Bye Bye 2016!! And Hello there....2017!!

Yet again it is that time of the year when another one has gone! It is the time to say bye to mediocrity and look forward to another kick-ass year.

Like everyone else, New Year’s Eve is special for me too and thus I happen to clearly remember everything about “when the clock strikes 12” for at least the last ten years; be it camping near the bonfire, house partying, clubbing, or sitting in the blanket, munching moongfalis, playing cards or just watching TV with family.

Make-up pic after missing the event

I thought 2016 would be different than the previous years and yes, it was….From having to miss out on my childhood dream to watch WWE Live and a terrible heartbreak in the same weekend drove pretty much my entire January. So I guess we didn’t really hit off on a good note but now as the year has passed; I don’t have much to complain but only cherish all the memories I made.

2016 will definitely be remembered! So much has happened this year… Be it the start to my entrepreneurial venture, gaining eligibility to be a French teacher or just having the best birthday ever. 

One of my dear friends often says “Umeed se Dugna”, and I guess, 2016 has been so! This year I have followed my passion of writing more, have eaten more; exercised more and mostly lived and loved life a little more.

I have learnt quite some lessons, the most important being that I needed to stop being so hard on myself. Believe me, it is only when I stopped looking for a companion to fulfil my wish-list with, I happened to whole-heartedly pursue my wants, be it dancing my heart out at dance classes, going to cookery workshops, attending literature festival, participating in the theatre festival, running a marathon, or whatever I wanted to…

Dubaiiiiiiiii !!

Oh! 2016…..How I wish I could relive that trip to Dubai and have that vacation to Europe all over again; but then I would remember 2016 only for the good reasons…Now that’s not possible, is it? Hmmm… like all others I had my share of sorrow; be it failures, heartbreaks, or even losing it emotionally once in a while. But let’s focus on the goodies here; after all it is New Year’s Eve!!!! J

When I was a kid, I thought that what I did on 1^st January is going to happen for the rest of the year. I used to get up early, make my bed, go to the temple and study for at least three hours. As I have grown up, my belief has obviously changed. I now see New Year as another chance and more opportunities.  As at 11:30pm- 31^st December 2016, I feel a little low because of fever, but I am definitely excited to welcome 1^st January 2017 with a wide smile, open arms and high hopes for all I know is that it will be a great beginning.

2016.....Full of surprises
2017.... Spare me from the shocks!!

It was (not) just a Marathon !!

It’s just a marathon! I mean one day, you put on a sports outfit, plug in your headphones, run for few kilometres, cross the finish line and voila…..next hour, back to the routine!
Hmm…It wasn’t exactly this way for me. ‘To run a marathon’ was a square box in my check-list! It is a shame that feeling unfit, being unavailable or my agreement with perception of others that I can’t do it, had kept that box un-ticked for quite long!

Well, it was only last month when my brother ran a night marathon; and just then I told myself ‘Had you wanted it so bad, you would have done it too! It’s high time you act, do what you need to do and be where you need to be!”

At 1^st December 2016 when I got to know about Pink City Marathon to be held on 18^th December, I knew I had to take the shot. It was less about the run and more about shutting off my inner demon whose job profile was to make excuses and pull me back! So, I got myself registered, came to terms with my non-athletic stamina and started to practice fifteen days prior to the marathon. I guess I was doing fine with 4kms in 45 min to start with, followed up by 8 km in 80 min in three days and 10kms in 90 min after another three days. I know the speed wasn’t good enough but I was happy with the improvement. It was the 8^th day of practice, that is, a week before the marathon, and my legs froze. I hadn’t climb Mount Everest, but I could feel such pain in my thighs, calves and in every possible nerve of my right leg.

I didn’t even intend to win the marathon, but I definitely needed that completion medal to satiate the yearning to liberate myself. However, given my last timing and two days of rest because of the pain, it seemed little difficult to complete ten kilometres in less than ninety minutes. With three days to the marathon, I walked four kms in fifty minutes, my worst ever timing. Next morning I woke up, stretched my arms a bit, heard a click and felt a jerk in my neck. As I tried to exercise my neck through the day, the pain spread to the shoulder and the arms. I had never had such issues with my body….like never ever. So, all that drama at that time was so disappointing!!

