I Inspire on INDISPIRE

yaaayyyyyyy!!! So happy i am:D

My topic is selected for this week Indispire:)

Thank you everone...:)
My take on the topic would be online soon...

Do Right - Kare kahin, kare wahi jo sahi

I have my own half story to share. It was end of July 2007 when I got to hear the task done by ‘Satyam Foundation’. My batch of so called ELTP’s were told that each year, Satyam Foundation help some MCD schools celebrate Independence Day. I was like, what?  What does Satyam Foundation do in that? All schools celebrate it. Then, we were told – No. There are MCD schools which do not have funds to arrange these functions. They just declare another holiday to children. “So, are you interested?”

Not being into any projects and just sitting idle in front of human machines, we said yes. Teams were formed and we were a team of 6 youngsters all from Northern India except one being a localities’. Starting next week, we had to visit the school assigned to us and plan out the celebrations.

First day when we reached the school, we travelled some streets of Hyderabad, we would not have thought of going into our dreams. We had only being living in posh areas of Begum-pet and chilling out in air conditioned malls having fun. After 30 minutes of auto drive, we reached the school.

The school was a small 2 storied (ground and first floor) building with a narrow entrance. As we entered into the building, we could see 2 big rooms in front of each other both locked. Through the windows of one of the rooms, we could figure out that it was some sort of administration office cum principal’s cabin. The other room had windows shut. There was a small earthen compound and a stair case. We were soon greeted by few enthusiastic children who offered us to take us to their teacher. Thanks to the local girl into our group. The teacher was happy to see us and he told us that Satyam Foundation dis this in their school last year as well. He said, we could come to the school every day and take 2 hours of kid’s time for the preparation.

It was a primary school from class 1 to V with I think 4 or 5 teachers may be less. The first floor had 3 or 4 rooms, I do not remember exactly. On asking about the locked room at ground floor, the teachers told us that is was a class room which was forcefully occupied by some local goons. Now a family lives there. What? School property forced occupied! We thought it only happened in Bollywood/Tollywood movies.

Never mind, we got unbelievable response from the children when we asked then about who wants to give a dance performance, singing, speech, skit or anything. Slowly we were on track and teams were formed for different slots. Every day we entered the school, the children were delighted to see us. They would jump around us all the time. They would almost drop us to our PG. we had fun.

Finally, the D day arrived. We had some biscuits etc. from Satyam Foundation to be distributed among children.  Our team decided that we would contribute some small money from our pockets and give 2 bananas each children as a token of thanks to our task. We had super-duper fun getting the children ready for their performance. The teachers were amazed that we made children do everything from anchoring to stage delivery. We were just sitting smiling, clapping or putting on the makeup on little girls. Cuties looked so happy that we thought that they would not take a batch for a week!

It was not over, we had a surprise performance at the end. Group of 6 children along with their bhaiya and didi’s, came to stage and sing the song – ‘Sare Jahan Se Accha, Hindustan Hamara’. Teachers had tears in their eyes. When did u kids teach this Hindi song to them and participate yourself as well! We distributed the treat and left the extras along with teachers to be used further.

The children took a promise from us that we would visit again. But, we never did. May be we got too busy in our lives. Sorry kids..:(

Today, when I saw this half story, It instantly reminded me of above story. I always thought, the teachers of that school were doing a noble job. They were indeed. But they were paid to do that. This real life hero Mr Chandra Kumar Pradhan from Megma is an inspiration for anyone who ever said – “I want to do something for the education of Kids”.

9,900 ft above the sea level, there is a place called Megma at the tip of west Bengal. It has a 2 room building which is called “Saraswati Mandir School”. Mr Pradhan along with teacher Neela ji is lighting up the future of 20 rays of hope to a bright shining sun. Now, this is what I would call – India Shining.

The peeling walls does not stop these 2 brave hearts to get 20 tulips bloom.

The shaky benches are not an excuse to let the roots grow strong.

Cracked blackboard still displays the lectures clearly.

When I heard that Mr Pradhan wanted to be teacher since his grade 4, I could not help but remember my own school essays on “Your Aim in Life”. I always wrote that I want to become a teacher – but I had a selfish reason to that. This aim had the best content to write about and I used to score full.

I salute Mr. Pradhan to live on his words – “I will teach as long as I live.  I want every house should be educated”.

Each One Teach One!

Please, I urge you, beg you, join my hands, anything, to share this COMPLETE story as Mr Pradhan and Neela ji keep the smiles alive. You never know when a story wakes up a sleeping angel.          

Thanks to Indiblogger and “HALF STORIES the Journey of DoingRight” to make me remember my broken promise. I would definitely visit the school again if I ever visit Hyberabad again.

