Terrorists, Feminists, maggi and other things!

My brother thinks I would make an awesome terrorist. Or I’m secretly one and I haven’t told them yet.

Every time I make him study, he literally pees in his pants.  I scream loud enough for my relatives on the other side of town to hear me. In my defence, his important- information retention capacity is less than mine. Will to daydream?  Far greater. Results?  Disastrous!

Apart from his I-will-remember-just-one-line-from-a-one page-answer attitude, his love for all things made of maida puts me off. Why eat white bread and Maggi, when you can have whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta instead? Apparently, he doesn’t think so. He continues to consume slices after slices of bread loaded with cheese. His daily diet involves literally inhaling bowls of Maggi. At odd hours of the day, that too. Result? More screaming, hair pulling and name calling.

One of my uncles took a Korean wife. The woman makes me respect Korean culture. Every time she has to enthuse her tiny two-year old daughter about something, she screams, ‘Womens’ liberation’ and the delighted daughter throws her hands up and starts jumping immediately. Now the Feminist that I am, this practice has left me absolutely fascinated.  I’m inspired to instil the same value in my children.

This of course, makes my maida-loving brother think I am creepier than I actually am. He swore to my mum the other day that he won’t let his kids get anywhere close to me. For one, he didn’t want his kids screaming ‘Women’s Liberation’ at random intervals. Secondly, he didn’t want them to be deprived of the pleasures of digging into a bowl of Maggi.

Do you know what that means? I will be deprived of a chance to instil my deep rooted values in the minds of little children who have descended from the same blood line as I have. Generations after them will be brought up without the knowledge that women infact are the superior sex! My only hope is that another revolutionary in the family will be born. She will change the way the entire family thinks and complete the mission I was sent here to start!

Getting back to my brother, he had another amusing thing to say. He’d like to keep his children away from mine. He also intends to train them in Martial Arts, lest they ever have to deal with me. So on the rare occasions that his kids just have to meet mine, their conversation will be like this.

His kids: We know kung-fu, Karate and Tai chi!

My kids: We’re Karishma’s kids.

His kids: *Run away screaming*

And that is how the story ends.

What not to do when walking down the road.

Hello lovely people,

It is amazing how the urge to blog is so strong when all I should be doing is burying my nose in my books and forgetting that there is a World that exists outside of where I live. Since this two track mind of mine chooses to do nothing more productive than daydream about what to eat in the next break or what to buy on the next shopping expedition, which as you know is the most integral part of my life, I’ve decided to shut my books and do something more productive with my life. They say there is no greater joy that the joy of sharing knowledge. Certain experiences in life have opened my eyes. And today, my dear readers, I am going to give to share with you the knowledge of ‘What not to do when waking on the road!’

Bursting into song while walking may not be the best thing to do if you’re walking with a friend. They will stop in their tracks, turn around and walk away so fast that you will left alone singing to yourself. And you know what that makes you? A loony!

If your daily adventures involve screaming ‘Aaaaaaaaaaa’ while crossing the road, as if you are having a near death experience, the results are worse. Your friends will swear by every idol in the temple, that they will henceforth never be seen with you in public.

If the sheer joy of bumping into a friend you haven’t seen in twenty four hours, makes you want to run towards them and scream ‘itaaaaam’, you must learn to exercise self control. The Rajus, Munnas and even Harilals on the pathway assume you’re screaming out them and start blushing almost instantaneously as they hand comb their hair in the rare view mirror of the nearest car.

Apparently, singing songs like ‘Billo Rani’ and ‘Kajra Re’ produce similar results.

If you have the irresistible urge to break into dance and you know you’re going to be disowned as you were, for singing out loud, always remember you live in a country where dancing on the streets is as commonplace men peeing on the railway tracks. If it’s not Ganesh Chaturty or Navratri, then it’s surely got to be somebody’s wedding day. What’s better than to join a crazy bunch of baraatis as they set the streets on fire? And while you’re at it, please, please don’t forget it’s an Indian wedding; nobody needs to know who you are because they will assume you belong to the other side. So make sure you attend the wedding as well and fill your plates with piles and piles of food before hitting the dessert counter.

