BENGALURU: A new moon is rising! I am paraphrasing and leaning towards rhetoric because a headline caught my eye. There has been a political awakening of sorts in Bangalore, with over 82 protests over the last 30 days. A sleepy city that usually protested only about its social or civic issues is now raising its voice over political issues. The young and old have crossed over and are joining hands and expressing what they feel. Dare I say that the political diaspora in our city is slowly awakening to a greater sense of responsibility and engagement?
We have been inundated with a rapidly changing economic volatility that seems to envelope most of us unless we are a favourite conglomerate with the government. Prices are sky-rocketing and business has seen the biggest slump yet. Yet we try to carry on regardless with a semi-cheery disposition, hoping against hope that this is a temporary setback. I have seen small businesses topple like nine pins, and the rest are struggling to keep our heads above water. Hotels and restaurants are seeing an alarming dip in customers as expendable money becomes dearer. Talking on the mobile phone has become a joke as either there is zero connectivity or call drops. I wonder why? It has become a ‘jio or maro’ situation.
On a personal front, I was determined to shake off my gloomy reverie. I am by far and large an optimistic person with an easygoing attitude with an infallible faith in the human race. Just when you think that the human race is without hope, up pops a group of people who restore your faith once again! When I feel down, I try to shy away from ‘empty vessels’ and re-connect with family and my core group of friends. They lift my spirits, give me hope, and transform me from a ‘Debbie Downer’ to a ‘Raring Rubi’ with sane advice, emotional succor and intelligent points of view. This week was dotted with these ‘sane’ interludes. But who says sane conversations cannot be had over scrumptious food and flutes of champagne or a Sake cocktails, huh?
I met up with my ‘gal pals’ – Manjusha Maheshwari and Sunaina Chauhan over a Sheek kebab luncheon at The Leela Palace. Under huge sun umbrellas that dotted the al fresco setting at their coffee shop, Citrus, we chatted, laughed and listened to diverse points of view with respect and understanding. Of course, my flute of chilled champagne and the many courses of sheek kebabs put me in a mellow listening space! The delicate pink Salmon and the giant prawn kebab kept my mouth occupied sufficiently enough to give the other two ladies on my table an opportunity to speak! My reputation as ‘motor mouth’ took a severe bashing that afternoon. Blame it on the kebab skewers!
I hadn’t met up with my friends, Sapna Tarneja and Usha Subramaniam for a long while. If you think that only my gal pals keep me sane, then let me tell you that my guy pals are one step better, with the sheer brutality with which they hold up a mirror to my face (much to the delight and amusement of my husband). My friend Vikram is one such person who tells me the brutal home-truths and has lived to tell the tale! So it was with a spring in my step and a song on my lips that I invited them to a fabulous Japanese/ pan-Asian brunch at The Mikusu at Conrad Hotel. The brunch – with its array of sushi, sashimi, dim-sums and Ramen noodles coupled with Sake cocktails -- kept us very occupied for a couple of hours. But the bonhomie and laughter was the best. How’s that for a little food for thought. Till next week… be happy with a little help from your friends.