One more 31st, and another year rolls by.

I am pushed—rather firmly—by K and V to dust off this blog and make an entry (which now seems mandatory). In the age of Insta reels, Facebook stories, and LinkedIn posts, over the last ten days I’ve consumed an endless stream of year-end reflections, learnings, and resolutions by what feels like everyone in the world. Writing one for myself suddenly feels like a Bigg boss task.

Still, I’ll give it a try—because sometimes it’s not just about you; it’s also about those who look forward to it.

So, let’s start.

Another year has passed. It feels like just another roll-up of 365 days or 52 weekends. The same old madness—fog and flu in winters, extreme heat and inverter issues in summers, excessive rains with Gurgaon’s pothole-and-no-drain roads, and then back again to AQI woes to wrap up the year.

Sometimes nothing changes. Other than Pakistan celebrating wars they never won, doing bhangra at every additional IMF loan they take, and watching Indian flicks on pirated torrents. That’s probably why they rank so much higher on the happiness index—and maybe we should learn from them: whenever life gives you lemons, make a mojito… or Karachi’s now-famous doodh soda out of it.

That said, even the most repetitive script movie has a few beautiful moments. This year had plenty of those.

It’s Chantu and Bantu’s growing-up years that make everything else in life worth it. Their smiles are priceless. Their “I’m very smart” acting—while not knowing we’ve all been that age—is a quiet, secret joy. And watching them cope with their own little struggles, in their own little worlds, is simply beautiful.

Chantu, this year, left chess, picked up a vague addictive pixelated game, got fixated on badminton, followed it up with tennis, and finally landed in full-blown obsession with table tennis. He’ll be entering his teens in the coming year, and we’re all bracing ourselves for the surprises ahead. But he truly is one gem of a guy.

Bantu, on the other hand, seems to have read almost every book written for American kids his age and constantly surprises us with his sarcasm, slang, and slapstick humour. I loved the posters he created, the company he founded for household chores at $50/hour, and his fascination with creating really cool stories. I’m certain both of them will turn out to be fine gentlemen—and far better than all of us—in the years to come.

Apart from mall trips and birthday lunches at Gurgaon’s ever-sprouting food joints, the highlight trip of the year was to the south—Rameswaram, Madurai, and Dhanushkodi, the farthest point on Indian shores. It was a special time together with the tribe.

Personally, like the rest of the world, I wasted a generous amount of time watching reels, buying books, reading fewer of them, and getting inspired by Punjabi songs across genres.

My heartfelt gratitude to K—for bearing with me all these years. Trust me, it’s not easy, and I genuinely don’t know how she does it. Smile more, K—it’s always a better option.

S and V, thank you for being there for each other and for stepping up on not-so-good days. While S was super busy making his own reels at work this year, when it comes to kids, he is the best anyone could ask for.

For Mom and Dad, I only wish tones of good health, love, smiles, and happy times together in the coming year. Their happiness sets the vibe for all the cherished moments at home. Always grateful.

And last but not the least, gratitude to everyone—at home, in office, and friends—who smiled, helped, listened, joked, and added that human touch on days when all you could hear was noise around tech, AI, machines, and real estate (especially if you live in GGN).

Here’s hoping for a better year.
A healthier year.
A more smiling year.
Moments that make you feel proud, loved, and human.

Happy New Year to all of you.

Jai Ram Ji Ki. & Uma Parvati Pati Har Har Mahadev

 

Avadh mein Ram aaye hain !

Here comes 31^st again and so does famous NCR smog, winter’s chill, halogen heaters, never ending layers of clothing, last few weeks of Bigg Boss and a hope that next year would be better.

I am also realizing as you add up years on the calendar, and weight on the belly, time tends to run really fast. Good or bad,” this too shall pass” says the watch in the house.

So as I don back to my Sethi Sahib Avtaar  on the last day of the year and try to pen down my reflections of 2024,  holding myself  really hard for not to use tools like Chat GPT and keeping it completely human ( getting increasingly difficult with time now)  , would like to say this nudge to sit down and write again is courtesy’s K’s month long persistent efforts coupled  with occasional reminders from V but finally it was Chantu who did it when he wrote in his very own year end blog post that he really looks forward to read this mind dump from his PG

So, let’s start by talking about both little monkeys themselves – The famous celebs Chantu & Bantu duo. There is no pleasure greater in the world than to watch your kids grow, pick up skills, learn and perceive the world around them in their own funny way and think that they are smarter versions of you (which they aren’t yet 😊). So, both these guys picked up tennis started writing blogs (genes you see), younger one started strumming guitar and the elder one got obsessed with 32 pieces of chess as they move ahead in life at their own naughty pace.

K continues to balance me out, being a yang to my yin. Thanks K for being there and making it all look seamless. I know u had your own share of challenges this year but you held stead fast with your grit and determination. Just take care of your health a bit more and this wish goes for all three ladies in the house, including V and Mom

Mom and dad continue to be the center around this small universe and brought us wishes from Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Sri Lanka. Song in the background – Ram Ayenge ..Ayenge. Ram Ayenge.. Wishing lots of good health and happiness for them in all the years to come.

S and V continue to stick together in thick and thin and bring smiles and happy vibes for everyone  at home. While V had her “attending -family – wedding” calendar full this year, S was busy with his N&B team, churning out office events like a pro. Lots of Blessings for both of you !

For Sethi Shaib, the year went in between listening to podcasts , Badshah songs, Diljit Dosanjh, tracking elections, world’s geo politics, multitude of reels watching  ( both useful and senseless) , creating reels with songs that only made sense to me, buying books but reading less, Karaoke with kids and happy trips to Deerika with them , trying to make sense of stock markets and failing at it , you tubers, stand-up comics , vloggers , Qamar Cheema , Mankeerat Aulakh songs , 2 Rafflan , Karan Aujla, LinkedIn likes , interviews at work , bidding farewell to old colleagues at work and welcoming some new ones , first ever CNN session with Mugdha Kara courtesy S , breakfast with bigg boss or with Punjab food tours vlogger ( kya baat hain) and off course the trips with family on the famous western tourist circuit of Vrindavan, Agra goa and Jaipur .