Clicking pictures on the road is alright. Finding absurd locations like dampened walls and ancient looking buildings and then posing against them as if you were doing a photoshoot for Harper’s Bazaar is not. The kids on the street come running towards you, and surround you as if a real shoot is going on. Before you know, the tinier ones will be crawling up the photographer’s legs in an attempt to get his attention and convince him to take their pictures. Never mind that he is probably using the most obsolete digital camera that exists.

While indulging in acts of dog calling (male version of cat calling) refrain from screaming out lines like ‘kya maal hai’ by merely seeing the back of an ‘object’ (as I would like to refer to them). Sometimes, as these objects turn, the frontal view might shock you beyond belief.

And as I complete this very meaningful blogpost, I feel rather smug about having shared the kind of life changing experiences that nobody on blog spot has ever shared. Ever.

Now you can go to the comments section of this post and share with me how these words of wisdom have made a significant difference in your lives.

Because I belong here.

The past two years have been a journey of sorts.
Miracles happen.
Sometimes even when you don't believe in them.
Mass media is something I've wanted to since I was 14.
At every stage in your life, you look at those above you and imagine living a life like theirs.
I'd look at the Xaviers' kids below my house in their kurtas, jholas and unruly hair and I just knew they belonged to BMM.
I couldn't wait to get to college, because I wanted my life to be just like theirs.

Sometimes, I still wake up in the morning feeling awestruck.
And rather happy.
As it turns out, my life is just the way I wanted it to be.
So I'm not your regular kurta and jhola girl.
I'm more of the kurta, jhola with a million blinding accessories girl.
But I love every bit of who I am and what I do.
I love every bit of what I see.
I love every bit of what I learn and I'm not even talking about the academics here.

Well, I am feeling particularly optimistic today.
But I'd be lying if I said there has not been a day when I've wanted to throw this life away and go off to another place.
A few projects have been sheer torture.
There have been days when sleep is a far off dream.
There have been times when I have had to work for hours on an end with some of the most uncooperative people you will ever meet.
I've also been manipulated and watched people grab the spotlight for something I spent hours on.

My first semester hasn't exactly been the sort of experience I'd want to gush about.
New place, new people, meaningless conversations and polite laughs.
It's an awful feeling to have to drag your feet every morning to a place you so despise.

But none of it matters anymore.
The memories I have of the semesters after the first, have more than made up for it.
I've had a chance to explore issues I care so deeply about.
I've had a chance to learn things about myself, I can't imagine my life without.

And I've  met some great people.
The sort who I can look at when somebody stands up and says the most amusing words and share a stifled laugh.
The sort who get my totally ridiculous sense of humour and choose not to judge me for it.
The kind who'd listen to me rant endlessly about things they can't even bothered about.
All that really matters at the end of the day, is that I finally feel like I belong here.
And I look forward to every day because I know it's going to be better than the one that's gone.

Tomorrow is a new day.

I feel so starstruck right now.
So awed at the World waiting outside of where I live.
So privileged that I got a taste of a World I could only dream of.

Lakme Fashion Week was like a dream come true.
Sky high heels, beautiful silhouettes, famous designers, celebrities, wine and cheese parties.
It was all larger than life.
Way too much if you ask me and very little at the same time.

I knew this isn't a once in a lifetime experience.
I knew that I don't want to be a silent spectator, viewing the lives of the rich and famous from the eyes of the media.
I want to be them.

Nor do I want to simply sit in the audience watching designers after designers display their collection.
I want to be able to get on to that ramp and take a bow after the models walk the ramp in my creations.
The instant I sat in the hall on the first day, I knew I wanted life to give me a chance to live like this.

For a while now I've felt a little hopeless.
I know I'll be a Journalism student next semester and it makes me really happy.
I guess it's what I have wanted to do since I got my first star in fourth grade an essay I can't remember.
It's the thought of what I want to do after graduation, that's been keeping me awake.

I'm so glad I have found my calling now.
The mere thought of it fills me so much excitement.
That's exactly how I want my life to be.
I want to wake up everyday waiting eagerly for what the day has to offer me.
There is so much learn.
There is so much to do.
I never want to stop being a student.

