Visit to Nehru Planetarium to View Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse

Went to Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi to view the Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse on 31st January. I saw chemtrails sprayed in the sky as soon as I arrived, and a crowd of kids and their parents waiting in anticipation in the lawn.

As the chemtrails were sprayed in the path of the Eclipse, it soon spread out. This made it seem as if the blood moon was covered in clouds. However, stars could be viewed on both sides, and Sirius and Orion were repeatedly pointed out by the announcer, together with 'Hubble's Space Telescope'.

I was amazed at the telescopes there, but they were of no use because of the clouds. While some telescopes were from Nehru Planetarium, some people had brought personal telescopes which they were setting up on the lawn. I sat around for some time, waiting for the moon to appear, but it did not. We could see a slight hint of it behind the clouds when the trails parted a bit, but not very much.

I heard from my friends that it could be clearly seen from other parts of Delhi, so I went off disappointed. I later saw the blood moon blue moon Lunar Eclipse from my rooftop. Seemed freaky. I watched it a bit with my binoculars, and then took a bath to ward off the ill effects.

Parking Problem in Delhi

I've always had problems finding a place to park in Delhi. The area I live in is so crowded and everyone wants to own two to three cars.

Sometimes, neighbours come to complain at night to move the car, because they think the place I've parked in is their space. Well it's not, as it is not mentioned as their private property, and parking is free. Anyway, I still have to get up and move the car, coz I'm afraid they'll spoil it.

Sometimes, people steal parts of the car in the night. Some people say the local mechanics spoil the car in the night, so the next morning you'll have to go to them to get it fixed. One of the most common things they do is take out the air from the tyres. If you don't have a pump, you'll have to call them in next morning, to get the tyres inflated.

Yesterday, I saw this article about parking cars inside homes in the Hamilton Scott apartment building in Singapore. How nice it would be to have this here, then I wouldn't have to worry about my car. Every morning, it would be right in my sitting room, waiting for me to drive it. Else I'd have to move to a luxury real estate property in some foreign country.

Kingdom of Dreams Review

Well, we’ve all been seeing the giant full page ads for the Kingdom of Dreams in leading newspapers. Last week my friend convinced me to visit the place, and after returning home I began writing this Kingdom of Dreams review. Well, here is what I thought about it:

We went to the Kingdom of Dreams on a Tuesday afternoon, when ticket prices were less than what they are on weekends or in the evenings. Tickets to Culture Gully (sort of like a smaller Dilli Haat) were priced at Rs.500 (Rs.100 entry charges and Rs.400 spending amount). We were given a small charge card which could be swiped at food and shopping stalls. Small kids can enter for free.

All in all, I’d say the place is overly hyped, and is basically running on a strong marketing strategy, as of now. With the kind of pricing they have, I don’t think the Kingdom of Dreams will have many return customers. I ended up feeling a bit cheated as I left, and my friends also considered it a once in a lifetime experience.

Review of Kingdom of Dreams

Size: This was the biggest disappointment. After seeing the ads, we were expecting to go through a huge air-conditioned complex, dotted with cultural stalls, and at least five buildings. Instead, the Culture Gully was smaller than a single Pragati Maidan state pavilion, and had very few stalls. Rather than a ‘Kingdom’, it should be called a small ‘Food Court’.

Décor: The décor was good, a few points better than the décor of the state pavilions at the Trade Fair held in Pragati Maidan each year. It made for good photographs. Anyone seeing photos of the grand decor, like I did on Facebook, would certainly be fooled into going there.

Food: I’d say the food was OK. It was tasty, but the portions were small, and did not offer value for money. I ordered a Keema Pao from the Maharashtra stall, a Mutton Biryani from the Hyderabad stall, and a Matka Kulfi from the Delhi stall. The matka kulfi left me with a ripped off feeling. There was a photo of a big double stick kulfi on the signboard, while I was served only a tablespoon of kulfi in a tiny matka, this too at a cost of Rs.105.

Shopping: There were beautifully decorated shops selling the same Janpath, Delhi Haat and FabMart stuff at hugely inflated prices. I bought a small bird toy showpiece costing Rs.120. Well, things are similarly priced at other Gurgaon malls, so why would Kingdom of Dreams be any different?

Entertainment: There were bhangra dancers, a kathakali dancer, north east tribal dancers and rajasthani dancers that performed at regular intervals. There was also a magician, a clown, a rajasthani puppet show and acrobat artists. They all performed well, and were a treat to see. However, some of them needed better quality costumes, especially the tumbling acrobats and the bhangra dancers, which the management should consider investing in. For example, the torn cushion used by the acrobats spoiled the posh look of the Kingdom of Dreams, and should be changed.

