Things other than (dresses) that you can wear to office!

Do you think that the meaning of the above headline connotes wearing a bullet-proof polyester silver suit everyday to work or maybe bohemian vinyl pants, fish net stockings with an obnoxious pink hat? Then you have absolutely got the wrong idea. Corporate dressing sense has always been conservative and in many cases your success depends on it. But dressing well is not the key; there are certain other abstract qualities that are related to your dressing sense and personality. Let me delve deeper into it.

‘Beauty is skin deep’ goes a saying which means beauty is superficial. Your beauty doesn’t come out in the expensive brands with a hole-in-the-pocket price tag. Though you look smart, in the well-fitting clothes but your real beauty comes out with an amalgamation of certain qualities. Below I have defined few of the qualities that will help you to make the impression you always wanted to make with your co-workers. Here we go:

ATTITUDE

It really doesn’t matter which side of the bed you woke up today. All that matters is the attitude you are going to wear for the whole day. Look at your hands in the morning and you know, everything that you are going to achieve is with these two hands of yours. So, give up your superstitious belief and make a point that you are going to make use of the day as if it’s your last day on earth. Everyday you should have the attitude that your day has a purpose. This attitude will help you a lot in achieving the desired goals. Try to be practical in your attitude.

SMILE

A smiling face is worth more than a frowning face. Your true beauty and inner peace is reflected in your beautiful smile. You may feel low but try not to ruin the day of others with your frown and groans. A saying goes; “You haven’t lost your smile at all, its right under your nose. You just forgot it was there.” So, keep smiling and be happy.



Photo Courtesy:Freedigitalphotos.net
Photographer:Clare Bloomfield
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=862


CONFIDENCE

Being confident exudes an awe that can hold captive even the hardest taskmaster. But confidence must be distinguished between arrogance and overconfidence. Try to keep a balance and also you are confident when you have finished your tasks without the laziness vice creeping in.



Photo Courtesy:Freedigitalphotos.net
Photographer:graur razvan ionut
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=987


GAIT
Body Language or Gait or the way you walk also speaks volumes about yourself. If you stoop lower with your head down, it can be assumed that you are lacking in confidence and are guilty of an uncommitted crime. But if you walk with your head held high with your shoulder straight, make eye contact than you give the impression of a winning man/woman, who has got the world at its feet.



CONVERSATIONAL STYLE

Conversational style speaks a lot about your personality. If you stammer a lot, it shows your nervousness. If you are confident and speak with a diction and proper accent it makes a lasting impression on the listener. As you speak, you don’t have to rant about things, also pause and try to know the listener’s point of view. This way you will get respect as well also a breather of ‘thinking before you speak’.

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

This I will add as a bonus. As after wearing the above abstract qualities, you can proudly wear your sweet smell of success around.



Photo Courtesy:Freedigitalphotos.net
Photographer:djcodrin
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Gestures_g185-Positive_Young_Man_p13083.html


The above qualities are like making an exotic dish which will have all the ingredients in place to make it succulent and edible. Similarly, your persona will get a boost with the above qualities and it will add to your happiness which will motivate you to work harder. So, bring on the lasting impression.

Public Opinion and Social Media

Tom Hanks as ‘Chuck Noland’ in the movie ‘Cast Away’ and Daniel Defoe’s renowned character ‘Robinson Crusoe’ met the same fate that every human being abhors. Aristotle once said that “man by nature is a social animal”. This very social instinct has led primitive people to find out means to communicate whether be it through face gestures, hand signals and cave paintings which led to full-fledged linguistic abilities. It was this innate instinct of humans that led to the discovery of various means of communication. Drawing a parallel with this ancient means we communicate on a daily basis, through advanced forms of technological devices like pagers, mobiles and electronic communication apart from face to face interactions. The dependency on this media is so much that it’s perfectly fine if we are banished into an unknown isolated island with a
Wi-fi connection.

The whole idea behind people communicating is to express opinions. From the time Gutenberg invented the Printing Press, people have been vocal in their views and opinions. In the present time, social media has become a powerful tool to express the common man’s view point. Social networking sites, blogs, internet forums, opinion sites are in vogue and more sought after. With the onset of multiple options in social media, people are becoming more tech-savvy and are finding forums to express their views and opinions.

