Bio-diversity

Part of the Tau Devilal Bio Diversity Park in Gurgaon.

Dancing in the Rain

Please take a seat

The cool lounge chairs at an office complex in Gurgaon.

New Clothes

Central

Reunion

Target

Aim

Oranges and Lemons

Glass!

Cheers!

This weekend, we celebrated several milestones. At our favourite place in this entire world: Earth!

Downpour

The much needed rain came pouring down to give us lovely weather. Friday evenings, if only you were like this each time in summer!

Emeralds

It was an extremely hot day. We gave these dogs a little water and they posed so royally for me after that. Don't their eyes look like emeralds?

Ready for a challenge?

We enjoyed a game of Ludo and one of Snakes and Ladders while we waited to be served. We continued to play well through dinner.

The Elixir of Life

Holi Hai!

Holi celebrations in the complex where we stay.

Holi Eve

Five-a-day!

A local fruit and vegetable market. Sector 14, Gurgaon. This was the biggest market when I first moved to Gurgaon in the 90s. Now, it is just one of the many markets.

Happenings

So much has happened, yet it feels like nothing is happening. Apologies for ignoring this blog for such a long time. My food blog does get a lot more attention these days and with time, I am fairly certain that this problem will be fixed.

I was in the news almost all of yesterday and for a good part of Monday. CNN IBN was covering the crime rate in Gurgaon. Despite the shocking numbers, the ACP said that there was no need for panic. The situation, according to him, is under control. I'd like him to have 6 weeks of sleepless nights. Or 6 weeks of leaving for work each morning not knowing if all will be OK when we get back. 6 weeks of being suspicious about every activity outside his door. 6 weeks with no peace of mind. 6 weeks of the trauma I've been faced with, before he says, "I don't see any need for panic."

I've had advice pouring in from every corner.

• "Why don't you leave your jewellery in a bank locker?"
• "Why do you wait for a Saturday to go meet the authorities, why can't you go tomorrow?"
• "Did you not lock your house properly?"
• "Get a better lock."
• "Get a maid to stay full time or ask your parents to come and stay with you."

Hindsight is always 20:20, right? I can think of a thousand things I could have done. But nothing can change the fact that my privacy was invaded. Someome broke into my house while I was away. Someone went through my personal belongings and took away something so dear to me.

People asked me, "If that mangalsutra is so sentimental, why were you not wearing it?" I really want to slap some people so hard. I don't need to explain to them that I got 5 mangalsutras at my wedding and can only wear one at a time. And isn't wearing it my choice? Even my mother didn't ask me why it was in the locker.

What amused me the most, however, was this guy from the Crime Branch.

Inspector: Aap gehne ghar mein kyon rakhte hain? (Why do you keep jewellery at home?)

Me: Sir, thoda sa to ghar mein rakha hi jaata hai. (Sir, some of it has to be kept at home.)

Inspector: Theek hai madam. Aap ka to gaadi se aana jaana hota hai, apne bag mein rakha keejiye." (That's fine Madam. You must be traveling in a car, carry the jewellery in your bag."

Me: Kyon? Taaki mera handbag chori ho jaaye aur aap poochhen ki akal nahin thi jo itna saraa bag mein liye phir rahi thi?" (Why? So my handbag could be stolen and then you can ask if I didn't have the common sense to not carry expensive stuff around?)

Having had your house burgled is one thing. Having your life open to question by just about anyone is quite another.

The Road to Perdition?

One of my earlier posts, Inviting Trouble, talks about the traffic sense of people in India. I was shocked to see people ride with babies falling out of their scooters, and even more shocked to see them take babies in the front seats of their cars.

I've always wondered about how dangerous that could be. This morning, S and I were on our way to work when we got behind an Indica chugging along on the right most lane at about 25 kmph. S honked to get the car to move and we got ahead. Then the driver of the other came up, really close to us, and overtook us from the left. He cut in right in front of us and came to a complete halt. Then Mr. I-know-english-and-the-proof-lies-in-my-use-of-swear-words got out. He came over to our car and said to S, "You want to go fast, go in that lane." (That lane... was on the other side of the divider. Dude... we're still in India... physically, mentally and any which way you look at it) "Why don't you fly a plane if you want to drive so fast? What rash driving!" ( So fast? We were going at 40!) "My son almost got hurt because of you. Can I bash your car in return?" Whoa! He switched lanes without looking and had to apply his brakes as a result of which his child got hurt. Curiosity got the better of me and I looked into his car. The child was sitting on the lap of a lady (maybe its mother) in the front seat, while a maid sat in the back seat. Education is such a waste. (I use this line so often that S is tired of hearing it, but that's what comes across loud and clear, wherever I go.) S apologized for the fact that his son almost got hurt, but told him it was his fault.

It turned out that they were also headed to the same building where I work. When we reached the office, S got out of the car and went up to him and said, "Now I know how your son almost got hurt. Shouldn't you travel with your child in the back seat?" To which, Mr. Oh-I'm-so-ignorant responds with a "Who are you to tell me where my son should sit?"

Is there a God? Questions aside, I'd appeal to God to drive some sense into these idiots who drive on our roads. Teach them the rules before it is too late. If they were to learn from experience alone, it would prove way to costly.