Looking Back at 2013

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I have not spent much time here on my beloved Blog last season for which I am the only person to be blamed. It only takes about 1 hr for me to write a post here and there are 168 hrs in a whole week so time should not be a constraint for this but I guess laziness and indiscipline could be the cause behind it.

I am trying to remember how 2013 started for me I was in Delhi and winters were going on I was desperately  looking for a new job and had no clue how I will be able to get one but then there are certain things over which you don't have much control they just happens and it happened for me. During early summer in March and April I started giving interviews unfortunately I could give interview in only two companies. For the first one I cleared most of the rounds and at the last moment was waiting for the call from HR of that company I waited and waited and there was no call I was the only person that was calling.

Then came second company and some how I again cleared all the rounds there but this time I was offered job in a span of week after giving my first interview to them. I had to join in Pune about thousand five hundred kms from Delhi I was elated to be there, my Father's working place head office is also in Pune and I have heard lot of things about Pune from him and wanted to visit it and also I never lived alone in my life which fascinated me and I was up for it but then you had to be physically in a situation to have a feel how it looks like to be. The day I left my home and came here I got to know how it feels like to be alone in a place which is not known to you and you don't have anybody to look to. But  fortunately I had some good friends here waiting for me and after six months here I feel somewhat relaxed.

I miss weather of Delhi yes it is harsh but in Pune you almost have a monotonous weather not much have changed since I came here except rain have stopped now and you can easily move around outside. I don't each much outside here not a fan of local food.

 Oh yeah this year I spent some money on Gadgets too, In March got myself an iPad Mini which I left at my home in Delhi and I think its a waste of money doesn't fills much purpose then in August got a Nexus 4 mobile phone which I personally think is the best mobile phone in that range I can do almost all stuff that I was doing on my iPad and plus can use it for calling too. Then later at the end of year I got this Dell laptop on which I am typing this post at very good bargain almost at the same price at which I got Nexus 4, I am using Ubuntu 13.10 OS on it which is breath of fresh air and is linux based which also comes into my domain knowledge too so hopefully I will be doing some good stuff with this laptop.

Have made some good friends in my Office I have to say the more people you meet the more you learn in life. I miss my friends in North. Manish came back to north after spending some years in Allahabad and irony is that as he shifted there I had to shift out, he'll be starting new phase of his life pretty soon and he has all my good wishes, we had such a great time in College and our friendship has continued from there and is going strong.

Looking ahead this year I have to learn a lot and do lot of things, so many things are there to which I am looking after to do hope I will be able to finish some of those and I wish to update you about them on my Blog here.

Winds of change have started to blow in the nation for good and hopefully at the end of year we'll get something better than what we have at present.

Lastly It has been a difficult year for my parents as I moved away from them but I guess with time they have come to terms now, I visited them last month and we had great time and also met my lovely niece and Sister, I'll again visit Delhi in coming months it is an amazing city.

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Leaving Home for a new Place

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Its been a long time I have posted any of my updates here, last time when I came here I was in Delhi but now I have moved to a different place - Pune. Arti from MyYatraDiary asked me few days ago where I have been ? - I replied I need some inspiration to write here maybe I have to read her Blog.

The new working place has a great initiative that they provide you Books to read[ have a large collection like Flipkart] without paying a penny to them, the first Book I had chosen is The Biography Of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. As I am going through it I had this sudden urge of writing again and here I am back again and hopefully for sometime.

Leaving home was difficult for me, never lived without my family. 30th of June 2013 I boarded Rajdhani Express to Mumbai with heavy heart. My Parentt, Sister and little Niece came to see me off. As the departure time came near I told my family to leave[they were more emotional then me]. I kept standing at the gate of my Coach as they left with waiving hands , I came back to my seat after that and sat, the guy sitting in front of me asked straightforward to me that are you leaving your home first time ? Maybe he sensed something in my eyes.

Train started moving and I called my Father to ask have they left station ? He told me they again came back to see me but the train had left, that made me feel very very sad. 

But then I consoled myself that everything would be fine as  I always do, It was my first stint in the Rajdhani Express which I had purposefully booked as I would get Chance to travel in it also I would have kept my steps on soil of Mumbai too although I was bound to Pune.

The person sitting in front of  me started conversing with me and I with him, we both exchanged where we were heading to, he was from Chandigarh and was working with an IT MNC in Mumbai. I chatted a lot  with him and also asked how it is like to live without your family. Time passed very well with that guy.

