My First Day at Nirma

My last post was on Jul 18, almost 10 days ago! I was determined to be punctual about this writing stuff, but looks like even though I want to write ‘something’, nothing is coming to my mind. My imagination is fading away

Anyway, yesterday was my brother’s first day at college. So far, he went to the same high school and higher secondary school I went and we wanted that he went to the same college I attended. But eventually it did not materialize. First of all, I cannot imagine, he has become such a big boy (and indirectly, it reminds me of my age too). Still sometimes, I treat him like a kid but now our relationship is getting towards ‘friendship’.

I had called him early in the morning to wish him all the best and then I thought about my first day at college. It has been 10 years now and I remember the date very well. It was Nov 20, 2000. As Nirma was little far from home, both my parents had insisted to drop me, at least on the first day. Somehow I bargained to drop me only at bus stop. I hardly knew anyone then and we were just a few students from Gandhinagar. But I never had lonely kind of feelings, not even on the first day. We just had an orientation and I had thoroughly enjoyed it, without any ragging problem. I enjoyed those 4 years of B.E. except there was not much fun outside campus. I sometimes regret that I never had friends to hang out after classes, but I do hope my brother enjoys these days at fullest, including studies!!

Feels energetic, feels good

After coming back from India, I had become very lazy. Initially, for 7-10 days I was feeling very tired and getting up everyday by 6 added to my exertion. For ‘Some Reason’, I did not, could not continue yoga/aerobics, which I was doing before leaving for India for 20-25 minutes at least 4 days a week. Nice food and no particular exercise – result? I started feeling more tired, but growing vest line made me worried and here I am. I know I cannot do any exhaustive exercise, so I started going for a walk in a nearby park before coming to work for couple of days. Definitely I have to compromise my after-kunal-leaves-sleep, but it is worth doing so. It has just been two days and I can feel the difference. Hopefully it’ll keep going :)

ye hai Mumbai..ye hai Mumbai meri jaan - II

Sometimes I think why do I miss Mumbai so much? Using my logical and analytical skills, I have come up with this answer – ‘I can go to my home (parents home) anytime I want, but now I do not have any solid bond to Mumbai’. Sounds funny, huh?

Anyway, my best friend recently moved back to India for good. In addition to reading (and now writing J) we share one more common thing, we both love Mumbai. When I spoke with her couple of days back, she mentioned to me that she might consider Mumbai as her ultimate destination. And I felt sooooo good, since now I have a solid, concrete reason to visit Mumbai J. As if, my connection with Mumbai is recharging……

ye hai Mumbai..ye hai Mumbai meri jaan

No, I am not talking about this song from movie CID. Today, I want to talk about my feelings for Mumbai – a city of dreams. Today I was reading a book ‘Connect the Dots’ by Rashmi Bansal. It is a book about 20 entrepreneurs who do not have any formal education or training and still have excelled in their respective fields. The very first story was about Prem Ganpathy’s Dosa Plaza. Now with 26 franchises, his very first restaurant was Vashi’s mall ‘Center One’. The very same mall where I have been hundreds of times and even had dosa at this place. Not only I went but also took parents to this place. As soon as I finished reading this story, I was lost in memory lane.

I stayed in Mumabi for 2.5 years, from June 2004 to Oct 2006, the most wonderful phase of my life. This phase was full of responsibilities but no tension, money but no liability, demanding job but freedom. Mumbai really turned out મોહમયી નગરી - a city of dreams for me. I made friends, became independent, responsible and matured. Mumbai taught me to fight against all odds and Mumbai taught me to stay cool and balanced in difficult situations. In addition to my parents and teachers, Mumbai’ contribution is no less to make me what I am.


I have seen all extremities in these 2.5 years. After emotionally betrayed by friends and politically ditched by colleagues, I became stronger and more confident than ever. I did enjoy my life thoroughly there; I understood the meaning of enjoying life at its fullest.

Mumbai gives you lot of respect too. Mumbai itself means smartness and intelligence. Though I stayed there only for few years, sometimes I miss Mumbai life more than my own home. Memory of Mumbai always brings sorrow and sadness.

Now it has been nearly 4 years I left Mumbai, but memory is as fresh as ever. Whenever I try to recall Mumbai, I can remember tiny details so well – food, mall, local train, bus, office life, theatres, restaurants and specially Haveli. On my recent India trip, I happened to visit Mumbai for visa purpose and I had to work hard to control overwhelming emotions. I still feel that I have some connections to Mumbai.

આખુય મુમ્બઈ ક્યાન્ક હજીય મારામા ધબકે છે.......

"Creative" and "Productive"

Do not be surprised looking at the title, particularly words in quotation marks. This phrase 'creative and productive' always reminds me about good ol' days when Kunal and I were in Friendship -> Wedding transition period. He was in US and I was in India, working in Mumbai.

When he was about to come to India, I took leave for couple of weeks and went to Gandhinagar. In addition to meet him, I had to go through eye surgery and also attend some functions. As I was at mom's place, I had nothing to do..it was a real break in true sense after a long time. I had nothing to do other than eating, sleeping and roaming around here and there.

We had become very close by then and we would talk at least 3-4 times a day though he was busy with exams and last minute packing and shopping.Whenever we would talk, he would certainly ask me how did I spend my day. And looking at my lazy schedule, he would always comment on to do something 'creative' and 'productive'. It's a different story that he is even lazier than I am and thoroughly enjoys eating and sleeping :)

Today, all of a sudden I remembered about this because I spent more time in deciding template, color and fonts for both my blogs that actually writing something. What do you think, can it be considered 'creative' and 'productive'? :) :)

Is it the right time?

This 4th July long weekend, we went to Baltimore to see Kunal's cousin, especially to see their three and a half months old daughter. We just spent little more than 24 hours with them and within such a short period of time, that sweet little kid became so comfortable with both of us, especially with Kunal.

She could easily recognize Kunal, she would laugh when he was around and start screaming as soon as he moved from her. She did not cry at all when she was with him. I know, he is good with kids but this was really something.


So now I think.....it is just the right time for us :)

Where am I from?

It has been almost 4 weeks since I am back from India. But India fever is still up.Anyway...being away from your homeland, the most common question you encounter is 'where are you from?' As soon as you see any Indian, in bus, train, flight, mall, park, grocery store this would be the question in initial conversation. In first level answer, you would name the state and if opposite person is also Gujarati, it will be further categorized based on city and then area of the city.

I am also not an exception, I also have been asked this question hundreds of times. My answer has always been like this - ' I am from Gandhinagar, but my in-laws live in Ahmedabad'. In three and half years of marriage, I could never consider Ahmedabad my home. Though we have all relatives here. Starting from shopping to fun, we used to go to Ahmedabad quite often but I could never feel that attachment with this city.
Even my so-called family belong to this place. I still can somehow manage to pass daytime, but as soon as the Sun sets in I feel like going 'my home'. If I am given an option to choose Ahmedabad or America, probably I'll go for America!!! I do not and never wanted to follow that typical Indian tradition that 'after marriage your husband's home is your home'.

Most of us have heard that filmy dialog ' where do women belong to? first it's dad's house, then husband's and finally it's son's house.' But I am lucky, home in America is MY HOME where I have full freedom and liberty to do whatever I want to. And my parents home in Gandhinagar, it holds special values. It's my childhood home and I'll be completely acquainted with place and customs, no matter where I live!!