And as we wrap up another year and get ready to step into a new one, just wanted to wish for lots of good health, happiness, smiles, successes and prosperity for all of you and also wanted to say a big THANK You to everyone who touched Sethi sahib’s life in some way or form this year. Your presence shaped up and made this year for me. And as Sethi Sahib gets wiser, with prayer on my lips and Ram’s home coming Bhajan in my ears, wishing all of you a very happy new year 2025. Say safe, stay happy and keep walking ahead! Jai Shree Ram !

 

                                                                                                   

Leke Prabhu ka Naam!

End of the year again! but this time, I am going to start where I left from my last post, and that is to begin with a hope, a prayer and loads of wishes for a very happy, healthy, peaceful, and successful new year 2024 for everyone.

As you head gets wiser and whiter, you realize good health and happy vibes in life is all one should focus on. How the best memories in life are the ones sharing smiles, travels & happy meals with your tribe and also the sheer moments of cheerful innocence kids’ gift back to you.

So, this one is a heartfelt prayer for happy, healthy, smiling year for kids, for mom and dad and for K and for V and S. This one is also a heartfelt note of gratitude for sticking together in the highs and lows the last 365 days had to offer.

Also, S and V..this one is a special call-out and load of blessings for you both..for being together, smiling together, sharing smiles and holding everyone together.

K once again it's not easy to put up with someone as interesting as me and I must say u ve done a good job this year too.

For mom and dad I hope and pray for loads of good health and happy times! 

And in this world of insta reals, and under 60 seconds you tube shorts, I too should try to write less and say more so here’s a quick brief of some happy memories that flash up in my mind as I reflect upon the year gone by:

Chantu & Bantu at swimming camp with Papaji, Trip to Bangalore, Mysore and Coorg with family – C&B enjoying Aadipurush in the small cinema hall at Coorg and bowing down in reverence outside in front of the movie poster, the quick travel to Vrindavan and every time all of us going out to a mall, market or a movie together. Kids for sure enjoyed Sunny Paaji’s handpump 2.0 act and Salman bhai’s Tiger 3 songs. It was indeed a proud moment to see Chantu smashing it down as a head boy and Bantu ripping it out at the English Olympiad. Just wish both of them get everything good that this world has to offer and they have a long, smiling healthy and happy life ahead.

Work also took me to goa and Hyderabad, and it was gratifying to feel the sea at goa after many years and relish the Guntur idlis at Chutneys again. Personally, I developed liking to creating insta reels combining them with my sinful liking for weird Punjabi songs, listening to YouTube podcasts on my way to office, buying more books than I could read and read as diverse that I could. In fact, K was shocked to see me reading UPSC aspirants preparations books related to international relations and national security and I was myself surprised to see most of my book reads this year navigated towards translations of spiritual and religious text. Someone is indeed growing older & boring for sure.

As I wrap up this year end my post, I once again wish for loads of good health and happiness for all of you and a big thank you for being part of this maverick’s life for another year amidst all the highs and lows this year had to offer.

I am looking ahead for a better, wiser, happier and a much healthier new year for all of us, so let’s stand up and turn another page in our lives, not knowing how the story unfolds ahead, but fore sure with a hope, smile and a song lets welcome the new year with one of the grooving track that made it to Chantu’s & Bantu’s playlist too – “Music Vusic start karo bhai leke Prabhu ka naam” Happy new year and God bless you all ! 🙏

 

 

Nach Punjaban Nach!

Is it that day of the year again? – Wow! – 2022 has just flown by like the F 18 Super hornet flown by Tom Cruise in Top Gun -2 and in this alternate universe Sethi Sahib is still procrastinating on the very last day of Dec trying to pen down the images from the year gone by.

Well, this year too, K got her weekly reminders started in December itself with V also joining her in the chorus in the very last week to ensure, I am not getting away this year, without updating this little bit of our digital space.  

K thank you for being your persistent self and more importantly for being you always. Sometimes it's just not easy to express in words what I feel but I know you just always hear my unsaid. Thank You for everything you and everything you add to my life every day.

I think as the time flies by, you tend to reflect upon the passing years not just from facts alone, but then you also tend to see it through the prism of many floating images and then finally conclude with just the essence of the year as captured in your thoughts through the senses, words, smells and sounds of people & places that you’ve experienced and felt.

So, as I once again jog the memory lane right from the start, this was the year which slowly unfurled from the shadows of being confined at home, to getting back to the normal routine.

It started with the trip to Jaipur where Chantu, Bantu had some amazing time at Trident and brought in endless smiles to all of us. The joy of seeing them jump with Joy as they mercilessly hop, skip and jump on hotel’s mattresses is always priceless. This was doubled and trebled as they both zip lined together at the Rangmanch and Rocksport farms and enjoyed every ride to the fullest. The boys were finally getting to go out again.

And by then the Offices too opened up, school became fully offline, teams’ classes became part of history books, cabs, traffic and traffic cops got busy once again on roads. And as we touched August, the life in India reflected its true normal self as we experienced in Vrindavan where we all swam and hussled in sea of humanity for evening and morning darshan’s of the god. Final family trip from this year concluded in Hyderabad – where Chantu and Bantu, the Bahubali's of our lives had some real good fun clicking away happy times at Ramoji while we all eagerly waited for the long trek to conclude and hit the hotel beds by the time the evening breeze flew in.  Well as you add up numbers to your age, your smiles are reflected in the naughtiness of your little ones and by god's grace these two never let those smiles go every day.

Also, for some rare astronomical and planetary alignments, I had my own share of additional official wanderlust – to Jaipur (again), Hyderabad (again) and Philippines (not again but for first time) this year. But as Sethi Sahib clocks in years and wisdom toots, you just realize it’s the people that make the place. That feeling of smile, warmth laughter and eating together with your loved ones can make any place come alive.