As it happened, another day passed without practice. There could always be another marathon few months later but as I said, it wasn’t just about the marathon anymore! It was about pushing my boundaries of comfort. So, I popped in a painkiller and set myself for another, although slow walk of six kms.

Evening jog at Jawahar Circle

With just a day for the big day and another painkiller inside my system, I set myself to Jawahar Circle and did what I had to do….ten kms in eighty three minutes; which definitely made me feel little calm. I know that with all this preparation and body ache, it reads to be like a full marathon of 42kms, but  honestly that time it meant that much to me….

18^th December….It was D-Day. I reached the starting point at 6:30am and it was still dark. The weather was cold and the air felt magically fresh. The sight of hundreds of people jumping, stretching and prepping up for the run felt like birds chirping while awaiting the sunrise. It was then I realised the serenity that every morning brings with itself.

The song “Chal daud… chal daud” was being played at the start point. As I lined up with other runners with just a few minutes to the flag off, the question by the announcer “Are you reaaaaaady, Jaipurrrrr!!” enthralled me with excitement. The bouncers held hands and made sort of a fence as the announcer started the count-down of 10-9-8------.And as he said one, the hands left loose and people ran as if unleashed from their cages.

I like all others crossed the starting point; all excited and energetic; tuned in to my Wynk music playlist.  And the first song “Ilahi mera jee ayaye aaye, Ilahi mera jee ayaye aaye” had me. As I ran listening to the song, its video flashed in front of my eyes and I was transported to the world of Bunny from “Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani”! It was a surprise how that song shouted in my ears….. “Set yourself free… travel…. be your own companion…. do what you love….”

By when the song finished, my hands were cold as the body was still warming up. I could see me smile as I inhaled the morning bloom and exhaled the cold smoke out of my mouth; which by the way is my favourite part about winters. As I jogged listening to Ilahi song on a loop at the JLN Marg which I actually drive through daily, I happened to observe little things like a small temple at the side of the road, a closed chai ki thadi and so much more that I hadn’t seen before in all these years.

Well, coming to the run!! For the first five kms with dhol walas playing at the side of the road and people cheering “Halla Bol, Halla Bol”; running felt like a celebration. Being cheered and handed out water by volunteers throughout the way was quite helpful too. But alas, then with only half the battle done, I started to lose speed. I walked twenty five steps, then ran again for a kilometre and did this on repeat. I didn’t care about how many people were ahead of me or behind me. All that mattered was giving my best and reaching my target at the earliest. While all my energy was drained, I spotted the big waving cloth “FINISH” and yelled at myself "Run". It might sound overly dramatic, but with few metres to the finish point, I experienced a ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ moment; smiling hard while approaching the target in slow-motion except I was no Hrithik Roshan.

And voila, I was past the threshold. People were applauding…. Woohoo….. 10kms!! Although my time wasn’t great as per marathon standards but I had outdone my personal best… 72 min for 10kms.  As I took my completion medal, I felt elated and liberated.


I did it!!

I tell myself that babe it was just a 10km run, why make such a big deal of it….. But then my heart says that it wasn’t just a couple of hours of my life…. It was a toast to the possibility of overcoming challenges and setting even higher ones. It was about the preparation, it was about the experience and it is about the after!

This was a time that I really needed to be reminded that life is much more than an office desk, a comfortable bed, some dinners and functions. This marathon whispered in my ear that life is about small experiences, observing the tiny little details and being grateful for what we have. We are not just another human being; and you my friend, matter to yourself, your friends, your family and it really doesn’t matter anymore than that.

PS - Feeling motivated…. 21kms… We will meet soon.

Cheers,

Shruti

A Thank You letter isn't enough, we need a book!

