Looking back: The Best of 2014

50,000 hits on the blog in the last 12 months- something's got to be working for me. The blog’s going to reach the 100 thousand mark soon! (that's just for the record, I am NOT boasting at all) Thank you guys for all the likes, awesome comments and reads! 

The end of the year is a time when we want to look back to what transpired through the year, with us, our friends, people we know well, people we would have loved to know better. I thought it was worthwhile to take a look at some of the most popular posts on the blog this year. Some of these might be etched clearly in your memories; some may have faded away. And so, here is a 'throwback', 'flashback', 'bolt from the past'- call it whatever. Until the dusk of 2014, I hope you shall enjoy this journey.


1. Visit to an Underground Coal Mine




'How much below the surface are we?'
‘150-160 metres.'
‘Metres?’
‘Yes.’
‘And how much have we walked?’
‘2.5 kilometres till this end of the tunnel.’

The fact that the roof could cave in any moment was scary, no doubt. But my spirits and level of excitement were super high even when my boots were deep in the black coal after a 2.5 kilometre trek below the ground level into the coalmine (and towards the centre of the earth). 


2. #Mumbai: 40 Days of Adventure



“Bhaiya, gol gappe kaise diye?” I asked.
“Rs.20 ke 8”, he replied. 
“Chalo ek plate de do.” 
“Kahan se aaye ho?” 
I think for a while, why he is inquiring.
“Delhi se.” 
“Samajh gaya tha mai,” he replied with a smirk.
And then I realised my mistake...

I stayed in Mumbai for just 40 days; got a lifetime of experiences and memories. It was difficult to choose just one post that describes Mumbai best. I decided to go with this one, because this is the most raw and fresh and was written immediately at the end of my trip.



3. The Autowallah with the most Inspirational Story




Qualifications:
Fluent in English,
Graduate in Computers,
Pusuing Masters,
Has a regular day job,
Drives an auto at night.

Probably it’s just a little conversation that one needs to strike with some random person which ultimately results in such wonderful stories. Read the inspiring tale of this auto driver I met in Hyderabad.

4. A Too Frank and Ambitious CV, is it?


Why do we have to be so diplomatic in our everyday life in the minutest of things we do? The world might not like us the way we are, why do we have to change ourselves for the world’s sake? Why are we always ready to make compromises? Are we so scared to talk about our dreams? This overly ambitious and frank CV might just start your thinking process.


5. One Day as an AD on a Bollywood Film set




The SUV took a sharp left turn right before me, moved a few feet and came to a halt. I held the walkie close to my mouth, waiting for visual confirmation. As about 10-15 people gathered around the SUV, the back door opened and I, less than a few feet away, spotted him. I was right. As he got down and swiftly followed the red carpet into his vanity van, I spoke slow and clear into the walkie, controlling my excitement, the news everyone was too eager to hear: “Mr.Amitabh Bachchan is on location!”


Some dreams are dreamt for long and they are lived at the most unexpected time.



A novice’s realisation- that of working for the first time on a real Hindi film set as an Assistant Director- along with the aura of meeting (and in a way working with) the biggest and most respected star in the industry- I still can’t put in words exactly how amazing I was feeling on that eventful Saturday 6 months ago.



6. What Interstellar forced my mind to think




There was something about Interstellar that forced me to go and see the film. The night I saw it, I wrote a blog entry. It was NOT about the movie. Long chain of thoughts rendered a sleepless night. And I kept wondering, what if there indeed is a Big Brother? Read the post and think about it!


 7. A Mountain Wedding Affair


The prospect of attending a wedding up in the mountains was nothing less than exhilarating. It had kept us excited for weeks. At the end of November, with our bags packed with the warmest clothes, we were headed to Nainital. After 6 sunny days, windy evenings and starry nights spent with the most amazing hosts, even a huge amount of photographic memories feel insufficient to describe the richness, the warmth and the philia of this mountain wedding affair.


8. My Name is Aan-ta-rik Un-way-shun

You are sitting in a viva and have an awesome start of conversation with the external examiner simply because of your name that amuses her and which she struggles to pronounce correctly in the first go. Have you got it right?


Unless I write some more 'awesome' posts in the next 100 hours, this could be the last for this year which has been so amazing, surprising and memorable. Wish you a very Happy New Year, dear readers!

Comments

  1. Wow! seems like you had a great 2014! the Delhi joke was may be too intelligent for me to get :( but I would love to get into a coal mine!! Wishing you an even awesome 2015. :)
    Read about my 2014 here - https://happinessandfood.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/goodbye-2014/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Parul! :)
      Delhi joke- The golgappa thing? Well, for Mumbaikars the term is 'pani-puri'.

      Delete

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