Dear God,

My name is Sherry, and I live here on Earth,
and as far as I’ve been told, whatever I want, I should ask you first. I really don’t know much about you, only what I’ve heard grown up’s say, they say you are something really magical, and whenever I’m sad, you’ll make it go away.

“Well”, if you can really hear me, there’s something I want to discuss.
I’ve been feeling a strange pain inside, almost every single day, it all started few weeks ago, when my Papa went away.
They said that you took him far away, to a very special place,
they said I shouldn't cry or worry, cause someday, I’ll see my Papa's face,
I don’t care what they say, they don’t know what’s in my heart,
all I know is that my Papa is gone, and it’s tearing me apart.

“Okay”, let me take a deep breath, and tell you what I want to say,
just be a little patient with me, I’m just learning how to pray,
I want to make a deal with you, and I hope that I'm not misunderstood,
I want you to give my Papa back to me,
I miss him so very much, I just don’t know what to do,
I want to hug him,
What about when I go back home.. who will come to receive me at the airport? Who will call me and discuss Mom's health?
If you can really hear me, can you help me?
cause I don’t understand, how can my Papa speaks to me now and in few hours his life is in your hands?
Who told you that you can have him?
Did you ever think of Mummy, and how lonely, she would be?
Did you ever think of me?
You even took away Mukul... Don't you think you are unfair?

I don’t mean to yell at you, or disrespect you, in any kind of way,
I’m just feeling very hurt and angry, cause my Papa has gone away!
You say my Daddy is in a beautiful place, where only good people meet,
You say that you’ll watch over him, as he watches over me.
You say you’ll never leave him alone, and by his side, you’ll always be?
It’s not clear to me, the reason why he’s gone.
There’s just one wish I want to make, and I pray you grant it just for me, I know that it’s impossible to give me my Papa back, right now,
but could you make it summertime again,
when my Papa was still around... I will make sure he doesn't leave me then.

regards, Sherry

Salutations to the heros who laid down their lives to protect us

I don’t know how you do it
What keeps you in the game
How can you fight my battles
You don’t even know my name

I don’t know who you are son
Why do you fight for me
Where do you find the courage
To keep a stranger free?

Soldier, soldier save the day
Taking bullets for your pay
Pray you live another day

Thank you for your blood and guts
(You) die for me with no regret

Happy Birthday Siddharth

Your birthday marks another year together of such happy times. It’s another year of wonderful memories. Moments of giggles, sly smiles and inside jokes. So many great memories.

I hope your wishes comes true beyond your wildest dreams. I want nothing but good things for you and will work my entire life to make you happy. You are my joy. I look in your eyes each day and feel nothing but love. I am so lucky to be loved by you.

We have so many more birthdays to celebrate. More dreams to make a reality, more memories to scrapbook in your albums.

Happy birthday, Siddharth.

Officially Married :)

Our First House

Woo-Hoo! My Husband and I Just bought our first house...we got a fabulous deal. It is not a mansion but perfect for us, just like how we are perfect for each other. We loved the layout of the house...it simply awesome. it has a lovely balcony for us to spend more wonderful evenings. We booked the flat yesterday and should hear news of financing this week. Pictures of the building is posted alongside for you all to see. I hope you like it.

We are so thrilled to be officially homeowners. The dream of becoming first time homebuyers is now a reality.

I must say...what a crazy and excited beginning of our new life. I am sure you agree with me, Siddharth.

Happy Birthday, Mukul

From day one all we did was fight, now all I do is fight back my tears.
I wanted to do everything you did, because I wanted to be just like you.

Now I sit here wondering what to do, because there's no one to replace you.
I never did tell you all the things I felt, like how much I really did love you.

I wish we could go back and start over again. I don't want to be alone.
I need my brother, I need my best friend.
When you think of me while your up in heaven, Think of how much you meant to me.

Its sad that you left without saying goodbye, But just remember we all love you as you began to fly. You were my brother and my best friend.
I will always love you no matter how long its been, since your life came to an end.

Wish you a very Happy Birthday.... May God Bless you wherever you are.

Miss you lots and love you even more.

Happy Birthday Papa

Unlike me, my dad is a man of few words.

He speaks only when he has to speak, thus shunning nonsensical talks, or fruitless engagement. For reasons and constrains beyond his own, my dad went through a convolution of unpleasant events. It could have gone either way: Down and astray into the darkness portion of life; or up into the shinning beacon of the tomorrows.

Thankfully, my father was in the latter. With his hard work, he raised a comfortable and loving family.

Today on his birthday, since I am now far away from him, geographically separated from my dad…, it wouldn’t be possible for me to be present to witness him blowing the candles on his cake. In such a situation, words are all I have -

When it comes to Fathers
There's lots of them about
But you're the very very best
Of that, there is no doubt

When it comes to Birthdays
Let it be the best for the best

Happy Birthday Papa :)

The Art of Good Marriage

Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow old.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

I am happy that i found my Mr Right.

The hand that rocks the cradle may not rule the world, but it certainly makes it a better place. - Margery Hurst

Dear Mummy & Papa,

I want to thank you so much for giving me life. So far I have had an incredibly wonderful life thanks to your deep love and unselfishness. There is so much I want to tell you--but it all boils down to THANK YOU--because I have truly been blessed.

I suppose I should start at the beginning. I remember a childhood filled with beautiful memories. I do want you to know that I think about you often. I devote a part of my day, thinking about you, because I know you're thinking about me.

Mummy/Papa, I know that you have both often worried about me and want to thank you both for all the love and wisdom you have given me over the years. It makes me proud and happy that I have such a great role model to build my future life.