Dear Zindagi,

I often complain about you, but today as I sit to write about you, I find myself to be so unreasonable. You have been beautiful and so much more! For so many years, you have come so smooth that at times I have pinched myself and wondered…. “Dude, are you for realJ!!” Alright, I shouldn’t praise you much but just to let you know,

I love you Zindagi for bringing with you a friend like mother who is always up for anything. I don’t think that you could have done any better than our mother-daughter vacations, random shopping trips to the mall, crazy cooking sessions in the kitchen, and her simple solutions to all my gigantic problems. I adore you for giving me an absolute gentleman of a father who has provided for me, always pampered and encouraged me but never pushed me to the extremes. I thank you for giving me the best of both worlds of being younger to a sweetheart sister and elder to a super adorable brother, the three musketeers!!

You wide opened for me the doors to experience your dimensions at a time when I was content and comfortable in your protective version. When the innate literally homesick me was scared to go out there, you, my darling pushed me ahead making up for the pettiest or mightiest of setbacks. When I couldn’t get into a premier b-school due to a sheer lack of document despite the perfect score, you got me through another great management school where I made innumerable memories for life. Should I be thanking you here?? No…because no gratitude would be enough for the experience of those two years at campus.

The beautiful campus

You kept on bestowing good luck on me and I kept working more and harder than before. Whenever I doubted myself, you turned events and we happened to do each other proud. I will never ever forget that feeling of accomplishment of “First person to get placed at the campus”.  

When most of the people just can’t have the liberty to study or work according to their interest, you held hands with my parents and stood by our side as I set out to break the convention of ‘girls of our family needn’t work’. I must acknowledge that you on a personal level were so generous but the professional you was no less kind either. Learning and improving every day, meeting with big CEOs and visiting life size factories was indeed an exposure I will always cherish.

Sharing the table with the MD, Mr. Praveen Kadle

I confess that parting ways on the professional front by leaving the good pay-good profile corporate job with the prestigious Tata Group was daunting but with you by my side, taking the entrepreneurial plunge didn’t seem scary. Yeah, it is not easy right now and might not get easier anytime soon, but I believe we will do well there too!

You and I will soon be completing thirty milestone years and we have had our share of laughs and tears. When I first moved out leaving behind all luxuries at home, bruising my elbow and breaking a sandal in the Mumbai local, getting drenched in rain and even letting boss take my work credit were my biggest problems with you. Then you got to a phase when I was entirely by myself, be it shifting homes, eating and staying alone in hotels or guesthouses on work trips to even once watching a movie alone in a cinema hall. You are aware of the times from when I cried myself to sleep after consecutive failures to the times, the heartbroken I, pulled off smiling faces at friend’s weddings and baby showers.

Honestly it didn’t come easy but today I smile for those handful tears which have only made me stronger and taught me the lesson that things will come and go, some people will choose to leave but we will go on! I have lived you day by day and I have loved you for most of the days. I believe in ONE LIFE and have been fortunate enough for the opportunities and resources to live each day as our last.


Every day with you is like a different movie, sometimes it is a fairy tale where I get to travel all over the world, sometimes a melodrama with hopefully a happy ending and sometimes even a light action lest you will get boring!

Dear Zindagi, I thank you for what you have bestowed upon me. I thank you for who I am and what I have. I thank you for everything we will together be! When we part ways, we should have a farewell party to celebrate our amazing journey. Believe me, this letter isn’t enough… someday we will have our own book! Till then, keep surprising me!!

In absolute awe,

Shruti

“I am writing a letter to life for the #DearZindagi activity at BlogAdda“.

My favourite Love Story!

First things first…. A declaration! It is not my love story coz my prince charming is yet to find me and sweep me off my feet: P

Second thing second…. I am a hopeless romantic who takes much interest in love stories. I might have read and heard forties of them but my personal all-time favourite is of my maternal grand-parents (naana ji and naani ji).

Their saga of love commenced with the arrange marriage of her sister and his brother. Somewhere between him picking bhabhi from her maayka to her spending Sundays at her sister’s sasural, they fell in love and got married!

My fondest memory with them is of the times when I used to spend ten days every summer at their house. It was the time when it became one crazy place with nine kids chatting and playing all the time. 

                                                                                      Chopad and cowries

“Chopad”, my naana’s favourite game was allotted five hours of every day.

