(April 21, 10:22pm)

Hi.. had a very good three days in New Delhi.. met my ACJ buddies too... lunch with V and S, followed by CCD gupshup with A and his girl friend P, who is very kind to me!

It was very nice..

XXX

Hmm, now in Chennai after a 28 hour non-stop Duronto ride.. It was the first time, I travelled in teh Duronto.. since there's none between Patna and Delhi, or Patna and Kolkata, or from Patna to Chennai, which I normally travel..

It's so so fascinating to be in Chennai.. the sprawling Chennai Central edifice in old red bricks, the cool sea-side evening wind, the un-understandable language, and the absolute thug auto drivers..

Loving it all..

XXX

Will be visiting ACJ tomorrow, where an interview is scheduled.. looking forward to meeting the professors.. Sampat Sir, Nishat Sir, nalini Ma'am, Arvind Sir..

And oh.... How can I frget him.. the man who lives literature.. and the man who inspires literature... my fav, fav SKM Sir!!

Will he remember me? I hope he does.. I will be devastated if he somehow he doesn't!

XXX

(April 17, 11:29am)

In Delhi.. to appear for the IELTS tests.. Will be travelling to two more cities, next ten days..

XXX

Sne**, Vi*** and I are meeting over lunch at 1pm.. Sarvana Bhavan.. which I guess is very close to Connaught Place.. We all wanted to taste some South Indian food, as that would make us feel like ACJ again..

Those Chennai days, when I was in college.. for the MA programme in journalism.. Strange, how you become fond of things which you once cursed and cribbed at.. the south Indian thalis, in our case!

XXX

(April 15, 9:26am)

Happy Bengali New Year 1420!

And here's my resolution - I will try to become less impatient, but remain just as impersonal!

XXX

(April 10, 10:18am)

Ye lo.. I thought I'd be preparing full time for the IELTS from today.. and the maid doesn't turn up..

Now who's gonna wash the dishes, do the house, or cook food?

XXX

(April 9, 8:27pm)

Okay I did something very silly just now... but then, that will exactly help you understand the plight I am in...

XXX

Hmm.. so despite this court verdict, the university did not make any payment at all... I waited, and then I saw my lawyer who thought a contempt proceeding will only mean no payment till the next court order..

So, may be an internal pressure group could work, or as in my case, expedite the payment process..

XXX

Thanks to my ACJ friend in HT Bihar, who I had met through Nishat sir when he dropped in to my place on my b'de last year (he was in deprivation tour of Bihar that time), the Registrar was taken to task..

So much, that he in fact went begging, "Pls do not publish anything, I assure you we'll pay withinn three days"..

(PS: The ACJ friend as well as the HT Bureau Chief, who anyway recognised my mother once I mentioned her name, had threatened the Registrar and the Finance Officer of a first page critical story)..

XXX

So, that is it.. Have been invisible, as there would be no vitality, either in the body or in mind, having have to run pillars to post - for my mother's own hard earned money - despite the Court instructions!

XXX

Anyway, coming back to the funny thing... I have my IELTS exams on the 18th in Delhi.. and I haven't literally touched the books I bought to prepare for the test..

And, disheartened and apprehensive that I am, all I did was type "Is IELTS tough or easy" on Google.. and read the comments below...

Mostly by people who probably haven't even appeared for IELTS ever, but who, as though by some gift of superfluous wisdom, know right every thing about the test..

XXX

And then, accept the ones which said it is easy, and dismiss those commenters who though it was not..!!

XXX

By the way, I mentioned I am disheartened and apprehensive.. But I didn't say depressed.. You noticed?

The emerald really is working.. right there on my little finger, studded in gold!

XXX

Seriously, full time preparations from tomorrow..

XXX

(Mar 24, 4:02am)

Three-fiftyfive in the morning, and still one more bucket of clothes to wash... hand wash, as we don't have a washing machine.. phew..

Just spread out the just washed six bucket of clothes at the balcony railing.. one over the other, as space was limited..

Somehow I didn't want to use the other balcony facing the Holy Ganges.. Don't know, but little scared of opening that door, into the silhouetted figures of trees over those invisible vast stretches at night!

XXX

I have gone after mom... she would also do all her washing suddenly, unplanned, and all at one shift.. Her relatives teasingly called her "Mona's washing day".. mom's endearing name..

XXX

Actually due to this house renovation work, couldn't really had time to wash.. I give only the ordinary clothes to the washer man, who comes to our apartment every day.. Rest, I hand wash..

That's a family protocol for maintenance.. And we always dry the clothes at night, so as to avoid any sun burning of the fabrics..

XXX

Body paining like anything.. sleep stealing over... Good night!

XXX

(Mar 21, 10:11pm)

Sorry, again kept you waiting.. I really feel bad when I see audience flocking in to my blog everyday, and then slowly the numbers drop.. reflecting perhaps their disappointment at empty posts..

But what do I do?

I really can't work when the house is in a mess... with the renovation reaching it's climax, I don't even have place to sleep... the bed has just been refashioned... and the polish would take time to dry..

Same with the dining table.. I'm eating on floor.. oh, actually there's no space on the floor either.. I just take the plate in my hand.. and eat loitering, supervising the labourers intermittently..

XXX

By the way, the new cabinet which I have made specially for myself... and which I have placed in front of the bed, looks fab...

I'll put a new television set there.. so far's there are only two sets.. one in mom's room, with nobody to use.. And the other one in the living room, which doesn't give me that ambiance...

You know if you are wanting to catch an old Hollywood movie, or say some documentary on History Channel on the Roman world or something, you best watch it reclining in the bed room..

That's a different feel!

XXX

Will share the verdict with you.. too lazy to type... Remember, we have won the case against Bihar Government regarding mom's retirement dues?

Still to get the clearance though.. The Patna HC has fixed 31st of this month as the stipulated date.. After which there would be contempt proceedings against the university..

XXX

By the way, I wouldn't be around to enjoy the interiors of my house for long, though.. No, no, I am not dying... just that I will have to move ahead, to some other town, to begin my novel.. I would be working as reporter too..

Haven't sealed any deal yet, however..

XXX

And then hopefully in end of June, I would be resuming my higher studies.. this time, in abroad..

So, that is it... Got the passport... that was the biggest headache.. police clearance is awaited but... then I need to appear for the IELTS, and taht would take a lot of brushing up grammar and else..

Can't take chances..

XXX

But somewhere there, the renovation thing is eating up into everything else.. I seriously need to balance.. I think this would be over by 25th..

Then I get a well deserved couple of days off, for Holi... And after that, I will prepare for IELTS.. the other tests and interviews regarding my admission as well..

And of-course a hell lot of readings for my own novel.. And then I need to prepare myself for doing good human rights reporting in this other town I am wanting to visit for a couple of months before my course begins..

XXX

So that's quite a recapitulation.. hope that satisfies.. Please do not be upset if i fail to blog regularly... bear this till the end of the month..

By the way I really value all of you, for continuing to visit me and reading my posts... There's seldom been a drop in your attendance, even at times when I haven't been writing really.. And I thank all of you for that..

XXX