I was told many years ago by friends, soothsayers who i would visit wt my friend that i would make property. “You will buy a house.” I never remembered it. Always thought it can NEVER be so, bcoz there was just NO way for me to make profits, save & make a house of my own. I however had an itch a few years ago.

Reasons are plenty. I wanted a place of my own. People may say that my father’s property is mine, but i ALWAYS say & believe it is NOT. It is his, its his priority whom to give it to or leave it in the name of anyone.

It also happened that a few years ago my famous hot cook Radha told me how she is buying a house in Virar. Even if it is a chawl i still think its awesome that this poor illiterate lady was married forcibly by her parents to an abso skunk who left this hottie for some worker on his work site & dumped her wt 2 children. However at that time i really felt pathetic for myself.

People say Maharashtrians born in Mumbai, basically the natives like me are ‘susegath’ unambitious, lazy. Now i don’t think everyone can be generalised. However, i do admit i am lazy by nature, i’d love if a remote could do a lot of my work, or for that matter machines. I often ask myself why do i have to work so much, that too sooo hard. I’d rather retire. Yeah i often dream of a green lawn, garden & do gardening…laze around, ofcorz all that paid for by some other means than my hard work.

Really speaking i am like a busy bee. I can never sit in one place for long, i love to be on the move, but important point is AT MY PACE. i don’t like to be pushed around. SO suddenly i rose from my slumber, when Radha told me she had bought a place. I felt immense admiration for her, but felt angry at myself. I felt, what’s the use of all this hard work, if i am unable to buy myself a house?

In the mean time my name was cleared for the Press Club, the excitement was short lived b’coz the then CM Vilasrao refused to sign Pr Club’s proposal for this hsg scheme. For nearly three years this scheme was pushed under the carpet. I went & saw 2 houses -Quite depressing. Had started thinking of zeroing in Panvel, Sanpada types (vvv far it is) by then my sister came & went. People began advising me how the new airport will come up at Panvel & I shld buy a place there…there was also a lot of mystery surrounding the future of my parents’ home in Girgaum.

My sister left for back home (US) in July & one night my friend called to tell me, “Neeta check your email.” Mid-July 2009 onwards till March first week 2010 it has been one whirlwind breezy time. Collecting papers, collating them, Xeroxing 1000s of copies, evaded one corrupt officer by complaining to the higher authorities. Initial delay took place & with it was some sense of disappointment & feeling of bitterness. I eventually sent an SMS to MHADA chief & dear old friend Gautam Chatterjee. I did NOT seek his help but simply informed him.

Then had to wait patiently for MHADA to sanction my file, meanwhile the PRO Vaishali too put in a good word to process my file faster. However I did not bypass the Pr club that had taken the onus to be the coordinating agency. Yes, they still owe us Rs 5000, as they had promised to return that amount once we took possession of our houses.

Then began another process began though it wasn’t tedious or more so emotionally taxing –HOME LOAN. It definitely wasn’t as they show in ads, but the sr asst mgr at the SBI HQ was amazing. She put in overtime so that I could get hold of my cheques personally at 7.00pm sharp. I ran to see a film after that. Since then Prateeksha nagar & me have this love-hate relationship.

I still can’t believe its my house. Every month I see money being deducted from my account, a huge lumpsum…less said the better. I love to crib & have bunch of friends who tell me “Your pay will never be the same, it will always increase, at least you have a house of your own.”

Sure, salary NEVER remains the same, but hope people know I’ve been incurring pay cut since over a yr. More over I went on a scholarship last year for 4 months, the newspaper I work has NOT bothered to consider a study leave, 4 months special leave by giving me at basic salary. They were forcing me to take Paid Leave. I had to muscle my way with the HR head that it was NO bloody leave, I would begin my day everyday by 6.30am attend 8.15am class & finish by 5-5.30pm then research, do home work & project work. It was by NO means a HOLIDAY. Sure it was a nice break & just when the world economy went in recession.

So here I have a new house, NO money to put things in it. My salary gets deducted every month with an EMI for a hsg loan & NO other means of salary or increment. I have a house….at least something that shows my own name….!