My naana ji has always been a loyal gentleman but he never ever played fair at Chopad.  At every chance, he used to arrange the cowries and we used to catch him red-handed. Then he would give an affectionate smile to Naani Ji, she would grin and somehow convince us that he didn’t cheat. So was their love!

Every Holi, naana ji used to put gulaal on naani ji’s cheeks while she was asleep. Every year, she knew that she would wake up with colour on her face, yet she would always laugh and ask him with love “Aap kab bade honge?” and he would always reply “Kabhi bhi nahi”…. So was their love!

Whenever they sat together, they always pulled each other’s leg. He used to tell me “Teri maa bilkul dramebaaz hai….apni maa pe gayi hai” and my naani would say “Koi baat nahi Shruti…tere naana ko drama bahut pasand hai ;)” So was their love!

One Sunday, I accompanied them to a Jain temple “Padampura” near Jaipur. When she faced difficulty in climbing the stairs, he joked with her “Sushila….abb tum boodi ho gayi ho… Walking stick use kiya karo” to which she giggled “meri stick toh aap hee ho, par kya kare… aap toh khud hee boode ho gaye ho : D” So was their love!

I can recite hundred stories where I have fallen in love with their love! Teasing each other, laughing with each other and laughing at each other…..Being for each other and unconditionally loving each other for sixty five years… So was their love!

                               The most beautiful couple with grand-children and great grand-children

I miss you naani… Rest in peace!

“This post is a part of #LoveAndLaughter activity at BlogAdda in association with Caratlane.”

#LoveAndLaughter 

 Shruti

I looked dazzling, but then it happened!

Jaipur, 28^th January, 2006

Engagement of my BFF Pooja’s sister

We (I and my other girlfriends) were pretty excited as it would be our first saree experienceJ.  

We wanted to look ravishing and steal the limelight of the bride (Yea… we were mean ;) We had prepared ourselves well by reading lot of Vogue and Femina and watching shows on Style Check. 

We had roamed around the city for one full month to find the perfect girlish sarees and gone through numerous fitting sessions with the tailor a.k.a masterji (no boutiques back then!) to get the perfect sexy yet decent blouses. 

We exactly knew how we wanted our hair-do, how should our make-up be done and in what styles should our sarees be draped at The Big Day. We were the self-acclaimed Fashion Divas.

We had everything sorted out. We all stayed at one friend’s house so that we could go together to the beauty parlour and then directly to the engagement party and later get a drop back home by Pooja’s chacha ji.

We timely reached the venue looking beautiful and feeling gorgeous. We walked our way inside and saw an empty stage as the to-be-weds hadn’t arrived. Our only familiar face of Pooja was nowhere to be seen amidst the thousands of guests.

We decided to take a round of the garden to look for her and also show off our perfect looks! I for one was too happy with my net saree and the designer blouse (that’s how I liked to call it ;), the neat hair up-do and my new golden high heels.

As I walked with my head held high, I accidentally stepped on my saree and suddenly the tucked in pleats came off. I was shocked and embarrassed but my dear friends quickly circled me as I hastily tucked the pleats back. Okay! Even though my saree wasn’t perfect anymore, my new stilettos bit my toes and their heels sank in the garden with every step, I tried to display the confidence of a fashion maestro (not that, I felt that anymore!). It was just then my chic blouse decided to mock at me with the cleavage show off behind the net pallu and the misbehaving zipper at the back. I was irritated and then when I looked at my friends for some consolation, I realised that all of our make-up was way too loud for a ring ceremony in the Marwari community. The Clothes… Sandals…. Make up… Nothing fit right…! And there we were (particularly me) a classic example of misfits.

We took seats in the front row with our plates full of veg Kababs, spring rolls and chilli paneer as the ring ceremony was announced. Confetti blasters were popped, gifts were exchanged and solitaires sparkled on the ring fingers but our friend was nowhere to be seen. (I so wished we were allowed cell phones that time!) 

So after the ceremony, I asked aunty (one can easily make out bride’s mom right!) about Pooja. She looked puzzled and questioned me “Who Pooja??”

Our faces turned blank….. Was she kidding us? NO!!!!!….. We were at a wrong party!

