What's with the..

What's with the number of vegetables that are running amuck? I miss the days when there were three primary vegetables -tomato, potato and onion. How does it concern me? Oh well, I was discussing with my teammates during one of our tea breaks about the adulteration in the ketchup/ sauce. For those of you who aren't aware of it, the tomato sauce that you get in the local bakeries and/or food courts is adulterated with the pulp-juice mish-mash of a certain vegetable called "ghia"(Hindi). Among the five of us present there, three (including yours truly) can speak and understand Hindi quite well, so there was no problem. Or so I thought. The trouble started when one remarked "what is Ghia known as in English?". For the record, I still don’t know the answer. The answers, or rather the guesses, ranged from gourd to even pumpkin! Did you also know that there are at least three different “relatives” of the simple pumpkin? Those who know me know this fact well that I am really bad at describing colors. Now you can add vegetables to the list. To me, everything has a parent and the rest of the vegetables just fall in the extended family. And out of those families, anyone who is not part of the beans family is most welcome. Beans. Huh. Why would anyone in their right mind want to eat them?

What’s with the tradition of wearing the red and cream/white bangles for 180 days(?) after marriage? To make this clear, I respect traditions. If it weren’t for traditions, there wouldn’t be much of a difference between you and me! It would be a very boring place and even more boring would be functions and festivals. So there, that was my disclaimer. My problem is with this one particular tradition which is followed with great gusto at my workplace. First the basics – you don’t have to be a fashionista to know that bangles and western wear don’t go along. Yes, I am not blind to the emerging trends which can be summarized in one word – porridge, where anything can be mixed with everything. But ladies, a bangle can go with jeans, it may even look nice. A pair of bangles, maybe. A few of them, OK, you are pushing it a bit but we’ll let it pass. Two dozens of bangles, looking as ethnic and traditional as can be with jeans or western formals? NO! Nobody is forcing you to forget your “culture” and abstain from wearing them. Yes, we know that you want to flaunt your newly acquired change in status. But why torture the aesthetic sense of passers by, strangers as they may be? Wear the traditional Indian attire for the duration that you are to wear those bangles. There is no shame in wearing salwar kameez/chudidar kurta on a “casual” Friday! If you are proud enough of your regionality to be able to wear those many number of bangles, be proud enough of your nationality to wear appropriate and matching clothes with them!

What’s with the celebrities’ blogs? I have been meaning to talk about this for quite some time. I am all for the spread of this medium and all that jazz but come on, we all know the truth. They aren’t blogging because they want to express their creativity/ write a journal/ connect to/ make money(like they need it!). They are writing for all the wrong reasons. One is in it because he was paid by the particular website, for promotional purposes, obviously. The other one just wants to demean his colleagues. Yet another wants to get back at his detractors. What I want to see is how long will they keep it up. From the signs, it appears to be a fad to them. Cash in, drag it, sign out. Fair enough, everyone is entitled to a piece of the pie. The visitors’ comments are, as in many cases, much more precious than the original article itself. Most common amongst them – the fan and the moocher. One is here out of awe and admiration, the other just wants to spread the word and perhaps divert a little traffic and attention for his interest.

I think these three should do for today. I have a few more to rattle off, but some other time. One question that may arise after you read this – what is it to you? “Let people be”? Of course, let them be. But I damn well am entitled to my opinion, aren’t I!