I love Indiblogger meets. For one, that is the one time I get to see the younger one and the other fantastic boys and girls who make up the Inditeam, and enjoy the attention and pampering that one or the other lavishes on me. And for the other, there are those blogger friends I have made since the last one, whom I so want to meet in person. But it is not just for these reasons that I like attending them. It is also for the fun, wacky games and activities, where everyone joins in with gusto, me included.
Of late though, things have been getting faster and too tech-savvy for me. Twitter and FB rule! And everything is quick, quick and quicker please. The old bones do protest, even if the spirit says, ‘Run, quick!’
Disclaimer: This post got delayed not because of my slowness, but because I had promptly fallen ill the day after the meet and just got up to finish it. Don’t they say that too much of a good thing is bad for you?
That Sunday, as I entered the lobby of the hotel, I stood admiring the impressive flight of stairs in front of me. But when I was told that I had to go up that to reach the venue, it magically turned from being impressive to intimidating. As I was contemplating asking about a lift, I saw this young girl. Something about her was familiar. Ah, the dazzling smile! Not willing to tax my poor brain, I asked her her name. ‘Anisha Nair,’ she said flashing the smile again. Of course, I knew her! I had recently discovered her, and I must tell you folks, she writes well. She was sweet enough to walk with me as I huffed and puffed up the stairs, eager to meet old, new and yet-to-become friends.
Sometimes you just hit it off with someone online. It was that way for me with Indu. From reading her blog to talking to her over the phone, she had become a good friend. The next step was to meet her. So I persuaded her to come for the meet. The problem was that she lived in Kota. She had cajoled her husband to come along and he had gamely agreed even though the meet was an all-woman one. Gentle and soft-spoken, it was a delight meeting Indu finally and find that online and real life persona can merge seamlessly.
Another girl whom I have been trying to unsuccessfully meet for the past six months after she relocated from Gwalior, was Varsha. I have been her fan for over two years now and love her crisp no-nonsense style of dinning sensible nutritional information into the readers’ head. Though I knew that she is a fitness devotee (she didn’t touch the juices that were wonderfully sweet and which I guzzled happily) and was beautiful, she took my breath away when I finally met her. Here was one who could easily have passed off for a model instead of a bureaucrat!
On one side of the hall there were these huge graffiti boards with spray paints lined up on a table. The youngsters were running up and writing on them and not wanting to be left behind, I dragged Indu along, though she kept protesting, ‘There is no space left, Zephyr.’ I picked up a can and was scrutinizing the colour, when the younger one came running and snatched it away from my hand. I was irritated. ‘What are you doing?’ I demanded. ‘You are pointing it at yourself amma, he said turning it the right way! This is another of the things I love – being the object of concern and pampering by him and other team members during these meets. (Either that, or they all know that Vinni’s mom is a klutz and needs careful monitoring!) Anyway, by the time we went to the boards they were all full. I wouldn’t give up and wrote at the bottom of one. Indu wisely saved herself the trouble.
The sight of so many lovely young girls and older girls was enough to warm the cockles of my heart. Some faces I remembered from previous meets and others I recognised from their profile pictures. But sometimes a photograph does not do justice to the face. I realised this when I came face-to-face with the dazzling Akanksha.
Often virtual names stick, especially when a yellow smiley passes off for a profile. But fortunately I had met Ash the week before and so the smiley had a lovely face and a name to go with it! Then this bright young girl greeted me. I smiled, trying to place her, when she said, ‘I am Sushmita,’ and reminded me that I had even visited her blog. More blank looks from me; ‘Shooting Star?’ she asked helpfully. Of course, I knew her!
I had not expected Aativas there, but was pleasantly surprised to see that she shared my table. Though I know her real name, somehow the virtual one sticks in my mind. I was happy to find someone with whom I could converse in Marathi, a language I hardly get to speak in the Capital, but couldn’t chat because there was so much to see and do and of course so many people to meet. We are planning to meet sometime soon.