Speaking of loved ones around me, I just wanted to wish S and V never-ending happy times together and the best of everything the world has to offer and also say the biggest heartfelt thanks for holding each one of us together. But S and V as you both read this, just wanted to say do take care of your own-self too as we all see this life unfurl together and let it go through its smiles, surprises & Hussle every day.

And finally, to Mom and Dad, tones of gratitude for your presence, for being there and blessings & guidance that protects and safeguards all of us every second. Wishing for all the happiness and tones of good health for years to come. Your presence alone drives this engine of life every-day crossing over every speed breaker and red signals on the way.

Also, a big thank you to folks at work, friends from over the years and everyone who touched our lives and shared in a smile, sent some happy wishes, shared a good laughter, forwarded a funny meme and dropped in good vibes in our lives. Moments your shared with us are always treasured.

And as I wrap up the year – playlist that buzzes in my head for 2022 includes Burna Boy (gbona), Pakistan (Mankrit Aulakh), Excuses & Insane (AP Dhillon) , Put Jatt da, vibe  (Daljit Dosanjh), Paris trip ( honey singh) , Nain Ta here ( Jugg Jugg Jiyo) , Himesh playlist on loop ( spcly when ur alone in Hyd and PHL) Gypsy and concluding with the Last song syndrome is White brown and black by Karan Aujla ( I know everyone gonna kill sethisahib for this last two 😊 )

And as Sethi Sahib steps into next year adding more grey hairs and inches to his handsome self– I just have one wish for the universe – Bestow good heath to everyone. Let 2023 be the happiest, healthiest and the most smiling years of our lives. So, here’s wishing everyone a very happy, smiling new year full of good health and wellbeing. Just eat, love, pray, enjoy life and do a smiling Nach Punjaban Nach on some cool bhangra beats!

 

Aakish Banya Aapne  

 

Wow, 2021 also vanished and all I could remember as I start penning this annual ritual was that we started this year with a trip to Aria mall and surprisingly ended the same with another trip there. I have now seriously started believing the thought what you do on the first day of the year, you end to repeating that throughout the next 365 days.

Or maybe it was just a year of finding happiness in everything small and being huddled together, being there together, doing WAH together, and also to an extent of being vaccinated together. Maybe it’s also that year where we are transitioning to find our own smiles in Chantu, Bantu’s badmaashis, and their big laughter and screams as they unleashed themselves on malls, the moment the door of the mall’s lift opened up.

BTW, work at home got extended by another year – and whoever thought WAH was easy, it’s Return to the office that many are now waiting for, and looks like it’s a few more stressed months now for My sofa seat that held my weight for another year and we both got a bit more curved from the stomach.

And yes, this year K started pressing from this blog from the first week of Dec itself, and knowing Sethi Sahib’s world-famous (but limited to Janakpuri and Gurgaon) procrastination stories, I am glad, I can complete this one just in time again for this year. K’s patience with me is still holding up strong despite Nanni and his Papaji’s weird ways every day. Thanks, K for being there, keeping it all together. Keep smiling and always keep being you.

S and V , you are amazing; every year comes with its ups and downs but you both together can weather through anything. Most beautiful of blessings your way and thank you for every single beautiful moment that you create every day in our mosaic. And S especially for you; please go through archives of this blog – and then a big welcome to the club – Roadies, Bigg Boss and I know what’s next - its Himesh Bhai & Adnan Sami coming up now😊 .” Parampara Dad Paramapara” and V you’ve turned some great sketches this year and I am sure any more extension to WAH you have your exhibition ready.

Dad and Mom got their new car this year, their presence and confidence are inspiring, just tonnes of wishes for many-many happy healthy, and fun-filled years for them. Your blessings and everything that you do, every day keeps this engine rolling day after day. We can still be kids because you let us be one and there is nothing more one can ask for in life.

Personally, a long-term wish of mine for being at IIM A campus and graduating from there got fulfilled- Tonnes of gratitude and I do, wish, hope, and pray IPS SS and Nanni Singh at some point of their life, both get to be part of worlds best institutes like these.

But For this year, there’s and hence our world revolved around online classes, watching shark tank, copying Indian idol judges, playing KBC, doing Shilpa’s Seedi and Geeta ma’s bow, singing brown munde, Badshah, tony kakkar and Hello Kaun songs, watching OTT web series, playing country capital and flags,  and finally dancing on Bhola sir steps on mine ever-favorite- till eternity Himesh Bhai’s biggest blockbuster song Aaakish banaya aapne. (Aakish twist courtesy Sami Singh)

And as I wrap up this year and this blog, big thank you to everyone who touched our lives, lots of blessings to everyone around, and a truckload of wishes (looks like construction @ home is reflecting in my words ) for a happy healthy smiling successful year ahead.

So now just stand up, get ready, put on your ghoda steps, and start dancing with Chantu , Bantu and Bhola sir on Aakish banaya Aaapne … It will be an amazing time ahead … stay happy, stay blessed and keep smiling !! wising you all a very  Happy new year 2022!

PS: Are you also are hearing Himesh Bhai's nasal Oooooooooo tune in the background as you are reading this because for sure I am 😊

 Jai Shree Ram!

Finally last day of 2020…and what an year this was... not only for Sethi Sahib but for everyone here on this planet who has been a witness to this crazy year… who would have thought a year which we started with a beautiful trip to Orissa, would have ended up being on couch for next 10 months … and is it looks from here It will be few more months before couch can gets its breath back …

Yes “the corona year” 2020. Even Salman bhai changed his this year bigg boss’ line to “apne mata pita se payar corona”… he he he and though he did got high and launched some weired songs from his farm this year but sethi sahib still waits for his next movie raadhe.. as his unending commitment to Salma Bhai’s weired stuff continues.

