One of the first things that I did on my arrival in India was to have my palms read by a famous astrologer. My m-i-l is very keen on astrology and I am not too unkeen myself! It's like visiting a cheap shrink: Instant dose of courage and optimism!
This astrologer is an elderly lady with a piercing gaze and a very blunt manner of speaking. Unlike others, her charges are very low and she is quite accessible despite the fact that her clientele is mostly the rich and famous including our ex-PM and at the time I visited her, the general elections had just ended and a new government was being formed. She was beset with urgent visits by wives of politicians!
Anyway, she told me that a great change was headed my way and soon. It's been nearly two weeks since then and while we wait for the big change, we find that all the appliances in our house seem to have chosen this moment to collapse. The inverter (the batteries and the machine), the air conditioner, the television, the old car which was recently sold. And just this morning, m-i-l’s glasses broke as did the handle to our bedroom door. Things are breaking down almost as fast as we are replacing the old ones! Things around us at home are changing bit by bit. This then must be the ‘Great Change’ in my life, that she was talking about?!
Monday, May 31, 2004
Friday, May 28, 2004
Dust Rules
Dust Rules. Dust is king; at least it is, here. Not the oily soot of Kolkata, but a fine dust which silently creeps in and covers everything and everyone. Look into the deepest corner of your wardrobe farthest from a door or a window…sure enough…you will find some. Where does it all come from? Neighbouring Rajasthan? Or perhaps from the endless construction work all around. There are plenty of trees and plants all around, lining the roads, in gardens, but all dulled by dust.
Dust the furniture and it will be back not by evening, but within couple of hours! So the only recourse is to keep the windows and doors shut and boil inside. Atleast you are dust free. Somwhat that is. That helps to keep the bulk of the mosquitoes out too. Only a few 100 make their way in. So mosquito nets are de rigueur! Thankgod for air conditioners.
But no, wait. Once, and only once you are neatly tucked in your beds under the mosquito nets and the room has cooled down and the drone of the air con is lulling you to sleep, off goes the power. Creep out of the bed (stealthily so that the mosquitoes don’t get in) and switch off the air con, switch on the overhead ceiling fan and creep back in (hopefully the inverter is working otherwise the fan won't work) and try to sleep while the room gets progressively stuffy, hot and clammy. Somedays, the powers goes off and comes back 2 or 3 times and so the whole process is repeated as many times…till one finds it time to get up! Luckily, I can catch up on my sleep in the afternoons!
On some days, the skies darken and I feel so thrilled that I am going to experience a good and proper Indian thunderstorm. Not really. Its more likely to be a dust storm. Two days back, there was this really big dust storm all night long which played havoc with the buckets, brooms and other paraphernalia in the backyard creating quite a racket, while we sweated sleeplessly inside and did I mention the power went off!
The premonsoons are here (I hope I haven’t spoken too soon)…things are much cooler now.
Our maid has gone on leave and mother in law (mil) and I have tackled the cleaning, dusting, wiping, sweeping of our large bungalow and were congratulating ourselves on a job well done and before we could even put our brooms and buckets and dusters aside, WHOOOOSH there arose another dust storm and covered up everyone and everything in sight.
Did I mention? Dust rules?
Dust the furniture and it will be back not by evening, but within couple of hours! So the only recourse is to keep the windows and doors shut and boil inside. Atleast you are dust free. Somwhat that is. That helps to keep the bulk of the mosquitoes out too. Only a few 100 make their way in. So mosquito nets are de rigueur! Thankgod for air conditioners.
But no, wait. Once, and only once you are neatly tucked in your beds under the mosquito nets and the room has cooled down and the drone of the air con is lulling you to sleep, off goes the power. Creep out of the bed (stealthily so that the mosquitoes don’t get in) and switch off the air con, switch on the overhead ceiling fan and creep back in (hopefully the inverter is working otherwise the fan won't work) and try to sleep while the room gets progressively stuffy, hot and clammy. Somedays, the powers goes off and comes back 2 or 3 times and so the whole process is repeated as many times…till one finds it time to get up! Luckily, I can catch up on my sleep in the afternoons!