Tarot Predictions (March 2010)

Aquarius.

Eight of wands.

Indicates something new and exciting is going to happen, the sort that will bowl you over with the speed at which it arrives. You will find things rapidly changing around you.

It also indicates good news and the birth of new ideas. Again you will be surprised at the pace at which they arrive. Opportunities will be plenty. They call for quick decisions and quick actions. If you put in all you have success will definitely be yours.

Two of Cups.

The two of cups are reinforcing the eight of Wands. Good tidings are on their way. The path to bliss and joy has been laid down. It is up to you to find it.

The cards also deal with emotions and love. While some experience emotional growth, others find things on the personal front better than ever before .Old relations are likely to grow strong. Newer relationships are likely to develop into meaningful relationships that will stay with you for a long time.

Another important aspect of this card is self-love. If you have been ignoring yourself lately, it is time you start being compassionate towards your own needs.

Judgement (reversed)

When you embark upon your journey, you may come across certain difficulties. They may be times when you feel like you’re trying to move ahead, but there are hindrances keeping you from doing so,

Reinforce your energy, double the efforts and embrace the power of positive thinking. Things will work like magic.


PISCES

Eight of cups.

This card is indicative of restlessness, the sort that is caused by worldly matters. At some point you may feel like you are growing weary of Worldly pursuits. Be careful of what you chase because many a times you realize what you have been chasing for so long is not worth it at all. You will find yourself in dire need of a break. A strong urge to embark a spiritual journey will follow.

Nine of swords

You might wake up overburdened by the weight of your worries. Though it may seem like everything is on the highway to hell, things will get better eventually. The loss and failure will provide you with an opportunity to grow.

Ten of Swords

Another indication of failure, loss and defeat. The feeling of stagnations looms. But the reason for the sudden negativity is you. You have given up when just when the goal was right around the corner. Though it seems like there is a long struggle ahead, the truth is most of it has already been fought. So keep moving forward. These may be trying times, but I assure you victory lies at the end of the road.


ARIES

Ace of Swords

The Ace of Swords is about courage and determination. It is about aggression and strategy. You will be faced with challenges. But the cards urge you to dive headlong into the pool of your fears. You have to take situations in your hands, because the swords are giving you the power. It is up to you to harness this power.

Queen of Wands

The Queen of Cups is a very positive card. With the power manifested in you by the Swords, your struggle will reap positive benefits. Success will be yours.

You will also find a lot of opportunities opening up for you, especially in terms of your career. The sudden outburst of ideas and your new found power will make you quite a Leader. People will be in awe of you.

Even on the personal front you will feel like a different person. You will find people drawn towards you as the fun side of your personality stands out more than ever before.

Justice (reversed)

You may find yourself subjected to a form of injustice. Things may suddenly go off course and seem quite out of your control.

At some level you will be dishonest to yourself as well. This is will cause unrest. The key is to remain calm and not let the negative emotions take charge of you. Thus you will deprive them of a medium to create upheaval.

You have the look at the higher purpose in whatever you do. Embrace the virtue of justice and mercy, when it comes to yourself and others and things will get back on course before you know it.


CANCER

Knights of Cups (reversed)

This card talks about emotional imbalance, the sort that is bowing you down and making you rather melancholy. You may feel like other are being unrealistic in their demands. It will lead to resentment, lies and manipulation. These are the things you should be most weary of. The trick of course, is to strike some sort of emotional balance. Be a little rational perhaps. It will give you the strength to stay afloat.

Page of swords

After the ambiguity created by the reversed Knight of Cups, the page of swords is like the shining light at the end of the tunnel. It talks about growth and improvement in all aspects of life.

It indicates Divine intervention. The card urges you to be more attentive to the intuitive mind. It will guide you in ways that will leave you absolutely surprised. You will find yourself reaching out to higher ideals.

It also reminds you of the manipulative side of people and how it can affect you. You should shield yourself from negativity and not let yourself be affected by gossip and ugly rumours.

The Heirophant

This card talks about structure, about Tradition and about rules. You may find the urge to revert back to old methods or to involve yourself in the process of learning. You may also feel the urge to embrace traditional forms of religion more than ever before.