And what the world did this year other than sitting on couch and literally working the bums off the 14 hours a day workday, well we saw the world beating thalis, lighting diyas, tablikhis being chased, Labourers on foot, “PPE kits, masks, sanitisers” became next to roti kapda and makaan ,  we time travelled with kids and watched ramayan and shakitmaan again on TV , binged on unending webseries , linkedin became more sought after than tinder ,  online classes for kids and adults alike, online meetings, online greetings, webinars on how to cut your nails to how to fly aeroplanes ,and blatant misuse and abuse of the phrase “the new normal.. people got high on kaada as deepika  , rhea got thrashed for stashing maal and kangna’s house got thrashed for thrashing everyone on twitter, and who can forget the long stand off at LAC, and the stand off at delhi border by punjabi farmers a and last but not the least the daily count of corona cases and race against time to get the elusive vaccine out and yes it all happened in one single year.  

Well this year also had some beautiful memories for sethi sahib.. Chantu and Bantu standing next to me on either of my sides as I go through my daily WAH routine, eagerly looking into every email, every meeting , every phone I did from my office laptop . They picked up a total new vocabulary – Thanks & regards, As discussed, CC, BCC MED/PDD etc. Basically every possible office jargon that was up for grabs they whole heartedly picked it up, including names of everyone’s bosses, bosses’ bosses  and their super bosses.  In fact , if it was up to them they would have even joined the meetings and ran through them , and off course they did succeeding in barging few of them.

This year also had all of us huddled together for each one of us. While Dad made sure we all were safe and had our daily doses of kaada, fruits, chai and gundechis …mom held the fort together  as VKS (why its strangely sounding like Vikas 😉) got bogged down by dreaded C. No words of thanks can express for what they both do every day for all of us. Blessed is all I can say.

K again coped up with Sethi Sahib nuances this year while juggling between Nanni’s online classes and offline master classes. Quietly she made the “year at couch”  for Sethi Sahib looked easy and comfortable.. And as always in true El Mirachi style all I want to say… K did I thank you.. I will…

V and S as humesha ki tarah added that subtle humor and tonnes of patience as they glued all of us together. Its beautiful to see them right next to each other and I pray, hope and send all my  wishes for them to be always like this , side by side, smiling  and being always there for everyone and for each other.

While Chantu got hooked up to you tube tech channels and picked up skill of addition subtraction and division and despite sethi sahib best efforts didn’t picked up  skills for learning tables till 20,  Bantu, his under trainee wasn’t far behind as he read more and wrote less as he peeped into all kind of electronic screens  and repeated everything that everyone said in his own style.  Another beautiful memory for this year was to put to both these heavy weights to sleep together every night when VKS were on first floor . The tik tok videos never sounded more fun as we three binged together  and it was different out of the world feeling kicking each other all night as chantu and bantu rotated in tandem with earth’s axis on the bed at night.

And as sethi sahib wraps up his only post of  2020 … all I want to say is that “Blessed and gratitude” are the word that comes to my mind for this exceptional year and “Hope and happiness ”are the word that Sethi Sahib wishes to starts the next year  for all of us.

Till then, lets say Jai Shree Ram and have a happy healthy , smiling year ahead.

Swagat to Karo Humara!

Finally 2020 is just round the corner, the teens are over and it’s time to start a fresh decade. 2020 will also see Sethi Sahib getting into 40’s but looks like something never change, Sethi Sahib love for Salman Bhai’s heroics and bhai’s larger than life entry scenes, Chantu & Bantu’s obsession with mobile phone and their single minded focus and sincerity to tinker , distort and destroy anything and everything that gets into their hands.

Gratitude, and big thank yours for another busy decade.  Arrival of K V S, S and also Alexa 😃, shifting to Jaat land and addition of white hairs and extra pounds …all part of the interesting journey.

And this year, K continues to be her amazing self, holding it all for me and keeping up with Sethi Sahib’s  maverick ways . S and V continue to be the bonding glue of the house and beautifully  growing  together and N Singh and S Singh both brought in tonnes of smiles , laughter’s and equal measures of yelling’s 😃

But it’ been Mom and dad who like pillars that stood behind all of us and held our backs.  No words can express thanks for everything that they do to keep our lives together

As I look back at 2019 , Modiji continue to surprise us every year  and my man Kejriwal continues to hold the fort , tony kakkar and neha kaakr made a dheeme dheeme entry into my playlist  while Vrindavan, Mathura, Agra, Dehradun, Mussorie , Jaipur were all the many places where C&B bestowed upon their presence and made all of us more adept in handling all kind of challenges.

As I look ahead another decade stands in front of Sethi Sahib, I hope pray and wish that when I write 2030 post, the gratitude only rise, smiles only increase and all of us stand together to welcome many more years in our lives together.

So let Sethi Sahib welcome another year and another decade with Salman Bhai’s famous words again.. Swagat to Karo humara 😃

Happy New year 2020 !! Wishing you a healthy , happy and smiling year ahead!

Ranjha yeh fannah ho gaya! 

And here comes 31^st of Dec again and boy how fast this year went…. faster than the touch and go screen space time Sara Ali khan had in second half of movie Simba … Which I think is good both ways… for the year 2018 it meant despite all the challenges all the ups and downs it went off well.. lots of gratitude to the big boss up there for the same and for Sara Ali khan it meant , the screen space was  much better utilized with all the SUV’s TUV’s….ZUV’s flying around.

This year too, it was K who pushed me to deliver this blog right before the deadline date. JFYI…Couple of hours back in the ATM queue I was reminded off the same. I guess somethings never change at ATM queue. If last year it was modiji reminding us of our cashless status, this year it was K reminding me of my blogless existence as I stood in the never-ending ATM queue. Saving grace, this year ATM’s had cash and were working and K’s reminder worked.

At work, it continued to be the year of change, and looks like 2019 would be no different, busier, different, and challenging than the previous one and on personal front chantu bantu are getting naughtier, smarter and in some cases over smarter too……..As they take turn to test your abilities to be able to work , move, think…. drive…eat… “just go on with life”..”bade chalo bade chalo”..right in middle of Chaos , chorus and cries for apparently no reason mankind could fathom and in turn making you appreciate the beauty of words like meditation, spirituality , karma…😊 But jokes apart they are the blessings that hold the house together and I just pray they both stay blessed always.