 
Tum bade hoke rasta n abhulo,

Apne bachpan ki ungli pakad chalo…

Kare kahin, kare wahi jo sahi

Do Right 

A Lost Diary – My Inspiration to be a blogger

I have been writing poems from my school days. All though I write them very rarely, but I do write them. I had a small diary which had my precious collection of 6 to 7 poems. One fine day, I was in the state of shock. I turned my cupboard upside down, emptied it, rearranged by carefully shredding each piece of paper. I was tired. I searched whole house thinking that I might have kept it somewhere else. But, I could not find it. My million dollar precious diary was lost…L

Finally, I do not know after how much time (may be few years), I decided to create a blog. A blog which would keep my writings safe. I told this to my brother and he gave a thumbs up. We did some searching, ran our minds and finally came up with the name “Merry Subdued Happiness”.

Yes, my first ever blog was – ‘http://merrysubduedhappiness.blogspot.com’.

Question: What inspired me to be a blogger?

Answer: A lost diary.

I would not lie that the first post on this blog was written entirely by myself. I wrote it and my best friend - Titu – my bro edited it.  Finally, Sunday, August 2, 2009 was the day I posted my first post – sort of introduction to my blog - http://merrysubduedhappiness.blogspot.in/2009/08/merry-subdued-happiness.html

Since then, I have been blogging. I created some more blogs:

http://bugfinding.blogspot.in/

http://lyrics-of-that-song.blogspot.in/

http://mydatewithbooks.blogspot.in/

Image? The page you are reading now!!!

http://quotebouquet.blogspot.in/

http://amitasehrawatrecipe.blogspot.in/ - oops it does not have a single post… :P

Sometimes regularly and sometimes after a break. I loved it when I saw my stats growing day by day. A comment on my blog made my day.

Question: What is it that still keeps you going?

Answer: 

1. Stats
2. page views
3. Comments
4. Name, fame popularity
5. Having a place where I am not bound to speak/write on anything
6. AdSense. J (I know you too smiled)

Top 5 places on my wishlist

:) :) :) cannot stop smiling while thinking of this topic. I have been over my husband’s head all the time every time he says that we got to earn big for our kids. And I, I always have the same answer I got to earn big for myself.  The kids, please ask them not to expect much after me. They would have enough education, marriage, but after that, I am all to myself…J

I always dream to travel the world during my life time. I keep saying – “I want to travel so much that every time someone talks about his or her dream destination, I should have an answer that yes I have been there.”

First five instant places that come to my mind when I think about my dream are:

1. PARIS

I am sure Paris, without any second thought is one of the most sought of dream destinations. I am dying to get myself clicked kissing at the top of Eiffel Tower… … ♥♥♥. The city of love and lights top my list.

2. TAJ MAHAL BY MOONLIGHT

I have seen Taj Mahal along with my parents when I was a kid long time back. I also had the funny ‘holding Taj’s top in your fingers’ picture. I cannot find that picture in my albums now. God knows where it has vanished. I revisited the monument of love some time back with my husband and some friends.

The Taj Mahal is said to look at its best - shimmering like a fairytale castle built for a legendary princess, under the full moon light. I have heard that the administration does not let people go all the way in and allow to watch it from the main gate. Still, I am very much ready to spend Rs 500 for half an hour trip to main gate of Taj Mahal on a full moon night.

Following words says it all…

“She smelled the way the Taj Mahal looks by moonlight.”

                                                                   ~ Raymond Chandler, The Little Sister

3. KASHMIR

There won’t ever be a single living creature who do not want to go to heaven. The famous lines – “Is duniya mein agar jannat hai, to bas yahi hai… yahi hai… yahi hai…” meaning – “If there is heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here, , it’s here.” have made the task easier.

I know the pictures in traditional Kashmiri dress on a boat in Dal Lake looks dam funny, but I want to look funny and have that picture in my album. I have a picture of my aunt-uncle (bua ji and fufa ji) where aunt is offering water to fufa ji from a pitcher both dressed in traditional dresses and that’s a million dollar picture♥♥♥.  I want it too with my love.

4. LAS VEGAS

The most popular city of US. City of dreams - known popularly for gambling, shopping, fine dining, and nightlife, Las Vegas cannot be a miss. Chuck Palahniuk said “Las Vegas looks the way you’d imagine heaven must look at night.” How can one miss the chance to heaven…J

My dream to go high after drinking – “Pee k Tull.” must be full filled here.

5. VENICE & ROME

Again, Venice and Rome – Lovers paradise. I really fancy the hearth taking views of Venice and Rome in movies. I have to travel there.

The complete list is long as I talked about my retirement dream… ;)

Image source: Various sources at google

Posted in response to IndiSpire

10 questions I hate being asked

Being curious is no big deal. It’s the basic human nature. But then, there are some questions you really never want to answer but cannot avoid. Being a married girl with a 2 year old kid, many of my hate list questions are from the same background.

