Sounds, Sights , Smells ....

I must have been a plump 3-yr old when I was trained to point to the rights places to people asking "Where is your nose, beta?", " Aankh kahan hain, dikhao to?" , "Pinku ke kaan kahan hain ? Dekhen to!" ; and I would proudly point at the right appendages and give Mommy that I-know-it-all-don`t-you-worry smirk.

2 decades later, these organs have given me..umm ....
What do I say ?
Allow me to steer clear of cliches ("windows to the world" and the likes) and share with you a few beautiful treats given to me by these tiny little things.

I love the sounds of ..

The playground of play-schools/primary schools during lunch/recess hours.
A lone bird flying back to its nest way past dusk, calling out to its little ones "Don`t worry , I`ve got your grub".
Dad singing his fave oldies while doing the dishes. (:D)
Di whining on the phone "U never call me, u dont miss me,Im not talking to u..Jao"
Water gurgling through the pipes on my terrace, As I laid back on them watching many a starlit sky.
A group of sparrows arguing over a few grains of scattered cereal.
Mom singing aloud while in the kitchen.
Dhak/Dhol beats during Durga Puja.
Di n Jiju squabbling over who has lost more weight.
Granny singing my fave childhood song in her now quavering voice while oiling my hair.
Gayatri Mantra.
Jingle Bells and Joy to the World.
"Mighty Mighty MIT"
Kids laughing themselves crazy till they fall off their chairs.
The first words of an infant.
Trance, Lounge and House music
The cries of the wild during an overnight stay at the Dak Bunglow of a Forest Reserve.
Drops of water from a leaky tap in a eerily dark and silent night.
I Miss You.
Raindrops on an asbestos roof.
Rustling of leaves in Autumn.
Sitar and Drums.


I love the sights of ....


Sunrise at the beach.
Dad waving out to me amidst scores of unknown people at the Arrival area of B'lore airport,when I go home after a gap of many months.
Confusion on a baby`s face when the whole family surrounds it, each calling out " Idhar aao,mere paas aao".
A couple aglow in love.
2 sisters walking to the bus stop, the older one holding/half-dragging the pesky little one along, grumbling under her breath "Again late for school, jus coz of u".
An elderly couple taking a walk together, looking contented and happy to have the other by their side.
Synchronised Swimming.
Zaheer Khan`s run-up.
Sprinklers in action on a patch of the softest, greenest grass.
Jayanagar`s leafy sidewalks.
My school(s) as I drive past them.
A loved one turning up, when u least expected him/her.
Old family albums.
The yawns of a 2-day old.
Dahlias in full bloom at our house in Ranchi.
Twins, wearing matching clothes, on the ends of a see-saw.
A Huge bar of Toblerone.
Cadbury`s family/celebrations packs with a "For Sweta" tag on it.
Gullus (squirrels) nibbling on their food with huge wide eyes and a motor of a mouth.
The wobbly walk of an infant taking its first steps.
A crumpled 20 rupee note in my backpocket when I wanna have that chocolate and discover I havn`t brought my wallet along.
Bunch of juicy carrots.
A pristine white salwar-kameez.
An old pair of jeans that fit so snug.
Kohl-laden huge bong eyes.
Inexpensive junk jewellery on Jayanagar 4th-Block`s footpaths.
Vast green paddy fields.
Black and white photographs.


I love the smells of ...


The first monsoon shower on parched soil.
Petrol.
A baby`s clothes.
Freshly swabbed floor.
New books.
Pine and eucalyptus trees.
Hill stations.
Filter coffee.
The teak and sal jungles of BIT,Mesra.
Mom`s chicken curry.
Dad`s shirts.
An infant`s hair.
My hair, fresh after a shampoo.
Homemade ghee.
New stationery.
Old spice.
New woollens.
Newly painted room.
My room.