This year, there was another entrant too. … Fortuner…. finally and fortunately everybody has their own AC vent now … and we all will drive happily ever after…not exactly the right reason why others buy cars ..but I guess for us it was the biggest attraction after years of me sweating it out in the natural sauna of the back seat of scorpio.

It was also year of changing tech slowly seeping in day to day life – Amazon, flipk cart , Netflix &  prime movies, alexa , casting ,  mirzapur, voot,  online streaming of movies…video calls....a big wow and  and a bigger how for the way  the world is changing …

And as I wrap up big thanks to everyone in my life. Mom and dad for keeping us right and holding us tight, K for all that she silently does in the background  and bearing sethisahib’s nuances , S & V for always being there and bringing tonnes of joy and every day in the house..  friends at work , life,  WhatsApp and facebook ( in no particular order)  for hundreds of smiles , thoughts and messages you share every day.

And not to forget the most important thing as I end…. this year while half of bolly wood was either getting married and the other half was attending the marriage parties of who were getting married, just one man, our very own Salman bhai stood just the same… single…nonchalant ..doing what he likes to do ..It was just memorable watching him do his regular stuff in RACE 3 in jaipur’s raj mandir  theatre in middle of all the whistle calls and wild dancing  right next to the theatre’s screen flexing his shoulders and biceps on Ranja yeh fanna hogaya …boy I can still hear the song in my mind 😊

Andc as we concluded and bid goodbye to 2018.. I wish each one of you a very healthy successful, happy and a smiling new year 2019 and as Salman Bhai said on this years BIGG BOSS , apna kaam karo, , taaki mata pita ka naam ho, mata pata pita ka nam hoga to desh ka naam hoga aur agar kaam nahin hoga to ….. 😊

 

Swag se Karenge Sabka Swagat!

Finally 31st of Dec again and another year has just rushed past. Time to write my yearly post and this year too, as always, K has been pushing me to sit and complete this annual ritual. And looking at her "telling u last time " looks in the morning , I know if I don't do it now, I m only getting Tinde , tori , ghiya and shalgam in my lunch box for the most part of 2018

So here is Sethi sahib  back again ...sitting on his drawing room seat, away from the hustle bustle of lobby area,(which btw also backs up as dangal arena for the boys) trying to contemplate on the year that has gone by and also on the lunch menu for the new year, if this one gets posted on time :-)

This year started in queues, courtesy modi'jis Mitroon call. ATM hunting became part of morning ablutions and  Cash was as scarce as hint of intelligent life in Rakhi Sawants mind. Then came Mr Trump in God bless Amreeka followed by something like GST which everyone is still trying to decipher.

There were lot of changes at work front too, many of the old colleagues and friends switched jobs, new people joined in, times are changing , robots are slowly coming and the matrix is going to be unplugged soon. Look out for that elusive NEO is on.

Personally, Chantu Bantu are growing now and if anything that can give dangal a run for its money are these two ustaads put together. You realized the importance of Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery as you run through your day, but at the end of the day, its them and their presence which puts a big smile as you crash out in the night.

K continues to be what she does best, handling a crazy guy like Sethi Sahib in her own way with additional responsibility of managing Chantu who looks like to be two steps ahead in his craziness, So thanks K for everything you do and also a big shout out and thanks to S and V too who are the stabilizing factor in life. I wish the best of world for them as they run through there share of highs and lows together. Mom and Dad,you are the glue which holds this whole world together. There are no words to express the gratitude for everything they have given and continue to give , every single day of our lives.

Some other Names and songs that resonate this year - Jasmine Sandlas ( Bamb Jatt, Munda UP), Shape of you, Despecito ( or what ever way its spelled), Ding Danng , Ek baar aa to sahi, Judwa 2 ( Chantu Bantus first favorite movie, will always remember , both dancing together in movie hall on the songs of this movie ) and last but not the least Doremon and Shinchan - they mysteriously appear on the TV after some minutes for some reason :-)

Baaki 2018 is just knocking on the doors, Hoping its good for everyone. Looking forward to welcome a new year, a new day , some new moments, new people, new hopes with our full Punjabi swag or as Salman Bhai , in his own poetic style puts together for all of us... " Swag se Karenge Sabka Swagat"

So be good ,be healthy , be happy and do whatever you want to do yaar..but don't trouble your mother!

 

 

                                                                          Chai

Sabka khyaal rakhti ho...
Kabhie taqleef mein bhi hansti ho..
Yeh gussa bhi achha hain..
Man se nahin ..woh man to saccha hain
Aaj tabiyat nasaaz hain...
Mujhe pata hain..auroon se raaz hain.
Phir bhi ek muskaan hain..
Himmat hain..lambi udaan hain
Woh himmat us zid se aayyi hain..
Jo khud se khud ki ladai hain.....
Yeh janta hoon...tum apni raah pechanti ho..
Sirf dil ki sunti ho ....aur apni hi maanti ho
Phir bhi Kabhie...rukne ka dil kare kisi meel ke pathar par....
...to mujhe apne peeche zaroor dekh lena..
Kuch baat karenge chai par..tum zor se hansna
Aur  phir se  chal dena...