Pricing: This is the main reason why I think customers will not return. The entry charges at Kingdom of Dreams are high, and customers are forced to spend the entire Rs.400 (or Rs.600 on weekends) on the same day. We cannot use the remaining balance on another visit, like in a mall’s food court; hence no point in returning to spend the remaining money, if any.

Another thing, value added tax is added to the cost of the listed prices for food. This makes the money deducted from the card much more than expected, spoiling one’s calculations, and making one feel cheated. For example, matka kulfi was Rs.105 (Rs.90 listed + Rs.15 tax). Prices of all items were double its value, and even water was expensive. At least some items should have been reasonably priced, or discounted, to keep customer interest.

My final take: Kingdom of Dreams is a once in a lifetime visit, to maybe show off photos to your friends on Facebook. Being a marketing gimmick, there is not much to see or do once you enter. It is sort of a mix between a single Pragati Maidan state pavilion and a mini-Dilli Haat, with things costing double their value. You’ll get better snacks and drinks from Rs.10 onwards at a small restaurant in the nearby IFFCO Chowk Metro Station.

What do you think of my Kingdom of Dreams Review? Have you been to this place? What is your review of the place?

New Delhi Zoo Review

This weekend I went to the Delhi Zoo, and really enjoyed watching the animals playing about in their enclosures. As it was quite hot, the zoo was pretty empty, and I could see the animals properly without being pushed around by the burgeoning crowd.

The entry ticket was Rs.20 for adults, Rs.10 for children, and Rs. 100 for cameras. I had a mobile phone camera, and as that didn't count as a camera, I did not take the camera ticket. Bags and food are not allowed in the zoo, and people have to deposit them in the baggage area. I had only taken a small purse, so I did not have to deposit my bag.The Delhi Zoo is closed on Fridays, so don't plan any zoo adventure on that day.

Some of the animals I saw at the Delhi Zoo were deer, rhinos, hippos, white tiger, babbar lion, giraffe, sloth bear, black himalayan bear,  fox, jackal, reindeer, black bucks, langurs, neel gai, bison, cheetal deer, civet cat, jaguar, panther (yellow) and elephants (indian and african). I really liked the giraffe, it was amazingly tall and had a pretty pattern on its fur.

Some of the birds I saw in the Delhi zoo were ducks, white swans,parrots, cockatoos, parakeets, pariah kites, Himalayan eagles, cocks and hens, white peacocks, green peacocks, guinea fowls, pelicans, emus and storks.

Food: People are not allowed to take eatables in the Delhi zoo; which is a good thing, because some idiots poison the animals, while some may give them rubbish to eat. There are small stalls around the zoo selling water, cold drinks and ice-cream. No eatables are available anywhere, to prevent people from feeding crap to the animals, and dirtying the enclosures. The only animals that can be fed are the deer. Just pluck some leaves from a nearby tree and feed them. If you are silent enough, they'll come and eat out of your hand.

Transport: Small mini-vans are available to take people around the Delhi zoo, if they don't wanna walk. However, these vans go really fast and miss some of the enclosures. Hence, I chose to walk around the zoo, and see the animals at my leisure. There are arrows marking a trail in the ground, but these arrows were not numbered and were too confusing. I saw arrows everywhere, got confused, and then followed my own path.

What I didn't like about the Delhi Zoo: Some people were trying to irritate the animals in the Delhi Zoo, especially wild animals, like the jaguar. The double cage usually present around the jaguar's enclosure was missing, and an idiot (presumably, from a village in Bihar or UP), was dangling a handkerchief in front of the jaguar's face, saying 'pakad...gadha ka bacha' (catch...son of a donkey). The smart jaguar was able to put his paws outside the cage, and could easily have grabbed the man's hand, and dragged his hand in....that would have been quite a scene.

What I liked about the Delhi Zoo: Animals like monkeys and peacocks were left to roam about freely, and not caged. It would be great if the Delhi zoo would allow other animals, like elephants and camels, to be viewed out of their enclosures. They could offer elephant or camel rides in the zoo, or else simple photo opportunities. However, these rides should be offered a distance from the wild animal enclosures, or else the elephant or camel may freak out, whenever a wild animal roars. I also liked the signboards on the trees, and the landscaping work.

Toilets: There are some toilets around the Delhi zoo, but the ladies toilet was locked. I later had to use the big toilet outside the zoo. Unfortunately, this toilet did not have a single mirror.

Do you like visiting zoos? Have you been to the New Delhi Zoo? What was your experience there?

Cyberkitty Bollywood Movie Awards 2010

The Times Group recently announced the 2010 Filmfare Awards. The best part of the evening was the part where Neil Nitin Mukesh told hosts Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan to shut up twice. Well, we all know about the lobbying by public relations agencies and the money that changes hands while deciding who gets what film award. Leaving that aside, here are my choices for the 2010 film industry awards, which I have named - The Cyberkitty Bollywood Movie Awards 2010.

