Sankalp- The Vow

A resolve to fill lives with light,

A pledge to make futures bright,

A vow to set a few lives right...

In the city of brass - Moradabad of western Uttar Pradesh, await to be unleashed some untold tales of injustice, of childhood fading away, of hands that work with tough metals instead of holding soft toys, of diseased bodies and minds that need cleansing and soothing, of forgotten human values...

On one side of the river, are people who mercilessly involve children in the hazardous activity of brass manufacturing to make more and more money from cheap labour, and on other side of the same river are people who work for the betterment of these children.

These people are from Sankalp (Ask India's oath for child rights).Skeety's friend Prashant is doing some good work for which he needs a pat on his back and maybe some foodie points :p

To know more about Sankalp click HERE

To help Prashant in his noble gesture click HERE

Back after a hiatus...

Hola!
So Skeeter's been lying low. Eh?
Thanks Eastmancolor for your comments...They prompted me to update...
Skeety admits being partial to Delhi Foodies' Zone, hence it did get updated.
Skeets sooooo missed visiting the blogs of all her blogger friends...Tanu Blotter, Backpakker, Asha, Anita, Woody, Vanilla, and EVERYBODY!
She's been visiting a few though...
All this while, this was what was happening with Skeets:
Skeets went out and about to Kinaari Bazaar and the super squeezed lanes of Chandni Chowk to get some clicks. Skeets basically loves to get lost there. It is like a journey back in time. Simply surreal feeling. Balmy. Does a mental detox on Skeets. So much so, that when she come back to new Delhi, she feels as if she is a character from the Mughal era (some princess or the likes) who has stepped out of a history book. Try imagining that for real...hehehehe. (Drozzy, PUHLEASEEEE don't be cheeky.)

All this while, Skeety's been just running around trying to get life sorted (hehe yeah that was to avoid details :P ).
Skeety's laptop's display conked off. She's been terribly sad.
Skeets also chanced to visit the Mani Tungyur temple, which gave her a lot of peace and space from people.

Below is the Mani is carved with the Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.It is the Mantra of Compassion, chanted by Buddhists. Om Mani Padme Hum is believed to be the mantra of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, of whom the Dalai Lama is believed to be an incarnation. Believers circumvent the Mani, chanting the mantra to themselves...

That's the story so far.

Happiness.

The Delhi Diary

So fellas, enough of boring the self as well as friends who visit Skeets here with SAD stuff...
Life is about happiness, energy, sharing, and caring.
Caring, the word reminds me of the frequent abuses I get to hear about my Darling Dilli. Have been meaning to write a post on the same ever since, and finally found some motivation:


This signboard, Skeets read whilst on way to work and was happy to see 'My Delhi' written there. Skeeter almost jumped out of the car on seeing it. Then, she took out the camera and clicked instead. ;)
To all those who hurl abuses at Dilli... Dilli being this and Dilli being that, and the others who call us Delhiites names (ruthless, rude, insensitive and what not) I would like to say: crime is everywhere and bad people are omnipresent. Rather, if all the world were to be sane, what would be the fun living THAT sorta life?
Skeets is keen on sharing one of the many good moments in Delhi with some of the kindest people she's met. On two occasions, Skeets remembers visiting the famed Kuremal Mohan Lal Kulfi wala in Bazaar Sitaram, old Delhi (post on Delhi Foodies' Zone is pending). When Skeets visited the place for the first time, she asked a lady to give her the directions. The lady was kind enough to not only give Skeets the directions, but make sure (by keeping a stern eye) that Skeeter reached the place she desired to go. The second time also the same got repeated. Skeets knows the narration of this incident is not enough to calm your hot heads, if you've had bad experiences. Infact, dRoZzY, a Delhi-lover and a dear friend keeps forbidding Skeets (dramatising the consequences) from venturing to Old Delhi unaccompanied. And Skeets has had a hard time explaining to him that things are not bad there in that part of Dilli. And that reminds Skeeter of a pending tag.
dRoZzY and Ankur have tagged Skeets on a rather long questionnaire. And Skeets is in no mood to do a tag for now, so she thought of writing about these two fellas (which happens to be one of the questions in the tag). Skeets shall therefore be saved from the accusation of dishonouring a tag. Here goes it:
dRoZzY...One of the bestest friends (no no I am serious). Has the distinction of making Skeets lose her calm ONLY on one occasion (we are generally in harmony). Amazing sense of humour. Can easily pose as one's dad or dadaji for that matter, if you begin listening to his advise rather seriously (*bhaago*). Lazy bum, would get out of the house on a Sat/Sun only if he has to get his car repaired, take mom-dad somewhere (he charges for the same), or has to meet a gorgeous girl :P .
Is Skeety's crib sponge (soaks it all in and never says STOP CRIBBING or probably just pretends to listen :P) and gives some wonderful and intelligent advise. Always ready to help at the beep of the phone. Thinks he is Arnie's clone. Has a little diary in which the secrets of all Delhiites can be found. By the way, he knows more than half of the Delhiites. Can strike a bond with anyone (and when I say anyone I mean it) at an ease which is unique to him (quite commendable). Is one of the few people capable of making Skeets laugh when she is down. And these are the things we have in common: We love ourselves like crazy, love food, love Delhi (he only pretends he doesn't), are born detectives, are wicked. And yeah he writes well too, only when in the mood.
A gem of a person.
dRoZzY dear,
you can use the above bit to impress girls.
*giggles uncontrollably*
Skeets know your reply.