This card also suggests that a certain male member of your family or a man in your life who is of the old school of thought and believes in being rather authoritive will influence your life in many ways. You must welcome the advice with open arms. It will reap long term benefits.

TAURUS

King of swords (Reversed)

You will be flooded with ideas. The goal will be clear. But don’t let the words, ‘dreamers are not always doers’ apply to you. At the same time, the negative energy around you may try to bow you down, as will the obstacles on your path. The answer is to align your focus, will and intelligence such that the path is cleared and the goal is achieved without any difficulty.

Seven of Pentacles

This card indicates the end of a back breaking endeavour and the beginning of a new phase, which is bound to invite a lot of positivity into your life. It is also a period of decision making. You have to be quite sure about the track you want to choose. Focus all your energy on the goal and leave it to the pentacles to manifest their power.

Eight of Cups

A lot of times you feel like you are still stuck in rewind mode. While, the Past is certainly beautiful, moving on is an inevitable part of our lives. This card urges you to embrace all the new things life has to offer, while letting go of all the things of the Past that you have been holding onto. It also urges you to let go of your inhibitions as the path ahead of you has many beautiful things to offer.

Six of Wands

The six talks symmetry. It makes things fall into place. So make sure you remain positive. Beautiful things will start to happen around you.



GEMINI

The Moon

The Moon is symbolic of creativity and intuition. It brings in a surge of emotions. You will feel more connected to the Divine than you ever have and it will show in your work. The Arts will draw you towards them. Those already in the field will see a lot of progress and fulfillment.

You will feel the urge to give up on your conventional beliefs. But remember to maintain a balance. And always bear a higher purpose in mind. This card also warns you to beware of enemies and falsehood.

Ten of Swords

You have overworked yourself. It is time to take that break and enjoy the fruits of your harvest.

Eight of Swords

This card indicates a phase in which you may feel trapped. You may feel like your vision is blurred and the path is unclear. The card urges you to look carefully. It may seem as if there is no way out of your dilemma, but there in fact is. You have to clear the clutter in your head and take a deep breath. The path will appear.

Queen of Cups

The Queen of Cups is an indication that the heart will reign over the head. You will be filled with a deep sense of love. The positivity you emanate will reflect on your personal relationships such that people will find themselves drawn towards you.

Intuition will play an important role in your life. You may also feel the urge to pursue the Arts.

When this card appears in a reading, it may also stand for a woman who is about to entering your life. She will be loving, caring, nurturing and change your life in more ways than one,

.

LEO

Four of Swords

The four of swords imply the person has grown rather weary of life. He is overburdened and in dire need of a break. It is a time to spend some time alone with yourself, reflecting and meditating in order to rejuvenate yourself.

The Wheel of Fortune

This is one of the luckiest cards in that pack. The divine energy has entered your life. A good phase is about to start. With Luck by your side, you must start every venture that you have been meaning to start. So while the Four of sword will leave you feeling a little negative, this card will bring in a surge of positivity.

Knight of Pentacles

The responsible side of you will take over. You will find yourself putting in a lot of efforts into every task at hand. You will also play the Leader and the Motivator. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to not only be a dreamer, but also a doer.


VIRGO

Eight of Pentacles

You have been concentrating on your work, so much so that it has become the sole focus of your life. Everything else has taken a backseat. But the result is going to make you feel like all your efforts are worth it. You will be rewarded, appreciated and recognized. Take some time off to celebrate.

Nine of Swords (reversed)

The Nine of Swords indicate the beginning of a bad phase, the sort that leaves you feeling trapped and suffocated. The reversed version of this card however indicates that even though things are not back on track yet, they will be. The bad phase has ended. You may not have healed completely, but the process has begun. You will emerge a new person.

King of Wands

You are likely to feel enthusiastic about a lot of things, as bout of creativity brings about positive changes in your work.

You will also feel like a bit of a motivator as you get others to work on the projects you head.

Girls under the influence of this sign are likely to meet someone who will sweep them off their feet with bouquets of roses and love quotes.


LIBRA

Four of Swords (reversed)

This card brings with itself a certain dark, gloomy feeling. Things on the personal front may not seem quite right. Relationships may suffer in the bargain. It is up to you to rise above all of it and take that extra effort to set things right again.