Michael Jackson’s death was a hot topic of discussion for quite a while. As soon as news of his death spread, the internet was flooded with search queries which led to a temporary shutdown of all the major social networking sites. Twitter, the micro blogging site, found the ‘tweets’ getting doubled with every passing second because of the innumerable tributes flowing from celebrities and fans. Rumours were rife that MJ was pulling up a prank and planning to make a comeback. On Youtube, thousands posted videos about their feelings and opinions about the legendary king of pop. His best selling album ‘Thriller’ took the number one position in iTunes within a few hours of his death. This form of hysteria was at par with the recent U.S presidential election where Barrack Obama made history on that occasion. A major chunk of his victory is attributed to his online campaign which helped him to connect with the masses.



Closer to our homeland, the racist attacks on Indians in Australia saw a surge in online protests condemning the attacks. Online communities demanding justice for the Indian students were set up in Facebook and Orkut social networking sites with over thousands members joining them within a week. A recent instance of the use of this aforementioned media was when a blogger created a buzz on the eve of Valentine’s Day with the ‘Pink –Chaddi’ campaign against the Ram Sena. This campaign vented out revenge on the moral policing of attacking and thrashing girls in a Mangalore pub. This campaign started as a group on Facebook and reached mercurial proportions with pink underwear flowing in from all parts of India. Though this sounds amusing but the right chord was struck against the atrocities caused to young women in the name of Indian culture.



The humourous "Pink Chaddi" logo

On similar lines, a great furore was generated when the parties during the fifteenth Lok Sabha elections made extensive use of internet and mobile technologies. It was a cue taken from the successful presidential campaign of Obama. Party’s manifestoes were available on the websites for the technically inclined crowd. But one of the most successful campaign was the ‘Jaago re’ campaign, targeted at the urban youth mainly students and corporates in 35 cities across India urging them to register and use their fundamental right to franchise and elect a stable government.

Public opinion through these sites are making or breaking brands and products. People freely let out their opinions, frustrations and reviews be it the newest gadget or a recently released movie. A huge chunk of revenue is normally plugged in for online promotions in social media targeting the ever-growing netizens.
Even though the biggest benefit of online networking is that it comes for free, but it has its own share of disadvantages. Even though public opinion is generated it can be diverted also. Recently, after the death of MJ hoaxes made the rounds that Britney Spears, George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum and Harrison Ford were also dead. There have been also instances when brands hired ‘sock puppet’ to elougize their products thus misleading the consumers. Sometimes it also becomes monotonous to become a part of so many causes and getting bombarded with requests to join communities in the social networking sites.

Social media is a medium that comes with its own list of opportunities and risks. As users of this medium, we should not exploit it instead we should make it a powerful platform to voice our fundamental rights as well as of the underprivileged people who do not have access to such privileges. There are no hard and fast rules to go by which marks the beauty and prevalence of social media in the future also. With revenues being generated in this medium in the form of advertisements, and getting the latest ‘feeds’ and ‘tweets’ in the privacy of our mobile phone , this fad is certainly going to last for a while.

Vacation Diary

I remember the anticipation that I had 3 weeks back before leaving for vacation. First of all, I had to worry about my air ticks as it was not proper. Thanks to my sparky friend's advice, I booked two ticks for the same flight and got it for 50%!! Well money was saved but it amounted to a ton of tension.

With my OOO(Out Of Office) reminder in place I made an early exit from office. Well, another nagging thing was to shift house. Finally, I have taken the decision to stay alone. Gosh whatta a pain, is shifting house!! In 3 years this is the fifth time scuffling PGs(Paying Guest) and rented accomodation.Finally, that bit was done. On the way went to Bar-B-Q Nation to have dinner but was totally exhausted to wait for half an hour for a table. Instead went to 'Ammi's Biryani' near Jaideva Hospital flyover. And boy was I hungry? I devoured my meal in flicker of seconds.

Climbing four floors with luggage was really tiring.Spent the last night at my favourite place on earth, the first rented accomodation that I and my roomie had got!! I will really miss this place!!:(!! But I am ready to make new memories in my new house.:)

Woke up with the rain lashing outside my window at 4 am. Just 2 hours left to whoosh to the airport, couldn't sleep after that. Woke up finally at 5am and had my bath since I had a long day. Eventhough I am going by air, I will reach Guwahati at 3 pm. Finally, everything packed I set out for my long destination, to my homeland. Saying a silent prayer so that I can buzz through the tickets ruckus with Ozzy Osbourne's 'Mamma I am comin home' ringing in my head.

