My Dollar Store has only recently opened in the city. Fundamentally it should be the Double Dollar Store, because everything's marked at a 99/- which, if getting into the conversion rate crosses the $2 mark. Anyway, suddenly people think its cheaper to shop at the 'dollar store' than elsewhere because everything's for below a 100!
Well, psychologically it works great, because everytime you look at something you 'might' need, your inner voice says - 'Ah, what the hell, its just a 100 bucks!', and you promptly load your shopping cart. But technically, its not so cheap after all. A lot of stuff is marked originally more or less around the Rs. 100 mark, so its not the kind of saving you're crossing your fingers for. Also, the brands are quite unknown - making the risk of a unsatisfactory product higher.
Anyhow, with the Indian consumer going ga-ga over American merchandise, I'm quite sure - more stores are on the way.

Back home from our weekend vacation to the Taragarh Palace with friends. Situated in the Kangra Valley, the Palace is not the typical kinds one would imagine or connect with Royalty.
The journey took us close to seven hours from Jalandhar, stopping for less than an hour on our way. Rain entertained us for most of the way and remained loyal throughout the trip as well. When we reached, we were a little apprehensive. The gardens looked lovely but the Palace, as such did not quite impress. Because of the rain, there was an awkward damp smell in the air and the wing from where we entered looked quite like a horror movie set. It was the original old wing, equipped fully with the Maharani, Maharaja and Rajmata Suites. Since these were carpeted, the damp smell was even stronger in there.
We took a breath of relief when we were led on to the new wing. This was quite nice with open spaces, marble floorings and a picturesque forest-like surrounding. The rooms were comfortable, though not worth the price they had been paid for.
Most of our time was spent sitting in the open verandah, enjoying the rain while playing hilarious games. The Swimming Pool was a great experience in the heavy downpour. The downside was the food - which lacked in basic masalas and salt, making it very bland. The service was also quite poor, for they only had five to six people on the staff who seemed to be doing everything from the cooking to cleaning.
The new wing of the property is built well and many nooks and corners are there to enjoy the pretty Palampur hills. If you plan to undertake a trip to Taragarh Palace, it would be a great idea to do it with friends, because it can get quite lonely by oneself due to the lack of any amenities around the Palace.
At the end of it all, it is recommended as a decent place for a nice weekend getaway with friends - provided you think of good entertainment beforehand.

This is a picture of me and Shiven - my friend's 3 year old. Recently, it was brought to my attention that he considers himself to be an avatar of Hanuman, courtesy the recently released movie. He now communicates with older people as 'Hanuman' or even 'Bhagwaan Ram' and assigns the roles of 'Kumbhakaran' or 'Surpanakha' to them. Then he asks them to die.


"Marr, Kumbhakaran, Marr ja", he commands.

Once he sees positive feedback, he picks up an imaginary 'Gadda' or 'Teer Kamaan' and shoots at his/her heart. Only when the victim falls down flat on the ground, does his satisfaction show. Then he acts as Hanuman, gets the 'Sanjeevani Booti' and asks the victim to munch on it to restore his/her life again.
Its really amazing how he can narrate the entire story with such precision and knows the weapons by heart. His mom tells me he actually has a Gadda at home.
The other day, he was seeing my Universal Studios pictures and pointed at Spiderman - 'Mama, look its Fiderman!'

Mispronouncing 'angrezi' Superheroes and embracing 'Desi' heroes - the next generation is going to be quite the Patriotic one - don't you think?

"We're going to get married someday", Jatin told Megha while she sipped at her coffee. She smiled back at him, nodding softly.
"When?", she asked.
It was his turn to smile.
"I don't know. But I know that day will come. I think she's perfect. Its like we were always meant to be together, you know..."
She watched the froth on her coffee settle down. His voice trailed off as he submitted himself to the pregnant silence. His thoughts wandered from the comfortable little coffee shop to Renuka.
Renuka.
She was truly the girl he had been searching for all along. As the old saying goes, he couldn’t have found someone better even if he ‘searched with a lamp in his hand’. She made him laugh, understood him well, supported his dreams… what else could one ask from his better half?
It hadn’t been very long since they had met, but how long does it really take to decide that two people are perfect for each other, anyway? Six months of bliss. Of walking in the park holding hands. Of playing silly little games, which she always won.
He let her win. It was her smile he looked forward to. That was his prize.
Megha and Jatin had been best of friends since forever. She too, made him laugh, understood him well and supported his dreams…
Except for this one.
Somehow, whenever Jatin talked of Renuka around Megha, she would fall silent. Or would change the topic. It seemed like she didn’t have anything to say about it. It irked him. He wished she would tell him how happy she was for him, or how right Renuka was for him, or how happy they would be together.
But she wouldn’t do any of that.
She’d just nod occasionally or smile sporadically.

“Megha?”
She looked up from her coffee.
“Huh?”
“Are you not happy for me?”
She shifted in her chair.
“Jatin, how many times do we have to go over this?”
“But…”
“I am happy for you. But for the sole reason that you’re happy. I can’t keep saying that. I do hope your dreams come true and you get to marry Renuka. But only if that makes you happy”.
“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean”.
“Nor do I…”
She finished her coffee in a haste, gulping down the still hot liquid.
They both paid their share of the coffee bill and left the shop in grave silence.

When Megha and Jatin first went out together for Coffee, they made a rule they followed for years ahead. Both have to pay their own share. After all – there are no formalities in friendship.
Megha never believed in the concept of a man taking the woman’s burden. He was taken aback at first, but later subsided, and eventually began to respect it.