Oh! We were so embarrassed.

Next day, we got our butts kicked by Pooja and got mocked by everyone else (crazy stories travel fast: D) for missing the function in the adjacent lawn!

It has been ten years now and we still can’t stop laughing reminiscing the good old embarrassing times: P   

This post is written as part of the "That didn't fit right" blogger contest by Buttercups in association with Women's Web. 

Image Source: Internet

Celebrate yourself with a perfect fit. Take the Buttercups quiz @http://bit.ly/buttercupsquiz and get that perfect fit you deserve. Use GYRF10 to avail a 10% discount. 

#PerfectFit 

Keep Smiling!! 

Cheers, 

Shruti Jain

WOW… ‘Nobody Knows That I…’

Well, for a talkative person like me, it takes lot of effort to think about something that I know and haven’t shared with even a single fellow.

Okay…. So what could be something that is not meant for the public eye? Dark secrets…. Embarrassing stories… A love affair….Or anything that will scare me of being judged! Hmm….I got nothing… Haha… seems my life isn’t that fun!! (Although my friends tell me that it’s a fairy tale ;))

So, before I put out my only secret on a public forum, here is a little about myself… I like reading love stories and am a believer of happy ever afters; and keeping a secret is not lying ;)

June of 2008; it was during the beautiful days of MBA that I found these treasures of my life. She was my hostel - neighbour and he was a member of my Economics group project. Now I don’t remember how and when did I introduce these two but I am glad I did.

Here’s what happened!  Every night my two besties would voice chat on Gtalk and then the next day I would spend listening all about it by him in the class and by her as soon as I returned to my room. She used to go all gaga about him; his humour, his ambitions, how she really likes talking to him and on and on….. He wouldn’t stop blabbering about her innocence, her passion and how he really likes talking to her and on and on….  Basically, they talked to each other all the time and talked about each other for the rest of the time. And in the middle I, the chatterbox actually happened to listen!

It was the last month of college and they hadn’t even gone out on a date. Basically they acted dumb heads who hadn’t expressed their love to each other but me.

It was one night when she sobbingly told me that her father had shortlisted some bio data’s for her to see. I was angry with my BFFs for acting such chickens and it was just then, I decided to play cupid.

I had watched lot of romantic movies and thought to test them for real. So, I bought two beautiful cards and wrote in both of them –

“I like myself when I am with you. I am not sure…..but I think I am in love. So, if you feel the same way, be at Serendipity Café at 7pm tomorrow…. IT WILL BE A DATE!

However, if you don’t feel the same way, forget about this card and don’t turn up…..I promise, we will still be the best of friendsJ”

Then I undersigned their names and ensured that both of them got those cards… And guess what! An hour later, they both were telling me about the cards they received. (They were going crazy!)

I must admit that I was thrilled to hear them being so happy but at the same time I was hell scared of being killed when they would find everything out! I decided to hang on to my halo and help them a little more. I picked out an adorable dress for her to wear and went shopping with him to buy her the perfect gift.

Well, it was no wonder that a day later, I listened to THE DATE story twice! Ah! I wanted to be acknowledged when he blushed about her charming looks in that blue dress. I wanted to pat my back when he continuously kept singing “I’ve had the time of my life….No, I have never felt like this before”. I wanted to be high fived for being an awesome planner when she shared the tiniest of the details of their romantic candle light dinner. I wanted to shout “Yay… I chose that song” when she pulled me into a dance while humming ‘Pehla Nasha, Pehla Khumar’.

Okay, It was no surprise that they had hopelessly fallen in love with each other. What though is a surprise is that now they have been happily married for four years and a baby is on the way!

PS - I am really close to both of them and we still talk about every damn thing; however, none of them has ever raised an eyebrow of their first date. So, I guess my secret (that I thought would be out on their first date and would get me disowned by my besties) is still safe!

‘Nobody Knows That I played a cupid!’ Oops... I guess now ‘Everybody knows!

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Image Source: Internet

Cheers,

Shruti 

Dubai Memoir !

Happy Holidays to All !
Cheers,
Shruti