Best Film ........................ Kaminey

Best Director .................... Vishal Bharadwaj for Kaminey

Best Actor ....................... Shahid Kapoor for Kaminey

Best Actress ..................... Kangana Ranaut for Raaz

Best Supporting Actor ............ Chandan Roy Sanyal for Kaminey

Best Supporting Actress .......... Giselle Monteiro for Love Aaj Kal

Best Villain ..................... Mahesh Manjrekar for Wanted

Best Comedian..................... Johnny Lever for Aao Wish Karein

Best Debut Director .............. Glenn Baretto for Aao Wish Karein

Best Music Director............... Pritam

Best Action ...................... Wanted

Best Art Direction................ Aao Wish Karein

Best Background Score............. Kaminey

Best Cinematography............... Blue

Best Editing ..................... Kaminey

Best Choreography................. De Dana Dhan (Paisa)

Best Story ....................... Three Idiots

Best Screenplay .................. Shortcut - The Con is On

Best Dialogue .................... Kaminey

Best Special Effects.............. Avatar (dubbed version)

Best Costumes..................... Chandni Chowk to China

Did you watch the 2010 Filmfare Awards? What did you think of them? Who would you have given the awards to??

Cold Delhi Weather

This year we are facing a really harsh winter in New Delhi. I don't remember it ever being this cold in New Delhi. For the past three weeks we have been having icy cold day temperatures, with a maximum of around 12 to 18 degrees Celsius per day and an average daytime temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.

On checking the weather report given out by the Regional Meteorological Centre of Delhi, I have seen that the Delhi area is divided into 6 sections - Delhi Ridge, Safdarjung Airport, Lodhi Road, Palam Airport, Gurgaon and Ayanagar. There are also two additional areas - Hindon and Rohtak. Through the Delhi temperature maps available on their website, I have noticed two things -

• The maximum temperature is usually the highest in the South Delhi area of Ayanagar. It grows colder the more north you travel.
• The minimum temperature is usually the highest in the North Delhi area of Rohini. It grows positively colder in the nights the more south you travel.

Adding to the discomfort caused by the Delhi cold is the fog and icy cold winds. The fog causes clothes to get damp and the icy cold winds blow through this dampness creating an unbelievably cold effect.

It is really great that the Shiela Dixit Government announced that schools would be closed during this cold Delhi winter. I remember when I was in school, how we used to suffer coming to school in the extreme cold conditions. We had to reach school at 7.30 am. Today, when I wake up everyday at around 9.30, I can't imagine how we managed through the cold back then.

When I think of the homeless people out in the cold, I feel really bad I can't do anything. I have really no idea what to do or what can be done, other than contributing cash to my local religious charity. Lots of people have lost their lives in the current cold wave running in North India. I was really saddened to read in the newspaper that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi demolished some night shelters for some faltu bureaucratic reason.

On the other hand, some schools of New Delhi have opened their doors to homeless people during the nights. It is good of the Principals of these schools to make use of their facilities to help out the homeless people who have nowhere to go. The homeless people have a cup of tea and leave in the mornings by around 7.00 am. The classrooms or sports halls where the homeless have rested are then cleaned before the school kids arrive, in case it is a school day.

Well, this is how cold the Delhi weather was this winter. How is the weather where you are? Do you think these weather changes could have anything to do with environmental reasons?

Happy New Year 2010

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day".

Hi Everybody,

This year has passed real fast!!

I wish to thank all my blog readers for their comments and well wishes. I hope to write more informative and interesting posts in the coming year ahead!!

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2010!!

My Vote - 2009 Lok Sabha Elections

Look Everybody - I Voted

This vote was really special for me as it was the first time I have voted in any Lok Sabha Election. I got my Voter's ID card around two years ago, and had cast my first vote during the Delhi Vidhan Sabha Elections, 2008. I hope to continue to do so, cause it was real fun!!

Did you vote in the elections? Who do you think will win?  

Tackling Obscene Crank Callers

Tring Tring....Tring Tring....Usually, I would have excitedly picked up the phone to speak to the voice on the other end, even if that person was just a wrong number or a telecaller. This time I was terrified.

I recognized the number flashing on my mobile phone screen. It was the number of the same person who had been bothering me over the past few weeks. I had threatened to call the police, but he was quite brash and unconcerned about it. My father had spoken to him, my brother had yelled at him and my boyfriend had threatened him, all to no avail.

I was too scared to pick up the phone. Earlier, when I had answered it, this psycho kept asking me questions in a threatening voice and spooking me out. I had put the phone in silent mode, so that the ringing would not disturb my colleagues in office. I quietly watched the screen light of the phone flash. This psycho crank caller was just not giving up. That evening, he called me fourteen times.