On some days, the skies darken and I feel so thrilled that I am going to experience a good and proper Indian thunderstorm. Not really. Its more likely to be a dust storm. Two days back, there was this really big dust storm all night long which played havoc with the buckets, brooms and other paraphernalia in the backyard creating quite a racket, while we sweated sleeplessly inside and did I mention the power went off!
The premonsoons are here (I hope I haven’t spoken too soon)…things are much cooler now.
Our maid has gone on leave and mother in law (mil) and I have tackled the cleaning, dusting, wiping, sweeping of our large bungalow and were congratulating ourselves on a job well done and before we could even put our brooms and buckets and dusters aside, WHOOOOSH there arose another dust storm and covered up everyone and everything in sight.
Did I mention? Dust rules?
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Monkey Business
The heat is incredible. Now I understand why it was called 'The Burning Plains'. I am stuck indoors (by choice till sundown even though the that does nothing to bring the temperature down.
However, I am more tired of answering the same two questions - Arent you a teeny bit sad at leaving France? And isn't the heat too much for you? No, No. I am not even a teeny bit sad....it was nice when we were there and now we are not. Period. And the heat is equally bad for all of us....even though I have just returned from a mild spring weather... I have lived through La Canicule in France last year - more of the same is expected this year as well.
Our house and neighbourhood is over run by monkeys who are upto what they do best - monkey business. Tearing up our prized potted plants....cutting up our neighbour water pipes which then caused a huge seepage in our common wall. We go upstairs to the terrace armed with something handy to take a swipe at them (they can be vicious). But like A remarked - where do they go? This was their home before we moved in and they were pushed more and more and now they have no where else to go...
However, I am more tired of answering the same two questions - Arent you a teeny bit sad at leaving France? And isn't the heat too much for you? No, No. I am not even a teeny bit sad....it was nice when we were there and now we are not. Period. And the heat is equally bad for all of us....even though I have just returned from a mild spring weather... I have lived through La Canicule in France last year - more of the same is expected this year as well.
Our house and neighbourhood is over run by monkeys who are upto what they do best - monkey business. Tearing up our prized potted plants....cutting up our neighbour water pipes which then caused a huge seepage in our common wall. We go upstairs to the terrace armed with something handy to take a swipe at them (they can be vicious). But like A remarked - where do they go? This was their home before we moved in and they were pushed more and more and now they have no where else to go...
Thursday, May 13, 2004
My last note from France!
Bon, je pars! Mais…je vous promis, je reviendrais bientôt, bien sûr !
Shortly, our PC will go, followed by our net connection and phone line!
By Sunday, I will be back 'en Inde'! I will take sometime to settle down and hopefully be back with my Notes from India. So till we meet again,
Au Revoir, mes amis!
Shortly, our PC will go, followed by our net connection and phone line!
By Sunday, I will be back 'en Inde'! I will take sometime to settle down and hopefully be back with my Notes from India. So till we meet again,
Au Revoir, mes amis!
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Poverty of Nations
Poverty is always a sobering sight. In India, poor people on the road are a common enough sight and naturally the western press is so full of poverty in the 3rd world country.
In contrast, the only poor people we see or hear about, here, are the SDFs (Sans domicile fixé). But most of these are winos or drug addicts or hobos. Many seem quite content to live on the road or wayside and in the metros even. One guy we meet all over the place, travels by train and carried a backpack with a fat cat balancing on it and an equally fat Labrador at his heels. Not the India kind of poverty. So imagine my surprise when I encountered it here, in France.