As I was going Pune to join the new organization I had all my certificates and education documents in my backpack[ purposefully kept there]. As I went to sleep I kept that backpack of mine with me, I even wrapped its straps around my hand so that no body could snatch it from me.

During night I remembered the train passed through Rajastan and Gujarat, never been to Gujarat [another state added in my visit, well kindof :) ] Waking up early in the morning it was raining outside and we were somewhere in Maharashtra. Arrival time of train at Mumbai was around 10 am. I could  see Coconut trees outside  meaning  coast was near somewhere. The terrain looked very different from what we are supposed to see in our northern part.

I could see water everywhere even boats too and rivers that were going towards sea, even some of the coastal areas could also be seen. As time passed I could see Mumbai local trains passing on the parallel tracks. People looked bit different like we see in Television typical Maharashtrian.

We were passing through some suburbs of Mumbai and the scenery outside there was very sad and depressing [ as at most train tracks]. Deep down in my senses I started to ask questions to myself - Can I survive here where nobody knows me ? How I will adjust without my family ? again this made me  like crying and going back. But I have to again console myself. 

I could see stations passing where I have never been before but I have heard most of their names Santa Cruz, Bhayangar , Dadar, Borivili, Andheri and many more suburbs of Mumbai. Finally Mumbai Central came where I had to get down. I stepped out of the train looked all around with my luggage and moved on to find a taxi to Dadar from where I will be taking bus to Pune.

Moment I got myself into the taxi I felt little better and fixed myself to its windows and focused my eyes to what some people call City of Dreams.

I will continue to jolt down my experiences here in Coming Posts :)

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Moving On

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Its been a while since last time I ventured here, looks like it was four months back I posted here. I have written somewhere here that Blogging is a tough task, you need to be regular and determined to continue it. Last few months were little difficult for me but looks like life will again be on track in coming days and hopefully I will again start updating my Blog frequently.

I have completed 2 years and 3 months here in Delhi [in this stint] and in this current job , I have enjoyed every bit of my life here, for me it was and still is the best place to live in. 

Now its time for me to move on, this week will be my last working week here and I'll be moving on to a different place around thousand five hundred kms from here. Unfortunately I will also be leaving my family and comforts here in Delhi too. 

Throughout my life in my schooling, College and work I have never left my family, actually I don't know how it feels to live without my family, I know it will be a bit difficult for me initially but hopefully I would get used to it.

As I am leaving my current job, the laptop on which I am writing these lines will also be returned back to my company and I don't own one for me, so this will be my last post from this laptop [ hopefully I will get one at my next working place].

Though I am bit sad leaving Delhi but I am very excited about my  new working place which is in Pune, I have never been to that part of the world but only have heard some good things about it. 

What bothers me is food, when comes to eating I am only accustomed to north Indian food, there is more to it though - in my family my Father and I do not eat Garlic or meals prepared with it, here in north India it is very easy to get Garlic free meals but I know when I'll live in Pune I'll not have much choice. When I lived 5 years in Betul (M.P.) I had hardly eaten anything outside of my home as Garlic was used in most of the meals outside. I know its very strange of me and many of my friends find it quite odd but I just can't handle it[ what more I am the only person in my family who don't eat raw Onion too ].

I hope I'll be exploring Pune and its near by places as I reach and settle there and will be sharing my experiences here with you, till then Good Bye and watch for this space.

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A day with a Special Person

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I have seen most of us are depressed with our life with working hours in Office,money,pressure to sustain,to live on expectations of others  but on that day two weeks ago saw a ray of hope. While I was returning back to home from work in a shared Auto, it suddenly stopped on the sideways, I thought some passenger would come along yes there was one but this one was special.He was a Blind Boy , he instructed Autowallah to drop him at Kaushambi #delhimetro station the very place where I was going too.

Me and  Friend Amit were sitting besides him and observing him. As the station was about to come he guided Autowallah to stop the Auto and we both were blown away he knew that station had came without actually seeing it.

Now we got down with him and tried to help him out little[don't know he needed any help] He was a young Boy in his late teens Carrying a folding stick in his hand a Backpack and a flattened Box in a Polythene Bag and an Identity card dangling in his neck. I tried to observe his eyes which were covered in a cheap Goggle but could not.