Tuk Tuk Tuk Karti Chalti Meethi Thaari Zindagi

Yes Guys…. I know….I missed the deadline for updating my year end blog…. Silent stares I am getting from K remind me of Kejriwal talking about Mr. Jung in his press conferences and S is aptly playing the role of Mr. Sisodia in tow J . S & K combination is lethal everywhere and I can vouch for it

Or Maybe Sethi Sahib wanted to write on year start in 2017 rather than year end this year or maybe it was the writer’s block with record posting of 2 additional posts on 2016 …

Whatever it may be in my head …but here I am, sitting in front of my computer trying to pen down some thoughts while missing the New Year entertainment program of confused Yadav’s from hinterland of UP trying to expel each other in an infinite for loop …. BTW it was my favorite coding loop in school that helped students to hang the computer and let it crash.. J

About 2016… it had its own share of memories… if it’s not for K , I would not have been able to  enjoy my endless hours spent on news, books, social media channels, Reality shows and work at office …..I know Sethi Sahib gets into weird mode sometimes but it’s only because K let me be it… Thank you K

S & V welcome sabse chote sethi sahib...The Sexy Sam...and by god ki grace keh raha hoon …..he has stolen my heart with his smile.. V,S…Good going as mom and dad ( secret ..you are much better than me J)

Our rocky Sultan continues to bump me off from his ably acquired Gyan every day from every inch of this universe….. He is learning his daav pench in lifes akhara really well and I do hope he turns out to be the best  pehlwaan, haryane ki shaan , mahra sultan ….. in every dangal life throws at him.

About Mom, Dad ..they are the backbones of Sethi sahib’s house.. We are what we are is because of everything they do for us every day … I find really hard to pen down something about them here…But I guess they know what I want to express…

Other highlights from the year  …I somehow found myself in brazil for a month… Cool place ….Par brazil ke bhaiyoon..please thodi angrezi ya Punjabi seekh lo… I am telling you .. next time you do that .. Copacabana beach will only play honey singh , daljit, dr zeus forever …

November December was happening, while Modi ji made me remember to stand in banks queue again, Donald trump reaffirmed my faith in collective cluelessness. … R, we spent another year talking laughing cribbing.. .. I hope you find your right babe and right boss this year..And my Office had zinkiness written all over it … and sometimes it’s only the crazy zinkiness that helps you survive a tough year smiling ….

And from 2017.... my biggest, hope, pray wish is good health for everyone … I really pray for everyone’s good health and less visits to doctor this year…

In the end just wanted to say to everyone, who still manages to read my blog.. A big jhappi wala Thank You….

Once again , Signing off this yearly report card, by Salman bhai’s words ( My fav song this year )

Re tuk tuk tuk tuk karti chalti
Meethi thari zindagi
Re bole, re bole dhola dhol dhadak dhin
Dhadak dhin, dhadak dhin

Happy New Year 2017 !!

That night, those eyes, that endless drive...

Winter breeze, near frozen night
That Black leather seat, you fit in just right
You fasten your belt, I race my car
Such warmth I felt…
That night, those eyes, that endless drive

My silly joke, you laugh out hard
Your try to hold, I don’t want that all
It’s the best sound, I ever heard
Musical it was ….
That night, those eyes, that endless drive

You move your hands, it touches my side
Your dark curls, they dance my right
I see those lips, as you sneak outside
Time moved slow….
That night, those eyes, that endless drive

You change the station; it played one 90’s song
Not your playlist, but you hum along
Your words, my silence, that perfume you smell
Imprinted in me forever…
That night, those eyes, that endless drive

 

 

Tea and Toast !

The Day's been tough,
I have battled it hard,
I wrap up my desk, myself & pocket my card
I rush for that moment, I love the most
You, Your warm cup of tea and that crispy toast...

My drive back home,
Your smile sit just next to me
I feel that breeze, my breath & your goofy pic
I rush for that moment, I love the most
You, Your warm cup of tea and that crispy toast...

Remember that night, starry , rainy and windy sight.
When the soft music played
I stop by that terrace café, pick up that chocolate cake
I rush for that moment, I love the most
You, Your warm cup of tea and that crispy toast...

Never Ever Ever

Like every year it’s K who is after me to pen at least one post this year before the clock goes for final 12 for 2015.

The pressure build up to the last day of the year is equivalent to what SRK does to television before his movie release. You see him everywhere , right from Rupa baniyan andar-ki-baat advertisements to giving gyan on oh – I-will-die-right away-if- I- see one-more-of-them dancing shows, literally forcing you \to go and watch one of his another dilwale, india wale, raj wale movies and contribute handsomely to his Jannat Mannat dreams.

It amazes me how K remembers everything, right from the number of times I wore my pink shirt to office in one month to number of times she won an argument with me. The second one is easier to remember because it’s always 100 % as she wins all arguments any ways sooner or later. It never ends until she wins  … I am sure , I am getting into another one post writing this.. but men will be men..he he he … But honestly speaking its only K who can handle the Kejriwal in Sethi Sahib. Thanks K for another year of togetherness

Talking about the year 2015…It just ran very fast…I hadn’t finshed finshed enjoying att goriye from 2014 when preet harpal came with another Law kardi hondi si in 2015…. In Office I was clogged with work , firing all cylinders from one post to another. My war cry being ….jidhar general ne bol diya..wahin humne thok diya..lol

Jr Sahib kept all of us on toe… I am sure he is turning one of its kind of ultra alpha male in coming years. Nothing in his reach stayed non broken…even with his limited vocab and his debating skills, he can surelycreate terror in heart of likes of arnab goswami

SU & V or our SUV continued spreading happiness around Sethi Sahib’s life . Thanks Guys….. If it was not you Sethi sahib would have long gone Budbackk or as Jr Sethi Sahib says Gud bug. Sethi Sahib's dil felt blessings for both of you for a special 2016 :) 

P&M …or for our PM no words can ever help me pen my thoughts qnd feelings..never ever ever ever as Arnab sir once said!

Salman khan and Kejri sir kept on delivering fireworks every quarter… and R… I really hope 2016 is different  its been 18 years since 1998…

Life goes on kabhie khushi kabhie gham or as kejri sir would like … kabhie odd, kabhie even …. Thanks for travelling another year with me….love… gratitude ..lots of wishes ..power to handle office jerks…. from deep dil se for year 2016..Happy New Year !!! And as Salman ji says...do whatever you do yaar ..but dont trouble your mother !! Cheers! for you and me.

Buri Nazar Waale.....

Wow, another year just rushed past. Sethi Sahib continues with procrastinated approach of posting just one post an year. This time too it’s K and S persistent efforts bringing me back here once again.