How To Deal With Obscene Psycho Crank Callers

I asked for advice on how to handle and stop these obscene crank phone calls. Most people told me to ignore it, they said the harassing caller would just stop calling after some time.

• My mother warned me not to call the cops. She said that if a case is filed, it can drag on forever. Also, some psychos just want you to file a case, just so they get a chance to meet you and see you regularly.
  
• My friends advised me to change my number, but I did not want to lose all my contacts on my mobile phone.
  
• I decided to wait a bit. However, the harassing crank caller simply refused to stop calling me, even after nearly three weeks of ignoring his calls. I was really confused and stressed out.
  
• Then my sister encouraged me to call the police, as it was the last and only option available.

The next time the psycho crank caller rang, I answered the phone, but kept silent. There was silence at the other end for around 5 minutes, after which the psycho caller hung up the phone in frustration.


Getting The Police To Help Tackle Harassing Phone Calls

I mustered the courage and dialed 100. The lady at the police call center was very helpful and seemed to have received many calls from stressed out women like me. She gave me a special number of the Delhi Crime Branch - 27894455. This is a 24 hour helpline of a cell specifically constituted to deal with obscene callers who regularly try various numbers to harass women. Women may also forward obscene test messages (SMS) and multimedia messages (MMS) to 9911135446 or email details to acp-sit-dl@nic.in.

With a bit more confidence, I dialled 27894455. A male police officer picked up and I told him about the problem caller. He asked for information such as the phone numbers called from, duration of calls, type of conversation spoken, my reaction to the calls and some personal details.

The Delhi Police officer told me he would call the psycho caller and speak to him. Within 5 minutes, the police officer called back. He told me he had spoken to the psycho caller and told him that stringent action would be taken if he repeated this behavior. The cop also gave me a complaint number and asked me to call back if the psycho caller ever bothered me again.

I am very relieved to say that I didn't have to call Delhi Police Crime Branch again. The best thing about this system is that my identity was kept secret and not revealed to the obscene caller. Also, I did not have to visit the Police Station to file a complaint and answer weird questions about what exactly was said, which would have been quite embarrassing. Learning from this experience, I would advise all women bothered by lewd and obscene calls to use this as the first rather than the last option. It certainly helps avoid a lot of stress and unnecessary bother.

Have you received obscene crank phone calls, text messages or email? How did you handle the situation?

Other Useful Articles

• Tips On Dealing With A Psycho Stalker (How I handled the situation)
  

Happy New Year, 2009

New Year - 2009


Wishing All My Blog Readers A Happy and Prosperous New Year, 2009.

This New Year, I resolve to work hard at writing more useful posts for you all !! My other resolution is to visit other blogs more often and post comments.

Hope you continue to visit and read my blog this year!!

warm regards,
Cyberkitty.

How To Tackle Terrorism

Fighting Against Terrorism

Around two weeks ago, I was standing at the Krishi Bhavan Central Secretariat bus stop in the late evening, waiting for the bus to go home. The bus stop is always crowded with people waiting for buses, or waiting for their friends to accompany them in the metro. Usually, there is quite a lot of security but today, I saw none. Looking around, I saw an unnoticeable man wearing dark clothes, standing in the shadows near the flowerpots who was looking out of place in the picture. He was tall, well built, stood straight (like he had military training) and his features resembled Rahul Dev (that bollywood villain). He was looking about carefully, taking in the surroundings. I just got a feeling that he was a terrorist scouting the place...

I stared back at him. His reaction astounded me. As soon as he realized that he was being watched, he panicked and decided to leave. Looking back at me, he started walking towards the metro station. Noticing the tension from his side, I followed him a couple of steps just to see what he'd do. There was a crowd at the metro station entrance, blocking his way. I was really shocked when instead of weaving through the crowd and walking down the metro steps, like a normal person, he ran down the wrong way of the metro station escalator, which was moving upwards.

I told my family and friends about this incident. I tried to call a terror hotline number mentioned in the newspaper, but it did not work. Thinking that I had scared the 'terrorist' off anyway, I got busy with routine tasks and this incident slipped out of my mind. Two days ago, while I was standing at the bus stop again, I noticed strong police presence in the area. There was a Police Gypsy Jeep and at least three tall khaki policemen armed with automatic guns. That's when I decided to write this article. Police can't be at all places at all times and it is the responsibility of citizens who are at the scene to keep an eye out and work against terrorist attacks before they can happen. Here is my advice to citizens on how to fight terrorism -

1. Wherever you are, keep an eye out for people behaving in a bizarre manner. Terrorists are people with some sort of military training, so they will usually look like a physically fit military person in plainclothes. They are quite ordinary looking and usually stand about watching their surroundings keenly, instead of waiting for a bus, dreaming, eating, walking or talking. They will not be identifiable as a person of a certain community or religion.