We asked him can we help him to get to his Metro and he replied sure we can. You need to climb escalators to get down to entrance of Metro station and then with frisking from security guard you enter the premises. While I hold on to his Polythene Bag Amit helped him out to make it to the station.

As we made it to the entrance he needed to purchase the token for Metro, there was a small line on that day at counter some college guys and girls were in that line, seeing him standing in line girls instructed their friends to get off the line and give him the way and he got his token pretty soon. Now I took his backpack and Bag and placed it in the Xray machine while I was doing this I sensed he was little apprehensive about his belongings and was rightly so as were new to him. 

While we helped him to get to the platforms I thought it was the right time too have some chat with him. I asked him where he was from and where he is going. He replied he belongs to Darjeeling and is going to Saket to treat a patient for acupressure. He said he is living in Delhi since 2010 and have learnt about acupressure after completing his schooling from which he makes his living .We asked him about it visibility and he replied he has zero visibility in his eyes. To reach Saket it would take around an hour and interchanging of trains at Rajiv Chowk too. I inquired whether he knew the place where he was going and how he would return ? He said as you had helped me here someone will do there too and he was not sure when and how he would return but he did not felt any nervous about it but we were.

On that day I was going till Rajiv Chowk while on most of days I go further than Saket so I would have dropped him at Saket. I said we will get down at Rajiv Chowk and help him to board next train till Saket. Now the train to Rajiv Chowk arrived we boarded with him and he got a seat where he sat with all his luggage. As he sat he gave his Polythene Bag to one of the passengers to hold on to and he took his identity card from his neck and placed it inside his Bag. We didn't had any word with him while he was there in Metro we just were standing in from of him he thought we had left him. As the Rajiv Chowk station was about to arrive he left his seat[you get automatic voice notifications of stations arriving in #delhimetro] we again hold his hand and suddenly he knew it was us again. I said we will exit at Rajiv Chowk but we will tell someone to help him board the train to Saket for which he needed to go downstairs.

As we came out of Metro it was huge chaos there[as always] no body gave any look on to him and everyone was busy with themselves. We tried to convince any person to help him out but everyone was in hassle to catch theirs metro, so we decided we would go downstairs with him and make him board the train. I asked him whether he would like to go  downstairs with Escalators or by Stairs he said he would like Escalator. Reaching downstairs there was a huge crowd a train was there we tried to help him to get in but then it left soon without him. 

As the next train arrived there was a young Boy who sensed the situation and said he would help him board the train. We said he will be going till Saket, he affirmed us don't worry and he will help him out. As we were about to leave the Blind guy thanked us for the help.

Leaving behind him I thought about the Boy how confident he was while we were worrying about him he was like it was daily stuff for him to travel and go to work.I think when a person is born with a disability God gave him some extra powers to deal with it. For that Boy he was born without his eyes there was nothing like light or sight for him it was normal for him without it.

Telling you about traveling in #delhimetro I have never seen anyone slipping on stairs or felling down in my one and a half years of day in day out traveling on it. But me a person with no disability once fell down on stairs and rolled down and injured myself and every eyes were upon me like I had committed some crime and then one person helped me to get up. I was very embarrassed that day. Moral of the story - It does not matter while you have eyes or not what matters is to have sense of presence.

And yes you must be wondering what was the Name of that Blind Guy ? So bad of me I had forgotten his name while his face is still fresh in front of my eyes.

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Delhi Food Yearning - Old Famous Jalebi Wala

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Continuing or should I say taking forward the Foodie series of posts on my Blog about Delhi today I am here again to serve you something. It is mouth watering, hot, Crispy Jalebi's at Old Famous Jalebi Wala in Chandni Chowk.

They say it serves one of the best Jalebi's in the City, so one fine evening in December I along with my parents discovered this shop which is not so difficult to reach out. When you reach there what you see is a person preparing the Jalebi's other serving them and the owner busy in collecting Cash. 

What I like most about the open shops that serve anything to eat is to watch the dish being prepared in front of your eyes. Instead of being at the  place where they are served I rather stand at place where they are prepared, seeing the effort put in and how a dish transforms from the very stage of its raw materials to the final product that we got, I really like that journey.