As pointed out earlier, these meets are getting increasingly faster. And being a self-confessed SMS, things register rather slowly in my thick head as was amply demonstrated in the graffiti incident. So when Anoop announced that each table had to select a mummy, I thought he meant a mommy kind of mummy and pointed at the others who were eminently more suited to be one. After all, I am a grandmother, aren’t I!
But by the time the import of the toilet rolls that were handed out, hit me, my teammates had nominated me to be the mummy! And they began enthusiastically wrapping me and sticking post-its by the dozen, led energetically by Varsha, describing their prize mummy in choice terms as being all kinds of lovely things that I can only hope to be in my dreams. I wished in hindsight I had collected them to flaunt in front of the family. But I secretly suspect they were used more to hold the toilet roll together! Making a sari-clad woman the mummy wasn’t such a good idea after all!
I gingerly walked to the stage, the post-its popping off and unraveling my ‘costume’, as I quickly calculated and worried about the number of rolls that had gone into the game and consequently to the damage to the environment. The mummies stood for a cause and there was even an ‘empowered’ mummy! Teams were tweeting away madly to make their exhibit win. I was the oldest mummy and the only sari-clad one, but my avatar didn’t cut any ice with Anoop as he critically looked at me and awarded the prize to the one which had got most tweets. Will someone please tell him about the Return of the Mummy?
Then when the teams were handed the materials for the flower arrangement competition I was no help either. If you had thought I am only a klutz at things technical, you are mistaken. I pretended to be busy pulling out the stuff from the bag handed out to us and happily let the others take the lead. I squarely blame the L&M and the Brats for not having any appreciation of the arts and crafts for my klutziness in this department. Had it not been for good old Indu, we might not have come up with an arrangement at all!
During the introductions I was intrigued by this girl who kept insisting that she had a blog about endangered species, which was not just about tigers. She repeated the last phrase to underline it. I craned my neck to see her, but the dim light and the distance didn’t afford me a view. I sought her out after lunch and found a pleasant and passionate wild-life aficionado. Atula had a lot to share, but again, there was not much time and so on my return home, I promptly subscribed to her blog.
There were more prizes with me getting none, of course. And then it was all over and it felt too soon though we had been there for the better part of the day. As we were leaving, a young girl came and introduced herself. I fell in love with the name Ghata. I loved her even more, when she said that she read my blog regularly!
And oh, I met the youngest blogger of the meet, Shreeya, at the exit. The bubbly young thing has some great drawings on her blog. Do check them out.
And that is what I love about these meets – you get to discover lovely bloggers and their blogs, make new friends and of course feel gratified when someone reacts with pleasure as you introduce yourself. After all we are all egoists at some level, aren’t we?
Happy Dushera, folk
The Cybernag 
I have read this post a tad late, but I am glad I did! I am mentioned on Zephyr’s blog (so what if it doesn’t have my blog URL?) I am still so excited about it!!! Love reading your blog Ma’m, although I am the laziest when it comes to commenting on the blog.
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Ah I love Indi meets to bits too! Just did my maiden one last month! *grinnnnn*
Do stop by my blog! I’d love your comments & visits!!
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That is so True Zephyr. These meets help us meet our blogger friends and virtual friends, and it is always nice to meet someone in person, that too when we develop a good rapport with them. In fact last year when the Chennai Meet was conducted, a few of us created this Group Called Chennai Bloggers Club in Facebook and we meet once in 3 months and have a lot of interaction and fun. I so love these meets and I wish to meet all my Blogger friends from the other states as well. And I would definitely want to meet you too 🙂
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That sounds interesting. A blogger’s club that meets regularly is great considering Indiblogger meets happen infrequently. We try to meet in ones and twos when we can. I would love to meet you too if you happen to come to Delhi at any time. Just shoot a mail and I will be there 🙂
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And I had to miss this one 😦 I would have loved to attend this meet and catch up with some lovely people like you!
Now should I blame myself for not checking the Indi website or the Indi team for not intimating me about this meet? Either ways I know I have lost a nice opportunity 😦 *Sigh*
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Aww, don’t worry. There will be other meets. And you can surely meet even more people next time, in addition to the usual ones. 🙂 I wonder how Inditeam missed calling you? Had you registered?
