Life is easy kya karein

I used to wear Sarees everyday when I was working. Those days in the hotel industry, all employees wore sarees. The Sales n Marketing teams could wear their own sarees and not the uniform sarees which was for the people in the Front office and Back of the house. We all loved buying new sarees all the time and cherished them. In fact, all of us wore natural fabrics and not the flimsy artificial fabrics. By the time I was in the eighth year of working, the foreign hotel chains had come into India. To prove their westernization, the uniform became shirts and trousers for all employees. Men n women in the hotel looking like penguins in those white lobbies. This is one more of my ranting against the Westernization of Indian people and culture. The 'Goras' for the lack of a better word, felt one looked more professional in trousers n shirts. The pant shirt uniform was hassle free. Not to forget those thick jackets on the poor perspiring staff. Indian weather is not conducive to jack...

A friend sent a personal response to my last post. She shared that around her in North India, the scenario is opposite. The daughter-in-law is not willing to allow her children to spend time with the paternal Grandparents. The daughter-in-law wants a share in the family wealth but does not want to take on any family responsibilities. I grew up in a family where I was equally fond of my cousins and relatives on paternal and maternal side. I think lot of this is dependent on the mother of the house. If as a child, I see my Mom only with maternal relatives, then that is what I will take on in my married life and with my children. If I see my Grandmom with only her side of the family, then I will feel that is the right way to behave. Men do not have these conversations or never have any issues regarding these things. I seem to be righteous about it. For me joint family is like Ram Rajya, all have to be happy living together. Is this Utopia, I am going after? Is this not possible? Am I l...

Child came from school and mentioned that some one in her class has Ego. I was taken aback. What does a ten year know about Ego? How did she get to learn this word and to use it? Is Ego and Egoistic same? Did she mean the class mate was egoisitc? What was her experience that she used such a strong word?  How do I explain it to her? Do I ask her why she is using that word? Do I ask her what happened? Do I try to talk her out of using such words for her friends? As a mother, should I cut this conversation in the bud? Is she really looking for help? I simmered but I did not advice her. Later she said he was a friend and enemy. Frenemy is the new term coined in Bollywood news. The child shared all this in complete innocence but my maternal instincts were on high alert. As a mother, I am just looking at countering emergencies or handling situations for my children. This is so lousy. Instead of creating something wonderful for my children, I am looking at 'What needs to be handled nex...

I am staring at the DVDs and CDs lying all around the house. I have never seen or heard them. I keep thinking I will do it one day. I am better with books. Even if they are all over the house, I feel intellectual about it. CDs and DVDs do not give me any such high. In fact I am quite irritated with them. None have been bought by me. We are a family which never watches a film on the DVD player. I don't even know if the  DVD player works as we have not used it for years. My solution to all the things which I can not operate or do not know how to operate, is to give it away. I have even given away grill toasters and juicers because I was not comfortable using them. I felt the toast turned better on the Tawa and the juice came out better in a mixer/grinder. I am not too comfortable with kitchen gadgets or any other gadgets. I feel most are used once in a while and occupy so much space in the house. I am uneasy about using things which cant be washed well. I do not like a grill toaster...