Just got an SMS from K to either post it or be ready to be roasted and you know it when you get it in written from K, even reciting Sankatmochan 100 times every comingTuesday  of your life , won’t be of any help.

So here is Sethi sahib, once again, in retrospective mood analyzing another year which is getting over in few hours from now. Something’s never change, Arnab’s irritation with the world around him and Sethi Sahib’s year end post.

2014 was the years of decks for me….and just to make it clear for not so office wallah people and my happy Golide Titoo shoki friends from Tilak Nagar market …Decks are something where office wala baba log empty out randomized thought process in structurally aligned approach complete with overarching themes of managerial jargons , adding value through multitudes of appendix content and raising the performance bar through strategically focused thought leadership

Don’t worry if you don’t get any of the lines above, nor did I , but the fact is that, at one point of time, this year, Sethi Sahib was seriously thinking of putting up a board outside his day time dwelling place – His office cubicle with a 24 size bold black Arial font citing, “ Humare yahan pe har prkaakar ke deck tassalibaksh banaye jaate hian” with a center spaced footnote “ Babe di full full kripa”  I was churning out decks after decks, slides after slides this year on all kind of topics.

And if the idea would have been permitted by office facilities department , next in line were couple of another boards with my all-time favorite lines “ Buri Nazar wale tera moonh kaala, and Aaj Nakad , kal udharr” written all over them. But I guess they got the whiff and I had to drop the board.

So this was the year, lot of hard work for boss in office and in equal proportion for chote Sethi Sahib at home. Again if it was not K and S supporting me at both the places, I would have surely gone Tusahar kaporr or in other words gone crazy 

Apart from that ,looks like Mr Kejriwal has lost the plot this year, NOTA is all I have , to take your heart away. Salman Bhai continues to bring hope , cheer , joy and kick to his fans. This year was surely his. Definitely Salman Bhai Dil mein aate hain , samajh mein nahin . Trips to Amritsar, Srinagar, Benaras, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Shiridi added precious memories. Punjabi songs continue to rock for me. #1 song for me in 2014 was Suit Patiala shahi….what lines , what punju flleings …Ni lage tera att goriye, tera ssuit Patiala shahi….Hard kaur and preet harpal you guys rock together ……and last but not the least… It was equally heartening to see chote Sethi Sahib loving punju songs in equal measures..It’s all in the genes as they say..

And before I end ….message for new year…. Exactly same as last year..From Salman Bhai himself…. Do whatever you want to do yaar  But be good !

Sethi Sahib’s love admiration and respect for all you folks for making it here every year. Here’s wishing you and your love ones a very Happy Healthy Smiling new year  !

Ek Aur Saal AAP ke Saath :)

Well another year coming to an end and if its not been for K or S this online estate of mine would have missed the post for this year. For both you guys from the bottom of my heart- few words for everything you did for me - " Baba ji I love you "

As rest of the house is busy watching DD's new year programme ( Yes we still make it a point to watch it every year, between the ads on the other channels off course ) I am trying to pen down few words which are coming as hard as my answers in the compiler paper of the third year university exams.

And as the austerity has been the flavour of this year , my words for this yearly post are few. My hero Salman Khan has been replaced by Arvind kejriwal, who was the real Dabangg this year and gave everyone else sleepless nights . I am sure chemists shops in the Lutyens Delhi area ran out of  Disprins because of this Mango Man.

This year was also special as it was when we were joined by Choudhary SP sahib and S's V.
Way Choudhary SPS sahib is acting in last 10 months , i am sure he is going to make it to roadies without any auditions.

Rest everything was same.... wait for right job , right boss and right appraisal continues. Lesser SMS, lesser emails and more gratitude for everything in life.

And the parting words for this year .... off course from the Man Salman Khan itself..... DO Whatver you want to do Yaar :)

JAI HO!

Cheers!

Swagat nahin karoge humara …. J

Last and only post of this year and trust me, even this year, if it would not have been K, I would have easily ignored this precious online real estate of mine this year.

So let me start of writing being thanks to K for her persistent efforts of making me sit and write this  and also for many other zillion things K did for which I can possibly never pay back . If K would have been in Anna’s team we would have Lokapal bill sign ed off …..kasam se keh raha hoon chahe by god khila lo ….

This year zapped up like a flash, it was as if yesterday when I was taking about Salman Bhai and my Scorpio. Trust me they still remain the same. I love them so much, the way they are,  that I  didn’t even  went for the third service of my Scorpio in last 1.5 years and my undying love for chulbul pandey would give all splits villa contestants put together a run for their money. Ek Secret baat bata raha hoon ek…. I really wana do abhishekum of salaman khan in a cinema hall like my dear hyderabadis did for Sivaji the BOSS.

This year, most of my weekends were spent contributing to Indian film industry. If there is real brand ambassador to 100 crore club it would have been sethi sahib.  If I watched anything more than Avind kejriwals expose on TV’s and Arnab Goswami’s word marathon at 9 PM news hour , they were movies at SRS Celebration Mall at Guragon. ( BTW in this mall you can shoot entire season of Ghsot Hunters or maybe RGV’s next Bhoot 3 )

I read more, I traveled more, I worked more. I SMSEed less, chatted less, I facebooked less, I twittered almost nothing. Is Sethi Sahib getting old….

Some random names/event  that summed up this year for me  arvind kejriwal, Salman , Ek tha tiger, Dabangg 2, high heels ,  World cup win, London Olympics, Bigg Boss, Arnab Goswami, anti corrouption, salman Khurshid expose,  aam aadmi , mango people , Robert vadra, dagabaaz naina ,Mithun da’s  kya baat , kya baat , kya baat . Himesh bhai , his presence , his songs, gangs of wasseypur.

S came back from Au.  Thanks S for being back .R is still hunting for that special someone and added another year to the 15 years of fighting it together.