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I am so jealous. It is indeed so much fun to meet and see the faces behind those words we have been reading and hearing. It takes the friendship that blossomed through the blogs to the next level. It was fascinating to read your lovely little encounters with all your lovely blogger friends and all the fun you had. I hope to attend one of these events sometime soon and more importantly meet you very soon.
Btw.. you should post some pictures. 😉
And thank you so much for introducing me to some more lovely bloggers.
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You are welcome Raj. It gives me immense pleasure when my friends discover new blogs and friends through the links on my blog. That is the whole point of blogging, isn’t it? Oh, it would be lovely to meet you too. let’s hope, sometime in the not too distant future. When did you say you are coming home? My mummy and other pictures are all over FB 🙂
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sounds like a fun meet!! i thought indimeets are boring. lovely post as usual Zephyr and great to know you met sooooooo many fellow bloggers. keep rocking :D!!
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Hey Deb, nice to have you back 🙂 When are you going to start blogging? As for Indimeets, they are anything but boring. The informal atmosphere and the happy vibes add to the fun. Try it sometime!
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It’s a wonderful concept. It’s wonderful that events like these give bloggers a platform to meet each other and share thoughts. The best thing is that it gives new bloggers like us to interact and learn something about creativity from talented people like you. I am not sure if ever I am going to attend one; as the shyness in me does not allow me to do so. 🙂 But I believe it’s a great thing to do.
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Good to see you here, Arindam. The best thing about these meets is that they are informal and everyone has a lot of fun. so there is no place for shyness at all. Look at me at my age, having fun 😀 Who knows? you might attend one some day not in the too distant future 🙂
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Another good thing about these meets is to read the various views and reports about them!
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And the goofier the better, right?
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Bingo!
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Great fun times for you at the Indi meet zephyr ! And your circle of friends is ever increasing…… Fantastic !
Enjoyed your post !
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Interesting account ma’am.. Have heard of u a lot but yet to be regular one on your blog.. was fun to see you wrapped up as mummy clad in saree..I was there but couldn’t meet. The chance has got postponed till the next meet..
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There are so many people to meet and get to know that it is simply not possible to do it. So we keep attending more meets and try to make up 🙂 I would need many more meets to get know all of you!
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What this article of yours has done is that its increased my eagerness of meeting one of my favorite favorite bloggers very very soon 😉 Your mummy avatar is very cute: ever cheerful hearty smile flashing across 🙂 and the belan no where in picture 😛 That graffiti thing sounds quite interesting too for a starter, what did you write on the board?
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Poor Vinni! He had really been alarmed to see his mother inspect the can with the nozzle turned towards her 😀 Yes, we are coming and be ready with a Rajasthani spread 🙂
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wow aunty, wonderfully written! 🙂 thanks for mentioning me …. love!!
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How could I not mention my fellow mummy? 😀
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Lucky you:)..I have nevr been able to join any:(
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The next time they have one in Chennai, you should take part. It is a wonderfully informal gathering and you will love it.
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Hi Zephyr
‘Return of the mummy’? Lolz! Thanks for leading me to some really wonderful blogs. Just visited Anisha;s and Varsha’s pages!
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I am happy to be able to give links of good bloggers. Varsha has a poetry blog too. Hope you enjoy the others too. And yes, the mummy will return to haunt Anoop!
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I am happy to see your IndiBlogger meet pictures on FB 😐
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Are you? Then why the vexed smiley? Maybe because I was not a proper ‘mummy’? 😀 😀
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You looked great as Mummy as well as holding a green balloon, but I have to be happy only with the pictures as I couldn’t attend the meet!
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I couldn’t see any pic of me holding the balloon. where did you see that one? And hey, please please let me know if you come to Delhi. Would love to meet the wonderfully sarcy blogger whose posts are a laugh riot.
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First things first. I really regret coming in so late to comment as I find that you have allotted dates to meet many Mumbai bloggers when you come here in December. Will you have time to meet me? Please, please do pencil in a date for me as well before you run out of them.