The branch of Red Cross in our town is open only on Tuesday afternoons. A and I went around 2pm with some of our clothes and my big black coat (my post of Sunday, February 01, 2004), most of which were in mint conditions. We have just outgrown them (girth wise). A big crowd was already there, behind the big iron doors, waiting patiently in a line. Couldn’t figure out if they were donors or donees. We hesitated a bit and then some one asked me if he could help. I recognised him…have seen him several times…a blind man. I told him I had some clothes to donate and where could I keep them. He told me that there should be a carton somewhere there. Sure enough there was one. The crowd obediently parted while we dumped our clothes into the box. They didn’t immediately crowd over the box. We left and then I remembered that I had to ask if they took utensils as well and so returned. They had all crowded around the box and were looking at our clothes. There was a long queue up the stairs to the office. They let me go through to ask a rather grumpy lady in the office upstairs, if I could give my utensils. No I couldn’t. I walked back. Our clothes were being minutely examined by various people.
These other kind of poor people, who live on donations of others', I met for the first time. And to my surprise, these were not unfamiliar faces. I have met them on several occasions … walked past them, or on a bus.
Naïve of me to think there would be no poor people out here…but I could be forgiven for thinking so…It is a land of plenty…, with a good social support structure or atleast it seems so, compared to India!
In contrast, the only poor people we see or hear about, here, are the SDFs (Sans domicile fixé). But most of these are winos or drug addicts or hobos. Many seem quite content to live on the road or wayside and in the metros even. One guy we meet all over the place, travels by train and carried a backpack with a fat cat balancing on it and an equally fat Labrador at his heels. Not the India kind of poverty. So imagine my surprise when I encountered it here, in France.
The branch of Red Cross in our town is open only on Tuesday afternoons. A and I went around 2pm with some of our clothes and my big black coat (my post of Sunday, February 01, 2004), most of which were in mint conditions. We have just outgrown them (girth wise). A big crowd was already there, behind the big iron doors, waiting patiently in a line. Couldn’t figure out if they were donors or donees. We hesitated a bit and then some one asked me if he could help. I recognised him…have seen him several times…a blind man. I told him I had some clothes to donate and where could I keep them. He told me that there should be a carton somewhere there. Sure enough there was one. The crowd obediently parted while we dumped our clothes into the box. They didn’t immediately crowd over the box. We left and then I remembered that I had to ask if they took utensils as well and so returned. They had all crowded around the box and were looking at our clothes. There was a long queue up the stairs to the office. They let me go through to ask a rather grumpy lady in the office upstairs, if I could give my utensils. No I couldn’t. I walked back. Our clothes were being minutely examined by various people.
These other kind of poor people, who live on donations of others', I met for the first time. And to my surprise, these were not unfamiliar faces. I have met them on several occasions … walked past them, or on a bus.
Naïve of me to think there would be no poor people out here…but I could be forgiven for thinking so…It is a land of plenty…, with a good social support structure or atleast it seems so, compared to India!
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Doony et Beignet
I having been stuffing myself silly with all the French goodies that I won’t get back home. All of them are not gourmet stuff. Top of the list is the humble donut (known as 'Doony' in France) and their hole-less brethren ‘beignet’. They are wonderful. And much better than any I have tasted elsewhere including those in the US. So, any of you planning to visit France, do see the monuments, the musées but don’t forget to bite into a delicious doony or beignet (or indeed why not both)!
Monday, May 10, 2004
A apology to Claude Francois
I guess I owe an apology to all fans of Claude François. Clo-Clo as he is known in France is still a very very big star although he passed away in 1978, at the height of his fame. I had earlier written some stuff about Clo-clo in my post of Sunday, February 15, 2004 THE GREAT DIVIDE ….I was miffed with the reactions of the French audience to a hindi classic ‘Sahib bibi aur ghulam’ and it was my way of getting back…childish. I accept.
So what made me change my mind? I found out yesterday (so very belatedly) that it was Claude François who had composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics for Comme d’habitude in 1967, which was later to become My Way (Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley). Comme d’habitude (As usual) was a sad love song and while the english version had the same music, the text of My Way was very different.
Later on came a Spanish version mi manera by Michel Sardou, a german version by Herald Juhnke. Clo-Clo himself sang the Italian version come sempre and ironically, just a few months before his death, the English version... “now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain...”