As I waited for the Volvo at 6.30 pm, a weird cab driver started haggling with me, "Madame 400 bucks to the airport, I have got a pick up don't want to go empty." I was totally apprehensive of going with this guy eventhough it sounded like a good deal. I said a firm 'No' as for a girl safety is the foremost concern. Then a girl came and this cab driver approached her too. Now, the fare was 200 bucks each. We agreed but at the last moment the girl backed off and luckily saw the Volvo coming.

The girl was a student doing her MBA and was from Chandigarh. She had got a strict dad and she was constantly taking my name that she was travelling with me. Amusing but really smart. I hardly knew her for 5 minutes and she is already travelling with me. Thankfully, didn't converse with her much as she was glued to her phone. Wondering with whom she was talking at this hour. As it was the perfect time to snooze with the blanket over the head with the soulful symphony of the rain's music playing outside. With a deep sigh, I patiently sat for 45 minutes at least that's the benefit of catching the first bus to the airport in the outskirts of the town, 2 hours journey is shortened to 45 minutes.God knows, the brilliant perspective of the BIAL's board decision to locate the airport so far from the city. In peak hours it takes upto two to three hours just to reach the airport. People reach different cities within this time. What a waste of time and money. Hope my grand children if ever I have them will benefit from this with better connectivity.It is ruled out in my case, not grandchildren but of course the long journey to BIAL.

Thanks to my contacts in the right place, was able to sail through the ticket commotion with ease. I took a deep sigh of relief.I hope this tension has made me lose some weight, chuckle chuckle. With the tickets done I headed for the security check and a long serpentine queue was there especially in the women section. As I approached nearer an audience has gathered as there was a verbal war going on with the security lady and an old grandma. Reason was unknown but the second X-ray and security console was opened thankfully. With security checks over, I straightway headed to the coffee outlet and got myself a chicken tikka sandwich which tasted shite for the price that I paid. Stale chopped capsicum and shredded masala chicken in coarse white bread wasn't welcome for my taste buds but it certainly averted my hunger cramps. Another one and half hour to go, sent out text messages to all and listened to music. All the time I was observing the people. Among them, I found an old colleague from Guwahati, Mayuri, but with the poker look in her face, didn't feel like introducing myself. I have always found her to be a lil reserved unlike me and didn't want to disturb the deep thoughts she was in.

Finally, boarded the flight, as usual got the window seat, thanks to the guys in the counter! giggle giggle. The people sitting next to me was a young man and an old uncleji. In the course of the flight came to know that these people were from Shillong. Mukhim was the young man sitting next to me, a business man as well as working for Meghalaya government.He was very talkative about his background. Both he and uncleji were into the coal business and were converted Catholics as is the story of the rest of the north=east excluding Assam and Manipur. Sometimes I wonder why did the Missionaries didn't convert us. Is it because they were in awe of the Ahom kings or maybe they crossed through China? I gotta dig into history soon.







Glimpses of the greenery of Guwahati


Alas!reached Guwahati, and after landing the temperature was at its boiling best. I removed my sweater and went towards the luggage belt to collect my things. My bro had come to pick me up and finally reached home in 45 minutes. My kid bro has finally mastered driving and was showing his skills aplomb much to my surprise and disgust. As I have a driving licence, but as soon as I am in front of the steering wheel, all i can do is 'vroom' with my mouth, I don't remember the ABC of driving now.

Dad was sleeping when I came home and mom gave me a warm welcome hug. Finally, my realatives started pouring in. I was so elated to see the newest addition to our family 'Neer', my cousin's 5 months son. Wow what a bonny baby, I was in love with him in the first sight! and yes he showed his affection too by peeing on me. Kiddo was the centre of attraction and I relaxed by playing with him. Finally, when everyone went, I finally took my bath and slept off in the spread eagle position.

The next day went out for shopping. Fancy Bazar and Paltan Bazar was geared up for Eid and Puja shopping; flocked by people in hordes. Eventhough bomb threats were a regular feature in the newspapers, that didn't deter the people's spirits. Thanks to the retail outlets, shopping in bulk under one roof was possible. One interesting thing happened, due to our hefty bills , got some scratch cards and wonders of wonders I got a scratch card with a cash prize but my bad I scratched is so hard that I torn it, had to be happy with a keyring.

