Life is easy kya karein

I am back to my pet peeve.  Why do we have this language based division of states and community based politics? Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna has written really nasty editorial about Gujaratis using Mumbai like a prostitute. Well, it is more gross than what it sounds here. To think that the man who writes the editorial thinks like this and is not yet arrested for his inflammatory remarks? This is the Maharashtra's obsession with caste based politics. You know when a Maharashtrian meets you, the first question is "What is your surname?" The second question is "Kuthla gaaon" or which is your village? I have been listening to these two questions from the time I have got married and acquired a Marathi Surname. I am in half a mind to tell all these people that my surname is Das, Gupta or Dasgupta. May be the second question will not follow. All people in my Yoga class have asked me these questions, in the train, bus journeys or even in supermarkets this is asked...

We had been to Tirupati for Darshan. We were  fortunate to get Udayastanam darshan. We  could sit in the temple for forty minutes for the Morning Puja. Udayastanam means from Suryoday to Suryaast i.e. from sunrise to sunset. This Darshan does not find mention in the official website. At Tirumala, everything is pretty systematic and computerised. Darshans can be booked online. If I try to book for Udaystanam now, my chance in the queue will come after 40 years or so, they say. Lovely weather in Tirumala in early April. Spring had just set in. The flowers were blooming on most trees. The hill top is so clean and so green in spite of the construction of guesthouses and marriage halls for the pilgrims. Its an auspicious place to have a wedding. I thought it was a beautiful place to get married. I have been thrice earlier and I can definitely say that the place has not deteriorated. They have improved it over the years. Thank God and all those people who are working well. Saturday...