2. If you see such a person, you should show some reaction towards him. Stare back at him or walk up to him and ask him some sort of inane question, just to see his reaction. If he reacts negatively in a strange suspicious way, then you know what you are up against. If you see a policeman nearby, inform him/her that the person is behaving suspiciously and should be questioned.

3. Don't be a bozo like me and just give up, hoping nature will fix it. Call up the police at 100 and complain about the incident. They will take the required action. Why waste precious time waiting for 'translation and decoding of intelligence reports' to filter down to the police level, for security to increase in the area ?? If you have first hand information, share it, before it is too late. You can save hundreds of lives.

4. All citizens must be vigilant and brave enough to stand up for the truth and report it. We cannot keep saying 'It is the police department's fault or the politicians fault'. They were never at the scene of the incident and were not informed by the few who saw something suspicious. If you are at a scene where you can prevent a terrorist incident before it can happen, take action !!

5. Like my school principal used to say, don't have that 'Sab Chalta Hain' attitude. Terrorists don't care a damn about bindaas people who participate in protests, light candles and send sms's to news channels after an attack saying that 'You will not break our spirit', 'We will not be terrorized', "We will bounce back' and all that other nonsense. They are more scared of the person who stares at them while they are surveying a place and walks over and asks them questions such as 'Which bus goes to Tihar Jail?' or 'Where is the police station located?'

This is a short term measure to tackle terrorism. I will soon be writing about long term measures to tackle terrorism.Until then, keep your eyes open for suspicious characters and react immediately. It is the only way you can do your bit to tackle and stop terrorism, as it happens.

Conjunction of Crescent Moon, Venus and Jupiter

I was waiting for the bus, when I glanced up at the sky and saw two stars above the Crescent Moon glowing in the sky. It looked really beautiful, but I was not aware, at the time that it was a rare celestial event.


The two stars were the planets Venus and Jupiter, which are the brightest planets in the solar system. This phenomenon will be visible again after four years in 2012. It looked like a giant smile from God, to tell us that he still loves the world and to reassure us about the future.

My Best Friend's Wedding

My Best Friends Wedding

Yes, this is the same friend who 'broke up' with me around two weeks ago. We later caught up for wedding shopping again...and she re-invited me for her wedding. I have always wanted to attend a Sikh wedding and as she is a very close friend, she told me to come for all functions - Roka, Sagan, Mehendi, Anand Karaj and Reception, which I was very happy to attend. This time, the mehendi applied on my hands came out much darker than ever before.

Mehendi on my hands

I was really looking forward to the wedding function at the Gurudwara, as I have never been to a Gurudwara before. We had to keep our shoes outside, cover our heads with a dupatta and wash our hands and feet before entering. The Sikh Granthi said the prayers in Punjabi, the couple took four pheras (rounds) of the Guru Granth Sahib and we were given sooji halwa as prasad. It was a really great experience.

I wish a happy married life to my friend and her husband, who happens to be my colleague.

ING Renault Roadshow - Formula One Car in Delhi

This Sunday, I headed for India Gate with my Dad to watch the Renault Formula 1 Roadshow. Being a hardcore Formula One enthusiast, at least until Michael Schumacher retired, I have always wished to see a Formula One car being driven in real life. However, I haven't been able to do this, as it is very costly to go abroad to watch F1, and I haven't saved enough. I never thought there was a chance that I could get to see this happening, especially in India, until I opened the newspapers this morning and saw the advertisement.

Rajpath wore a festive atmosphere. The 'track' was bordered with ING Renault signboards and flags. The foreign marshals waving flags and security personnel moving around in official gear gave the place a feel of 'Raceday'. It was quite a cool day and I wore my new Rayban shades to look posh.

We waited some time for the show to get underway. It finally started at around 1.30 pm as three Indian Army parachutes with fans flew over the tarmac at Rajpath, whirring like little bees. This was followed by the Indian Army Band which led rows of Renault Logan cars in different colors. Next, a variety of Renault cars drove by in various formations to sexy music. Later, came the two Renault Megane Trophy cars followed by the tiger striped Cartoon Cars.



Video of Formula One ING Renault Roadshow at India Gate, New Delhi, India.

Soon, the moment that everyone was eagerly waiting for arrived. From behind India Gate, entered the white Renault Formula One R-27 flanked by the two yellow Megane Trophy cars. The vroom of the high-powered engines reverberated all through Rajpath as the cars sped down the tarmac. Everyone was excited. Street urchins and lower middle class folk who usually hang about the India Gate laws were all eyes agog. Many started imitating the sound of the Formula one cars ditto – which I found real funny and cute.