Guwahati was too hot, eventhough there were around 8 days for Eid, I couldn't fast for the darn weather. Just fasted the 28th roja which is considered to be very auspicious taking the count of my fasting till 6. I know shame on me. Finally, Eid day was there. In the afternoon Guwahati was jolted by an earthquake. It was after a decade that I was facing the tremors. But it was not welcome. Eid day was over and I enjoyed thoroughly with my family. Nothing can beat this feeling of being with closed ones on this day with good food, eidee and friends, relatives , neighbours makes it an enjoyable event.

Finally, 3 weeks just whoosed by and it was time for me to be back to my hectic lifestyle leaving the warm hearth and home of Guwahati.I was really sad but my dad encouraged me, you gotta do your responsibilities no matter what as without a purpose a person is like a kite without a string. The most dreaded part was my two and a half day journey to Bangalore.

At 5 woke up and mom packed my breakfast, dinner and lunch for a day. My sweet Mom was up at 4 am to prepare all this even after telling her not to exert herself. At 5.30, mom, me and my bro left for the station bidding a tearful goodbye to dad. Dad has started crying from the previous day itself eventhough he wasn't showing. I got into my coach and much to my dismay, I got an old coach, where even the seat numbers were written with a red marker and there were no charging points also. The only respite was my side lower seat. I saw all the girls crying, I somehow was able to keep my tears in my ducts but as soon as the train was chugging seeing my mom's face I broke down. After the teary goodbye, I composed myself for the long journey back to Bangalore.

The people in my compartment composed of a Mallu couple and their son Aryaman who were going to Chennai, a middle- aged couple from Meghalaya, Mary and Elvis who were going to Vellore for Mary aunty's cervix cancer treatment. An air-force official posted in Tezpur, going to Bangalore for a 3 months IT course and a young Bangalorean lad, whose father is a tea scientist posted in Tezpur, was a fresher joining his first job in Bangalore. Also a girl, Akumo from Nagaland who after passing 12 was going to Bangalore to experience the big city life.

The train journey as expected was boring to the core. This time thankfully I didn't get locked in the loo like last time. One fascinating thing happened in the second night of the journey. Just 15 minutes of blasting the coach attendent about the hygiene of the train toilets, the Eureka Forbes guys came in the next station with a gift for me. But I was so deep in my sleep, from underneath of my blanket i swayed my hand in a 'move away' fashion. This is the second time I am having a bad luck including the scratch card. Maybe I did the right thing thinking what if it was a security threat. Thank God, the train didn't blew up.

To add to my woes the train was full three hours late and when we finally reached Bangalore, it was raining like anything. Somehow paid through my nose, got a coolie and an auto and rushed to my new home which was in a store room format!! Next post will detail it.

CORPORATE DRESSING TIPS!!

How many of us has been the victims or victimizers of stifled whispers and giggling in the office foyer, corridor and the washrooms? Ever felt the eerie feeling that somebody is giving you piercing looks and watching your anatomy as you stride away. Gosh! How you wished that you had eyes at the back of your head too. Even some has the indecency to speak out loud about your fashion faux pas and laugh out loud and in the worst case scenario comment too. You are miffed and feel like dialing the harassment advice line.

WAIT!! Before dialing or dropping in a mail.

You should reflect back and give a look at yourself? Did you ever think what’s provoking your colleagues to make such snide remarks? God forbid but you might fit in the Fashion Disaster Club!

Below we discuss the top 5 fashion disasters that both men and women commit knowingly or unknowingly. Let’s start with the WOMEN first.

TOP FIVE FASHION DISASTER AT WORK FOR WOMAN

LOUD AND DULL COLORS

The fuschia/ Rani Pink, Flourcent green kurtis or tees are absolutely a NO-NO in the office. This might be the colors of the season but is absolutely not okay for the office. Similarly, if you are wearing a dull or washed out color it is absolutely not a good choice. Also, wearing an outfit that has taken the color of another dress while washing them together even though you have worn it once in your life should not be worn again.





TOO SMALL TO FIT IN

Never wear too tight clothes to office. If somebody comments that you have been wearing the shirt or tee since you were 5 year old or have raided a teenager’s wardrobe. It’s time for you to shun that piece of clothing. Also, if your belly fat is bulging from the seams than its better you go for a new wardrobe.

ARE YOU WEARING A TENT TO WORK?