I think all explanations are unnecessary.
Lyrics to the French, English, german version and Spanish version HERE.
So what made me change my mind? I found out yesterday (so very belatedly) that it was Claude François who had composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics for Comme d’habitude in 1967, which was later to become My Way (Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley). Comme d’habitude (As usual) was a sad love song and while the english version had the same music, the text of My Way was very different.
Later on came a Spanish version mi manera by Michel Sardou, a german version by Herald Juhnke. Clo-Clo himself sang the Italian version come sempre and ironically, just a few months before his death, the English version... “now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain...”
I think all explanations are unnecessary.
Lyrics to the French, English, german version and Spanish version HERE.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
Aab dilli door nahin!
Another 7 days and our French sojourn ends. Back to India. In the earlier days, how I used to pine to go back…but now that it’s going to be a reality, I think I am going to miss this place. The tranquillity of it all. Back to the hustle bustle, the heat and the dust and the cacophony that is India. Make no mistake…I am not complaining that I am going back. After all, it’s home. But a bit of me will miss France. Each time I go out, I pay special attention to every road, every house, every shop, nook and cranny…perhaps this'll be the last time I'll be seeing them! We are just back from our Saturday marché (the farmers market or what we call ‘haat’ in Bengali). I felt like saying goodbye to the friendly chicken seller, the Arab vegetable vendor, the white jacketed seller of grilled chicken. I wont be seeing them again. But I just made small talk. A goodbye is so final!
There is so much to be done. How clutter piles up. Packing is almost over. With a steely heart, I threw away anything that I won’t be using in India. That includes letters and cards that I got from friends(I re-read them all over again…you’d be surprised how small things can add up to the dreaded ‘excess baggage’), old clothing (if you haven’t worn something for 1 year or so..you wont ever… no matter how much you promise yourself that you will diet and fit into those jeans), books (once you have read them…you are not going to read them again…except perhaps a few classics)…the list is a big one!
But I am not literally throwing them out with the garbage. I walked down to the cathedral and got a list of places to donate stuff to. I was surprised to find that a small place like our town is so well organised. The two old ladies at the cathedral were most helpful and pointed out who would like what while giving me the list. La Croix Rouge (Red Cross) would probably take our old clothes, Accueil des personnes sans domicile fixé or Reception of homeless persons would take our pillows, blankets and possibly mattresses, and lastly (and one which makes me very happy) my well stocked kitchen I can donate to Restos Du Coeur (Restuarants of the heart) which runs an open kitchen through donation of food stuff from donors. Books are going to a friend to whom I will possibly donate my Bengali spices – radhuni, panch phoron or Bengali five spice, posto – poppy seeds or khus khus in hindi, kalonji seeds, mustard seeds, ajwain etc. (the French wouldn’t know what to do with them – they use cumin, coriander and haldi which is known as the mouthful ‘circuma’). Furniture (what little we have) is going to be sold at La Trocante – this huge depot of mind boggling array of second hand stuff…anything you can think of, they have it hat stand to CDs, to books to oak chests!
Notifying the electricity board – EDF, our insurance (home and medical), France Telecom for our telephone. And only four days (Monday to Thursday) to do it all. The dreaded ‘l’etat des lieux’ is scheduled for Friday. The house agents will be coming to check the state of our apartment before we finally hand in the keys. Its strange how two people with the occasional guest can manage to smear, blot, stain walls and floors and how! And ofcourse it is helped by the heavy Indian cooking. This despite my mania of cleanliness (A claims it makes him tired just to see me cleaning, washing and dusting)!!
No matter….I am ready to attack it all…with special bleaches, brushes etc.
I will try and post…but if not, I will be back soon with ‘Notes from India’!
PS - AAB DILLI DOOR NAHIN! - Delhi is not so far, now.