You have both been an inspiration to me and I respect you both as parents but most of all for the warm loving generous people you are. You have taught me how not to be selfish. You have taught me the value of hard work as well as the need for compassion. I am grateful that you have provided me with the tools for me to become a good person. I love you both dearly…. Thank you…

I thank God for giving me the bestest parents in this world. Thank you very much, I'll always love you for this great gift of life with such a wonderful family.

Here's a short poem for both of you -

I wanted to tell you how special, you two are to me.
You have made me what I am, and am ready to be.

Tonight I will sleep, with dreams of bygone days,
My loving, carefree childhood, and of my childish ways.
Then I will awake, with dreams of things to come,
What my life will be, and who I will become.

With the morning I will have, emotions flowing free,
I just wanted you to know, I'll need you there with me
Your strength and love will guide me, as I become the bride,
As I start this precious journey, I need you by my side.

I'll always be your daughter, and your love I'll always need,
Though we are starting a new chapter, planting a new seed.

So as my wedding day comes closer, I say these words to you,
Hoping that you realize, you're in everything I do.

Your loving daughter,
Sherry

Dear Mukul

Sometimes I hurt and wonder why
Why God did this to me
Sometimes I think is this game
But then again, that's what my brother said
Now he's gone,
I don't understand,
How could he go and leave us this way
Now I just take it day by day
He's now an Angel, watching over me
Keeping me going the way it has to be
He wants me to live to watch over mother & father
But oh how I wish, I still had my brother.

New Year Begins

Year 2008 came with lot of shades…my family and me went through a lot of pressure – mental, health, and financial. I was waiting for the dark night to end and some bright sunshine enter our lives. Everyday I used to wish that from somewhere some angel should come and make things better for us. I thought I would never find that angel until I met you, Siddharth. Now that we start a new life I want you to know that Love is the most important part of my life and I want our love to be the backbone of our lives forever. Out of all the people in the world I just can’t believe that its ‘you’ who changed our lives. Life was full of tribulations until we met you. You walked in our lives and turned it upside down. You held our hand and stood by us. You showed us the path of sunshine and happiness. You guided my family back into this beautiful world by giving them back someone who they had lost some years back – their son, Mukul.

Siddharth, our love came naturally but I know that we must both work at making it last, so –

I will try my hardest at all times to be fair and honest with you.

I will strive for my own goals and help you achieve yours

I will always try to understand you

I will always support you

I will always consider each day with you - special.

Happy Independence Day

Hey guys, Please take out some time to go through the poem written by Prashant Kumbhat. The poem is really touching and please give a thought to the message.

Words from beyond the grave of a Martyr

As I lie in my cold grave,
I hear the voices above oh so strange,
Glad I am to awake from a slumber 60 odd years too late,
Is this really Gods grace?

I dig my way out, the earth smells so sweet,
tears of past in my eyes, I can’t help, it hurts as they bleed,
my time has come, to walk the Earth scented in my blood,
should I be nervous, scared, or walk the earth as if I didn care

I see progress, I see industries,
I see the high rises and I see them streets,
I see a nation thriving and driving economies,
but is this all my mother resurrected me to see?

behind this facade I see no communal harmony, no peace,
militants in different outfits blow-up what they see,
bribery and corruption rapes our democracy,
what the Mughals and English once bastardized, we Indians do not see

resources flushed down our WC's,
crimes on the rise, factions of society do as they please,
the media directs what they want us to see,
politicians battle over minor issues, the major ones they do not see,

as I go back to my grave, my heart can't help but bleed,
the vision we once saw was, perhaps, was for someone else to see,
I ask my mother is this how you intended things to be?
she replies not, for dear citizens its upto you and me

- Prashant Kumbhat

It's been a long and winding journey with you by our side. You always stood by us in good times and stormy weather like a good friend. You always fulfilled our needs..whenever we were in need of something all we had to do was take a peek outside our window.. and there you were with arms wide open. Whenever we were in a bad mood you were always there to cheer us with all the decorated streets with 'SALE' written in all the stores at Linking Road and Hill Road. We will miss your loving children - ShoeBiz, Magnet, Chaos, Gazebo (we know that you extended your help to the first floor also), Scandal, Khodal, Metro, Levis, Pepe, Sole-to-Soul, Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Sayonara, Esbeda, Globus, Shoppers Stop, Reliance Trends, New Beauty Centre, Sagar amongst many others. I'll miss your foodie children as well - Zaika, McDonalds, KFC, Amrut Sagar, H2O, Barista, Five Spice, Only Parathas, Chaat Street, Elco Pani puri, National, Sandwich wala, and how can we forget Hamla and PK chaiwala you were closest to our heart (building). We will definitely come back to have bhutta in tha rainy days at Carter Road and Bandstand like always.

You will have special place in our heart. Tears streaming down our eyes we bid adieu with heartfelt gratitude to our beloved one and as we depart today (01 Aug 08), we take with us memories of a lifetime that we will cherish forever and ever......till we meet again.

Thank You Bandra!!!

Hey .. please find below some of my articles published while i was working for a newspaper as a project during my college. This newspaper was brought out especially for World Social Forum in 2004

Hope you like reading the same. Your comments are always welcome. :)

Dear Mukul,

Wising you a very Happy Birthday. All the things we shared in childhood, I still hold so dearly in my heart even today. We may not be together now but the closeness that we feel will never end. You would have been 22 today and of course a great support to our family... We miss you so much. Dad doesn't say but i know how much he miss you... and mom, when she was going through bad health.. she only wished if you were around.

The last time i saw you.. you looked very cold.... Rest in peace my brother we will carry you in our hearts for the rest of our lives and you will never be forgotten. Take Care Mukul.. wherever you are.

Lots of love from your sister,
Sherry