The F1 car was being driven by Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Jr., the number two driver of the Renault Formula One team after World Champion Fernando Alonso. This season, Nelson Piquet Jr. finished 12th in the Drivers Standings with 19 points. He has one podium finish to his credit, gained when he finished second at the race in Germany. Nelson Piquet Jr. is the son of three time world champion Nelson Piquet.

The Formula One car went back and we were entertained by stunts performed by Hollywood stunt car diver Terry Grant. Later, the Formula One Renault R-27 returned with Renault test driver Lucas Di Grazzi of Brazil at the wheel. The cars zoomed along Rajpath and did lots of spins and turns on the piece of road in front of India Gate and near Central Secretariat.

It was truly an awesome sight. I have seen Formula One cars before such as the McLaren Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault displayed at the Auto Expo, but they were stationary and I doubt that there was an engine in the body. However, never in my wildest dreams did I expect to ever see a Formula One car zooming down Rajpath.

All I can say is the ING Renault Formula 1 Roadshow was an awesome start to the 2010 Commonwealth Games which was being promoted. I hope the government continues with such ventures and one day organizes a Formula One race in Delhi.

Happy Birthday Cyberkitty

Yes, it was my birthday this week. I wish I could say that things were 'all good'.... but three things happened this week to which I am still trying to find the positive side to....

1. My boyfriend of around one year dumped me coz his mom and sis did'nt approve of me. He told me he still loved and would always love me, but can't stand the tension. I told him not to blame others. If he loved me he would marry me and if not, then he should'nt make silly excuses.

2. My parents who are not aware of the above affair are busy looking for suitable boys for me. I had to meet one such boy barely two days after the breakup. I was really upset but decided to go anyway, even though my eyes were red from all that crying. Surprisingly, that guy's eyes were redder - when i asked him the reason for it, he said he had been out all day shopping...yeah right....Anyway, this guy did'nt suit me - both physically and mentally - we seemed to be from different planets...only thing was this guy was real rich and had a fancy car. However, the thing that made me most annoyed was when he put his arm around my shoulders - i felt so grossed out and almost screamed at him....

3. My best friend 'broke up' with me. We had such fun on Sunday, when we went shopping for her wedding. I was feeling really ill after the 'break up with kk' but still accompanied her. She selected a sari which i was to wear for her Sagan. Everything seemed fine, till yesterday. We were supposed to meet for my birthday treat... she said she had a surprise for me. Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding about the place and time of meeting - she cancelled due to some work in office. Later, she said she does not ever want to meet me or even speak to me on the phone ever again :(

Well, about my birthday - I reached a significant milestone. My sister gifted me a pair of earrings and my brother gave me a trendy new blouse.....from Bizarre, a branded showroom!! We had a small party at home....Thank God, I still have my family !!

All in all, if my year started this bad, it cannot get much worse, hopefully....since I don't have many friends now, I guess I may start blogging more often :(

My Artwork - River, Trees, Mountains

Here are three paintings that I completed over the last few months.

Shiny Dream Mountains, October 2008

(painting - watercolor on paper)

Cycle Tree, September 2008
(sketch - pencil on paper)

Catapult, August 2008

(painting - watercolor on paper)

9/13 Delhi Bomb Blasts - An Eyewitness Account

Children were laughing, birds were singing and one Bengali guy was giving a passionate outpouring of his views to a group of friends. Tired after roaming about since afternoon, we were looking for a comfortable place away from the crowds to sit, chat and rest a bit. We settled for a grassy slope in Central Park that faced E- Block, Connaught Place.

A crazy/high guy came near us. He started doing pushups and giving weird speeches in a very loud voice. I felt really eerie and asked KK if we should move from there. A foreign couple was sitting nearby smoking. The tall blonde lady stood up and walked to a green dustbin nearby to dispose of some trash. Looking at the empty chips packets and plastic bottles lying around, we made a joke about how outsiders were more interested in keeping Delhi clean than us Delhites. When I turned to look back, the crazy/high guy had disappeared. We continued our conversation.

Suddenly, at around 6.30 pm there was a loud explosion. It seemed to come from behind E Block. Living in Delhi for as many years as I have, I was sure it was a bomb and told KK so. No sooner had I finished speaking, did the second blast happen. We both saw it. A white flash that rose 20 feet in the air, lots of white smoke and a huge explosion. We were shit scared. People started running like crazy, jumping over the spikes of the park fencing. I was trembling like a leaf. I knew many people, couples just like us, must be suffering or dead. We expected another blast and had no idea which way to run.