There is so much to be done. How clutter piles up. Packing is almost over. With a steely heart, I threw away anything that I won’t be using in India. That includes letters and cards that I got from friends(I re-read them all over again…you’d be surprised how small things can add up to the dreaded ‘excess baggage’), old clothing (if you haven’t worn something for 1 year or so..you wont ever… no matter how much you promise yourself that you will diet and fit into those jeans), books (once you have read them…you are not going to read them again…except perhaps a few classics)…the list is a big one!
But I am not literally throwing them out with the garbage. I walked down to the cathedral and got a list of places to donate stuff to. I was surprised to find that a small place like our town is so well organised. The two old ladies at the cathedral were most helpful and pointed out who would like what while giving me the list. La Croix Rouge (Red Cross) would probably take our old clothes, Accueil des personnes sans domicile fixé or Reception of homeless persons would take our pillows, blankets and possibly mattresses, and lastly (and one which makes me very happy) my well stocked kitchen I can donate to Restos Du Coeur (Restuarants of the heart) which runs an open kitchen through donation of food stuff from donors. Books are going to a friend to whom I will possibly donate my Bengali spices – radhuni, panch phoron or Bengali five spice, posto – poppy seeds or khus khus in hindi, kalonji seeds, mustard seeds, ajwain etc. (the French wouldn’t know what to do with them – they use cumin, coriander and haldi which is known as the mouthful ‘circuma’). Furniture (what little we have) is going to be sold at La Trocante – this huge depot of mind boggling array of second hand stuff…anything you can think of, they have it hat stand to CDs, to books to oak chests!
Notifying the electricity board – EDF, our insurance (home and medical), France Telecom for our telephone. And only four days (Monday to Thursday) to do it all. The dreaded ‘l’etat des lieux’ is scheduled for Friday. The house agents will be coming to check the state of our apartment before we finally hand in the keys. Its strange how two people with the occasional guest can manage to smear, blot, stain walls and floors and how! And ofcourse it is helped by the heavy Indian cooking. This despite my mania of cleanliness (A claims it makes him tired just to see me cleaning, washing and dusting)!!
No matter….I am ready to attack it all…with special bleaches, brushes etc.
I will try and post…but if not, I will be back soon with ‘Notes from India’!
PS - AAB DILLI DOOR NAHIN! - Delhi is not so far, now.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
These are a few of my favourite things!
A list of my favourite things about our town. Its been nearly 3 years out here, but its coming to an end, soon.
Brie–Yes that delicious soft creamy cheese. Put it in the frigo and 'wow' the ripe smells!
The River front (very wishful sounding this is). For La Marne as it flows through our town is but a couple of 100 metres wide. But its beautiful with the 5 bridges spanning it. Each bridge with different flowers hanging from pots on the lampposts. And wonderful houses on either side. The swathe of green at the river’s edge and last but not the least, the quaint boats(not the flashy Riviera variety) moored.
The ugliest house – A rose tree artfully planted so that its branches droop at the ground floor and first and second floor levels and covers the ugly cemented façade of the tiny three storied house standing cheek by jowl along the usual lovely houses. And like now, a sudden burst of rose covers the house from top to bottom. What a sight!
La Fôret: On the opposite end of the river, the foret is a very mild friendly sort of a place. A broad dirt road winds its way through it. A big green swathe run parallel just outside A favourite place for kids, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers. The whole thing is obviously very carefully done up to look like the real thing!
Avenue Clemenceau and Rue Gambetta: Full of the most wonderful houses with the most beautiful gardens. How often have I crept by, Alice-like, looking for the key to the gardens. Alas, never did find those keys! (Very common names these, for roads here in France, much like MG Road in India).
Place Henri IV – A square paved area in the middle of Centre Ville, with trees and benches. A favourite place for geriatrics. And where we often spend the evenings in summer, waiting for our west facing flat to cool down. Would have been romantic except for the tiny almost invisible insects that descend in hoards on everyone and everything in summer.