This is such a lovely post, Zephyr, and I really regret never having attended one, at least not a formal ones organised by Indiblogger or BlogAdda anyone else. The next time there is a suitable blogger meet at Mumbai, I’ll be there. 🙂
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LOL Sudha, you are the limit! Did you hope that I have forgotten the date at the Stolen coffee house? Don’t worry, we will spend a day there. And when there is a meet in Mumbai next year, I do hope to attend and you can witness all the antics that I do 🙂
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Thank you Zephyr for the kudos….feels so good to be part of your post…:)
It’s durga pujo time for us bengalis so could not comment earlier …but your gracious lines made my day a little more special…:) Hope I remain in the good books of this savvy nagger…:)
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Oh, I simply loved the way you insisted that your efforts are not only to save the tigers 🙂 Of course I will be reading your blog and leaving comments too, IF I have something intelligent by way of one 😀
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😦 I dont know what to say other than that I am so jealous
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You and jealous? Naaah….Bikram has no place in his heart for negative emotions. 🙂
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You seemed to have had a great time, and made more friends now. How do you keep up dear?Amazing.
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Keeping up with friends? That’s easy Pattu 😀
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I also want to attend a meet. Have never been to one yet 😦 All you folks in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore keep having so much fun. I am jealous…
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You can attend any meet in any city. Why not hop over to Mumbai for the next meet? 🙂
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How lovely. And you sure love these meets. I’ve never been to one. I wish I get to attend one of these meets someday. 🙂
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I am sure you will be able to attend one if you keep track of the Indimeets that are held regularly.
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Wow! Sounds like it was a fun meet, Zephyr! And thanks for introducing so many bloggers- now I have lots of new blogs to visit!
Hope your health is back to normal now. 🙂
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It was indeed a fun meet, but youth rules!! Health is limping back to normal slowly.
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I would like to thank you on behalf of Shreeya for the mention here. I means a lot to both of us 🙂 And you deserve all the attention and “pampering” that you get and a lot more 🙂 And if you think you are clumsy and klutzy, wait till you see me in “action”:)
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you are welcome Amrita. I didn’t see anyone else who was as clumsy as me at the meet. Didn’t you see the anxious looks that the members of the Inditeam kept shooting in my direction and were always at hand? 😀
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I found you very affectionate and enthusiastic when we met at the Meet and here at your blog you have bowled me over by your self deprecating sense of humour. Having experienced your charm myself firsthand, I can vouch for the fact that the reason Inditeam was always around you was because they wanted to bask in the warmth that you exude. 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Thank you so much for the appreciation, Amrita but you are mistaken. Ask the Inditeam and Vinni in particular. He will tell you in an aside that his mom indeed needs an eye kept on her 😀
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How wonderful!! when will I be able to meet at least one blogger that I follow or one that reads me..:( Liked your introductions, will surely check them. yes BM, too much fun is not good..that is the case with me any day.
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You should be able to meet some in the US? But you surely can meet some when you come home during your vacation. Make it via Delhi 😀
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Zephyr your love n affection are so overwhelming –like a treasure to be ensconced.I am learning many things from this association with you .Thanks ever so much for reaching out in your charming manner.
The meet was certainly a superb experience for which i can’t thank you enough.Reading your account has brought it back to me once more.
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That ia very generous of you, Indu. Thanks a lot 🙂 We each benefit from the other through such interaction and these meets just facilitate the process. How glad I am that you made it and also renewed your acquaintance with the city of your birth and youth.
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Ditto !!!!!
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Ah! you wouldn’t believe if I said that I was more glad than surprised to meet you. Out of all my blogger friends, guess you’re the first one that I wanted to meet in person. Loved this post. Refreshed the whole day for me which was a completely new experience 🙂
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Wouldn’t I believe? My dear girl, I would love to believe it. After all, who doesn’t like being flattered so? 😀 Do write more.
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Zephyr, just hope the Indis have a meet in Mumbai in December, and that we get to meet ! Enjoyed reading this post a lot !