Renuka and Jatin had met through a common friend in college and were taken to each other immediately. She was quite pretty with hazel eyes and soft curls falling on her shoulders. He had envisioned a girl like that many times over in his dreams. Jatin wasn’t very athletic or handsome, but he had a boyish charm that was hard for Renuka to resist.
After many expensive gifts and many evening dates, she finally submitted to his proposal and agreed to be his girlfriend. Megha was happy for Jatin then, for she knew how important Renuka had become for him. In due time, Renuka had taken over his entire life, demanding every second on his hand and every rupee in his pocket.
He lavishly gave her his all – proving to her his true love. And in the bargain, he also gave up Megha.

Renuka asked Jatin once, whether he ever wanted to date Megha.
“No”, he replied immediately.
“Why?”
“Because she’s my friend!”
“And me?”
He smiled and lightly kissed her on her forehead.
“You’re my love…”

Megha too had once asked Jatin if there could ever be a possibility of them falling in love.
“But, we are in love”, he said as he pushed her gently with his shoulder.
“Are we?” she asked as she giggled.
“No, actually. We’re not in love. Love is a selfish relationship full of expectations. Friendship is not limited by expectations. Its only limited by commitment. I don’t want to be in love with you. You’re not worth it. You’re worth much more. That’s why we’re friends… friends forever”.
She slapped him on his head and they both giggled uncontrollably.

Renuka met Megha at the Coffee Shop three months after her relationship with Jatin had bloomed. They both ordered their Cappuccinos.
Renuka smiled at Megha.
“Megha, have you ever felt anything for Jatin?”
Megha watched the froth on her coffee.
“Look, its natural. You can tell me. I’m not going to hold it against you. And I, for sure am not going to tell Jatin about it!”
She sipped delicately on her coffee as Megha tried to find the right words.
“Renu, I don’t know why we’re talking about this. I thought you had called me for Jatin’s birthday gift…”
“Megha, c’mon. We’re adults. We can talk about these things. I am just curious.”
“For your curiosity alone, Renu, my answer would be no”.
Renuka returned the cup to its saucer, stared at her manicured nails for a while and looked up at her with a sudden determination in her eyes.
“You know you’re lying. I know you’re lying. I also know that you don’t like me. What else could be the reason for your frigidity, Megha? You like him. Hell, you love him! Neither do you have the guts to admit it and nor do you have the audacity to leave Jatin alone!”
Her voice had raised and attracted quite a bit of attention from people sitting around them.
“Renu, I answered your question and I don’t need to justify myself. If in your eyes, two people of the opposite sex can’t be friends, I don’t know what to say to satisfy your despicable thinking…”
Megha got up with tears in her eyes and stormed out of the Coffee Shop leaving behind some money on the table.
The bill was settled.

Megha didn’t tell Jatin what happened. She didn’t need to. He knew already. Renuka had spared no details, and also added many of her own.
“You shouldn’t have talked to Renu like that”, he scolded her over the phone.
“She blamed me for having a crush on you, Jatin! She demeaned our friendship!”, she defended herself.
“I know, Megha. But she’s sensitive. You know that. You could’ve laughed it off…”
“I, too am sensitive, Jatin. Why don’t you see she’s wrong!”
“She’s not wrong. She’s only possessive about me. We’re in love – its natural”
“You’ve changed so much Jatin. Now you only speak her language!”
“Megha, you’ve changed too. I thought you’d support me on this”
“So, you’ve sacrificed a friend for love?”
Before he could answer, she had banged the phone down.

A month had passed before Jatin and Megha talked again. But when they finally did, he didn’t mention Renuka’s name or the formidable episode. It too, was apparent to her, that her opinion on Jatin’s love life was immaterial.
But she soon realized, that Renuka was all that Jatin’s life had anymore. He couldn’t help but jump back on her with varied topics.
“You’re going to Pune next weekend? Do you know Renuka’s grandparents live there”.
“Lets get some brownies packed. Renuka loves them”.
“Its four o’ clock, I wonder why Renuka hasn’t called so far…”

Megha didn’t reply to any of these. She only looked in the distance, remembering the times when there was no Renuka to talk about. When they talked endlessly about television soaps, or college gossip or even exchanged political views. Now it was all about a single girl, who had changed both their lives upside down.

Renuka and Jatin were scheduled to marry on 10th October. It has been two years to their affair. The family had agreed quite easily. The caste was the same, their fathers were in related businesses and the mothers had decided the ‘give and take’ for the wedding.
Renuka had told Jatin already that they were to live separate from his parents within a year of their marriage. He had agreed, but had not yet discussed the issue with his parents. With the money he was making, he was confident it wouldn’t be a difficult decision.
Megha was lost somewhere in the ceremonial love affair and the celebrated wedding. Jatin was no longer in touch with her. She had sent him an e-mail days after their last meeting at the coffee shop saying – ‘You lost a friend and found love. I lost a friend, and found nothing…”
He replied back, but she had blacklisted him. He called her many times, but she refused to accept his calls. He wanted to visit her at home, but Renuka assured him she was just taking some time off to reflect. And soon, even he began to believe that she was jealous of their relationship and couldn’t take it anymore. And with this thought, all his guilt vanished and he found satisfaction with his bride-to-be.

On the 10th of October, Jatin married Renuka.
And the invitation card that had Megha’s name on it, remained torn in a dustbin in the Newly-wed’s hotel room.