The Jalebi's are prepared in Desi Ghee and instead of being moderate in size are little bulky. After deep frying them until they become reddish orange they are directly placed in Chashni[hot sugur syrup] and then served. When I went there last time they were sold at 300 Rs per Kg. My Father paid the price and now it was time to dig into them. They are amazingly very delicious Crunchy outside and gooee inside but then this is how Jalebi's are everywhere. What makes them apart from others is their taste which you can only understand once you have eaten them. 

 


What I advice you is eat little of them and you will have fond memories of it, its not the quantity that matters its their everlasting taste that will attract you. My family loved them but said it was highly priced but that can be expected regarding the place, material put in and its name.

They also serve Samosas which are big let down to me, at 12Rs per piece they do not stand apart to the normal Samosa's that are served at your nearest Mithaeewala[Sweet Shop]. I don't find anything different or special in them. So that is a big no no from my side.

How to Reach - Nearest #delhimetro station is Chandni Chowk

                     Old And Famous Jalebiwala

                                          Shop No.1795, Dariba Corner, Chandni Chowk,

                                          New Delhi, Delhi 110006, India +91 11 2325 6973

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Delhi Food Yearning - Parathe Wali Gali

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Its almost one year that I have been living in this beautiful city Delhi[we call it Dilli though] and every moment I have spent here has been delightful.

Hence now I would like to make a series of post here on my Blog about some specialty of Delhi. On most of the Fridays or on any other Holiday I with my Friend Amit goes to explore this city. Though during my five year stint in Delhi during mid 90s I have visited most of the places but this time I am trying to visit them again and try to extract more information about unearthed places.

Also being a Foodie I am on the go on net and read Books to get to know about hidden jewels about eatery places here. Today about the place which I am gonna  write is no hidden jewel everyone knows about it " Parathe Wali Gali ".

Recently twice in a span of a week I got opportunity to visit this place both time Amit accompanied me and once Manish.

To reach there just take the Yellow Line #delhimetro to Chandni Chowk which many people Call Heart of this very city. As you come out of Metro station you'll see people in hurry leaving the station and narrow street from station which is filled with small eating shacks selling burgars and Patties [don't go there] , you just continue traversing on it which will lead you to a Mandir[If I am not wrong Lord Kali Temple] take a right turn which will leave you into an Open arm sized dark street[you have to make your way] as you finish it voila you are in Chandni Chowk . It would be one of the most crowded and bustling street you would ever see everyone seems to be in a hurry here.

Parathe Wali Gali

Now pass this street and go to the Opposite side of it and just ask which is the Parathe wali Gali there[Our very own Akshay Kumar is native to this place] Once you get into this street after going some 20 odd meter it takes a right turn and as you move ahead you will see two shops in front[side by side] filled with people and some even waiting for their turns. One shop boast itself to have been  established in 1872 and other 1875, these two shops are the authentic shops of getting Parathas there.

The Actual Shop

Some dignitaries Pics seen there

Once you have got your seat if you will look around you'll see famous dignitaries who have eaten there[Indira Gandhi,Ranbir Kapoor,Imtiaz Ali and the list will go on]. The not so courteous waiter will bring a Plate for you consisting of Spicy Sabjis , soury Chutneys and Pickles. To the menu you can look towards wall which will have complete Menu written on them. My personal favourite there is mix veg Paratha although you get around 20 varieties of Parathas there right from Aloo and Gobhi Parathas to not so heard Lemon and Khurchan paratha[made from  Milk product].

The Menu

Parathas you get here are deep fried, more so they look like Puri filled with different delicacies and one more thing I must add here is that you have to take atleast two Paratha in one plate. Hence what we do is order only one plate and me and my friend share it and yes you get complimentary Sabji as much you want.

The Paratha and Sabji

Parathas are crisp and filling is soft which makes you eat more and more. You have Spiced Potato Sabji, Seetaphal Sabji[Kaddu], Aloo Cholle, Kela Saunt and some ordinary Pickles. For people who do not  like spicy food I must warn you the food served here can burn your tongue on the contrary I can handle such hotness :) Also you can order Sweet or Namkeen Lassi which goes along with the food well.The Parathas are priced between 30 to 50 Rs.

During the high peak hours you have to wait for your turn so it is advisable to plan accordingly. Last time when I went both of these shops were packed to full so we decided to give chance to other shops there[everyone sells Parathas there] but we were very disappointed with the food and the service, hence it is better to avoid them.

Do write in your reviews if you have been there before.

 

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