Ankur urf Anky Panky...Thinks of himself to be the Azeem o shaan Shehenshah of Delhi. If you come across a guy pointing to Hrithik Roshan's poster of Jodhaa Akbar and saying 'this is Ankur', don't think he is insane, you should immediately know it is Anky Panky. Deep thinker. Can solve all problems through logical reasoning. Loves to travel, can click some great pictures (only wish he clicks more), loves his food, loves Delhi. Very helpful. His mood swings make Skeets angry at times. Is Skeety's Partner (no we are not giving out our business plans here). Movie lover. Buzzes me everytime there is a great flick on TV (even though I end up watching only a few).
Besties Partner!

The Slumber

A few days ago, Skeety's personal space read: Misty boulevard strips, Crazy drives, Rain-kissed Delhi...
Long Crazy Drives.
Silence.
The sound of air.
The sound of the rain tapping on the metallic body of the car.
The music that is born when the rain drops fall on the windscreen...
These seem to lift up Skeety's spirits like none can.



So was the case with Him. His tale is different though. Thus it went:
She is madly in love with Him.
That day, She boarded the bus that would take her to Scotland.
That is where He lives.
Eager to see Him, She very restlessly spent those unending 'few' hours in the bus.
Before boarding the bus, She had received an SMS from him: Waiting for you Darling.
The journey finally ended, and she knew another one was about to begin: A short and sweet one.
The two days she would spend with him, would give her the strength to be away from him for the next two weeks.
She was proved wrong.
For He had gone.
Forever.
He had crashed Her world.
He had died of overspeeding, after SMSing Her.
Drive Safe.
Life is Precious.
These are not just words.
They can save the world of those, to whom you mean everything.
And Skeety doesn't care if she got repetitive here.
(P.S.: This is a true story)

Dilli Dilwalon Ki

Ok, Skeety's been acting weird of late.
Never has she written stuff in hindi.
And now, look at her...
Blame the Ghalib overdose for eeet ;D

Scroll down and see Dilli Darling (aka Skeety's royal skid)...
Rain-kissed, misty, full of life...
In love with Dilli forver...
Reety Skeety

Mausum khushnuma ye dekh ke, dil Dilli ke aur kareeb ho gaya hai...
Yahin raha hai, yahin kho gaya hai...
Har boond baarish ki, mitti mein kuch aisi milti hai...
Goonj ke dil se Dilli Dilli aah nikalti hai.

The Doomed Dorms

Speaking with Deepa is like digging up a treasure cove. Enticing stories, vivid perceptions and killer ideas come twittering out of the conversation like a swarm of butterflies throwing a riot of colours around.
The colours that came out and about this time, were, however, DARK as Deeps shared with me an account of her first visit (for work) to a women's jail.
Here's what she scribbled:

A deathly silence greets at the heavy concrete high walled prison in Meerut. Inside, the wind ruffles the quiet tree, the cold walls stare with bleak eyes, the peeled plaster bares grim realities, even as a lone squirrel strives to climb up the tender branches of a new plant. A stony, eerie claustrophobia grips in the dark, icy room. The chirping of the birds in the afternoon sun is a dull monotony that rises to a crescendo in a deafening, bone chilling rhythm. And yet, pink flowers blossom on a peach tree. Hope springs amidst gloom and fear...

And then, a small question (to someone else) from the restless question princess that resides in Reety Skeety led to the reaffirmation in her belief against taking up Law as a profession after spending three years studying the subject: Wrongly denying justice to someone brings in doom to that party and those around them. And to you, it brings upon the burden of having done a wrong which is even grave and unpardonable, if not in human eyes, then in the eyes of the greater force that rules the cosmos.
Anyway, these were the questions asked by Skeety and the answers that followed -
Q: A day (wrapped up) in jail is like:
A: A normal day where people get up ...use the dirty smelly washrooms cum kitchens, read newspapers ...play cards..excercise...make small talk...think...cook....have lunch n dinner ...joke around etc.. and finally sleep off.
Q: Is it the same as shown in flicks?
A: Flicks have it dramatised. Its more real. But yes...societies do exist there.

May justice deliver the innocent.

Engaging walks...

Went for a walk to Connaught Place.
I am now at least half-a-kilo lighter after the long walk ;)
Clicked like there's no tomorrow.
Went on to Sitaram Bazaar in Old Delhi.
Glided past some beautiful old houses.
In them, lies the real heritage of Delhi.

They can give the so-called posh houses of South Delhi, a beauty complex.
Saw a netaji ki rally. Pooh Pooh at that!
Ate some real good street food. Kuremal's Kulfi and Baburam's golgappe for the records.
Long Lovely Day.
Ended it with a warm water foot-soak, followed by a generous splash of refreshing peppermint spray on the tootsies.
So, this is how I celebrated Pea-NUT's birthday.
Notes to the self: Pliss walk more often. Pliss wear sneakers daily. Pliss Pliss Pliss.