Similarly, oversized clothes should also be avoided. Please don’t wear your husband’s tees and jeans to office to make yourself look trendier. If you have picked that snazzy looking XXL top in a sale where getting your size is a matter of luck. Please do invest in a good tailor. Many retail malls has got their own tailors so you can make use of this service also.

ON-THE-MOVE JEWELLERY SHOP

Did somebody term you as an on-the-move jewellery shop? Well if the answer is affirmative than instead of taking it as a compliment reflect on it. Accessories like bags, scarves and minimal jewellery looks very fashionable. But the idea is to keep it simple. Simple studs/ earrings, a pendent looks classy enough. Also, wearing heavy anklets that clinks, rings while moving through the office like a spectre of ‘Umrao Jaan’ is not classy at all.

HAIR-DO
Well wearing a ‘BAD HAIR DAY’ tee doesn’t excuse you of a bad hair do. Please do invest in a good haircut and styling products to make you more presentable.




TOP FIVE FASHION DISASTER AT WORK FOR MAN

TOO MUCH CASUAL

Avoid embroidered, flowery, block prints in your shirts. The flip-flops, sportswear is best for home and the gym. Even if you are wearing jeans at work, make sure it fits well and is clean. You can pair up your jeans with shirts or a well-fitted jacket. Also, wearing sneakers with your formals is a major faux pas.

UGGH! UNDERARMS STAINS

If you sweat a lot and get underarms stains in your shirts getting a good deodorant or an antiperspirant could be of help to you. To avoid embarrassment, please also make sure to properly wash your garments to get rid of the yellow stains.

LONG HAIR, PONYTAIL

The ‘Joe Masceranhas’ look of ‘ROCK ON’ fame is in vogue. But this look doesn’t go with the office environment. Even if you are straightening your hair pokey straight, you got to take care of it by investing on shampoos and conditioners meant for it or better go for a clean and short look. Even if you are growing your hair it should not go beyond the base of your neck.

COLOGNE TORTURE
Spraying a whole bottle of cologne for office is not a cool idea. Too much of cologne repels others and yes you are at higher risk of getting busted about not taking a bath. Also, too much of after shave and cologne is a deadly mix for the nostrils of your colleagues. So, keep it at a minimum.

BLATANT LOGOS AND LABELS

The blatant logos and labels tees should be avoided at work. Tees displaying a ‘DUDE’, a ‘STUD’, and a ‘ROCKSTAR’ across your chest looks very inferior. Also, wearing too tight tees to show off your well toned body will make you look like a bouncer at a disc. So, avoid it.

If you have a look around the people who are dressed well are the ones who keep it simple but classy. They are not trends fanatic but wear clothes that fit them. So, go on for a classy fashionable look as you have got the clues now.

REFERENCES:
Photo Source:http://www.bigfoto.com/

Slumdog Milllionaire & Q&A

Last week of February 2009, saw history in the making with British directed Indian film Slumdog Millionaire grabbing eight AA (Academy Awards). The brouhaha about the movie had already started at the GG (Golden Globe) Awards. Suddenly promos sprang in the Indian channels as “Coming soon to India”. Dev Patel the main actor and the other newbies did not impress me in the promos but it was after watching the movie I saw the potential of the actors.

I saw the movie and was boggled by its freshness. Though poverty in Dharavi slums of Mumbai had been the much touted subject matter of many Bollywood flicks but Slumdog had an underlying optimism and was not a sob-sob story. The journey of a chai wala in a BPO winning KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati?) as well as his childhood sweetheart was a story of hope and the human spirit. After watching the movie, I just couldn’t resist myself to lay my hands on the book Q&A by Vikas Swarup. For those who are not enlightened, the theme of Slumdog Millionaire was taken from this book.




I thought that the book will be same as the movie. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. I came to know that all the questions asked and the protagonists were different. Though the book and movie starts in the prison, I was aghast to know that the movie’s protagonist was named Jamal while the book has a guy called Ram Mohammed Thomas an orphan who was dumped in a church as an infant.

In the movie, Jamal has got a brother Salim while Ram in the book has a friend called Salim. The book surprised me a lot. As it had sleazy details about the Mumbai underbelly and India as a whole. There were tales of homosexuality, incest, junkies, prostitution, Bollywood blues, everything that is so hush-hush in the Indian society.

