Anya's Musings

I'm going through a phase right now. Or what I hope is a phase. Anyways, point being, that there isn't one. Except...

Oh, I don't know. First of all, I am itching to watch a drama (Korean or otherwise) that isn't a rom-com or even a tragic love story. To the point where I've even succumbed to now watching a K-drama of the horror genre. Seriously. And I don't even watch horror that much. But I suppose people (and their tastes) do change. Really though, I finally watched Aashiqui 2 and oh my sweet lord! I'm not saying it's a bad film or anything, it's just really depressing. The guy drinks like a fish and the girl sings and cries. And they both sing. And they both cry. And it rains.

I cannot tolerate rain suddenly these days. In fact, I shut myself up everytime it rains now just so I could create a facade that it isn't really raining. And I know that my current cover picture on this blog is that of Delhi during the rains (in fact, during this very monsoon), but I'm going to be changing that pretty soon too.

But back to the K-drama that I'm watching. It is called Who Are You? and has presently only aired two episodes in South Korea as well. So far it is pretty much the Korean version of The Sixth Sense. What I like so far about the show is no ga-ga romance and the fact that the show does not necessarily deal with (and thus, sweetly finishes off) with one case per episode.

Apart from that, I am wondering if I should dabble with the angle of restaurant review on my blog. Not because I am claiming to be anywhere near a food critic. Not because just coz I like a place means you would too. But simply because I've been to a fair amount of restaurants in Delhi-NCR and because its fun. What say?

No title because I can't think of any. First of all, apologies to any who bother to read my blog to know more about any K-dramas...I had said I'd review 4 last month and only got around to doing so with just 3. I have my reasons: I was (and still am) watching two K-dramas these days at not-lightening-speed and was also watching (and finished) watching the very very awesome Game of Thrones. Also, I've been catching up on a lot of reading. And films. Oh, films. I swear this June was the first time I entered a movie theater after almost a year & I succeeded in embarrassing my friend by acting like a country bumpkin. Ah, well.

In other news, it is annoyingly humid in Delhi. Don't get me wrong...I like rains. It's the non-raining, humid, making your hair frizzy beyond belief and dehydrating you till you drop climate that I abhor. When will this end?!?

Apart from the struggle with the weather, there is nothing going on really. Unless you count my endless love with food. I have been eating SO much, as is obvious with my present cover picture on my blog. That's pretty much all. Hopefully I'll return to my blog soon. ^^

I'll just start with Surajkund Crafts Mela first. There are reasons for it. See, first, it started before the Book Fair did and I went there before I had a chance to check out the book fair. Second, I have been visiting the Surajkund Mela since I was a little child. For those who don't know what this is, a little background: Surajkund is a place in Haryana, a little while away from Delhi (its part of the NCR) and every year, in the first two weeks of February, the Haryana government organises a fair or a mela to celebrate and promote the beautiful crafts of India and even of some of the other countries (like Nepal, Bhutan and so on). The "look" of this event is very rustic... they host it at the exact same place every year which is a large ground with a rustic, rural look. The craftsmen sit in stalls with thatched roofs (thus completing the rustic look) and everything is amazing!

The decorations!!

One of the stalls at Surajkund mela.

See, told ya, rustic feel and all.

The statue of the Goddess killing the demon was too pretty... I had to click it.

More stuff.

I went there only once this year because of the usual reasons of work and being busy etc. I don't have much to tell you about this year's mela because of that and also because the one time I went there this year, it was pouring like crazy, so that made the crowd a lot lesser and the craftsmen a little damp and it was evening time. But I loved whatever I saw nontheless. Here are some pictures I managed to click of this year's Surajkund Mela...

What is this thing? Why was it even there on display in a Book Fair? Loved it anyhow!

Okay, so now time for one of the events that I wait for all year round: New Delhi World Book Fair. Yay!! I swear, going there is like going on a mission for me. I just have one pic of this year's Book Fair (and it's a very weird pic, as you will see in a bit) because frankly, I was two busy oggling at the books than clicking pictures. I go to the Book Fair armed: running shoes, a bottle of water, sunglasses and food. All ready to go. And then I hunt.

I brought some books this year, not too many because I have to "study" and not get distracted. But I absolutely fell in love with two of the books I brought at the Book Fair. The first one is a short story collection that took my breath away called The Gurkha's Daughter by Prajwal Parajuly and the other one is a brilliant novel by Devdutt Pattanaik called The Pregnant King. But more on those two later if I ever decide to write book reviews on the blog. Also, this shows that I do, in fact, read Indian authors.

 Let's see, what else happened? Oh a cousin of mine got married on Valentine's Day. The followings are pictures of the mehendi I got on my hand.

The mehendi right after application.

The mehendi, the day after, all dried of and dark.

 That's pretty much all that happened, really. Unless you count a friend of mine having (in his own words) a "How I Met Your Mother moment" where he insists he saw his soul mate at Starbucks today, didn't even to speak to her but kept talking about her non-stop.

That's all for now.

