When Indiblogger, India's largest, most popular network of Indian blogs and bloggers announces its first ever Indian Blogging awards #IBA2013, you nominate your blog in haste and repent in leisure. One look at the sheer number of blogs competing for the top spots and the stalwarts in your category, you start preparing yourself for heartbreak. You look at the illustrious panel of jurors and mumble - No way will they even care to look at my blog! It makes it worse that so many of your friends and supporters have high hopes from you and you don't want to let them down.
So, you try to make yourself and others believe that everything is Maya and we are mere pawns in the chessboard of fate. You pray for amnesia for you and your friends so that they don't try to drown you with their waves of sympathy after the results are announced.
The D-Day is 15th August and you come to know that the awards will be announced at 6.PM IST. Even though it's past your bedtime in Australia, you wait with baited breath. You realize you're shaking. Then you see so many of your friends Rachna Parmar, Alka Gurha, Bhartiya Grihanee, Rekha Kakkar, Ranjana Shankar, Saru Singhal, Deepa Sunil, Vidya Sury walk away with top honours and you erupt with joy. Now you're tired and since you honestly don't expect to win, you try to get some sleep. But that little flame of hope refuses to die and flip open your iPad.
You stare in disbelief when you see the barrage of congratulatory messages in your Twitter mentions column and Facebook page. Gasping for breath, you shake your blissfully asleep husband awake and make an incoherent call to your Mom and daughter.
YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A-MUSING HAS BEEN JUDGED THE BEST HUMOUR BLOG IN LITERATURE AND PERSONAL CATEGORY!
Can there be a better occasion than this to thank you all for your love and encouraging words that kept my zeal alive! There were countless occasions when I was plagued with self-doubt, wondering if was wasting my time and yours! But then I realized that my blog gives me so much happiness and a sense of purpose. And perhaps there are a few for whom my crazy musings serve as a stress-buster.
I have always loved making people smile and have considered blogging a passion rather than a hobby. And when your labour of love gets a formal recognition like this, it gives you the impetus to work harder and never give up.
Thank you Indiblogger and a special thanks to my "I told you so gang" - Snow Leopard, BlogwatiG, Suresh, Rickie, Sushmita, Luciferhouseinc Fool, Janaki, Ritu Lalit, Sharmila, Red Handed, Roshni and Bhavana.
P.S - You are requested to leave the choicest of abuses in the comments sections if I have missed your name.
Like I always said, no one deserves it more. If they did, I would contest it! ;P
ReplyDeleteI hope you didn't send threatening letters to the panel of judges!
DeleteI told you so. Your brand is your own, and truly deserving of this. Very special for me too, since yours was one of the first blogs to make me realize there was a destination, and a very fine one of that too!!
ReplyDeleteSubho, don't your embarrass me! Your blog is one of the finest.
DeletePurba ji, Congratulations for winning IBAwards2013 .
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWhat more can I say Purba! Heartiest congratulations! So glad to read your blog and happier to be your friend :)! Blogging has been one amazing journey. And I told you so too :-P!
ReplyDeleteIt's through my blog I discovered friends like you :-)
DeleteHey, I am part of the 'I told you so' gang too. Okay, so I didn't actually say so, but I knew it.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Sweetie.
Psst! where are the abuses?
DeleteWell deserved and was a foregone conclusion! Wish you many more accolades, Purba:)
ReplyDeleteI wasn't expecting it.
DeleteHah! See, I told you so!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Purba! Hope to see you in lovely Gurgaon later this year and have a belated celebration!
Yep, looking forward to meeting you all.
DeleteHahaha, I never told you so, but I thought so. :)
ReplyDeleteHa!
DeleteI always knew you would win, your brand of humour is so unique, so pungent and deliciously wicked. Congrats once again
ReplyDeleteAnd I've always admired your effortless style.
DeleteMany congrats Purba! You are my favorite blogger in this category. SO what if I am unable to visit your blog often and read all of them, whenever I visit and read, it delights me! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletewww.numerounity.com
Thanks love, for your support and appreciation.
DeleteCongrats..
ReplyDeleteThank you, Madhu.
DeleteLooking forward few more masterpieces :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats once again.
I wish I could churn out masterpieces every week!
DeleteOnce again Congrats. I would have been curious to see a blog better than yours in the humor category. Seems like it doesn't exist.
ReplyDeleteThanks fool! Your appreciation means a lot.
DeleteCongrats to you..:)
ReplyDeleteYay!!!Hearty Congratulations to all the winners!:)))
ReplyDeleteYayyyy!
DeleteCongrats. U deserve it. I started following u both on blogs and twitter for more than 8 months. I started when u were in Delhi. . It has become part of my daily routine. I hope u will continue this.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I get a lot of my inspiration from Twitter.
DeleteI have "some good news" :D Thats the understatement of the year :D
ReplyDeleteHahahahah!
DeleteBabes...it was all written, no two ways about it.
ReplyDeleteMwah <3
DeleteHa! And I can say that I was the first one to say "I told you so!" :D
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! :)
"Remember remember the month of December Purba Ray's party and plot, I see know reason why the A-musing victory should ever be forgot." :D
And we shall partyyyy!