Ram Mohammed Thomas falls in love with a prostitute whereas Jamal falls in love with Latika a street urchin. The story in the movie is simply done without much gross details. But I almost popped my eyes reading the novella. Ram Mohammed Thomas is sued by the producers as they don’t have a billion rupees to give Ram as they were banking on the ad revenue and Ram makes the dreaded mistake of winning W3B in the second month. Hostility of the hierarchy and the well-off against the have-nots is so vividly described, that you can feel the horror.

Also, unlike the movie the events culminates into a beautiful tapestry and connects itself in the end. Yes, there are twists that makes this book a fabulous read. But some chapters like the war tale of Pakistan and India in 1971 definitely does not connect with me at least. I felt it really does not fit in Ram Mohammed’s rags to riches story.

The book was definitely a page turner, as I am slow in reading I finished the book in 36 hours. This legacy of converting a book to a movie has been going on for decades. Very few have succeeded in achieving the right portrayal and spirit of the book. Slumdog Millionaire doesn’t disappoint us in this case definitely and Q&A surely has a class of its own.

Garish Display Of Patriotic Emotions!!

Time flies without wings. How many of us have realized that we are in the second month of 2009. Well, not many we know. But I have realized because I am writing a post on January 26th celebrations in our office. I know it’s a bit too late for this post to come. Thanks to my hectic work schedule now-a-days. Well, that’s a long story so let’s get back to the celebrations. Amresh, the brain behind all the activities in our office and the Cultural Committee came out with an idea to host a cultural fashion show, representing different states of India.

It was supposed to be a pre-event and was to be staged on January 23rd as it was a Friday. But this idea seeded only on January 21st leaving us with two days of practice. We got a meeting request for practice on January 22nd. All I knew was that I was suppose to be a Kashmiri as there were only three vacant posts- Kashmiri, Marathi and Bengali. Since, the other two involved draping a saree, I backed off owing to my petite frame and the pain that came in managing an unstitched piece of clothing that too on a ramp. Vishal Wadhwa was suppose to be my partner. Never heard of him though.!

When we went for the meeting. From Kashmiri, I was given the role of a Manipuri, as my almost chinky features and height matches that role. Even my partner changed to Vishal Khandelwal, my best friend. Vishal was not there when this was decided. He was very pissed when he came to know that he was a Manipuri, as he didn’t look an ounce chinky. Just to match our heights he had to dance with me. But I was elated to get him as a partner as he used to claim that he’s a great dancer and even in occasions he showed some of his ‘break- dancing stunts’. The other pairs were- Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannadiga, Keralite, Goan, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Marathi and Kashmiri.

When we went for practice, we were told that they will play AR Rehman’s ‘Vande Mataram’ and in pairs we have to catwalk. The order was to come from North and then proceed towards South. So, the order of the pairs were- Kashmiri, Punjabi, Manipuri, Bengali, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Marathi, Goan, Kannadiga and Kerala. When the first pair catwalked it was looking so odd! Finally, everybody spoke out and a new formation was given. Everybody, will do a jig on the folk songs of the respective state for 2 minutes and than we will catwalk on Vande Mataram and we roped in another “Bharat Mata”! The idea came out really well and whatever songs were there in the lappy, the couples started practicing on those songs.

The problem was with us to find a Manipuri song. Though, I am from the north-east am basically an Assamese from Guwahati so Manipuri to me was same as Greek and Hebrew. Also, just two day for the event, finding a song, practicing the steps and keeping the bulk of my time finishing my work assignments seemed suicidal. But luckily, the Cultural Committee was able to convince the HR Director to postpone it to January 27th. After buying time, with two hours of googling and endless downloads, I finally zeroed down to one song ‘Mami Sami’!! It had nice folk beats and sounded just perfect. Though the words were unintelligible everybody gave me kudos for selecting this particular rhythmic song.

The practice session was nightmarish. As Vishal, my partner had two left feet when it came to folk dance. I don’t find myself as a dancing diva but I can catch steps fast and with little practice I carry it off well. Vishal took a full 30 minutes to get the steps right. But I was proud with my partner as there were even worse two left ‘feeters’ around!! Liker the Kannadiga couple was very stiff and conscious, Guru the guy was ostrich like and Mamatha the girl lacked poise and the song was very patriotic as Mamatha wasn’t comfortable with a love ballad!! The Rajasthani guy Piyush, danced aka jumped and shook the whole fourth floor. But full points goes to him for his effort. Comparatively, the guys were worse than we thought and the girls were born dancers.