Not everybody is a fan of winter showers. I'm not all that gaga about them myself either but I also don't mind them. Rain, at any point of time, has the effect of lifting my spirits (even if people are determined to do otherwise). It's been raining like crazy here since yesterday morning and while it's no longer the peak winters over here, there has been a considerable drop in the temperature (when you compare it to earlier this week when we had already begun shedding our layers and sweating like pigs).

I don't mind any of it. Yesterday morning I was happy enough to go out even if it was raining. I don't understand people who want to stay put in their houses all alone in such glorious weather! Last night was a fine night. It rained all night, and it was pouring so hard that we could hear the rain even while we were inside the warmth of our rooms. I am sure it scared some people, irritated others and some might not like the "gloom" (honestly though, it's not like we live in London!), I thought it was a fine night. I was up, reading a what I call a "warm book" (I've read that book before and I know for a fact that that book is a warm one), listening to the thunder. And there was something oddly soothing about that. I prayed for more such nights.

It has been raining all day today and I was out, and I think I pretty much froze. But I loved every bit of it. In fact I was just telling someone that if this beautiful weather were a person, I'd marry it. End of discussion. Stay happy, stay warm.

This Sunday that was, was the funnest Sunday I had in the longest time. Off late, I've been so busy (don't even ask, it is boring and tiring and I want to repress all memories of it for every bit of my free time) and the only time I get off is on Sundays. Which wouldn't be such a problem if I didn't always have a million things to do on the one day of freedom (aka sleeping, writing, studying, writing, buying the essentials such as groceries, personal care stuff, writing and so on). I spend And because it's getting colder by the minute here and we've taken out the heaters, and because my blanket is a very warm place to be in, I spend the free times on Sundays sleeping.

This Sunday, however, I decided what the young 'uns call "getting a life", met up a friend (who is also my namesake) after months and off we went to one of my favorit-est (should be a word, that should) in Delhi--- Hauz Khas Village.So many reasons to be in love with that place. I'm telling you, if Hauz Khas Village was a person, I'd hug him/her. I love going there...I love the beautiful little restaurants (half of which I can't afford on most days), and the tiny streets and even random graffiti:

And then while on the quest to a hidden restaurant called Leaky Cauldron (a bit of a disappointment just 'cause it wasn't in the Diagon Alley), we saw, got (a) scared and then (b) supremely fascinated with:
And then I shopped my heart out. All in all, a Sunday well spent. :)

It's been an odd mix of a week. I am not even sure if it was a good week or a bad one or even just okay.

Last night, I slept horribly. No exaggerations. I had repetitive nightmares, out of which I remember three, an astounding number, and as far as I know, I couldn't wake up from any of them (so much for the satisfaction of waking up in cold sweats and calming myself down). Finally when I did sleep, I woke up shivering. Delhi weather is already turning slightly chilly in the early parts of the mornings, nothing serious but enough to trouble you if you, like me, were sleeping without a light blanket of some sort. All of that resulted in dark circles and a headache in the morning. Sigh.


I am not even sure why I had any of the nightmares. The day itself had gone quite okay...in fact I had even gone to see this play (I think it was called The Complete Wrks of Willm Shkspr, abridged at the Sri Ram Centre and I have to say that if anything, those guys in the play made me laugh...so much that by the time I walked out of the auditorium, my jaw hurt). I guess dreams are affected my things other than how your day went...maybe the posture one adapts when one sleeps...who knows?

Anyways, so despite the headache, I stormed off to INA market today to shop. Why? Because I decided that I want to make fetuccini today and I needed ingredients. And while I'm on that topic, I think it's amazing how I end up buying stuff equal to my weight every time I go grocery shopping.

Uh oh. Gotta go now.

I love October night's air in Delhi. It's beautiful.

Those two sentences sound plain and stupid but I mean them. Delhi has, according to me, very harsh weather...it's either too hot or too cold and every once in while when it does rain, the roads get all clogged. But I still love this city more than any other place on earth. I've seen many scenic beauties and all...but home is where the heart and Delhi is where it is.

I sound so mushy.  ^^

Anyway, I haven't been stepping out much these days (except for today when I decided to eat my weight out in food at Big Chill) and that's turned me lazy. So last night when my mom literally threw me out of the house and told me to go out for a stroll and "get some fresh air", I scowled. But she insisted, and I went. And it was good.

The cool, pleasant October air was crisp, the neighbourhood roads were well-lit and it seemed every one who lives in my neighbourhood was out for a walk (it was around 7pm). And that's when it struck me how much I really love this place and if ever I had to move away from here, I'd not take it so well.

A good walk in a nice weather can jog odd assortment of memories, not always a good thing, but not always bad either. I remembered, as I strolled at my own pace, another October evening, much like this one from three years ago. I remember coming back from class and taking a while off, sitting at the parking lot of my college, talking to friends. I remember feeling the time was magical. And I swear, whatever else I might have thought of back then, I didn't think three years later was going to turn out one bit like it has in reality.... (I was still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts).

I'll go reminiscent some more now. :)

I don't know how I managed all that, but I did. In a span of 12 hours, I managed to somehow sprain both my ankles, get a blister on my right foot and bang that foot while walking in the dark the same night. Yes, I am multi-talented, just not quite in the manner I would've preferred.