Only 10 minutes earlier we had been standing in the same area that the bomb went off. We entered Central Park through the gate opposite Palika Bazar. Deciding we needed some drinking water which was unavailable in the park, KK crossed the road to buy a bottle of mineral water from a vendor outside Palika Bazaar. I waited near the gate at the Central Park entrance. After buying the water, together, we walked passed the Green Dustbin, in which the bomb had been planted.

Later, as we stood comforting each other, the cops came and yelled at us to leave the park. We walked along the inner perimeter of the garden. Many people were crying. Crowds of people were standing on the traffic islands, too afraid to go to the main Connaught Place area because of the fear of more blasts. Ambulances, police jeeps and media vans sped along the Inner Circle road. I called up my parents to inform them about the blasts and that I was safe. We walked into Cafe Coffee Day in the Inner Circle, a relatively empty restaurant, for something hot to alleviate the stress. After some time, a cop entered the restaurant and yelled at the restaurant staff to keep an eye out for terrorists.

We left the restaurant half an hour later and found it real difficult to get transport back home. Autos were already packed. Those that were'nt refused to stop for passengers. Buses were few and crowded. The metro train services had been halted. People were stranded everywhere looking for transport. My parents were worried. My dad drove to Connaught Place to pick me up. KK ended up taking the bus. Reaching home, I realised all phone lines were jammed. Only SMS's were getting through. The fact that I was unable to reach my friends added to the panic. Vodaphone started working only after 10.00 pm, after which I felt some relief.

Later on, I heard on the news that another bomb had been defused in Connaught Place, Central Park. I thanked God for making sure that nothing happened to us and for keeping us safe in this terrifying situation. All I can say is, God Tussi Great Ho!! May the souls of the dead rest in peace and may the injured gain strenght to live life better than before!!

Have any of you been in a terrorist attack or faced such a situation??

Shopping Malls in Delhi - Noida

Shopping Malls in Delhi, Noida - Centrestage Mall, Great India Place and Spice World Mall.

This weekend I had a busy time mall hopping in Noida, located in nearby Uttar Pradesh near Delhi. With no means of transport of my own, I took a bus to Rajnigandha Chowk and from there took a cycle rickshaw for Rs.10 to Centrestage Mall where I began my 'tafri baazi'!!!!

Center Stage Mall, Noida - Located next to Atta Market in Sector 18, Centrestage Mall has a glass facade and stands around six stories tall. Branded clothing stores are there on the ground, first and second floors such as Westside, Nike and Adidas. The other floors are relatively empty and mainly house restaurants such as Ruby Tuesday, Punjabi Tadka, Pizza Hut and pubs like Platinum Lounge and Geoffrey's.

'Club Elevates', one of the top nightclubs in Delhi is on one of the top floors. The railings here are barricaded coz some depressed soul once jumped off committing suicide. The list of rules pasted outside mentioned that only smart club casuals are allowed. People with sneakers would not be permitted entry. Centerstage Mall also has the five screen Wave Cinema multiplex.

On my way down, I picked up a can of Diet Coke from a coke vending machine for Rs.25. I had to put two ten rupees notes (which were rejected by the machine twice) and one five rupee coin before the coke can came out through the slot. In the basement is the play area for kids, some knick knack stores and a display of the new Tata Sumo car. There was also an Air Hockey table where I doled out Rs.40 for a five minute game. The result was a 7-7 draw with my brother.

After a powercut, the airconditioning in the mall stopped functioning and the place got quite heated up. We thought about going to the Amusement Park outside Centrestage Mall, but it was way too hot once we went outside, so we dropped the idea. Instead, we crossed the road and went to the Great India Place Mall.

Great India Place Mall, Noida - This mall is huge huge huge. It has a range of designer labels like Ritu Kumar and Satya Paul, branded fashion stores like Globus, Bossini and Shoppers Stop, grocery supermarkets such as Big Bazaar and Dollar Store and way too many fast food restaurants. It also has the five screen Adlabs Cinemas and the Ebony Lounge. We had fun testing the new X-Box 360 at the Planet M store. It was priced at Rs.20,000 while the Playstation 3 was for Rs.20,000 and Rs.25,000. My brother thought that the graphics acceleration was real smooth and he is planning to buy one in the near future.

On the top floor of the Great India Place was the Food Court and the games section. As it was Saturday, the games cost a bit more than they do on weekdays. We bought a 'pool bowling combo' for Rs.250 (twenty shots of bowing and one frame of pool) and headed to the pool table. Since, it was my first time, my brother and the helpful assistant explained to me the fine nuances of playing 'real' pool as opposed to computer games - how to hold the cue, hit the centre of the white cue ball and the amount of force to use. I was quite lucky and managed to put quite a few balls in the pocket with tough looking shots.

