Thoughts in Chennai

My experiences in the last few months have made me realize that:

Nothing tests you like having to keep patience. *especially when you are in a hurry*

Only when the ordeal gets over are you able to joke about it. *all through it you of course cringe*

Look around and you will find that your troubles are not the greatest. *but this doesn't make me feel any better*

The future beckons as well as springs doubts. *However excited you may be for what is about to happen, you cannot help but question "What will happen next?"*

Much of life's happiness is in the hundreds of little moments. *kisi ke jaane ke baad, aaye phir uski yaad... choti choti si baat*

Distance doesn't separate when hearts are one. *but I prefer not being away*

Wherever you may live, home is where he is. *and home is where I want to head to asap*

Gajar ka halwa

This is a very simple and quick recipe for making Gajar ka halwa in the microwave which I had seen on one of Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khazana episodes a long time ago. It was first tried and tested by yours truly on Valentine's Day this year. So here goes:

Ingredients:

6 medium sized gajar (carrots) grated
4 tbsp ghee
6 tbsp sugar (or more if needed)
Badam, pistas, and kaju coarsely chopped pieces
A handful of kishmish
1 cup khoya or milk powder

Method:

In a microwave safe borosil dish mix together the grated gajar and ghee. Microwave on high for 2 min.

(Tip: Whether cooking in a microwave or on a stove it is better to use a flat pan instead of a kadhai because then the grated carrots are spread better and get cooked compratively quickly.)

Now add sugar and mix well. Microwave on high for 1.5 min.

Add in the chopped badams, kajus, kishmish and half of the pistas. Microwave for 2 min.

Next add the khoya by making small pieces of it. Alternatively you can add milk powder. Mix in such a manner that it remains lumpy. Microwave on high for 2 min.

Taste to test the sweetness. Adjust accordingly.

Garnish with the remaining pistas and microwave on high for another 2 min.

Your gajar ka halwa is now ready to be served!

A story, Udaan and 3 Idiots

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!”

I was emailed this motivating story by a friend of mine. In a short and simple manner it tells its readers to continue to have faith in themselves and not to forget their self worth whatever the life’s difficulties. This will give you the courage to chase your dreams even amidst strong opposition. Rohan’s character in the film Udaan exemplifies this.

Suspended from a boarding school in Shimla, Rohan (Rajat Barmecha) is sent back home to start living with his father Bhairav (Ronit Roy) in Jamshedpur whom he hasn’t met in eight years. On returning he finds a six year old step brother Arjun (Ayan Boradia), whose existence he wasn’t told about, waiting for him. Their father, a strict authoritarian, compels them to live their lives by his rules. For example, his sons must address him as “Sir” and not Papa. Every morning he makes them get out of bed. While Arjun has to stand at the gate with a stop watch, Rohan has to join him for a 40 minutes jog around the city. On reaching close to home the two have to break into a race in which inevitably Rohan loses however hard he tries.

Rohan wants to study literature and become a writer. He even has a diary whose pages are filled with his stories and poems. But his father is set against it and forces Rohan to work in his factory during the day and study engineering in the afternoon. Despite his father’s unflattering remarks on one of his poems, he continues to write.

Much of Bhairav’s anger and frustration is vented on his children. One such occasion results in Arjun’s hospitalization. As Bhairav has to go on a business trip he leaves behind Rohan to take care of Arjun. In the absence of their disciplinarian father the two brothers come close. Their happy and peaceful days are short lived. Back from tour when their father comes to know that Rohan has failed his engineering exams, he burns the much treasured diary.

Then one day his father announces that he is going to get married a third time, send his younger son to boarding school and make his elder son quit studies entirely to join his factory full time. Rohan’s Uncle (Ram Kapoor) tries to reason with Bhairav but it leads to an altercation between the two brothers.

Time is moving. A prospective bride is brought home. Arjun’s suitcase is being packed. Rohan’s friends taunt him. He thrashes his father’s car and spends a night in jail. His tolerance threshold crossed, Rohan tells his father he is leaving the house. Rohan runs with Bhairav close on his heels and for once the father loses the race. Knowing that his younger brother needs him, Rohan returns but only to take along with him Arjun before he can be packed away to boarding school. The two brothers walk away hand in hand with smiles on their faces and hope in their hearts for a beautiful future which they will carve out on their own.

Udaan’s underlying theme of pursuing your passion instead of the course decided by your parents is the same as that of 3 Idiots. But I feel it is Udaan that really scores over 3 Idiots in every way. It showcases how you don’t need (a) a 40 something Aamir Khan to play an 18 year old, (b) witty dialogues in every situation, (c) caricature characters like Virus and, (d) a great location like Ladakh for making a scene look beautiful, to bring home the message.

It is indeed the absence of the above 4 elements that makes watching Udaan a heart warming experience. The manner in which the bonding between Rohan and Arjun is developed is very endearing. The day to day activites such as when Rohan goes out at night taking without permission his father's car, his deliberately spending a long time in front of the mirror, and Arjun's being made to carry messages up and down the building between Bhairav and Rohan bring in a realism without boring the viewer. Along with Rohan we feel every bit of his sadness at parting ways with his school friends, his angst against his father, his helplessness at not being able to change the circumstances, his happiness when his talent gets recognized by unexpected quarters, his struggle to beat his father in the morning races and his exhilaration at the flight or udaan he takes as he narrowly escapes from his father's clutches and breaks free.

In a line, Udaan is a perfect blend of a good story, right casting, sincere performances, fitting music, engaging editing, and bang on target direction.

Lead us not into temptation

Lying in bed the other night as I let my thoughts wander it struck me, that in life the acts that entice us are always the bad ones. For example, wanting to

watch tv when you know you should be studying for an upcoming exam,
eat chocolates, pastries and burgers when you know you should be sticking to your diet,
sleep when you know should be cooking,
splurge when you know you should be saving,
say lies and hide things when you know you should be be telling the truth,
dwell on issues when you know you should be concentrating elsewhere,
set lose your wrath when you know you should be keeping calm, and
give up at the last moment when you know you should be persevering some more.

In each of the above cases giving in comes at some cost. At the end of the day the pleasure turns out to be momentary with our conscience constantly reminding us of our guilt. Knowing this very well, still so many times we are unable to be on good behaviour. Maintaining restraint doesn't come easily. Perhaps that is why we ask the Lord in prayer,

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”