And if you are still reading Sethi Sahib’s nonsensical post for so many years now and visiting this long forgotten place… a bade wala ,  mithhe  wala , Thank you.. ( I guess I also sub consciously got inspired by Kjos Ishq wala love this year ..what the heck ..lol)

And this year too, I really wanted to end with Ghalib Sahib’s sher, (Dekhiye paate hain usshaq buton se kya faiz,Ek brahmin ne kaha hai keh yeh saal accha hai.)

But I have been strictly reminded of anothe round of ramlila miadan protests if this was repeated this year , so this year I would end with these parting words for all of you ….

Jiyo ae Bihar ke lala, jiyo tum hazaar sala, 

Tani naaci ke, tani gayee ke,

Tani naachi gayee , sabka man behlawa re bhaiyaa

Happy New Year….

Yo-Yo Honey Singh

I was happily ignoring my precious blog this year and was totally unaware of the fact that it’s been more than a year I posted anything out here since the sentimental Shilpa Shetty pic in last September. Maybe I like Shilpa Shetty so much that I always want her on top of my blogs and thoughts. He He He (BTW Dear Shilpa warm wishes for the coming baby)

But suddenly, it was K who jolted me out of my Kumbhkarnic Slumber to post something on my most favorite piece of real estate on internet before the clock struck the fog covered, freezing cold midnight in Gurgaon .
K --- “ek baar meine jo commitment kardi do to phir mein salman bhai ki bhi nahin sunta” :-) Thanks for making me write this.

As I write this, New Zealand has already welcomed 2012 and I am just hoping before the new year steps in At Jat land of Gurgaon , I have complted my humble duty of adding my share of final words and phrases of 2011 on the mammoth online servers of Google where this blog is hosted.

And what’s the safest , quickest way to write something on the last day of the year than to put togther a Summary of how 2011 has been..........

As Sethi sahib introspect this year it was year of Anna Hazare, Kolveri Di , salman khan jalebi bai , and Honey Singh ( more tributes for Honey paaji are posted down)

As fate would have it , from a hardcore Delhi wala , I was transformed into jattan ka chhorran in Gurgaon as I shifted to Gurgaon this year to a house which according to colleagues at my office would give Burj Dubai a run for its money. Helipad at roof top, Golf Carts to take you from one room to another and acres of farmland spread across.

And as per the greatest tradition of Harayanvi folklore , I also bought a black Scorpio and now seriously thinking of having “Gujjar Boy /Jat boy” written on the back windshields , instead of “ Punajbi Munda” as planned earlier. Also, I guess writing "Happy , Bunty and Pinki thi Gaddi" would take some more time .

This year also saw me reading like the Maya prophecy of world coming to end in 2012 would come true. Despite regular protest at home, was able to successfully smuggle many books to my basement library. Thanks to unearthing of online treasure of holy site of Filpkart and heavenly concept of Cash on delivery for buying books. My range was endless and I read everything from Steve Jobs , to Devanand to Shohiab akhtar ( don’t look at me like this, mein sharam se sharma jaaonga ) to the news articles on the paper bags in which I brought Om sweets ke Mashoor Desi Ghee waale chole bathore.

I t was also a year of good friends. Eat loved prayed and did many LOLS with many new and old special ones. A got married, R is giving his best to get married, met new frnds at office , trained with new frnds at XLRI and bid farewell to SK. Shall miss the 3 o Clock tea SK used to prepare for me in the pantry.

Visited three J’s this year, Jaipur , Jamshedpur and Jim Corbett. Jaipur for Satsang, Jamshedpur for studies at XLRI and Jim Corbett for dancing on Jalebi Bai at office offsite. As you can see how I have emerged out as Raymond the complete Man , having happily incorporating satsag to Sherawat Malika in my life this year. Modesty thy name is Sethi Sahib :-)

Sethi Sahib’s Favorite music genre ( Hardcore Punjabi ) was greatly enriched by contributions from Honey Singh. I guess top 10 songs for this year for me would have at least 5 from Honey Singh alone. If I have loved anyone more than Hmesh Reshamiya this year it was Honey Singh. Oh Yo- Yo Honey Singhhhhhh, as he likes to call himself. Paaji tussi great ho !

Other songs that touched my heart were Lolipop lagele, meow meow billi, excuse me miss subhalakshmi and ankh da kara. YouTube, heartiest thanks to you, you played a great role in satisfying , sethi sahib’s musical soul to the core.

And in the end , Sethi Sahib wants to thank everyone who have touched my life this year and also to everyone who I haven’t met /spoken/written/chatted /emailed/ scrapped / Smsesd/ facebooked/ linked Ined this year We may not have spoken much this year , We may not have spammed each other mailboxes , we may not have excahnged statuses on the hundreds of social networking sites , but I owe each one of you my sincere gratitude for making me who I am…..in short a nut case :-)

And for next year just wanted to quote from my ever favorite Ghalib Sahib Ghazals:
Dekhiye paate hain usshaq buton se kya faiz,Ek brahmin ne kaha hai keh yeh saal accha hai.
Hamko ma'aloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin, dil ko behlane ko, 'GHalib' KHayaal achcha hai

Happy New Year !

PS: Since Shilpa is now happily married and starting a family soon in 2012, this year end it would be Salman Bhai’s Pic :-)

Something beautiful about this!

Some connections here, we make on earth,
You had a name for them, so hard you wished,
When the whole world asks, why is it?
All I say,
There is something beautiful about this.

Lots of things to say, so many thoughts to share,
You still never call me, and I have your number on the top of my list.
When the whole world asks, why is it?
All I say,
There is something beautiful about this.

Some words you have, some silent moments for me to fill,
You never write back to me, and I have I a book written on you I wished
When the whole world asks, why is it?
All I say,
There is something beautiful about this.

We want someone with us forever, and then you let her go and climb her peaks.
She smiles big and packs up her bags, I stand there, smile back, with that silent kiss
When the whole world asks, why is it?
All I say,
There is something beautiful about this.

Software Engineers dont die.....They just go offline !!