The Bowling Alley was fun too. We had to take off our shoes to avoid slipping. The assistant at Great India Place bowling area showed me how to hold the ball and throw it down the middle of the lane so that all the pins would fall in one go. All the same , I got quite a few gutter balls. Since, I am quite petite, the assistant gave me a light ball to use, however, there was this eight year old kid who wanted the same green ball. Eventually, tired of the kid grabbing the ball from my hands I used a slightly heavier pink ball. Now my right arm hurts real bad.

Next we went to grab a bite at the Food Court. We had to purchase a Debit Card which could be swiped at the different food stalls selling donuts, street food, south indian, chinese, italian and punjabi food. The Dollar Store selling American products was just opposite the Food Court. However, instead of selling stuff for a dollar or less (Rs. 40), most products were priced at a steep Rs.99. Later, we visited Big Bazaar, the supermarket in the basement of Great India Place Mall to purchase some 'Rasna' asked for by Mom and spent some time sweating it out in the checkout queue.

The best thing about Great India Place Mall was the benches placed all over the floor where we could rest our tired feet and do some people watching. Our next stop - Spice World Mall.

Spice World Mall - We took a cycle rickshaw for Rs.20 to Spice World Mall located in Sector 25, Noida. Compared to the Great India Place, this mall seemed miniscule. The main attractions of Spice Mall is the 4D Movie Theatre, the eight screen Spice Cinema complex and the food court on the third floor where lots of couples were hanging out.

After lazing about a bit in the food court of Spice World Mall, we went to see what a 4D Movie was all about. The cost was Rs.100 for a fifteen minute movie. We booked tickets for 'The Escape from Bane Manor' a mystery horror flick. The staff gave us 3D glasses to wear before the eerie experience began. The movie was about a Victorian castle that is haunted by ghosts, vampires etc. It was quite scary because of the 4D experience during which the seats shook, wind blew and water got sprayed in my face. The other two 4D movies running were the historical 'Legacy of the Pharaohs' and adventure film 'The Lost Island'. I doubt they were half as scary as the one we watched.

I had a fun weekend after a real long time. I enjoyed played Pool the most followed by Air Hockey. Have you visited these malls? How was your experience?

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Happy Valentines Day - Still Dateless

Happy Valentines Day 2008

Well, Valentines Day is here again and here is wishing everyone in my blogging community a very Happy Valentines Day.
Just like last year and every year before that, I find myself dateless on Valentines Day. For anyone in a similar situation, here is a post I wrote last year called Tips for Lonely Folks on Valentines Day. However, the day is still young and I am hoping things विल get better by dusk.

कशिश होनी चाहिए किसी को याद करने की,
लम्हे तो अपने आप मिल जायेंगे,
वक्त होना चाहिए किसी को मिलने का,
बहाने तो अपने आप ही मिल जायेंगे.

If you are not lonely - just alone, then it's better to continue with your life as it is. Anyway, here in India, most people get freaked out to even talk to a girl/guy on Valentines Day as they maybe teased for a lifetime if things don't work out. There is no specific time for falling in love, it can happen anywhere, anytime with the most unlikely person - that's why they say that love is blind.

Until then, here is some Hindi/Urdu Sher Shayari for some lucky dudes whom I have a 'thing' for-

Mr.J - an ex colleague whom I always had lunch with in a previous office. Other lunch companions may come and go, but I still miss those amazing conversations we used to have-

सभी नगमे साज़ में गाये नही जाते,
सभी लोग महफिल में बुलाए नही जाते,
कुछ पास रह कर भी याद नही आते,
कुछ दूर रह कर भी भूलाये नही जाते…

Mr.P - The sexy athlete in the bus who always offers me his seat, tries to say something but then doesn't seem to have the courage. He keeps humming songs to himself, till others make him stop-

इकरार में शब्दों की एहमियत नही होती,
दिल के जज़्बात की आवाज़ नही होती,
आँखें बयान कर देती हैं दिल की दास्ताँ,
मोहब्बत लफ़्ज़ों की मोह्ताज़ नही होती!

Mr.H - The liar who once tried to pay for my bus ticket...he keeps turning up unexpectedly in the least likely of places.....colony, crossroads, bus... my dreams-

कितना भी चाहूँ न भूल पाओंगे
हम से जितना दूर जाओ नजदीक पाओगे
हमें मिटा सकते हो तो मिटा दो यादें मेरी, मगर..
क्या सपनो से जुदा कर पाओगे?

I recently noticed the Hindi typing feature on blogger and couldn't help trying it out...it's quite good, except for the fact that the choti 'e' ki matra comes on the other side. If you enjoy reading hindi or urdu sher shayari, I'll post some more of it in my next posts.

How was your Valentines Day?

Happy New Year 2008

Happy New Year 2008

Wishing everyone a joyous, peaceful and prosperous 2008 !!! May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions !!

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other. Did you make any this year ??