Image Source - http://lmaohaha.com/funny-quotes-about-cheating/

Here goes the list…

1. What is your salary? How much do you earn a month?
• It’s none of your business aunt.
2. I speak to my husband about going to my mom’s house and he says – “Why? What would you do there?”
• Come on, you need a reason to visit your mom!
3. What gift do you want for <occasion>?
• I have a straight philosophy. Gift is not a gift if it’s given after asking. Let you mind work, find out my like/dislike or find out what I am looking for these day if you want to give a useful gift.
4. Now when I have a baby, people ask – “So, when are you planning another little one?”
• Are you kidding me? Do I look such a fool to trap myself again! At least not for some years.
5. Amita, your brother/sister/brother in law would graduate this year. Would you help him/her get a job?
• Dear, I myself had to struggle a lot in getting the break. I do not own a company.
6. When is your brother getting married? What kind of girl is he looking for?
• How do I know?
7. When are you getting married, dear?
• This used to be most hated question. Every time some asked me I felt like running away screaming – “Help!”
8. What are your future plans?
• I plan to run away on a never ending vacation. Want to join?
9. When people get to know I am from well versed family – “Why do work?” “Why don’t you stay home and enjoy?”
• Go and lock your daughters/wives/ into home. Don’t bother me.
10. You must be feeling lucky that you have got an understanding mother in law?
• Wonder if she also get to hear the same question. :P

Written in response to Indispire

Amita - No Limits; Endless; Truth; Friendship

What does your name mean to you? Do you like it or hate it? Why?

Thanks to Indispire that it made me look out for such fun information about myself!

Well, “’Amita’, what does it mean?” I do get this question quite often and I love it. I love it when people are not aware of my name. Amita means ‘No Limits; endless; truth; friendship”. I fell proud when I realize that it’s a comparatively less common name.

Wow as per numerology, I am Powerful by expression, Intuitive by soul and Loving by personality. There is no reason I should not love my name…

What more? On a personal note, 

Amita ka Amit - some stupid daily soap

AMIT A - Amit, come here - This is how one of my friend used to call me in college

Amrita - Many times, people confuse my name with Amrita - I hate that

Amitabh bachchan - Sometimes, the legend has been named and his name pronounced as soon as people hear Amita...

If I have to go in details, here it is:

Amita is generally used as a girl's name. It consists of 5 letters and 3 syllables and is pronounced A-mi-ta. It has two origins – Sanskrit and Hebrew

Meaning: Friend; truth

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: Boundless

Origin: Sanskrit

Here is how I tell my name- Amita is sign language if I have to (I do not know sign language, I go-ogled the signs)

Wait, I found a great site http://www.ourbabynamer.com/ which has some fun information on names.

Amita written in ‘Nautical Flags’.

	Symbol	Meaning
A	Alpha	I have a diver below, keep clear at slow speed.
M	Mike	My vessel is stopped, making no way.
I	India	I am altering my course to port.
T	Tango	Keep clear, engaged in trawling.
A	Alpha	I have a diver below, keep clear at slow speed.

I could not help but laugh at my stupid creativity:

I have a driver below, keep clear at slow speed. Oh, my vessel I stopped, making no way. I got to do this – I am alerting my course to port. Yippee, got the message – Keep clear, engaged in trawling. My god, it’s an infinite loop - I have a driver below, keep clear at slow speed.

 Amita written in Hieroglyphics - 

A- Arm

M – OWL

I – Reed

T – Loaf of bread

A – Vulture

Arm an Owl to Reed a Loaf of Bread and Vulture for meat.. :P

Too bad… I know. But this was what I could write instantly.

 I need to go back to work now!!! I loved writing this one. All thanks to Indispire

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Book Title:- A Thousand Splendid Suns

Author:- Khaled Hosseini

"A Thousand Splendid Suns", to be honest, i was bit reluctant to read this book given by one of my colleague. It was lying in the stack until one day i inserted my bookmark in it.

It was a treat ro read. At two or three stages, I had tears in my eyes. It's a historical + friendship + love + social story all clubbed together. what more can one ask for in one story! Myself being from different religion, I was immersed in a world completely different then my own.

The transition of Mariam from little harmless girl having thousand dreams to uneducated yet so intelligent woman is amazing. At times, I was surprised that how can a male author pen down female expressions so deeply. But they have done it so many times. Laila brought the much needed self respect and rebel in her own way.

It's heart-touching to see the friendship grow. Un-dying love never fails to impress anyone. Tariq's character leaves no stone turned to this. The detailed history of Afghanistan, war and people is also good. The author has very well demonstrated the cultural barriers and its benefits.
For example, although both characters were almost forced to wear the burqa, but both of them felt comfortable within it with each having their own reasons. The small story of a female prisoner who was sentenced to 5 years jail for eloping with the man she loved while the guy freed by saying that the woman lured him! It somewhere depicts the true male dominated society.