This card also calls for discretion in one’s dealings. We don’t know for sure who the enemy is.

The positive side of this card speaks about renewal. Something that ended a while ago, could be a relationship or a task at hand. There are bright chances it becomes an integral part of your life once again.

Two of Cups (reversed)

Change is inevitable and therefore must be accepted. Do not let yourself be thrown off course. Accept change in whichever form it comes. It may even appear to you in the form of separation. But you must keep in mind that Nature has a greater plan in mind for you.

The cards also urges you to let go of your inhibitions, worries or anything else that might keep you from moving forward.

The Heirophant

As The Heirophant, you will feel the urge to reach out to people. It reflects the selflessness in you as you play the role of a healer, advisor and counselor. In the process you will find yourself healed as well. A deep sense of satisfaction will follow.

Two of Pentacles

While the first two cards highlight a rather gloomy phase, this card brings in good tidings. Things will look up soon. There will be a progressive change in your life such that you will find yourself being able manage more than one task at hand. You will be surprised at your own enthusiasm and will power.

The change you start to see around you will make you stronger. You will start believing in yourself and start writing your Destiny with your own hands.



SCORPIO

Magician (reversed)

The times ahead do not bring the best of tidings. You may feel like you are entering a bad phase. While the Magician talks about manifesting your energy, the reversed magician talks about the lack of energy. You may feel like you are not in control of your life anymore, almost like you lack the power to set things right for yourself. Confusion and indecisiveness will bring about a negative feeling.

Three of Swords (reversed)

Feeling of loss and emptiness looms in the air. Something about the way you are dealing with your emotions isn’t quite right. Change is inevitable and loss is a part of this change. You must remind yourself to look at everything positively and think of that ray of hope at the end of that dark, gloomy tunnel. Make that conscious effort to stay considerably cheerful and focus on the finer aspects of life. It will bring you out of your state of confusion.

Eight of Swords

The card is indicative of the troubled times. It brings with itself that feeling of being trapped. When you keep trying to move forward but your objective is not clear, neither is your vision. But the truth about this card is, though most of the routes are blocked, there is a path that lies ahead. It calls for serious meditation and focus, so that the ambiguity clears itself and you can decide which way you want to go. Take sometime to off to reflect deeply and meditate. The path will appear before you. You will also feel a surge of positivity. The path will seem much easier.



SAGGITARIUS

Death

When this comes up in your reading, in very few cases does it actually imply Death. In most cases it implies the end of a phase and the beginning of the new one. It speaks of the inevitable, namely change, and urges you to embrace it whole heartedly because there is a plan for you and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Ace of Wands (Reversed)

At some level you may feel rather empty. You want things to change around you, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it. This may lead to dissatisfaction with life in general.

The good side of this card talks about how a period of unrest and confusion will end and how you will finally be at peace with yourself.

Page of Swords

This card talks about the awakening of the childlike side of you. You will suddenly find yourself feeling enthusiastic about a lot of things. You will be inquisitive and feel the urge to go back to learning. You will be so enthused that your ventures will leave you even more energetic than before.




CAPRICORN

Ten of Wands

You may reach a point where you will have grown absolutely weary of the World. You may feel like you are carrying an emotional baggage around. The urge to unload and go on a spiritual retreat is strong. You will find yourself craving for seclusion. Focus your energies on introspection. This will eventually bring about a significant change in your life.

For those who have been working too hard, this will be a phase of retribution. You will find your efforts being appreciated. The harvest will give you a deep sense of satisfaction.

Knight of Wands

This card is an indication of the fact that you may feel a little bit like a Knight in Shining armour. You will feel the strong urge to defend or protect the weak. You will find yourself standing up for all the things that you believe in.

You may also feel more attached to the people in your life. A sudden urge to be the reason for their happiness comes to you. You may feel drawn even to nature and realize how much you value the finer things in life.

Eight of Pentacles

For those who have been utterly faithful to their work, this is card reinforces the symbolic meaning of the ten of wands, saying that your efforts have not gone unnoticed. You will definitely be rewarded.