Monday, December 22, 2008


That outpouring of Silent Night ringing out which I heard from my balcony; and silently sang along not knowing the words, amazed at the crystal clear quality of the baritone on the different scale. I was suddenly happier.

That civics and sociology session with that wizened autofella, a Brahmin from the hinterlands who was vehement about not even considering a “ gujeratein” from a different caste for his college educated, bank-employed son, for whatever would the extended family and the tauji and babuji and the village back home say… I think I managed to convince him to at least interview the girl- “tanik chaal chalan dekhein aap”, though I did draw heavily on the scriptures and invoke Maharshi Valmiki and Lord Krishna's migration to Dwarka in the process. All’s fair.


Chocolate cake. Steamed. Thank you, Quaker Oats.

And the slight, if steady progress with both the Aunts. If its not bad, its good.

Slight hint of a chill in the air most mornings. Spectacular sunrises, etched palm leaves on gold.





9 comments:

Anonymous said...

carols do have a way of triggering nostalgia :)

AmitL said...

Hi,Austy..oh,wow-you can make chocolate cake with Quaker oats?I didn't know that.:)
--
So,you're a parttime matchmaker,too-and,pretty convincing,I think..a big grin at 'tanik chaal chalan dekhein aap'..what'd that be,translated in Gujarati?*muses*
--
And,yep-good weather out here too.

Anonymous said...

very noble and right - give or take away some room for practicality.

in the states, the gujrati, the tamil and the telugu speaking don't mix. nothing wrong or right about it, just practical.

quin browne said...

one great regret i have in my life is i can't just pop over for tea and sit and talk...

PQ said...

Muh mein paani aa gaya...abhi chocolate cake khana hi padega....

Anonymous said...

cake... chillness in the air... festive spirits! :)

Happy holidays aust...

while I still have exams goin on... :(( torture it is :(

Sathya

Anonymous said...

I thank you for the good wishes: I hope you can have a good time. Things are a little shaky here. I thank you for your sympathy, it is very much appreciated.

Anonymous said...

?

austere said...

mago- well. hang on in there. this too will pass sounds trite, but I lack the latin to say anything wise. I look forward to the seminars resuming, wise historian.

sathya-:) exams and stuff- soon over.well, its a tough b school to be at,na?

pq- did you? was remembering that sandalwood soap ad :))

quin- sigh. and you tempt me with NYC. Come on over!

norrbu- sad. what is practical abt it?

amit- QO is a brand, whiz. Bol chal jojo? Works? Dubai ke don, agey kahan janey ka irada hai?

manuji- they do? in bby I lived in one propah surd col ten years- no carols. and none back home, for sure.