi Vaheen So Jaungee

Bells...

Have you ever heard the bell ringing far away in some mandir or a chruch and felt a moment of peace? This keeps happening to me. When I lived in Toronto there was a Russian Orthodox chruch just a house away. We used to hear the bell toll every day. I remember one night I was feeling very blue and lonely and then suddenly I heard the bells toll for the midnight mass. It felt like a signal for me to hang on. From then on I used to wait for the bells to toll. Somehow the bells became my friends in a strange place. There are some fond memories. I remember the first day I saw snowfall, I was standing out there on the footpath, with my face raised towards the sky and snowflakes drifted onto my face. Suddenly the chruch bells started ringing, completing the enchanted moment.

As a kid my favourite part of going to mandirs was to pull at the bell strings and make them swing. I remember when I was a kid most of the times I would not be able to reach to the bells hanging high above the ground, my dad used to pick me up. Even now when I go to mandirs and see some kid being lifted by an elder this memory comes back. It used to be a competition amongst us, the kids, who could reach the bell strings and who could not.

In Kolkata nearby there is a mandir and every afternoon just after lunch when I feel the laziest and am trying to fight the battle against sleep some days suddenly the bell tolls. Somehow this sound has the capacity to wake me up and motivate me like none other. Best part is the peace it brings to me. I have often wondered why, but have not been able to come up with answers.

Apart from that I love the bells that people tie on their pet animals necks. The couple of times I have been to rural India, I loved watching a horde of cows or goats move with the bells hanging from their neck tinkling. When I was im Himachal Pradesh I asked the family from where they had got the bell for their cow. I was pretty shocked when they said that they had picked up the bell from a hardware store! Dont know where I was expecting the bells to be sold. Anyways searched that market and that store and picked up two bells. Of course I do not have cows to tie them on, use them for decorative purposes.

I am sure most of you remember the Austrian cow bell that Kajol had picked up in Vienna and eventually left for SRK in DDLG. Somehow this became a very romantic gesture for me. Indranil all on his own (there was, I swear not even a hint from my side) has promised to buy me an Austrian cow bell and even better take me to Austria to buy it.. I know it is going to be filthy expensive but oh well some things in life are meant to be. Lets see finally when we do make it.

Over the last few years, I have collected a substantial number of decorative bells. But keeping in mind my almost nomadic life, they all are small bells, stuff that I can easily move around with me. One day when I have my own house, I have decided that instead of an electric calling bell, I will install an old brass bell and whoever comes visiting me would have to pull at the strings. Would'nt that be lovely? Some shops have bells attached on their doors, I just love going there. Apart from that you get ear rings with bells attached to them which I love. Indranil teases me saying that cows wear bells and so I, s logically that makes me. Well you can call me a cow all you want, but I am not letting go of these tinkling bell ear rings.

Anubha is another bell crazy person. The piece d' resistance of our barsati ( flat with the huge terrace )was a marvelous Himachali bell that she had picked up to gift a friend but which never reached the friend!

Wind chimes are another favourite of mine and a must have in my house. In my room there are always a couple of wind chimes, on summer nights I love listening to them swinging gently to the breeze while I drift off to sleep. But my brother hates them and says the sound irritates him. yes there are people like this in this world too.