DeleteHi Purba
ReplyDeleteHere comes a BIG CONGRATS!!!
Keep it up.
Keep Going.
I wish all the contestants and of course All the other Winners!
a wonderful and purposeful time ahead!!!
Keep Blogging,
Keep Inform.
Best Regards
Philip Ariel & Associates
Thank you so much.
DeleteI sure hope I am that Suresh - or else I may need to take tuition from Rickie to shower those choice curses :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations once again, Purba!
I know only one Suresh :-)
DeleteCongrats Purba... not sure if I told you so or not, but please give benefit of doubt and just assume I tooo told you so :) ...
ReplyDeleteYou've always been an ardent supporter.
DeleteYou had doubts? I can't think of anyone better than you in Humor category, EVER. You have an unparalleled panache!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations once again.
Mwah, baby. So happy for your win.
Deletecongratulations!!! loved the whole award ceremony, and was delighted to see some of my favorites winning the contest :)
ReplyDeleteAnd you were my favourite :-)
DeleteCongrats Purba . Your humor is simply superb and it's definitely well deserved ,. Congrats again :)
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks!
DeleteCongratulations Purba. You deserve it :-)
ReplyDeleteGracias.
DeleteCongrats again...u deserved it :)
ReplyDeleteDon't know about that but it did feel great.
DeleteI am not in the 'I said so' gang...But I am definitely one of those 'who thought so'...cheers on the award. Enjoyed reading you any day...keep writing!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :-)
DeleteSulk sulk sulk sulk ...arms crossed...pouting.
ReplyDeleteI KNEW you'd win.
Hmph!
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
I fondly remember the first time I arrived at your blog, intrigued about the same name as mine. Some light years ago. We've come a long way, baby!
Yep! I remember that moment distinctly :-)
DeleteWe indeed have!
Congrats Purba. I was always fascinated by your blobs. Well deserved.Kudos!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Usha :-)
DeleteFabulous !!! A well deserved accolade.
ReplyDeleteGracias :-)
DeleteWell done, Purba. I've laughed out loud so often after reading your posts. Glad you won.
ReplyDeleteI try but don't always succeed.
DeleteCongrats congrats and congrats :-)
ReplyDeleteA well deserved award! I always wait for your new blog posts. It is such a good read and as you said a real stress buster for me.
I thank the day I found you on the controversial 'weblog' group :-)
I still remember that time when they were asking people to introduce to their group and had given a timeline and you had come a little bit late and had asked 'if they still had time to get your blog onto their list'. I used to go through most of those blogs that got introduced and I just loved your blog then and there :-)and glad I found your blog.
:-)
Happy weekend..
And you never left my side, Bhavana.
DeleteWill always cherish your unconditional love and support.
Great post, Purba! Congratulations! :-)
ReplyDeleteRenie, for me Indiblogger is more of a family and you guys are the coolest.
Deletecongratulations :D well deserved win :D
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeleteCongratulations once again! All of us always knew that you would win. There were no surprises there for us. :P
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasant shock for me :-)
DeleteCongratulations!! I nominated mine in "short stories". I was a tad disappointed when I didn't make it but seeing your name in "humor" sure reinforced that judgement was only fair :D
ReplyDeleteWell, there's always a next time :-)
DeleteI knew it all the way :-) No abuses, just hearty congratulations ! Well deserved !
ReplyDeleteMwah <3
DeleteThanks so much, love :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats Purba :) have always loved reading your posts...really well deserved..
ReplyDeleteIt always feels good to feel appreciated by your peers.
DeleteCongrats. This is no easy feat, considering the fact that could be at least a few thousand potential contenders out there in the Indian internet spectrum of about 200 million users. Keep going!
ReplyDeletePrecisely why I didn't expect to win :-) There are too many who are better than I am.
DeleteThis is great! Congratulations Purba :)
ReplyDeleteLook ho's surfaced on my blog after all these years!
DeleteCongrats Purba, you really are great!
ReplyDeleteLike in that song, you are champion
I wish I could believe you :-)
DeleteCongratulation...award for Humor blog! can it go to anyone else? Do anybody have that courage to give to anybody other than Purba....:) just kidding...I always loved reading your posts...enjoyed...frankly speaking I'm your fan :)
ReplyDeleteFeeling so humbled and overwhelmed with the love and appreciation showered on me. Not sure if I really deserve it.
DeleteThank you so much,Ranjana.
Many congratulations :) and I am surprised that you had doubt. Humor has only one name and that is Purba :)
ReplyDeleteI have my serious phases when all I do is rant :/
DeleteBut thanks much, Jas :-)
Congrats! You deserve it. I think humour should also have its genres. yours is a satirical humour
ReplyDeleteYep! And I also tend to get serious at times.
Deletecongratulatuions
ReplyDeleteWow Purba! U are the one who cud win this award hands down, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteI always had admired ur ability to comment sarcastically at anything and everything under the sun, in ur own style :)
Waiting eagerly for those tongue-in-cheek posts.
I wish I could feel as confident as you all :-)
DeleteThanks so much :-)
Many Congratulations!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks much.
DeleteI never told u so but from the beginning I felt so :)
ReplyDeleteheartiest congratssss