Mixed Media

Some new art...H & I made this together. I'm a pacifist, he's a nationalist. I'm not sure it's about our thoughts on Kashmir;  I think it's about being able to hold opposing views and still working together. Or maybe it's about Kashmir. 

Saw a rainbow on Valentine's Day...

K wrote his first word

....and it had to be "dad" :)

Happy Anniversary

It was our anniversary this week & because I often get paranoid about the death of romance in our marriage-after-kids, we did take a day off from work. But eventually spent it doing odd pending chores (there simply are so many things to do!).

I complain about it to H, but not whole-heartedly. There are different kinds of romances. There's the romance of the Paris-kind (which is most often referred to simply as 'romance') and there's the romance of the Mumbai-kind (best personified by those couples seen sitting at Juhu beach convinced that they're in an isolated romantic setting, despite the scary hijara-gang approaching them; the smell of human feaces & the muddy-brown sea water with plastic waste floating on it.)

Romantics are optimists (and perhaps all optimists are romantic?). Life is running our life at the moment, but we took the time; the day to feel. We still believe in the specialness of our togetherness. The phase of manicness will pass. Or so I hope!

Happy Anniversary to us!

I remember the day when I first met H. He was my senior in college. He was slightly slimmer then, but also looked a lot geekier. Admittedly, there were no sparks at first sight. But my best friend started going out with a close friend of his & we were forced to spend more time with each other. He didn't have a romantic bone in his body ("if its not your birthday why do I need to get flowers?"); but I gradually got to see him for the generous & kind man he was & adored him for his straight-forwardness (which complimented my complicatedness rather well). A previous failed relationship had led me to believe that all men are chauvinists at heart; but H changed my mind about the male species in general :)

And when the sparks finally emerged, they were giant ones. Of course, like all college romances we had our highs & lows, but finally decided that we wanted to suffer monogamy together.

I think we had the potential of becoming a great love-story if only our families had objected to the union, and forced us to elope, but none of that happened. Our parents were over the moon elated. The engagement followed & then the wedding; both the events are a blur now.

The first year of our life together was in Bombay & it was not an easy year. H had a difficult boss & worked long hours. We bought an apartment in the suburbs (which meant an hour of commuting every day); and our then modest salaries were eroded repaying the housing loan. We barely saw enough of each other that year & the frustrations from work were often carried home. That year my dad had his first brain-stroke & it was painful for me (and still is) to see what it had done to him. H was my pillar of strength, hope & optimism then.

Then we moved to Dubai. It was a fresh start & we had a fantastic run -- both personally & professionally. We finally went on our honeymoon (and Istanbul was an unforgettable destination). We felt appreciated at work, H finally got his dream car (& then another one as his dreams upgraded). We travelled around the world together, we watched movies, walked hand-in-hand by the creek, it was all a very long honeymoon :)

We moved to Singapore 2 years ago. On our last anniversary we were in Malaysia & the following month found out we were having a baby. H endured me throughout my nauseous & testy pregnancy & stood by my side during labour without passing out. Kabeer has taken our togetherness to another level; he's been the most important milestone in our married life; he has made both of us fall in love once again -- with each other & with him.

Today, on our anniversary, I look back at our time together & feel grateful that we found each other all those years ago. "Happy anniversary & I love you."

Happy Anniversary :)

We glanced back from our speed boat,
At the track of ripples we left in the river;
Followed by the dew drops on leaves adrift-
like tiny gems on water; floating together;
And between the ripples & the gems;
A bleary reflection of two happy faces--
Both of us & this sojourn in paradise.

Valentine's Day

Ok I admit it; we stopped celebrating Valentine's Day a long, long time ago. But I've always loved this piece of poetry ever since I first heard it in the movie "In her shoes". It just fits so well for the day today & for the way I feel about my love (God, it didn't sound that mushy in my head :-) )

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear;
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;
which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

Men really are from Mars

If H & I have a tiff, he would apologise; but if I ask him ‘What exactly are you sorry for?’, he almost never gives the right answer!

Arrgghh, isn’t that more disappointing than not getting an apology?!

Salim Anarkali

I’m not a fan of the bollywood version, but I think Salim-Anarkali is one of the greatest tragic love stories of all times. Which is why I found this really beautiful. Engraved in Anarkali’s tomb in Lahore is a little verse, which translated into English reads as:

“Ah! could I behold the face of my beloved once more, I would thank my God until the day of resurrection.”

The prince who lost his love has signed this verse not as 'Salim’ but as 'Majnu Salim’. The words have the scent of such longing, it really moved me.

Source: Found this on a great Pakistani blog called: http://www.streetphotos.net/blog/