Dear Reader,

Yes, I choose to write Dear Reader because Dear Diary is, no offence, a little stupid. And the fact you're reading this is violation of everything diary writing goes for but I've come to believe diaries are meant to be read. So here it goes.

Since I dozed off in Diary Writing lecture and had this epiphany to begin writing at age 14, I don't know the Do's and Don'ts of diary writing so please bear with me.

Let me start by introducing myself

I'm the oldest daughter of my family. I like coffee, aloo poori, dancing and maths without letters in it. I play cricket, skating and have a respectable height of 5'4" (though I hope to gain just a couple inches more before my height ceases to increase). I live in constant identity crisis, thanks to my mom saying I'm "exactly like my dad" while dad says I'm "just like my mom". 8 times out of 10, I'm a good girl, but the rest 2 times... Let's just say Bhavya chachi had to almost bail me out.

Now, let me introduce my family. (Pay attention, this one's complicated.)

There's my Par-Dadi, Late Mrs Kalyani Singh Oberoi. She passed away when I was 5. I don't remember much but I do remember sitting on her lad as she told me stories of Ramayan, Mahabharat and Panchatantra while feeding me cut fruits.

Little Me thought that's what all Grandmothers are like. But I was quickly proven wrong.

My grandmother, Mrs Pinky Singh Oberoi isn't particularly fond of me, assuming because of my gender. It became evident when she would take my little brother in her lap and feed him apples cut microscopically small while I... Was handed the whole fruit. NGL I do look badass biting the apple whole while my spoilt siblings complain about the skin getting stuck in the teeth. So... Thanks Dadi.

The fact that makes Dadi not so fond of me is probably the very fact that makes my Bade Dadaji, The Mr Tej Singh Oberoi fond of me. The "The" is important in addressing him because... Well the world does so, so it must be important. He looks very intimidating but is lowkey nice, at least to us kids. He tried to teach me Abacus and Piano in my childhood. Excelled in the first one, horribly failed at the second. Psst! He seems to have some unsaid beef with my father while my Om Chachu has some beef with him. Sigh! Adults.

My favourite people from the Grandparents generation are my Badi Dadi, Mrs Jhanvi Singh Oberoi and my Dadu, Mr Shakti Singh Oberoi. But one thing I fail to understand is why do the best people suffer the most.

My Dadu, like my Par-Dadi, tells me stories of Ramayan and Mahabharat. The days he is on dialysis, I sit next to him listening to the stories over and over. It amazes me how he doesn't lose faith despite being in so much pain when most people I know curse God at the most minor inconveniences. Dadu is very sweet... so the fact that he has diabetes is ironic or befitting is difficult to say.

My Badi Dadi is... enigmatic. She's always warm and loving and giving but kinda distant at the same time. Almost like the sun. And again I don't know whether to call it irony or befitting, but her complexion is yellowish like the sun as a result of liver failure. On good days, she'd walk in garden with us. On bad days... Let's not talk about it right now.

Now, my favourite set of people. Funny, others say how can I love them so much when all I do is insult them. But don't insult them. It's Sibling Banter. My birth right.

So first of the pack is my elder brother (elder by a mere week), Raahil Singh Oberoi. The Golden Boy of the family. Topper of everything and Track and Field athlete. Although he keeps to himself, doesn't share his feelings and makes it look effortless, I know how how hard he works to be the best. Even though he says that he loves the four of us but wouldn't think twice before selling us all for a bag of Kampat Orange Candy. Makes you wonder if he's really the Billion-Heir, doesn't it?

If someone thought the middle child is overlooked, think again. After Raahil and I, we have Princess Royal, Rubina Singh Oberoi. She's 11, an attention magnet and cries at the drop of a hat. But don't let the grey puppy eyes fool you. This girl single-handedly saved a classmate from three bullies AND dodged the 2 - Day suspension for beating them in "self defence".

Then we have my baby brother, Ansh. He hates the fact I baby him, which is exactly why I do it. Excellent at Science, English and obsessed with space and stars. He's definitely mom on the inside and dad on the outside. I've seen baby pics of dad and Ansh is a replica! He's cute, chaotic and drives me insane because he never has his medicines on time but also cam make me smile no matter what.

The youngest of the pack is Rishi Singh Oberoi, my partner in dance and crime. Biggest social butterfly I've ever seen and probably has more friends than all four of us combined, thanks to his chatty nature. Also, he's our go-to person for art projects. Runs in the genes, I guess.

Special appreciation to the link between us kids and the adults, my Mama, Mr Sahil "Chatur"vedi. He is "the family member with a Sarkaari job" of the family, serving as Assistant Collector in Saharanpur. As mom rightly says, he's an example for hard-work and perseverance make dreams come true. Even though he's my Mama, he feels more like a big brother. He is Raahil and my confidante as he's young enough to approach but old enough to give advice.

Now... drumrolls please...

CEO. Entrepreneur. Born in 1994. Rudy. Rudra Singh Oberoi.
Dramatic much but fits Rudy Chachu perfectly.

And my previously mentioned, Bhavya Chachi aka Bhavya Singh Oberoi, Additional Commissioner of Police.
From what I've heard, both are extremely strict and professional at work. Bhavya chachi is strict at home too, especially when it comes to classes and homework. Rudy chachu is the fun one and always plans the best outings, trips and Impromptu Ice Cream Runs, which according to him is "essential for good health of the soul."

Then there's Om chachu. Known to everyone as World renowned artist and sculptor Omkara Singh Oberoi. To me, he's really just that Chachu who speaks in poetry that is way above the level of my understanding but also in whose words I find comfort in. Ironic again, isn't it?

Though she deserves a page of her own, here's a little something about my Gauri Maasi (or "Machi", as I used to call her in my childhood.) Maasi because she's mom's sister and Chachi as she's Om Chachu's wife. She's my first dance Guru and taught me how to express myself with movements when words failed. She's the liveliest, most loving person one can meet. With her around, I never miss mom when I'm in Oberoi Mansion.

Finally, the MVPs. The Birthgivers.
Fun fact: that was actually how I had saved their names in my phone for a few months.

I am sure you must know them, or have heard their names (because LITERALLY EVERYONE I ever met has)

Mr Shivaay Singh Oberoi, Chairman of Oberoi Group of industries. More importantly, my Papa. Like my Bade Dadaji, he has this intimidating, ice-cold aura around him that match with (our matching) icy blue eyes. The best businessman and the best father in the whole world.

Et enfin, my mommy dearest, Anika Trivedi. Strict and fun in equal measures. Founder and CEO of S&A Events, most popular event planner in the city and the best mother in whole world.

From the intel I gathered and vague childhood memories, the were the most Takker ke Ishqbaaz and deeply in love. Cut to today, they've almost completely fallen out of love with each other. I say almost because I say the love is still present, just buried deep within.

Sahil Mama and Raahil say thinking like this makes me a hopeless romantic. I don't blame them, if anyone else knew, they'd say the same. You, after reading this, would say the same but hey, umeed pe duniya kaayam hain.

Wow! I wrote a lot for a first entry.

Anywayyyyy,

Congratulations! You made it till the end and have gained exponential knowledge about my khaandaan.

Did I enjoy writing this diary as form stress release and self-reflection? Yeah.
Would I do it regularly? Or at least once again? ... questionable.

Yours... Nah, too personal

Signing off,
Shivani Singh Oberoi

A/N:

Task for the next update: Match the kids to their parents 😜

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