By the time it was Friday people started backing off as due to the extended weekend people were going for a long holiday. Some backed off as the replacement they got were ‘Aunty’ or ‘Uncle’ types. Moreover, the practice sessions except on Sunday acted as a dampener. The Gujarati and Marathi couple was absconding and had to be replaced.

Come Saturday, we were off to office half-heartedly. Even though had to come to office on a weekend, the practice sessions were fun unlimited! Everybody was in a holiday mood and everybody instead of dancing to their songs were dancing to others songs. Most of the time I was learning Salsa from Sunny the Sardar. Some real pun intended jokes like the Manipuri song ‘Mami Sami’, while ‘Mami’ in North India means sister-in-law from mom’s side. Since no one knew the lyrics everybody started singing ‘Mami, Mama, Chacha(uncle) and what not. Recession had to play a role in our fashion show too. Due to recession, the budget was very less according to Amresh. As a cost cutting measure, Sunny the sardar was adamant that at least a banner should be put up with two bamboos. This idea was vetoed by the rest of us. Also, there was no ramp and we had to do the catwalk in the cafeteria of Hallmark building. The crowd in Hallmark was too rowdy. Cat, wolf whistles, cow mooing, crows, cock-a- doodle- doo anything you name comes from the crowd. Unfazed by this all the couples religiously practiced on January 26th. The programme was shaping up quite well.

With the excitement of practice everybody forgot about their costumes. Finally, Manish, the ‘Ethnic Dress Competition’ winner came to the rescue. All the clothes will be rented. I was at tenterhooks as finding a Manipuri costume in South India is just finding a needle in a haystack. Also, if they get me the Manipuri dance costume than it will be more like weight lifting for me leave alone catwalking and dancing. So, taking the advantage of being in South India where they can’t tell the difference between a Naga, Assamese or Manipuri, I thought of wearing my own costume. Also, keeping the faith that among 900 employees I just know one Naga and the rest are Assamese like me and the one Manipuri I know is on a L1 visa to US of A. I thought of designing my own costume. So I thought of wearing the weaved ‘Mekhla Chadar’ in Manipuri style that my Aunt gifted me in my last visit to Guwahati. I also remebered that her son had performed Manipuri dance in the Assam Governor’s house recently. So with her help and a little googling again I was able to make a picture of my look in my mind. She was very sad that she couldn’t courier me the Manipuri dress due to short notice.

D-day came and after everybody got their costumes on rent which came with a warning that one stitch gone will face heavy penalty in monetary terms. Good that I wasn’t wearing one. With a little help from my friends I was able to drape my costume really well. Thanks to Smita and Smriti, they helped me a lot and the mekhla(skirt) was very nicely draped so that I can dance freely much to my relief. For the last touch of my make-up I had to put a multani mitti bindi that runs from the middle of my forehead to my nose to give that perfect Manipuri look. A frantic search for a toothpick was on in the girls loo. Finally, got one in Payel’s bag. Girls carry everything. Hence Proved!!! Smriti drew the perfect ‘Bishnupuriya Manipuri’ bindi.

When we reached upstairs., everybody looked straight from a Nautanki company(Theater group). Vishal, my partner didn’t look like Manipuri at all. After endless photo sessions, we were ushered in. Everyone performed really well. The crowd behaved themselves and sang ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ . We had to do the programme once more due to public demand.

Than came the reviews, everyone praised all of us. But there were mixed feelings also. Some of the employees thought that we will be paraded in short skirts just like a real fashion show and were disappointed. But as a whole, we were appreciated by all.

For me this was special as I performed after a gap of 10 years almost a decade. It was exhilarating and I believe I carried it off really well, thanks to my partner who kept me grounded and made every possible attempt to cheer me up. Also, the rest of the people, Yashshri, Pratibha, Geetima, and each and everyone of them were very sporty.

To end this post, I would say ‘WE ROCKED THE SHOW! HALLEJUAH”(sic)!!!!

Things from my childhood

A list of some things that I miss from my childhood:

1. Mary Poppins
2. sleeping period in Nursery and kindergarden
3. multi-colored Sugar-coated fish shape candy
4. Mr. lollipop with that chimp pic
5. He-Man, Jungle Book cartoons
6. Cibaca toothpaste
7. Phantom candy cigarettes
8. Barbie dolls
9. Scotland Yard Game
10. my Hello Kitty bag and tiffin box
11. My Russian folktales book
    
    The list is endless….