Tea Pot Cafe

Then, just like that, it rained

Try as I may to not be dramatic about them, Monday mornings tend to cause at least minor storms in my world. 

There was a time in boarding school when I actually looked forward to Mondays because of the promise of Rajma Chawal at lunch. It was just what we needed to get out of mourning the end of our Sunday breakfast that invariably included unlimited Maggie noodles and a delightful cube of Amul cheese.

I don't know when it happened but happen, it did. Now, mine is just one of the sorry faces that decorate my dreary bus every Monday morning. Try as I may to think about the hilarious play at NCPA the night before or the amazing conversation after wards, it is never too long before the moroseness of my co-passengers catches up with me. 

You think I haven't tried to fight it? O, I have! I really have! Why else would I wear my pretty new kurti and favourite earrings and cheat the shuffle on my playlist by playing 'Here Comes the Sun'?

Some Mondays are worse than others. Into the 'better' section fall the ones in which I know I have a vacation coming up and those that include a conversation with a friend to share the dreariness of it all.

Choosing the worst of the lot on the other hand, is rather challenging. I cannot decide between the time I woke up with a call from my landlord at 7am and managed to get locked out of my house for the five hours following it or this morning, when I missed my regular glum Monday morning bus ride and unknowingly knotted up my Beatles-blasting earphones into my petite Japanese umbrella while trying to get off my unfamiliar ride. When I finally managed to sort out this self-inflicted conundrum, I realized I was standing in the middle of a major road in torrential downpour with my legs neatly dipped in dirty water up to my knees. It took me only twenty minutes to reach the safe harbour of my dry office from there. My denim, on the other hand, was not half as quick and chose to get rid of the filth it had been soaked in at a rather leisurely pace in the solemn companionship of the sub zero temperatures at my workplace.

Best Android Smartphones in India - May 2013

Android smartphones are by far the most popular smartphones in the Indian market, but there are quite a few smartphones at the different price ranges, making it hard to pick the phone that is ideal for you. This list is for the prices as in May 2013. The prices mentioned are for the day on which the article was written, please check for any change in pricing.

In the Android world, a new model is released by one company or another every other week (or, sometimes, withdrawn from the market). To keep up, I have decided to update this list once every 4 months.

There is also a mention of some new and exciting phones expected to be launched in the near future that might make you hold off your shopping for a few days and some.

The list is made according to the price-band (in INR) the phone falls in: under 10,000; 10,000 to 20,000; 20,000 to 30,000; above 30,000

खटखटाहट

ख़ुशी आज गलती से

दरवाज़ा खटखटा गई |

गर्म इक सांस सर्दी में,

मन को अटपटा गई |

रेत फैली थी जो आँगन में,

आज मुट्ठी में समां गई,

फिर निकली तो सावन में,

पहली खुशबू सी छा गई |

                                                                 सवारी हमारी अंत तक थी,

                                                                पर ज़रा लड़खड़ा गई,

                                                                 ख़ुशी आज गलती से जो

                                                                  दरवाज़ा खटखटा गई ||

गूँज

मैशाला के द्वार पर

दो अजनबी खड़ें हैं,

एक शमा की जाल  में

धीरे - धीरे घुल  रहें हैं,

टूटे बिखरे कांच पे

हलके से आगे बढ रहें हैं ।

उस शमा की आंच से,

ज़रा ज़रा सा लड़ रहें हैं ।

प्यालों की गूँज में जो ये 

धीमे से बातें हो रहीं हैं,

साकी पहचाना, जान कर,

नई शुरुआतें हो रहीं हैं ।

दो अजनबी रात भर यूहीं,

खोते गए भूली बातों में,

राहें कभी मिली नहीं, 

अब मिलतें हैं अक्सर खवाबों में ।

Reading Jane Austen in a British Accent

My First Audio Book Experience - Sense and Sensibility

News Apps for Android - India

A list of few of the top free news apps for Android phones, with preference given to Indian apps.

Internet Browsers for Android

Android comes with the default android browser which pales in comparison to some of the other browser available on the Google Play Store. Along with the browsers, the following list has some other apps that will improve your Internet browsing experience on your Android.

Sports Apps for Android - India

A list of must have apps for Sports. Follow your favourite sports right on your phone with these free apps for android smartphones.

Music & Audio Apps for Android - India

A list of free android music and audio apps that come with added functionality, including an app dedicated to Hindi music and one specially for Podcasts.