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We are meeting, Indis or not, aren’t we? You should have seen me being such a goofball and a klutz. I pitied poor Vinni and Swati, both of whom were keeping an eye out for me. I think I was part of their job that day 😀
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Indiwalaas,
Holding meets in Navratri,
and the belan
takes on the
multitasking persona
of the garba tipri….
Dedicated erstwhile,
to the all round control
of the
stuck up and stubborn
atta dough
amidst cosmetically dusted rice flour,
the Belan
is otherwise
usually excellent
for whacking
those out of line,
and
poking
those who act
dreamy and deaf at
certain times
in the vicinity of certain folks.
Those excelling at
the advanced
interchangeable-ends
belan technology
are beyond
the ordinary
technology of spray paint cans.
Indiwallaas, just saying , OK ?
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Thank you so much for validating the multifarious uses of the belan as well as justifying my klutziness. What a wonderful way to do it too 😀 Lovely words, but it goes without saying. 🙂
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if it was just nt ladies meet, i am sure u would have found many more friends there… 🙂
still waiting for a meet to happen in vizag or chennai…
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Chennai had a meet sometime ago. I am not sure about Vizag. you are right about the mixed blogger meets. It is even more boisterous 🙂
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Loved meeting you again. It is always nice to get to know more bloggers every time and meet the old blogger friends. There is so much to know and to learn form each other.
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These meets are just parties when we can barely exchange names. It is hard to see and remember faces unless there is some interaction after the meet. It was nice meeting you too. I need some pick-me-up recipes after my illness. Will be scouting on your blog later 🙂
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Hmm! Hope there is a Delhi Indimeet (and not only for women 🙂 ) when I come there en route my annual Himalayan trek. Now why did I not start blogging when I was still working in Delhi 🙂
Not that the Bangalore Indimeet was not great fun and the people I met there were not great people. Still cannot forget that the first thing that happened in that meet was Vinnie greeting me on your behalf.
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When is your proposed Himalayan trek? I guess not before next summer. But if you are in Mumbai this Dec and Jan, we can meet. I will be ‘migrating’ there during the Delhi winter 🙂
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December is when I am in Chennai for the music season! Yup, the Himalayan trek can be no earlier than March/April!
You migrate away from Delhi for winters? 🙂 That’s when i’d love to be there- always loved the winters in my 16 years there – unfortunately winter is not quite the season for Himalayan treks 🙂
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Ah Suresh, we used to enjoy the Delhi winter too, but it takes a toll in terms of health these days. Creaky bones and all….Let’s hope to meet when you are enroute to the hills. Just drop a mail and we will set up something.
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Sure will!
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I would’ve loved some photos too, Zephyr. Perhaps someone else has put them up on the Indi forum?? If ever I’m in Mumbai during one of the Indi meets I’d love to attend. I wonder if I’d recognise you. I have a long list of bloggers I’d absolutely love to meet. And thanks for putting up those links – it would be nice to visit them over time.
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FB is crawling with the mummies. You can see me in all my glory on the Indiblogger FB page. They have put up many pics. And don’t worry, you will not miss me. Ask Akanksha 🙂 Are you likely to be there in Mumbai this Dec?
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December depends on when or if my nieces or nephews decide to get married.
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Let’s hope ‘they do.’ 🙂
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😀 😀 It was a fun meet
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And you Ritu, are a sport. How can I forget your sher for the arrangement we put together? 😀
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This sounds so much fun.. I wish it happens in pune.. I won’t miss it.
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Oh, you live in Pune? Why not come over to Mumbai, where we are all planning to meet in December. Of course it would not be at an Indiblogger thing unless they organise one for our sakes 😀
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Is it? Will definitely try. Just keep me in loop about the plan.
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Will do, Jas. 🙂
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I missed all the fun and of course the opportunity to meet you….The comment by Varsha –
“Really enjoyed spending time with you and found that the warmth that you exude online is multiplied manifold face to face, ” says it all.