I was all smiles through the end. Thank goodness the author uplifted the society and emotions of both women despite the harsh realities. There were suns thousands of them shining splendidly after every rough path of life and of course by the end.

I wonder if I would ever be able to write a story with one fourth of this much detail and creativity ever!


As I have a new habit, here are some of my favourite lines from the book:-

My Favourite Lines from -  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

How did you like the book? Would you go ahead and read it after my thoughts on it? Write your heart/mind in comments section. I would be glad to read out your end of thinking on the book.

Quotes from - A Thousand Splendid Suns- My Favourite lines

I could not help but re-read the following lines on the journey of - 'A Thousand Splendid Suns".

• One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.
• Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.
• There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don't teach it in school. Look at me... Only one skill, and it's this: tahamul. Endure.
• She remembered Nana saying once that each snowflake was a sigh heaved by an aggrieved woman somewhere in the world. That all the sighs drifted up the sky, gathered into clouds, then broke into tiny pieces that fell silently on the people below.
• As a reminder of how women like us suffer, she'd said. How quietly we endure all that falls upon us.
• A man's heart is a wretched, wretched thing. It isn't like a mother's womb. It won't bleed. It won't stretch to make room for you.
• Give sustenance, Allah.Give sustenance to me.
• But remember my girl, what the koran says, 'Blessed is he in whose hand is the kingdom, and he who has power over all things, who created death and life that he may try you.
• Marriage can wait, education cannot.
• Because a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated, Laila. No chance
• Love can move people to act in unexpected ways and move them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with startling heroism.
• And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion.
• But the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already named her
• You can not stop you from being who you are.
• People…shouldn't be allowed to have new children if they’d already given away all their love to their old ones. It wasn't fair.
• Of all the hardships a person has to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting.
• That I only have eyes for you.
• Tell your secret to the wind, but don’t blame it for telling the trees.
• The Chinese say it’s better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one.
• One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
• Mariam is in Laila's own heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns, but the game involves only male names. Because, if it's a girl, Laila has already names her.

This is how I felt after I read the book (click the link)- A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

Quotes from The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks- My Favourite lines

This is my first of such collection. Now onwards, i would try to note down the lines i like whenever i read a book.

Below are few lines I loved from the book "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks

• “What are we, after all, without our memories … without our dreams?”
• “Everything a baby does strikes a parent as the most magical thing he/she has ever seen.” 
• “Love I have realized is more than 3 words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day.”
• “Gifts of the heart can't be claimed by anyone except the giver.” 
• “Is it possible, I wonder, for a man to truly change? Or do character and habit form the immovable boundaries of our lives?” 
• “How many people are ever given that chance? To have someone you fall in love with you ever over and over?”
• "Marriage is about compromise; it's about doing something for the other person, even when you don't want to.”
• “There is nothing quite peaceful as holding a sleeping child in the comfort of your arms and wondering how it’s possible to care so deeply.”

        Click the Link to read how I felt after reading "The wedding

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

Book Title:- The Wedding

Author:- Nicholas Sparks

Thirty years into the marriage can make any couple to be taken for granted for each other. Forgetting one’s marriage anniversary is no doubt the worst and most dreadful thing any husband can ever do his wife. This fact is well known and stated by all men – ‘ahh, Women..!”. But, the sinking feeling inside one's self when Wilson fears that his beloved wife Jane no longer loves him is the turning point in his life. Jane being the closest witness to undying love of her own parents Noah and Allie, Wilson himself being an inexpressive person by nature – He knows he has a hard time ahead to win her wife heart back. Noah gives him a perfect kick by confessing how he felt when Allie would not recognize him –

“Every time I read to her, it was like I was courting her, because sometimes, just sometimes, she would fall in love with me again, just like she had a long time ago. And that's the most wonderful feeling in the world. How many people are ever given that chance? To have someone you love fall in love with you over and over?”

I truly loved the book and enjoyed it thoroughly. I do not know how, but I somehow predicted almost all the coming events. That did spoiled my experience a bit, but despite of that, I could not help but smile throughout the romantic trip. I could not help but notice the special love and bonding shared by parent and children described so effortlessly throughout the book. Obviously I would also do anything as eternal as Wilson’s Daughter did for him. I could very easily picture my brother in place of his son and the anger over his dad to hurt his mom.

I have some favourite lines from the book which I would like to note in my diary –

                Here is the link to my Favorited lines from “The Wedding”.

Do you remember the most romantic moment from your wedding days? How did you like the book? Would you go ahead and read it after my thoughts on it? Write your heart/mind in comments section. I would be glad to read out your end of thinking on the book.