what's your name?

"What’s your name? "

Well, let me guess, after reading this question, many of you must have murmured your names in your mind?
Am I Right?
But, hey, wait a sec, which name? Many you must be having the pleasure of being called by your nicknames. But right now, answering the question above did you think about it?

Most precisely NO!!
Why?

Strange but true, we live two lives with respect to our names. When we connect with outside world, we try to commune with it by our name, or say professional name. Starting from the name mentioned in the passing certificates, to entering your name in your resumes, to apply for the credit cards or signing the restaurant bills, we all use our professional name.

And among few of us, who have been gifted with the nicknames, we cherish those moments when our close one call us by our nicknames.

Name v/s nickname?

 Your friend comes to your home and your mom who always calls you by your nickname, would suddenly start calling you by your name. Don’t you feel strange? Bit weird? Why? Ever wondered? Well, it’s because that’s the time when you realize, remember and miss the sweet gestures involved when your mom calls you by your nickname. Closeness is cherished.

 You throw a party at your office to celebrate your promotion, and suddenly your boss pops in, and out of happiness, friendliness, and emotions he congratulate you by calling out your nickname. Don’t you feel very odd again? Why? It’s because, we always try to connect professionally with our names and NOT by our nicknames. Professionalism is personified.

I agree that while dealing professionally, one has to adopt certain norms and one can’t afford to have different names. But, what I want is - Never stand on the line of names.

Don’t compartmentalise your names.

Confront with each name as beautifully as ever at any time, at any place...
Don't feel weird but cherish each one:)

copyright aditi kochhar

My MEMORABLE Metro meet

I met this cute adorable 5-year old boy while travelling in metro; full of energy, innocence and sweetness.

His mom made him sit next to me and very nicely standing over the chair, he was enjoying the view outside. But due to jerks in the metro, I advised him to sit and not to stand because I feared that he might fall and might injure himself. He sat and then started endless conversations.....

As it's said, kids are truer and closer to God; His talks had Purity and Divinity in it, I fell in love with his talks.

“Are you in college?” He asked. He went on before letting me speak “I m 5 year old, studying in school, and I love my teacher. Yesterday I went to attend the birthday party of my teacher”
“Oh wow, so you like school?” I asked.
“Yes, a lot”
“Hey, your mobile is different, my father has one, on which we press on screen” He said.
“That’s because he must be having a touch screen and mine in slider without touchscreen” I said.
“oh, what features are there in your cell?” He asked.

“well, it has music, it can click photos and good memory” I replied.
“Photos!! Hmmm... which button do you use to click it?” He asked.
I was amazed to see the eagerness of this boy.
“It’s this button” I told him. “Do you wanna listen to music?” I asked.
“yea, why not” He said.

Ear phones plugged in!!!

“O.K, I will put the song and you guess which one is it?” I said
“Sure..” he said excitedly.
I put “all izz well..”
“oh this one is ‘murgi wala’ song” His instant reply. Then he started singing the song at a pretty loud voice and everyone was enjoying his sweet voice.
“which is the next station?” He asked.
“Pragati maidan” I said.

Actually we just started moving from that station so I got confused, thought it to be next and said that.... But boy was really smart and he shocked me by his reply.
“Oh didi, you are wrong, next station is ‘mandi house’ and then ‘barakhamba’, then ‘rajiv chowk’ and from there we will change the metro for the yellow line...” He said.

I was like... speechless....

This 5 year old boy was so sharp, naughty, witty, cute. When time passed by with him, I never realized.... will never forget him. It was my most memorable metro meet :)

copyright aditi kochhar

(photographer: kumar k vasan)

Futuristic life...

****
Hello ladies and gentlemen!!

This is a computerised call from “FUTURISTIC LIFE”. We are at your service 24x7.
Press1. – To order to build a mall.
Press2. – To start your business.
Press3. – To make family relations.
Press4. – To hear a word of praise for yourself.
Press5. – To go on a vacation on the moon.
Press6. – To order a device you feel should be invented.
Press7. – To end this call.

Woah... I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing... I was bit surprised to listen to all the options- something weird, something unrealistic but definitely something very new.
So, rather than choosing the option7 and ending this interesting call, I thought of going on with the option1.
Welcome to the mall building.
Press1. – To choose the area.
Press2. – To choose the layout patterns.
Press3. – To enter the number of floors.
Press4. – To go back to the main menu.
Press5. – To end this call.

What?? I mean what?? Really?? I never thought that making a mall would be so simple!! Just on the phone!! Unbelievable man!!
Wait a sec, I wondered, hoping that I’m not attending any prank call?
****
But then suddenly I heard some noises: Wake up!! Wake up!! Get up you lazybones....

Oh Man, DrEAm!!!
But, hey, can we expect calls like this in future???

Hmmmm...I don’t know; May be no or may be yes!! But whateva, I attended one such call in my dream...

MY FUTURISTIC DREAM.. hahahaha

copyright aditi kochhar

Irony in- Common Wealth Games 2010

Gear up!! Metro work in Delhi and Noida should get completed on time, they said.
Yippee, Noida is gifted with its running machine.

Gear up!! City should get clean and nice; roads should be as smooth as ever, they said.
Yippee, rollers are working, black charcoal is shining, and roadside garbage is being dumped.

Gear up!! Five starts hotels should prepare themselves to welcome their guests, they said.
Yippee, floors are shinning, staff members are gifted with new dresses; they are now being groomed with English speaking courses too; delicious menu is ready.

Gear up!! Airlines should recruit smart and best looking cabin crew, they said.
Yippee, cabin crew is now more trendier and so many services are adding into the list for passengers.

I’m happy that “they” which here I mean “Government” is taking good decisions for the improvement of the city.
I have no issues that my country is preparing itself to take care of its “guests” (Foreign people who would come to play and watch common wealth games in India, 2010). I mean, I’m proud, that my country has not forgotten its tradition to treat its guest as God (atithi devo bhava).

But, But, there is one irony attached over here which bothers me....

Why so eagerness to work for the betterment, only when “foreign faces” are coming.
Why there is no interest to fill up the pits of those roads that leads to the interior of the city?
Why only “Five stars”, why not one star hotel is being given instruction to change the structure of its rusted and damaged building with an old interior and broken glasses all around?
Why no concern is shown to even provide a “garbage Bin” in the slum area?

Why? Why? Why?

Why for some time, Government doesn’t want to work for its own people and feel great about it???


I would have been the happiest Indian if Indian taste is being given preference over the continental food in the menu list in hotels; I mean let the world connect with our country too.
I would have been the happiest Indian, if the news of metro inauguration would have got released as “Government's gift for its own people” rather than “Common wealth's gift for the city”

Somewhere down the line I feel, “WE” is somewhere missing.....
WE- Indians.

copyright aditi kochhar

That’s my street, alive always.....

Boulevard of buzzing horns,
Red signals, queue so long,
Speedy take over, blinding dippers,
Silence is never heard over here.

That’s my street, alive always.

Taking the burden of tragic incidents,
Still gets decorated on special occasions.
Happening hoardings augment its beauty,
Live wires decorate its boundary.

That’s my street, alive always.

Home of variety of running machines,
It blends in itself dust so clean,
Crunchy food joints at crispy corners,
It’s busy always, I always wonder.

That’s my street, alive always.

copyright aditi kochhar