La Moulin – Our favourite eatery. Its got solid, comfortable French home fare. The daily menu chalked on the blackboard outside the door. The chef, the owner and maitre d’, the bar man all come out and shake hands with us and go through the small routine of “ça va? Oui, ça va”! Many a pleasant meal we have had there.
Rue long Perrier – A road, entirely unremarkable but for the high wall which runs alongside, with a veritable garden hanging over. Last time I passed by, I counted 6 shades of green, rust, deep marron, great big purple blossoms, white flowers. Marvellous but can be a bit risky (try walking with your head turned upwards on a busy road)!
The curious shopping arcade behind the only cinema hall in Place du Theatre – its domed tiled roof is of black flint with white metal trimmings looking very much like the cover of an ornate wine decanter!
The wonderful paysage (countryside). Undulating fields of every shade of green, brilliant mustard, deep brown of freshly mown earth, dotted here and there with clumps of red tiled houses and tall church spires. One can never get enough of it. Never.
This list is by no means over! I will probably turn up with more things tomorow. Apologies if you should find it boring. But this is really for myself... a list to keep the memories fresh in my mind, once I have gone….
Brie–Yes that delicious soft creamy cheese. Put it in the frigo and 'wow' the ripe smells!
The River front (very wishful sounding this is). For La Marne as it flows through our town is but a couple of 100 metres wide. But its beautiful with the 5 bridges spanning it. Each bridge with different flowers hanging from pots on the lampposts. And wonderful houses on either side. The swathe of green at the river’s edge and last but not the least, the quaint boats(not the flashy Riviera variety) moored.
The ugliest house – A rose tree artfully planted so that its branches droop at the ground floor and first and second floor levels and covers the ugly cemented façade of the tiny three storied house standing cheek by jowl along the usual lovely houses. And like now, a sudden burst of rose covers the house from top to bottom. What a sight!
La Fôret: On the opposite end of the river, the foret is a very mild friendly sort of a place. A broad dirt road winds its way through it. A big green swathe run parallel just outside A favourite place for kids, joggers, cyclists and dog walkers. The whole thing is obviously very carefully done up to look like the real thing!
Avenue Clemenceau and Rue Gambetta: Full of the most wonderful houses with the most beautiful gardens. How often have I crept by, Alice-like, looking for the key to the gardens. Alas, never did find those keys! (Very common names these, for roads here in France, much like MG Road in India).
Place Henri IV – A square paved area in the middle of Centre Ville, with trees and benches. A favourite place for geriatrics. And where we often spend the evenings in summer, waiting for our west facing flat to cool down. Would have been romantic except for the tiny almost invisible insects that descend in hoards on everyone and everything in summer.
La Moulin – Our favourite eatery. Its got solid, comfortable French home fare. The daily menu chalked on the blackboard outside the door. The chef, the owner and maitre d’, the bar man all come out and shake hands with us and go through the small routine of “ça va? Oui, ça va”! Many a pleasant meal we have had there.
Rue long Perrier – A road, entirely unremarkable but for the high wall which runs alongside, with a veritable garden hanging over. Last time I passed by, I counted 6 shades of green, rust, deep marron, great big purple blossoms, white flowers. Marvellous but can be a bit risky (try walking with your head turned upwards on a busy road)!
The curious shopping arcade behind the only cinema hall in Place du Theatre – its domed tiled roof is of black flint with white metal trimmings looking very much like the cover of an ornate wine decanter!
The wonderful paysage (countryside). Undulating fields of every shade of green, brilliant mustard, deep brown of freshly mown earth, dotted here and there with clumps of red tiled houses and tall church spires. One can never get enough of it. Never.
This list is by no means over! I will probably turn up with more things tomorow. Apologies if you should find it boring. But this is really for myself... a list to keep the memories fresh in my mind, once I have gone….
Saturday, May 01, 2004
New posts to my other blogs:
My other English blog
A bigger EU
Lily of the valley for the 1st of May
My bengali blog
পয়লা মে
My other English blog
A bigger EU
Lily of the valley for the 1st of May
My bengali blog
পয়লা মে
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