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I missed you too. But I never say die. One day the twain shall meet! I also missed Purba. She can be the life of any party, isn’t it?
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And I came back to tell you something. My corporate life started at Pune. I would have loved to hear someone speak Marathi! Spent two years there, and I know it is a place where I would want to settle down, if given a chance. I miss the vada-pavs and the dabelis too much 😦 Sometimes I smile when I call a friend in Pune and the computerized voice says, “Kramankah vyast aahe, kripaya nirantar call kara” — this is waht I can manage in my tuti-futi marathi 🙂
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Pune is a nice place and seems to be the next best destination after Bangalore these days. Hope you get to settle down there and have your fill of dabelis and vada-paav, though Mumbai is the birthplace of the latter, I presume? And it is ‘nantar’ call kara 😀
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Zephyr jee tussi great ho : everyone whom you touch with your magic pen becomes someone with a goofy smile on their face ;
Really enjoyed spending time with you and found that the warmth that you exude online is multiplied manifold face to face. Love.
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Aww Varsha, that is sweet of you 🙂 when one has such lovely friends, it becomes easy to be nice 😀 And now to meet over coffee one day…..soon!
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wow!! a good read…..and i like you finding me a ‘bright young girl’ 🙂
nice to meet up wid u again!!
http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/
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Barring me and a few others, everyone else was a young girl 🙂 And you were indeed a bright young thing. Next time, I will remember both your names — hopefully 😛
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That definitely sounds like a good time, Zephyr! I am waiting to meet you one of these days! 🙂
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Oops. hit the publish too soon. Why no photos, Zephyr?
Happy Dussera!
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We don’t need a meet to meet, do we? We just need to be in the same city at the same time. 🙂 Pics? I am splashed all over FB in my mummy avatar. How did you miss it? The Indiblogger site has them and my profile does too. Enjoy!
Happy Dushera to you too 🙂
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I remember the shock on my face when you called me by my name. Let me tell you a little secret. I remember you telling me after the last (Dove) meet that I would have recognized you if you were there. This time, I was secretly wishing it to be you, when you introduced yourself 🙂 I was lucky to share a table with you! That was the highlight of the meet for me 🙂
Thank you so much for being so kind and linking me to this post 🙂 I am so glad and touched you did. Funny thing, I keep telling people that beautiful girls are not photogenic 😛 😉
Indi meets are the best and I love them for everything they are. It is always wonderful to “meet” the faces behind the blogs and the experience is just exhilarating. There is something to look forward to, every single time. The youngest Indiblogger steals my heart away, every single time!
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I do resemble my profile pic, don’t I? 😀 Even otherwise, anyone would recognise me in a few seconds by my klutziness. I keep falling over my feet all the time. I sometimes wonder if Vinni is more tense or happy to see me at these meets 😀
There were so many lovely young girls that it was wonderful being with all of you. Made me feel younger 🙂
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Every time there is a bloggers meet in Delhi, I am out of town. Every. Single. Time. 😦
I hope to attend one of these soon.
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But you didn’t miss this one. It was for women 😀 But seriously I would love to meet you at the next one. And be sure to be in town, ok?
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Gah! I can just say I am jealous 🙂
Glad you had so much fun 🙂
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Don’t be, RM. All you need to do is go for the next one in Mumbai 😀
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We will, if you also come for it! 😀
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Or we could have one of our own, eh? You had promised to meet me when I next came, remember?
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Always ready for that one! 🙂
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That sounds just great! I need to attend one soon. I hope they have one planned in Mumbai in the last week of December so I can meet all my dear blogger friends in Mumbai. Loved your description of each person. It must be an amazing experience to meet a blogger in person after being in touch with them and their lives in the virtual world.
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It they have indeed one planned, it would be great. Even otherwise, we are meeting anyway, aren’t we? I am a collector of friends and these meets are one way for me to do that. But blog world is getting younger and younger, I tell you 🙂
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Sure, we are meeting! I am feeling old already with my son blogging :).
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Oh yes, if you had gone to the Bangalore meet, he would have got a prize for being the youngest blogger 🙂
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