Of Newborn Babies and Wedding Bells

You will always be reminded of a song by the Pakistani band Strings when you meet Swaty's little kid. Well, that's because the newborn is named Dhaani. Is it because hubby Manas is a Strings fan or did the little angel sport a greenish tint. We'll have to ask Swaty to find out.

In any case, Dhaani was born on the evening of December 14, a good ten days ahead of schedule. Looks like she didn't really want to share her birthday with Jesus.

Bride-to-be Sheelpa Kothari also missed Christmas by a few days, scheduling the wedding on December 29 in her hometown of Indore.

And pray what does the groom do? Well, Mihir works in a multinational bank. That makes the couple an interesting combo of sports journo and banker.

Of Neck Braces and Natural Icecreams

You would have thought wearing a neck brace for chronic spondylitis would be literally a pain in the neck but Sukanya Mohapatra seems to be coping well.

The Oriya lass is raving about the "Natural" brand of icecream she tasted in Mumbai. And this is a big deal coming from someone who hates icecream.

Her only complaint - "Natural" icecream is only available in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Ahmedabad so there's no chance of her getting some in good ol' Delhi.

Wonder what is so great about this brand. Go to Mumbai and see.

Of Good Tidings and Wet Nappies

Few things in life arrive right on time - like Misha's newborn daughter.

Sana breathed her first gulp of air on September 26 this year, on the expected date of delivery.

But I wonder what her name means.

Perhaps Misha can throw some light on this - after all she was named after a cute little Russian teddy bear.

Of Cynical Reporters and Beatific Smiles

There are few rewards in journalism but the biggest one of them is when your work inspires society to do something.

The usually cynical Ambika Pendharkar was pleasantly surprised when a reader rang up her paper and spoke to her about a piece she had done about an NGO for mentally-handicapped children in Pune.

Turns out the benevolent gentleman had been inspired to help out at the NGO and do his bit for society.

Well, now if you spot one particularly beaming specimen with a beatific smile wandering the streets of Pune, it might just be Ambika.

Of Busy Crossings and Speeding Vehicles

Last month, Chennai-based Sangeetha was walking back home one evening when a Tavera SUV backed into her at a busy crossing.

Sangeetha wasn't seriously injured but as she said later - the experience of lying down on the road with vehicles whizzing past a few inches from her wasn't a pleasant one.

The incident ended happily - the driver and some passers-by took Sangeetha to a nearby hospital where she was treated for minor bruises and discharged.

Of Tenants and Houses without Windows

By Mriganka Dadwal

Prologue: They say a life sans books is like a room without windows

I could never have imagined the former but that the latter exists came quite as a shocker to me.

It all started the day my current landlady said those three dreaded words to me - U MUST VACATE!!!

Life has never been the same.

My quest for a house turned into urgency, urgency into desperation and desperation into do-or-die thou must.

It's been two months. By now I'm Google personified for all practical purposes. But still gotta meet accurate search results.

Not that I have not undergone the usual rigmarole of meeting a broker, negotiating the price, checking out endless buildings. Even stooped down to questioning local vendors, and asking chattering auntyjis if the locality can accommodate a harmless single occupant.

Not that I have not been shown something which has some semblance to a house.

I say some semblance to a house coz they all have four walls, one door blah blah - so architecturally speaking they qualify to be a house - but that's where the buck stops.

And that's where the phrase "a house sans windows" comes to my mind.

Architecturally it's a shortcoming, aesthetically a sin.

To build a house without windows.

To erect four walls without sparing a thought about who will occupy it.

More importantly will the occupant feel at home in the house???

Does this phenomenon limit itself to aesthetic felony on part of our society? Well, to imagine that a tenant is a tenant is a tenant ... nothing less, nothing more?

Or does it boil down deeper. Our tendency to shut out anything which might lighten our soul and brighten our life?

Are we becoming so accustomed to shutting out what comes naturally to us that we create barriers where we need to create channels?

Or is it plain simple that anything which shows us ourselves too clearly must be made a social taboo? Coz we are afraid that the reality won't be flattering?

I don't know the answer but I know one thing for sure and I speak figuratively as well. Someone has to put their foot down and let in the light. I refuse to put up in a house sans windows.

Of Meal Freebies and Dead Roaches

Zee Business anchor Mriganka Dadwal is having a bit of luck these days. Turns out when she was out lunching at Pizza Hut, one of her pasta treats was served with a dead roach in it.

Mriganka didn't say a word. She just threw the waiter a frosty look and pointed to the baked pest. Minutes later, the dude reappeared and said the entire meal (pizza, garlic bread, iced pesticide) sans roach was complimentary. Pizza Hut made amends and Mriganka walked out with a free meal.

The same thing happened with Sunandita. There was no roach involved this time. But Pizza Hut did screw up her order and Sunandita got the full benefit.

Of Rare Sightings and Celebratory Treats

Talking of roaches, Sumathi Chandrasekharan was in town for a few days. The blue-blooded Keralite was reminiscing about her experiences in Singapore, where she is currently studying.

The place is spotlessly clean and Sumathi kinda missed the mess back home in India. So she was understandably delighted when she spotted a roach in Singapore. She celebrated the rare sighting with a trip to her favourite Indian restaurant there. Obviously, Sumathi remains a desi at heart.